Here’s a different event to take in – Saturday, April 3 at Showdown Ski Area near Neihart, MT is the Great Falls Ski Club’s Mannequin Jumping contest. This is pretty serious business for those who design, construct and launch the mannequins. Well, as serious as it can get for skiing and jumping mannequins! The contest starts when the ski lifts close and it runs from 4:30pm – 6:30pm. Head to the Little Belt Mountains to Showdown … Read more
The Western Art Capital of the World – that’s what folks call Great Falls this time of year. It all began with one art show and auction – the C. M. Russell Art Auction, named after western artist Charlie Russell. There are now art shows and auctions throughout the city – the Great Falls Native American Art Show, Western Heritage Artists Show and Sale, Jay Contway and Friends Art Show, March In Montana Show and … Read more
Wow, I went to the Farmer’s Market in downtown Great Falls tonight and decided that this is the time for garden produce at great prices and the best quality. Crookneck squash, basil, heirloom tomatoes and beets rounded out my purchases tonight. Just enough to get me through until the next market Saturday morning. Throughout Russell Country, communities large and small host Farmer’s Markets. Some expand to crafts, entertainment and luscious baked goods. Going to the market becomes … Read more
I always feel that summer officially begins when Memorial Day weekend rolls around. Communities throughout Montana’s Russell Country take this cue, as all of our seasonal museums and visitor attractions open up at least by Memorial Day. This past weekend I spent some time in Chinook, MT and took in the Memorial Day services there. Community pride shines through as speeches remind us that there is truly a reason for this holiday, aside from getting a 3-day weekend. Through … Read more
The Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls, MT will celebrate International Migratory Bird Day Saturday, May 16th. From 9am to 5pm there will be activities that should entice just about anybody. There will be two guided bird walks, one at 9am, one at 11am. I know the lady leading these walks and she will teach everyone something! Bring your binocs and, of course, some good walking shoes. A 98 minute film titled “Winged … Read more
White Sulphur Springs, MT hosts an impressive list of cowboy poets and pickers May 8-10. The gathering is called “Motherin’ Up”. Daytime sessions are free to the public and poets rotate each hour starting at 10am. Attendees will be able to hear performers from Montana, Canada, and North and South Dakota. Saturday evening’s performance is $12. A nondenominational cowboy church service begins at 9am Sunday. Concessions will sold by local 4-H clubs and you’ll also … Read more
Ground squirrels, locally called gophers, are considered pests by farmers and ranchers because of the hundreds (seems like thousands) of hazardous holes they dig. This Saturday, May 9th, in Choteau, MT there will be a gopher shooting contest sponsored by Wings and Wild Things in an effort to keep the gopher population from causing more harm. The contest starts at 9am Saturday in Choteau. Hunters need to check in with Wings and Wild Things gun … Read more
It was a great weekend for car collectors, for people who just like to admire really cool cars, and for those who just like to get outside and attend an event. Cruisin’ The Drag was held Saturday in downtown Great Falls, MT. Central Avenue was blocked off for about 8 blocks and over 500 car entries lined both sides of the streets. From jazzed-up muscle cars to unique things like a hearse turned motorhome, there … Read more
If you are in need of some good old fashioned chuckles, drive to Utica, MT Sunday, September 7, 2008. The annual What The Hay event takes place roadside between Hobson, Utica and Windham, MT. Area ranchers build haybale cre”Hay”tions and use the words hay, bale or straw in their title. There are usually about 50 entries, some using square-corner bales, some using the big round bales. Election years sometimes feature candidates in the bale entries. … Read more
Dupuyer, MT, located north of Choteau on US Hwy 89, hosts their annual Grizzly Day Saturday, August 2nd. You probably won’t see any grizzlies but Dupuyer is near prime habitat for these huge top-of-the-food-chain critters. Activities throughout Grizzly Day include Hands of Harvest artisans displaying their work, horse drawn wagon rides, a great variety of food, children’s games, Dutch oven cooking demos, a horse handling clinic, greased pig calcutta and the always popular Great Dupuyer … Read more