Sisters Starry Nights Celebrates 30 Years of Community Spirit

Annual music festival has raised over $1.5 million for local schools

Apr. 15, 2026 at 12:00am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

An impressionistic, out-of-focus photograph in warm, soft tones depicting the crowd and atmosphere of a lively music festival, conveying the celebratory mood and sense of community.The vibrant energy and community spirit of the long-running Sisters Starry Nights festival shine through in this dreamlike, abstracted scene.Sisters Today

The Sisters Starry Nights music festival celebrated its 30th anniversary on Saturday, showcasing the community's enduring commitment to supporting local schools and the arts. The event, founded by Jeri and Dan Fouts, has grown from intimate beginnings in the middle school commons to a sophisticated production in a fine auditorium, thanks to over $1.5 million raised through sponsorships and volunteer efforts over the decades.

Why it matters

The longevity and success of Sisters Starry Nights reflects the tight-knit, can-do spirit of the Sisters community, where residents consistently step up to address local needs. As the town has grown, it has maintained this grassroots, community-driven approach to problem-solving and enriching the lives of its residents.

The details

The festival's history was on full display in a film record compiled by local videographer Jack Turpen, which showed the faces of children and teenagers who are now adults with families of their own, as well as community members who have passed away. The footage, much of it shot by the late Joe Leonardi, a beloved figure on the local arts scene, underscored the festival's role in preserving the town's history and culture.

  • Sisters Starry Nights launched in 1997.
  • The festival celebrated its 30th anniversary on Saturday, April 15, 2026.

The players

Jeri Fouts

The visionary leader who co-founded Sisters Starry Nights with her husband Dan, bringing their background and experience in the music industry to the event.

Dan Fouts

Co-founder of Sisters Starry Nights, who worked alongside his wife Jeri to establish the festival and secure support from the community.

Jack Turpen

A local videographer who compiled a film record of the Sisters Starry Nights festival over the years, capturing the event's evolution and the changing faces of the community.

Joe Leonardi

A beloved figure on the local arts and music scene, whose film footage was included in the video record of the Sisters Starry Nights festival.

Theresa Slavkovsky

A woman who has spent the past three decades helping some of the most vulnerable people in the Sisters community, working to provide shelter, safety, and access to essential resources.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Sisters has advantages. Sisters Starry Nights could not have happened without the visionary leadership of Jeri Fouts — who, with her husband Dan, had background and experience and music industry connections that you can't simply generate out of nothing.”

— The Nugget Newspaper

“The visiting Starry Nights artists will tell you (vociferously) that we're pretty damn cool.”

— The Nugget Newspaper

The takeaway

The longevity and success of the Sisters Starry Nights festival is a testament to the community's enduring spirit of grassroots problem-solving and commitment to supporting local schools and the arts. As Sisters has grown, it has maintained this can-do attitude, with residents consistently stepping up to address the town's evolving needs.