August may be the one month of the year that significantly impacts Bozeman. The two main reasons for August being significant are our historically important Festival of Arts and Culture, Sweet Pea, followed later in the month by the return of thousands of Montana State University students, and the beginning of the school year for all local students.

For the past 46 years, The Sweet Pea Festival of Arts and Culture has brought Bozeman area residents to the rolling hills of Lindley Park on East Main Street to stroll under the pines in order to view artwork, crafts and specialty products from regional makers. While browsing booths beneath the trees, you can hear the music from the Main Stage, as well as the tapping of scores of hammers from the Kenyon Noble building area, where children can test their eye-hand coordination and STEM skills while building with wood. Sweet Pea has something for everyone in the community, from youngest to oldest: dance performances, a flower show, beer garden, theater, music, food, and the opportunity to reconnect with friends and family. Whether you’ve been to Sweet Pea every year, haven’t been in a while, or are visiting Bozeman specifically to attend, may you meet the people and the art meant for you this year!

Working towards becoming its own notable festival, SLAM (Support Local Artists & Musicians) is the newer arts festival also happening the first weekend of August, in Bozeman’s Bogert Park. Admission is free; attendees will find Bozeman-based musicians, artists, and food and beverage vendors at SLAM. This festival is all about supporting local creatives in their pursuits, and uses its platform to spearhead community art installations that can be enjoyed year-round by Bozemanites.

Check out both of these fantastic August events on the Greater Yellowstone Events Calendar, where you’ll find details and links to even more info from the festival-makers. Within this issue of Bozeman Magazine, you’ll find back-to-school articles from historical perspectives, a Top 10 Ice Cream list, a piece on local food co-ops and how they affect the community, Tim Ford’s real estate market update, our monthly restaurant interview, and much more. Our goal to bring all-things-Bozeman into one place for our readers culminates at bozemanmagazine.com, where all of our content lives, and local info and events are added daily.

Thank you for picking up this issue of Bozeman Magazine, I hope you learn something about our community and are able to enjoy more than a few local events this August.