Merry, bright and thankful: Great Falls holiday guide

Posted on by

The holiday season is upon us, and there’s lots to keep you warm and jolly throughout the Great Falls community.

It’s still oddly warm but we all know winter is coming, so get those coats, boots and hats ready for all the things there are to do over the next five weeks.

Watch The Electric over the coming weeks for our 12 Days of Great Falls Cheer and our annual Holiday Gift Guide.

The Electric is continuing our collaboration with the Downtown Great Falls Association for our very merry guide to holiday happenings.

Watch both The Electric and the Downtown social media feeds for updates throughout the season.

Holiday Traditions

The Magical Christmas Ballet is performing Nutcracker at 7 p.m. Nov. 22 at the Mansfield Theater in the Civic Center.

“Celebrate America’s favorite Christmas tradition with an international all-star case that blends world class ballet with whimsical puppets, lavish costumes and stunning acrobatics. Share the tradition of pure holiday magic and Tchaikovsky’s timeless score with friends and family of all ages.”

Make room for the Thanksgiving feast with the annual Burn the Bird run with RaceMT at Gibson park at 8 a.m. Nov. 28.

The 30th Parade of Lights is Nov. 30 with holiday inspired floats created by locals and Santa will once again light the community Christmas tree in front of the Civic Center.

The next week, Central Avenue will be filled with holiday cheer for the 41st Christmas Stroll, which includes the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics. This year’s theme is holiday luau and you’ll find some new festivities throughout the night of Dec. 6 fitting of a holiday in the tropics.

Christmas carols and holiday music will fill the Mansfield Theater on Dec. 8 for the Great Falls Symphony’s fan favorite holiday concert. Get tickets early for this one, it’s always a packed house.

This year is Grant Harville’s farewell season as conductor and music director.

He first stood in front the our symphony for the 2016 holiday concert as a director candidate and “for that reason, and others, the symphony’s holiday concert has always held a special place in my heart,” he wrote in the program notes. “Holiday programs always emphasize tradition and familiarity, reflecting many people’s desire to celebrate continuity, family and community during this time of year.”

The symphony this year will be performing Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, an orchestration they played that day in 2016 when Harville first conducted the group.

They’ll also be playing their classic holiday finale Sleigh Ride.

The Belt Performing Arts Center is celebrating their 6th Annual Christmas Concert with Steve’s all-volunteer orchestra, featuring their Merry Christmas from Great Falls album.

Steve, a gifted violinist, pianist, composer and leader in the Great Falls music scene, inspires and supports others to reach their full potential on and off the stage.

Tickets are $10 and patrons are invited to bring a canned good for donation to Belt Food Bank.

The Great Falls Theatre Company’s holiday show this year is The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and this reporter is excited for one of her favorite C.S. Lewis tales performed by some of her favorite people.

The show is Dec. 12-14 at the University of Providence theater. Tickets go fast, get them here.

Get Cozy And Crafty

This winter, The Electric has launched a Clear Your Stash challenge for knitters and crocheters to use up their odds and ends of yarn or cut down on those skein piles taking up space. We’ve called on local crafters to make scarves, hats, gloves, blankets and the like that The Electric is collecting and will distribute to local first responders to have in their vehicles throughout the winter for those in need. If we have enough, they’ll also go to local emergency rooms and agencies that support the unhoused or those otherwise in need.

The response so far has absolutely warmed this cranky reporter’s heart.

Buffalo Blanc Cafe and MyViola Floral Studio are teaming up for a floral holiday design event with appetizers at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 20 at the cafe across from Great Falls High.

Celebrate the season by creating a beautiful, custom wreath with freshly foraged greens, dried foliage, pinecones, decor, ribbons and more with Greta Holzheimer at The Station District.

All supplies are included and each workshop is catered by The Station District with small bites and drinks inspired by their upcoming menu.

Workshops are:

  • Nov. 29 at 9-11 a.m. or 1-3 p.m.
  • Nov. 30 from 1-3 p.m.
  • Dec. 1 at 9-11 a.m. or 1-3 p.m.

Workshops are $75 per person. Call 406-830-5260 to reserve your spot.

The 38th Annual Holiday Happenings Craft Show at Montana Expo Park is Nov. 23-24.

They’ll have handmade and vintage items packed into the Pacific Steel and Recycling Four Seasons Arena for the weekend for great holiday shopping.

Give A Little

Speaking Socially and Fresh Bread Productions is hosting their fifth annual Project Noel from 2-4 p.m. Dec. 15.

Bring the little ones for a magical encounter with Santa Claus himself! Capture the wonder in their eyes as they share their Christmas wishes and pose for unforgettable photos. 

In the spirit of giving, they’ll have a variety of free gifts for everyone, from the youngest to the young at heart during the free community event at Speaking Socially, 509 1st Ave. N.

Great Falls law enforcement are getting ready for Shop with a Cop when they take about 100 kids, who are nominated by their teachers, for a special day of shopping.

If you’d like to help make this holiday season extra special, with a few wishes come true sprinkled in, donate here.

There are loads of holiday giving opportunities throughout the season and we’ll have more of those in our 12 Days of Holiday Cheer.

Gather Gifts 

Great Falls is lucky to have so many locally owned businesses, many of which are offering holiday sales and deals to make your gifting easy and more unique than your big box store options.

Local businesses invest in the community and give back in many ways throughout the year so holiday shopping is a great way to show your appreciation.

Look for holiday gifts for everyone, or just yourself, on Ladies Night downtown on Nov. 21.

The annual event by Downtown Great Falls Association and features shopping deals at downtown retailers and specials at downtown restaurants and bars.

Small Business Saturday is Nov. 30 in downtown and it’s a great time to shop before the Parade of Lights.

Light It Up

It’s time for Candy Cane Lane.

This year’s map release event is Dec. 14.

There’s two ways to participate.

Decorate your house: no matter how big or small you decorate you want to register so you can help your side of town get the traveling trophy.

Register here by Dec. 6 to be included in the map.

The map is released on Dec. 14 during the event with cocoa at Jaycee Park.

Then you can use the map to drive around and see the decorated houses at your own pace.

Vote on your favorite one and have fun with their scavenger hunt. 

The events are free, but donations are welcomed to benefit local nonprofit CommUNITY Matters. 

There are two crosstown clash contests, separated into Grinchville for the northwest, or CMR side, of town and Abominable Town for the southeast, or GFH side.

The top voted house on either side with the most decorated houses will hold the traveling trophy, which is the leg lamp from the classic movie Christmas Story. The trophy is held by the winning family for the month of December.

Grinchville holds the trophy for most houses decorated in 2023 with 152 Skyline Drive. N.E. taking first place; 1 Rock Quarry Lane taking second and 3928 13th Ave. S. taking third.

Here’s a list of holiday events that is by no means a complete list and will be updated as we find more and time allows, or email it to jenn@theelectricgf.com with all the details in text form in the body of the email.