A record number of books and writers have been nominated for the 11th annual High Plains Book Awards in Billings. The awards are given out as part of the High Plains Bookfest, which seeks to recognize regional authors and literary works that examine and reflect life on the High Plains. This year’s festival is scheduled for Oct. 20-21. (more…) Continue Reading →
Culture
Recent Posts
Architects have big plans for tiny-home concept
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A trio of local architects is hoping to do something different, something big, with the concept of tiny homes. Brian Johnson, Nick Pancheau and Jeff Kanning, partners in Collaborative Design Architects, started a sister business, Arch 406, to cater to clients whose smaller, custom-designed projects weren’t quite big enough to interest most contractors. (more…) Continue Reading →
Filed under: Culture, Diversions, Arch 406, Brian Johnson, Collaborative Design Architects, Jeff Kanning, Nick Pancheau
Food truck-mobile bakery almost ready to hit the street
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Late last decade, Matt Melvin, a chef and baker who had worked for a lot of restaurants, started thinking about opening his own place. But he and his wife, Maggie, were looking at an upfront investment of up $200,000, and it was a hurdle they couldn’t get over. Things started looking up last year, when Brian Johnson got a hold of him. (more…) Continue Reading →
Filed under: Culture, Diversions, Arch 406, Collaborative Design Architects, Harper & Madison, Lilac, Matt Melvin, Rudeboys
Violinist hoping to find the magic at Rocky’s small venue
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Carrie Krause, a violinist who will be featured in a concert this Saturday at Rocky Mountain College, said her love of the violin began when she was just a child growing up in Fairbanks, Alaska. “I first started playing violin when I was 3,” she said. “My mom was a violinist, and apparently I made it very clear that was what I wanted to do, too. My mother did an amazing job of making practicing fun, an adventure, with practice rewards of feeding carrots to horses and charms for a charm bracelet. “And I only had to practice on the days I ate,” she joked. Continue Reading →
Filed under: Culture, Diversions, Baroque Music Montana, Carrie Krause, Prescott Hall, Rocky Mountain College
Vince Larsen: A good citizen’s full life inspired many
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Two things surprised me about Vince Larsen’s obituary, which appeared in the Gazette on Tuesday. The first surprise was his age. I don’t know that I ever thought how old he was, but 87? Vince had the energy and the intellectual curiosity of someone half that age, and he had a way of transmitting his enthusiasm for life to everyone around him. (more…) Continue Reading →
Filed under: Billings, Culture, Bureau of Land Management, First Presbyterian Church, Four Dances Natural Area, Vince Larsen
History grants go to Adams Hotel, other projects
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The Montana History Foundation announced the awarding of grants totaling $117,000 on Wednesday. “Our grant recipients are new and unique every year,” MHF President and CEO Charlene Porsild said in a press release. “We are so proud to support projects from Libby to Ekalaka and all points in between this year ranging from interpretive signage of outdoor exhibits to curation of dinosaur fossils to restoration work on a log cabin or an historic hotel.” (more…) Continue Reading →
Filed under: Culture, Montana, Adams Hotel, Carter County Museum, Crow Language Dictionary, Montana History Foundation
Kurth brothers team up for new music festival in Billings
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Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include a correction. Brian Kurth wanted to do something to help support the Billings Al Bedoo Shriners and he wanted to throw a party on his property a little west of town. The two desires will come together this summer in what he’s calling the Annual Elk River Reunion-Legends of Country Rock Festival. (more…) Continue Reading →
Filed under: Billings, Culture, Brian Kurth, Mitch Dimich, Wally Kurth, Zoograss
Red Lodge chef honored again in James Beard contest
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Michael Muirhead’s first brush with the James Beard Foundation Awards came in 1998. It was his first day on the job at the famed Spago restaurant in Beverly Hills, and he was hoping to meet the owner-chef, Wolfgang Puck. But Puck was not there that day. He and two of his top chefs were finalists in different categories of the James Beard contest that year, and they were off attending the awards ceremony. (more…) Continue Reading →
Filed under: Culture, Diversions, Más Taco, Michael Muirhead, Red Lodge, Spago, Wolfgang Puck
Professional theater company launched in Billings
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Craig Huisenga was still living in San Diego eight years ago when he came up with the idea of starting the Yellowstone Repertory Theatre. He was thinking of returning to Billings to care for his aging parents, but having
worked as a professional actor and director in Seattle, Eugene, Ore., and San Diego, he wanted to be able to continue as a professional if he moved back home. (more…) Continue Reading →
Filed under: Billings, Culture, Caitlin Hart, Craig Huisenga, Dina Brophy, NOVA Center for the Performing Arts, Sacrifice Cliff Theatre Company, Sarah Butts
Montana friends hoping to make their mark in Hollywood
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A couple of Montana boys who stumbled into the movie business while attending Carroll College appear to have struck a chord with their latest film. “What Separates Us,” by director Bryan Ferriter, a native of Helena, and producer Isaac Marble, who grew up on the East Bench outside of Fox, near Roberts, won the best-picture award at the Machetanz Film Festival in Palmer, Alaska, last summer. (more…) Continue Reading →
