This Quirky Festival Is A Sure Sign That Spring Has Arrived In Montana

Spring means a lot of things to Montanans -- the (eventual) melting of the snow, beautiful hikes, and Missoula's bacon festival, just to name a few. And if you live anywhere near Big Sky, you know there's no better way to bid winter adieu than with some good old-fashioned pond skimming.

Pond skimming is exactly what it sounds like -- people on skis attempting to cross a pond.

Typically, they'll either skim, sink, or swim.

Every year, Big Sky Resort hosts a Pond Skim festival, which offers some of the best pond skimming on the planet.

Thousands of spectators gather every April to watch.

Not only does pond skimming take a surprising amount of skill to master, at this event, it's also highly entertaining.

Participants are encouraged to wear quirky costumes, and each year they're better than the last.

Participants are awarded points based on their moves, which have names like The Powder Wedge and The Gorilla.

Anyone who can pull off a backflip is awarded both points and endless cheers.

This year's pond skimming event will be held on April 20.

Not only is watching a total blast, it also happens to be free.

To get a better idea of what pond skimming looks like, check out this YouTube video from 2016.

You can find all the details about this eccentric event on the Big Sky Resort website. And if you'd rather celebrate spring in a calmer place, take one of these trips.