A Guide to Montana’s Old Salt Festival
Updated for the 2025 Event | June 20–22, 2025
In Montana, the best memories are made with a little dust on your boots, stars overhead, and a distinct lack of cell service. On land shaped by generations of care and hard work, the Old Salt Festival reminds you what it feels like to be grounded – in land, in food, and in community.
Heading into its third year, the Old Salt Festival is more than just a weekend escape – it’s a full-sensory celebration of Montana’s land. The festival’s lineup includes music, meaningful conversation, design with purpose, and incredible culinary talent. The event is put on by the Old Salt Co-op on the Mannix Ranch in Helmville, Montana and is a true celebration of land stewardship.
The Heart of It All
At its core, the Old Salt Festival is about connection, between the people who raise food and the people who eat it … between working landscapes and the communities they support. It’s hosted by the Old Salt Co-op, a group of Montana ranchers who’ve joined forces to sell their meat directly to consumers while focusing on land stewardship and long-term sustainability.
The festival takes place on the Mannix Ranch in Helmville, Montana, where generations of the Mannix family have worked the land and raised cattle. It’s a real, working ranch (not just a backdrop) which makes the experience feel rooted and intentional.
Outside of the festival, the Old Salt Co-op brings that same focus to their year-round spots in Helena: the casual Old Salt Outpost and the more refined Union.
A Full Sensory Experience
Food is a central part of the Old Salt Festival—and it’s done unlike anywhere else. Each day of the festival is led by a different chef team, handpicked for their creativity and connection to place. These chefs design full menus built around local, seasonal ingredients—many sourced from the very ranches represented by the Old Salt Co-Op.
Alongside the prepared food, guests can enjoy a variety of casual food vendors offering snacks, sweets, and savory bites and a festival bar serves beverages throughout the weekend.
The lineup features a range of genres—from singer-songwriters and bluegrass bands to folk and roots rock—creating the kind of soundtrack that makes dancing in a pasture feel like second nature.
And when it’s not music filling the air, it’s conversation. Key to the event is the land talk lounge, short talks, and makers tent, all of which center on land stewardship, agriculture, and conservation. These discussions offer a deeper layer to the event, inviting attendees to reflect on where their food comes from and the people and place behind it.
Festival Life
The pace of the Old Salt Festival is part of what makes it special. Mornings start slow for those camping on site—with yoga, coffee, and quiet hikes around the property. There’s something grounding about waking up in a farm field and watching the light shift across the landscape.
Throughout the day, there’s space to explore or simply relax as you wander between music, talks, vendors, and food. The campground culture brings its own kind of magic—kids running between tents, new friends sharing snacks and stories, and campfires flickering to life as the night cools down.
It’s the kind of experience that reminds you how meaningful the simple things can be: good company, good food, and the freedom to roam. Every part of the day feels intentional but never rushed.
What to Know Before You Go (Old Salt Festival FAQ)
📍 Where is the Old Salt Festival?
142 S. Nevada Cr. Rd Helmville MT 59843
The festival takes place on the Mannix Ranch in Helmville, Montana – an incredibly scenic working cattle ranch nestled in Montana’s Blackfoot Valley. It’s remote in the best way. Expect wide open skies, rolling hills, and views that make you feel small in the best way.
📅 When is the festival?
Friday June 20, 2025 – Sunday June 22, 2025. It’s a 3-day experience with unique chef-curated meals, music, and activities each day.
🚗 How far is the festival from nearby towns?
• Helena: ~1 hr 30 min
• Missoula: ~1 hr 45 min
• Great Falls: ~2 hr 15 min
• Bozeman: ~3 hr
🏕️ Can I stay overnight?
Yes—and you should! The best way to experience the festival is to camp in the farm field right on-site. Bring your tent and soak in the sunrise with coffee in hand. There are a couple of options for camping at the festival – car/tent camping in 20′ x 20′ spots, RV/Trailer Camping (with a very limited number available these sell out fast), and Glamping options.
Helmville is in the middle of some incredible agricultural land, but as such, this community is rural and there are very limited lodging options nearby. The festival website recommends looking at Ovando, Lincoln, Drummond, and Philipsburg if you would rather not camp on site.
🌞 What should I pack for the Old Salt Festival?
It’s Montana—so expect a little of everything. The Old Salt Festival is a snow, rain, or shine event, which means you’ll want to come prepared for cold mornings, warm afternoons, and cool evenings. Daytime temps typically range from the high 50s to low 60s, with evenings dipping into the 40s. Then again, we had incredible weather last year and it was about 85, so you never know!
👨👩👧👦 Is the festival a family-friendly event?
Yes! In fact, kids 12 and under get in free. The Old Salt Festival is great fun for all ages—with space to roam, hands-on activities, and a laid-back atmosphere that makes families feel right at home.
🎒 Can I just come for the day?
Yes! Day passes are available, but if you can swing the weekend, you won’t regret waking up on the ranch.
🎟️ Where do I get tickets?
Here’s the link for 2025 tickets: https://www.oldsaltco-op.com/pages/old-salt-festival-2025-tickets
Why This Festival Matters
In a world that moves fast, the Old Salt Festival invites you to slow down and reconnect—with the land, with each other, and with the food on your plate. Carefully curated and deeply rooted, this weekend gathering redefines what it means to celebrate with intention and gratitude.
Whether you come for the music, the meals, or the quiet moments in wide-open space, you’ll leave with a deeper connection to the people and places that make Montana special.
Get the Old Salt Festival on your calendar – June 20–22, 2025. Come experience what it looks like when people gather to celebrate land with purpose.
