In a politically divided region, one that often pits county and city officials against property owners (the lawsuit against the Flathead County planning office is the latest example), the summer evenings in Kalispell have offered some unity. And in a town that can be described as apathetic, with just three of the five much-maligned city council members even drawing challengers this year, the turnout for these weekly Thursday night street festivals has been surprisingly robust.
It’s the brainchild of a group of downtown business owners – from local bars, gyms yarn stores and art galleries – who with the Business Improvement District and Kalispell Downtown Association drummed up the idea of Thursday!Fest. They really couldn’t know what to expect when they asked city officials to shut down a couple of streets, invited some food and beer vendors and bands, and hoped folks would show up.
But they have, in droves. At a recent Thursday!Fest, Bigfork’s Pedacter Project played to a street filled with dancing, rambunctious locals. And when the band finished playing at the early cutoff time of 7:30 p.m., there were actually sporadic chants for “one more song” – as if the crowd just heard the final song at a KISS concert. One of the organizers from the KDA scurried on stage and said the band would, in fact, be allowed to play an encore. She was applauded by townspeople, most of who, prior to her announcement, were likely unaware Kalispell had a downtown association in the first place.
It’s quite a feat for this city to be hosting, and drawing so many people to, so many events this summer. Kalispell has always had the historic infrastructure to provide a backdrop for community festivals, but one could question whether it had the population to come out and support it. And when the nearby Depot Park Concert Series was forced to cancel five of its concerts due to budget cuts at the Parks and Recreation Department, I doubt many people expected another event to fill the void.
But Thursday!Fest was launched. And watching the healthy crowds that enjoy the small street fair, organizers must feel validated. Their assumptions were right: city dwellers wanted to mingle with their neighbors; they just needed a little nudge.
Up the road, in Columbia Falls, there is a similar trend. As that town turns 100, and, like Kalispell, has been plagued with layoffs, it could be excused for choosing to forgo summer celebrations amid a deep recession. Instead, the opposite sentiment has taken hold. And again, led by volunteers – many part of First Best Place Task Force – that town is undergoing a reinvention of sorts.
While embracing its past, with its recent celebration of Heritage Days, it is looking toward the future. Columbia Falls, economically depressed by recent mill and plant closures, recently opened Glacier Discovery Square, which will eventually house the library and serve as a community center. The town’s farmers’ market has taken root uptown and quickly doubled in size.
It’s hard to gauge community spirit and, in the doldrums of a recession-inflicted summer, it’s easy to dwell on our uncertainties. But it is encouraging that two towns in this valley, better known for their struggling industries than thriving “cultures,” have embraced events that have provided small-scale solace. No one can predict when, if ever, the heyday of growth that buoyed the valley’s economy will return. But for those who already live here, the summer evenings have offered a welcome respite from our political divisions and economic worries.