Butte Civic Center

Mother's Day Weekend is always jam-packed at the Butte Civic Center, what with Mayfair happening with KXLF which, of course, is one of the biggest fair and trade shows in Montana.  It's an incredible event and something we all look forward to every year.  You can count on finding many old friends wandering through the booths of the Civic Center arena and vendors from just about everywhere in Montana, but in the Civic Center annex on Saturday there is something else happening that you need to know about.

It appears that the first two Fight Kingdom boxing/MMA extravaganzas held at the Butte Civic Center were so huge that organizer/promoter Monty Klistoff finally decided he's had enough of watching from the corners. Sure, Klistoff will still be the man behind the magic at this Saturday's Fight Kingdom 3 but in addition he will be reprising his role as one of Southwest Montana's most popular MMA fighters, stepping back into the ring for the night's Main Event against another big name in Montana MMA, Brandon Little Coyote.

You've seen the old train engine sitting off of Harrison Avenue on the south side of the Butte Civic Center. It's been there for so long that it almost goes unnoticed, fenced in behind chain-link and as close to as unassuming as a locomotive engine can be. But when you take a closer look, you not only see Butte history, but the beauty of this industrial behemoth, and when you learn it's story you realize it's significance and why it needs to be restored.

Community partners will once again be a big part of the Fair's success. Are you a business that would like to get behind this incredible weekend? Sponsors again are needed and welcome. The theme this year will be "Big Sky Nights and Homegrown Delights" and excitement is building. Vendors will also be needed this year as well as many volunteers from the community to help keep things running smoothly.

Montana's natural beauty and seemingly limitless outdoor recreation opportunities are what make the Treasure State, our treasured home, so special. For many Montanans, hunting, camping, fishing, hiking, canoeing and the hundreds of other outdoor activity possibilities that many take for granted, are simply what makes their worlds spin around. Even if you are a newcomer to our beautiful state but are still interested in learning what you need to get outdoors and enjoy Montana will be on full display this weekend as the Montana Outdoor Expo gets underway at the Butte Civic Center.

Welcome to Butte, all players, coaches, fans, officials and press. Here is a look at this year's State C boys and girls' brackets. Play will begin with the girls first round on Wednesday.

It's semifinal Friday at the Western C Divisional Boys and Girls Basketball Tournament at the Butte Civic Center and the matchups have been set after an exciting opening day on Thursday. The semifinals mean, in most cases, one win and you advance to the State Tournament so there is a lot at stake.

High school basketball tournament time is here and as is usually the case, the Butte Civic Center will be a host site, this weekend for the Western C Boys and Girls Divisional Basketball Tournament which tips off Thursday morning at 9am and will run late into Saturday night. At stake? The Western C Division's two berths into the state tournament which will also be played at the Butte Civic Center.

The Butte High Bulldogs hosted the Glacier High School Wolfpack from Kalispell in a boys-girls basketball doubleheader at the Butte Civic Center on Friday evening and came out victorious in both contests.

The Butte Food Bank relies on a very special yearly event to fund the food backpack program, one that is coming to the Butte Civic Center on April 2nd, the annual Empty Bowls fundraiser. Every year, the artisans at the Hungry Hill Art Studio create designer bowls that are sold at the event and can be filled with a variety of hearty, delicious soup donated by many of Butte's fine restaurants. Small bowls are $20, medium bowls are $50 and large bowls are $100 and also include bread, dessert and live music. Let's take a look at some of the bowls that have been sold in years past.