Northwest Montana Events Guide: April's Concerts, Theater, Festivals & Local Happenings

Spring has arrived in Northwest Montana and with it comes a packed calendar of can’t-miss events across the Flathead Valley. From live music and theater performances to film festivals, cultural showcases, and community fundraisers, this Local Events episode of News Now brings you everything happening in Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls, and beyond.

Discover standout experiences like the immersive “Cazador del Oso” gala, high-energy performances at the Wachholz College Center, and major live shows including Paul Cauthen’s debut at Majestic Valley Arena. Whether you're looking for family-friendly events, educational talks, or unforgettable nights out, this monthly guide helps you plan your schedule and stay connected to the heartbeat of Northwest Montana.

Discover more about all the happenings mentioned in the episode at dailyinterlake.com/events. Lock in tickets before they sell out! Check out flatheadtickets.com for upcoming events.

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Transcript

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The tulips are popping and the snow is falling. It must be spring in northwest Montana. April plays host to a bouquet of great events that will have you tidying up, diving into educational presentations, and taking advantage of our robust cultural opportunities. Thanks for tuning in to the Daily Inner Lakes Local Events Podcast. Let's find your next best time. Saturday, April 25th at the O'Shaughnessy Cultural Arts Center in Whitefish is a once-in-a-lifetime event you will not want to miss. Local trumpet phenom Zach Fawcett has stretched his creative skills to offer up Cazador del Oso, a multi-sensory gala featuring a live performance of the original soundtrack and visual art exhibition. Here's the story. A Jamaican Buffalo soldier was sent to Essex, Montana to fight the Big Burn of 1910. He becomes entangled with a local opium cartel, an infamous whiskey bootlegger. Said Buffalo Soldier deserts into the Great Bear Wilderness where he is later smuggled to Bynum by a rural male carrier. He's eventually caught by the cartel leader Oso and, well, Cazador Del Oso weaves art, music, and forgotten Montana history into a magnum opus, blurring the line between hunter and hunted. Id and ego, real and imagined. A truly unique experience you will not want to miss. Reserve your ticket at flatheadtickets.com. Weirdly, June will be here before we know it. Stop by flatheadtickets.com and claim your ticket for two great June events. The second annual Stump Town Get Down takes over Whitefish's Depot Park on Saturday, June 6th, with performances by Electronic Music Project Balkan Bump, DJ Trees, and local legend Dan Dubuque. Amazing Place Music returns with their on-the-stage concert series with two performances on Saturday, June 13th, featuring Broadway's star Capathia Jenkins for an intimate evening of singing and storytelling. Find tickets for both events at flatheadtickets.com. The stages are set for several great film and stage performances this month. The Whitefish Theater Company presents The Cottage, a comedy behind closed doors, for several performances April 9th through 18th at the O'Shaughnessy Cultural Arts Center in Whitefish. This is a side-splitting ROM of endless laughs, hilarious plot twists, daring physical comedy, and a happy ending for lovers everywhere. Walkholt's College Center staff have their work cut out for them this month. On Wednesday, April 8th, the Brantford Marsalis Quartet returns to the stage. Saxophonist Brantford Marsalis is one of the most revered figures in contemporary music, and his celebrated ensemble presents a kaleidoscopic range of both original compositions and jazz and popular classics. Dance down the rabbit hole on Saturday, April 11th, as the Wal Colts presents Momix, Alice. Alice is a live performance by the Momix Dance Company known for its illusion and acrobatics. Audiences will be taken on a journey that is both magical, mysterious, fun, eccentric, and much more. As Alice falls down the rabbit hole and experiences every kind of transformation, so will you. Sunday, April 12th, sit in for a high-energy blend of bold acrobatics, daring circus arts, and live Afro-jazz music with Cirque Calabante. Bask in the beauty, youth, and artistry of African culture right here at the Walkolts College Center. Kalispel Pachukacha is back again for their 12th installment on Thursday, April 30th at 6.30 p.m. at the Wal Colts. The PK team presents you with a broad view of creative placemaking where you'll hear from community members about their whys of creating imaginative spaces for our community to gather, dance, celebrate, reflect, and be inspired. In rapid fire, each presenter will share 20 slides for 20 seconds each, giving you a unique look into their lives and passions. Pachutkacha at the Wall Colts is a free community event aimed to inspire and connect. Flathead Valley Community College's Theater and Music Department present Into the Woods for various showtimes April 16th to 25th at the Joe Lagat Black Box Theater on campus. Into the Woods is a spellbinding musical that intertwines beloved fairy tales into a fresh, thought-provoking adventure. The Tea Kettle Quilt Guild showcases the community's fiber art at their 2026 quilt show on Saturday, April 18th at the Columbia Falls Glacier Gateway Elementary School from 9 a.m. to 3.45 p.m. Linda Crandall is this year's featured quilter. All proceeds support the Columbia Falls Food Bank. Outriders presents, host of the Infamous Under the Big Sky Music Festival, a sacred ownership of Kalispell's Majestic Valley Arena. On Saturday, April 18th, they host Paul Cawthon for their inaugural performance at the new venue. Cothen will be supported by New Orleans Folk Duo Crowboys and Local Talents Radio Ranch. If you've ever wanted to dance through the stacks at the library, you'll have your chance on Thursday, April 23rd, as the Flathead Library Foundation hosts their loud at the library at the Calspell branch of the Flathead County Library. Live music by Hot Dam, delicious snacks, beer, wine, and a silent auction will help you celebrate and fundraise for our worthy library. Local nonprofit Cast Hope takes over the Big Fork Center for Performing Arts on Friday, April 24th to share the International Fly Fishing Film Festival. Fish around the globe at this family-friendly event as you take in some of the most beautiful and insane fly fishing locations on the planet. Stretch your mind and imagination with several educational presentations this month. Waughts College Center kicks off the month on Tuesday, April 7th, with their popular Changemaker Speaker series. Groundbreaking photographer Jodie Cobb was the first, and for a time, the only female staff photographer at National Geographic. While blazing a trail for future female photojournalists, her powerful imagery gave the world unprecedented access to hidden societies across the globe. Students of all grade levels receive free admission. The Whitefish Lake Institute presents their April Science Quencher at the lodge at Whitefish Lake on Friday, April 10th at 5 p.m. Dive in for quality information on West Slope Cutthroat Rainbow Trout Hybridization, White Bark Pine Restoration, and a River Documentary Short film by our own Hungry Horse News editor, Chris Peterson. Well, friends, if you can't find something here to grab your interest, you can always stop by the online calendar at dailyinterlake.com slash events for a long list of local music, game nights, and community events. Thanks for tuning in to the Daily Inner Lakes Local Events Podcast. I'm your host, Melissa Wells, reminding you that the more you do, the more you do. Cheers.