HELENA — One of Montana's biggest summer traditions returns Saturday night as thousands are expected to gather on Carroll College's campus for the 22nd annual Symphony under the Stars, sponsored by Intrepid Credit Union, featuring live music and a fireworks finale.
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People waited in line for hours to put blankets down to mark yet another musical celebration with the Helena Symphony.
“People have been lining up since 7 am on a Friday for an 8:30 pm Saturday night concert. It blows my mind,” said Alan R. Scott, the Helena Symphony music director.
The symphony says the event is considered the largest single summer event in Montana and often attracts upwards of 15,000 people from all over the Treasure State and even the country.
“I try to think of things that are multigenerational and things that even if people don’t know the music, it is a fun time,” Scott noted.
Each year, the performance has a theme, and this year is all about celebration, and it's not just for America’s 250th birthday.
“We are celebrating a new president of Carroll College, a new mayor, just a celebration of being in Helena, of music," Scott said.
Attendees can expect to hear music from artists like Lionel Richie, James Brown, Earth, Wind & Fire, Neil Diamond, and Kool & the Gang.
For the event, the symphony hires a producer in New York, and often works years in advance to get rights to the music before orchestrating it.
The event has continued to grow over the past two decades. When it all started, the event cost about $38,000, and it's now over $200,000, with the support of sponsors and donations.
Symphony Under the Stars not only unites thousands in the community but also provides essential resources to those facing food insecurity.
“The thing for Food Share is critical because it helps a major need in the community, and we love that we can have that philanthropic effort with this," Scott said.
The event is free to the public and kicks off at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday.
