Conner
Conner, MT · Arts & Culture
Char-Koosta News
FLIC Film Festival Summer Encore coming to Polson
POLSON — The Flathead Lake International Cinemafest (FLIC) film festival is a wintertime favorite among its attending filmmakers and supportive regional audience. Now entering its 15th annual festival season, FLIC brings international films and cultural enrichment to Polson and beyond. Over the years, FLIC producers David and Jessica King...
NBCMontana
Under The Big Sky Festival brings country music stars to NW Montana
WHITEFISH, Mont. — One of Montana's premier summer music festivals is set to return to the Flathead Valley this weekend, bringing some of the biggest names in country music. Under The Big Sky Festival returns for its seventh year July 17-19, headlined by Grammy-winning country superstar Chris Stapleton, making his festival debut, alongside fan favorites Zach Top and Cody Jinks.
Char-Koosta News
‘Montana Grind’ tour stop highlights skateboarding’s impact on rural, tribal communities
PABLO, Mont. — Skaters, artists and community members gathered June 30 at the Arlee Charlo Theater for a screening of Montana Grind, a documentary that explores how skateboarding has transformed lives and communities across Montana. The Pablo screening was the sixth stop on the film’s 2026 West Summer Tour,...
Whitefish Pilot
Photos: Flathead Wild and Scenic River Fest
The Flathead Rivers Alliance and American Rivers hosted a lively evening of music and family fun at Marantette Park in Columbia Falls in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the 219-mile Flathead Wild and Scenic River designation. Flathead Rivers Alliance Executive Director Sheena Pate at the Flathead Wild and Scenic River Fest held at Marantette Park on Friday. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot) Flathead Rivers Alliance volunteers show off a custom shirt designed for the Flathead River Wild and Scenic Fest held on July 10. Local artists Emma Jacqueline, Ryan Siron and map maker Tanner Tompkins designed shirts, logos and a map for the event. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot) Boot Juice, a seven-piece rock ‘n’ roll / Americana act from Northern California, kept a lively party going at the River Fest in Marantette Park Friday. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot) Live music keeps the crowd lively at Marantette Park during the River Fest, celebrating 50 years of the Flathead River's Wild and Scenic designation, on Friday, July 10. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot) Families check out the Flathead Biological Station's informative display at the River Fest in Marantette Park Friday. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot) Daisy and Wild Jacobs check out a topographic map at the Glacier Institute's booth
Whitefish Pilot
The glow behind the Big Mountain stage
From the Whitefish Performing Arts Center to Under the Big Sky, local business owner Cole Pierce of emberGlow Productions has been behind the scenes, orchestrating light shows of both intimate and massive proportions. Pierce’s journey with lights production goes back to an elementary drama requirement. “I didn’t want to memorize lines, so I chose production,” Pierce said. “Lighting seemed interesting because you can see and visualize the work going into it.” Pierce stuck with theater. By eighth grade at Whitefish Middle School, he had become an expert on lighting at the Performing Arts Center. He’d get summoned out of class to assist, because “no one seemed to know how to run it,” he said. While at Glacier High School, he took charge of lighting for Fresh Life Church in Kalispell. When he was a sophomore, a connection invited him to assist with lighting for an Oscars after-party in California. It was a break-through experience. “It opened my mind up, and made me choose it as a career, over being an [airline] pilot,” Pierce said. By graduation, Pierce was already touring across the country doing events. He considered going to college for technical theater, but many advised him, “it’s really all
Lake County Leader
On this week 59 years ago: Showboat comes to Polson, Mission College thrives this summer, big fish spotted
The Flathead Courier, July 13, 1967 Flathead Lake Showboat Comes 'round the Bend Saturday and Sunday With the stern wheel churning, the steam whistle blasting, the band playing and cast members livin' it up, the Flathead Lake Showboat comes round the bend this Saturday and Sunday, July 15 and 16, at about 8:30 p.m. at Sacajawea Park in Polson. As usual, top-area talent will be aboard the showboat, and Acting Director Bernie Rasmusson assures residents and visitors that a really top-notch family show will be presented. Making life miserable for Mr. Interlocutor — to the delight of the audience — will be the east of zany, unpredictable end men Shorty, Dusty Bones and Torchy, and their gal friends Dinah, Sapphire Penches, Mandy and Lilac. More predictable entertainment aboard will be Wray Huchins' Square Dancer: vocalists Gregg and Tommy Devlin, the Rev. Jim Jensen, the Rev. Don Jacobson, Hildur Henderson, Susan Frochlich, dancer Yvonne Thomas, Dick Schlatter and his Dixieland Band, and others. Also on board will be a motley crew of individuals who call themselves the "Flathead Phizzlers." They said if Skipper Frank Hodge won't let ten aboard, they'll stow away … Mission Mountain College Activity Satisfactory at Mid-Summer Point
Lake County Leader
Spirited Fourth: Redcoats and Minute Men meet again on Main Street
A spirited skirmish between the Redcoats and Minute Men preceded Polson’s Fourth of July parade, and once again, the ragtag militia forced the British to surrender. That set the stage on a packed Main Street for the parade at noon Saturday, which boasted nearly 75 entries – a significant increase from the usual 50, no doubt sparked the nation’s 250th birthday celebration. “We started the battle five years ago to help prepare for the nation’s 250th anniversary and hope to continue the tradition each year if the Polson community keeps participating,” said Matt Lee, who helps orchestrate the re-enactment on behalf of the VFW. This year’s Revolutionary War battle featured 37 Minute Men and 30 Redcoats, including three drummers, two carrying flags, and another half-dozen volunteers working behind the scenes. The Raven Hall Motorcycle Riding Club has formed the foundation of the Redcoat forces since the event began. “Without their support, the reenactment would not have lasted five years,” Lee says. Volunteers of all ages arrive at 10:30 a.m. July 4, are fitted with costumes, receive a quick briefing, and head into battle at around 11:30. The first few years, organizers attempted to depict the historic Battles of Lexington and
Whitefish Pilot
Photos: Scenes from the 47th annual Whitefish Arts Festival
The 47th annual Whitefish Arts Festival took place in Depot Park over the Fourth of July weekend. The Whitefish Arts Festival has a long history of drawing top artists and craftspeople from all over the country. Jeff Cate poses with an assortment of woodworkings from WildWood at the Whitefish Arts Festival July 5. (Maggie Mercer/Whitefish Pilot) Abhi with his artwork at the Whitefish Arts Festival July 5. (Maggie Mercer/Whitefish Pilot) Boise Art Glass showcases unique pieces of art at the Whitefish Arts Festival last weekend. (Maggie Mercer/Whitefish Pilot) People relax in Hangloose Hammocks at the Whitefish Arts Festival on Sunday, July 5. (Maggie Mercer/Whitefish Pilot) A variety of art pieces from Firesmith and Copper at the Whitefish Arts Festival in Depot Park this past weekend. (Maggie Mercer/Whitefish Pilot) Enrique De Los Angeles poses with a variety of loom/hand spun pieces at the Whitefish Arts Festival on July 5. (Maggie Mercer/Whitefish Pilot)
Bigfork Eagle
PHOTOS: Fourth of July parade packs downtown Bigfork
Thousands of revelers packed into downtown for Bigfork's annual Fourth of July parade. Bigfork 4th of July parade onlooker was cooled off by "friends" after the parade was over. Steve Mitchell Let's face it, it ain't a parade in Montana without horses. Bigfork's 4th of July parade had em'. Steve Mitchell Bigfork 4th of July parade was made cooler by various water guns through out the route. Steve Mitchell The Bigfork Rodeo had one of it's riders make an appearance with his mount in the 4th of July parade. Steve Mitchell Bigfork 4th of July parade onlookers were cooled off by various water guns, both from the participants and onlookers. Steve Mitchell This bubbly duo was having a great time riding in the Bigfork 4th of July parade. Steve Mitchell The Bigfork Middle School cheer squad marched in the Bigfork 4th of July parade and delighted onlookers withe some routines. Steve Mitchell Some celebrities at the Bigfork 4th of July parade stayed in disguise so as not to be mobbed by fans. Steve Mitchell The Bigfork Fire Department made a big showing at this year's 4th of July parade. Steve Mitchell Bigfork fire department's new Chief of Operations, Will Allen,
Hungry Horse News
Monument crafted by Acutech goes up in West Glacier
A local manufacturer recently installed a big “Glacier” monument at the former Alberta Center in West Glacier. The monument consists of approximately 12,000 pounds of weathering steel and was designed, engineered, fabricated, and installed entirely by the team at Acutech, a Columbia Falls firm. Each letter is about 7 feet tall. The weathering steel is designed to lightly rust and after it was installed it was filled with river rocks treated to make them look wet. The sign will be lit at night and a mural from a local artist will also be installed behind it. The monument was commissioned by Pursuit, the owner of the building. The visitor center hadn’t been used since prior to the pandemic and Pursuit remodeled it and reopened it as Glacier Headwater Outdoor Gear store, featuring a host of outdoor gear from backpacks to shoes to essential supplies. From concept and engineering through fabrication and installation, the monument was completed in approximately five months. Alec Barnes and Dameon Visness of Acutech installed the sign and Pursuit staff filled it with rocks. When the building operated as the Alberta Visitor center, it featured a large replica fossil of a Tyrannosaurus Rex and other interesting displays.
Daily Montanan
Hungry Horse News
Unique race coming up on Blacktail Mountain
An inaugural footrace will take participants through steep drainages, up grassy ski runs, into dark cedar woods and over rocky terrain for a running experience new to the Flathead Valley. The Blacktail Balderdash takes place Aug. 8 and will feature three courses weaving all over Blacktail Mountain above Lakeside — on trail and off. The route is a secret until the day before the race, when a custom map will be provided to help participants navigate. “It’s a diverse landscape up there,” said Seth King, a Whitefish resident who devised the event. “I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect location. It’s the smaller ski resort and an underappreciated area. As I was creating the courses, I wanted to highlight the mountain and what makes it special, with views of the Swan Range and Glacier.” Last year King raced in the Barkley Fall Classic, a shorter version of the infamous Barkley Marathons, an ultramarathon in Tennessee known for its extreme difficulty, bizarre traditions and a cult-like following. “I was terrified,” he said. “You’re not allowed to know the course until you pick up your packet the day before. That area is gnarly and steep. The thorns off-trail are more awful than
Bigfork Eagle
Blacktail Mountain takes aim with inaugural archery festival this weekend
Blacktail Mountain Ski Area kicks off the inaugural Blacktail Archery Festival this weekend for an action-packed three days of shooting for archers of all skill levels. An archery festival was previously held at Blacktail Mountain, run by Colorado-based Mountain Archery Fest, a group that organized 3D mountain shooting events throughout the country. When Mountain Archery Fest shuttered its doors last year, Lakeside’s annual shooting event was cancelled indefinitely. “The community really missed the event, and I really missed the event,” said Blacktail’s General Manager Jessi Wood. “It is just a fun weekend on the mountain. It's such a great group of people that come up for these shoots.” With the help of local partners, including Flaming Arrow Archery and Flathead Valley Archers, Blacktail set out to bring the archery weekend back for 2026. The festival features three archery courses throughout Blacktail Mountain that are accessed from the chair lifts, giving archers a chance to explore the slopes of the ski resort in the summer months and offering sweeping views of Flathead Lake and the surrounding mountain ranges. The competition operates in a format like golf: groups of four to six people are assigned a start time and keep track of
Whitefish Pilot
Glacier Art Museum’s 56th annual Arts in the Park
The Glacier Art Museum, formerly Hockaday Museum of Art, presents the 56th annual Arts in the Park, the longest-running arts and music festivals in Northwest Montana, July 10-12. A favorite community event held in historic downtown Depot Park, Kalispell’s premier arts festival features 80 juried local and visiting artist booths, live music performances, food trucks, a beer and wine garden, children’s activities and live plein air painters painting on site. The event also features community booths including Girls on the Run, Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming, Mountain Brook Homestead, and Montana Open AIR Residency Program. Plein Air Painters of the Flathead, a Glacier Art Museum members group, artists will be painting live and onsite throughout the 3-day festival. Additional kids' activities will be at the Glacier Art Museum Booth, plus face painting by Kathleen Francis of Fancy Face Designs. Live music begins at 11 a.m. each day with over 15 musicians and bands from around the valley including Glacier Symphony Brass Quintet, Way Down North, Kenny James Miller Band, An Daire Dance Academy, Hemlock and Honey, and Flathead Sings. A premium wine and beer garden opens at 11 a.m. daily with hand-poured selected local craft brews by Patriotic American
Flathead Beacon
The Face Behind Kalispell Montana Hidden Gems
Emilie Sangimino started Kalispell Montana Hidden Gems with a simple mission: to help promote the local businesses and places she loved in the Flathead Valley. Fast forward, and the social media accounts Sangimino started on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok have a combined following of more than 113,000. Per analytics, the content she shares to highlight businesses in the area get upward of 1.5 million views per month. She’s expanded beyond her own base of Kalispell, highlighting businesses that are “hidden gems” in Billings, Missoula and Bozeman, with the help of local managers in each area. Hidden Gems has its own website as well, featuring businesses across several sectors like health & wellness; food & drink; places to stay; fun & adventure; shopping; professional services; and events.
Whitefish Pilot
PHOTOS: 90th Earl Hunt Memorial Fourth of July Golf Tournament tees off at Whitefish Lake Golf Club
Photos from the first round of the 90th annual Earl Hunt Memorial Fourth of July Golf Tournament held at Whitefish Lake Golf Club on Thursday, July 2. Action continues Friday with the championship round on Saturday. Bella Johnson blasts out of a greenside bunker on the twelfth hole of the South Course at the Earl Hunt Memorial Fourth of July Tournament at Whitefish Lake Golf Club on Thursday, July 2. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake) Casey Kreider Cory Mehl, from Whitefish, tees off on the sixth hole of the North Course at the Earl Hunt Memorial Fourth of July Tournament at Whitefish Lake Golf Club on Thursday, July 2. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake) Casey Kreider Andrew Medley watches his drive on the seventh hole of the North Course at the Earl Hunt Memorial Fourth of July Tournament at Whitefish Lake Golf Club on Thursday, July 2. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake) Casey Kreider Tyler Avery, from Kalispell, watches his drive on the 16th fairway of the North Course at the Earl Hunt Memorial Fourth of July Tournament at Whitefish Lake Golf Club on Thursday, July 2. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake) Casey Kreider Cory Mehl, from Whitefish, lines up a putt on the
Whitefish Pilot
Inaugural Blacktail Balderdash brings fell running experience to Montana
An inaugural footrace will take participants through steep drainages, up grassy ski runs, into dark cedar woods and over rocky terrain for a running experience new to the Flathead Valley. The Blacktail Balderdash takes place Aug. 8 and will feature three courses weaving all over Blacktail Mountain above Lakeside – on trail and off. The route is a secret until the day before the race, when a custom map will be provided to help participants navigate. “It’s a diverse landscape up there,” said Seth King, a Whitefish resident who devised the event. “I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect location. It’s the smaller ski resort and an underappreciated area. As I was creating the courses, I wanted to highlight the mountain and what makes it special, with views of the Swan Range and Glacier.” Last year King raced in the Barkley Fall Classic, a shorter version of the infamous Barkley Marathons, an ultramarathon in Tennessee known for its extreme difficulty, bizarre traditions and a cult-like following. “I was terrified,” he said. “You’re not allowed to know the course until you pick up your packet the day before. That area is gnarly and steep. The thorns off-trail are more awful than
NBCMontana
Kalispell goes back to 1941 in new downtown history exhibit
KALISPELL, Mont. — Kalispell is stepping back into 1941. A new exhibit at the Northwest Montana History Museum recreates the sights and sounds of downtown when the city celebrated its Golden Jubilee, marking 50 years since the city’s founding in 1891. To bring that moment to life, volunteers...