Halloween Celebrations Boost Spooky Shoulder-Season Spending in the Flathead Valley

Business leaders promote Halloween during a traditionally slow tourism month as the demand for haunted festivities rises with events like themed hayrides, paintball, live music and costume contests

Every October when the last of the tourists leave the Flathead Valley for the season, local business leaders continue to brainstorm creative ways to boost consumer spending before the snow starts to fly on Big Mountain during the stillness of the shoulder season.

While tourism bureau directors have helped launch events like the Great Northwest Oktoberfest in Whitefish during the fall, business owners are embracing Halloween celebrations across the valley to spur spending before ski season tourism trickles into town.

Read the rest of the story here.

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Reading the Flathead’s Future at Rose Boutique

Ninth-generation psychic Rose Stuart returns to the Flathead Valley to offer psychic readings, reiki energy healing, astrology charting and spiritual guidance in downtown Kalispell

A boom in cryptocurrency. The next financial crisis. A year of chaos. This is what the future holds in 2025, according to local psychic, astrologist and ordained minister Rose Stuart, who recently returned to the Flathead Valley and reopened her metaphysical shop and psychic services business in downtown Kalispell.

Read the rest of the story here.

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This Month’s Market Metrics

Gas Prices (Oct. 29)
Hawaii (highest) – $4.53/gal | Texas (lowest) – $2.61/gal | Montana – $3.15/gal

Glacier Park International Airport Passenger Stats (September)
Departures 2024 55,386 | 2023 67,573 Arrivals 2024 76,419 | 2023 61,505

Unemployment Rates (September)
U.S. 4.2% | Montana 3.2% | Flathead County 3.4%

Flathead County Residential Sales (September)
2024 166 | 2023 166 | 2022 190 | 2021 231

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Vote for Solid Investment Strategies

When it comes to investing, you may want to pay less attention to what names are on the ballot

With the presidential election just a few days away, the public is naturally interested in not just the outcome but what the results will mean for issues of national importance. As a citizen, you likely share these concerns — but how about as an investor? After the votes are counted — or even before — should you make some moves in anticipation of possible changes in policy?  

Read the rest of the column here.