Local Events: Under the Big Sky comes to Whitefish, plus a week full music and arts festivals
This week in Northwest Montana is set to be packed with excitement: Whitefish hosts the Under the Big Sky Festival, Kalispell features the Hockaday Arts in the Park event, and Bigfork's Riverbend Concert Series continues. These events offer a mix of music, art, and family-friendly activities for all to enjoy.
Daily Inter Lake's full event calendar
Under the Big Sky Lineup
River Bend Summer Concert Series
Picnic in the Park 2024
Whitefish Gallery Nights - Lori Putnam: Opening Reception at Cawdrey Gallery and Reverence and Transformation w/Mark and Shannon Baumbach at Walking Man Gallery
Lakeside Community Fair
Arts in the Park
Flathead Food Bank Block Party at Bias Brewing
A big thank you to our headline sponsor for the News Now podcast, Loren's Auto Repair! They combine skill with integrity resulting in auto service & repair of the highest caliber. Discover them in Ashley Square Mall at 1309 Hwy 2 West in Kalispell Montana, or learn more at lorensauto.com.
July 7, 2024
MORE EPISODES
No Drama, Just Llamas: Hiking the Montana Backcountry with Some Unlikely Guides
Daily Inter Lake reporter Hailey Smalley follows Jamie Rolfing and his family as they reopen their 500-acre Great Northern Ranch to the public, inviting visitors to experience the quiet companionship of llamas along forest trails. Recapture the magic of slowing down, listening to the trees, and letting these quirky animals lead the way.
Read the full article - A family llama-cy: Couple takes the lead on family trekking business
July 28, 2025
Wolves in the Crosshairs, Veto Overridden, and Bigfork Bridge Rebuild Begins
Reporter Taylor Inman breaks down the major headlines shaping Northwest Montana this week. Montana’s wolf population is back in the spotlight as officials propose looser hunting and trapping rules — sparking debate across the state. Lawmakers successfully override Gov. Gianforte’s veto of a bill to reimburse counties for housing inmates awaiting mental health care. Plus, construction is set to begin on a long-awaited replacement for the Sportsman’s Bridge in Bigfork.
Read more from this week’s show:
Proposed regulation changes aim to increase Montana wolf harvest
State will reimburse jails holding inmates awaiting mental health evaluations
Work on Sportsman's Bridge to begin next month
A big thank you to our headline sponsor for the News Now podcast, Loren's Auto Repair! They combine skill with integrity resulting in auto service & repair of the highest caliber. Discover them in Ashley Square Mall at 1309 Hwy 2 West in Kalispell Montana, or learn more at lorensauto.com.
July 26, 2025
Montana Festival Fever: Huckleberries, Faeries, Reggae & More Summer Highlights!
From Whitefish to Columbia Falls, this episode takes you inside the vibrant heartbeat of Northwest Montana's summer festival scene. We’re talking Huckleberry Days, the Flathead Faerie Festival, Heritage Days in Columbia Falls, reggae at the Montana Tap House, Fire in the Mountains metal fest, Fleetwood Mac tributes, Motown tributes, and Midland’s big show—plus so much more. Get the scoop on food trucks, art vendors, live music, and the community spirit bringing these events to life.
Don't miss our featured event - Whitefish’s Huckleberry Days Arts Festival, August 8th–10th at Depot Park! Enjoy local art, food, and family-friendly fun all weekend long — and admission is free, thanks to the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce. Learn more at https://www.whitefishartsfestival.org
Whether you’re chasing huckleberry ice cream or headbanging in the mountains, we’ve got the full rundown of can't-miss moments. Check out https://www.dailyinterlake.com/events for the full rundown.
A big thank you to our headline sponsor for the News Now podcast, Loren's Auto Repair! They combine skill with integrity resulting in auto service & repair of the highest caliber. Discover them in Ashley Square Mall at 1309 Hwy 2 West in Kalispell Montana, or learn more at https://www.lorensauto.com.
July 24, 2025
TRANSCRIPT
thanks to our sponsor Lauren Auto Repair at 1309 US Highway 2 in Callis spell most consistently rated five-star shop serving the Callis Bell area visit Lauren auto.com [Music] buckle up Northwest Montana you are in for a wild ride of fun events as this weekend represents what is arguably the most event filled weekend of the summer not only does the the Big Sky Festival descend on white fish for a three-day Festival but Callis Bell hosts their beloved Haw Day arts in the park not to mention everything else let's find your next best time through August Big Fork is host to the Riverbend concert series at sliders Park every summer Sunday at 700 p.m. get cozy on the lawn for great community and entertainment Sunday July 7th has the bad Larry's shaking things up Roots Uprising takes the stage on the 14th for what is sure to be a fun and Rowdy time check out the link in the description for the full list of Summer Tunes or head a bit north for Callis pel's picnic in the park each Tuesday evening through August drop by Callis Bell's Depot Park to watch your favorite local performers sing the Sundown picnic in the bark has been going strong since 1992 and these fun familyfriendly concerts are an excellent way to wind down on a Tuesday this week at 6:00 p.m. on July 9th Swoon to the Tommy Edwards band or sidal in for the Kenny James Miller Band on Tuesday July 16th Whitefish is the art spot to be on Thursday July 11th as they once again celebrate white fish gallery nights typically held the first Thursday of the summer months July has you creatively wandering the streets of Whitefish this week enjoy a diverse mix of galleries boutiques and shops from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. celebrate the thriving Arts community and pop into the Cadre gallery to view paintings by Tennessee artist Lori putam or saunter in to The Walking Man frame shop and gallery for their abstract expressionist show reverence and transformation with Shannon and Mark bombach thanks white fish gallery nights for continuing to support public access to the Arts if you know you know and if you don't you should go see for yourself the fun of the annual Lakeside Community fair at Lakeside Elementary School this event consistently raises big money to support Flathead Valley nonprofits Treasures abound as community members lighten their load and offer up their goods to support the community get the best stuff during the early bird sale on Thursday July 11th from 7: to 9:00 p.m. or join the main event on Saturday July 13th for breakfast a parade kids carnival watermelon contest and so much more Friday July 12th through Sunday July 14th Callis Bell's Depot Park is transformed into Flathead Valley's Premier Arts culture and music festival arts in the park is hosted by the hoaky day Museum of Art and all profits support the Museum's educational exhibits and programs for their nonprofit organization more than 85 art artist vendors local food trucks and beer and wine Garden Grace the park as musicians perform in the Gazebo all weekend long this Festival has a wide array of art to enjoy as well as several free kidfriendly activities bias brewing in Kalispell is supporting the Flathead food bank on Saturday July 13th from 5: to 9:00 p.m. during their second block party of the summer rumor has it the range Riders mascots will make an appearance join in the fun for Raffles a photo booth and the musical stylings of the holiday quiz Trio a great time for a great cause and of course out Riders host their under the Big Sky festival at Big Mountain Ranch in Whitefish July 12th through 14th Miranda Lambert Billy strings and Turnpike troubadors headline this year's event with support from White fish's favorite the L Smokies Badger hound and many many more venues in downtown Whitefish are host to several pre and post-party concerts find the full under the Big Sky lineup Linked In the description giddy up as always thanks for tuning in to our local events podcast and for supporting Montana's best daily newspaper find full details on each event mentioned in our description the daily interl is having a blast making podcasts watch and listen to all our great Pods at Daily in lake.com slmp podcasts or or find us on YouTube or your preferred pod app we're literally everywhere covering tons of news events Sports and Community check out our keeping score pod for weekly coverage of the range Riders love what you're seeing follow subscribe like and share we'd really appreciate it I'm your host Melissa Wells and I'll be back next week with more events to get you out and about see you out there if you your business or organization have an up coming event that you'd like featured on our online local events Pages or in this podcast simply visit daily.com events and add your event for free events from our online local events calendar are also printed weekly in the daily Interlake on Thursdays and in the white fish pilot Hungry Horse news and Big Fork keagle if it's happening in Northwest Montana you'll find it on daily.com events thanks to our sponsor Lauren Auto Repair at 1309 US Highway 2 in cisel most consistently rated five-star shop serving the Callis Bell area visit Lauren auto.com la.com