15 Outdoor Music Festivals and Concerts

From June through October, live music echoes off mountain stages across Southwest Montana. Whether you’re into country, folk, hip-hop, classical, or something a little cosmic, there’s a festival or concert series here with your name on it. Use this guide to plan your summer around the music.

Three musicians perform on an outdoor stage at the Montana Folk Festival in Uptown Butte, Montana, with the center vocalist singing and holding a guitar under a clear blue sky, historic mine headframes and Butte's brick buildings framing the scene behind the stage. Photo by Sarah Bolt, Tempest Technologies. — Musicians performing at the Montana Folk Festival in Butte, Montana | Photo by Sarah Bolt, Tempest Technologies

1. Lewis and Clark Taproom

📍Helena, Montana | June 18 – August 30, 2026

Lewis and Clark Taproom is a local favorite for a reason. They host events like trivia, pinball tournaments, and live music all year long, but come summer, the party moves outside. Throughout the summer, catch local and indie talent live on the patio with a cold craft beer in hand and Montana’s wide-open skies overhead. Cover charges vary by event, so be sure to check out Lewis and Clark Taproom’s event page before you plan your night out.

Here are a few options: "Guests enjoy craft beer and live music on the outdoor patio stage at Lewis and Clark Taproom in Helena, Montana, with patio heaters, string lights, and a large beer mural decorating the brewery's exterior wall on a summer evening" "A band performs on the covered outdoor stage at Lewis and Clark Taproom in Helena, Montana, as patrons relax at patio tables and picnic benches with craft beers in hand beneath a large painted mural on the brewery wall. Photo by Mike Dreesman, Tempest Technologies. — Patio and outdoor stage with musicians performing at Lewis and Clark Taproom in Helena, Montana | Photo by Mike Dreesman, Tempest Technologies

2. Old Salt Festival

📍Helmville, Montana | June 19 – 21, 2026

Located on a working cattle ranch in Southwest Montana’s Blackfoot Valley, the Old Salt Festival features three days of chef-curated meals, makers, vendors, campfire nights, and live music from singer-songwriters to bluegrass and folk. Founded by Montana ranch families who collectively steward more than 200,000 acres, this gathering is their way of inviting you to celebrate the land. Day passes and weekend tickets are available now, and kids 12 and under get in free. Purchase tickets here.

3. Alive @ Five

📍Helena, Montana| Each Wednesday from mid-June through August

For over 20 years, this free outdoor concert series has brought the community together each week for live music, food trucks, and warm summer evenings in the heart of Helena. The 2026 dates haven’t been released yet, so check the Alive @ Five website for the full lineup and schedule as the season gets closer.

4. Augusta Rodeo Weekend

📍Augusta, Montana | June 26 – June 28, 2026

The Augusta American Legion Rodeo is one of Montana’s oldest and most beloved rodeos. Set against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountain Front, this PRCA-sanctioned rodeo features heart-pounding events like bull riding, roping, and barrel racing. Beyond the rodeo, the weekend includes live music throughout town, a parade, vendors, and family-friendly activities. Get the latest details on the Augusta rodeo here.

5. Montana Folk Festival

📍Butte, Montana | July 10 – 12, 2026

Experience one of the largest outdoor music festivals in the Northwest at the Montana Folk Festival, where six stages of live music take over the streets of Butte each July. Expect an eclectic mix of music genres, more than 30 food vendors, traditional art markets, a fashion show, folklife demonstrations, and a First Peoples’ Market. The event is family-friendly and free for all to attend. Read our full guide to navigating Folk Fest before you go.

6. Symphony Under the Stars

📍Helena, Montana | July 18, 2026

Every July, the Helena Symphony Orchestra takes the stage under the open sky at Carroll College for one of Helena’s most beloved summer traditions. Thousands of people attend each year, so pack a blanket, bring some food, and claim your spot early. The evening wraps up with one of the best fireworks shows in Montana. Plus, the entire event is free to attend. Follow the Symphony Under the Stars Facebook page for 2026 program announcements.

An overhead view of thousands of concert-goers seated on blankets and lawn chairs on the Carroll College hillside for Symphony Under the Stars in Helena, Montana, with the Helena Symphony on a lit outdoor stage and the surrounding valley and mountains fading into the evening light. Photo by Mike Dreesman, Tempest Technologies. — Symphony Under the Stars in Helena, Montana | Photo by Mike Dreesman, Tempest Technologies

7. Last Chance Stampede and Fair

📍Helena, Montana | July 21 – 25, 2026

The Stampede will host concerts throughout the week, and this year’s headliners are Daughtry (7/21) and Travis Tritt (7/22). Three nights of PRCA rodeo, carnival rides, 4-H exhibits, and fair food make this one of Helena’s biggest summer traditions. Gate admission is free. Tickets for the rodeo and concerts go on sale on June 1, 2026, and can be purchased here. Follow the Lewis & Clark County 4-H on Facebook for updates throughout the week.

The rodeo arena at the Last Chance Stampede at the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds in Helena, Montana, filled with spectators in the grandstands as competitors prepare in the dirt arena below, with a stormy evening sky and the Helena valley's mountain silhouette stretching across the horizon — Last Chance Stampede in Helena, Montana | Photo by Tempest Technologies

8. Headwaters Country Jam

📍Cardwell, Montana | July 23 – 25, 2026

This is Montana’s biggest annual country music festival. This year’s lineup features Clint Black, Wyatt Flores, Gavin Adcock, Midland, Cameron Whitcomb, and Avery Anna across three days and two stages. Camping is available on site. Get your tickets here.

9. Rappin the Rivers Music Festival

📍Cardwell, Montana | August 7 – 8, 2026

Hip-Hop and EDM take over Cardwell with a multi-stage music and camping festival. This year’s lineup features DaBaby, Paul Wall, Kid Ink, Dave East, and more. Weekend passes are available now and include a camping spot. Grab your tickets here.

10. An Ri Ra Festival

📍Butte, Montana | August 14 – 16, 2026

Butte is one of the most Irish cities in America, and An Ri Ra is proof. This free three-day festival in Uptown Butte brings lively music, traditional Irish dance, cultural workshops, and a whole lot of heart to the Original Mine Yard every August. A free shuttle loops through Butte’s Historic District throughout the weekend. View the lineup and plan your visit here.

11. MooshFest

📍Boulder, Montana | August 14 – 15, 2026

If you’re looking for something a little out of this world, MooshFest is calling. It’s two days of music spanning cosmic country, cumbia, and psych-folk, plus art installations, sound baths, yoga, and an opening ceremony led by an alien priestess. Children under 12 get in for free. Plan your visit and buy your tickets here.

12. Rockin’ The Rockies Music Festival

📍Lincoln, Montana | August 21 – 22, 2026

These two days of live music are brought to Lincoln by the Montana Disabled Veterans (DAV), and all proceeds support disabled veterans. There will be 20 musical acts spanning country, classic rock, and folk, including Completely Unchained, a Van Halen tribute band, and a Utah-based rock band, Royal Bliss. Camping is available onsite, and children 12 and under get in for free. Learn more about the event and purchase tickets here.

13. Montana’s Biggest Weekend

📍Dillon, Montana | September 5 – 6, 2026

Every Labor Day weekend, Dillon closes out the summer with a bang, two nights of PRCA rodeo, a concert on Sunday night, and a parade through downtown on Monday to cap it off. The 2026 headliner hasn’t been announced yet, but past performers include Clint Black (2025), Shane Smith and the Saints (2024), and Ian Munsick (2023). Be sure to follow the Dillon Jaycees on Facebook for the announcement and get your tickets here.

Live concert on the dirt grounds of the Dillon rodeo at Montana's Biggest Weekend, with a large crowd of western-dressed attendees watching a band perform on a floodlit outdoor stage as the sun sets behind the mountains. Photo by Mike Dreesman, Tempest Technologies. — Montana’s Biggest Weekend concert in Dillon, Montana | Photo by Mike Dreesman, Tempest Technologies

14. Townsend’s Fall Festival

📍Townsend, Montana | October 2 – 4, 2026

Festival season doesn’t end after Labor Day in Southwest Montana, and Townsend’s Fall Festival is proof. It’s a three-day celebration with tons of live music, food vendors, art, and one of Montana’s largest car shows. It’s a great excuse to get outside and enjoy some music before the season turns. Admission is free for everyone, and the event is family-friendly. Check back here for updates as we get closer to the event.

15. Live Music at Broadwater and Norris Hot Springs

📍Norris and Helena, Montana

Why not pair your live music with a soak? Norris Hot Springs hosts live acoustic music Thursday through Sunday evenings starting at 7 p.m. Musicians play in Norris’ iconic poolside dome as concert-goers relax in mineral-rich waters. Check their event calendar for upcoming performers. Broadwater Hot Springs in Helena also hosts live music, check Broadwater’s event page for the latest details.

Two acoustic guitarists perform back to back inside the iconic geodesic dome at Norris Hot Springs in Norris, Montana, with the misty outdoor pool and surrounding trees visible through the transparent dome walls behind them. Photo by Mike Dreesman, Tempest Technologies. — Musicians playing from the dome at Norris Hot Springs | Photo by Mike Dreesman, Tempest Technologies