You have been having a splendid vacation thus far, but all good things must come to an end. As the day winds down, try not to stay cooped up on your last day of vacation! Get out of those Great Falls, Montana motels and go shopping! No trip is complete unless you pack your bags full of goodies and souvenirs. If nothing else, they sure make your friends back at home jealous.

Holiday Village Mall is going to be the first stop for most shopaholics. This mall houses all of your big name department stores like JCPenney, Sears, and Herbergers. There are also over 60 different boutiques and specialty shops for you to look through here. You can even stop into the Crystal Casino on the premises if you have any money left to burn.

Bring your friends back a Great Falls delicacy of huckleberry chocolates from the Candy Master’s store. This store has everything a chocolate and candy lover could dream of, like taffy, handmade chocolate covered cherries, creamy truffles and even sugar free chocolates. They also have gift boxes of chocolates if your friends back home deserve something that sweet.

The New and Old Shop of Great Falls sells pretty much everything, from jewelry to antiques and collectables and even hardware and candles. You can even find old bottles and ancient books. You never really know what you will discover amongst the treasures of this store.

Other interesting shops to check out before you leave include the Viking Shop, Riddle’s Jewelry, Anita Goudeau Designs, and Big Horn Wilderness. With all these wonderful shops you are sure to find the perfect little something for everyone on your list. Once you have shopped till you dropped, it is time to head back to the Great Falls, Montana motels and look through all your new purchases. With all of your new treasures, it will be hard to decide what to keep and what to give as gifts to your friends back home!

Montana is no slouch where encouraging local and regional business is concerned. The Made in Montana program was launched 27 years ago and the 2011 Great Falls Montana Marketplace marks the 13th edition of this particular event. What will you find at this event? Obviously, the entire marketplace is dedicated to showcasing Montana businesses. However, it is much more than a shopping excursion.

Running from March 25, 2011 through March 26, 2011, you will be able to peruse the largest selection of Montana-made merchandise available anywhere. You will find amazing gourmet foods, specialty dishes, Native American foods and handicrafts, as well as more. Local honey, jams and jellies, breads and meats are on offer with numerous vendors.

This Great Falls, Montana event also brings you treasures of a less culinary nature. You will find handcrafted jewelry, clothing, décor for your home and photography. Handicrafts abound, as do souvenirs, furniture, art and much more.

The Montana Marketplace will be held mainly in the Mansfield Convention Center. The Artisans’ Gallery will be located in the Missouri Room. The Civic Center will also be used to host events, exhibits and displays. Obviously, this Great Falls, Montana event is of epic proportions. It seems that the entire state turns up to help support their local crafters and artisans.

In addition, you will find that Friday, the 26th of March is actually dedicated to wholesale buyers, so if you want to stock up on handcrafted locally produced items, this is your day to do so. Saturday, the 27th is general admission for the public, so prices will go up to retail standards.

Shop early and you can find some amazing deals and make some new connections. Of course, the entire event is a great place for visitors, their families and residents to spend an incredible day.

The city of Great Falls is full of great things to do. There are excellent annual events that appeal to all ages. There are natural areas full of pristine beauty to explore and more. Of course, if quilting is your thing, then there are excellent options for you in town. For example, consider attending the Circle of Friends Shop Hop in Great Falls. This is an excellent opportunity to get your quilting groove on! What is this event?

The Circle of Friends Montana Shop Hop is a quilt shop hop. It has been held in Great Falls, Montana for seven full years now and the event continues to grow in terms of popularity. The Shop Hop began April 16, 2010 and will continue through May 8, 2010. This year’s hop sees more than 40 different stores helping those with the urge to quilt and win prizes. The Hop offer six quilting circles, and the more you complete the greater your chance of winning first prize in the event. For each circle completed, you will be entered once in the grand prize drawing.

The circles for the event are the Western Circle, the Central Circle, the Hi-Line Circle, the Eastern Circle and the Southern Circle. Entrants must have their “passport” with them (it can be printed from the Shop Hop website). In addition to the fun offered by completing the circles, you will also find that each of the 40 stores is offering discounted deals on fabric and quilting tools that you need.

Enjoy some of the best quilting fun to be found in Big Sky Country and take a turn around the Circle of Friends Montana Shop Hop in Great Falls, MT while it lasts – it will be gone soon!