YVAS Open House (SATURDAY)
Where: 5056 Jellison Rd., Billings, MT
From pet lovers to theater lovers, the first full weekend of March brings a creative slew of events to the Billings area for those who find themselves out and about. As you can recall from all of our previous reporting here at MTN News, the Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter is now in a new, temporary home south of town. On Saturday, you will get the opportunity to officially celebrate the new home alongside the staff and the animals that they are helping there. There’s also an important note: anyone who attends will also get the chance to get their pet microchipped entirely for free. The celebration, itself, starts at noon. The YVAS staff will be offering tours of the new shelter, allowing guests to see both the path ahead for the next few years. Staff say there will be free giveaways through the afternoon until the open house ends at 3pm. As for the free microchips, the window to get those extends two hours longer (from noon until 5pm). This permanent form of pet identification can be costly to some elsewhere, from appointment and registration to actual installation, so a free opportunity could be worthwhile. YVAS is still aiming for a permanent location down the road. You can find out more about their capital campaign for making that possible at the open house.
YVAS Community Cat-urday (SATURDAY)
Where: 5056 Jellison Rd., Billings, MT
We cannot forget about the felines of Billings. Before the YVAS open house even begins, staff at the shelter will already be holding a unique event that aims to help the area’s stray cat population. From 8am to 11am, “Community Cat-urday” is a free trap-neuter-return clinic exclusively for feral or community cats. All cats that weigh at least two pounds can be spayed, neutered, fully vaccinated and ear-tipped to show that they are fixed and treated. Staff say you shouldn’t worry if you do not have the right kind of equipment to catch cats. You can rent one from Billings Animal Control or reach out to YVAS for help. They do suggest that you fill out registration to ensure that you snag a spot, but they could offer possible, limited walk-ins until 10am. There are some other specific things to keep in mind for your safety, as well as for the cats’ and staffs’. You can find all of those details on the shelter’s event page.
Write on Time Play Festival (FRIDAY - SUNDAY)
Where: NOVA Center for the Performing Arts; 2317 Montana Ave, Billings, MT
Now for the theater lovers out there, this is a festival that you might not want to miss. Coming from a theater-kid-past, rarely do students get an opportunity to write, direct and act in their own original productions in front of a live audience. Whether there is too much pressure or they do not have a stage that they can freely use, aspiring playwrights and actors often find their outlets in joining community theater groups. The Write on Time Play Festival showcases all of the above. Starting Friday night at the NOVA Center for the Performing Arts, the three-day festival will bring kids ages 10 to 18 together to build a one-act production from the ground up, starting with a prompt and idea workshop with the Funky Bunch Improv Show from 7:30pm to 9:30pm. On Saturday, the construction begins with pens on paper from 9am to 12pm to write the show into reality. From 1pm to 5pm on Saturday, rehearsal brings the young actors to the stage. Finally, Sunday is all showlights. There will be a final dress rehearsal at 10am for those taking part, with a full matinee performance set for 2pm.
