Business Bites: Farmers’ Market opening; First Friday Art Walk; library events; Back 2 School Blast; Summer Trails Day; Daydream Boutique, Yarn and Honey moving; TroyStrong blood drive and more
Farmers’ Market
The Great Falls Farmers’ Market open June 1 at 8:30 a.m. in the Civic Center parking lot.
The market has more than 130 vendors, according to organizers.
For more information and updates, follow their Facebook page.
First Friday Art Walk
First Friday Art Walk is 6-9 p.m. June 7.
The event is free for all and visitors can tour artists’ studios or arts organizations listed on the “First Friday Art Walk GF, MT” public Facebook group.
A downloadable map is available on Facebook to guide visitors’ tours.
The map will be edited up until the event, so it is important for the public to keep checking the Facebook page closer to the event for the most updated locations.
June 7 participating locations and artists (subject to change):
- Wrangler Gallery
- Hotel Arvon
- Four West Art League
- S. Carlyle Smith
- Luna Coffee Bar
- Montana Mosaic
- Rise N’ Dine “Free 4 All Art Fair”
- Julia Becker Root Orbit Studio
- Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art
- C.M. Doom hosted by Cassiopeia Books
NeighborWorks Awards
NeighborWorks Great Falls is hosting their annual Most Improved Awards at 4 p.m. June 6 at Elevation 3330.
They’ll be recognizing the Volunteer of the Year, Best New Building, Most Improved Residential Property and more.
Back 2 School Blast
This year’s Back 2 School Blast is Aug. 16 from noon to 4 p.m. Pre-registered students can go beginning at 11 a.m.
The event is at the Great Falls Civic Center and offers free school supplies, haircuts and hygiene items, as well as affordable sports physicals.
There are three locations to register for a backpack, either in person or by phone.
- Alliance for Youth: 3220 11th Ave. S., 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. 406-952-0136 ext. 1005
- Great Falls Rescue Mission, administration office, 408 2nd Ave. S., east entrance, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 406-761-2653
- Opportunities Inc. Community Resource Center, 1123 Central Ave., 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, 406-761-0310, ask for Cherrie Kelly.
Library events
The Great Falls Public Library is is kicking off their summer reading program from 12:30-3 p.m. in the Cordingley Room, in the library basement.
The event is free and invited children, teens and their families to come decorate a free tote bag and get signed up for the library’s summer reading programs.
Guests will also have the opportunity to meet staff from the U.S. Forest Service and Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks to find out more about safe outdoor recreation this summer in Montana’s outdoor landscapes.
The library’s youth services department is offering four different reading challenges to keep kids and teens reading and learning all summer long.
Library bandshell demolished, park beautification planned
More info on the summer reading challenges for children ages birth to 12 is here, and the summer reading challenges for teens ages 12-18 is here.
The library is also hosting a summer bash from 3-6 p.m. June 8 to thank voters for approving the levy.
There will be live music, food trucks, activities and more.
City approves library remodel design contract
Jamie Ford, author of The Many Daughters of Afong Moy, Love and Other Consolation Prizes, and On the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, will give a talk about the benefits of community libraries and the importance they hold for cities like Great Falls.
The event will also celebrate some new changes at the library thanks to the levy funding:
- the library will be open seven days a week, including opening at 9 a.m. Monday through Saturday. June 9 will be the first of the Sunday hours, 1-6 p.m.
- the Bookmobile will serve more daycares and assisted living centers and provide homebound services for those who qualify
- with almost double the youth services staff, this year’s summer reading programs are expected to increase over years past
- the library will host nine musical acts and Shakespeare in the Parks this summer
- the library is adding more book clubs, author talks and educational programs year-round
Great Falls Public Library to open seven days a week in June, for first time since 2014
Get Fit Great Falls, The Peak, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, U.S. Forest Service and Great Falls Park and Recreation have teamed up for the 2024 Summer Trails Day on June 1.
There will be a QR code at each trailhead for hikers to log their hike and how many people they participated with.
Logging hikes enters participants to win prizes, which include a monthly membership to the Peak, Smokey the Bear Backpack, day passes to the Electric City Water Park, First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park swag and more.
The 2024 hikes include:
- Cochrane Dam crossing on the River’s Edge Trail
- Tower Rock: Wild Montana is hosting a hike here and the QR code will be posted on the display kiosk.
- First People’s Buffalo Jump
- Sulphur Springs Trail
Remember to pack water, sunscreen, hat, snacks and let someone know where you are going.
Full hike descriptions and details are available here.
Giant Springs State Park staff are offering a group hike to celebrate National Trails Day and the Cochrane Dam crossing on June 1.
Check in starts at 8 a.m. at the Lewis and Clark Overlook and Trailhead. Additional parking is available at the Rainbow Trailhead, or along 67th Street North.
Park staff are guiding the hike along the South Shore Trail to Cochrane Dam, then back to the starting point for a total of seven miles.
“Participants can expect a relaxed hike, and moderately difficult in some areas that have subtle incline. The landscape is generally exposed with little cover, and participants are advised to be prepared for the elements. The trail is a dirt, single-track and does not accommodate strollers. All participants must bring their own water,” according to park staff.
Request to register and complete the questions here. Park staff will confirm your request via email.
Daydream Boutique has closed its shop in the mall and is moving to 611 Central Ave.
Follow their Facebook page for updates on the move.
Yarn & Honey
Yarn and Honey is moving from their current location at 610 Central Ave later this summer.
The store is holding a Memorial Day and moving sale through May 31.
Stop in the store to find out about the move and we’ll post an update on the move timeline and new location.
The City Commission is accepting applications for the Business Improvement District board for four-year terms through June 30, 2028.
There are currently three members with terms set to expire June 30, 2024.
The board consists of seven members appointed by the commission, serving four-year terms who oversee the functions, operations, management and administration as necessary to carry out the purposes and objectives of the Business Improvement District.
Interested applicants must be owners of property within the boundaries of the BID or their personal representative, agent or guardian.
Meetings are scheduled on the second Thursday of each month at 9 a.m.
For more information, contact the BID at 406-727-5430.
Commissioners are also seeing applications for one citizen seat on the Audit Committee for a three-year term through June 30, 3027.
The Audit Committee was established by commissioners in October of 1992 and consists of five members to include the mayor, a commissioner, the city manager, the finance director and a private citizen.
In 2016, commissioners increased the number of members on the committee to include an additional private citizen.
The Audit Committee provides assurance that financial disclosures made by management reasonably portray the city’s financial condition, results of operations and plans and long-term commitments. Experience or interest in financial information is helpful.
For more information, contact Melissa Kinzler at 406-455-8476.
Applications are available in the city manager’s office, room 201 upstairs at the Civic Center, by calling 406-455-8450, or online here.
The application deadline is 5 p.m. June 20 for both boards.
Rage Rooms of Montana
Rage Rooms of Montana at 813 3rd Ave. S. is closing June 30 until new ownership or management is found.
Any gift certificates need to be redeemed by that date.
The company is seeking an investor/manager with the possibility of a complete buyout.
Interested parties should email rageroomsofmt@gmail.com.
Swap-A-Rama
The event is 4-8 p.m. June 7 with $10 admission and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 8 with free admission.
The Solstice Craft Show and the Rock and Gem show are going on the same weekend at Expo Park.
Blood Drive
The American Red Cross of Montana is hosting a TroyStrong blood drive from 1-6 p.m. June 27 at the Red Cross Blood Donation Center at 1300 28th St. S.
Schedule an appointment to donate at one of these drives by visiting RedCrossBlood.org and entering the
sponsor code TroyStrong or call 800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767). A blood donation takes less than an hour, and
a single donation can save more than one life.
Waking the Dead
Watch history come alive during the 14th Annual Waking the Dead tours on June 30.
The tour visits 10 graves at Highland Cemetery as storytellers present the stories of those buried there.
Tours start at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Tour tickets are $20 to ride, $15 to walk and are available at Kaufmans Menswear, 415 Central Ave. starting June 1.
This educational event is scheduled on the Sunday afternoon closest to the birthday of Great Falls Founder Paris Gibson. July 1 will mark what would have been his 194th birthday.
Cars will park in the field inside the cemetery gate where three trailers and trucks will be waiting to be loaded.
Play N Learn Academy is hosting International Mud Day June 29-30 at the corner of Central Avenue and 46th Street.
They’ll have mud activities, food trucks and more.
Tickets are $10.
Proceeds go toward making emergency relief packs for families in need; the Chief Joseph Elementary playground fund; and permanent shade structures at Play N Lean.
Got a business bite? Email it to jenn@theelectricgf.com with “business bite” in the subject line and include as many details as possible in text form.
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