A Montana Travel Blog

Every month of the year offers fun events in Montana, highlighting art, film, music, culture, sports, history, wildlife, and so much more. From major music festivals to small-town celebrations, these are some of the main events that take place every year. Maybe we’ll see you at a few of them in 2025!

January

Seven people stand together, facing the camera wearing snowshoes and carrying ski poles. Amidst them is a person dressed in a polar bear costume on cross-country skis.
Butte’s Snoflinga Winter Festival inspires attendees to get outdoors and stay active all winter long.

Jan. 13-16: Northwest 360 Winter Fest – Butte

Jan. 17-19: Great Rockies Sportshow – Billings

Jan. 17-19: Montana Winter Fair – Lewistown

Jan. 31-Feb. 2: Snoflinga Winter Festival – Butte

February

A woman in a red dress stands spotlighted on a stage with the logo of the "Big Sky Documentary Film Festival" projected on the screen behind her.
The Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Missoula is the biggest non-fiction film festival in the western U.S.

Feb. 7-9: Whitefish Winter Carnival – Whitefish

Feb. 8-9: Best in the West Skijoring Showdown – Big Sky

Feb. 14-16: Cabin Fever Days – Martin City

Feb. 14-16: Flathead Lake International Cinefest – Polson

Feb. 14-17: Anaconda Winter Festival – Anaconda

Feb. 14-23: Big Sky Documentary Film Festival – Missoula

Feb. 22: Winter BrewFest – Missoula

Feb. 22-23: Whitefish Skijoring – Kalispell

March

View of a snow-covered town on a cloudy day, with a metal triangle-shaped mining headframe in the foreground.
Butte is known as the most Irish place in America – and its St. Patrick’s Day celebration is legendary.

Mar. 1: Free the Seeds Fair – Kalispell

Mar. 8-9: National Finals Skijoring Races – Red Lodge

Mar. 13-14: Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival – Missoula

Mar. 17: St Patrick’s Day Festivities – Butte

Mar. 20-23: The Great Western Show – Great Falls

Mar. 21-23: Wild Wings Festival – Choteau

Mar. 28-29: American Indian Council Powwow – Bozeman

April

A large ski slope with several runs cut into sits behind a wooded asphalt parking lot and a small ski lodge.
Whitefish Mountain Resort is THE place to close out ski season in Montana.

Apr. 5: Closing Weekend Pond Skim – Whitefish Mountain Resort

Apr. 10-13: Covellite International Film Festival – Butte

Apr. 19-24: International Wildlife Film Festival – Missoula

Apr. 25-27: Rendezvous Days – Eureka

Apr. 26: Spring Series Pond Skim – Big Sky Resort

May

Side of a tan building, covered by a mural of a two cowboys on horses, several cows, a red tractor, and a field of wheat. At the top is a compass labelled 46.2427 degrees N and text reading Welcome to Miles City.
Miles City’s Bucking Horse Sale is one of eastern Montana’s premier annual events.

May 2-3: Bozeman Spring MADE Fair – Bozeman

May 3: Garden City BrewFest – Missoula

May 10: Montana Brewers Spring Rendezvous – Bozeman

May 15-18: Bucking Horse Sale – Miles City

May 24-26: St. Regis Flea Market – St. Regis

May 23: Bigfork Whitewater Festival – Bigfork

May 30-Jun. 1: Wings Across the Big Sky Bird Festival – Missoula

June

Looking down a wooden pedestrian bridge with metal support beams running along and above it.
The Fort Benton Summer Celebration is one of Central Montana’s most vibrant events.

Jun. 5-8: Whoop-Up Days and Rhubarb Festival – Conrad

Jun. 6-7: Northeast Montana Treasure Trail – Sheridan & Roosevelt counties

Jun. 7-8: Montana Renaissance Festival – Red Lodge

Jun. 13-14: Buzzard Days – Glendive

Jun. 13-15: Montana Mule Days – Hamilton

Jun. 13-15: Homesteader Days – Hot Springs

Jun. 13-15: Territorial Days – Deer Lodge

Jun. 19-21: Red Lodge Songwriter Festival – Red Lodge

Jun. 20-21: Lewis and Clark Festival – Great Falls

Jun. 20-21: Montana Homesteaders Festival – Plains

Jun. 20-22: Battle of the Little Bighorn Reenactment – Crow Agency

Jun. 20-22: Montana Yoga Fest (formerly Front Range Yoga Festival) – Choteau

Jun. 20-22: Old Salt Festival – Helmville

Jun. 20-23: MisCon Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention – Missoula

Jun. 21: Rudyard Fossil Fun Fest – Rudyard

Jun. 22: Missoula Summer MADE Fair – Missoula

Jun. 23-29: Crow Native Days – Crow Agency

Jun. 25-29: Big Horn Days – Hardin

Jun. 27-29: Fort Benton Summer Celebration – Fort Benton

Jun. 27-29: Missoula Marathon – Missoula

Jun. 28 – Gallatin Whitewater Festival – Bozeman

Jun. 30-Jul. 6: Arlee Esyapqeyni (Powwow) Celebration – Arlee

July

Outdoor sign reading It-too-nio'p (Indian Agency) Browning, with a metal sign above it of two bison, a circular design of feathers and the words Blackfeet Nation.
North American Indian Days is one of the biggest Native American celebrations in Montana.

Jul. 1-4: Livingston Roundup Rodeo – Livingston

Jul. 4-5: Zootown Festival – Missoula

Jul. 4-6: Whitefish Arts Festival – Whitefish

Jul. 5-8: Bigfork Montana Rodeo – Bigfork

Jul. 10-12: Wild Horse Stampede Rodeo – Wolf Point

Jul. 10-13: North American Indian Days – Browning

Jul. 11-13: Montana Folk Festival – Butte

Jul. 12: Strawberry Festival – Billings

Jul. 18-20: Art in Washoe Park – Anaconda

Jul. 18-20: Arts in the Park – Kalispell

Jul. 18-20: Under the Big Sky Festival – Whitefish

Jul. 19: Butte 100 Mountain Bike Races – Butte

Jul. 19: Helena Valley Highland Gathering – Helena

Jul. 19: Symphony Under the Stars – Helena

Jul. 19-20: Bannack Days – Bannack

Jul. 24-26: Headwaters Country Jam – Three Forks

Jul. 24-27: Big Sky Balloon Rally – Billings

Jul. 24-27: Red Ants Pants Music Festival – White Sulphur Springs

Jul. 25-Aug. 2: Montana State Fair – Great Falls

Jul. 26: Madison Valley Arts Festival – Ennis

Jul. 26-27: Dino Shindig – Ekalaka

Jul. 26-27: Flathead Cherry Festival – Polson

Jul. 26-27: Flathead Faerie Festival – Kalispell

Jul. 26-27: Flint Creek Valley Days – Philipsburg

August

Several large paintings on easels set up in a field in front of tree-covered hills.
We lucked out and happened to be passing through Bigfork on the weekend of the Festival of the Arts!

Aug. 1-2: Wildlands Music Festival – Big Sky

Aug. 1-3: Crazy Mountain Carnival – Big Timber

Aug. 1-3: Sweet Pea Festival – Bozeman

Aug. 2: Serb Fest – Butte

Aug. 2: CenterFest – Lewistown

Aug. 2: Montana Brewers Summer Rendezvous – Helena

Aug. 2-3: Bigfork Festival of the Arts – Bigfork

Aug. 5-10: Western Montana Fair – Missoula

Aug. 7-9: Bozeman Stampede Rodeo – Bozeman

Aug. 7-10: Heart Butte Indian Days – Heart Butte

Aug. 7-10: Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering – Lewistown

Aug. 8 – Harlo Music Project – Harlowton

Aug. 8-9: Riverfront Blues Festival – Libby

Aug. 8-10: Smeltermen’s Day – Anaconda

Aug. 8-10: An Ri Ra Montana Irish Festival – Butte

Aug 8-10: Treasures on the Prairie 150 Mile Garage Sale – Hysham to Glendive

Aug. 8-10: Huckleberry Days Arts Festival – Whitefish

Aug. 8-16: Montana Fair – Billings

Aug. 9: Swan Lake Huckleberry Festival – Swan Lake

Aug. 9-10: Trout Creek Huckleberry Festival – Trout Creek

Aug. 15-16: Forget Me Knot Fest – Cooke City

Aug. 15-17: Crow Fair – Crow Agency

Aug. 16: Totfest – Missoula

Aug. 22-23: Butte Days Festival – Butte

Aug. 22-23: River City Roots Festival – Missoula

Aug. 23: Fly Fishing & Outdoor Festival – Ennis

September

View of rocky, shrub-dotted badlands landscape out to the horizon.
The Makoshika Music & Arts Festival is a unique way to experience Montana’s biggest state park.

Sep. 4-7: Kootenai Country Montana International Chainsaw Carving Championship – Libby

Sep. 5-6: Rockin’ the Rockies Music Festival (formerly Rockin’ the Rivers Festival) – Lincoln

Sep. 6: Chokecherry Festival – Lewistown

Sep. 6-7: The Wretched Mess Festival – West Yellowstone

Sep. 11-13: EQUUS International Film Festival – Missoula

Sep. 12-13: Flathead Celtic Festival – Kalispell

Sep. 12-14: Anaconda Yoga Fest – Anaconda

Sep. 13: Makoshika Music & Arts Festival – Makoshika State Park

Sep. 18-21: Montana International Film Festival (MINT) – Billings

Sep. 19-21: Lone Peak Film Festival – Big Sky

Sep. 19-21: Festival Days – Havre

Sep. 19-21: Miles City Bluegrass Festival – Miles City

Sep. 19-21: Whitefish Songwriter Festival – Whitefish

Sep. 27: Big Sky Paranormal Conference – Butte

October

Red and white theater marquee sign that says Roxy in yellow lights at the top and lists Eighth Grade, 3 Identical Strangers, and Sorry to Bother You.
Missoula’s beloved Roxy Theater hosts the annual Montana Film Festival every fall.

Oct. 2-4: Livingston Songwriter Festival – Livingston

Oct. 3-5: Wildlife Art Expo – Anaconda

Oct. 4-5: Bridger Raptor Festival – Bridger Bowl Ski Area

Oct. 5: Junkapalooza – Glendive

Oct. 17-18: Bozeman Fall MADE Fair – Bozeman

Oct. 23-26: Montana Film Festival – Missoula

Oct. 24-26: Haunted Peaks Halloween Festival – Big Sky

November

An empty football stadium with some hills in the distance.
The Cat-Griz football game is Montana’s most heated annual sporting event. Photo by Ken Lund.

Nov. 1-2: Bridger Ski Foundation Ski Swap – Bozeman

Nov. 8-9: Holiday Food & Gift Festival – Billings

Nov. 22: Cat-Griz Game (Brawl of the Wild) – Missoula

Nov. 24-29: Yellowstone Ski Festival – West Yellowstone

December

Looking down at an indoor market, with people walking among rows of tents and tables. A yellow cloth map of Yellowstone National Park hangs from a stand in the front.
Do your holiday shopping at one of Montana’s MADE Fairs!

Dec. 5-6: Helena Holiday MADE Fair – Helena

Dec. 10-14: Bozeman Ice Festival – Bozeman

Dec. 14: Missoula Holiday MADE Fair – Missoula

Dec. 24: Fireworks & Torchlight Parade – Big Sky Resort

Canceled & Paused Events

Unfortunately, a few beloved Montana events are currently on hiatus or have recently been canceled: