The fifth annual Craft Brewers Cup is returning to downtown Kalispell with a pair of former NHL players taking the ice along with 10 adult teams from the U.S. and Canada.
The tournament and brewfest are Jan. 22-23 at Woodland Park.
Lanny McDonald, a part-time resident in Lakeside and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, is helping advocate and promote the event, which is a fundraiser for the Flathead Valley Hockey Association, a volunteer group that organizes youth programs.
Bruce Bell, another former NHL player, will provide a youth hockey skills clinic from 11 a.m.-noon on Saturday for kids ages 6-19. The clinic is intended for kids with some skating experience, according to organizers.
The tournament will run from noon on Friday until 11 p.m., and then restart at 8:30 a.m., Saturday and finish at 9:30 p.m. The event is a tiered tournament and will have a Rec-Division (Session Ales) and a Competitive Division (Imperial Pints). Spectators are invited to watch the action for free.
The brewfest, featuring all Montana microbreweries, starts at noon on Saturday.
The fundraiser has raised over $25,000 in recent years, and the funds have helped the FVHA upgrade an old Zamboni machine. Future funds will help cover equipment and facility improvements, according to organizers.
For more information, visit http://www.craftbrewershockeyleague.com.
Hockey fans also have the upcoming Montana Pond Hockey Classic to look forward to. The third annual event is Feb. 19-21 and is slated to take place at Foys Lake west of Kalispell. For more information, visit http://www.pondhockeyclassic.com/montana.