Bob Marshall Music Festival adds new scholarship program

The Bob Marshall Music Festival returns to Seeley Lake for its third year with some exciting new additions. It’s no secret that the town of Seeley Lake was nearly lost to the Rice Ridge Fire that charred more than 150,000 acres of surrounding forest last summer. The air quality devastated the community, both physically and financially. That’s why the Bob organizers set a goal to make this year its biggest yet, in hopes of regaining lost tourism revenue and boosting town morale.

The full concert lineup is still being finalized, and so far it includes Sarah Shook and the Disarmers, the Brothers Comatose, Jive Mother Mary, Matt Strachan and Hoot Owls, Beat Deaf and an evening with the Dueling Pianos duo. The full three-day festival offers camping, a VIP tent, dancing, yoga, group hikes, kids activities and more. There’s also the Seeley 50k, 25k and 10k trail run that takes participants right through the Rice Ridge burn scar, which burned in a mosaic pattern in the mountains around Seeley.

New this year is a groundbreaking opportunity for Montana high school seniors that will send a group of one to four graduates on a $3,000 road trip to expand their minds on the open road. The goal is to broaden horizons, pushing the recipients outside their comfort zone while teaching them important life lessons, essentially kick-starting their post-high school journeys.

All applications must be submitted by May 1. Travel must occur be between July 1 and August 30. For application requirements, visit at www.thebobmusic.com and select “Open Road Grant” in the top menu.