Saturday

• Kalispell Farmers Market opens for season, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., FVCC parking lot, 777 Grandview Dr. Call 881-4078.

• Montana Dahlia Society annual tuber sale, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Kalispell Center Mall. Tubers $1 each or six for $5. Members will answer questions about growing dahlias. Call John Kestell, 756-6464.

• Gateway Community Center Red Tag sale, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the center in Kalispell. Desks, file cabinets, household goods, building supplies and more. Use north entrance. Call Sherry Stevens, 752-7266.

• Fourth annual MK5K and 1-mile fun run, Lawrence Park, Kalispell. Registration 8:30 a.m. $15 for 5K, $5 for fun run. Proceeds benefit Mary Kay Foundation; www.marykayfoundation.org. Call Colleen Konopatzke, 406-250-3795.

• Northwest Montana Gold Prospector and Outdoor Show, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Grandstand Building, Flathead County Fairgrounds, Kalispell. Gems, fossils, rocks, jewelry, prospecting equipment, gold panning and more. Seminars, raffles; Admission $2 adults; children 12 and under, free.

• Mission Mountain Winery annual Red Wine and Chocolate event to learn about food and wine pairings, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., 82420 U.S. 93 S., Dayton. All welcome.

• Spring Mountain Bike Demo Day, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Whitefish Bike Retreat, Beaver Lake Road, Whitefish. Ride demo mountain bikes of numerous brands free of charge. Helmets required but not provided. Bring a picnic lunch.

• Bigfork/Ferndale Community Garden workshop, 10 a.m., St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Montana 209, across from Ferndale Fire Department at blinking light. Learn about square foot gardening method. Enter through big red doors. Children welcome. Call Michelle, 871-3509.

• Red Cross blood drive,  10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Harley Davidson, Kalispell, blood mobile. Sponsored by H.O.G.

• Flathead County Animal Shelter open house, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 225 Cemetery Road, Kalispell. Tour new areas, cat addition and Smallville. Public invited. Volunteer orientation 1-2 p.m. Volunteers need to be at least 18 or accompanied by an adult. Call 752-1310.

• Zumbathon fundraiser 3-5 p.m., The Wave, Whitefish. Adults $15; students $10; family (three or more) $30; kids under 5, free. Donations of $25 or more are eligible for prizes. Proceeds benefit  Christian Academy headmaster Todd Kotilla as he battles cancer.

• Flathead Democratic Women present a dramatic performance of “Notable Heroines of America,” 3 p.m. today and Sunday, Central School Museum, Kalispell. Women from America’s history as interviewed by Mary Reckin. Tea and desserts. Tickets $20 person, available at Kalispell Grand Hotel.

• 12th annual Making Miracles Happen dinner/auction, Red Lion Hotel Kalispell. Doors open 5 p.m.; dinner 6:30 p.m.; live auction 7 p.m. Raffles, silent auction, door prizes. Ticket s $50 each. Proceeds support Human Therapy on Horseback. Call 406-212-2353.

• Fifth annual Spirits of the Valley tasting event, 6-9 p.m., Best Western Plus Flathead Inn and Suites, 4823 U.S. 93 S., just north of Somers. Local spirits, wines and microbrews. Silent auction, raffles. Tickets $25 at Sliters, Somers Bay Cafe and at door. Benefits Somers Company Town Project to build pavilion and museum at site of S2 engine.

Sunday

• Northwest Montana Gold Prospector and Outdoor Show, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Grandstand Building, Flathead County Fairgrounds, Kalispell. Gems, fossils, rocks, jewelry, prospecting equipment, gold panning and more. Seminars, raffles; Admission $2 adults; children 12 and under, free.

• Flathead Democratic Women present a dramatic performance of “Notable Heroines of America,” 3 p.m., Central School Museum, Kalispell. Women from America’s history as interviewed by Mary Reckin. Tea and desserts. Tickets $20 person, available at Kalispell Grand Hotel.

• Spring Music Festival, 4 p.m., Immaculate Conception Church, Polson. Spaghetti dinner follows. Donations to Helping Hands Fund accepted. Call Toni, 883-1676; or Valerie, 883-4160.

Monday

• AARP Smart Driver Course, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., The Summit, Kalispell. $20 fee ($15 for AARP card-holding members.) Call 751-4500.

• Red Cross blood drive, 1:30-5:30 p.m. at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.

• Anime Club for teens in grades six to 12 meets 4-5:30 p.m. May 4, ImagineIF Library, Kalispell.

Tuesday

• Flathead Community Foundation and United Way’s Give Local Flathead Fiesta of Philanthropy Day. Donations accepted for local nonprofit organizations online and at all-day event at Hampton Inn, Kalispell. Live music, refreshments, gift basket drawings; www.givelocalflathead.org, 756-9047.

• Creston School board meets at 7:30 a.m.

• FVCC Art Club Mother’s Day sale, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Arts and Technology Building. Public welcome. Call David Regan, 756-3993.

• Red Cross blood drive, 1-4:15 p.m. Montana Athletic Club.

• Deer Park School board Negotiating Team meets 4 p.m. 

• Karen Porteous of Complete Restoration gives a free presentation on “The Reality of Radon,” 6:30-7:30 p.m., ImagineIF Library meeting room, Kalispell.

• Suicide Support Group, Surviving Our Loss after Suicide, (SOLAS) meets 7-8:30 p.m. The Summit, Kalispell. Call Denise, 407-4110.

• Bigfork Playhouse Children Theater’s spring concert, 7 p.m., Bethany Lutheran Church, Montana 35, near Rosa’s Pizza. Choir and jazz band performances. Free admission. Public invited. Call 837-4886.

Wednesday

• Fair-Mont-Egan School board meets 8 a.m.

• Polson Chamber of Commerce meets noon to 1 p.m., KwaTukNuk Resort. Speaker is Glenn Oppel, government relations director of Montana Chamber of Commerce. Open to public. Call 883-5969.

• Red Cross blood drive, 1-5 p.m. at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.

• Pleasant Valley School board organizational and regular board meeting 4:30 p.m.

• 26th annual Project Whitefish Wine and Food Fest, 6-9 p.m., Grouse Mountain Lodge, Whitefish. Fine food from area eateries, silent and live auctions for getaways and more. Tickets $60 per person, available at The Village Shop, Imagination Station and O’Shaughnessy Center. Proceeds benefit Project Whitefish Kids and Whitefish Theatre Company. Call 862-5371.

• Organizers for the Cross-Town Craze graduation party for Flathead and Glacier seniors will meet at The Summit at 7 p.m. in Conference Room 2. Tickets for the party are available at each school’s main office for $30 per senior if purchased in May with two Grand Prize entry tickets and $35 per senior from June 1-6 with one Grand Prize entry ticket. 

Thursday

• Somers School District board special meeting to canvass election results, 8:45 a.m., Somers Middle School.

• Kalispell Public Schools Curriculum Committee meets 9 a.m., administration offices, 233 First Ave. E.

• Red Cross blood drive, 1-5 p.m. Tea Kettle Room, Columbia Falls. Sponsored by Rotary.

• Opening exhibit for “Gentlemen Wear Black,” 5-7 p.m., Hockaday Museum of Art, 302 Second Ave. E., Kalispell. Free admission. Public welcome. Call 755-5268.

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flathead County Big Event fundraiser 6-8:30 p.m., Rack Shack, U.S. 93 South, Somers. Tickets are $200 for two people, includes dinner and drinks, silent auction and grand prize reverse raffle for a week-long RCI lodging certificate and $2,000 travel card. Emcee is Mac Bledsoe. Call 752-0092.

• Frontier Hospice open door bereavement support group meets 6-7 p.m., The Springs at Whitefish. Call 755-4923.

• Hilary Shaw gives a presentation titled, “Tell Me a Story” about the life of Grandpa Roman, Holocaust survivor, 7-8 p.m., Glacier Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 1515 Trumble Creek Road, Kalispell. Free and open to public.

Friday

• Kila School board meets 10 a.m.

• Columbia Falls Library Association bookstore bag sale, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and May 16, 39 Sixth St. W., No. 2, Columbia Falls. Books, cds and videos, $3 per bag.

• 17th annual Louise Burk Memorial luncheon, Lincoln County Fairgrounds, Eureka. Doors open 11 a.m.; lunch at noon. Dr. Melissa Hulvat from Bass Breast Center is guest speaker. Door prizes, silent auction. Proceeds benefit WINGS. Tickets $7.50 available at Glacier, First Interstate Banks and Whitefish Credit Union. Call Julie Smith, 406-889-5670 or 406-261-8600.

• Flathead Chapter of National Active and Retired Federal Employees meets at noon, Perkins Restaurant, Kalispell. Speaker is Lad Barney with USDA Rural Development. Social time, 11:30 a.m. For reservations, call Doris Warrant, 752-8026.

• Lake County Pachyderm Club meets at noon, Polson Rural Fire Department, Regatta Road. Guest speaker is Roxana Colman-Herak, leas suicide prevention trainer, for Salish and Kootenai tribes. Papa Don’s catered lunch available for $10. Call Penny Jarecki, 883-2248.

• Pachyderm Club meets noon to 1 p.m., Red Lion Inn, Kalispell. Mary and Rick Todd will talk about their book “Hard Drive: A Family’s Fight against Three Countries.” Lunch available. Public invited. Call Mark Johnson, 253-7467.

A look ahead

• Flathead Valley Christian Motorcycle Association’s annual baby diaper drive for Hope Pregnancy Resource Center, May 9, Smith’s in Columbia Falls and Kalispell; downtown Kalispell Super 1, and Walmart, Kalispell.

• Family Forestry Expo, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 9, Trumbull Creek Educational Forest, west of Columbia Falls. Grandstand shows 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. with logging demos and sports, mule pack string. Informational stations along a forested trail. Free logging camp lunch 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• FVCC BioBlitz, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 9. Guided nature hikes 9:30 a.m.to 1:30 p.m.; campus farm tour 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. GIS demonstrations. Pubic invited. Park at Early Childhood Center. Call Ruth Wrightsman, 756-3878.

• Bibler Home and Gardens spring tours 11 a.m. May 9. A private tour of Persian rug collection with Carol Bibler at 1:30 p.m. May 9. Tickets $20; 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. May 16-17, above Foy’s Lake near Kalispell. All other tickets $15 adults, $5 children. Advanced purchase required. Call FVCC Foundation office, 756-3632.

• Flathead Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited annual banquet fundraiser, May 9, Grouse Mountain Lodge, Whitefish. Social hour 6 p.m. dinner 7:30 p.m. Raffles, silent, live auctions. Tickets $40 per person. RSVP by May 6 to 260-1198 or 250-5064.

• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Family Support Group meets 6 p.m. May 11, Pathways, 200 Heritage Way, Kalispell. Call 854-2323.

• Bibler Home and Gardens Mother’s Day brunch prepared by FVCC Culinary Arts Institute, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. May 10, above Foy’s Lake near Kalispell. Advanced purchase tickets $60 per person; $100 per couple. Call 756-3632.

• Red Cross blood drive, 1:30-5:30 p.m. May 11, at the center, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell.

• Flathead Audubon annual meeting, potluck and silent auction, May 11,  Whitefish Community Center, 121 Second St. Speaker is Steve Hoffman, Audubon executive director. Doors open 5 p.m., potluck 6 p.m., meeting 7 p.m. Bring your own table service.

• The Flathead Conservation District meets at 7 p.m. May 11, 133 Interstate Lane, in Evergreen. Call 752-4220.

• AARP Smart Driver Course, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 12, Bigfork Senior Center. $20 fee ($15 for AARP card-holding members.) Call 837-4157.

• Columbia Falls Chamber of Commerce membership luncheon, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 12, North Valley Hospital Community Room, 235 Nucleus Ave. No reservations required. Luncheon, $12. Call Carol Pike, 892-2072.

• Kalispell Public Schools district board meets 6 p.m. May 12, Kalispell Middle School Library.

• Bigfork Wednesday farmers market opens for season 3-6 p.m. May 13, Masonic Temple, 8098 Montana 35. Call Cathi, 249-8439.

• Parkinson’s disease support group meets 3-4:30 p.m. May 13, The Summit, Kalispell. All welcome. Call Lois, 871-3767 or Inga, 756-5514.

• Flathead Beekeepers meet 6:30 p.m. May 13, North Valley Hospital Community Center, 235 Nucleus Ave., Columbia Falls. Open to anyone with an interest. Call Ronny, 892-0280.

• Lake County Democrats county convention and election of officers, May 13, North Lake County Public Library, Polson. Social 6:30 p.m. Open to public. Handicap accessible.

• Columbia Falls Farmers Market opens for season 5-7:30 p.m. every Thursday, beginning May 14, Pinewood Park, 925 Fourth Ave. W.

Retirement party for Carol Pike, Columbia Falls Chamber of Commerce director, 5-7 p.m. May 14, Truby’s, Meadow Lake Resort.

• West Valley Naturalist program 7 p.m. May 14, West Valley School science room, Kalispell. Becky Smith-Powell, forest recreation program leader for Flathead Forest, will talk about hiking/recreation in Tally Lake Ranger District. Free. Everyone welcome. Call Linda de Kort, 755-3704.

• Pachyderm Club meets noon to 1 p.m., May 15, Red Lion Inn, Kalispell. Speaker is Cindi Martin, director of Glacier International Airport. Lunch available. Public invited. Call Mark Johnson, 253-7467.

• “Picnic for Lone Pine Cemetery,” 5-8 p.m. May 15, Swan River Hall, Bigfork. Barbecue dinner, silent, live auctions, music. Tickets $15 adults; $5 children 10 and under. Call Arlene Wilson, 837-2674.

• Hike, Bike and Roll Parade 5:30-6:30 p.m. May 15, Great Northern Trail, Meridian Road, Kalispell. Rain or shine. Decorations, costumes, noisemakers encouraged. Snack available for purchase. Bring your own water. Cost $5 per person; $15 per family of four (under 2 free). RSVP appreciated to 249-2497. Proceeds go to trail maintenance.

• Glacier National Park Volunteer Associates annual meeting/work day, May 16, Park Community Building, behind headquarters. Continental breakfast 8:30 a.m.; meeting 9 a.m. followed by project work. Call Nancy Barrus, 387-4516.

• AARP Smart Driver Course, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 16, Swan Chapel, Swan Lake. $20 fee ($15 for AARP card-holding members.) Call  756-8885.

• Creston Cemetery Association annual meeting May 16. Clean up 9 a.m.; business meeting 10 a.m. Call Lillie, 249-2114.

• 12th annual Yellow Bay Cherry Blossom Festival, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 16, Yellow Bay Clubhouse, Montana 35 at mile marker 18. Arts and crafts, bake sale, door prizes, raffles, live music. Lunch available for purchase. Free. Public invited. Call Barbara, 982-3064; or Shari, 982-3437.

• Sons of Norway host Taste of Norway, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 16, Northridge Lutheran Church, 323 Northridge  Dr., Kalispell. Homemade Scandinavian cookies, Icelandic pancakes, coffee and tea. Donations accepted. Call Alice Brosten, 837-3494.

• ImagineIF Library, Kalispell, sponsors a bird walk with a Flathead Audubon expert, 10:15 to 11 a.m. May 16. Meet at library and walk to Conrad Mansion and back. Optional project included. All ages welcome.

• Spring into Safety Kids Day family event, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 16, The Summit, Kalispell. Free bicycle helmets, bicycle safety course, free swim and other activities. Bring your life jacket to check for proper fitting. Call Dan Daub, 751-5727.

• Sunburst Service Foundation Amazing Race, 11:30 a.m. May 16, Depot Park, Kalispell. Pre-registration required at 2282 U.S. 93 S., Kalispell. $25 per team. Raffles, silent auction, prizes. Children’s activities noon to 5 p.m.

• Celebrate National Kids to Parks Day, noon to 2 p.m., May 16, Lone Pine State Park near Kalispell. Nature activities to become official Montana State Parks Junior Ranger with certificate and badge. All ages welcome. Call Brian Schwartz, 755-2706, ext. 3.

• Salvation Army Country and Western gala, 5:30-10 p.m. May 16, main ballroom, Hilton Garden Inn, Kalispell. Dinner Music by Rob Quist and Great Northern with special guest Halladay Quist. Tickets $50 per person. Non-alcoholic event. Call 257-4357.

• Sixth annual Whitefish Animal Hospital WAG Race, 11 a.m. May 17, Hugh Rogers WAG Park, Whitefish. One-mile, 4-mile and 12K events. Leashed dogs may participate in shorter events. Call 862-3178.

• AARP Smart Driver Course, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 18, Libby Christian Church, Libby. $20 fee ($15 for AARP card-holding members.) Call 283-7000.

• Kalispell Women’s Connection luncheon tea, 11:30 a.m. May 19, meeting room of Victory Baptist Church, 1830 Montana 35. Show and tell of “Tea and Things.” Speaker is Connie Barker. Cost $8 per person. Call Jan, 212-3763, or Rosainne, 257-8098 for lunch and free child care reservations. Affiliated with Stonecroft Ministries.

• Kalispell Public Schools Policy and Communications Committee meets 8:30 a.m. May 21, administration offices, 233 First Ave. E.

• Frontier Hospice presents an educational seminar, “The Longest Loss: Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia,” 1-4 p.m. May 21, Immanuel Lutheran Skilled Care Center, 185 Crestline Ave., Kalispell. Free. Open to public. Call Dianne, 755-4923.

• Teen social for grades 6-12, 4-5:30 p.m. May 21, ImagineIF Library, Kalispell. Food, Wii gaming. Free. Craft is making bubble tea.

• Friendship Force of the Flathead Valley meets May 21, Vista Linda, Somers. Social hour 5 p.m.; dinner at 6 p.m. Mary Pat Murphy talks about her visit to Alhambra Palace Granada, Spain. All interested in travel and meeting people from other countries invited. For reservations, call Lavonne, 756-7082.

• EAA Chapter 102 Young Eagles flight event, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 23, Red Eagle Aviation Center, Kalispell City Airport. Registration 9 a.m. to noon. All youth ages 8 to 17 will take a 20-minute orientation flight. Free. Call Delbert Schneider, 249-4226.

• AARP Smart Driver Course, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 23, The Summit, Kalispell. $20 fee ($15 for AARP card-holding members.) Call 751-4500.

• GMO Flathead sponsors a March Against Monsanto, noon, May 23, Depot Park, Kalispell. Non-GMO food drive for local food banks.  Information booths, prizes, 50/50 raffles. Guest speakers.

• Memorial Day Parade, noon, May 25, downtown Polson. 

• Whitefish downtown farmers market opens for season every Tuesday, 5-7:30  p.m. May 27 to Sept. 30, north end of Central Avenue and Depot Park.

• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Family Support Group meets 6 p.m. May 27, Sunburst Village and Drop in Center. Call 854-2323.

• Flathead Special Education Cooperative Executive Council meets 10 a.m. May 28, Linderman School, 233 First Ave. E, Kalispell. Call 257-1857.

• Opening reception for “A Timeless Legacy — Women Artists of Glacier National Park” exhibit, 5-7 p.m. May 28, Hockaday Museum of Art, 302 Second Ave. E., Kalispell. Free. Public invited.

• Kalispell Senior Citizens business meeting and potluck supper, 5 p.m. May 28, Kalispell Senior Center, 403 Second Ave. W. Bring a potluck dish or pay $3. Call 257-1598.

• Fifth annual Northwest Montana Veterans Stand Down, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 30, Evergreen Fire Hall, 2236 U.S. E. Employment counseling, veterans service organizations, community resources and representatives. Giveaways of surplus military clothing, books, haircuts, personal care items. Chili and refreshments. Bring military ID. Call Allen Erickson Sr., 756-7304 or 250-0698.

• Pete’s spring 17th annual run-off fundraiser, May 30, Peterson School, 1119 Second St. W., Kalispell. 10K, 5K and 1-mile events starting at 9:30 a.m. Games, climbing wall, inflatables. Lunch and raffles 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Register at school office or 406running.com

• Eureka farmers market opens for season every Wednesday, 3:30-5:30 p.m., June 10-Sept. 23, Riverside Park. Call 406-889-4636.

• Flathead Special Education Cooperative Executive Council meets 10 a.m. June 11, Linderman School, 233 First Ave. E, Kalispell. Call 257-1857.

• Naturalist and botanist Anne Morley leads a hike June 11 on Sprunger-Whitney Nature Trail in Swan Valley. Meet at 10 a.m. at trailhead on Montana 83, 7 miles south of Swan Lake near mile marker 64. Turn right at Point Pleasant and watch for signs. Call Morley, 406-886-2242.

• Intermountain’s Providence therapeutic group home Summer Roundup fundraiser, 5:30-9:30 p.m. July 1, Diamond B. Ranch, 2909 Lower Valley Road, near Kalispell. Dinner, live and silent auctions. Music by John Dunnigan. Tickets $100 before June 12; $125 afterward. Call Kyle Waterman, 755-4022, ext. 3005.

• Bigfork Saturday farmers market opens for season 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. June 13, Masonic Temple, 8098 Montana 35. Call Cathi, 249-8439.

• Stumptown Quilters’ Society “Everything Old is New Again,” quilt show, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 4; 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. July 5, Whitefish Middle School gym. Modern and vintage quilts, boutique, vendors, silent auction, raffle. Free admission.

• Annual AAC/ARCO/CFAC employees picnic noon to 4 p.m. July 9, Lawrence Park, Kalispell. All employees and their families are invited; Email Sharon Chubb, smarinochubb@centurytel.net.

• In the Footsteps of Norman MacLean Festival, July 10-13, Seeley Lake on the Blackfoot River, Double Arrow Resort and Camp Paxson. Smokejumping highlight, writers’ workshop and tour of Mann Gulch; www.macleanfootsteps.com. Call Jenny Rohrer, 406-754-0034. 

• Whitefish Lake Institute wine auction, 6-10 p.m. July 17, The Lodge at Whitefish Lake. Master of Ceremonies is TV journalist Connie Chung. Wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres, live music, silent, live auctions; www.whitefishwineauction.org

• Opening reception for traveling exhibit, “Piecing Together a Changing Planet: Climate Change in America’s National Parks,” 5-7 p.m. July 30, Hockaday Museum of Arts, 302 Second Ave. E., Kalispell. Free. Public invited. Call 755-5268.

• Fee free day Aug. 25, Glacier National Park. All entrance fees waived in honor of 99th birthday of National Park Service.

• Dragon Boat Festival Sept. 12-13, Volunteer Park, Lakeside Boulevard, Lakeside.

• Fee free day Sept. 26, Glacier National Park. All entrance fees waived in honor of National Public Lands Day.

• Fee free days Nov. 11, Glacier National Park. All entrance fees waived in honor of Veterans Day.