Events

Sons of Norway lodge celebration

A lighthearted assessment of the contributions Norwegian-Americans have made to this country is part of a celebration by the Flathead Sons of Norway lodge on Saturday, May 6.

From “Sven & Ole” jokes to Nobel laureates; from the cheese slicer to advances in the jet engine — the Norskies have had a significant impact on the growth of America and engineering feats of the world.

The lodge will celebrate its 110th anniversary along with Syttende Mai, Norway’s Constitution Day at the Northwest Montana History Museum, 124 Second Ave E, Kalispell, at 1 p.m. Light refreshments will be served and the event is open to the public.

There will be photo memories of past lodge events and activities as well as display items of Norwegian rosemaling and Hardanger needlework.

Handbell Festival

The 40th annual Big Sky State Handbell Festival will be held in Kalispell April 28-29 in the Flathead High School gym. There are expected to be 16 to 18 handbell choirs from around the state, which translates to about 175 bell ringers, participating in the event. On Saturday, April 29 a free concert will be held in the FHS Gym, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Also performing will be local brass and string musicians. The host choir for the festival is the "Soli Deo Gloria Ringers" of Trinity Lutheran Church in Kalispell.

Speaker gives talk on mental health

Nate Chute Foundation, Flathead Valley Community College, and Western Montana Mental Health are sponsoring a free event featuring writer, artist, and speaker Scott Erickson on April 29.

Erickson uses humor, storytelling, and visual arts as a multi-media tool and conversation starter on belonging, love, and life. His show, “Say Yes: A Show About Not Giving Up on Ourselves,” juxtaposes story-teaching, participation, humor, and image curation as he walks the audience through the very personal and universal conversation about the death of a dream and the overwhelming voice of giving up.

People describe the show as: “Magic, Inspiring, Meaningful, and challenging anyone who gets to engage with it to reimagine their contribution and value in this world.” His message and art deeply resonates with audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

This show is for ages 8 and older. The event is at 7 p.m. in Room 139 of the Arts and Technology Room at Flathead Valley Community College, 777 Grand View Drive, Kalispell.