Local Events: Earth Day happenings, theatre opportunities, and April adventures

No foolin' it's April in Northwest Montana. The time of year you stress hourly over whether or not to plant your tomatoes or to pack your raincoat for your bike ride. It's muddy, it's snowy, it's sunny, it's time for a daily plan A, B or C to fill your hours with low-country adventure, yard raking, or indoor spring cleaning. Whatever you end up getting in to, rest assured there are tons of great events to keep you social and occupied. 

Maybe April is so boisterous to remind us that Mother Earth needs tending? Tuesday, April 22nd marks Earth Day proper, but area organizations use the month to encourage awareness and stewardship. 

Join the fun of the third annual Earth Day EXPO on Saturday April 19th from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Flathead Valley Community College Arts & Technology Building. You will want to come early and stay all day for a myriad of earth-friendly events including special guest Mariah Gladstone, the founder of Indigikitchen. Gladstone will share three unique presentations during the day offering storytelling, a keynote address and a workshop. 

Celebrate the theme of Healthy Planet, Healthy Community with interactive booths, educational workshops, an EV showcase, an Earth dance, and hands-on activities for kids. This year's theme highlights the many ways our well-being is connected to the environment. Montana Wild Wings Birds of Prey and Flathead Audubon will be on wing to share about our feathered friends. Kids of all ages can build and race a solar car and help to decorate a Mural for Earth. Grab lunch from one of my favorite food trucks, Rebel Roots Kitchen, and enjoy super-tasty dishes that are 100% delicious and gluten and dairy free.  

Looks like the Montana Citizens Climate Lobby has outdone themselves this year! Visit citizensclimatemt.org for the full schedule and list of booths. 

Get those taxes done, spring clean your paperwork and then head over to the Northwest Montana United Way for a Shred Event on Tuesday, April 22nd from noon to 2:00 pm. First two boxes are free with a $5 donation per additional box. 

Or head to Whitefish the morning of Saturday, April 26th for Clean the Fish. Stop by Glacier Bank for coffee and cleaning supplies to tidy up the town. Return for community and a full lunchtime taco bar. 

Theatre opportunities abound this month as your favorite thespians take to stage to entertain. Take the opportunity to enjoy these spaces before the throng of summer arrives. 

Whitefish Theatre Company presents 'Lend Me a Tenor' for various dates and times April 10 through 19th. Called one of the classic comedies of the 20th century, this hilarious play romps through 1934 Cleveland, Ohio as the lead performer has gone missing. 

The Bigfork Center for Performing Arts shares a new comedy, 'Airport Grille', for dates April 18 through 26. This comedy is a local dish based in a rural Montana town where a small cafe is in need of a reboot. Enter the reality show, Dining Disasters and shenanigans that will have both the front and back of the house cleaning their plates. 

The Whitefish Cabaret makes one lone April performance on Saturday April 26th for their beloved Locals Show. Presenting a collection of ten years' worth of sketches, parodies and naughtiness, this show is sure to entertain ... and scandalize! 

The Flathead Valley Community College Theatre and Music Departments present the musical The Pirates of Penzance for dates April 24 through May 3rd at their black box theatre. Swash buckle up for live orchestral accompaniment to this beloved farcical comedy. 

Grab the girls and head to Kalispell for The Women's Fair on Saturday, April 12th from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Flathead County Fairgrounds. This free event boasts shopping, pampering and prizes! 

The next offering from Flathead Valley College's Wilderness Speaker Series takes flight on Wednesday, April 16th at 7:00 pm. Supervisory Wildlife Biologist at Glacier National Park, Lisa Bate presents on "Taking Flight: Golden Eagles in Glacier National Park." Learn about Glacier's Hawk Watch Program. Can't attend or missed a speaker? Stop by the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation website to watch past presentations. 

The Northwest Montana History Museum shares a unique presentation and performance by Jeff Warner. Settle in for "Range the Wild Woods: Songs and Stories from the Lumber Camps" on Thursday, April 24th at 7:00 pm. Enjoy the performance and the museum's new exhibit Lumberjacks, Tie Hacks & River Pigs. Visit FlatheadTickets.com to reserve your seat. 

Dodge this! Take a break from chores and join The Lodge at Whitefish Lake for their second annual Dodgeball Tournament on Saturday April 26. Pick 6 of your best dodgers and compete for fun and prizes. DJ Halladay provides the soundtrack. 

Save the Date and reserve your early bird ticket for the inaugural Stumptown Get Down on Saturday June 21st at Whitefish's Depot Park. This all-ages concert benefits the Flathead Warming Center and offers up electro-folk by Moontricks, a unique DJ set by DJ Epik, and one of a few performances by local favorite Analog Armada. Make a commitment to attend this unique event and purchase a discounted ticket through April 30th at FlatheadTickets.com 

April is indeed a wild ride! Not to mention all the great local, live music to be found in your favorite watering holes and eateries. Give some love to those hard-working strummers while you can still get a table. Find all these events and more at dailyinterlake.com/event or pick up a Thursday edition of the Daily Inter Lake for that week's Local Events page plus all our great Entertainment content. As always, you can add your event for free! 

Thanks for tuning in! I'm your host Melissa Wells and I'll be singing in the rain, chasing waterfalls, and grooving to the music. 

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