Saturday Live Levels Up With "Adventure Mode" at MetraPark
Billings' longtime school carnival returns Oct. 3 with one entry fee, unlimited games and a passport for every player.
Somewhere between the Haunted Tunnel and the prize wheel, a kid holds up a passport with one empty square left. A parent checks the map. One more station, one more stamp, and then it's time to spin.
That's the kind of day the Education Foundation for Billings Public Schools is planning for Saturday, Oct. 3, when Saturday Live comes back to MetraPark for its 33rd year. This year's theme is "Adventure Mode," and families will notice a few changes right away.
One Ticket, Every Game
The biggest change is how you pay. Instead of buying tickets game by game, you pay a single $10 entry fee (children under 4 get in free) and can play as many games as you like, as many times as you like.
"This means everyone gets to play. That is our model. It's going to be family, community, adventure, fun, and get everybody in there, where families can compete against themselves," said Saturday Live Coordinator Leslie Clark.
Clark also compared the price to something most parents know well: "If you take your families to the movies, you'll probably spend less at Saturday Live. It's a bargain that helps schools!"
More Room to Play
Saturday Live moved indoors to the Metra for good in 2024, trading unpredictable fall weather for a sure thing. This year it fills both the main arena and the exhibit hall, with a new floor plan laid out in activity zones. Look for minute-to-win-it challenges and large-scale games, plus the return of fan favorites the Haunted Tunnel and Spooky Walk.
Every guest gets a passport to stamp at each activity station. Kids can trade a full passport for a spin at the prize wheel, and adults can enter to win raffle baskets and gift cards.
The date moved too. Saturday Live usually falls in late September, but the school year started later this fall, so organizers pushed it to October to give schools and community contributors more time to prepare.
Where the Money Goes
Since it began, Saturday Live has raised nearly $3 million for Billings public schools. That money has paid for art and music programs, classroom supplies and books, field trips, and support for students on school teams and clubs. All money raised on the day goes straight back to schools, and sponsorships cover the cost of putting on the event. Last year, about 4,500 people came and the day raised more than $45,000.
Still, Clark says the money isn't really the point.
"That's what this is: connecting as a community, connecting with your family, and connecting with your schools. The bonus is that we get to fundraise for our schools. That's the by-product of it, but the purpose is really that connection and our community."
For one Saturday in October, that connection looks like a crowded arena, a lot of laughing and a stack of stamped passports, and every one of them adds up to something for classrooms across Billings.
Event Details
Saturday Live: Adventure Mode
Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026 | 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
MetraPark Arena and Exhibit Hall, 308 6th Ave. N., Billings
$10 per person; children under 4 free; unlimited games with entry
Hosted by the Education Foundation for Billings Public Schools
efbps.org | (406) 281-5149
