Aber Day Kegger documentary debuts during UM Homecoming

Published: September 29, 2009

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the last of Missoula’s legendary Aber Day Keggers. Every spring from 1972-’79, over 10,000 thirsty college students and their out-of-town friends gathered in Missoula to enjoy an afternoon of music by artists such as Bonnie Raitt, Heart, Elvin Bishop, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and Jimmy Buffet, and to quaff over 1,000 kegs of icy cold beer.   

Over an eight-year period, the keggers generated over $475,000 in revenue, and donated $55,000 to the UM Mansfield Library.

Bob McCue (University of Montana class of ’83) and Jeff McNaught (class of ’79), both former Aber Day chairs, are working with the UM Entertainment Management program and the Alumni Association to create a one-hour documentary that traces the history of the event from its inception in 1972. The documentary tells the story of the organizational effort that took place behind the scenes, and the trials and tribulations of a group of energetic college students-turned-concert-promoters, who figured out how to translate the concept of hanging out in the woods and drinking beer into a fundraising machine for the UM library.

The film debuts Oct. 8 with two screenings (6 and 8:30 p.m.) at the University Theater (see griztix.com for details) and then is available in DVD format via the Aber Day Kegger website (www.aberdaykegger.com) and at The Bookstore at The University of Montana. As with the original Aber Day event, all profits will be donated to the library and other local nonprofit charities.

The idea of organizing and putting on the first Aber Day Kegger got its start back in 1972 in a University of Montana social action class taught by professor Marty Baker, who challenged his class to come up with ideas on how they could help their community. At that time, the Mansfield Library was experiencing severe funding difficulties, and was struggling to purchase sufficient books and materials to maintain its academic accreditation. This, in turn, created serious problems for every department on campus.

The students went into action and conceived a plan to hold a benefit kegger that would offer live music and an unlimited supply of beer. The rest, as the cliché goes, is history.

The documentary traces the evolution of the Aber Day Kegger from its humble beginnings in 1972, to its meteoric growth and decline over the next eight years. In the process, the event managed to leave its mark on the tens of thousands who attended, the beneficiaries of its contributions, the community that hosted the kegger, and even on the Guinness Book of Records, which recognized the event as the world’s largest benefit kegger.

The one-hour documentary that premieres Oct. 8 incorporates actual film footage of the last three Aber Day Keggers, and includes interviews with four of the five Kegger student presidents as well as people who attended and worked at the event.

For more information, and to purchase the DVD and commemorative Aber Day Kegger merchandise visit www.aberdaykegger.com.