MADISON BUFFALO JUMP STATE PARK — For thousands of years, people would gather at the base of what we now call Madison Buffalo Jump each fall. According to the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, teams would drive herds of bison over the cliffs, while others at the base would process the animals into food, tools, and shelters for the long winter.
Check out the ancient history surrounding this Montana treasure:
On Saturday, September 5th, those people and the buffalo will be honored at Madison Buffalo Jump State Park in an unusual way, at the end of hundreds of kite strings.
Alice Southworth is the park’s Recreation Manager. She says the idea of a kite festival came from a group known as The Flying Buffalo Project. “Native American artists were contacted to sew their artwork into these large kites.”She says one of those artists will be at Madison Buffalo Jump State Park for the festival.
FWP Park Ranger Sarah Lilly, who has been helping set up the festival, says there will be kite kits for sale and can be decorated at the park. “You can bring your own kite, but we will have kite kits available for 5 bucks, so you can make your own kite.”
Lilly says the festival will also have more than just kites. “We will have a drum circle, Native American Artists, and Flint-nappers making arrowheads.” She says there will also be talks about bison, and The Flying Buffalo Project artists will also be making a presentation.
Southworth says because the park is such an open space, it makes a perfect location for a kite festival. “When that wind is perfect, it’s just amazing to see these huge kites with the beautiful Native American artwork just soaring above the buffalo jump.”
The Madison Buffalo Jump Kite Festival runs from 10 to 3 on Saturday. Lilly says there will also be a food truck on hand, so visitors can make a full day of a visit to the park.
“Afterwards, if people want to go take a nice walk up to the buffalo jump, you can get that nice, tranquil experience.”
