From the endless sunshine of summer days to the power-perfect depths of winter, every season is the perfect time to be in Missoula, Montana. With each passing year, visitors and locals alike continue to discover every little bit of magic that makes our charming mountain town so special. This year, be sure to take advantage of the eclectic mix of arts and culture, sports and entertainment, food and drink, and outdoor activities that, when put together, make Missoula, well, Missoula. A new year is a new opportunity to explore, so get to adventuring!
When the snow settles in the valley and the wilderness surrounding Missoula becomes a real-life winter wonderland, that means one thing–ski season! And no place screams “ski season” quite like Montana Snowbowl, Missoula’s premier alpine skiing hub located a convenient and scenic 14 miles north of the city center. And trust us when we say that a day skiing or snowboarding at Snowbowl is a day well spent. Snowbowl boasts challenging slopes with serious vertical that will provide thrills for even the most experienced skier and terrain suitable for any lever or skier or snowboarder. Pair that with stunning views and a cozy lodge with great beer and delicious pizza (seriously, it’s some of the best in Missoula), and you truly cannot go wrong.
Those who know this place know that Missoula is not just home to top-notch recreational access and stunning scenic views–Missoula is also the cultural hub of Western Montana, boasting an impressive calendar of concerts, theatre performances, gallery openings and film festivals including the internationally-renowned Big Sky Documentary Film Festival. Each February, a dedicated group of Missoulians bring high-quality documentary film to our town, and visitors flock from near and far to witness the creativity and innovative ideas brought forth on the screen. With venues across town ranging from intimate screenings to big-screen theater features, this cherished event is a staple in Missoula’s arts and culture scene.
Missoula’s downtown plays host to a number of events and parades throughout the year, but one of the most iconic, family-friendly and fun parades is the St. Patrick’s Day parade. Held each year on the second Saturday in March, the parade has been an annual tradition since 1982. Hosted jointly by the Missoula Area Chamber of Commerce and the Friends of Irish Studies in the West, the parade showcases Irish music and dancing as well as festive floats and tons of green! After the parade, enjoy other events in downtown Missoula including whiskey tasting and free carousel rides at A Carousel for Missoula. Friends of Irish Studies also hosts a mass and a dinner the day of the parade to educate and promote the celebration of Irish heritage.
Come April, warmer weather is well on the way and spring fever arrives with the wildflowers that begin to dot the hillsides. We cannot imagine a more perfect way to cheers the beginning of patio season than with a bike and brew tour of Missoula along the Riverfront Trail system. The Riverfront Trail is a paved trail system providing 7 miles of access points to Missoula’s shops, restaurants, museums and breweries, all along the scenic Clark Fork River. Missoula is home to many breweries, many of which can be accessed along the Riverfront trail system including Bayern Brewing, Western Cider, Tamarack Brewing, Draughtworks Brewing and KettleHouse Brewing, with other great spots to grab a pint like Cranky Sam's Public House and The Dram Shop located off the route as well. If you are interested in sampling some Montana spirits, be sure to check out Montgomery Distilling, also located just off the route in downtown Missoula. Please be responsible and refrain from overconsumption of alcohol. Missoula has rideshares and taxis for responsibly enjoyment of our many breweries!
May brings the return of Missoula’s beloved farmers markets, and trust us when we say that Missoula does not mess around when it comes to our market scene. Every Saturday from May to October, downtown Missoula is a hub of all things local foods with not just one, but two farmers markets (The Missoula Farmers Market and the Clark Fork River Market) as well as The Peoples Craft Market. The markets not only provide a place for the many farmers and ranchers in our area to sell produce, meats, cheeses, eggs, honey, flowers and local preserves, but you can browse other booths for delicious homemade goods as well. We are talking hand-squeezed lemonades, handmade soaps and lotions, local coffee roasters, food trucks, baked goods and so much more. The markets also feature live music making it a perfect way to spend a Saturday morning! Additionally, the Missoula Farmers Market, named the #4 farmers market in the country by USA Today in 2022, is also open on Tuesday evenings in June.
If you haven’t heard, the Missoula Marathon is kind of a big deal. Consistently named as the top marathon in the country by organizations like BibRave and Runners World, marathon weekend is always full of great energy, fun events and plenty of opportunities to recreate outside! Created by runners for runners and hosted by local nonprofit Run Wild Missoula, runners can choose from a full marathon, half marathon, 5K and Kids Marathon Fun Run. The Missoula Marathon itself is flat and scenic, with sweeping vistas of the mountains surrounding town as your inspiration. Locals come out in spades to cheer on runners, with some even providing music and entertainment on the route. Make the most of your marathon weekend by taking in all the town has to offer in the summertime. From live music to seasonal menus to outdoor recreation and scenic driving, Missoula is the perfect place to escape and marathon weekend is the perfect excuse to explore.
Missoula heats up in the summer months, with endless summer sunshine stretching well past 9p.m., and we soak up every blissful minute. Missoula is located at the confluence of three rivers, making water recreation a way of life, and there is perhaps no tradition as cherished as river recreation during the summer months. Perhaps the most iconic river recreation activity in Montana is fly fishing, and with Missoula’s blue-ribbon fisheries, it is an angler’s paradise. (Fun Fact, Norman Maclean’s famous novel-turned-movie A River Runs Through It is based on his early life in Missoula, and this year we celebrate its 50-year anniversary) But fishing is not the only way to recreate on the water–from easy-going chills like tubing, boating and SUP-ing to river thrills like surfing and SUP yoga, the options are as endless as the summer sun. Perhaps the most popular activity is floating the river, as evidenced by the steady stream of tubes that can be seen meandering downriver in the warmer months. There is no better way to beat the heat and recreate like a local than taking to the water! Please be responsible when recreating on the water and check with local guides for river conditions. We love our waterways, and to protect them for our wildlife and our future generations, please refrain from being glass on the river, pack out what you pack in and consider public transportation options to access your put-in point up river.
Missoula is home to a seriously impressive music scene, and summer is when that music scene cranks up to full-blast. Home to two outdoor amphitheaters (KettleHouse Amphitheatre and Big Sky Brewing Amphitheatre) with seriously impressive summer line ups, a stadium and small arena on the University of Montana campus, the historic Wilma Theater and countless venues for smaller local and traveling acts, there is a show nearly every single night of the week. Additionally, summer in Missoula plays home to a number of events celebrating live outdoor music, such as the Missoula Symphony’s Symphony in the Park and the annual River City Roots Festival. Like we said, a seriously impressive music scene. Pair that with a good brew, great community and the Montana summer sky–we can’t think of anything better.
Missoula has spirit year-round, but in the fall that spirit comes out in full force. Missoula is home to the University of Montana, and we take Griz football seriously. On Saturdays in September, Missoula becomes a sea of maroon and Washington-Grizzly stadium becomes the 4th most populated place in the state as Griz fans from near and far root for the home team. With annual events like the Homecoming parade and game to every-other-year showdowns like the Brawl of the Wild, Griz pride is a way of life in Missoula. In addition to UM football, Missoula is home to another “hometeam” who wraps their season in September– the minor league baseball team, The Paddleheads. Paddleheads games are a perfect mix of modern-Montana charm and old-school nostalgia. Grab a hot dog, some crackerjacks and a local brew and cheer the home team like a local!
In Missoula, every season is the right season to take a hike, but there is something especially magical about fall. With the changing colors in the valley and the light dusting of snow that begins to linger on the mountain peaks, the trail beckons you to explore a little longer and savor the lingering warmth of summer as the crisp chill of autumn begins to permeate the landscape. Luckily, you won’t have to search long or hard for the perfect trail to take in the changing seasons. Missoula is a hiker’s paradise, with some trails beginning mere walking distance from the heart of downtown and limitless access to pristine wilderness in the mountains surrounding the town. So whether you are looking for a full-day excursion or a quick jaunt between items on your to-do and to-see list, there is a hike for everyone in Missoula.
In a place surrounded by so much natural beauty, inspiration and creativity flows as steadily as the rivers that criss-cross the valley. Missoula is known as the cultural hub of Western Montana and is home to numerous galleries and museums. Take a self-guided walking tour of the downtown district and take in outdoor art displays including murals and sculptures that showcase the uniqueness of this place, or take a stroll in Sculpture Park and marvel at the way art, nature and history converge. Year round, downtown Missoula plays home to First Friday Gallery Nights, where local art is showcased and visitors and locals alike wander in and out of shops, restaurants, breweries and galleries celebrating what makes our local arts movement so special. At the center of this is the Missoula Art Museum, a free regional museum with rotating exhibits featuring artists from across the country including artists and Indigenous artists from the western United States. No matter how and where you go, you will leave inspired by the artists who, in turn, were inspired by this place.
December is a special time in Missoula because Missoula’s knows how to spread cheer by celebrating far and wide. Downtown Missoula becomes something out of a holiday card with lights on every window and garland on every street lamp. Giftgivers browse for that perfect something at the numerous holiday markets and in our charming small shops, and our events calendar is full of opportunities for meetings with Santa, holiday crafting and so much more. Each year, the season kicks off with a parade and tree lighting followed by an outdoor market and opportunities to shop local at Holidays on Higgins, and the spirit only grows from there with downtown carriage rides, holiday concerts and so much more. No matter the season and no matter the month, there is always something to celebrate in Missoula!
