The annual festival celebrating the 1998 cult-classic film returns Friday, Nov. 13
NEWS
Attendees compete in the costume contest at Ogden Big Lebowski 2025 (Robin Pendergrast)
Way out west, there was a fella — a fella that New Ogden Cinema wants to tell you about. The annual Big Lebowski Fest returns to Peery’s Egyptian Theater on Nov. 13.
Co–hosted by Ryan and Brandie McDonald, the festival celebrates the 1998 cult-classic film from Joel and Ethan Coen. The film follows “The Dude” and his crime-ridden misadventures as he navigates a name mix-up with a millionaire.
“I think it has an appeal in some way because the characters are just eclectic and quirky enough and the comedy is just dry enough that it makes it easy to quote what they’re saying and also dress up as the characters because they have a distinct look to them,” Ryan McDonald said.
The night will include a costume contest for those dressing up as the film’s characters, movie trivia, local art vendors and two cash bars serving Lebowski-themed cocktails, especially White Russians. Themed prizes will be given to contest winners, including a bowling ball donated by Storm Bowling, and a rug that ties the room together from New Ogden Cinema.
The festival began first as a small get-together of McDonald’s friends who loved the movie enough to dress up as the characters and watch it when it was released on Blu-ray. Ryan had previously reached out to a former traveling Big Lebowski Festival based out of Kentucky to see if they would come to Utah, but was turned down. So, he decided to throw one himself. On the board of directors for Peery’s Egyptian Theater, McDonald was able to suggest the festival in their programming and it has been a hit ever since.
“If it was just me, it would be a harder sell but there are so many people that love the movie and so many people that love to dress up as these characters on Halloween on their own, so we have a festival,” McDonald, who dresses as a variation of The Dude each year, said.
McDonald said in its first year, around 250 people attended the festival, but over a decade later, that number has grown to upwards of over 550 attendees.
Doors open at 5 p.m. Guests will be able to participate in trivia and browse local vendors from 5-7 p.m., with the costume contest starting at 7 p.m. The screening of the film will follow, and McDonald said that after that, attendees are encouraged to head over to Funk ‘N Dive, where their ticket will give them a discounted cover charge.
“It does make me happy to see that there’s 500 people that, on this one night, are eating dinner downtown, shopping at the local restaurants and bars, going to the historic theater and hopefully they stay the night downtown in hotels that are in our local area as well,” McDonald said.
If you haven’t gotten tickets yet, you can purchase them on Peery’s website at ogdenpet.com.