"Salsa Fest, Great American Cleanup, Live Music, and More! Big Horn County's Controversial Headlines"🔥💃🎶

Trivia Question❓

What are the only birds that can fly backward??

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter

🌶️💃 1st Annual Salsa Fest – Heat, Beats & Bragging Rights

📅 May 1 | 6:00 PM
📍 Under Skypoint (Downtown Billings) + Montana Brewing Company

Billings, it’s time to settle an important question:
How spicy is too spicy?

The 1st Annual Salsa Festival is taking over downtown with live music from The Repeat Offenders, local brews, and what might be the most competitive condiment showdown of the year.

🏆 The Main Event

Two champions. Two styles. Serious bragging rights:

Best Spicy Salsa 🌶️ (for the brave)
Best Mild Salsa 🥑 (for the flavor purists)

Each winner walks away with $500 and a giant trophy—because nothing says victory like oversized hardware and questionable levels of jalapeño.

😂 Why You’ll Want to Go

You get to taste-test your way through Billings
Live music + downtown vibes under Skypoint
A strong chance someone says, “This one’s not that hot” right before immediate regret

Whether you’re entering a jar or just showing up hungry, this one has all the ingredients for a chaotic, delicious Friday night.

👍 Newsletter tip

This is a perfect feature event—you could even:

Lead with it as your main headline
Pair it with Quinlan Valdez (same night, different vibe)
Or frame your issue as “Spicy Weekend in Billings”

Local Business Spotlight

Remington Family Dental

Remington Family Dental is led by Dr. Remington Townsend, Dr. Jacob Condon, and Dr. Blaine Baker. With their extensive dental experience and a patient-centered approach, they ensure every visit is comfortable and personalized for patients of all ages. The team at Remington Family Dental goes above and beyond to create a supportive and seamless dental experience for each patient.

Billings Gears Up for Great American Cleanup and Anti-Litter Initiatives

Billings residents are gearing up for the Great American Cleanup on April 25, 2026, a city-wide event led by Bright n' Beautiful to tackle litter and beautify local spaces.

Volunteers will meet at the Billings Community Center and Operation Center starting at 8:30 a.m. for check-in and supplies, before fanning out to spruce up neighborhoods and parks.

🎶 Hot Damn Scandal – Midweek Dance Break

Tuesday, April 28 | 6:00 PM
📍 2501 Montana Ave

Need to shake off the weekday slump? Hot Damn Scandal brings a high-energy, slightly chaotic (in a good way) live show that leans more party than performance.

🍻 Quinlan Valdez – Easygoing Friday Night Vibes

Friday, May 1 | Evening
📍 Thirsty Street Brewing Company

If Salsa Fest is a little too spicy, this is your backup plan. Quinlan Valdez delivers a more laid-back set—perfect for a chill drink and good conversation.

🎶 Hot Damn Scandal – Live Music Night

📅 April 28 | 🕕 6:00 PM
📍 2501 Montana Ave

Looking for something a little louder midweek? Hot Damn Scandal brings their high-energy, genre-bending sound to Billings for a lively evening show. Known for mixing folk, punk, and a bit of theatrical flair, their performances tend to feel more like a party than a standard concert.

Expect a fun, slightly rowdy crowd, plenty of dancing, and a great excuse to get out on a Tuesday night.

Girls Night Out at Club Lux

Thursday, April 30 • 8 PM - 10:30 PM - 1123 First Ave N.

The #1 Ladies Night Event Is Coming to Billings! Limited Tickets On Sale NOW! Open to Ages 21+ Doors open at 7pm

Ladies it’s your turn to have some Fun! Mark your calendar and bring all of your friends for an epic night of Fun and Excitement with our “WILD NIGHTS” Tour!

🎶 Coming Soon: Three Dog Night (May 15)

Classic hits like “Joy to the World” and “Mama Told Me (Not to Come)” are coming to the Alberta Bair stage next month—worth grabbing tickets early if you’re into classic rock.

🕵️ The Dinner Detective – Dinner… With a Side of Suspicion

📅 May 2 | Evening
📍 DoubleTree by Hilton Billings

Looking for something a little different? The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show brings an interactive whodunit to Billings—served alongside dinner.

Guests become part of the show as actors blend into the crowd, clues unfold in real time, and everyone gets a shot at solving the mystery. It’s part theater, part game, and a solid pick for date night or a group outing.

Two Towns, One Name, and a Whole Lot of Heart! 🏍️

Did you know we have a long-lost cousin 1,200 miles away? It's true! Billings, Montana, and Billings, Missouri share more than just a name — they share a fascinating slice of American history.

Both towns tip their hats to the same guy: Frederick H. Billings, a railroad baron, lawyer, and early conservationist who left his mark on the map (twice!).

Last week, things got extra exciting when a group of friendly ambassadors from Billings, Missouri, rolled into town — literally! The crew of four cruised all 1,200 miles up here on their Harley-Davidsons, with sponsorships from local businesses and families back home fueling the journey. They arrived Monday, September 12, and sat down with Mayor Bill Cole the very next day to chat about becoming official sister cities.

"We had an excellent visit with the group of ambassadors from Billings, Missouri. It was an honor to host them and make compelling historical connections," Mayor Cole shared. "We packed a lot of conversation into our three-hour visit, and I hope to make a trip of my own there one day to connect more dots between our two railroad towns."

Mike McCoy, one of the Missouri ambassadors, summed up the excitement perfectly: "We have worked very, very hard and we're very excited to come up here because of the opportunity to see exactly how you grew."

And grow we did! Here's where things get interesting. Our Montana Billings is home to just over 117,000 folks (per the 2020 census), while Missouri's Billings is a cozy little community just shy of 1,000 residents. But before we get too proud of our size — Missouri's Billings has us beat in one big way: they're a full decade older than us!

Here's the scoop: Back in 1872, Frederick Billings offered the Missouri town $1,000 to build a church in exchange for naming rights. Smart deal, right? Our own Billings came along in 1882, named in honor of Frederick during his time as president of the Northern Pacific Railway (1879–1881).

Before they hit the road home, the Missouri crew presented Mayor Cole with some wonderful gifts to share and display, including a charming photo of their city council standing proudly in front of Billings (Missouri) City Hall.

Two towns. One name. A friendship 150 years in the making. Here's to many more chapters in the story of the Billings Brothers! 🤠

Big Horn County Addresses Domestic Violence Amid Homicide Investigation

The tragic discovery of Shawna Katherine Grove’s body in Big Horn County has renewed urgent concerns about domestic violence and the troubling wave of missing women in the area.

🛒 Ingredients

5–6 ripe Roma tomatoes (or 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes for extra depth)
1–2 jalapeños (seeds in = 🔥, seeds out = 👍)
2 cloves garlic
¼ cup white onion
½ cup fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
½ tsp salt (plus more to taste)
Optional: ½ tsp cumin or a splash of vinegar for kick

🔪 Instructions

Toss everything into a blender or food processor
Pulse until it hits your ideal texture (chunky vs. smooth is a personal lifestyle choice)
Taste → adjust salt, lime, or heat
Let it sit for 30–60 minutes (this is where the magic happens)

🔥 Pro Tips (a.k.a. how to win friends and possibly trophies)

Roast your ingredients first (tomatoes, jalapeños, garlic) for a smoky, deeper flavor
Add a tiny pinch of sugar if your tomatoes are too acidic
Want next-level flavor? Chill it overnight

😂 Real Talk

Everyone says, “This isn’t that spicy.”
No one ever means it.

That's a Wrap

Whether you’re chasing spice glory, solving a mystery over dinner, or just out enjoying a spring evening downtown, this week is shaping up to be a good one.

Get out there, try something new—and maybe bring a glass of milk, just in case.

💡 Answer to Trivia Question:

Hummingbirds