Can’t-Miss 2026 Fall Events in the Flathead Valley
From harvest festivals to pumpkin patches and haunted hayrides, the Flathead Valley offers a full slate of events this fall
By Lauren Frick
Elections
Swan River School Set to Take $1.5 Million Building Reserve Levy Ask to Voters
The rural K-8 district outside Bigfork wants to collect $1.5 million over 10 years to rebuild its building reserve fund, starting with furnaces that heat half the school
By Mariah ThomasThe Latest
Flathead Living
Meet the Chef: Joseph Barclay Nelson
For the past four summer seasons, Barclay’s Burgers has positioned itself along U.S. Highway 2 in Hungry Horse serving up burgers and fries with a twist
By Zoë Buhrmaster
Tracing Her Roots to the Grave
After inheriting both her mother and grandmother’s ashes, Sarah Defelice traced her family’s deep Flathead Valley roots to the oldest section of the C.E. Conrad Cemetery where she laid them to rest while connecting with her past
By Maggie Dresser
Peeling Back the Past at the Swan Lake Trading Post
After a flood and a remodel, the Swan Lake Trading Post celebrates a century serving a remote corner of Northwest Montana
By Justin FranzNEWS & FEATURES
Skateboarding and Therapy Share the Ramp at the Balance Project
A pilot program for a therapeutic skateboarding group teaches emotional regulation tactics, giving kids a chance to practice mindfulness at the park
Legislators to Subpoena Secretary of State Over Voter Data Handoff
FVCC to Host a Celebration of Life for Paul Wachholz
Department of Transportation Head Steps Down for Private-sector Job
Capitol Dome $32 Million Restoration Underway
As Record-low Wheat Crop Boosts Prices, Montana Farmers Barely Break Even
OUTDOORS
Wildlife Managers Rule Columbia Falls Bear Attack a ‘Surprise Defensive Encounter’
The investigation concluded that an Aug. 31 attack that injured a woman walking her dog involved a female grizzly bear and her cub near a deer carcass
Coalition to Host ‘Save the Flathead’ Forum on Land, Water and a Possible Open-Space Bond
Bear Aware Month Returns to the Flathead Valley
Pickled Peppers
Bear Attacks Woman on Trail North of Columbia Falls; Area Closed
NFPA Honors Wilderness Scholar, Longtime Glacier Employees
Sponsored Content
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Engineering a Retirement Plan: Q&A with Piton Advisors
Piton Wealth Advisors started leaning into the overlap between their work and engineering a couple of years ago
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Bring Glacier Home: Vintage-Inspired Prints Make Perfect Gifts
Local artists create curated collection of iconic park posters that celebrate the beauty and spirit of Glacier National Park
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NEWSLETTERS
SPORTS
2026 Flathead Valley Fall Sports Preview
After a 2025 fall season filled with individual and state championships, several Flathead Valley athletes will be on the title defense over the coming months.
How Two Kalispell Women in Their 50s Became Record-setting Powerlifters
Glacier Park College Showcase Returns for Third Year in Columbia Falls
Ryggs Johnston, Jonny Cielak Win 18th Flathead Beacon Pro-Scratch Invitational
The Event at Rebecca Farm Gallops into its 25th Year
Building a Legacy for Lacrosse
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
North Valley Music School to Host First-ever Bluegrass and Roots Mini Festival
The free event, which will feature workshops, jam sessions and performances, will run from Aug. 4 through Aug. 6 in both Whitefish and Kalispell
Grilled Pepper Pancakes with Goat Cheese
Creamy Grilled Pepper, Onion and Garlic Pasta
Grilling Alliums
Watermelon-Basil Syrup or Shrub
Watermelon-Mint Sorbet
OPINION
Montana’s Workforce Is Ready for What’s Next
Every Montanan should have a pathway to a career and a plan to achieve it
The Roadless Rule Repeal Will Hurt Disabled People Most
Officials say new roads will improve wildfire management and "restore access" to the land. But access to what, and for whom?
Montana Should Reclaim Its Strong Anti-Corruption History
Vote YES on Ballot Initiative I-194
Share a letter or guest column with the Flathead Beacon.
Editor's Picks
As Record-low Wheat Crop Boosts Prices, Montana Farmers Barely Break Even
Commodity prices are up despite drought and the geopolitical climate contributing to the lowest U.S. wheat production since the 1970s. But Montana farmers say it’s not enough as input costs rise and tight margins persist.
Trail Crossing Ahead: Montana’s E-Bike Debate Picks Up Speed
As e-bikes explode in popularity, the mountain biking community continues to grapple with whether the new technology should be shunned or embraced
Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission Adopts Reduced Wolf Harvest Quota Amid Population Estimation Error
Faced with revised counting methodology that dramatically reduces the state’s estimated wolf population, commissioners approved a scaled-down quota of 300 wolves in Montana
Police Blotter
Recent Podcasts
Project 7
A six-part series on notorious Flathead Valley militia leader David Burgert, who vanished into the wilderness after a shootout with sheriff's deputies in 2011
