Catch IN THE WHALE one last time before they hang it up. This rock duo from Denver, CO has been playing the Billings market for over 10 years and never disappoints! Join us one last time at Thirsty Street! The Life After kicks things off at 7pm then local legends The Budgets throw down before IN THE WHALE melts faces. $10 cash at the door. All Ages Doors at 6pm
This summer marks the 22nd Anniversary of our most anticipated summer concert series, Alive After 5! The 2025 Alive After 5 series runs Thursday evenings, 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, June 12 to July 31. Presented by our Downtown Billings Business Improvement District (BID) and Western Security Bank. The concerts occur weekly, outdoors, and at different downtown locations.
Admission: Admission is free to the public, however, those 21 and older, wishing to consume alcohol will need to purchase a wristband for $3.
The V.I.P. Experience: The V.I.P. area is sectioned off and tented. It includes tables, chairs, free ice-cold water, and a great view of the stage. Twenty $10 V.I.P wristbands are sold for each weekly concert in addition to the V.I.P. wristbands the Alive After 5 sponsors receive. The public can purchase available V.I.P. wristbands at the Downtown Billings office at 102 N. 29th St. or by calling the office at (406) 294-5060 (Monday – Wednesday, 9am to 4pm. Thursdays, 9am to 12pm).
The revenue generated through the wristband sales at each Alive After 5 helps sustain the coordination and facilitation of downtown beautification projects, public art projects, and other community-centric Downtown Billings Signature Events throughout the year.
This year’s Alive After 5 line-up includes some favorite local bands and host locations and also some notable debuts. Rainbow Bar, on Montana Ave, will host their first ever Alive After 5 this Summer. The team at Rainbow Bar look forward to the opportunity to celebrate their 90th Anniversary with the fun of an Alive After 5 concert. More details about their specific concert date will be released in June.
Each of the series sponsorships below help cover the booking costs of the many local, regional, and national bands in the line-up. The 2025 season is presented by Western Security Bank, and supported by sponsors Hensel Law, Mari Mint, AVA Law Group, The Best Western Clocktower Inn, Stella’s Kitchen and Bakery, Big Dipper Ice Cream Billings, and Desert Mountain Broadcasting Radio group (Planet 106.7, Classic Hits, My 105.9, 98.1 KBEAR, 94.1 KSKY, 910 ESPN, The Zone 96.3).
This event is enhanced each year by the support and generosity of local businesses and organizations through sponsorships.
Thank you for supporting the businesses that support our efforts to keep downtown clean, safe, and inviting.
Join us at Thirsty Street for a night of live music, dancing, food, and cool brews! Elana & the Sugar Daddies will play a mix of jazz, blues, country and more at this cool Billings venue! Opening act will be the talented Juliette Angelo at 6:30pm – and then enjoy the main event at 7pm feat. Elana Hayden (vocals), Mike Leslie (bass), Zach Paris (drums), Joe Sullivan (piano/vocals), Jeff Troxel (guitar) & Jeff Taylor (pedal steel).
*** NO COVER! ***
And… MOM’S KITCHEN – Mexican Food Truck will be there, too!
My Fehr Lady is kick-starting April with amazing deals and sales. All week long, we will have $10, $20 and $50 outside sale racks. Plus a Progressive Sale of 50-75% off in store! Can’t Miss Don’t Miss.
Born in the Mountains of Montana, Dan Henry is a multi-instrumentalist performing year-round as a One-Man Band. With a combination of rhythmic guitar playing, bluesy harmonica, thumping stomp box and soulful vocals, Mr. Henry bounces from genre to genre playing whichever style suits his musical curiosity. With his debut album “Gillian Hall” he explores the history and grandeur of Montana from the big skies of the East to the depths of the mountains in the West, through heartbreak and loss to the adventure of love and promise. Though his roots are steeped in Blues and Rock, this album is Dan’s step into the realm of Americana music.
https://www.danhenrysharp.com/
Thirsty Street Brewing Company teamed up with the independent art space, Kirks’ Grocery, to host the final Alive After 5 of the 2024 season. The Thursday, July 25th Alive After 5 outdoor event takes place from 5:00pm to 8:00pm on Minnesota Avenue between S. 30th St. and S. 29th St..
NOTE: There has been an update on the band for the evening, Miss Massive Snowflake will open for Parker Brown and Friends.
Some may think this location seems a little atypical for Alive After 5, to those who know the purpose and mission of Kirks’ Grocery, this pairing of performance art and community in an out of the box manner makes a lot of sense.
Kirks’ Grocery, at 2920 Minnesota Avenue, was established in September 2018 by artist/musician Shane de Leon as a contemporary art gallery and performance space dedicated to showcasing art and performers that fall outside of the stereotypical notion of what “Western Art” can be. The gallery resides in the original Kirks’ Grocery location on Minnesota Avenue, a building that had been vacant for years. Their philosophy of giving unusual art a platform extends to the performance space where Kirks’ hosts DIY all ages shows and events featuring everything from spoken word poetry to experimental musical performances and DIY touring musicians along with independent film and documentaries. Kirks’ Grocery is dedicated to building a community cultural scene based around art, music, and poetry modeled off of the many European punk collectives that Shane has performed at and visited over the years.
Specializing in double bass, electric bass and guitar, Parker Brown is a private instructor, songwriter, freelance and studio musician. He may look familiar because he is the lead guitarist in The Hellroaring; the band who just rocked the Alive After 5 stage on July 18th at the Monte. Brown’s music is a blend of Americana, pop, and rock with great vocals and insightful lyrics. Parker Brown brings his musical friends along to wrap up the 2024 Alive After 5 season.
Shane De Leon, founder of Kirks’ Grocery, started Miss Massive Snowflake in 2006 as a solo project. Since, he has performed nearly 800 shows in 15 countries, released six albums, multiple EP’s and singles. The band has grown and expanded with many lineup changes over the years. At the July 25 Alive After 5, Miss Massive Snowflake is Shane de Leon on vocals playing original songs, backed up with some of Billings’s best musicians. They play song-based indie rock.
The 2024 Alive After 5 series is presented by our team at the Downtown Billings Association (DBA) and our presenting sponsor Valley Credit Union. The series’ weekly summer concerts takes place outdoors at a different downtown location Thursday evenings from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, June 6 through July 25, 2024.
Alive After 5 is an all ages event and admission is free to the public. Those 21 and older wishing to consume alcohol must purchase a $3 wristband at one of the Purple DBA tents at the event.
The revenue generated through Alive After 5 wristband sales fund a number of things for the Business Improvement District (B.I.D.) like the flower baskets, public art projects, landscaping projects, and free community events like the parades, chalk on the walk, and more.
Twenty $10 V.I.P wristbands are available now to be purchased for this Alive After 5 event. Community members may either come in person to the DBA’s office located at 102 N. 29th St. or call the DBA office at (406) 294-5060 to purchase V.I.P. wristbands before noon on Thursday. The V.I.P. Area offers a shaded space for you to cool off, hang out, and enjoy the show and includes tables, chairs, free ice-cold water, and a great view of the stage.
Alive After 5 is coordinated annually by the our Business Improvement District (B.I.D.), a non-profit whose work plan focuses on a clean and safe downtown. The B.I.D. is a one of the four non-profit’s housed within the DBA. Valley Credit Union is the producing (title) sponsor of the Alive After 5 concert series. Supporting sponsors include MariMint, Hensel Law, Earth First Aid, Stella’s Kitchen & Bakery, ClockTower Inn, Planet 106.7, Zone 96.3, Classic Hits 105.9, KSKY 94.1, KBEAR 98.1, and ESPN 910. Each of the series sponsorships help cover the booking costs of the many local, regional, and national bands in the lineup. This event and all the details can be found at downtownbillings.com.
The Monte Bar & Casino host our next Alive After 5 (Thursday, July 18). The outdoor event runs from 5:00pm to 8:00pm on N. 29th St. between 1st Ave. N. and Montana Ave. and features local Billings based band, The Hellroaring.
The Monte’s team have been eagerly preparing for their July 18th Alive After 5. Sisters and managing owners, Alison LaFever and Cori LaFever Thelen are excited to feature The Hellroaring this year.
“Similar to our band last year, not only is The Hellroaring an awesome band, but the guys in the band are some of our neighborhood regulars. We love being able to support the musicians that are a part of our Monte community”
Alison lafever, managing owner of the monte
It is really fun to be a part of Alive After 5 and see and feel the community support of our staff, business, and family.
Cori LaFever Thelen, Managing Owner of the Monte
As a downtown property owner, downtown business owner, and an active member of our Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) board of directors, Cori knows first hand the positive economic and public safety impact the large downtown events like Alive After 5 have on downtown Billings.
The 2024 Alive After 5 series is presented by our team at the Downtown Billings Association (DBA) and our presenting sponsor Valley Credit Union. The series’ weekly summer concerts takes place outdoors at a different downtown location Thursday evenings from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, June 6 to July 25, 2024 (with the expectation of Thursday, July 4).
Alive After 5 is an all ages event and admission is free to the public. Those 21 and older wishing to consume alcohol must purchase a $3 wristband at one of the Purple DBA tents at the event.
The revenue generated through Alive After 5 wristband sales fund a number of things for the Business Improvement District (B.I.D.) like the flower baskets, public art projects, landscaping projects, and free community events like the parades, chalk on the walk, and more.
[7/16 update] The twenty, $10, V.I.P wristbands are SOLD OUT, for this July 18th Alive After 5.
V.I.P. wristbands are purchased in person (at 102 N. 29th St.) or by calling the DBA office at (406) 294-5060 before 12:00 pm Thursday. The V.I.P. area offers a shaded space for you to cool off, hang out, and enjoy the show. The V.I.P. area includes tables, chairs, free ice-cold water, and a great view of the stage.
The Hellroaring is described as “one of Montana’s liveliest and best live acts”, by Arts and Culture Journalist Jake Iverson (July 2023 Billings Gazette). As a country band, they pursue the classic honky tonk sound, and consist of Nick Kozub (vocal and rhythm guitar), Parker Brown (lead guitar), Mike Leslie (bass), Erik Olson (keys) and Pat Epley (drums). This current array of branded local musicians that make up the band are each busy in their own way, with either solo careers or as part of other notable local bands. While The Hellroaring originally started as a side project for the musicians involved, the band’s popularity has grown since taking the stage together at Thirsty Street Brewing Company in December 2022 followed by an 2023 EP and a 2024 single, “Put me to the Test” available for streaming on a number of platforms.
Alive After 5 is coordinated annually by the our Business Improvement District (B.I.D.), a non-profit whose work plan focuses on a clean and safe downtown. The B.I.D. is a one of the four non-profit’s housed within the DBA. Valley Credit Union is the producing (title) sponsor of the Alive After 5 concert series. Supporting sponsors include MariMint, Hensel Law, Earth First Aid, Stella’s Kitchen & Bakery, ClockTower Inn, Planet 106.7, Zone 96.3, Classic Hits 105.9, KSKY 94.1, KBEAR 98.1, and ESPN 910. Each of our series sponsorships help cover the booking costs of the many local, regional, and national bands in the line-up. The remaining concerts for the 2024 Alive After 5 series can be found on the downtown Billings calendar linked below.
We’re ready! Are you?
The 33rd Billings Strawberry Festival will take place 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, this Saturday (July 13). Our team will arrive before the sun and transform the downtown streets below Skypoint (at N. Broadway and 2nd Avenue N.) into Billings largest street vendor festival. The one day Festival is a free community event coordinated and presented by us, the Downtown Billings Association (DBA), and our partners at Visit Billings, Montana’s Trailhead.
Like all the large community events we coordinate, the Strawberry Festival’s purpose is to bring the community downtown. The event invites attendees to explore, shop, dine, and ultimately stay a while in downtown Billings. Community events like festivals, farmers markets, parades, and concerts each help boost the downtown economy, while also offering community awareness and enhanced safety.
At 132 vendors, our 2023 Strawberry festival set a vendor record for this specific Summer event. We’ve broken the record yet again, the 2024 Strawberry Festival includes a vendor list of 152 vendors.
The vendors range from mobile food vendors, local retailers, non-profit organizations, and Arts & Crafts merchants from around the region. As an attendee, you can expect crafted creations, fine art paintings, jewelry, textiles, woodwork, sculptures, glass, ceramics, candles, henna art, and garden art to name a few. The day includes family fun with balloon twisters, kids crafts and activities, face painting, and live entertainment at Skypoint. On top of the many downtown restaurants open for breakfast and lunch, the festival includes 49 different food and beverage vendors. Wise Wonders Science and Discovery museum will once again host the Kids Zone on 2nd Ave N. near The Yarn Bar (2909 2nd Ave. N,). The Kids Zone includes a free craft activity (while supplies last) for young kids.
Not only has the vendor list grown quickly in recent years but the festival closure has expanded as well. Including the second year of the City of Billings Department Showcase on N. Broadway between 3rd & 4th Ave. N (in front of Spitz and Alberta Bair Theatre). The following city departments will be on-site for you to engage with: MET, Fire Department, Police Department, Crime Prevention Center, Library, Parks and Rec, Mobilize the MAGIC City, Public Works, and Administration/Council.
The Billings Lions Club’s pancake breakfast returns to its N. 29th Street Alley location across the street from Barjon’s Books at 223 N. 29th St. The group will start serving breakfast to the vendors and early downtowners as early as 7:00am. Funds raised by the pancake breakfast at the Strawberry Festival help the Lion’s Club to continue to provide vision screenings, eyeglasses, and hearing aid assistance to those in need throughout the Billings area.
Live entertainment will happen under Skypoint at N. Broadway and 2nd Ave N. throughout the day:
This year there are 80 vendors who have strawberry products, menu items, offerings. Those vendors are noted with a 
next to their vendor number on the vendor list here. Printed maps will be available at the purple information booth under skypoint during the July 13th festival.
This event is coordinated by Downtown Billings’ Business Improvement District (BID) and presented by Visit Billings. The BID is a non-profit whose work plan focuses on a clean and safe downtown and one of the four non-profit’s housed within the DBA. The 2024 Strawberry Festival is supported by signature sponsor Valley Credit Union and event sponsors TDS Fiber, MetraPark, Montana Fair, MariMint, My Classic Hits 105.9, Planet 106.7, 98.1 KBEAR, 94.1 KSKY, ESPN 910, The Zone 96.3, and Wise Wonders Science & Discovery Museum. For more information visit the event webpage at downtownbillings.com
Hooligan’s Sports Bar hosts the next Alive After 5, on Thursday July 11th, on the streets below Skypoint (2nd Ave N & N Broadway). The July 11th band is none other than the Bozeman based powerhouse duo, El Wencho.
The 2024 Alive After 5 series is presented by our team at the Downtown Billings Association (DBA) and our presenting sponsor Valley Credit Union. The series’ weekly summer concerts takes place outdoors at a different downtown location Thursday evenings from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, June 6 to July 25, 2024 (with the expectation of Thursday, July 4).
Alive After 5 is an all ages event and admission is free to the public. Those 21 and older wishing to consume alcohol must purchase a $3 wristband at one of the Purple DBA tents at the event.
The revenue generated through Alive After 5 wristband sales fund a number of things for the Business Improvement District (B.I.D.) like the flower baskets, public art projects, landscaping projects, and free community events like the parades, chalk on the walk, and more.
There are twenty, $10, V.I.P wristbands available for purchase, for this June 27th Alive After 5. These V.I.P. wristbands can be purchased before 12:00 pm Thursday, either in person at the DBA’s office located at 102 N. 29th St. or by calling the DBA office at (406) 294-5060. The V.I.P. area offers a shaded space for you to cool off, hang out, and enjoy the show. The V.I.P. area includes tables, chairs, free ice-cold water, and a great view of the stage.
El Wencho has a big sound that relates the Montana lifestyle through immersive lyrics, catchy melodies and driving rhythms. Their authentic music is an eclectic fusion of genres that draws on sonic elements from red dirt rock, blues, country, Americana and polyrhythmic Latin percussion. Together, Josh and John form an authentic and charismatic duo that expertly connects with the audience and delivers an engaging and highly addictive musical experience. We can’t forget to mention that John and Josh are also just the nicest guys and always super gracious to be included in our series’ lineup. Their shows are fun and energetic and get the crowed dancing.
Alive After 5 is coordinated annually by the our Business Improvement District (B.I.D.), a non-profit whose work plan focuses on a clean and safe downtown. The B.I.D. is a one of the four non-profit’s housed within the DBA. Valley Credit Union is the producing (title) sponsor of the Alive After 5 concert series. Supporting sponsors include MariMint, Hensel Law, Earth First Aid, Stella’s Kitchen & Bakery, ClockTower Inn, Planet 106.7, Zone 96.3, Classic Hits 105.9, KSKY 94.1, KBEAR 98.1, and ESPN 910. Each of our series sponsorships help cover the booking costs of the many local, regional, and national bands in the line-up. The remaining concerts for the 2024 Alive After 5 series can be found on the downtown Billings calendar linked below.
