On Thursday, August 19, at 7 p.m., the Hi-Line Arts Council will be hosting journalist, author, and entertainer Ednor Therriault at the Montana Actor's Theater on the campus of Montana State University-Northern. During this free community event entitled "Finding Montana," Therriault will share entertaining stories, music, and discoveries from his travels across Big Sky Country.

As part of Humanities Montana's Montana Conversations program, Therriault uses a quirky slideshow/video presentation to take the audience on an informative journey around the Treasure State. In his hour-long presentation, he also shares a song he wrote as a companion piece to the video, "A Cut Above."

Due to the vast distances between population centers in Big Sky Country, important events from one region can go completely unheard of in another. Therriault will shine a spotlight on some of these interesting but not widely known subjects, bringing stories from one region to the people of another. Through stories, images, and even original songs, he fosters discussion about the differences we celebrate, but also the things we might be surprised to learn we have in common.

As an author, Therriault's first book, Montana Curiosities, covers roadside attractions, unique events, and "a couple hundred weird people, places, and things across the state." His biography, as shared on the Humanities Montana website, additionally mentions his recent book, Seven Montanas: A Journey in Search of the Soul of the Treasure State., which was published in October 2019 by TwoDot, an imprint of the Rowman and Littlefield Publishing Group.

Using a mix of journalism, humor, and personal commentary, Therriault explores each of the six regions of Montana, profiling the area and the people who live there. In the process, he gives a more complete view of the state as a whole. Along the way, the reader will learn why some people choose to live where they do, how they view the rest of the state, and what factors contribute to each region's unique identity.

"It's been said that Montana could be sliced up into at least half a dozen states. The diversity of cultures, economies, topography, history, and a hundred other factors tend to dictate what kind of Montanan you are, depending on where you live," claims Therriault.

Under the pseudonym Bob Wire, Therriault has written and recorded five albums of original music and traveled around the state for 25 years playing guitar in taverns and at festivals, entertaining crowds and picking up local knowledge along the way. Therriault also studies Native American history and recognizes the importance of including Indian culture and narratives in his depictions of the complex history of Montana. He will draw from this wealth of experience and knowledge as he performs in Havre on Thursday. Posters advertising the event describe Finding Montana as "a little history, a little humor, and a whole lot of Montana."

Montana Conversations is a program offered by Humanities Montana that features a wide variety of personalities speaking on different topics involving Montana and its residents.