Hallmark Downtown Events
Downtown is home to some of the best annual events and happenings in Missoula. These are the Hallmark events that help make the Heart of Missoula THE destination for the best experiences in the community. And these are just some of the events that make Downtown the best place for things to do! If you’re looking for other options, be sure to check out missoulaevents.net for daily happenings you can find in Downtown and throughout Missoula.
First Friday Gallery Night
First Friday Missoula takes place from 5-8 pm on the First Friday of every month. Participants vary each month, but usually include art openings in galleries, museums, retail stores, and coffee shops. The main objective of these art openings is to show and sell art, and give the public a chance to meet the artist. The evening is also an extremely social event, often including wine and food, musical performances, poetry readings, dance, gallery lectures, and more. In the summer, street performers and street vendors commonly appear as well.
First Friday Missoula is not centrally coordinated by a single group. Each gallery or venue is in charge of their own event. To help centralize information, ARTS Missoula keeps its ear to the ground and provides gallery and artist listings.
Visit websiteFood & Art Markets
Missoula farmers markets have local food, crafts, plants, art and more. Each farmers market has a different variety of offerings and they are all within walking distance of each other.
- Missoula Farmers Market
8:30am-12:30pm, Saturdays, mid-May to mid-October.
5:30-7pm Tuesdays, July – early September.
Circle Square, at the north end of Higgins Street, Downtown
Nearly 100 local vendors are on hand to sell their produce, plants, flowers, breads and coffee. - Clark Fork Market
8am-1pm, Saturdays, mid-May to mid-October. Parking lot next to A Carousel for Missoula.
This outdoor farmers’ market boasts locally-produced meat, dairy products, fruits, veggies, flowers, baked goods, live music, coffee and vendors who dish up breakfast and lunch. - Missoula People’s Market
9am-1pm Saturdays, mid-May to early-October, West Pine Street, Downtown.
Dozens of craftspeople showcase their photography, jewelry, clothing, soap, glass art, and various other hand-made items.
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
The Big Sky Documentary Film Festival is the premier venue for non-fiction film in the American West. Big Sky offers an ideal setting for filmmakers to premiere new work and develop lasting relationships with fellow filmmakers and industry. The festival draws an audience of 20,000 and film entries from every corner of the globe to a uniquely intimate mountain town setting with a local Montana flavor.
The festival hosts over 200 visiting artists, presents an average of 150 non-fiction films, and offers a variety of exciting events at the historic theater The Wilma, The Roxy Theater, the MCT Center for the Performing Arts, and the Hellgate Elks Lodge in Downtown Missoula.
Visit websiteInternational Wildlife Film Festival
IWFF is an annual wildlife and conservation themed film festival held each April in scenic Missoula, Montana. The event draws in hundreds of filmmakers, scientists, conservationists and enthusiasts. Housed at The Roxy Theater, Missoula’s historic independent arthouse theater.
Founded in 1977 at the University of Montana, it is the first and longest running event of its kind. In 2002, they purchased the historic Roxy Theater as the home for the festival. In 2013, The Roxy launched its year-round screening series and began extensive collaboration with the university, businesses, and the community, serving a diverse, all-ages population with broad programming, from wildlife and environmental film and new and classic fiction and documentaries, to live music, poetry, performance and other cultural offerings, including our monthly IWFF Presents series.
Visit websiteYMCA Riverbank Run
Join the Missoula Family YMCA as they wind through historic downtown Missoula and the beautiful University of Montana campus. With four race options to choose from, there’s something for everyone! Held at the end of April each year.
Visit websiteMissoula Marathon
The Missoula Marathon is the brainchild of a group of local, dedicated members of Run Wild Missoula who want to share the area’s beauty and Missoula’s unique feel with runners from all over. Run Wild Missoula is a non-profit, 501(c)3 running club with the mission to support and promote running and walking for people of all ages and abilities. With a membership of more than 1,500 runners and walkers, we host 15 annual races each year, multiple training classes, group runs and a variety of social and educational events.
The Missoula Marathon is one of Missoula’s premier events and has enjoyed incredible community support. It’s won multiple awards as one of the best marathons in the country. Held the last weekend in June.
Visit websiteSymphony In The Park
A can’t miss Missoula summertime tradition, the orchestra presents our FREE family-friendly evening of pops and light classical. Prepare a picnic, pack a blanket and meet us at Caras Park for an unforgettable night! Held the second Sunday in August.
Visit websiteUniversity of Montana Homecoming
The University of Montana’s Homecoming is a festive week for alumni, friends, students and community members. Countless alumni return to campus to take part in the traditional Homecoming festivities, including the Hello Walk, Distinguished Alumni Award ceremony, Yell Night Pep Rally, All-Alumni Social and Dance, Homecoming Parade, Homecoming Tailgate and the Homecoming football game!
Visit websiteMissoula on Main
Annual New Year’s Eve event put on by Arts Missoula. This family friendly, city-wide celebration has dozens of arts and music focused events that start mid-day on December 31 and go until midnight.
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