Rendezvous to raise money for museum

The Hockaday Museum of Art’s Rendezvous on Swan River fundraiser is scheduled for Oct. 6.

The event will take place from 4 to 9:30 p.m. at 13025 Rainbow Drive in Bigfork, and will be hosted by Denny and Kitty Kellogg and Jennifer and Randy Wright.

Historically, rendezvous provided solace and relief to trappers and traders who spent isolated winters traveling many miles on hazardous trails.

The rendezvous was a meeting place for mountain men, explorers and Indians to gather, barter, sell and swap items such as skins, pelts, guns, trinkets and necessary provisions for the coming winter. It was the time to renew acquaintances with old friends, tell tall tales, and celebrate another year of survival with plenty of rowdy fun.

At the Hockaday event, prizes will be awarded for the best rustic attire.  Registration at the event will be held in a recently restored historic trapper’s cabin, and guests may enjoy spirits by Whistling Andy Distillery (Bigfork) and The Raven (Woods Bay).

Flavors planned for the evening will take on an authentic “old time” feel with locally distilled spirits, roasted pig and smoked fish. Music by Barnyard Riot will have guests dancing after they catch up with friends around the bonfires and wagons.

Throughout the evening, guests may purchase raffle tickets for $20 each to win an original Ace Powell oil painting that has been valued at approximately $1,500. Only 100 tickets will be sold.

Guests may shop the mercantile for Hudson Bay blankets and leather goods by Elaine Snyder, and visit the Rogues Gallery for original works by Montana artists Tom Saubert, Frank Hagel, Jennifer Li and Ron Ukrainetz.  Guest artist Ron Ukrainetz will be painting plein air outfitted in “Rendezvous Garb.” There will also be a flint knapping demonstration by Rich Petterson.

Overnight accommodations in a luxuriously outfitted tepee or cozy cabin are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. More information is available by contacting Jennifer Wright at jwrightint@aol.com.

Reservations for the event are requested by Sept. 22 and are offered at $90 per person for Hockaday members and $100 each for nonmembers. A $10 per-person discount is extended to those who reserve by Sept. 6.

Reservations may be made by calling the museum at 755-5268. Forty-five dollars of each reservation is tax-deductible.