Happy summer from Montana's Best Daily Newspaper three years running! Our team loves to share community journalism with you. Strong newspapers make strong communities.

In fact, I think the best 250th birthday gift is a subscription to one of the last family-owned, independent daily newspapers in the country.

But newspaper cheerleading aside, July, as always, looks to be a blast in Northwest Montana.

Kicking off the July 4th weekend is the Whitefish Arts Festival July 3rd through 5th in Whitefish Depot Park. This is Whitefish's iconic celebration of fine arts and community spirit. Look for unique handmade art from local and national artists. Stunning metalwork, pottery, jewelry, woodworking, photography, and lots of other surprises. I love browsing and shopping at the Whitefish Arts Festival. There are so many unique artistic offerings that just can't be found anywhere else. If you're a fan of Christmas in July like I am, this is a great place to start your holiday shopping ... and might as well throw in a piece of Montana-made art for your own collection. The Whitefish Arts Festival starts Friday, July 3rd at 10:00 am and closes Sunday, July 5th at 4:00 pm. Be sure to stop by this family-friendly event presented by the Whitefish Christian Academy. The Whitefish Arts Festival is a great addition to your 4th of July weekend plans.

July is for art festivals! Head to Kalispell's Depot Park July 10th through 12th for Arts in the Park to stroll through booths from 80 juried artists from around the country offering one-of-a-kind quality handmade paintings, jewelry, ceramics, housewares and more. Enjoy local musicians and entertainers on the outdoor stage and enjoy delicious food and beverages from your favorite Flathead vendors ... sorry, I got distracted thinking about fried pickles! Enjoy libations in the Wine & Beer garden with local craft beer and wine. Kalispell's Glacier Art Museum really goes all out for Arts in the Park. It's not only a great weekend to enjoy Kalispell and purchase unique goods, but all ticket sales directly support the museum's educational art exhibitions and programs. Stop by the Daily Inter Lake booth and say hi to yours truly ... and we can get you hooked up with that newspaper subscription we were talking about.

If you plan right, you can do it all! On July 3rd at 7:30 pm the Glacier Symphony presents Symphony Night at Rebecca Farm for a special America 250 concert. One of the most memorable outdoor concerts in the area. Enjoy patriotic and pop favorites, delicious food truck fare, and picturesque views of beautiful Montana. Don't forget your picnic blanket.

Kalispell's Parks and Recreation department share a series of afternoon and evening concerts in Kalispell's Depot Park on Wednesdays during the month of July. Bring the kidlets for the noon concerts for family-friendly music plus free art projects and games. Early evening concerts start at 6:00 pm for live music and community. Check out musicians David Walburn Duo, Christiane Hinterman, WhizPop, Jack Gladstone, Hannah King and more.

Our beloved Big Sky Troubadours are sharing a special evening of Songwriters behind the Headliners on Saturday, July 11th at the O'Shaughnessy Cultural Arts Center in Whitefish. Experience the songs you love from the radio shared in their original form by their original artists. Casey Beathard, Mark Nesler and Jo Smith highlight the craft behind the music with stories, inspiration and the creative process. Proceeds from the evening benefit the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

Kalispell's Snowline Acres plays host to a summer concert series on their lawn for a family-friendly live music experience. Shop The Collective and grab dinner from the food trucks. Wednesday, July 8th, catch the high-energy Montana rock band Tobacco River Ramblers. Tanner Laws takes the stage on Wednesday, July 22nd to deliver a traditional country sound.

Raise a glass to Montana-made at the annual Montana Wine, Beer and Spirits Festival on Saturday August 1st from 2:00 to 8:00 pm at the White Raven Vinyard in Columbia Falls. This celebration brings together the state's finest wineries, cideries, breweries and distilleries for an afternoon of tastings, great food and live music.

I hope you had as much fun as I did at the Wachholz College Center's open house and outdoor concert last month. The Wachholz invites you to their O'Shaughnessy Outdoor Amphitheatre for a fun outdoor concert with Old 97's on Tuesday, July 28th at 6:30 pm. Old 97's is an American alt-country band from Dallas that are sure to get your boots scootin'.

Check out Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives on Sunday, July 26th as they return to McClaren Hall. Witness bluegrass royalty and a Country Music Hall of Famer.

Sara Evans – the fifth most-played female artist on country radio in the last two decades – brings her We Got the Beat tour to the Wachholz on Saturday, July 25th. 

Find tickets for all the Wachholz events ONLY at wachholzcollegecenter.org.

Your favorite local musicians are hard at work this summer! Check out dailyinterlake.com/events to find the best live music opportunities around. And you can add your event to our online calendar for free.

Enjoy your July 4th and 250th birthday. And let me know your favorite artist at the Whitefish Art Festival. We can compare notes.

Thanks for tuning in to the Daily Inter Lake's Local Events podcast. I'm your host Melissa Wells reminding you to stay safe and stay classy Flathead.  

 
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