New festival to bring movie premieres, celebrities to Butte this January

BUTTE, Mont. — Happening this winter in Butte, a brand-new international festival will celebrate the art of storytelling through cinema and music.

The inaugural North West 360 Winter Fest will take place Jan. 9-16 in Uptown Butte at over half a dozen venues, including Covellite and Mother Lode Theatres, the local train depot, and a large 120 or 140-foot-tall dome that will be set up at the Original Mine Yard.

“The team that is coming in just got back from Burning Man, and they did a five-story structure there. So they are impressive. You’re going to just start hearing a lot more about it. And especially as we can start releasing names (of performers),” said festival director Shera Konen, adding that crews were in Butte just last week to ensure the Mine Yard can fit the vortex dome that will feature graphics.

Details are continuing to be finalized, but the jury that will award prizes has been selected and includes big names like former Disney Pictures president Chris McGurk and Academy and Emmy Award winner Freida Lee Mock.

“Butte has had so much success in recent years with film and television, and we want this to kind of be the culmination of that. Like yeah, we do this here. This is what we do here. And to build an economy. An event like this can do that. In seven days, it can bring in a lot of money during a shoulder season that is normally really quiet for vendors and for hotels and for restaurants,” said Konen.

There will be numerous film premieres, with separate awards for films with budgets above and below $10 million, and other events will include a poker tournament, a pro-am pool tournament, pop up shops and restaurants featuring celebrity chefs, live music and comedy, exhibitions and conferences.

“We’ve got some really fun, interesting things in the works. We’re on calls every day with actors. And each one of the films that filmed in Butte, we’re trying to bring in the team that did that. We’re just really excited,” said Konen.

There will also be VIP events and lounges where people will have the opportunity to attend meet-and-greets.

The event is being funded by donors and sponsors, including world renowned jewelry designer Rosalina Tran Lydster, who is the festival CEO. The hope is for this to become an annual event and for there to be an accompanying food and wine festival in the summer, with the possibility of some educational events throughout the year, like writers and actors labs.

“We’re really hoping for it to become part of Butte’s narrative. So we’re going to be known for St. Patrick’s Day and the Folk Festival and An Ri Ra and, hopefully, Northwest360,” said Konen.

Ticketing will be done through an app that is currently being built. Day and event tickets will be available.

More information on the festival will be released in the coming weeks. Organizers say there will be a need for volunteers and additional sponsors.