Annual Events
Spring
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Home and Garden Show
www.creativemarketingtradeshows.comOffering a variety of exhibitors sharing ideas on home and garden, home improvement, home decorating, health & wellness, kids and pets. Held annually at the Adams Event Center in March.
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Kyi-Yo Pow Wow
www.umt.edu/asum/kyiyoThe Kyi-Yo Pow Wow is one of the oldest and largest student-sponsored powwows in the nation. The Pow Wow takes place in April at the University of Montana's Adam Center. Activities and events include a drum contest, dance specials, Jordan Carlson Memorial Scholastic Bowl, Indian Youth Conference, Tipi Race, 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament, and other traditional youth games.
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MUD's Earth Day Celebration
mudproject.ning.comThe Earth Day Celebration in Caras Park is an annual event held in April to bring awareness to sustainability topics. Local businesses and organizations set up sustainable living and environmental observation displays with activities for children and adults while local bands play and speakers highlight sustainable living issues. With local food vendors and a beer garden, the Earth Day Celebration honors mother earth and Missoula's vibrant community life and culture.
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YMCA Riverbank Run
www.ymcamissoula.orgFrom its humble beginnings with less than 300 participants to its current stature as the largest foot race in Missoula, this flat, fast 1-Mile, 5K or 10K course will knock your socks off. Ranked top in Runner's world magazine,this annual race takes place in April lighting up Missoula with runners of all ages.
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Buddy Defranco Jazz Festival
www.buddydefranco.comThe Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival is a non-competitive, educational event. High school and college jazz bands perform every 30 minutes throughout the festival and receive written comments from the guest clinicians. Immediately following its performance, each band will have an opportunity to work for 30 minutes with one of the clinicians in another location. This event is held each year in April at the University Theatre.
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Western Montana Wood Carvers Show
The Missoula area Wood Carvers sponsor the Western Montana Wood Carvers Show every spring at the Missoula County Fairgrounds. The show is an exhibition of wood carvings by local and national wood carvers. Carving tools and supplies are also on sale at this event.
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MaggotFest
www.maggots.orgSince 1977, the Maggots have hosted a festival-style rugby tournament, held the first weekend of May. Maggotfest features 36 teams (28 men's and 8 women's sides) from throughout the US and Canada, with an occasional team from other exotic places. The emphasis at Maggotfest is on both the competition of the sport and on the fun aspects of rugby, held at Fort Missoula.
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Garden City Brewfest
www.missouladowntown.comThe Garden City Brewfest is held annually in May and produced by the Missoula Downtown Association. This vibrant event takes place in downtown Missoula's Caras Park. Admission is free, but purchase of tokens allow you to sample the beverages. Soda, water and a variety of food choices are also available for purchase. Local food vendors and live music accompany this popular event.
Summer
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Downtown ToNight
www.missouladowntown.comDowntown ToNight is produced by the Missoula Downtown Association. It takes place Thursday evenings from June to August. Downtown ToNight features live music, food vendors and a beverage garden.
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Out to Lunch
www.missouladowntown.comOut to Lunch is a weekly performing arts festival at Caras Park just along side the Clark Fork River in Downtown Missoula. Featuring musicians and over 20 local food vendors this event is held every Wednesday, 11AM - 2 PM, June through August.
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Garden City River Rod Run
www.missouladowntown.comThe Annual River Rod Run features hot rod cars and thousands of spectators in Downtown Missoula for the two-day event. Admission to the event is free to spectators, participants can register cars in the show and parade. A variety of food and beverages will be available for purchase from a range of vendors.
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Love Your Mother Earth Festival
www.loveyourmotherfestival.comThis annual event is held at the Rock Creek Lodge in Clinton, just outside of Missoula. This event held in June features a variety of performers on 4 stages with on-site camping.
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Fourth at the Fort
www.fortmissoulamuseum.orgModel trains, ham radios, fire trucks, children's games, pony rides, food, crafts, and special displays; Homesteading Fun - step back in time with the newly restored 1900 Potomac Valley homestead cabin, with games, fiddlers, and hands-on opportunities; Tour the lookout, schoolhouse and locomotive; Demonstrations of the historic sawmill, antique engines, telegraph, historical surveying, and a visit to medieval times with the Society for Creative Anachronism; Books by the Inch used book sale; and of course plenty of Music and Entertainment, with special appearances by re-enactors. Held each year on the 4th of July the event at the Fort Museum of Missoula is a great way to celebrate Independence day with family.
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Missoula Marathon
www.runwildmissoula.orgThe Missoula Marathon is the annual event in July that draws in runners from across the world. Runners take the trail that was the same course Lake Missoula took when it erupted and carved its path through the rock towards the ocean. In addition to the traditional 26.2 mile marathon, there is a half-marathon and a kid's marathon.
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Kiddopalooza
www.familiesfirstmontana.org/A music festival for kids brought to you by Families First. A day filled with local music, food, Parson's ponies, bounce houses, water slide, face painting, tie-dyeing, giant sandboxes, gymnastics from Mismo and so much more. Families First will host a BBQ and Beer Garden alongside other local vendors. The annual event takes place in July at Caras Park, and admission is free.
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Hip Strip Block Party
www.hipstripblockparty.blogspot.comA benefit for the Missoula Food Bank. Enjoy live local music, food and beverage vendors, a fashion show, bike and skate demonstrations and plenty of kid's activities. The Hip Strip does ask that you bring a non-perishable food item for admission. The Block Party usually takes place in July at Missoula's Hip Strip on Higgins Street.
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International Choral Festival
www.choralfestival.orgA triennial festival, Missoula's International Choral Festival has brought outstanding choirs together since its first festival in 1987. A non-competitive showcase, only the best of the best are invited. Once they arrive, they perform to enthusiastic audiences who can't seem to get enough of their music. Not only did the choirs reach out to the audiences, but they also reached out to each other at Missoula's Festival, now known throughout the choral world. Music and friendships crossed continents and boundaries, helping the Festival to once again "bring the world a little closer." The festival performs in July at Caras Park, Bonner Park, various downtown venues, and a finale concert at the Washington Grizzly Stadium.
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River City Roots Festival
www.rivercityrootsfestival.comRiver City Roots Festival is the area's largest arts and music festival showcasing Downtown Missoula. The event is usually held in August, but be sure to check out events calendar for the exact date. This event celebrates Downtown's success and provides an opportunity to highlight some of Missoula's most recently developed attractions. Musical entertainment, Juried art shows, a 4-mile Run/walk, and family activities are held throughout the Festival.
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"Wear it Again" Jewelry Sale
www.imluchurch.orgThe Annual "Wear it Again" Jewelry Sale is sponsored by the Montana Radio Reading Service. The annual sale includes over 10,000 pieces of jewelry including sterling, rhinestone, vintage, watches, earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets, men's items, jewelry boxes and more, starting at $1 up to $100. It's the BIGGEST mostly used, some new jewelry sale in the northwest. The event takes place in August at the Immanuel Lutheran Church.
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Symphony In The Park
www.missoulasymphony.orgHear light classics and perhaps some pop tunes during the Symphony's annual free summer concert at Caras Park in August. Beginning at 7pm, grab the lawn chairs and bring the family down for a fun evening of music, friends and food. Many on-site vendors provide your favorite local dishes and brew.
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Bone Ball
www.myhswm.orgThe Annual Humane Society of Western Montana's Bone Ball is the best place to party with your pets in August. Bring your four-legged companions to Caras Park for this fun, themed event. Complete with food, drinks, contests, themed basket silent auction, live auction and more.
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Western Montana Fair and Rodeo
www.westernmontanafair.comCelebrate the summer at Missoula's fair and rodeo held annually in August. Featuring 4-H exhibits, art exhibits, cooking, 4-H livestock sale, a demolition derby, free stage acts, commercial displays, a country-western concert, and a Christian concert.
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KidsFest
www.missoulaparks.orgA festival by kids, about kids and for kids and their families. Stage acts carnival booths, interactive games, displays, music and more. A community event attracting over 2,000 people to Caras Park. Food, dancing live performances, carnival games, juggling, art displays, dunk tank and more! No admission fee, held annually in August.
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PEDal Festival
pedalfestmissoula.orgPlan to have a good time with fellow Missoula cyclists and walkers at PEDal Festival at Caras Park, usually held in late August- early September. A costume contest kicks off the day packed full filled with family events.
Autumn
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HempFest
www.missoulahempfest.comThe Missoula annual Hempfest promotes awareness of the many uses of industrial hemp as a viable economic resource and the alternatives available to us through healing, eating, building, thinking and liking. The events activities include live music, a hemp fashion show, food vendors, and information booths. Each year this event is held in September at Missoula's Caras Park.
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German Fest
www.missoulacultural.orgGermanfest is a celebration of German culture and Missoula's Sister City relationship with Neckargemund. This event takes place every fall at Caras Park Pavilion. Admission is free. Music, dancing, food, beer and even kids activities are a part of this annual celebration.
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Rock Against Racism
www.marketplacemt.comThis is an awareness and education event for the Missoula YWCA. Enjoy free admission to over 10 bands as they Rock Against Racism at Caras Park each year in September.
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JRPC Peace Party
www.jrpc.orgThe Jeannette Rankin Peace Center's annual peace party is a gathering of the community to raise money for the work of the center and also to enjoy and celebrate our work. The event features a dinner, silent and live auctions, a raffle and entertainment. The event takes place in Missoula's Caras Park in September.
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UM Homecoming
www.umt.eduThe University of Montana's Homecoming is a festive week for UM alumni, friends, students and community members alike. Countless alums return to campus for reunion gatherings and traditional Homecoming festivities, including the Grizzly Growl Pep Rally and Singing on the Steps, Distinguished Alumni Award ceremony, All-Alumni Social and Dance, Homecoming Parade, Alumni Tailgate Party and, of course, the Grizzlies football game.
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Montana Festival of the Book
www.humanitiesmontana.orgFor three days and nights in October, Montana celebrates reading, writing and books. Humanities Montana Festival of the Book features over 70 of the region's writers in a variety of readings, panels, exhibits, demonstrations, a literary contest, signings, entertainment, receptions and tours connected to festival events.
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Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
www.missouladowntown.comA mexican celebration of death and life, one of the biggest celebrations is in Missoula. Our Annual Festival of the Dead activities are anything but deadly. Ranging from mask-building workshops to art exhibits and poetry readings. The highlight is the merry, macabre Day of the Dead parade through downtown Missoula on November 2. To the beat of a marimba band, skeletons move by on bicycles, on stilts, and in mini-cars. Decorated altars and grim reapers made of toilet-paper rolls all make their way south on Higgins Avenue.
Winter
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Parade of Lights
www.missouladowntown.comThe Annual Parade of lights is an all-day family event with numerous children's activities and projects. The events festivities include the arrival of Santa Claus in Downtown Missoula's Florence Building, lighting of Downtown's Christmas Tree at the Red XXX's on North Higgins avenue as well as many others. Each year the event takes place in early December.
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First Night Missoula
www.missoulacultural.orgThis annual community New Year's Eve celebration of the arts. Hundreds of performing, visual and literary artists showcase their diverse talents in more than 100 events throughout Missoula. This spirited celebration is open to the entire community and is alcohol and drug free.
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Frost Fever Fun Run - Parks & Recreation Fundraiser
www.missoulaparks.orgThis annual race takes place in January on trails and streets around the Clark Fork River, the starting and finishing point at McCormick Park. Fun Run proceeds benefit Missoula Parks and Recreation's youth scholarship fund which provides underserved children and families the opportunity to participate in Parks and Recreation programs.
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Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
www.bigskyfilmfest.orgBig Sky Documentary Film Festival showcases the best in documentary films from around the world. The festival attracts more than 10,000 people and screens more than 100 films during the week long event. All films are shown on Montana's largest movie screen at the Historic Wilma Theatre in downtown Missoula. Filmmakers from around the world will be in attendance to address audiences after their films screen. The festival usually takes place in early February and tickets and passes are sold at the Wilma Box Office.
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International Wildlife Film Festival
www.wildlifefilms.orgThe International Wildlife Film Festival was the first wildlife film festival in the world, and is now the longest running film festival attracting over 10,000 people from around the world each year. The Festival kicks off in may with a Wildfest and Wildwalk parade in Downtown Missoula and Caras Park. The unforgettable days of award winning wildlife films at the Wilma Theatre, and filmmaker presentations and other events held at the Roxy Theatre.
