Page 26 - Flathead Beacon // 1.15.13

26 | JANUARY 15, 2014 FLATHEADBEACON.COM

BUSINESS

In Bigfork, An Eventful Community Builds Its Brand

Chamber of Commerce
welcomes new president

who hopes to help boost

the town’s unique identity

By DILLON TABISH of the Beacon

BIGFORK — What’s on the calendar
for Bigfork in 2014?
Lots.
The tight-knit community hugging

the northern banks of Flathead Lake is
poised for a big year, not just a big sum-
mer. As the tourism industry increas-
ingly becomes a tent-pole across North-
west Montana, eforts and organizations
are focused on shrinking the so-called
shoulder season and building Bigfork’s

brand as a destination full of events.
If last year was any indicator, then
the momentous streak should only keep
expanding over the next 12 months.
“This last summer was really, really
good. In fact it was one of the best sum-
mers we’ve had in quite awhile,” said
Bruce Solberg, the outgoing executive

director of the Bigfork Area Chamber of
Commerce.
Solberg recently handed over the
reins to Heather Burnham, the new ex-
ecutive director of the chamber, which
has more than 350 members spanning
the valley. Burnham, who moved here
nearly four years ago from Salt Lake

City, is hoping to build on Solberg’s and
others’ work to promote Bigfork and aid
economic development. She said one of
her top goals is to increase the number
of year-round festivities on Electric Av- Bigfork’s new Chamber of Commerce president, Heather Burnham, and former president Bruce Solberg are pictured. GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON
enue and throughout the surrounding
area.
“THE INITIAL GOAL IS TO CONTINUE WHAT WE’VE BEEN DOING, WHICH IS FOCUSING
“The initial goal is to continue what
we’ve been doing, which is focusing on ON INCREASING TOURISM, WHICH IN TURN ALSO INCREASES BUSINESS REVENUE
increasing tourism, which in turn also
increases business revenue for all of our FOR ALL OF OUR MEMBERS HERE. WE WANT TO CONTINUE HIGHLIGHTING BIGFORK
members here,” Burnham said last week
from inside the Chamber headquarters
of Montana Highway 35. “We want to AND INCREASE THE AWARENESS OF ALL THE THINGS WE HAVE TO OFFER HERE.”
continue highlighting Bigfork and in-
Heather Burnham, executive director of the Bigfork Chamber
crease the awareness of all the things we
have to ofer here.”
There’s plenty to tout. While Bigfork
was traditionally known as a lakeside
attraction in the summer months, the The list goes on. There’s also the Bigfork is adding another note- also hopes to lure small businesses that
community has furnished an array of widely popular Montana Dragon Boat worthy event to the calendar in the fall could set up shop locally and it into Big-
year-round events that cater to both lo- Festival and Spartan Race, two signa- called the Chalk and Rock Festival. The fork’s identity.

cal residents and out-of-town visitors. ture events that attract thousands of new two-day event will draw street art- “We certainly don’t want to turn into
The town has established a solid list of out-of-market visitors to the Flathead.
ists from across the region who design a large city by any means, but we have
mainstay festivals for the entire Flat- “Each year is really getting better vast pieces of artwork on the town’s room for smaller businesses,” she said,
head Valley, including the downtown than the last and we are noticing that streets amid live music and other festivi- adding, “Our goal is for businesses, but
brewfest in March, the Taste of Bigfork our season is expanding, where it’s not ties.
it’s really about supporting the commu-
in early May and the Whitewater Festi- just July and August anymore,” Burn- The chamber is helping support the nity as a whole. Everybody contributes
val at the end of May, the Festival of the ham said.
event inancially and seeking other ways to our town. We really consider our-
Arts in early August and the Crown of “That’s something we will always to ofer incentives for new events or selves a town of volunteers.”

the Continent Guitar Festival in late Au- have to work on but it’s deinitely gotten businesses looking to lay roots in town.
[email protected]
gust.
better.”
As executive director, Burnham