Food and fun for community college scholarships

Annual Festival of Flavors Sept. 26 to Oct. 7

Montanans know how to have a good time, especially when it's for a good cause.

Two weeks of events in the Flathead Valley raise money for scholarships at Flathead Valley Community College.

The Flathead Valley Community College Foundation’s Festival of Flavors fall events are Sept. 29 through Oct.7 at the FVCC campus in Kalispell and at locations across the Flathead Valley. The theme commemorates the Harvest Moon, which appears on Festival Kickoff Sept. 29.

Festival of Flavors enters its 16th season and is the college’s largest fundraiser for scholarships each year. Following several events from spring and summer, the Festival of Flavors culminates with the fall events and include a multi-day lineup of events at local homes, restaurants and at the college campus to allow the community to sample many types of cuisine for a good cause.

This year, one of the local home events has partnered with FVCC’s Culinary Institute of Montana helping the program’s students gain valuable event catering and culinary experience. Event sponsor Summit Beverage provides a wide assortment of wines for every event, tailoring the varieties to suit each menu so guests have the opportunity to sample delicious red, white and sparkling wines from around the world.

In 2022, the Foundation awarded over $1 million in scholarships to students at FVCC. Scholarship recipients have shared that financial assistance of scholarships is critical to their success, as well as knowing that someone believed in them.

Donor support makes all the difference to students every year as they pursue their educational journey at FVCC. Last year alone the Foundation was able to raise over $500,000 for student scholarships through its yearlong Festival of Flavors series of events.

Join the FVCC Foundation for this fall’s Festival of Flavors events:

• Monday, September 25: Online auction goes live. Guests can view items and bid from any location.

• Friday, September 29: Fall Kickoff at FVCC. Join the fun family-friendly outdoor concert at the Wachholz College Center. Enjoy food trucks, beverages, raffles and live music by Halladay Blake, Rob Quist and Clara Wieck. Families and young professionals are encouraged to attend.

• Sunday, October 1: Dinner at the home of Suzy Williams in Kalispell. Enjoy dinner with esteemed Foundation Board member and friend of FVCC Suzy Williams at her historic home in downtown Kalispell. Dinner will be prepared by FVCC’s Culinary Institute of Montana and wine pairings by Summit Beverage.

• Monday, October 2: Dinner at Herb and Omni in Whitefish. Celebrate the launch of the upscale restaurant in the historic 101 Central building in downtown. Dinner will be prepared by Chef Justin Kingsley Hall and wine pairings by Summit Beverage.

• Saturday, October 7: Grand Wine Tasting with live auction. Sample a wide assortment of wines and small bites from local chefs while bidding in the live and silent auction. Celebrate the fall harvest with us at the Wachholz College Center on the FVCC Campus.

  Tickets are now on sale for all events and must be purchased in advance. Seating is limited. For tickets or more information, visit fvcc.edu/foundation, call 406.756.3632 or email foundation@fvcc.edu.