Climate Aid/Black Ram Guitar Festival

Following a highly successful Missoula debut, world-renowned musicians, writers, and climate advocates unite at the Willson Auditorium to protect Montana’s oldest ancient forests. BOZEMAN, MT — The Montana Project in partnership with The Montana Project is proud to announce the return of Climate Aid | Black Ram Guitar Festival, taking place October 2, 2026, 7 p.m., at Bozeman’s historic Willson Auditorium. Building on the incredible momentum of the inaugural festival in Portland, Maine, with Maggie Rogers and Terry Tempest Williams, this high-profile evening bridges the world of the country’s finest singer-songwriters-musicians with urgent environmental action. Proceeds from the evening–emceed by Bill McKibben–will support efforts to designate the “Black Ram” region of northwest Montana’s Yaak Valley as the nation’s first Climate Refuge. The centerpiece of the evening is Jeff Bridges’ “Black Ram” Guitar—a singular guitar meticulously hand-crafted from a fallen 315-year-old Engelmann spruce salvaged from the Yaak Valley. The guitar carries the literal voice of one of Montana’s oldest forests and will be played live throughout the night by a roster of celebrated artists. The 2026 line-up brings a world-class gathering of talent to the Bozeman stage, featuring: Ruth Moody: Acclaimed singer-songwriter and stunning soprano of the multi-Platinum, Juno Award-winning roots trio The Wailin' Jennys. Bill McKibben: Globally celebrated author, environmental advocate, and founder of ThirdAct and 350.org. Rick Bass: Iconic Montana author, activist. Featured Performers: Folk, blues, and traditional Montana musicians including Pico Alt, Jack Barksdale, Rob Quist, Jack Gladstone, Caroline Keys, Nate Biehl, Gibson Hartwell, Siri Saeteren, Steve Farmer. Speakers: Leslie Caye, Corwin Clairmont, J.J. Amaworo Wilson Award-winning composer Eric Funk, classical guitarist Nora Spielman and French horn player Liz Schmidt INDIGENOUS LED’s director, Cristina Montmorunni Exhibition by Flyfisherman/painter Ben Miller "This is not like any other concert or event you've experienced," notes author Rick Bass. "We’re harnessing Montana's artistic leadership in the fight against climate change. Bringing this movement to Bozeman is a natural next step to safeguard our state's most ancient, climate-resilient landscapes." Doors open at 6:00 PM, with the performance beginning promptly at 7:00 PM. Tickets can be found at montanaproject.org and https://blackramguitarfest.org/ Local businesses and non-profits interested in corporate sponsorship or program advertising are encouraged to participate. Media Contact: Rick Bass Program Manager, The Montana Project rickbass27@gmail.com

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