First Friday Art Nights

The first Friday of each month is a great evening to get out into the community of Missoula. Galleries, coffee shops, restaurants, gift shops and other small businesses across the city host local artists for the month, with the opening being a part of the First Friday Art Walk. This event is beloved by many, filling the street of Missoula. It builds community and conversation, and inspires all who attend.

Every Thursday in June, July, and August, the heart of Missoula is filled with locals and visitors alike for one of the favorite events of Summer. Missoula's best food trucks, musicians, and local makers converge on Caras Park, creating a uniquely Missoulian blend of food & art for the community to enjoy. If you enjoy Downtown Tonight, you’ll also love it’s sibling event, Out to Lunch!

Wednesdays in June, July and August, Caras Park is bustling with people from 11 AM - 2 PM for delicious foods and live music. It’s a wonderful family, kid, and pet friendly atmosphere with Missoula's best food vendors and talented local musicians. If you don’t have time to attend Downtown Tonight, stopping by for Out to Lunch is a great alternative!

Under the Higgins Street Bridge every Saturday from May to October, you'll find The Clark Fork Market rippling with activity as people buy fresh, locally produced fruits and veggies, meats and dairy products, baked goods, jams and so much more. You'll even find breakfast and lunch items with coffee, tea, and cold drinks. Between 10 AM and 12:30 PM, local musicians even offer up live tunes!

The Missoula Peoples' Market and Missoula Farmers' Market are both off of North Higgins Avenue in downtown, easily within walking distance of each other, and host a variety of vendors as well. The Farmers' Market boasts fresh produce, flowers, baked goods, and coffee, while the Peoples' Market focuses more on arts and crafts, featuring over 80 unique local artisans. You'll find pottery, home decor, metalworking and woodworking, photography, leatherworking, clothing, jewelry, and more, all hand made in Montana. Both markets are open Saturday mornings from 9 AM to 1 PM, from the second Saturday in May till the last Saturday in September. If you’re planning to head downtown for one of them, we suggest hitting them all once you’re parked!

Missoula stays busy day to day, but the city also has a full calendar of annual events locals, and visitors alike, look forward to. Whether you're looking for the next big film or artwork, great musical performances, refreshing cold drinks, cultural celebrations, or even the excitement of Western Montana's Fair & Rodeo, you can find it in Missoula. For a full list of annual events, visit Destination Missoula and mark your calendars for the best Missoula has to offer!

There is always something going on in Missoula, no matter what time of year you visit. For a full list of current daily events, feel free to visit Missoula's event guide.

Missoula has become a musical powerhouse in terms of concerts, hosting names like The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Pearl Jam, Elton John, and upcoming concerts from Pink, Jason Mraz and more. With concert venues like Kettlehouse and Big Sky Brewing, as well as the Adams Center and Washington-Grizzly Stadium at the university, continuing to expand and pull in big names, you never know who’s going to pop up on the roster. You might even be able to catch a show during your stay!

For updated information on Missoula’s concerts, check Logjam Presents & Big Sky Brewing’s Summer Concert Series.