It’s hard to believe that, with this final issue of 2023, we’ve wrapped up our 198th issue. It has taken over 16 years to finally get comfortable with an endeavor that benefits our community, to see the fruits of our labor paying off, and to have hope for the future of our business, and our town. As many small business owners can attest, striking out on your own can be an extremely difficult road to take. It is often unpaved and bumpy; it may shake your tailpipe loose and require serious help. It may make you rich and famous, but probably not.

Not to be trite, but I’d like to take a quick look back at the past year and share my favorite memories of local events I was lucky enough to attend. I have added the Bozeman Magazine logo to my phone’s home screen; it takes me straight to bozemanmagazine.com, and I use it almost exclusively to go to the events page. I find interesting, fun, creative, family-friendly social events that interest me every time I check the Greater Yellowstone Events Calendar. Here are some of my favorites from 2023.

My son began playing hockey last year, and being a part of the local hockey community has been a fun new adventure for our family. The Ice Barn at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds offers hockey for all ages on a regular basis, figure skating ice time and classes, and both high school and Junior hockey — our very own Ice Dogs. My oldest daughter did break her finger skating in 2022 so, for some of us, visiting the rink is a spectator sport! If you have any skating ability, the community at the rink is a great place to connect and make new friends.

Gnome Roam and the Bumblewood Thicket Fairy Village are two local events I attended this year that brought joy to my life and a smile to my face. Both are brought to us by Random Acts of Silliness, a local nonprofit intent on bringing magical experiences to Bozeman. Meandering through the fairy village with my young niece and nephew was especially enjoyable; “Where are the fairies hiding?” was heard over and over. RAS is sure to bring more fun and joy in the coming year!

Live music is my jam. I attended concerts at many local venues this year, including The Tune Up Bar, The Jump, Stacey’s Old Faithful Bar, Bourbon, The Filling Station, The ELM, Rialto Bozeman, The Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, The Armory Music Hall, Ellingston Park in Virginia City, and the Yellowstone Harvest Festival in Livingston. Maybe I’ll see you at the next show?

While I can’t attend every fundraiser in town (and there are A LOT of them), I was able to get to The Benefit at Bozeman Beach in June. It was a perfect day to raise money for HRDC to combat youth homelessness, and have a lot of fun doing it. Two local guys, Devon Gwynn and Jake Becker, came up with the idea to bring together their love of volleyball and sportsmanship with a desire to help their community, and it has grown into a successful event that does a lot of good in Bozeman. The BBB has something for everyone, from local artists offering hands-on crafting to a wellness tent with meditation practices; food trucks; a volleyball tournament; live music from local bands, and fun on the water at the Glen Lake Rotary Park. Look for this event in 2024—you don’t want to miss it.

As 2023 wraps up, be sure to check our calendar for the coolest NYE events in Bozeman, and ring in the new year with some new friends and experiences. Cheers!