4 Ways to Have Fun in Great Falls
From magnificent murals and live music to fitness fun and games galore, you will get your fill of entertainment in Great Falls.
No matter your passion – taking in art at a gallery, listening to live music, playing games with friends or swimming laps at the local pool – Great Falls is the place to pursue it. And with new fun activities in Great Falls popping up everywhere, you might just find one more to add to your list.
In This Article
1. Take in the Arts
Ahhh, the arts. Here in Great Falls, the beauty and creativity that abound from this visual form of expression don’t just have one purpose, but three – it’s a hobby, a recreational pursuit and an economic investment.
“The economic benefits of the arts have been proven over and over,” says Joan Redeen, community director of the Great Falls Business Improvement District and champion for many art programs downtown. “Our businesses are absolutely benefiting from the installation of the murals. Another impact is the positive community vibe in regard to downtown. The attitude is starting to change, and the community is starting to take pride in the wonderful assets we have to offer downtown.”
So Much to Explore
In addition to beautiful murals, residents can enjoy a collection of standout museums, take in a show at the Mansfield Center for the Performing Arts,
or take a step-by-step painting class, among other things.
As a region that embraces creativity, Great Falls also employs local artists through public art activities, such as decorating traffic signal boxes, painting an underpass mural at the west entrance to downtown, adding color to parking meters, and creating murals during the annual ArtsFest MONTANA festival.
“Great Falls has always been tremendously supportive of artists,” Redeen says. “Our community often hosts calls for public art to generate the many public art projects downtown.”
Must-See Event
ArtsFest MONTANA is a relatively new event. In 2018, NeighborWorks Great Falls, which strives to create strong neighborhoods and affordable housing in Great Falls, invited internationally known muralist Cameron Moberg to town and funded the installation of murals on Fifth Street South and First Avenue South at the Hi-Line Climbing Center.
2. Enjoy Games Galore
Families – and let’s be honest, adults out with friends, too – can have a blast in Great Falls at places like Escape the Falls escape room, Flippin’ Family Fun indoor trampoline park, Wheels of Thunder roller skating, Chase Your Dreams virtual reality arcade, and the new Game Night Lounge that opened in 2021.
The lounge has just about everything you can think of – food, board games, a virtual reality motion simulator, gaming stations with couches and much more.
3. Jam to Live Music
In addition to the arts, a number of other passions can be explored at the collection of new venues being added to Great Falls. For live music fans, The Newberry, a newly opened entertainment center downtown that started hosting shows in September 2021, is the place you’ll want to spend your time. It aims to host more than 90 events annually, bringing more than 60,000 people into downtown. Plus, the space can also be rented for private corporate events, weddings and other activities.
4. Get Fit While Having Fun
If you’re a fitness fanatic, a new aquatics and recreation center will soon be up and running for you. Aim High/Big Sky will accommodate the training and fitness needs of airmen and their families as well as welcome locals.
The $20 million facility will provide aquatic fun and fitness opportunities, such as water aerobics, swimming lessons, kayaking and diving. There will be a lap pool, a therapeutic pool, a recreational pool, open fitness areas, indoor gym space, drop-off child care, classrooms and ancillary support facilities.
“The fitness facility will have resounding positive impacts on both the local community and the base population, supporting our fitness, mission and quality-of-life needs,” says Col. Anita Feugate Opperman, 341st Missile Wing commander.
No matter what kind of entertainment you are feeling or the hobby you want to pursue, Great Falls has the venue you are looking for – and take it from us, you are sure to have fun.