The Missoula Marathon 2026 weekend runs Friday, June 26 through Sunday, June 28 with the full marathon starting at 6:00 AM Sunday, the half marathon at 7:00 AM, and Saturday's Tony Banovich 5K at 8:00 AM and Kids Marathon at 10:00 AM.

The full marathon is a USATF certified Boston Qualifier with a flat, fast point-to-point course beginning in the countryside and finishing in historic downtown Missoula. Packet pickup and the free Beer Run kick off festivities Friday evening.

Over 3,000 runners are registered across all four races, making this one of Montana's premier running events. Road closures will affect downtown Missoula and surrounding areas Sunday morning from 6:00 AM through early afternoon.

The Zootown Music Festival 2026 wrapped up June 19-20 at the Missoula Fairgrounds with sold-out performances from The Lumineers, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, The Head and the Heart, and Billy Strings, drawing an estimated 15,000 music fans to one of Montana's largest outdoor concerts of the summer.

Local businesses reported a major mid-June revenue surge as festival-goers packed restaurants, breweries, and hotels throughout the weekend. The economic impact is estimated at over $3 million, making this one of Missoula's most lucrative events of 2026.

The festival featured three stages — Trailhead, Mountain, and River — with performances spanning indie rock, bluegrass, Americana, and folk. Billy Strings' Saturday night headlining set was an instant Montana music legend.

Missoula sustainability events diverted 17,500 pounds of compostable waste from landfills this spring and summer, thanks to a coordinated zero-waste initiative involving the Zootown Music Festival, Missoula Marathon, and weekly Farmer's Markets across the city.

The program partners local event organizers with Garden City Compost and Republic Services to provide compost bins, educate attendees, and haul organic waste to processing facilities. Over 40 events participated in 2026, making Missoula a regional leader in event sustainability.

The initiative is expanding in 2027 with grants from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and aims to reach 50,000 pounds of annual waste diversion by next summer.

The Missoula PaddleHeads revised their July 4th fireworks show after the city council denied a noise ordinance waiver, forcing the team to scale back the display and move the start time earlier to comply with Missoula's 10:00 PM residential noise curfew.

The decision sparked debate about balancing community celebrations with neighborhood quality of life, especially in the South Hills residential area adjacent to Ogren Park at Allegiance Field. The PaddleHeads will now launch fireworks at 9:30 PM instead of the traditional 10:15 PM post-game finale.

Despite the changes, the Fourth of July game remains one of Missoula's most popular summer events, with tickets nearly sold out and pre-game festivities starting at 5:00 PM with food trucks, live music, and family activities.

The DNRC Missoula native plant nursery grows over one million native Montana plants annually from a state-of-the-art greenhouse facility on the edge of town, supplying restoration projects across the state with locally-adapted wildflowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees.

The facility collects seeds from Montana ecosystems, propagates them in controlled conditions, and distributes seedlings to DNRC forestry projects, wildfire restoration sites, highway beautification programs, and even private landowners through seasonal plant sales.

This hidden gem of Missoula conservation infrastructure is one of only three state-run native plant nurseries in the Northern Rockies and plays a critical role in Montana's post-wildfire recovery and habitat restoration efforts.

Discover a treasure trove of Montana-made goods and locally inspired style at Soul City Dry Goods, located in the heart of downtown Missoula. 

This vibrant boutique is your go-to destination for apparel, hats, accessories, top-notch home goods, and delicious local-food finds—all crafted with a western spirit and made with love in the Treasure State

Q & A

Q: What is the population of Missoula, MT?

A: As of 2021, the population of Missoula, MT is around 76,000.

Q: What are some popular outdoor activities in Missoula, MT?

A: Some popular outdoor activities in Missoula include hiking in the surrounding mountains, fly fishing on the Clark Fork River, and kayaking on the Clark Fork River.

Q: What is the climate like in Missoula, MT?

A: Missoula has a semi-arid climate with hot summers and cold winters, characterized by low humidity and abundant sunshine throughout the year.