The Jake Five: Wake me up in mid-September.

Fall is finally here, and it's bringing a crowded slate of events in and around Billings.

Staying awake at the Babcock and Art House

Good news! The Babcock Theatre is staying open through the construction that is tearing up and rebuilding the sidewalk outside their entrance (you'll just have to go in at the double doors between Montague's Jewelers and Rock Creek Coffee).

That's especially fortunate because this weekend they are again trying to screen the greatest double feature of all time. On Saturday at 6 p.m. they're showing "The Princess Bride." Rob Reiner's 1987 classic came when he was on one of the hottest streaks a director has ever been on (it's bookended on either side with "Stand by Me" and "When Harry Met Sally"), and it's still one of the most quoted movies ever made, quite the accomplishment for something with characters named Princess Buttercup and Prince Humperdink.

Stay seated (or maybe go get something to eat and then come back, they probably don't want you just chilling in the theater) for "A Nightmare on Elm Street" at 9 p.m. Freddy Krueger has returned and returned and returned (most notably in 1994's proto-"Scream" meta riff "Wes Craven's New Nightmare") but he was never scarier or ickier than he is in the original. Plus it features real live movie monster Johnny Depp dying in a torrent of blood. What's not to love?

On Wednesday at 7 p.m. catch "Sin City," a loving throwback to the era before superhero movies were ubiquitous and they were actually made to look aesthetically different and unique and weren't all made on a Disney sanctioned assembly line.

Fall is traditionally thought of as horror time, but there's an even bigger nightmare lurking: high school football. In honor of that, the Babcock is showing "Varsity Blues," the 1999 movie about a fictional Texas football team, on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Down at Art House Cinema and Pub they're still all in on "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," and adding the regenerative farming documentary "Common Ground," which features a whole bunch of rich and famous people telling us how we need to take better care of the environment. But the most exciting movie of the week might be an encore rerun of "Hundreds of Beavers," a microbudget, silent, black and white slapstick comedy that is somehow one of the best films of the year.

And even if you hate movies, Art House has something for you. The Pub at Art House, the new restaurant guided by Jordan Hodson (Pink Patties Food Truck) doesn't officially open for a week, but there's a soft opening happening right now, so check out arthousebillings.com/dining for the menu.

MINT Film Festival

The Montana International Film Festival (MINT) is back for its seventh year this weekend on Sept. 19-22 in downtown Billings, with all films screening at Art House. The schedule is chock full but some choice cuts include a block of Montana documentary shorts at 5:15 p.m. on Friday, followed by a block of narrative shorts at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday there's a selection of Indigenous short films at 5:30 p.m. and on Sunday there's a showing of François Truffaut 1973 film "Day For Night" at 2 p.m. And that's just a small taste, so head to mintfilmfestival.org for more info and a chance to purchase tickets.

Billings Symphony: 'Sibelius 5' at the Alberta Bair

If you thought the Billings Symphony was back last week, then you have no idea how much more back they are this week. After a couple smaller events the whole group is back in full for a performance of Jean Sibelius' "Symphony No. 5" on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Alberta Bair Theater. The Finnish composer is widely regarded as the best musician to ever come out of that country, and was so influential he's regarded as helping them build enough national identity that they were able to resist Russification. The Symphony, along with guest musician Zlatomir Fung on cello, are playing the piece to kick off their upcoming season. Tickets for the big shebang are $51- $83 ($29 - $43 for students) at albertabairtheater.org . But if you're looking to save a little cash, you can go to the dress rehearsal at 10:30 a.m., where tickets are $26, also at albertabairtheater.org .

Crystal Gayle at the Alberta Bair

Crystal Gayle was born a coal miner's daughter, in a cabin on a hill in Butcher's Hollow. And if that sounds familiar, it's because Gayle's older sister was Loretta Lynn, one of the greatest songwriters this country has ever produced. The little sister is no slouch either, and traded in her sibling's rage tinged songwriting for sultry vocals and floor length hair that made her a countrypolitan icon. See all that and more in person as Gayle is opening the Alberta Bair Theater's 2024-25 season on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $47.50 - $87.50 at albertabairtheater.org .

Billings Symphony: Bach and Brews

That's gotta be enough for one week, right? Not if you're the Billings Symphony, apparently. They continue their hot streak with the delightfully named event Bach and Brews, held on Thursday, Sept. 26 from 6-9 p.m. at Henry's Garage (12 Garden Ave.). In addition to the live music you can find at every Symphony event, Bach and Brews leans heavily on the latter. There will be a curated selection of Montana beers, along with a chance to hobnob with brewers. There's also a chance to purchase a really lovely t-shirt with an image of Bach himself enjoying a pint. Tickets are $50 at billingssymphony.org .

Honorable mentions

Veterans documentary "Saving 22" is showing at the Babcock on Friday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. $15 tickets are at arthousebillings.com/saving22 .

are playing the Pub Station on Friday at 8 p.m. $15 tickets are at thepubstation.com .

Family Tradition are at the Heights VFW on Friday from 6-10 p.m. and Sunday from 2-6 p.m.

Cimarron Band are playing the Levity Bar and Casino on Friday and Saturday from 8-11 p.m.

Even though they're supposed to be sleeping for at least another week, the Green Day cover band Not.GreenDay are at the Pub Station on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m., with support from local band No Cigar. $15 tickets are at thepubstation.com .

Classic country is in store at Thirsty Street with tunes from Almeda Bradshaw starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday. No cover.

Find out what nihilistic death industrial trash is by checking out Subordinate MethodHelp Me, Helpless at Kirks' Grocery on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. $12 at the door, $10 in advance.

The Local Honeys are at the Pub Station on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. $15 at thepubstation.com.

The next installment of Krista Leigh Pasini's "Stuck On You" project begins on Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Yellowstone Art Museum's Visible Vault. It will continue through the weekend, but that's a story for next week's column.

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