Today

Polson Festival Days continue today and Sunday. Cruisen' By the Bay Car Show 2005, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Main Street; Sandpiper Days, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Lake County Courthouse; Carnival 10 a.m., Riverside Park; Public auction of motor related items, 5-7 p.m., Comets play rock n' roll 7 p.m. Polson fairgrounds. Tickets for Comets, $20 at the gate. Call 883-2488.

Swan Lake Huckleberry Festival 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Swan Lake Day Use Campground near mile marker 27 on Montana 83. All-day raffles, children's games at 1 p.m. Concessions, huckleberry baking contest at 11 a.m. Proceeds benefit area nonprofits. Call 886-2303 or 886-2080.

Whitefish Huckleberry Days Centennial Celebration continues today through Sunday. Pancake breakfast 8 a.m. Arts Festival 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today in Depot Park. Free horse drawn wagon rides 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and gondola rides 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Big Mountain. Free silent auction reception 7-9 p.m. Stumptown Arts Studio.

Mission Mountain Winery, U.S. 93 in Dayton, ice cream social 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Staff and winemaker will offer sorbets and ice cream featuring their wines. Free and open to public.

Somers Art Faire 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. downtown Somers. Metal art, rustic furniture, wood carving, bead work and other jewelry and more.

Bigfork Art & Cultural Center's eighth annual Antiques Show & Sale continues through Sunday. Sale 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Whitefish Public Library summer reading program grand finale, 12:30 p.m. Society of Creative Anachronism will give jousting and knighting demonstrations in armor. Games, prizes and refreshments. Call 862-6657.

Third annual Lakeside QRU Barbecue and Auction, Edgewater RV Resort. Barbecue begins at 1 p.m. Silent auction noon to 3 p.m. Live auction at 4 p.m. Call Steve or Sheila at 844-3644. Benefit for Lakeside QRU.

Realms of Avalon Medieval and Renaissance celebration, 53 Fifth St. W., behind Crooked Tree Motel, Hungry Horse. Call Cheryl Becker, 387-4259.

Sunday

Whitefish Huckleberry Days Centennial Celebration continues today. Arts Festival 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Depot Park. Free horse drawn wagon rides 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and gondola rides 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Big Mountain.

Polson Festival Days continue today on Main Street in Polson. Valley Cruisers car show. Art fair.

3 Valley Chamber Choir presents a public concert, "From Sea to Shining Sea," 4 p.m., 750 Electric Ave., Bigfork. Free will offering. Public invited.

Bigfork Art & Cultural Centers eighth annual Antiques Show & Sale 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Alpine Weavers and Spinners Guild demonstrations at Northwest Montana Fair Fiber Fest, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., fairgrounds in Kalispell.

Friends of Blanchard Lake seventh annual meeting 6:30 p.m., Blanchard Lake Road. Business meeting and election of board followed by historical storytelling by longtime residents and potluck. Bring your own chair, potluck item and beverage of choice. Soft drinks provided. Call Helen Cates at 863-9579, Barbara Clayton at 862-6589, or Gerald Askevold at 862-7711.

Monday

3 Children's Story Hour at 10:30 a.m., Children's Department of the Flathead County Library in Kalispell, 247 First Ave. E. Call 758-5822.

Evergreen School District board meets at noon, administration building boardroom.

Red Cross blood drive, 2-6 p.m., at the center, 17A First Ave., Kalispell.

Evergreen School District board meets at 6:30 p.m. in the administration building boardroom.

Northwest Montana Team Penning Association competition 7 p.m., Flathead County Fairgrounds.

Cayuse Prairie School board final budget meeting 7 p.m., school library.

Democratic Central Committee meets at 7 p.m. at the Flathead County library basement meeting room, Kalispell. Public invited. Call John deNeeve at 756-7859.

Fair-Mont-Egan School board meets at 7 p.m. to discuss the 2005-2006 budget.

Tuesday

2005 Northwest Montana Fair today through Aug. 21, Flathead County Fairgrounds. Inland Empire Shows and Royal West Amusement Carnival starts 5 p.m. today, and all-day Aug. 17-20; Christian concert with the Fox Brothers, 7 p.m. Aug. 16; country concert with Tracy Byrd, 7 p.m. Aug. 17; PRCA Rodeo, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 18-20; fair parade, 10 a.m. Aug. 19; 2006 Miss Pro Rodeo queen and princess coronation 6 p.m. Aug. 20; Little Miss Rode coronation, 2 p.m. Aug. 20. Demolition Derby 7:30 p.m. Aug. 21. Call 758-5810 or log on to www.nwmtfair.com

Kalispell Montana Women's Connection buffet luncheon, "The Wonderful World of Water Aerobics," 11:30 a.m., Kalispell Center WestCoast Hotel, $10. Call Julie at 837-2520 or Rosainne at 257-8098.

Thought

"It is always too late, or too little, or both. And that is the road to disaster." n David Lloyd George, First Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, English statesman (1863-1945).

Easthaven Baptist Church hosts a Hunters Banquet, 6 p.m., 2010 Whitefish Stage Road. Troy Ruiz will give a hunting call presentation. Door prizes and drawings for a rifle, bow, hunting gear and more. Trophy mount displays. Advance and at-the door tickets are $10 and includes meal and one drawing ticket. Call 752-7021.

Red Cross blood drive, 2-6 p.m., Trinity Lutheran Church, Kalispell.

Red Cross Infant and Child CPR certification training, 6:30 p.m. Call 752-6433 to pre-register.

Big Sky Bonsai Society meets at 7 p.m. at the Flathead County Library in Kalispell. Free and the public is invited. Bonsai techniques will be demonstrated. Contact Jerry Mieslik at 862-0387.

Wednesday

Food drive and patient appreciation day by chiropractor Richard Puchta, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; current and new patients may bring groceries in exchange for chiropractic adjustments. "Life Without Limits" class at 12:45 p.m. Call 752-7289.

3 Children's Story Hour at 10:30 a.m., Children's Department of the Flathead County Library in Kalispell, 247 First Ave. E. Call 758-5822.

Hawaiian luau with Columbia Falls Women's Connection, 11:30 a.m., Columbia Falls Community Room, speaker Pat Abernathy, $7 adults, $4 children. Reservations: Candy 387-4112 or Sherry 892-5990.

Red Cross blood drive, noon to 5 p.m., Troy Methodist Church.

Montana Veterans Home Family and Alsheimer's Support group meets at noon in the conference room. All are invited. Cal Suzanne Dickenson, Social Services, at 892-3256.

Thursday

Red Cross blood drive, noon to 5 p.m., Libby VFW. Sponsored by the VFW and Rotary.

Whitefish Library sponsors a group reading program at Riverside Assisted Living at 1:30 p.m. Call Sandra Sesler at 862-0999 or Joey Kositzky at 862-6657.

Soroptimist International of Bigfork Summer Soiree, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Harbor Village Yacht Club, 301 Eagle Bend Dr., Bigfork. International wine tasting, hors d'oeuvres. Tickets $35 available at Nan's Cafe, The Jug Tree and Bigfork Drug Store, and at the door. Call 837-0622.

Friday

Pari Mutual horse racing, 1 p.m. today through Aug. 21, Flathead County Fairgrounds.

A Look Ahead

"Frame and Flatter your Journaling" is the theme for an album-making workshop 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 20 at Flathead Valley Community College. Learn to create decorative borders for your journals. To register call Joyce Workman at 755-4922.

Seventh annual Polson Fly-in, Polson Airport. Pancake breakfast 8 a.m. open to public. Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Experimental, antique, classics and "Warbirds," and radio controlled aircrafts on display. Free Young Eagle Flights available from 9 a.m. to noon for kids 8 to 17.

Dog Days of Summer 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 20, Whitefish City Beach. Drawing for prizes at 1:30 p.m. Free hot dogs and school supplies. Call 862-4039. Sponsored by Children's Ministries of Whitefish Assembly of God.

Kalispell Rockhound Club annual Rock Show beginning at 10 a.m. Aug. 20-21, WestCoast Kalispell Center Hotel. Admission $2 for adults; kids under 12 free. Call Karen Burkett at 837-6424.

Scandinavian Gift and Craft Sale, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Aug. 20, Sons of Norway, 347 First Ave. E., Kalispell.

21st annual Polson Soroptimist Wine Festival 7-10 p.m., Aug. 20. Polson City Airport. Tickets are $25 at Terrace Flowers, Gull Printing, Crows Nest Art Gallery. Call 883-2668 or 800-845-4251 to reserve. Proceeds benefit Soroptimist scholarships.

Red Cross blood drive, 2-6 p.m., Aug. 22 at the center, 17A First Ave., Kalispell.

Red Cross Adult CPR certification training, 6:30 p.m. Aug. 22. Call 752-6433 to pre-register.

The Flathead Conservation District meets at 7 p.m. Aug. 22 at 30 Lower Valley Road in Kalispell.

Lakeside Elementary and Somers Middle School new student enrollment 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 22-24 at either school. Complete immunization records required. Call 857-3301.

Red Cross blood drive, noon to 5 p.m., Aug. 23, Eureka Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Red Cross First Aid Basics certification training, 6:30 p.m. Aug. 23. Call 752-6433 to pre-register.

Red Cross blood drive, 2-5 p.m., Aug. 24, First Interstate Bank, Main Street, Kalispell.

Farm Hands agricultural group offers a pesto workshop, 5 p.m. Aug. 24, at the Bohemian Grange Hall, behind Coffee Traders south of Whitefish. Demonstration on preparing and preserving pesto. $4 donation with pesto snack. Call Kerrie at 862-3795.

Red Cross blood drive, noon to 4 p.m., Aug. 25, Kalispell Regional Conference Center. Qdoba coupons will be given to donors.

Red Cross blood drive, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Aug. 26, Burch's Photo Lab, Blue Cow building, Kalispell. Qdoba coupons will be given to donors.

Third Annual Art Quilts Show reception to benefit Violence Free Crisis Line, at Loula's Cafe, 300 Second St., Whitefish, 5-8 p.m. Aug. 26. Quilts sold or auctioned to highest bidder; buy $10 reception tickets from Violence Free Crisis Line. Call 752-4735.

Foursquare Church 100 year anniversary celebration Aug. 26-28, 345 Spokane Ave., Whitefish. Hot dogs and refreshments 5-7 p.m. Aug. 26; Lunch noon to 3 p.m., Aug. 27 followed by activities and entertainment; worship 10:30 a.m. Aug. 28. Free and open to public. Call 862-1653.

Big Mountain Hill Climb Race 9 a.m. Aug. 27, Danny On Trail. Registration 8-8:45 a.m. at Hell Roaring Chalet. Cost is $5 for students; $10 for adults; $20 per family. Proceeds benefit the local Nordic Ski Team. Call Debbie at 862-2113.

Pari Mutual horse racing, 1 p.m. Aug. 27-28, Flathead County Fairgrounds.

New Earth Summer Expo 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 27-28, WestCoast Kalispell Center Hotel. Exhibitors of health and beauty, and nutritional products, jewelry, and art. Massage and bodywork therapists and health practitioners will be on hand. Guest speakers. Free. All are welcome. Call 406-327-7977.

Fourth annual Whitefish Lake Swim Aug. 28. Call Kathryn McEnery at 257-3798.

Red Cross blood drive, 1- 6 p.m., Aug. 29, at the center, 17A First Ave., Kalispell. Sponsored by State Farms Neighbors for Life.

Flathead Senior Center, 403 Second Ave. W., Kalispell, Toenail Clinic, 3:30 p.m. Aug. 29. Call 257-1598.

Red Cross blood drive, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Aug. 30, at the center, 17A First Ave., Kalispell. Sponsored by State Farms Neighbors for Life.

Red Cross Adult CPR certification training, 6:30 p.m. Aug. 30. Call 752-6433 to pre-register.

Red Cross blood drive, noon to 4 p.m., Aug. 31, at East Glacier Lodge, Glacier Park.

Red Cross First Aid Basics certification training, 6:30 p.m. Aug. 31. Call 752-6433 to pre-register.

3 Long Range Planning Task Force meets 4-6 p.m. Sept. 8, Earl Bennett Building, First Avenue West, Kalispell. Public invited to comment at end of meeting.

Marion area hunter education sign up 7 p.m. Sept. 1, Marion Fire Hall. Minors must be accompanied by parent or guardian. Call Dwyght LIndberg at 752-4368, Tom Dutcher at 756-6583, or Gerry Hurst at 854-9399.

Lincoln-Reagan Dinner, 6 p.m. Sept. 24, Ronan Community Center. Guest speaker is Senator Conrad Burns. Military presentation. Door prizes, silent auctions, catered dinner. Tickets available at Gull Printing or call 887-2303.