Helena-area arts and entertainment news

Four legendary acoustic musicians will take The Myrna Loy stage on Thursday, June 27, at 7:30 p.m.

Growling Old Men is a duo featuring Ben Winship and John Lowell performing acoustic Americana, with a sense of humor, tight vocals and excellent musicianship. 

Mike Compton and Joe Newberry have been touring together for years, finding stages for their unique blend of old time, gospel and bluegrass.

Each duo will perform a set and then the final set will find them joining forces on stage.

Tickets available at themyrnyaloy.com, by calling the box office at 406-443-0287, or by stopping in at 15 N. Ewing St.

The State Capital Band will begin their 122nd summer concert series at Memorial Park on Thursday, June 27.

The band’s second summer concert will deviate from its normal Thursday performance dates and be held on Wednesday, July 3. Both concerts are from 8-9 p.m.

This band is one of the longest continually performing bands in the country and will be conducted by Robert Loveridge.

The band will present a variety of music including marches, classical wind ensemble pieces, and Broadway and movie tunes.

Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy an evening of music. 

Valley View Lutheran Church invites you to a night of songs and stories with Christian artist Mike Westendorf.

Westendorf will be in concert at the Lewis & Clark Brewery, 1535 Dodge Ave., on Saturday, July 6, at 7 p.m.

Join us for a night of music for the whole family.

For more information on Mike, visit www.mikewestendor.com.

For more information on Valley View Lutheran Church, please visit www.valleyviewlutheran.org/page/home-page.

The free summer concert series Alive at Five continues 5-9 p.m. Wednesday at Women’s Park, 575 Fuller Ave.

Music will be provided by The Droptines.

It’s another neighborhood concert featuring the unique sounds of the alt-country music group The Droptines (that’s “tines” not “teens”). This Texas group offers a mash up of country, rock, blues and folk.

The Foundation for Montana History has announced the 2024 launch of the Helena History Tours program.

These tours, now in their fourth season, offer locals and visitors a glimpse into Helena’s history, promoting heritage tourism, outdoor recreation and supporting downtown businesses. Running daily through Labor Day weekend, Helena History Tours feature five distinct tours, with additional private tours available.

• Adventure on the Ambrose Trail: Fridays at 11 a.m.
• Breweries & Brothels: Thursdays and Fridays at 5:30 p.m.
• Miners to Millionaires: Sundays at 1 p.m.
• Rediscover Reeder’s Alley: Mondays through Thursdays at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
• Pedaling Through the Past: Saturdays at 10 a.m.

For tickets, schedules and more information, visit mthistory.org/tours. 

The Helena Ambassadors will again sponsor the free, communitywide Capital City on July 4th Celebration at Centennial Park. The festivities begin at 10:30 a.m. and end around 1:30-2 p.m.

The celebration is a community, family-oriented event with free hot dogs cooked and served by the Helena Lions Club, root beer floats served by volunteers from Valley Bank, and sunscreen and chilled bottled water provided by St. Peter’s Health. Safeway/Albertsons provides the hot dogs and buns and the ice cream, thanks to Eric Dowell.

The free festivities include bounce houses and live music by the band Just In Case.

The summer weight flag will be delivered to Centennial Park by the Montana Department of Natural Resources Helicopter Team. Touchdown is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. with the flag-raising ceremony at noon.

The Old Glory Landmark, and flags that fly at the landmark, are supported by tax-deductible donations and by the purchase of commemorative engraved bricks (also tax-deductible) that are placed in holders around the landmark.

Donations can be made to the Old Glory Landmark Committee, 2850 Mercer Loop, Helena, MT, 59602, or to purchase a brick contact Rodger Foster at: [email protected].

The Bray’s Frances Senska Center for Education and Engagement will host Artist Amplified with Laura Dirksen on Thursday, June 27, at 6:30 p.m. 

Dirksen, a Bray Fellow and long-term resident artist, will provide insights into her artistic practice. The Artist Amplified lecture and demonstration series offers a platform for artists and art enthusiasts to share their history, processes, and conceptual motivations through various presentation formats. 

Dirksen hails from Maria Stein, Ohio. In spring 2023, Dirksen received her MFA from Penn State University before joining us at the Archie Bray Foundation.

Join us on Monday, July 1, at 6:30 p.m. at the Archie Bray Education Center for an engaging evening of artist talks presented by the current resident artists at The Bray.

The artists will share the inspirations and influences that drive their work, recounting their journeys and exploring future possibilities. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place at The Bray’s Frances Senska Center for Education and Engagement. The Bray is located at 2915 Country Club Ave. in Helena, just 1/3 mile west of Spring Meadow Lake.

Visitors are also welcome to explore the galleries, which are free and open to the public.

The Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art (The Square) presents “Kelly Bourgeois: Nature Quills,” art exhibition running through Sept. 14.

The closing Reception & Artist Talk, will be held on Thursday, Sept. 5, at 5:30 p.m.

This exhibition invites the public to explore the imaginative world of quilled paper art through works created by Bourgeois between 2022 and 2024.

Each piece in “Nature Quills” has taken over a year to create, starting from a single 3mm piece of paper and becoming finalized through thousands of quilled circles. The purpose of the exhibition is to inspire creativity and enhance the understanding of art for all people. 

The Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art is located at 1400 1st Avenue North, Great Falls.

Hours are Tuesday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Admission is free to the public, with donations appreciated. Visit www.the-square.org or call 406-727-8255 for further information.