Events

GHOST TOURS ARE BACK! Get your tickets now to explore and investigate the paranormal in one of Montana’s most haunted locations, the Old Montana Prison. The doors to the Old Montana Prison Visitor Center will open at 8:00 pm, where your guide will meet you to get you checked in and ready with equipment for the night. You can also bring your own equipment if you choose to do so. You will be able to investigate the grounds and buildings of the prison until 2:00 am when the investigation concludes. You will be taken to areas of the prison that are not open to the public, like the Death Tower, and the upper tiers of the Cell House. Snacks and beverages will also be provided throughout the night. *AGE LIMIT FOR OUR GHOST TOURS IS 15 YEARS OLD, NO EXCEPTIONS. ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT/LEGAL GUARDIAN. *NO DRUGS OR ALCOHOL ALLOWED. *NO REFUNDS WILL BE HONORED 30 DAYS PRIOR TO THE EVENT DATE. Tickets are $99.00 with a $2.97 online purchase fee. You can avoid this fee by booking a tour over the phone by contacting Addison at (406) 846-3111 (Your Ghost Tour ticket is also available for a day of or day after visit to the Old Montana Prison & Auto Museum Complex. Just show our front desk your purchase receipt to gain entry.)

Everyone’s family has that secret recipe, passed down from generation to generation. Tamarack Time! in Bigfork is the perfect occasion to flaunt your signature dish. Drop off your favorite dish in one of the 13 categories by noon for judging. The tasting opens to the public at 1 pm, and your $5 pass lets you sample all the entries. This amateur food competition is open to the public and invites the Flathead Valley to come down and enjoy this great event- and the great food! Hosted in the fall, this event takes place along Electric Avenue in Downtown Bigfork annually. Tamarack Time! is always the second Saturday of October. Want to get involved with Tamarack Time! There are three fantastic ways to do it. Chair a food category! Help make Tamarack Time! a success by rallying your friends, family, and strangers to submit a dish in that category. The day of all you need to do is man the table, with a couple volunteers you recruit, to receive the entries and serve tastings to the public. Be a judge! Cleanse your palate and sharpen your taste buds, and get ready to dive into Bigfork’s finest homemade culinary delights. Judging takes place from 12:15-12:45pm and the competition is fierce. Meet at Eva Gates at 12 sharp! Enter your best dish, or dishes! Whether you’re known for a particular dish, the keeper of a closely guarded family recipe, or just a home chef with a creation you can’t wait to share, bring it down to Tamarack Time! to see how it stacks up. There are 13 food categories and you can enter in as many as your heart desires. For more information or to sign up to be a chair or judge, contact Toot Sward at golfinggirl@hotmail.com or 406-471-0903

Presented by Downtown Billings & Montana Brewing Company, HarvestFest celebrates the changing seasons with a rich diversity of arts and crafts, mums, pumpkins, jams, face painting, balloon twisting, pies, and the final offerings of locally grown produce. HarvestFest is a grand community fall festival that takes place in the center of downtown Billings, on streets below Skypoint. Occurring annually the second weekend of October, after the Yellowstone Valley Farmers’ Market concludes for the season. This fall street festival draws people from all over the Northwest region into the streets and businesses of downtown. The event has something for all ages; experience the aromas of food-truck fare like roasted nuts, steak sandwiches, and kettle corn, live entertainment performing under Skypoint, Montana Brewing Company’s annual Oktoberfest Beer Garden and Stein hoisting contest, an interactive children’s area coordinated by Wise Wonders Science & Discovery Museum includes free crafts and activities. Additional & new activities still to be announced!

GHOST TOURS ARE BACK! Get your tickets now to explore and investigate the paranormal in one of Montana’s most haunted locations, the Old Montana Prison. The doors to the Old Montana Prison Visitor Center will open at 8:00 pm, where your guide will meet you to get you checked in and ready with equipment for the night. You can also bring your own equipment if you choose to do so. You will be able to investigate the grounds and buildings of the prison until 2:00 am when the investigation concludes. You will be taken to areas of the prison that are not open to the public, like the Death Tower, and the upper tiers of the Cell House. Snacks and beverages will also be provided throughout the night. *AGE LIMIT FOR OUR GHOST TOURS IS 15 YEARS OLD, NO EXCEPTIONS. ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT/LEGAL GUARDIAN. *NO DRUGS OR ALCOHOL ALLOWED. *NO REFUNDS WILL BE HONORED 30 DAYS PRIOR TO THE EVENT DATE. Tickets are $99.00 with a $2.97 online purchase fee. You can avoid this fee by booking a tour over the phone by contacting Addison at (406) 846-3111 (Your Ghost Tour ticket is also available for a day of or day after visit to the Old Montana Prison & Auto Museum Complex. Just show our front desk your purchase receipt to gain entry.)

Peacefully, we would like to invite the entire community to remember Charlie's legacy, enjoy food and fun, and join us in a prayer vigil. Please join us on Tuesday, October 14 from 4pm to 9pm to honor him, gather as a community, enjoy food from several food trucks, and join in the prayer vigil at 7 PM.

The number one question Mansion staff and volunteers are asked: Is it haunted? This October you may be able to answer that question for yourself! Every October, guests are invited to walk the darkened halls with a glimmer of candlelight to guide them. Once inside a room, guests will hear Conrad family ghost stories and other strange happenings that occurred in the Mansion. Who knows, maybe you’ll have your own paranormal experience? Ghost Tours are a family friendly event; however, we do not recommend children under 10 attending. Tours are offered every 15 minutes and last about one hour. Ghost Tours will be offered two weekends in October: October 17 October 18 October 24 October 25

These entertaining and informative presentations are sponsored by the Holiday Inn® West Yellowstone, Explorer Cabins at Yellowstone, Gray Wolf Inn and Suites, and Yellowstone Park Hotel and are free for the public to attend. September September 4 @ 6pm: Yellowstone’s Top Predators – Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center September 5 @ 6pm: Cougars: The Shadows of Yellowstone – Dr. Jack Rabe, Yellowstone Forever September 6 @ 6pm: Geology of the Rockies – Dr. Zachary Burton, Montana State University September 8 @ 6pm: Do You Hear What I Hear? Soundscapes of Yellowstone – Haley Stapleton, former National Park Service member September 9 @ 6pm: The Inside Scoop: Making the Most of Your Yellowstone Vacation – Jason “Gypsy” Kladiva September 10 @ 6pm: Wildlife Behavior: The Story Behind the Photos – Steve Hinch, Steve Hinch Photography September 13 @ 6pm: Montana Dinosaurs 101 – Ashley Hall, Museum of the Rockies September 14 @ 6pm: We Know Who We Are: The History and Legacy of the Metis People – Maggie Jo Widdicombe, Museum of the Rockies September 15 @ 6pm: Surviving the West: Homesteading Under the Big Sky – Peyton Smith, Museum of the Rockies September 16 @ 6pm: Bison, Wolves, and Bears, Oh My! Yellowstone Wildlife Management – Shannon Werbeach, Museum of the Rockies September 17 @ 6pm: Greater Yellowstone Wolverines Unveiled – Jess Haas, Wildlife Educator and Guide September 18 @ 6pm: Shaking and Baking: Yellowstone’s Volcanic System – Dr. Jamie Farrell, University of Utah September 19 @ 6pm: Preserving The Night Sky – Lynn Powers, NASA/Montana State University September 20 @ 3pm: Raptors of the Big Sky State (Live Raptor Ambassador) – Montana Raptor Conservation Center September 22 @ 6pm: Wildlife Behavior: The Story Behind the Photos – Steve Hinch, Steve Hinch Photography September 29 @ 6pm: Becoming a Naturalist – Haley Stapleton, former National Park Service member September 30 @ 6pm: Wildlife Crossings, Corridors, and Connectivity – Blakeley Adkins, Greater Yellowstone Coalition October October 2 @ 6pm: Yellowstone’s Top Predators – Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center October 3 @ 6pm: Shaking and Baking: Yellowstone’s Volcanic System – Dr. Jamie Farrell, University of Utah October 6 @ 6pm: Surviving the Wild: Yellowstone’s Prey Species – Haley Stapleton, former National Park Service member October 8 @ 6pm: Wildlife Behavior: The Story Behind the Photos – Steve Hinch, Steve Hinch Photography October 9 @ 6pm: The Inside Scoop: Making the Most of Your Yellowstone Vacation – Jason “Gypsy” Kladiva October 18 @ 2pm: Raptors of the Big Sky State (Live Raptor Ambassador) – Montana Raptor Conservation Center October 20 @ 6pm: Do You Hear What I Hear? Soundscapes of Yellowstone – Haley Stapleton, former National Park Service member October 22 @ 6pm: Greater Yellowstone Wolverines Unveiled – Jess Haas, Wildlife Educator and Guide October 27 @ 6pm: Becoming a Naturalist – Haley Stapleton, former National Park Service member October 29 @ 6pm: Wildlife Behavior: The Story Behind the Photos – Steve Hinch, Steve Hinch Photography

The number one question Mansion staff and volunteers are asked: Is it haunted? This October you may be able to answer that question for yourself! Every October, guests are invited to walk the darkened halls with a glimmer of candlelight to guide them. Once inside a room, guests will hear Conrad family ghost stories and other strange happenings that occurred in the Mansion. Who knows, maybe you’ll have your own paranormal experience? Ghost Tours are a family friendly event; however, we do not recommend children under 10 attending. Tours are offered every 15 minutes and last about one hour. Ghost Tours will be offered two weekends in October: October 17 October 18 October 24 October 25

These entertaining and informative presentations are sponsored by the Holiday Inn® West Yellowstone, Explorer Cabins at Yellowstone, Gray Wolf Inn and Suites, and Yellowstone Park Hotel and are free for the public to attend. September September 4 @ 6pm: Yellowstone’s Top Predators – Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center September 5 @ 6pm: Cougars: The Shadows of Yellowstone – Dr. Jack Rabe, Yellowstone Forever September 6 @ 6pm: Geology of the Rockies – Dr. Zachary Burton, Montana State University September 8 @ 6pm: Do You Hear What I Hear? Soundscapes of Yellowstone – Haley Stapleton, former National Park Service member September 9 @ 6pm: The Inside Scoop: Making the Most of Your Yellowstone Vacation – Jason “Gypsy” Kladiva September 10 @ 6pm: Wildlife Behavior: The Story Behind the Photos – Steve Hinch, Steve Hinch Photography September 13 @ 6pm: Montana Dinosaurs 101 – Ashley Hall, Museum of the Rockies September 14 @ 6pm: We Know Who We Are: The History and Legacy of the Metis People – Maggie Jo Widdicombe, Museum of the Rockies September 15 @ 6pm: Surviving the West: Homesteading Under the Big Sky – Peyton Smith, Museum of the Rockies September 16 @ 6pm: Bison, Wolves, and Bears, Oh My! Yellowstone Wildlife Management – Shannon Werbeach, Museum of the Rockies September 17 @ 6pm: Greater Yellowstone Wolverines Unveiled – Jess Haas, Wildlife Educator and Guide September 18 @ 6pm: Shaking and Baking: Yellowstone’s Volcanic System – Dr. Jamie Farrell, University of Utah September 19 @ 6pm: Preserving The Night Sky – Lynn Powers, NASA/Montana State University September 20 @ 3pm: Raptors of the Big Sky State (Live Raptor Ambassador) – Montana Raptor Conservation Center September 22 @ 6pm: Wildlife Behavior: The Story Behind the Photos – Steve Hinch, Steve Hinch Photography September 29 @ 6pm: Becoming a Naturalist – Haley Stapleton, former National Park Service member September 30 @ 6pm: Wildlife Crossings, Corridors, and Connectivity – Blakeley Adkins, Greater Yellowstone Coalition October October 2 @ 6pm: Yellowstone’s Top Predators – Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center October 3 @ 6pm: Shaking and Baking: Yellowstone’s Volcanic System – Dr. Jamie Farrell, University of Utah October 6 @ 6pm: Surviving the Wild: Yellowstone’s Prey Species – Haley Stapleton, former National Park Service member October 8 @ 6pm: Wildlife Behavior: The Story Behind the Photos – Steve Hinch, Steve Hinch Photography October 9 @ 6pm: The Inside Scoop: Making the Most of Your Yellowstone Vacation – Jason “Gypsy” Kladiva October 18 @ 2pm: Raptors of the Big Sky State (Live Raptor Ambassador) – Montana Raptor Conservation Center October 20 @ 6pm: Do You Hear What I Hear? Soundscapes of Yellowstone – Haley Stapleton, former National Park Service member October 22 @ 6pm: Greater Yellowstone Wolverines Unveiled – Jess Haas, Wildlife Educator and Guide October 27 @ 6pm: Becoming a Naturalist – Haley Stapleton, former National Park Service member October 29 @ 6pm: Wildlife Behavior: The Story Behind the Photos – Steve Hinch, Steve Hinch Photography

These entertaining and informative presentations are sponsored by the Holiday Inn® West Yellowstone, Explorer Cabins at Yellowstone, Gray Wolf Inn and Suites, and Yellowstone Park Hotel and are free for the public to attend. September September 4 @ 6pm: Yellowstone’s Top Predators – Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center September 5 @ 6pm: Cougars: The Shadows of Yellowstone – Dr. Jack Rabe, Yellowstone Forever September 6 @ 6pm: Geology of the Rockies – Dr. Zachary Burton, Montana State University September 8 @ 6pm: Do You Hear What I Hear? Soundscapes of Yellowstone – Haley Stapleton, former National Park Service member September 9 @ 6pm: The Inside Scoop: Making the Most of Your Yellowstone Vacation – Jason “Gypsy” Kladiva September 10 @ 6pm: Wildlife Behavior: The Story Behind the Photos – Steve Hinch, Steve Hinch Photography September 13 @ 6pm: Montana Dinosaurs 101 – Ashley Hall, Museum of the Rockies September 14 @ 6pm: We Know Who We Are: The History and Legacy of the Metis People – Maggie Jo Widdicombe, Museum of the Rockies September 15 @ 6pm: Surviving the West: Homesteading Under the Big Sky – Peyton Smith, Museum of the Rockies September 16 @ 6pm: Bison, Wolves, and Bears, Oh My! Yellowstone Wildlife Management – Shannon Werbeach, Museum of the Rockies September 17 @ 6pm: Greater Yellowstone Wolverines Unveiled – Jess Haas, Wildlife Educator and Guide September 18 @ 6pm: Shaking and Baking: Yellowstone’s Volcanic System – Dr. Jamie Farrell, University of Utah September 19 @ 6pm: Preserving The Night Sky – Lynn Powers, NASA/Montana State University September 20 @ 3pm: Raptors of the Big Sky State (Live Raptor Ambassador) – Montana Raptor Conservation Center September 22 @ 6pm: Wildlife Behavior: The Story Behind the Photos – Steve Hinch, Steve Hinch Photography September 29 @ 6pm: Becoming a Naturalist – Haley Stapleton, former National Park Service member September 30 @ 6pm: Wildlife Crossings, Corridors, and Connectivity – Blakeley Adkins, Greater Yellowstone Coalition October October 2 @ 6pm: Yellowstone’s Top Predators – Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center October 3 @ 6pm: Shaking and Baking: Yellowstone’s Volcanic System – Dr. Jamie Farrell, University of Utah October 6 @ 6pm: Surviving the Wild: Yellowstone’s Prey Species – Haley Stapleton, former National Park Service member October 8 @ 6pm: Wildlife Behavior: The Story Behind the Photos – Steve Hinch, Steve Hinch Photography October 9 @ 6pm: The Inside Scoop: Making the Most of Your Yellowstone Vacation – Jason “Gypsy” Kladiva October 18 @ 2pm: Raptors of the Big Sky State (Live Raptor Ambassador) – Montana Raptor Conservation Center October 20 @ 6pm: Do You Hear What I Hear? Soundscapes of Yellowstone – Haley Stapleton, former National Park Service member October 22 @ 6pm: Greater Yellowstone Wolverines Unveiled – Jess Haas, Wildlife Educator and Guide October 27 @ 6pm: Becoming a Naturalist – Haley Stapleton, former National Park Service member October 29 @ 6pm: Wildlife Behavior: The Story Behind the Photos – Steve Hinch, Steve Hinch Photography

The Historical Museum at Fort Missoula invites you to join us for a special evening with Yukio Shimomura. Thursday, October 23rd, at 7pm in the University of Montana Social Sciences Building room 356, Shimomura will be sharing his family’s experience during the 40's when WWII started and how Executive Order 9066 affected his family. Yukio was born in San Francisco and was in grade school when WWII started. His family was incarcerated in three different War Relocation Authority camps. Despite his internment Yukio went on to graduate from high school in Ogden, UT and earn a degree in Manufacturing Engineering from Weber State University. His education led to a successful career in American and Japanese electronic companies as well as several consulting opportunities in management coaching and team building. Shimomura presently resides in Morgan Hill, CA. His presentation, “My Two Years Behind Barbed Wire During WWII in the US” includes his experience leaving San Francisco and entering the incarceration camps in San Bruno, Tanforan Race Track and Topaz, Utah. Yukio relates what his parents went through, with his older brothers and Yukio, the lifestyle, dynamics and significant ironies present in camp. You’ll learn how the family left the camp and where they settled.

Come here Dr. Craig M. Lee (MSU) give his talk for the Heritage and History Public Lecture Series. Ice patch research is inherently interdisciplinary, combining paleoclimatic, archaeological, and ecological approaches to explore human–environment dynamics. Projects in Montana and beyond are employing diverse methods—ice coring, ground-penetrating radar, and analysis of macrobotanical and pollen records—to uncover both environmental change and human responses. These efforts also contribute to a broader narrative, challenging the fatalism that often dominates climate discourse. While acknowledging ongoing crises of environmental degradation and climate instability, ice patch studies offer a story of resilience, thoughtful intervention, and collaboration.