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 2026!

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. 5-11: Winter Pride Week – Big Sky

Jan. 15-18: Montana Winter Fair – Lewistown

Jan. 30-Feb. 1: 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. 5-7: The Great Beyond Film Festival – Great Falls

Feb. 6-8: Whitefish Winter Carnival – Whitefish

Feb. 13-15: Cabin Fever Days – Martin City

Feb. 13-15: Flathead Lake International Cinefest – Polson

Feb. 13-22: Big Sky Documentary Film Festival – Missoula

Feb. 14-15: Whitefish Skijoring – Kalispell

Feb 21: Anaconda Winter Festival – Anaconda

Feb. 28: Winter BrewFest – Missoula

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. 7: Free the Seeds Fair – Kalispell

Mar. 12-13: Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival – Missoula

Mar. 14-15: National Finals Skijoring Races – Red Lodge

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

Mar. 19-22: The Great Western Show – Great Falls

Mar. 20-22: Wild Wings Festival – Choteau

Mar. 27-28: 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. 4: Closing Weekend Pond Skim – Whitefish Mountain Resort

Apr. 4: Holistic Fair – Livingston

Apr. 9-12: Covellite International Film Festival – Butte

Apr. 11: Spring Series Pond Skim – Big Sky Resort

Apr. 16-19: Northwest360 Spring Fest – Butte

Apr. 18: The Former Felons Extravaganza – Helena

Apr. 18-23: International Wildlife Film Festival – Missoula

Apr. 24-26: 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 1-2: Bozeman Spring MADE Fair – Bozeman

May 2: Garden City BrewFest – Missoula

May 14-17: Bucking Horse Sale – Miles City

May 16 : Montana Brewers Spring Rendezvous – Bozeman

May 22-24: Bigfork Whitewater Festival – Bigfork

May 23-25: St. Regis Flea Market – St. Regis

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. 4-7: Whoop-Up Days and Rhubarb Festival – Conrad

Jun. 5-6: Northeast Montana Treasure Trail – Sheridan & Roosevelt counties

Jun. 6-7: Montana Renaissance Festival – Billings

Jun. 12-13: Buzzard Days – Glendive

Jun. 12-14: Wings Across the Big Sky Bird Festival – Kalispell

Jun. 12-14: Queer West Film Fest – Missoula

Jun. 12-14: Homesteader Days – Hot Springs

Jun. 13-14: Montana Mule Days – Hamilton

Jun. 18-20: Red Lodge Songwriter Festival – Red Lodge

Jun. 19-20: Lewis and Clark Festival – Great Falls

Jun. 19-21: Montana Yoga Fest (formerly Front Range Yoga Festival) – Choteau

Jun. 19-21: Old Salt Festival – Helmville

Jun. 20: Territorial Days – Deer Lodge

Jun. 21: Missoula Summer MADE Fair – Missoula

Jun. 22-28: Crow Native Days – Crow Agency

Jun. 25-28: Big Horn Days – Hardin

Jun. 25-28: MisCon Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention – Missoula

Jun. 26-28: Missoula Marathon – Missoula

Jun. 26-28: Battle of the Little Bighorn Reenactment – Crow Agency

Jun. 26-28: Fort Benton Summer Celebration – Fort Benton

Jun. 27: Rudyard Fossil Fun Fest – Rudyard

Jun. 27: Gallatin Whitewater Festival – Bozeman

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. 1-5: Arlee Esyapqeyni (Powwow) Celebration – Arlee

Jul. 3-5: Whitefish Arts Festival – Whitefish

Jul. 5-8: Bigfork Montana Rodeo – Bigfork

Jul. 9-12: North American Indian Days – Browning

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

Jul. 10-12: Montana Folk Festival – Butte

Jul. 10-12: Arts in the Park – Kalispell

Jul. 11: Strawberry Festival – Billings

Jul. 16-19: Sheridan Days – Sheridan

Jul. 17-19: Art in Washoe Park – Anaconda

Jul. 17-19: Under the Big Sky Festival – Whitefish

Jul. 18: Butte 100 Mountain Bike Races – Butte

Jul. 18: Helena Valley Highland Gathering – Helena

Jul. 18: Symphony Under the Stars – Helena

Jul. 18-19: Bannack Days – Bannack

Jul. 19-20: Zootown Festival – Missoula

Jul. 23-25: Headwaters Country Jam – Three Forks

Jul. 23-26: Big Sky Balloon Rally – Billings

Jul. 23-26: Red Ants Pants Music Festival – White Sulphur Springs

Jul. 24-Aug. 1: Montana State Fair – Great Falls

Jul. 25: Madison Valley Arts Festival – Ennis

Jul. 25-26: Dino Shindig – Ekalaka

Jul. 25-26: Flathead Faerie Festival – Kalispell

Jul. 25-26: Flint Creek Valley Days – Philipsburg

Jul. 25-26: Flathead Cherry Festival – Polson

Jul. 31-Aug. 1: Wildlands Music Festival – Big Sky

Jul. 31-Aug. 8.: Western Montana Fair – Missoula

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: CenterFest – Lewistown

Aug. 1: Bigfork Festival of the Arts – Bigfork

Aug. 1: Montana Brewers Summer Rendezvous – Helena

Aug. 2: Peace Festival at Ewam Garden of One Thousand Buddhas – Arlee

Aug. 2-8: Montana Pride – Helena

Aug. 6-8: Bozeman Stampede Rodeo – Bozeman

Aug. 6-9: Heart Butte Indian Days – Heart Butte

Aug. 6-9: Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering – Lewistown

Aug. 7-8: Riverfront Blues Festival – Libby

Aug. 7-9: Sweet Pea Festival – Bozeman

Aug. 7-9: Smeltermen’s Day – Anaconda

Aug. 7-9: Treasures on the Prairie 150 Mile Garage Sale – Hysham to Glendive

Aug. 7-9: Huckleberry Days Arts Festival – Whitefish

Aug. 7-15: Montana Fair – Billings

Aug. 8: Harlo Music Project – Harlowton

Aug. 8: Swan Lake Huckleberry Festival – Swan Lake

Aug. 8: Serb Fest – Butte

Aug. 8-9: Trout Creek Huckleberry Festival – Trout Creek

Aug. 14-15: Forget Me Knot Fest – Cooke City

Aug. 14-16: An Ri Ra Montana Irish Festival – Butte

Aug. 14-16: Crow Fair – Crow Agency

Aug. 15: Fly Fishing & Outdoor Festival – Ennis

Aug. 21-22: River City Roots Festival – Missoula

Aug. 21-22: Rockin’ the Rockies Music Festival – Lincoln

Aug. 29: Totfest – Missoula

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. 10: Sustainability Festival – Red Lodge

Sep. 10-13: EQUUS International Film Festival – Missoula

Sep. 10-13: Kootenai Country Montana International Chainsaw Carving Championship – Libby

Sep. 11-12: Flathead Celtic Festival – Kalispell

Sep. 11-12: The Wretched Mess Festival – West Yellowstone

Sep. 11-13: Anaconda Yoga Fest – Anaconda

Sep. 12: Chokecherry Festival – Lewistown

Sep. 12: Makoshika Music & Arts Festival – Makoshika State Park

Sep. 17-20: Lone Peak Film Festival – Big Sky

Sep. 17-20: Miles City Bluegrass Festival – Miles City

Sep. 18-20: Whitefish Songwriter Festival – Whitefish

Sep. 18-20: Wildlife Art Expo – Anaconda

Sep. 19: Festival Days – Havre

Sep. 25-26: Montana Homesteaders Festival – Plains

Sep. 26: Big Sky Paranormal Conference – Butte

TBA: Montana International Film Festival (MINT) – Billings

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. 1-3: Livingston Songwriter Festival – Livingston

Oct. 3-4: Junkapalooza – Glendive

Oct. 3-4: Bridger Raptor Festival – Bridger Bowl Ski Area

Oct. 8-11: Bozeman Film Festival – Bozeman

Oct. 9-10: Bozeman Fall MADE Fair – Bozeman

Oct. 22-25: Montana Film Festival – Missoula

Oct. 30-Nov 1: 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. 7-8: Bridger Ski Foundation Ski Swap – Bozeman

Nov. 14-15: Holiday Food & Gift Festival – Billings

Nov. 21: Cat-Griz Game (Brawl of the Wild) – Bozeman

Nov. 23-28: Yellowstone Ski Festival – West Yellowstone

Nov. 26-27: Billings Pow-Wow – Billings

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. 4: Helena Holiday MADE Fair – Helena

Dec. 9-13: Bozeman Ice Festival – Bozeman

Dec. 13: 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: