Grand Opening of Story Mill Community Park

The Trust for Public Land and City of Bozeman invite our community to the park's grand opening on Saturday, July 20, 2019 for free, family-friendly activities!

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

9:00 – 10:00 am            

Fun Run at the Grand Lawn presented by Billion Auto Group 
Join the Big Sky Wind Drinkers for a half-mile Kid’s Run (Ages 12 and under) or three-mile Fun Run (Ages 12+) to sample the Story Mill Community Park trails! 

9:30 – 10:30 am                               

Nordic Pole Walking for Seniors at The Trust for Public Land Plaza
Certified fitness instructor, Cheryl Bartholomew, will introduce you to pole walking for fitness and help renew your sense of ability and mobility. Some poles will be provided but please bring your own poles if you have them.

Fly Casting Clinic on the Grand Lawn presented by Langlas & Associates (all ages)
Join Fins & Feathers to learn to cast a fly rod and the basics about fly fishing, local entomology, and how to rig a rod! All fishing gear will be provided.

10:00 – 11:00 am             

“Water & Wildlife in the Park” Walking Tour at The Trust for Public Land Plaza (ages 12+)
Sacajawea Audubon and artist-educator Katie Christiansen will share the wildlife and natural wonders of Story Mill Community Park. 

Yoga on the Grand Lawn presented by Bozeman Health (ages 12+)
Terra Grace Yoga will lead an all levels yoga class, please bring your own mat.

Kid’s Climbing Clinic at Norm’s Boulder (ages 5 - 15)
Join Spire Climbing Center coaches for a youth climbing clinic 

10:00 am – 12:00 pm      

Fun for Pups at the West Paw Dog Park (all ages pups and people!)
Enter your pooch to perform tricks for giveaways from West Paw or sit for a quick-draw pup portrait by artist Sharon Glick.

Kids Face Painting at the Davis Pavilion

11:00 am – 12:00 pm      

“Designing Your Park” Walking Tour at The Trust for Public Land Plaza (ages 12+)
Join The Trust for Public Land and Bozeman Parks & Recreation to learn about the art of designing parks.  

Sing Along Dance Party with Music Kate at the Reunion Pavilion (all ages)

12:00 – 1:00 pm               

Picnic on the Grand Lawn presented by Montana Party Rentals
Bring your own lunch or visit food vendors ($) and enjoy a picnic in the park.

NEW: Circus Show & Class on the Grand Lawn (Ages 8 - 12)
Try out juggling, balance and aerial arts with coaches from 406Cirque, Bozeman's First Circus School.

1:00 – 2:00 pm                 

“History in the Park” Walking Tour at The Trust for Public Land Plaza (ages 12+)
Join The Extreme History Project to explore about the history and heritage of Story Mill Community Park.

Climb with the Locals at Norm’s Boulder presented by the LARK (ages 12+)
Bring your climbing shoes to join local climbers from the Bozeman Boulder Initiative. 

Animal Discovery at the Davis Pavilion (ages 3 – 18)
Join Montana Outdoor Science School to explore skulls, pelts, tracks and more! 

Fiddle Concert with Tom Robison & Friends at the Reunion Pavilion (all ages)

2:00 – 3:00 pm                  

“Art in the Park” Walking Tour at The Trust for Public Land Plaza (ages 12+)
Join The Trust for Public Land and Mountain Time Arts to explore creative placemaking and art in Story Mill Community Park.

Tour of the Wells Fargo Learning Garden & Food Forest (all ages)
Join the Gallatin Valley Food Bank and Broken Ground for a guided tour of the garden and forest.

Music with the Boomerangs at the Reunion Pavilion (all ages)

2:00 – 4:00 pm                  

“Nature in a Nutshell” Kids Activity at the Davis Pavilion (ages 4 - 10)
Join Learning by Nature to create a handmade nature journal or a pinecone owl.   

3:00 – 4:00 pm                  

Tykes on Bikes at the Mysun Playground Tyke Track (ages 2 – 5)
Bring your pushbike and helmet to decorate for a bike rodeo with Bozeman Parks & Recreation. 

Concert by Montana Manouche at the Reunion Pavilion (all ages)

6:00 – 8:30 pm                  

Park Dedication and Concert on the Lawn featuring Holly Williams presented by Wells Fargo (all ages)
Bring a picnic blanket or lawn chair and join us for the official dedication of Story Mill Community Park, followed by a free concert with Holly Williams supported by Jason Wickens. Libation garden and food for purchase will be available from local vendors. Please no large shade structures, outside alcohol, pets, glass, weapons, fireworks or drones.

Hailing from the South, this singer-songwriter is forging her own family traditions…Holly Audrey Williams, an American singer-songwriter, retailer, designer, and mother to three young children.  She is the granddaughter of Hank Williams Sr., the daughter of Hank Williams Jr. and lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

In addition to three critically acclaimed albums and extensive touring, including Opry appearances, Holly continues to carve a path in design, retail, and hospitality.  She is the visionary behind H. Audrey and White’s Mercantile, two unique and adored retail concepts that have been hailed as, “impeccable… modern…always on point.” She has renovated and curated historic properties, under the name White’s Room and Board -- a collection of unforgettable farmhouses and cabins, available for rent, offering a fresh take on the VRBO model.

Holly’s life, her music, and her businesses are choreographed around all of the things she loves and collects with her family and friends as the centerpiece.  She is a tireless creative, currently writing her new record, expanding her retail footprint, and starting her first television show with HGTV.

Holly believes in the transformative power of everyday nature and the importance of nearby parks and trails, and we are thrilled to have her join us to celebrate Bozeman's latest, greatest park.

GETTING TO THE PARK

We encourage you to leave your car behind to walk, bike, or ride to the Grand Opening of Story Mill Community Park!

• Ride Streamline to Story Mill Community Park! Jump on board at the Downtown Transfer Station. Visit streamlinebus.com for more info on routes and bus schedules
• Check your bike at the free bike valet hosted by the Gear Wizard at the Story Mill Community Center
• Use a ride share service, like Lyft. The Trust for Public Land is a proud partner of Lyft’s “Round Up & Donate” program.

DOGS IN THE PARK

At Story Mill Community Park dogs are welcome on-leash in most areas, except in the Nature Sanctuary where dogs are prohibited. Dogs are welcome on-leash in the northern portion of the park and off-leash in the West Paw Dog Park.

ART IN THE PARK

Sculptures by artists Erik Nelson (The Trust for Public Land Plaza) and Jim Zimpel and Stephen Fairfield (Nature Sanctuary)

Nature and history interpretative signage by artist/educator Katie Christiansen

Photographic banners by Adam Sings in the Timbers depicting intertribal women who reside in the Gallatin Valley

Wrapped artworks by Jennifer Lowe-Anker, Sarah Angst and Katie Christiansen

Thank you to our Grand Opening event sponsors:

Presenting Sponsor

Platinum Sponsors 

Gold Sponsors

Friends of the Park

Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Cardinal Distributing, Daily Coffee Bar, Gallatin Valley Botanical, Genuine Ice Cream, Heyday, Treeline Coffee Roasters, Wildrye Distilling, and Yellowstone Grassfed Beef 

Because a Special Town Deserves a Great Park

Story Mill Community Park will open in July 2019 with the collective support of hundreds of resident and community groups working with The Trust for Public Land and City of Bozeman. Here, restored rivers, abundant birds and wildlife, and a rich historical setting provide a place for all to play, celebrate, and connect to nature and to one another for generations to come.

At 60 acres, Story Mill Community Park is the City of Bozeman’s largest park featuring ample experiences for exercise on 3-4 miles of trails, a climbing boulder and an adventure playground with treehouses, slides and unique climbing features. For our furry friends, an enclosed dog park provides space to roam and play fetch. Family, friends and neighbors will gather for performances in the park’s hillside amphitheater, recreation programs and camps at the community center, picnics and celebrations in several open-air pavilions, and festivals held on the park’s grand lawn.

The park’s award-winning nature sanctuary includes almost a mile of restored river frontage along the East Gallatin for fishing and 15 acres of wetlands to observe birds and other wildlife at home in the park. There is so much to do and to see in Story Mill Community Park – whether you come to spend an hour or an entire day!