Mission Valley Events Roundup
Lake County Fair – July 23-27 at the fairgrounds in Ronan; highlights include the Market Livestock Sale, Ranch Rodeo, Boots on Fire community dance and the Small Fry Stock Show. Call 676-8660 for details.
The Bug Race – 10 a.m. July 24 at the North Lake County Library; the race returns after a five-year hiatus. Pick up a bug jar from the library.
Mid-Summer Nite Wine & Beer Tasting – 5-7 p.m. July 24 at Bunkers Bar and Grill, Polson Bay Golf Course; enjoy generous tastings and hardy appetizers during this Kiwanis fundraiser. Tickets are available from local banks and Kiwanis members or call 406-396-1250.
Let's Talk Art: Nancy Zadra – 6:30 p.m. July 24 at Sandpiper Art Gallery & Gifts in Polson; free lecture series continues at downtown gallery. Learn more at SandpiperArtGalleryandGifts.com/LetsTalkArt.
Flathead Cherry Festival – 9 a.m.-5 p.m. July 26 and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. July 27 in downtown Polson; celebrate the region's famous Flathead cherries during this vibrant festival. Local and regional artists showcase handcrafted goods and cherry-themed treats, while vendors offer a variety of delicious food options, with activities for all ages on tap. Learn more at handmademontana.com/pages/flathead-cherry-festival.
Ronan Pioneer Days – Aug. 1-3 in downtown Ronan and at the Lake County Fairgrounds; rodeo action, street dances, games, and Sunday's Big Parade are all part of the annual celebration.
Community Cherry-Pitting Day – 8 a.m.-noon Aug. 2 at Mission West Community Development Partners, 407 Main St. SW in Ronan; cherries must be clean, with no stems. Call 406-676-5916.
First Saturday Artisans Event – 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 2 at the Ninepipes Museum of Early Montana, south of Ronan on Hwy. 93; Dee Dee Barbour, Kira Fercho and Henrietta Wolf Black display their work; Carol Benson and Carolyn Shoening offer demonstrations; live music and a food vendor are on tap. visit ninepipesmuseum.org.
Flathead Lakers Summer Soirée – August 7 at Flathead Lake Forevers in Big Arm; benefit for the Lakers includes local appetizers, drinks, and a lakeside concert by Benny Weag. Celebrate summer while supporting clean water and healthy ecosystems in the Flathead watershed; reserve tickets at www.flatheadlakers.org.
Dave Stipe Annex Open House – 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Aug. 9 at at the corner of 5th Avenue and 1st Street in Polson; check out the new three-story, 15,828-square-foot building, which will provide new offices for elections, land planning, environmental health, Information Technology (IT), and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and the Lake County Superintendent of Schools.
The American West – continuing through Sept. 5 at Sandpiper Gallery and Gifts in Polson; gallery members celebrate the spirit of the West. Visit www.sandpiperartgalleryandgifts.com.
Market on Main – 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays on Main Street in Ronan; enjoy games, vendors, music and food.
Farmers’ Markets – Ronan: 4-7 p.m. Thursdays at the Ronan Visitor’s Center, with live music (www.facebook.com/RonanFarmersMarket); Polson: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Fridays on Third Ave. West (polsonfarmersmarket.com); Mission Falls Market: 4:30-7 p.m. Fridays at Good Old Days Park in St. Ignatius (www.facebook.com/missionfallsmarket). Support local famers and crafters at these weekly markets.
Yoga by the Lake – 6 p.m. Monday and Thursday this summer at Sacajawea Park under the cottonwood trees; these yoga classes will have something for everyone, whether participants are very familiar with yoga or are new to the mat. Classes are $10 drop-in with multiple payment options.
Arts & Crafts in Polson – 1-4 p.m. Wednesdays at Summit Independent Living, 3 Ninth Ave. West, Suite 1 in Polson; join CSKT elder Tammie Miller for an afternoon of crafting, companionship and snacks. Bring a craft project or use available materials to start one. Open to people of all abilities; call 406-215-1604 for more information.
Cheerful Heart Cancer Support Group – noon-1 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at the Church of the Nazarene in Pablo; church pastor Matthew Connolly leads the group, which welcomes those recently diagnosed or undergoing treatment, cancer survivors, and/or family members. Learn more at www.cheerfulheart.org or email cheartinc@gmail.com.
Kiwanis – first Thursday of the month, noon at KwaTaqNuk Resort, and third Thursday of the month, 5:30 p.m. at Bunkers, Polson Bay Golf Course; Kiwanis is an international organization dedicated to improving the world one child, one community at a time. Meetings are open to the public.
Open Mic and Jam – 7 p.m. Fridays at the Western Montana Musicians Co-op, Ronan; also on tap is a weekly Community Jam at 7 p.m. Saturdays and a drum circle from 7-9 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month. The cooperative is located in the Red Poppy Building, 1 Eisenhower St. SW in Ronan. Learn more at www.mtmusic.org.
Friday Crafting Day – 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fridays at Three Chiefs Culture Center in Pablo; bring a project and enjoy conversation and guidance (as needed). Visit ThreeChiefs.org.
Upcoming Public Meetings
Polson City Commission – 7 p.m. Aug. 4, City Hall
St. Ignatius Town Council – 6 p.m. Aug. 5, Town Hall
Email event submissions to editor@leaderadvertiser.com.