Conner
Conner, MT · Lifestyle
Whitefish Pilot
Whitefish Theatre Company reveals 2026-27 season
Whitefish Theatre Company announced its 2026-27 season which features 14 performances that blend comedy, drama, music, musicals and intimate staged readings. The season opens Sept. 26-27 with "The White Chip," a dark comedy that follows a successful theater professional as he confronts alcoholism and recovery. The production explores addiction with humor and compassion as its protagonist's personal and professional life unravels. Comedian and stunt performer Matt Baker and his one-man show which combines stand-up comedy with audience participation and daring feats is scheduled for Oct. 2. The company's first mainstage play of the season, "Tokens of Affection," runs Oct. 16-24. Described as a grown-up version of The Parent Trap, the comedy centers on two adult siblings who conspire to reunite their estranged parents after a 37-year marriage begins to crumble. Saint of Soldiers, a Northwest Montana Americana band known for blending folk, rock, bluegrass and roots-inspired storytelling is Nov. 6. The Black Curtain Series returns Nov. 14-15 with "Dear Jack, Dear Louise," playwright Ken Ludwig's tribute to his parents' World War II-era courtship. The script follows a military doctor and aspiring actress who fall in love through letters while separated by war. Black Curtain productions feature minimal staging and script-in-hand
Whitefish Pilot
Walkway renovations paving way for new exhibit at Ski Heritage Center
The Whitefish Ski Heritage Center and Museum will construct its outdoor ski lift history exhibit this fall alongside a renovation of its shared entry plaza with Mountain Trails Park. The current surface of the walkway between the Ski Museum, warming hut and park playground is made of brick pavers installed in the 1990s. After three decades, the surface is ready to be revitalized. The new surface will be a combination of concrete with brick pavers highlighting the walkway through the plaza. “We are excited to get started on this project and to help support the Ski Heritage Museum’s fundraising campaign through the installation of the pavers,” said Maria Butts, Parks and Recreation director. "We are also very thankful for the generous donations from community members that have helped this project come alive.” The project includes the installation of a paver walkway around the front of the museum connecting the park and museum to the Wisconsin Avenue SNOW bus stop. The Ski Museum will help fund the improvements through the sale of commemorative brick pavers installed along the walkway. “We are committed to helping fund this project, as well as completing the museum’s new outdoor ski lift exhibit,” said Museum Director
missoulaunderground.com
Weekend PICKS: Thursday, August 13th thru Sunday, August 16th
Hey all you cool cats and kittens – it’ll be a busy (and a little cooler) weekend with live music, farmers markets, concerts, and plenty of fun outdoor events to choose from this Thursday through Sunday. The MUG is here with all the mid-August Weekend PICKS for Missoula and Western Montana!
NBCMontana
Bozeman Symphony to offer free outdoor concert today in Kalispell
MISSOULA, Mont. — The Bozeman Symphony will offer a free outdoor concert Friday, Aug. 14, at the Wachholz College Center’s O'Shaughnessy Amphitheater in Kalispell. The concert runs from 4:45 to 5:45 p.m. and will feature Associate Principal Horn Elizabeth Schmidt and classical guitarist Nora Spielman. The performance will...
NBCMontana
Northwest Montana Fair adds extra ride inspections after deadly Butte Yo-Yo accident
KALISPELL, Mont. — A carnival ride accident in Butte two months ago has fair organizers taking a closer look at ride safety. The Butte incident happened in June, when a 13-year-old boy fell from a Yo-Yo ride. Operated by Midway West Amusements, the carnival at the Northwest Montana Fair...
Char-Koosta News
Elmo Skatepark Opens, Joins Skateparks Across The Rez
ELMO — A new skatepark opened in Elmo Aug. 8, giving this small Flathead Reservation community a permanent home for skateboarding after months of construction funded by Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament and built with support from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Ament’s nonprofit, Montana Pool Service, financed...
Char-Koosta News
Hunting Season On Flathead Indian Reservation Opens September 1
FLATHEAD RESERVATION — September 1st marks the opening of hunting seasons for the following big game species and gray wolves on the Flathead Indian Reservation for CSKT tribal members:. Doe and Cow harvest of white-tailed deer, mule deer and elk are open from September 1st through January 31st, 2027....
Whitefish Pilot
Gateway to Glacier trail trot takes off from new Cedar Flats trailhead
About 80 runners are set to race through the Flathead National Forest at Cedar Flats on Saturday, taking off from a new trailhead that is central to the expanding trail network. The inaugural Cedar Flats trail trot on Aug. 15 is a 10k route of fun, flowy trails that showcases what Gateway to Glacier Trails is all about: connecting communities to open spaces and stewarding Columbia Fall's backyard trails. "This is special because it's our first trail running event. It feels like it's been a long time coming," said Amanda Minatra, Gateway to Glacier program coordinator. "We're keeping it simple with a 10k loop. We have a special use permit that caps our number of runners at 80 and it's almost full, which is really exciting." Minatra said she hopes the event will be seamless, "nothing too crazy," but with lots of biodegradable glitter, food and music to amp up the stoke. "It will also be a great introduction to our new trailhead," she said. The 10k will take off from the new Cedar Ridge Trailhead, which will be a main access point for the 13-mile, soon to be 25-mile, trail network. The Cedar Ridge Trailhead is up the North
Bigfork Eagle
Ladies Service Club serving up huckleberry shakes at the fair for a good cause
It's mid-august in Northwest Montana, which can only mean one thing: fair week. At the Northwest Montana Fair, taking place Aug. 12 to 16, there will be prize-winning hogs, electrifying rodeo action, boot-stomping concerts and, of course, more fried food concentrated in one area than previously thought possible. This year, though, Bigfork residents will notice one substantial change: the famous Bigfork Ladies Service Club booth, which serves up huckleberry milkshakes and hamburgers to the fair's tens of thousands of visitors, will be painted purple instead of its traditional red. "We're really excited because they painted it the color of a huckleberry milkshake for us this year," club President Katy Kaestner said. "It needed a paint job, and they painted it purple, so it definitely stands out when you're walking down the food road." The booth's color is the only major change to the beloved food stop. The women of Ladies Service Club will still be hard at work whipping up the same products they've served since the booth first opened in 2013 to serve as the club's largest fundraiser of the year. All of the profits from fair week go back to the community in the form of donations to
NBCMontana
Wasabi restaurant closes permanently after tragedy; fire sale set for Monday
WHITEFISH, Mont. — A popular local sushi spot, Wasabi in Whitefish, is shutting its doors, citing a tragedy involving its staff. “Due to unfortunate circumstances and a tragedy in our Wasabi family, we are forced to end our engagement with you all. We are permanently closed as of today,” Paula, Sharon and the Wasabi staff said in a message to customers. “Thank you for your patronage. It has been an honor to be part of this beautiful community.”
bozemansymphony.org
Bozeman Symphony Presents Free Summer Concert in Kalispell
BOZEMAN, Mont. – The Bozeman Symphony invites the public to enjoy an afternoon of free live music on Friday, Aug. 14, at Wachholz College Center’s O'Shaughnessy Amphitheater, 795 Grandview Dr., in Kalispell. The concert, presented from 4:45 to 5:45 p.m., features Symphony Associate Principal Horn Elizabeth Schmidt and...
Montana Outdoor Radio Show
Beat the Heat and Dodge the Smoke: How to Fish the Stillwater River This Week
This week, fish the Stillwater River near Absarokee early for the best results. Key times include 6-9 AM for midge and caddis hatches, 9 AM-noon for terrestrial flies, followed by a midday break. Evening fishing resumes at dusk with hoppers and BWO hatches. Use various flies for success, but avoid the heat.
Bigfork Eagle
Montana Shakespeare in the Parks to perform 'Much Ado About Nothing'
Montana Shakespeare in the Parks brings performances of Shakespeare’s lively comedy, "Much Ado About Nothing," to Kalispell Aug. 14. Previously held at Woodland Park in Kalispell, this is the first year the Bozeman-based group will perform at the O’Shaughnessy Outdoor Amphitheater, which is located at the Wachholz College Center, 795 Grandview Dr., Kalispell. Lobby doors open at 5 p.m. and the play starts at 6 p.m. All ages are welcome and no tickets are required to attend. In its 54th season, the company of 11 actors who make up the troupe embarked on a 12-week tour across the West in June, stopping in 64 communities. "Much Ado About Nothing" speaks to the joy and uncertainty of love, reputation and the ways that community shapes an individual's understanding of one another. The play unfolds in the aftermath of war, where returning soldiers and welcoming hosts find themselves drawn into courtship, clever schemes and shifting perceptions. Among a vibrant cast of characters, Shakespeare explores how easily people can be misled, and how resilience, honesty and grace can restore both trust and connection. “In a moment when many communities feel polarized or fatigued, ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ insists on laughter, music and communal
Whitefish Pilot
Whitefish artist featured in Phillips Gallery solo exhibit with meet-and-greet planned
The artwork of Whitefish artist Sandy Bridgewater will be on display at Phillips Gallery in a solo exhibit titled "The Mountain View" through Aug. 29. This new collection of contemporary and traditional landscape paintings depicts local scenes from Glacier National Park and surrounding areas in the stunning palette the artist is known for. Bridgewater’s technique prioritizes the effects of light, creating a serene and tranquil atmosphere typical of the Luminism style. Bridgewater describes herself as a born creative, with the natural world her constant teacher via plein air painting adventures. She has studied art at the Art Institute of Boston and the Breckenridge Colorado Arts District. She is a member of Oil Painters of America, American Women Artists, National Oil and Acrylic Painters' Society, NorthWest Arts Association, Boulder Arts Association, Glacier Art Museum and Plein Aire Painters of the Flathead. Her work has been published in magazines such as Western Art & Architecture, Western Art Collector, Art of the West and American Art Collector. Painted en Plein Air and in the studio with reference photos taken on the trail, Bridgewater said the landscapes in "The Mountain View" exhibit were created with a focus on light, and compelling compositions, using a
theoutdoorwire.com
The Great Pumpkin: New State Record Pumpkinseed Caught in Echo Lake
HELENA -- Who would have thought a fish weighing 1.23 pounds would set any kind of record? When Parker Shipman reeled in the tenacious pumpkinseed sunfish, he had had an inkling. "When I saw what kind of fish it was, I said to my buddy, Joe, 'Get a net; we...
alt 95.7
Montana's Huckleberry Crop Is Thin This Year, And Bears Are Showing Up In Backyards Because Of It
Montana's huckleberry crop failed this year, and hungry bears are showing up in yards across the Flathead and Missoula areas. FWP has fielded hundreds of calls in recent weeks as bears bulk up before winter.
Hungry Horse News
With poor berry crop, expect bears in town
Earlier this month a grizzly bear waltzed into River’s Edge Park and did its best to break into two of the bear-resistant garbage receptacles. The big grizzly managed to damage one to the point where it no longer worked and battered another one as well. It did not, however, get at the garbage, though it did manage to tip the cans over off their cement bases, which is no small task. That incident likely is precursor of a long season of bears getting into trouble this year, as Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks bear conflict specialists warned they are already seeing an uptick in bear incidents as the huckleberry and other berries are having a poor yield. “We’ve responded to an unusually high number of calls this season,” said bear and lion conflict specialist, Justine Vallieres, who responds to calls from Columbia Falls to the Canada border and many points in between. As fall approaches and bears enter hyperphagia, a time when they actively seek out extra calories to prepare for winter, specialists expect that call volume to increase Securing common attractants such as garbage, bird feeders, and fruit trees, can help prevent conflicts before they arise. Bears are resourceful
Char-Koosta News
Mystic Grindz Brews Up a Native-Owned Success Story in Ronan
RONAN — Behind the counter at Mystic Grindz, located at 63690 U.S. Highway 93, Brooke Wagner didn’t set out to become a business owner. A grant-funded office job ended, leaving her uncertain about what came next, so she picked up a part-time gig at a local coffee shop. What started as a barista position turned into a management role within months — and, a few years later, into a coffee shop of her own.