October is one of my favorite months of the year; the crisp autumn air, apple picking, haunted houses, trick or treating, and Bozeman’s Choice voting all add up to a very good month. Each October in Bozeman Magazine we aim to tell some scary stories, to point out some things you may have missed, and to give you the biggest and most accurate events calendar in Southwest Montana. We also facilitate our yearly readers’ poll: Bozeman’s Choice! In this issue, you can be the judge in the 1889 death of Catherine Walter, identify three known places of supernatural activity, discover Bozeman’s finest fall drinks, get caught up on all things Halloween, dive into the backstory of Ghost Town Coffee Roasters, and enjoy much more!

When you’ve finished reading the magazine, you can visit us online to vote in the 9th annual Bozeman’s Choice Readers’ Poll. Simply create an account on our site, or log in if you’ve voted in years past. Beginning October 1 and ending November 8, hundreds of local businesses will be vying for the #1 slot and the honor of being deemed Bozeman’s Choice.

ALL of the Bozeman’s Choice content is reader-added. If the business, band, event, or trail you want to vote for isn’t already in the poll, you can add it yourself. In turn, others will be able to vote for it, too. If you are motivated to become a Bozeman’s Choice winner, the best way to win is to ask for votes, without bribing anyone! A social media post linking to your question is a super easy way to ask for votes. Include the poll in your newsletter, create a QR code linking to yourself in the poll, and add it to table toppers or flyers for your business. Tell your friends about the poll and ask them to vote. Logos for 2024 and downloadable content are available on our website. It will take effort on your part, but a victory to be touting all year is a great reward.

After the poll has closed, we work rapidly to reach out to the top three vote-getters for each question, and in January we release the results online and in a printed Bozeman’s Choice Annual Guide that is distributed throughout the year at key Bozeman locations.

As we watch the leaves fall and votes flow in, we’ll be working to bring you more local content and connect you to local events that ignite your passions, get you outside, and connect you to the greater Bozeman community.

Thank you for reading Bozeman Magazine and sharing your votes with us!