Yellowstone will be waiving entrance fees again for the weekend of August 14 & 15, as part of a national initiative instituted by Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar earlier this year.

Yellowstone is home to an abundance of wildlife, wild flowers, and wild vistas.  Turn off the TV and computer; ditch the electronic devices, and take advantage of the numerous opportunities to reconnect heart, soul, and mind with nature in the world’s first national park on this special weekend.

Young and old alike will enjoy participating in ranger-led activities (http://go.usa.gov/c3t); visiting some of the geysers that comprise the world’s largest concentration of thermal features; viewing exhibits or taking in a film at one of the park’s visitor centers, such as the new film at the Canyon Visitor Education Center, Yellowstone: Land to Life.

The much anticipated Ducks Unlimited Auction and Banquet returns to Big Sky on Friday, August 27, 2010. This year’s event is being held in the Missouri Ballroom at Big Sky Resort’s Shoshone Lodge. Ticket prices ($50 single and $75. per couple) include the banquet, silent and live auctions, multiple raffles and a 1 year Ducks Unlimited membership. Cash bar cocktails start at 5:30 PM followed at 7:00 PM by a sumptuous, full course Prime Rib dinner. The live auction will start promptly thereafter.

The 2010 Big Sky DU banquet includes some new attractions, like a focus on the ladies. This year’s auctions and raffles will include special ladies’ destination trips, fun items like cooking classes, spa visits, plus custom jewelry and a “ladies only” DU hat raffle for a Martini party for 10.