The Fourth of July is a big deal around here. From parades to fireworks displays, the Flathead Valley celebrates its independence in style. Here’s a list of events that will make this holiday a memorable one. And, if you want even more options, check out our events calendar in this week’s newspaper or online at flatheadevents.net.
Polson
7/4 Arlee Powwow Celebration
Come down to the Powwow celebration for some arts, crafts and stick games. There will also be a dance competition and cultural foods. Admission is free and the event is open to the public.
7/4 Firecracker fun run
The Firecracker Fun Run will start at 11:45 a.m. at St. Joseph Medical Center and will precede the parade down Main Street. Non-perishable food items are requested instead of a registration fee and everything will be donated to Polson Loaves & Fishes. More information at www.polsonrunning.com
7/4 Ice Cream Social
Pop on down to the Polson Historical Museum on Main Street following the July 4th parade for some family fun at the ice-cream social.
7/4 Polson Centennial July Fourth Parade
Come celebrate our nation’s independence with the Polson Centennial parade, which will begin at 12 p.m. Parade is sponsored by Envision Polson.
7/5 Farmers Market
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in downtown Polson.
7/5 Color Me Wild
A reception for the “Color Me Wild” exhibit will be held on Friday, from 5-7 p.m. The exhibit will be shown at the Sandpiper Gallery from July 2nd- August 10th.
7/6 All American Celebration
This fun and lively celebration will be held at the KwaTaqNuk Resort. There will be a BBQ from 4-7 p.m., a beer garden from 4-11 p.m., a horseshoe tournament and performances by the Jim & I Band from 4-6 p.m. and Gladys Friday from 7-10 p.m., both to be held on the Anderson Broadcasting Stage. For more info call 406-883-3636.
7/6 Flathead Lake Cheese Open House
Flathead Lake Cheese will host an open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come take a tour of the creamery and find out how your favorite cheeses are made. Flathead Lake Cheese is located on 208 1st Ave E. For more information call 406-883-0343.
7/6 Bri’s 5K Memorial Run/Walk
This event will be held in memory of PHS graduate Bri Pacheco. Come and support the cause. 100 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Pacheco Family. The event will start at 9 a.m. at Polson High School. For more information contact Abbey Dooley at 406-249-3892.
Bigfork
7/4 Parade and Children’s Carnival
Bring the whole family down to Bigfork at noon for the 4th of July parade, which will be followed by the Children’s Carnival. The fun will continue when “Ducks for Bucks” race down the Wild Mile at 4 p.m. To purchase a duck call 406-837-5888.
7/4 3rd Annual Freedom 5K Run/Walk
Come and show support for the noble Montanans who have sacrificed their lives for our independence by participating in the Freedom walk/run. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. and the race begins at 8:30 a.m. at Brookies Cookies. Registration is available at www.gratefulnationmontana.com and T-shirts for the first 100 registrants. For more information call 406-240-9278.
7/4 July Fourth Free Breakfast
Who doesn’t love a free breakfast? Join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for a meal of pancakes, bacon, sausage, eggs and orange juice from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at 121 Crestview Drive.
7/4 Bigfork’s Fire Dept BBQ
After the parade at noon come on down to the Bigfork Fire Station for a tasty BBQ. There will be live music, food and drinks. Anyone is welcome!
7/4 Bigfork’s Fourth ofJuly Ducks for Bucks
Starting at 4 p.m. a flock of plastic “ducks for bucks” will speed down the Swan River’s “Wild Mile.” Risking life and limb, these ducks will race to the Old Steel Bridge in attempts to snatch first prize, which consists of $200. The second-place duck will receive $100 and third duck wins $50. Ducks can be purchased for $5 or six for $25. Proceeds go to the Bigfork High School Scholarship Program. For more information call 406-837-5888.
7/7 Riverbend Concert Series with Jae Hatt
Come revel in the dulcet tones of local musicians this Sunday at Sliter Park. Tickets for adults cost $3 and $1 for kids and music starts at 7 p.m. For more information call 406-837-5888.
Kalispell
7/3 Picnic in the Park- Summer Lunchtime Concert Series
Take a quick lunch break to relax and enjoy some live music from 11:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Depot Park. A variety of vendors will be serving food.
7/4 Fourth of July Parade and Ice-Cream Social
The Kalispell 4th of July Parade, a time-honored tradition, will begin at 10 a.m. on Main Street in Kalispell. The parade will be followed by an ice cream social at the Conrad Mansion from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
7/4 Flathead Lake Boat Parade
If you’re looking for a good way to celebrate the 4th of July come down to Lakeside Bay for the annual boat parade. Staging will begin at 1:30 p.m. and the parade itself will start at 2 p.m. The parade will be led by a Nordic Tug named The Lucille and will leave from Docks Restaurant in Lakeside and end in Hockaday Bay. Should you wish to continue your patriotic journey, follow The Lucille to Shelter Island. Boats and crews should be dressed in red, white and blue. For more information call Holly Larson at 406-270-2317
7/5-7/6 The Glacier Challenge
Come test your endurance and determination at the 2013 Glacier Challenge. This event is a six-legged relay race that covers 50 miles of the Flathead Valley. You will face a variety of challenges while you paddle, peddle and run your way to the finish line. The race begins and ends in Whitefish. Racers can enter individually or in teams. For more information call 406-755-4622. Registration fees are $100 for an individual entry, $125 for a partner entry, $250 for a team and $350 for a corporate sponsorship team.
7/5 First Friday in Downtown Kalispell
From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. downtown Kalispell will be full of live music, good food, free refreshments and more. Stores are open until 8 p.m. and restaurants will be offering special bargains. Stop by the Kalispell Visitor Center to collect your wooden coin, which will get you a $5 discount at many downtown businesses.
7/6 Summer Symphony Pops at Rebecca Farm
The Glacier Symphony plans to perform a mixture of contemporary and classical music, guaranteed to inspire the Beethoven in each and every one of you. The concert will take place at Rebecca Farm at 7:30 p.m. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. and patrons are invited to come relax on the lawn with a nice picnic. Picnic tables are available to rent for $35 and the entry fee is $30 per carload of people. Food, beer and wine will be available for purchase. For more information call 406-257-3241
7/6 Literacy Volunteers of Flathead County 5K Run/Walk
The Literacy Volunteers of Flathead County are hosting a fun-run fundraiser at 8 a.m. on July 6th. The run will be held on the Historic Rails to Trails in Kalispell. Come support this hard-working group and have some fun in the process. Registration fees are $15 per person or $25 per family if submitted by July 3. $5 is added to the fee for same-day registration. For more information call 406-471-9002
7/6 The Vintage Whites Market
If you’re interested in buying anything and everything vintage then come to the Vintage Whites Market on July 6! This event will host some of Montana’s and Idaho’s finest vintage merchants. The fair will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown Somers. There will be live music, good food and even pony rides for the kids. For more information e-mail [email protected]
Whitefish
7/4 Fourth of July Annual Golf Tournament
Celebrate your 4th of July on the beautiful fairway of the Whitefish Lake Golf Club. The club will host a golf tournament this year from July 4-6. For more information contact 406-862-5960
7/4 July 4th Fireworks in Whitefish
The Whitefish Chamber of Commerce will blast off a beautiful array of fireworks over Whitefish Lake shortly after dusk on July 4. Make this spectacular show part of your Fourth of July tradition.
7/5-7/7 Whitefish Arts Festival
Soak up some live music and take a look at the abundance of arts and crafts on display at the Whitefish Art Festival that runs from July 5 through 7. The event starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 6 p.m. Admission is free. For more information call 406-471-1903
7/5 Whitefish Gallery Nights Art Walk
This Whitefish Art Walk includes appetizers and refreshments as well as a variety of striking artwork. Spend your evening cruising through local galleries in downtown Whitefish and enjoying the society and culture of the event. The walk starts at 6 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m. in Whitefish and maps are available at the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce and all participating galleries.
Eureka
7/4 4th of July Red, White & Blue Barbecue
Come down to the Indian Springs Ranch for a free concert, entertainment, fireworks and more. An 18-hole golf game will begin at 1 p.m. followed by a 9-hole game at 3 p.m. The gates to the ranch will open at 4 p.m., with games beginning at 5 and dinner at 6 p.m. Hotdogs, hamburgers and bratwursts will be served. The O’Connell’s perform at 6:30, followed by the hypnotist Terrance B. at 8 p.m. and the band Smart Alex at 9:30. Fireworks will begin at dusk. Don’t miss the fun! For more information call the Indian Springs Ranch at 406-889-8104.
FOUR
Fun Activities for the Fourth
Fourth of July is a time to go out and celebrate this country’s independence and there may be no better place to do that than Northwest Montana. Here are four great activities for your extended weekend.
Drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road: Ken Burns once called the National Park System “America’s best idea” and there may be no better place to explore that reality than Glacier National Park. The park’s highlight, the 50-mile Going-to-the-Sun Road, is now open between West Glacier and St. Mary. Pack a lunch and bring a camera as you drive through the amazing alpine scenery below Logan Pass. At the top, stop in at the Visitor Center and go for a short hike. For more information about Glacier National Park, visit www.nps.gov/glac.
Walk Among Giants at Ross Creek Cedars: At nearly 10-feet wide, some of the trees at the Kootenai National Forest’s Ross Creek Cedars site are more than five centuries old. They are some of the largest and oldest cedar trees around and began growing when Columbus first discovered the New World. Located south of Troy on Montana Highway 56, the 100-acre site has a short mile-long nature trail perfect for families. For more information on the Ross Creek Cedars, call the Three Rivers Ranger District at (406) 295-4693.
Camp in the Flathead National Forest: While Glacier gets a lot of the attention, locals know that there is just as much to see in the nearby Flathead National Forest. Check out a local ranger station and buy yourself a map to find one of the 31 camping areas located within the forest. There are also more than a dozen cabins that can be rented. For more information, visit www.fs.usda.gov/flathead.
Paddleboard on Whitefish Lake: Flyboarding isn’t the only way to enjoy Whitefish Lake. Paddleboarding is quickly growing as a popular activity, especially in Whitefish, where you can rent a standup board and hit the water within minutes. Paddlefish Sports, a local standup paddleboard specific shop, rents and sells the boards. But it’s up to you to explore the waves and water. For more information, visit www.paddlefish-sports.com