NOVA Center for the Performing Arts is excited to have the high school improv Troupe, Funky Bunch, back on stage after a protracted hiatus! Featuring all new quick-witted teens, Ewan Baker, Cayson Fields, Katelynn Hampton, Macey Krumdieck, Kai Reese, Indigo Thorsen, Tyler Williams and Izzy Zalenski. Come and see for yourself, every first Friday of the month, 7:30PM, $10 per person!
NOVA Center for the Performing Arts is excited to have the high school improv Troupe, Funky Bunch, back on stage after a protracted hiatus! Featuring all new quick-witted teens, Ewan Baker, Cayson Fields, Katelynn Hampton, Macey Krumdieck, Kai Reese, Indigo Thorsen, Tyler Williams and Izzy Zalenski. Come and see for yourself, every first Friday of the month, 7:30PM, $10 per person!
NOVA Center for the Performing Arts is excited to have the high school improv Troupe, Funky Bunch, back on stage after a protracted hiatus! Featuring all new quick-witted teens, Ewan Baker, Cayson Fields, Katelynn Hampton, Macey Krumdieck, Kai Reese, Indigo Thorsen, Tyler Williams and Izzy Zalenski. Come and see for yourself, every first Friday of the month, 7:30PM, $10 per person!
NOVA Center for the Performing Arts is excited to have the high school improv Troupe, Funky Bunch, back on stage after a protracted hiatus! Featuring all new quick-witted teens, Ewan Baker, Cayson Fields, Katelynn Hampton, Macey Krumdieck, Kai Reese, Indigo Thorsen, Tyler Williams and Izzy Zalenski. Come and see for yourself, every first Friday of the month, 7:30PM, $10 per person!
August 25, 202
The Yellowstone Art Museum (YAM) prepares to host The Night, a black-tie gala and art auction, on Saturday, September 10. The Night is a reimagined fundraising event that aims to support the YAM’s educational programs and ongoing exhibitions. The gala and art auction will feature a unique in-gallery dining experience, live music, and exceptional art for auction.
The evening’s honoree, Sally McIntosh, was a former YAM Art Educator and owner of McIntosh Arts, a local art supply store, gallery, and community space. Sally’s dedication to art, students, and the YAM has inspired countless members of our community. Funds will be raised during the auction to support YAM art education programs in celebration of Sally’s commitment to the arts.
The art auction will be led by auctioneer Shawna Rudio, from Missoula, Montana. She will be joined by Billings arts enthusiasts Corby Skinner and Steve Corning. Art available for auction showcases Montana’s leading contemporary artists, many of whom can be found in the YAM’s permanent collection. A full listing of the twenty-three artists and online bidding opportunities are available through September 9 at www.artmuseum.org/Gala2022.
Additionally, an exhibition of the auction artworks can be seen at the YAM through Friday, September 9. YAM Director, Jessica Kay Ruhle, will lead free guided tours of the auction exhibition on Thursday, September 1 at 5:30 PM and Thursday, September 8 at 12:15 PM. Tours are free and all museum visitors are welcome.
Dinner at The Night will be catered by Bozeman-based Seasonal Montana led by chef Melissa Harrison. Harrison was a recent contestant on the television series Top Chef where she demonstrated her culinary talents. Seasonal Montana honors farm-to-table practices and spotlights locally sources ingredients. The dining experience will be hosted in the museum’s Montana Gallery, alongside the artwork of Michael Haykin. Billings-based artist Jane Waggoner Deschner’s latest exhibition, Remember me., will open early to gala attendees. Remember me. opens to the general public on Sunday, September 11.
Individual tickets to The Night are available through the museum’s website, www.artmuseum.org/gala2022, or by calling the YAM at 406-256-6804 during regular business hours. Tickets must be purchased by Friday, September 2.
McCormick Cafe and our Downtown Billings team are preparing to throw the eighth and final Alive After 5 of the summer, this Thursday, August 4, at Montana Ave. and N, 23rd St. from 5:00pm to 8:00pm.
Thursday’s Alive After 5 event will feature the pairing of acoustic country musicians, W.C. Huntley & Marcedes Carroll.
South Carolina native W.C. Huntley is a singer/songwriter & guitarist currently based in Bozeman, Montana. By combining his Travis-picking guitar style and soulful country voice, W.C. provides the listener with a unique take on traditional Country & Western music. He is inspired by country singer/songwriter greats like John Prine, Guy Clark, and Merle Haggard.
Thursday, August 4th, W.C. Huntley pairs his talents with those of southwestern Montana musician, Marcedes Carroll.
With a guitar in tow, Marcedes bends Americana melodies to her stylistic storytelling. She released her debut record She’s Pretty, Vol. 1 in the Fall of 2019 and She’s Pretty, Vol. 2 in May of 2020. She’s Pretty is a collection of songs that encompass life, love and loss in the American West. Countless hours have been spent writing, charting, rehearsing and performing songs that reflect a passion for the poetic experiences she herself and others have gone through. Both W.C. and Marcedes play a mix of originals as well as lively covers you are likely to know.
Admission is free to the public, however, those 21 and older wishing to consume alcohol must purchase a wristband for $2 at one of the two purple wristband tents. A limited number of $10 V.I.P wristbands can be purchased by calling the DBA office at (406) 294-5060 ahead of time. The McCormick Alive After 5 will have a special shaded V.I.P. area with seating, tables, free ice-cold water, and easy access to one of the event’s outdoor bar locations.
Alive After 5 is coordinated annually by our Downtown Billings Alliance team. Valley Credit Union is the producing sponsor of the 2022 Alive After 5 concert series. Their annual sponsorship helps the DBA book the many local, regional, and national bands. This event would not be as successful without our other supporting sponsors: TDS Fiber, Planet 106.7, Zone 96.3, Classic Hits 105.9, KSKY 94.1, KBEAR 98.1 and event sponsors First Interstate Bank and PureWest Christie’s International Real Estate in Billings.
While our team throws the Alive After 5 concerts each week, this year we thought it would be fun to host one on our block with the help of our friends at the Pub Station so the Thursday, July 7 Alive After 5 concert is co-hosted by our team and the amazing Pub Station Presents team and will take place from 5:00pm to 8:00pm on N. 29th St. between 2nd Ave N. & 1st Ave. N.
July 7th Alive After 5 features two alternative Billings based bands; Joyce from the Future & Gilda House.
These two bands have been recording their albums at Pub Station Studios and are getting national attention so we wanted to make sure we got them on our Alive After 5 stage for the community to enjoy before they get more difficult to book.
The Alive After 5 summer concert series is in its 19th season and is presented by The DBA and Valley Credit Union. The weekly concerts take place outdoors at a different downtown location Thursday evenings from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm through August 4, 2022.
Admission is free to the public, however, those 21 and older wishing to consume alcohol will need to purchase a wristband for $2.
Each week a limited number of $10 V.I.P wristbands can be purchased Monday through Wednesday either visit our DBA office (116 N. 29th Street) or call us at (406) 294-5060 to purchase space in the V.I.P. Area. V.I.P. includes seating, tables, free ice-cold water, and easy access to one of the event bar locations. All remaining V.I.P. wristbands will be sold on a first-come-first-serve basis each Thursday on site at the Alive After 5 V.I.P. tent.
Gilda House
Gilda House is the stage name of Red Lodge born performer Meg Gildehaus. Prior to launching her solo career, Gildehaus is no stranger to the Alive After 5 stage, she performed for a number of years with the indie rock band Arterial Drive, and played at the Tiny’s Tavern Alive After 5 concert in 2019. Gilda House performs pop inspired ballads filled with feel good rhythms and electronic vibes that are easy to groove and dance to. The Billings community has a chance to catch Gilda House twice this week as she was chosen to open for global recording artist duo, Milky Chance, at Downtown Summer Sounds 2 outdoor concert in the downtown SkatePark lot on July 9. Band website: https://www.gildahouse.com/
Joyce from the Future
A Billings based band made up of four friends; Lyric Horton, Alex Campbell, Konnor Stiles, Josh Reedy. It’s easy to imagine their songs playing at a nightclub while the dance floor moves energetically and rhythmically to the synth-pop vibes. Joyce from the Future’s music blurs the lines of Indietronica, synth-pop, and R&B Groove.
Alive After 5 is coordinated annually by the DBA. The DBA is a nonprofit organization whose mission is downtown vitality and economic development. Valley Credit Union is the producing sponsor of the 2022 Alive After 5 concert series. Their annual sponsorship helps the DBA book the many local, regional, and national bands. This event would not be as successful without our other supporting sponsors: TDS Fiber, Planet 106.7, Zone 96.3, Classic Hits 105.9, KSKY 94.1, KBEAR 98.1 and event sponsors First Interstate Bank and PureWest Christie’s International Real Estate in Billings.
The next Alive After 5 concert on Thursday, June 30 is hosted by Uberbrew. The June 30th event will take place from 5:00pm to 8:00pm on N. 23rd St. between 1st Ave. N. and Montana Ave. and features the band Wes Urbaniak and the Mountain Folk.
This is Uberbrew’s second time hosting an Alive After 5. The first time was in 2019. This year’s concert is timed perfectly with their ten year anniversary. The Uberbrew team is partnering with The Fieldhouse, who also just celebrated their 10 year anniversary. The two are are preparing an outdoor food menu for the evening and of course there will be plenty of thirst quenching beverages.
The Alive After 5 summer concert series is in its 19th season and is presented by The DBA and Valley Credit Union. The weekly concerts take place outdoors at a different downtown location Thursday evenings from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm through August 4, 2022.
Admission is free to the public, however, those 21 and older wishing to consume alcohol will need to purchase a wristband for $2.
Each week a limited number of $10 V.I.P wristbands can be purchased Monday through Wednesday either visit our DBA office (116 N. 29th Street) or call us at (406) 294-5060 to purchase space in the V.I.P. Area. V.I.P. includes seating, tables, free ice-cold water, and easy access to one of the event bar locations. All remaining V.I.P. wristbands will be sold on a first-come-first-serve basis each Thursday on site at the Alive After 5 V.I.P. tent.
Wes Urbaniak and the Mountain Folk
Wes Uraniak and the Mountain Folk are a Billings based band. Their name says it all, they play good ‘ol mountain folk music. Urbaniak has been a songwriter and musician for a bucket of years. The harmonies of Mat Regele (upright bass) and A.J. Sheble (ukulele), Urbaniak’s guitar and vocal pulls the audience through a story. The band’s instruments are designed and built by Urbaniak. They are built on the premise of reusing and conserving wood and making the imperfect, perfect. Band Website: wesurbaniak.com
Alive After 5 is coordinated annually by the DBA. The DBA is a nonprofit organization whose mission is downtown vitality and economic development. Valley Credit Union is the producing sponsor of the 2022 Alive After 5 concert series. Their annual sponsorship helps the DBA book the many local, regional, and national bands. This event would not be as successful without our other supporting sponsors: TDS Fiber, Planet 106.7, Zone 96.3, Classic Hits 105.9, KSKY 94.1, KBEAR 98.1 and event sponsors First Interstate Bank and PureWest Christie’s International Real Estate in Billings.
This two-part blog series covers a total of 20 downtown Billings’ most loved patios. Billings’ downtown is comprised of more than 18 city blocks; with new and old buildings, public art projects, retail, businesses, restaurants, bars, breweries, venues, residential properties of various kinds, and numerous historical landmarks.
Visit all 20 of these unique outdoor patio spaces to enjoy the abundant downtown sights, sounds, flavors, and vibes.
Craft Local
2501 Montana Ave
If you’re interested in live, local music Craft local is the spot for you! Craft Local is a non-profit that provides artists with the space to show their works, musicians the space to charm their audiences, and a one of a kind bar to quench your thirst with some of the best local brews and wines around.
The patio at Craft Local spans half of a downtown block and sits on the corner of the historic Montana Ave and N. 25th St. The sounds of live music from both inside Craft Local and their neighbor, the Pub Station, makes for a great warm weather evening activity.
Buffalo Block
2401 Montana Ave
Buffalo Block offers a cozy outdoor patio dining option with plenty of green trees to keep the patio perfect even on the warmest summer days. Their large round outdoor fire pit makes their patio a great destination nearly all year. Located right in the middle of Downtown’s Historic Montana Avenue surrounded by many historic buildings like the Historic Billings Depot and the Rex Hotel that the restaurant occupies the ground floor of. Photography via @mclovin1019 on Instagram
Carter’s Brewing
2526 Montana Ave
The Carter’s Brewing patio serves up plenty of shade during the summer months. You can pick from 25 different beers all while overlooking Historic Montana Avenue surrounded by many local restaurants, retail shops, offices, venues, and more. Locals and visitors alike enjoy the casual brewery vibes that make this such a great spot to meet up with friends and drink a cold beer after a long workday.
Bar MT
2314 Montana Ave
Located on the Billings Depot’s campus, this patio has plenty of charm and space for you to enjoy a relaxing outdoor moment. Enjoy a beverage while taking in the historic buildings and hops fence that surrounds this patio. The trees and large gas fire pit make this a good destination on good weather days year-round.
Last Chance Pub & Cider Mill
2203 Montana Ave
If you are looking for a patio with ultimate urban vibes look no further than Last Chance’s back patio. This patio was revamped in 2020/2021 and now features even more seating, heaters, fans, and is covered! It overlooks an alleyway shared with a local Cushing Terrell Architect firm’s stunning urban office building. Located on the far eastern end of Montana Ave in downtown’s historic district, this spacious patio is located in the back of the brick warehouse building that now houses Last Chance, Ohana: The Poke Company, office space, and a distillery.
Wild Ginger
2713 Montana Ave
This street side patio in the downtown historic district provides diners plenty to take in. The large umbrellas offer plenty of shade for day time dining and when the sun goes down the patio provides a perfect spot for dinner, music, and cocktails during a night out in Montana’s largest City.
The Fieldhouse & The Annex Coffeehouse & Bakery
2601 Minnesota Ave
These two conjoined patios are so inviting for the whole family. The patios include shaded and sunny dining areas, a cheerful lawn, kids play area, a small local produce garden, and an upfront view of the active Northern Pacific train tracks and historic buildings across the tracks on Montana Avenue.
Thirsty Street Brewing Company @ The Garage
2123 1st Ave N
The Garage’s spacious patio is connected seamlessly to the indoor space by the opening of a large garage door. This patio is a great spot to enjoy live local music on Friday and Saturday evenings. The downtown views and cold brews make this patio a perfect happy hour location or weekend destination.
Ohana: The Poke Company
2223 Montana Ave Suite #104
The Ohana Poke Company serves healthy, creative variations of poke sushi bowls. The Ohana Poke Company marries the fast, casual bowl concept with fresh, healthy, superior-quality ingredients in an environmentally conscious atmosphere.
Ohana’s patio features two decks with lots of outdoor dining options as well as lounge chairs. It overlooks an alleyway shared with a local Cushing Terrell Architect firm’s stunning urban office building as well as Last Chance’s brand new patio. Located on the far eastern end of Montana Ave in downtown’s historic district, this spacious patio is located in the back of the brick warehouse building that now houses Last Chance, office space, and a distillery.
323 N 24th St
Tiny’s Tavern’s tagline is ‘Billings place to have fun’ and it’s easy to do on their comfortable shaded back patio. Their patio offers up a casual place to spend some social time with your favorite people and includes an outdoor bar, food service, a stage where you often can catch live music, and outdoor tv’s to watch a big game.
Don’t forget to read 20 patios in downtown Billings, MT – West of 27th St.to explore more patios in our downtown.
Vintage works of master artists Beverly St. John and LeRoy Greene will be on display at Sandstone Gallery in downtown Billings. The show opens on Friday, April 9, 2021 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Over 20 original framed paintings from the 40s and 50s will be on display and offered for sale during this extraordinary event. The public is invited to stop in and view or purchase these amazing works which will remain on display through May 28th.
We wanted to bring these stunning pieces together in one place where collectors and enthusiasts could view them en-masse,” said Jennifer Baretta, co-Director of Sandstone Gallery. “It really is quite impressive when you see them as a whole. We also want to make these master works available and affordable to the public.” In addition to the vintage art, the gallery is host to 15 resident artists offering oil and watercolor paintings, sculptures, jewelry and pottery in traditional to modern form.
Beverly St. John was a commercial artist in Chicago in the 40s. She moved to the Big Horn River valley to become a rancher’s wife and mother. When her ranch became a part of the Yellowtail Dam, she moved to Billings. Her stunning landscape oils largely depict scenes of the East Rosebud area.
LeRoy Greene (1893-1974) is known for his distinctive oil and watercolor paintings. He painted much of his work outdoors, which was somewhat unusual for artists of that time. He often made trips to the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations for his subjects.
Sandstone Gallery, located at 2913 2nd Avenue North in downtown Billings is a “Made in Montana” designated co-op gallery of local artists in the Billings, Montana area with paintings, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, glass, cards & gifts. Open hours are Tuesday – Friday 11 am – 4 pm, Saturday 10 am – 2 pm. The gallery is closed Sundays, Mondays, and holidays. For more information Call (406)256-5837, email sandstonegallerymt@gmail.com, or visit the website at sandstonegallerymt.com.