Business Bites: River and Range Bistro pop-up; The Russell hits $5.7 million; historic preservation award nominations open; GFPS baseball openers free; upcoming theater, music shows; and more
River and Range Bistro
River and Range Bistro is is opening as a pop-up restaurant, sharing space with Saibeen’s Kitchen in the Columbus Center, beginning May 1.
The bistro offers “modern, house-made and locally sourced fare.”
The bistro will be open Fridays and Saturdays from 4-9 p.m.
Saibeen’s hours will remain the same: Tuesdays from 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Russell 2026
The Russell exhibition and sale sold out this year, according to the C.M. Russell Museum.
Over three days, collectors, artists and visitors from across the country gathered in Great Falls to celebrate the
enduring legacy of Charles M. Russell while advancing the future of Western art.
The 2026 auction hare more than $5.7 million in total sales, hammer prices plus buyer’s premium, including:
- Art in Action: $192,416 (artists donate all proceeds to the museum)
- First Strike: $383,674
- Live Auction: $5,196,148
After expenses and consignor payouts, the museum anticipates retaining $1 million to support operations and
mission-driven work.
Historic works by Charles M. Russell led the sale, including:
- The Rattlesnake (oil): $1,506,000
- The Run (oil): $877,500
- The Bolter (watercolor and gouache): $819,000
- Finger That Kills Wins His Squaw (watercolor and gouache): $210,600
Contemporary artists also drew attention, underscoring the persistent evolution of Western art, according to the museum:
- The Beginning of the End (oil) by Luke Frazier: $72,800 (Best in Show, Saturday Live Auction)
- Montana Memories (oil) by Gary Lynn Roberts: $61,600
- Additional honors included W. Steve Seltzer’s Pleasurable Pastime (People’s Choice) and Colt R. Idol’s Emerald and Ember (Best in Show, First Strike)
The museum does not sell works from its permanent collection. All auction items are consigned pieces.
“Proceeds from The Russell supports the museum’s mission to preserve and share Western art, history and
culture for future generations—ensuring that the spirit of the West not only endures but continues to evolve,” according to the museum.
The Russell will return to Great Falls on March 18–20, 2027.
Historic Preservation Awards
The Great Falls-Cascade County Historic Preservation Office is seeking nominations for the 2026 Historic Preservation Awards.
Individuals may nominate a person, project, or organization that has restored, protected, or shared the story of Cascade County’s historic places, and awards will be presented at a ceremony during National Preservation Month in May.
Nomination forms can be found here and submissions are due by April 7.
Since 2001, the Historic Preservation Office has been presenting annual awards to the people and projects doing the on-the-ground work of preservation in Cascade County.
More than 80 awards have been given to a range of recipients, including tradesmen, nonprofits, coalitions and property owners for building restorations, mastery of a craft, stewardship, research and more.
GFPS baseball openers
As a thank you to the community for its effort in establishing baseball as a high school sport, Great Falls Public Schools is inviting the public to attend the home openers for free:
- CMR vs. Sentinel: March 28 at noon and 2 p.m. at Cash Warren/Don Olson Field
- GFH vs. Billings Senior: April 2 at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. at Cash Warren/Don Olson Field
GFPS to field inaugural high school baseball teams this spring
GFH girls basketball
Jerry Schmitz, head girls basketball coach at Great Falls High School, is retiring after 11 years in that position and a total of 27 seasons coaching GFPS basketball.
During his tenure, Schmitz led the Lady Bison to the 2016 State Championship game falling by one point to the Bozeman Hawks for the championship.
The team qualified for the state tournament on three other occasions.
“The GFPS Athletic Department and Great Falls High School thank Coach Schmitz for his years of dedication to the athletes of Great Falls High and the sport of Basketball. Jerry cares deeply about the student-athlete and his athletes were well cared for. He was a tremendous steward of the game and took pride in representing Great Falls High and the Great Falls community. We will miss him and wish him the best,” Mike Henneberg, GFPS athletic director, said in a release.
The position will be advertised beginning April 1 and applications submitted on the GFPS website.
Great Falls growth policy
The second draft of the Great Falls growth policy is available for review here.
The City Commission will review the draft during their April 7 work session at 5:30 p.m. in the Gibson Room, upstairs at the Civic Center.
Changes may still be made through the public adoption process, but if the commission opts to move forward, the tentative schedule is consideration during an April 28 planning board public hearing, a commission resolution of intent to adopt during their May 19 meeting and a public hearing and formal adoption on June 16.
Draft of Great Falls growth policy available for public review
Cassiopeia author event
Cassiopeia Books is hosting Bill Hilf to discuss his debut novel, The Disruption, at 6 p.m. April 2.
Hilf’s book is an exploration about what happens when we develop and use AI to save us, and then it decides to save itself.
Great Falls Theatre Company spring show
Tickets are on sale now for the Great Falls Theatre Company‘s spring production, The Glass Menagerie at the University of Providence Theater.
Show dates are April 23-25 with show times at 7 p.m. all dates, plus a 2 p.m. matinee on April 25.
The box office opens one hour before show time and doors open 45 minutes before show time.
Tickets are $15 and available here.
Top 10 for 2025: Business Bites
CMR Drama presents Trap
The C.M. Russell High School Drama Department presents Trap by Stephen Gregg April 17, 18, 24-25 at 7:30 p.m. and April 18 and 25 at 2 p.m. in the Bill Williamson Hall Auditorium at CMR.
All tickets are general admission and are:
- $6 for students and senior citizens
- $8 for adults
The box office opens at 7 p.m. nightly and 1:30 p.m. for the Saturday matinees.
The department has assigned the show a PG rating due to some intense scenes.
Call 406-268-6117 for more information.
Show description:
MENACHAP, CALIFORNIA. An incomprehensible event: every person in the audience of a high school play falls unconscious – every person but one. Using interviews with witnesses, loved ones, first responders, and the investigators pursuing the case, a theatre ensemble brings the story of the strange event to life, documentary-style. But as the strands weave together into an increasingly dangerous web, it becomes clear that this phenomenon might not be entirely in the past. Unnerving, exhilarating, and wildly inventive, you’ve never walked into anything quite like TRAP.
Shrine Circus
The Shrine Circus is coming to Montana Expo Park and tickets are on sale.
Tickets are available at the Montana Expo Park administration building box office, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Pre-sale pricing:
- $17 for ages 13 and older
- $13 for kids ages 6-12
Showtimes:
- April 17: 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
- April 18: 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Great Falls Community Concert Association
The Great Falls Community Concert Association’s Buzz Brass concert scheduled for April 16 has been canceled.
Three of the five ensemble members were called to active duty by the Canadian government.
The show is being replaced with Pollo Loco – Great Falls’ own country western band.
The show is at 7:30 p.m. April 16 at the Mansfield Theater.
Tickets already purchased for the April 16 show are valid and tickets may be purchased at the lobby box office the night of the show, or online here.
Toby’s House Crisis Nursery announced that Printing Center USA has joined their Building Permanent Hope campaign as a Sanctuary Guardian with a $50,000 gift.
The new facility at 205 7th Ave. S. is currently under construction and expected to open this summer.
The foundation has been poured and walls are going up this week.
New Toby’s House facility construction underway, donations being accepted
“Printing Center USA’s support…reflects their dedication to children and families, and we want to recognize their engagement, service and generosity for local museums and other special causes we all know and love in our community,” Leesha Ford, Toby’s House director, said in a release.
The campaign continues to seek partners at all levels and construction sponsors to complete this vital community project.
Wildfire risk reduction campaign
NorthWestern Energy awarded $5,000 in support to FireSafe Montana for a statewide radio campaign focused on helping Montanans reduce wildfire risk.
The campaign is designed to reach residents across Montana with clear, actionable information they can use to protect their homes, families and communities.
“Wildfire risk reduction is most effective when organizations work together,” Rocky Infanger, board member for FireSafe Montana, said in a release. “Partnerships like this help us expand our reach and ensure that Montanans have access to trusted information that empowers them to take meaningful steps to reduce wildfire risk.”
NorthWestern Energy emphasized the importance of collaboration as wildfire seasons grow longer and more complex across the region.
“At NorthWestern Energy, we value strong partnerships with stakeholders and emergency responders as we all work together to keep Montana safe,” NorthWestern Energy’s wildfire public information manager Max Rebholz said in a release. “Our focus is on strengthening wildfire risk management and ensuring communities have the preparedness information they need.”
The radio campaign will support ongoing statewide efforts to raise awareness about wildfire preparedness, encourage community resilience, and promote actions that can reduce the impacts of wildfires on people, property and critical infrastructure.
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