Billings Horror Con is returning to MetraPark Expo Center on October 24th and 25th, 2026 — and it's coming back bigger than ever.

Organized by Dragon Egg Games, the event runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, building on a debut that packed the expo floor with 45 vendors and a crowd that exceeded all expectations.

This year's guest lineup is a major step up, headlined by C.J. Graham — the Billings-born actor famous for portraying Jason Voorhees — alongside fan favorites Lew Temple and Lisa Wilcox.

New this year, a Vampire Masquerade Ball takes over Saturday evening at 6 p.m., featuring a cash prize costume contest already generating regional buzz.

Cosplay competitions, horror art, collectibles, and local vendors round out the weekend. Tickets start at just five dollars, keeping the experience accessible for all ages — and cementing Billings Horror Con as a genuine destination event for Montana's horror community.

At Billings Logan International Airport, the beat of traditional drums and ancestral song announced the return of a warrior.

The Crow Nation honored Navy Quartermaster Jadyss Hugs, a 20-year-old who spent 321 days at sea aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln during one of the most demanding naval deployments in recent memory.

Hugs served as a quartermaster — guiding the carrier through contested Persian Gulf waters during Operation Epic Fury.

The ship logged a reported 264 consecutive days without a port call, earning its strike group the Presidential Unit Citation, the military's highest unit-level valor distinction.

The only Crow tribal member aboard the ship, her service carries deep symbolic weight for her Nation.

Though the deployment brought hardship — including reports of food shortages and mental health strain — her community's welcome was rooted in generations of Apsáalooke tradition, prayers, and song.

Montana's governor formally recognized her service, honoring the enduring legacy of Native American military sacrifice.

For the Crow Nation, Jadyss Hugs has earned her place among their warriors.

Wayne Berry isn't just coaching football this season — he's coaching through cancer.

The longtime defensive coordinator at Billings Central Catholic High School was diagnosed with rectal cancer earlier this year and has continued working through chemotherapy, refusing to step away from the sideline he's called home since 2003.

Managing the physical toll has required real adjustments — a golf cart at practice, flights instead of bus rides to away games — but Berry's presence has never wavered.

For him, coaching isn't a distraction from his illness — it's his anchor.

The Billings community has rallied behind him, launching the 4th and One fundraiser in his honor. During a recent away game in Sidney, even the host crowd passed a helmet to collect donations — a spontaneous act of humanity that Berry says has moved him more than anything else.

The lessons he's teaching his players this season go far beyond the playbook.

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Billings' Amend Recreation Campus just proved it can handle the big stage.

The $20 million, 57,000-square-foot facility recently hosted its most ambitious single day yet, drawing more than 4,000 athletes, families, and fans to the south side complex simultaneously.

State cross country championships, Special Olympics Montana basketball, youth hockey at Signal Peak Arena, and a Montana Grizzlies vs. Bobcats collegiate rivalry game all unfolded on the same day — alongside a community volunteer fair.

Visitors traveled from across Montana to attend events they'd waited years to see hosted at a facility of this caliber.

No comparable venue exists anywhere else in the state — a distinction that gives Billings a serious edge in the $100 billion national sports tourism industry.

Officials called the day a successful stress test, and made clear: the biggest days are still ahead.

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Nine months after a knife attack at Billings Senior High School, the Yellowstone County Attorney's Office has declined to pursue felony charges — leaving educators, parents, and students without closure.

The incident occurred on January 13, 2026, during a wrestling meet, when a student stabbed a teacher on the third floor.

Both were hospitalized, the school evacuated, and classes were canceled the following day.

The case has since been referred to the Billings city attorney's office to determine whether lesser charges may apply.

The local educators' union called the decision a troubling precedent for school safety, while Superintendent Erwin Garcia acknowledged the deep toll on staff and students.

The district has since tightened security, limiting entry points and upgrading radio communication systems.

The student involved has since graduated and left the district.

The district now plans its own internal investigation — but for a community still processing a school stabbing with no charges, accountability remains elusive.

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A Billings, Montana community is demanding answers after Yellowstone County prosecutors declined to pursue felony charges in a January stabbing at Billings Senior High School that sent both a teacher and student to the hospital.

Nearly nine months after the January 13 incident, prosecutors quietly referred the case to the city attorney's office for a potential misdemeanor review instead.

The decision sparked swift backlash.

Over 100 teachers, students, and parents rallied along Grand Avenue, organized by the Billings Education Association, which represents more than 1,100 district educators.

Superintendent Erwin Garcia publicly expressed frustration, announcing the district will now launch its own investigation and seek access to criminal justice records through the courts.

Prior to the stabbing, the school had conducted at least five behavioral threat assessments — though officials say those reviews had grown increasingly difficult to complete.

For educators who took to the streets, the message was clear: violence is not part of the job description.