C.F. Heritage Days aims to be 'Best in the West'

by NANCY KIMBALL The Daily Inter Lake
| July 25, 2007 1:00 AM

The "Best in the West" will be at Heritage Days in Columbia Falls this weekend.

Official festivities kick off on Friday night - with class reunions, auction, parade, craft show, foot race, basketball and golf tourneys through Sunday - but the Flathead Community Band paves the way on Thursday evening.

The Columbia Falls Lions Club's weekly Community Concert Series is featuring the band in Marantette Park's band shell from 7 to 9 p.m. Al and Bonnie Lindberg are the warm-up act. It's free, but gate donations are $3 a person or $5 a family.

Friday

. Columbia Falls High School Class of '67 meets at Los Caporales at 3 p.m. for a social gathering before the Wildcat Endowment auction, then resumes until 1 a.m.

. Class of '77 reunion no-host social is 6 to 9 p.m. at Columbia Bar and Grill. Contact Jim Cheff, 892-3682.

. Class of '87 reunion festivities go all weekend. Contact Karey Shaffer, kareyshaffer@yahoo.com

. Class of '97 reunion goes all weekend. Contact Brett Fisher, 758-5814.

. Wildcat Endowment benefit auction and barbecue starts at 5 p.m. at Columbia Bar and Grill. Barbecue and social hour is 5 to 7 p.m.; it's $8 a plate. Silent and live auction and special events are 5-8 p.m. Call 892-6800.

. Blue Moon Summer Rodeo Series will hold its Heritage Days rodeo tonight and Saturday, starting at 7 p.m. at the Blue Moon arena. Call 892-1018.

. Bandit Bar will have music from Mobile Beat, starting at 9 p.m.

Saturday

. Volunteer firefighters will serve their pancake breakfast in the fire hall on Second Avenue from 7 to 11 a.m.

It's a fund-raiser for their Columbia Falls High School scholarship, with donations set at $4 for adults, $3 for kids ages 6-12, free for those under 6, and $12 for a family. Call the fire hall at 892-3911.

. Boogie to the Bank starts at 8:30 a.m. at Glacier Bank, but registration starts at 7 a.m. and the shuttle buses start at 7:30 a.m. It's a 5K and 10K run, and a 5K walk. Contact Mary Hilton, 751-4774.

. "Shoot for the Falls" three-on-three basketball tournament starts at 8:30 a.m. Check-in is at 8 a.m. on the street courts on First Avenue West. It goes until noon. Contact Bill Brunett, 892-0681.

. Rocky Mountain Street Machines will be in the parking lot at Glacier Bank on U.S. 2 all day. Members will hold a burn-out behind Pamida store at 6 p.m. Contact 892-7218 or 892-0409.

. Craft fair and food vendors will set up along Nucleus Avenue from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Senior citizens will give a line-dancing demonstration in the North Valley Senior Citizens Center at 10:30 a.m. Contact Matt and Janet McConville, 270-5967 or 270-5968.

. Class of '67 reunion tours the high school 9:45-11:30 a.m., then rides on a parade float. Contact Bill Dakin, 892-5512 for the tour.

. A children's parade is new this year, to the theme of Best in the West. It starts at 10:30 a.m. at Los Caporales for a short route, probably to Smith's parking lot. Line up behind Los Caporales. Get registration forms at Hometown Video or just show up at the starting point. Call T.J. Weeks at 892-2100.

. Heritage Days parade, with the theme "Best in the West," is at noon. It starts at the north end of Nucleus at Depot Park on Railroad Street and continues south. Contact Matt and Janet McConville, 270-5967 or 270-5968.

. The second annual wild horse drive follows, from 2 to 2:30 p.m. along the highway from Columbia Heights to the Blue Moon arena. Contact Matt and Janet McConville, 270-5967 or 270-5968.

. Class of '67 reunion barbecue is 5:30-11 p.m. at the West Glacier Campground. Make reservations, at $10 a plate, with Cyndy Deist, 755-3942. Adjourn to Freda's at West Glacier for a nightcap.

. Class of '77 reunion barbecue is 6-11 p.m. at 136 Larch Hill Drive. Contact Jim Cheff, 892-3682.

. The Blue Moon rodeo starts at 7 p.m. at the Blue Moon arena. Call 892-1018.

. Bandit Bar will have live music at 7 p.m.

. Los Caporales will have live music for a dance outside in the parking lot at 9 p.m.

Sunday

. Class of '67 reunion no-host breakfast buffet is 8:30-11 a.m. at the Columbia Bar. Sign up in the Columbia Bar on Friday or Saturday. Contact Bill Dakin 892-3000.

. New this year is a Family Fun Festival in Marantette Park from 9 a.m. to about 6 p.m. Community church service is at 9:30 a.m. with First United Methodist and Our Savior's Lutheran. The whole day will be a non-alcoholic gathering for the entire family, with live music, vendors, games and dunk tank. Contact Matt and Janet McConville, 270-5967 or 270-5968.

. Wildcat golf scramble is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Glacier View Golf Course at West Glacier. Shotgun start for the six-person scramble. Come golf or just socialize around the clubhouse. Contact Kim Cheff, 892-3682.