A Montana Travel Blog

These are the best and biggest annual events in Montana, happening all across the state. 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 Snow Goose Migration – Choteau

Mar. 29-30: 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: Whitefish Mountain Resort Pond Skim – Whitefish

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

TBD: Rendezvous Days – Eureka

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 15-18: Bucking Horse Sale – Miles City

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

May 25: Bigfork Whitewater Festival – Bigfork

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

TBD: Montana Brewers Spring Rendezvous – Bozeman

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. 13-15: Montana Mule Days – Hamilton

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

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

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

Jun. 20-22: Old Salt Festival – Helmville

Jun. 22: Missoula Summer MADE Fair – Missoula

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

Jun. 27-29: Missoula Marathon – Missoula

Jun. 29-Jul. 4: Livingston Roundup Rodeo – Livingston

TBD: Buzzard Days – Glendive

TBD: Territorial Days – Deer Lodge

TBD: Crow Native Days – Crow Agency

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. 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. 11-13: Montana Folk Festival – Butte

Jul. 12: Strawberry Festival – Billings

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

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

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

Jul. 18-20: 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. 26-27: Dino Shindig – Ekalaka

TBD: Arlee Powwow Celebration – Arlee

TBD: North American Indian Days – Browning

TBD: Flint Creek Valley Days – Philipsburg

TBD: Madison Valley Arts Festival – Ennis

TBD: Flathead Cherry Festival – Polson

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

Aug. 5-10: Western Montana Fair – Missoula

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

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

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

Aug. 8-16: Montana Fair – Billings

Aug. 9: Huckleberry Festival – Swan Lake

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

TBD: Yee-Haw Hee-Haw, Western Days – Billings

TBD: Sweet Pea Festival – Bozeman

TBD: Montana Brewers Summer Rendezvous – Helena

TBD: Rockin’ the Rivers Music Festival – Three Forks

TBD: Heart Butte Indian Days – Heart Butte

TBD: Riverfront Blues Festival – Libby

TBD: Smeltermens Day – Anaconda

TBD: Crow Fair – Crow Agency Crow Agency

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. 6: Chokecherry Festival – Lewistown

Sep. 12-13: Flathead Celtic Festival – Kalispell

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

TBD: Makoshika Music & Arts Festival – Makoshika State Park

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

TBD: Montana Film Festival – Missoula

TBD: Bridger Raptor Festival – Bridger Bowl Ski Area

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

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

TBD: Bridger Ski Foundation Ski Swap – Bozeman

TBD: 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: