Fair weekend is here, folks. The Western Montana Fair opens Friday at noon at the Missoula County Fairgrounds, the biggest country show of the summer lands at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, and IndigiPalooza takes over downtown. Pace yourselves.
Quick answers for the weekend
What's the biggest event in Missoula this weekend? The 2026 Western Montana Fair opens Friday, July 31 at the Missoula County Fairgrounds (1101 South Ave W) and runs noon–10 PM daily through Sunday. Gate admission is free.
Who's playing in Missoula this weekend? Luke Bryan & Jason Aldean at Washington-Grizzly Stadium (Saturday, 6 PM), Andy Grammer (Friday, 7 PM) and Simple Plan (Saturday, 7:30 PM) at KettleHouse Amphitheater in Bonner, Nick Shoulders with Riddy Arman at the ZACC (Friday, 7 PM), and Jaden Decker free at the fair Friday night.
What's free this weekend? Fair gate admission, IndigiPalooza MT programming downtown, the Clark Fork River Market, live music nightly at the fair, and the Seeley Market.
Missoula
Friday, July 31
- Western Montana Fair — Opening Day · Missoula County Fairgrounds, 1101 South Ave W · noon–10 PM · The fair is back, and opening weekend's theme is "Machine": car shows, a luxury bike show, carnival rides, and fair food. Lords of Dirt flat track motorcycle racing at 7 PM, plus free live music from Jaden Decker. Gate admission is free; select arena events are ticketed.
- BINGO at the Fair with Soroptimist of Missoula · Fairgrounds · noon · Classic fair bingo for a good cause.
- IndigiPalooza MT 2026: RESISTANCE 250+ · Missoula Public Library, Monk's Bar & The Wilma · Friday–Saturday · A downtown-wide celebration of Indigenous art, music, and voices. Friday's headline program: "Speaking Truth About Power" with authors Waubgeshig Rice, Nora Mabie, and B. Toastie Oaster, 5–7 PM at the library.
- Nick Shoulders with Riddy Arman · ZACC Show Room, 216 W Main St · 7 PM · Arkansas's finest old-weird-country yodeler with Montana's own Riddy Arman opening. This one's special.
- Unseen Missoula: Hotels & Hooligans · Departs Burlington Northern Plaza · 3–5 PM · A walking tour through downtown's rowdier chapters.
- Two-Day Bead Trunk Show · Bathing Beauties Beads · 11 AM Friday & Saturday · For the crafters among us.
- At the library: IndigiPalooza programming all day, Watercolor Painting Collaborative at noon, Learn Computer Animation with Blender at 4 PM, and D&D Guild for Adults at 6 PM.
Saturday, August 1
- Luke Bryan & Jason Aldean · Washington-Grizzly Stadium, 32 Campus Dr · 6 PM · The stadium-sized country double bill. Expect a full town — plan parking accordingly.
- Western Montana Fair — Day 2 · Fairgrounds · Noon–10 PM · More Machine-weekend action and free live music at 7 PM.
- Clark Fork River Market · 225 S Pattee St, under the Higgins bridge · 8 AM–1 PM · Peak-season produce, ranchers, and breakfast worth leaving the house for.
- IndigiPalooza MT continues · Downtown venues · Day two of Resistance 250+.
- At the library: Young Kids Dance Party at 11 AM, Story Time at 11:30 AM, Saturday Tiny Tales at 3 PM.
- Brews & music: Camden Morris live at Draught Works, 915 Toole Ave, 7–9 PM.
Sunday, August 2
- Western Montana Fair — Final day of opening weekend · Fairgrounds · noon–10 PM · Last call for Machine weekend; the fair goes dark Monday and returns Tuesday with "Muscle" week.
- 🍺 Brews & music: Sunday Night Jazz at Draught Works, 6–8 PM — the mellow landing you'll need after fair weekend.
Bonner–Blackfoot
- Friday: Andy Grammer — The Big Stupid Heart Tour · KettleHouse Amphitheater, 605 Cold Smoke Ln, Bonner · 7 PM · Feel-good pop on the Blackfoot.
- Saturday: Simple Plan — It's Bigger Than You Think Tour · KettleHouse Amphitheater · 7:30 PM · Your 2004 self is buying tickets.
Lolo & South (Bitterroot Valley)
- Friday & Saturday: Darby's Wild West NRA Rodeo · Darby Rodeo Grounds, 200 Rodeo Rd, Darby · 5 PM both nights · Worth the drive down the valley for small-town rodeo done right.
- Saturday: Yoga at Big Sky Lavender Farms · Florence · 9–10 AM · Stretching in a lavender field. That's it, that's the pitch.
- Lolo and Frenchtown proper are quiet this weekend — nothing posted on the event boards.
Seeley–Swan
- Saturday: Seeley Lake YFC Triathlon/Duathlon · Riverpoint Campground, Seeley Lake · 9 AM · Swim, bike, run (or skip the swim) around one of the prettiest race courses in the state.
- Saturday: Public Safety Fair · Seeley Lake Community Hall · 11 AM · Meet local fire, EMS, and law enforcement folks.
- Sunday: Seeley Market · The Foundation Building, Seeley Lake · 9 AM · The Sunday market tradition rolls on.
Worth the drive
- Sunday: 20th Annual Peace Festival · Garden of One Thousand Buddhas, 34574 White Coyote Rd, Arlee · 10 AM · Music, food, and reflection at one of western Montana's most remarkable places.
