Big Sky, Big Tunes

Music in Bozeman and beyond.

We’ve all exhausted ourselves enjoying Mother Nature’s struggle between snow and sunshine, skiing one day and biking the next. But as the days lengthen and the temperatures rise, the Pied Piper of summer beckons us from the rivers and trails. Back into town we go, eager to bind to our own kind with music. Here are a few of the can’t-miss musical festivities this season.

Music on Main
What’s more thirst-quenching and rejuvenating than ice-cold beer and knee-slapping tunes in crisp mountain air? Look no further than Bozeman’s own historic downtown. Music on Main provides a social watering hole where people of all ages congregate to quench their musical thirst while enjoying live music. Every Thursday evening from June to August, Main Street from Rouse to Black serves as a dance floor for tourists and yokels alike to link arms and do-si-do up a storm.

Red Ants Pants Music Festival
Stop and stay awhile in White Sulphur Springs for the annual Red Ants Pants Music Festival in July. Enjoy a weekend of music, food, and fun with the hardworking, small-town folk of Montana. You can even kick up your heels for a good cause: women getting into their own pants. All profits benefit family farms and ranches, women in business, and economic development in rural areas—not to mention the creation of hardworking Red Ants pants designed for hardworking women.

Pine Creek Lodge and Café
Looking for that cozy mountain getaway or a mini family vacation? Leave the rug rats with the neighbors or better yet, bring ‘em along to Pine Creek Café’s annual summer barbecues. Slide, shimmy, and jitterbug your butt off (you’ll have to after that pile of ribs) to live music every Saturday. Cool your burnin’ bunions in the creek, grab a patch of grass, and take in the sunset before retiring to a creekside cabin. Whether you’re popping the question against the backdrop of the Absarokas or just enjoying one of Montana’s beautiful summers, Pine Creek is music to your ears.

Music in the Mountains
Big Sky’s Town Center hosts several music events each year. This summer, 12 of the 13 are free and all are family friendly. From the 1st annual Classical Music Festival to the July 4th Community Celebration, Big Sky proves it’s much more than just the “Biggest Skiing in America.” Plus, thanks to a chunk of change from a Montana Office of Tourism’s grant, the music at Big Sky is gonna be even bigger and better than ever.

Yellowstone Music Festival
In the shadow of the famous Roosevelt Arch, Gardiner tears things up every summer with its annual Yellowstone Music Festival, featuring everything from local favorites to national headliners all jamming out in Arch Park till the sun goes down. Even music snobs can’t complain, as this fest offers something for everyone: Celtic, Latin, bluegrass, and plenty in between. Mix in an arts show, silent auction, and local grub, and you’ve got the fixins for one hell of a hootenanny.

Music in the Park
Starting in July, Saturday nights in West Yellowstone get a lot more fun. The free Music in the Park concert series offers live tunes for the whole family, smack-dab in the middle of City Park. So pack your trusty four-wheeled steed with coolers, kids, and camping chairs, and have a picnic while these open-air artists serenade you into the night.

To make the most out of every outdoor event, there are a few things you should always remember to bring: sunscreen, containers to hold your beverages, leashes for kids and dogs, and garbage bags to pack out any remaining items. Now get out there and enjoy the music!