Weekend Update

Whitefish Oktoberfest

Don your dirndls and lift up your lederhosen. The seventh annual Whitefish Oktoberfest is under way.

Festivities continue through this weekend and next under the bigtop at Depot Park in downtown Whitefish.

Authentic Bavarian food and beverages and live music will fill the beer garden and a full slate of audience participation contests are scheduled, from log sawing and keg hurling to stein holding and bratwurst eating.

Hours are 5 to 11 p.m. today and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday.

Saturday is family day. Childrens activities are featured from noon to 4 p.m., including a climbing wall and bounce house (weather permitting) and face painting. The Kids’ Chicken Dance contest starts at 2:45 p.m.

Admission daily is $5 for adults, with kids under 12 free.

For more details, call the Whitefish Chamber at 862-3501 or check out www.whitefishoktoberfest.com

Polson Shooters

The Polson Shooters Association is hosting its annual range open house and public free shoot day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Sight in your rifle for deer and elk season, sign up for or renew your membership, and enjoy free hot dogs and hamburgers.

The range is located at 38386 Kerr Dam Rd., in Polson.

Craft Beer Relay

The National Craft Beer Relay takes place Saturday at Flathead Lake Lodge near Bigfork.

The event features more than 200 teams in festive costume and running and drinking feats such as giant beer pong and tire bowling.

Today, the Gladys dance band provides live music from 3 to 7 p.m.

On Saturday, in addition to the free samples on the course, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., participants and spectators can purchase fresh Montana craft beer by the taster or pint.

For more information, to register or to volunteer, visit www.craftbeerrelay.com.

Flathead Lake Lodge is also offering a special rate to participants. Stick around after the race for pool time, canoes, kayaks, SUPs and beach fires.

Call 837-4391 for more details.

Veterans Stand Down

The 17th annual Northwest Montana Veterans Stand Down takes place this weekend at the VFW Post 1548, 110 W. Second St., in Libby.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

A range of services for veterans will be offered including physical and mental health, employment counseling and community resources.

Free haircuts and meals, a clothing giveaway and pet services, including a spay and neuter clinic, rabies vaccines and microchipping will also be offered. Bring your pet on a leash or in a carrier. Refreshments will also be available.

Bring your military ID or Discharge VA Card.

A civilian clothing giveaway is open to the public in the parking lot.

For further information, call Allen W. Erickson Sr. at 756-7304 or 250-0698.

Rummage sale

Epworth United Methodist Church has its Fall Missions rummage sale from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

The sale includes clothing, housewares, appliances, baked goods, furniture, linens and toys.

Proceeds benefit Kalispell’s Samaritan House and other national and international mission projects.

The church is located at 329 Second Ave. E., in Kalispell.

Quilt and Craft market

The Mountain Brook Craft Cooperative hosts its seventh annual Quilt and Craft Market today and Saturday at the Mountain View Mennonite Church at 795 Mennonite Church Rd.

Hours today are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Handmade quilts, fine art, jewelry, crafts, knitted and quilted accessories, holiday and home decor and gifts will be for sale.

The pantry features baked goods, jams and more.

Some co-op members will take special orders.

Mountain View Mennonite Church is located on Mennonite Church Road off Montana 35.

Lone Pine work day

Montana State Parks partners with the Montana Conservation Corps and the Kalispell Rotary Club to host a volunteer work day for National Public Lands Day from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Lone Pine State Park near Kalispell.

Volunteers will meet at Foy’s Lake at 8:30 a.m., split into work crews and complete projects throughout the park. All skill levels are welcome. Safety equipment will be provided.

A complimentary barbecue lunch for volunteers follows.

For more information contact Brian Schwartz, park manager, 755-2706, ext 3.

Log Jam at Fairgrounds

The 28th annual Log Jam takes place Saturday at the Flathead County Fairgrounds Trade Center.

Doors open 4 p.m. with dinner at 4:30 p.m. Bingo and an auction get under way at 6 p.m.

The Kenny James Miller Band will provide live dance music.

Tickets are available at the door for $25 each; children 12 and under are admitted free.

For more information, call 892-4641 or 260-8268.

Harvest Dinner

The Eagles host a Harvest Dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday in the downstairs dining room at 37 First St. W., in Kalispell.

A turkey dinner with all the trimmings, along with homemade pies will be served.

The cost for adults is $12, and $6 for kids under 12; those under age 4 are admitted free. Everyone is welcome.

Pink Me Up!

The fourth annual 1K/5K Pink Me Up! color celebration takes place Sunday at Flathead Valley Community College.

The non-timed, family-oriented walk/run event celebrates the lives of loved ones who have experienced cancer and brings awareness about cancer to the Flathead Valley.

This year’s event features obstacles. Participants have the option of going through three obstacles, including a giant slip-n-slide.

At stations throughout the race you will get doused in pink, purple and other colors. A dance party caps off the event with giveaways and a huge color throw at the finish line.

The event is open to all ages. The cost for an individual is $20; families (two adults and four kids) are $50; and teams (minimum of four registrants) are $18 per registrant. All proceeds go to Cancer Support Community Kalispell to fund programs for cancer survivors and their families in the Flathead Valley.

For more information on the race and to register, visit www.krh.org/events.

Mushroom hike

Join Whitefish Legacy Partners on a free, guided wild mushroom hike at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Whitefish Trail’s Woods Lake Trailhead.

Search for wild mushrooms and learn general classifications and identifying characteristics with experienced guide Dale Johnson. Bring a basket to collect mushrooms. Guide books will be provided.

Meet at the Woods Lake Trailhead.

For more details visit www.whitefishlegacy.org; call 862-3880; or email info@whitefishlegacy.org.

Guided tour of trees

Kalispell Parks and Recreation, Flathead City-County Health Department and Wheaton’s co-sponsor a free, guided bicycle tour of Kalispell’s uniques trees from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

The tour starts and ends at the Museum at Central School and includes games and refreshments.

For further information, call the Parks and Recreation Department at 758-7849.

All Saints’ Pet blessing

The Rev. Bradley Wirth conducts the Blessing of the Animals at noon Saturday at All Saints’ Episcopal Church. Everyone is welcome.

Prayers will be offered for each pet present. Those wishing to honor their pets that have died are welcome to bring a memento of them to the service. Each pet will receive a certificate, a St. Francis medal and a treat.

An ice cream party follows the service.

All pets must be on leashes, in crates or kennels, or otherwise restrained for safety.

Wirth will also make “house calls” to bless pets who cannot attend.

All Saints’ Church is located at 2048 Conn Road, halfway between Whitefish and Columbia Falls on Montana 40. For more information, contact All Saints’ at 862-2863.