June 1 through July 4, 2005

Experience the Missouri River as members of the Corps of Discovery first saw it in 1805. Take a float tour of the Upper Missouri, stand at the edge of the Great Falls that Captain Meriwether Lewis described as “the grandest sight I ever beheld,” or witness a reenactment of the arduous portage around the falls, all part of 34 days of festivities that begin June 1.

Events are planned in and around the communities of Great Falls and Fort Benton in Montana. Visitors can attend literature fairs, performances and reenactments as well as a symposium featuring Indian speakers and the premiere performance of the Pioa Opera, the Blackfeet story of Scarface, on July 3.

Gates of the Mountains boat tour
(Click for a larger image)
Relive the Trials and Triumphs of Travel on the Plains: Plan to "EXPLORE! The Big Sky" as the journals of Lewis and Clark unfold during this 34-day event. EXPLORE! The Big Sky commemorates the fateful decision at the Marias River confluence, celebrates the portage end in Great Falls, and honors the native cultures of the Plains Indian tribes. Families and Lewis and Clark aficionados alike will enjoy the activities offered each day in rural and metropolitan communities.

For more information on this event, click on www.explorethebigsky.org, or contact Peggy Bourne, P.O. Box 5021, Great Falls, MT 59403; (406) 455-8451; e-mail: pbourne@ci.great-falls.mt.us.


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