Gardiner-Area Events

With Yellowstone Park splendor, loads of wildlife, recreational fun, and a spectacular sunset practically guaranteed, few towns hold more summer fun than Gardiner. Here’s what to do and when.

Rodeos
June 18-19 kicks off cowboy season in Gardiner, with the town’s annual NRA rodeo. Hosted by the Upper Yellowstone Roundup Association, this swashbucklin’ Western soiree includes bull riding, saddle and bareback bronc riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing, and junior events. The fun begins Friday night and bucks on into the weekend, with a parade through Gardiner Saturday afternoon. If you miss this shindig, another, similar rodeo takes place on August 20-21. Call 848-7010 for more info.

Yellowstone Days 5k Fun Run
To reduce the midriff-enlarging effects of beer and brats at the rodeo, burn off some calories with a 5k run through the streets of Gardiner on Saturday, June 19. Enjoy the background of Roosevelt Arch and Electric Peak as you sweat your way to the finish line—just in time to find a spot to watch the parade, where the gluttony begins anew. Call 848-7971 for details.

Park to Paradise Triathlon
On Saturday, August 21, bring your boat, bike, and ambition for a grueling three-event race up and down the Yellowstone River. At 9:30am, launch your sea kayak or canoe and paddle eight miles downriver, then bike 18 miles back through Yankee Jim before finishing the last five miles on foot. Collapse at the Roosevelt Arch and catch your breath for a well-deserved post-race picnic. Call 848-7941 for more info.

Yellowstone Music Festival & Art Show
Saturday, August 28 marks this year's Yellowstone Music Festival, hosted at Arch Park. Expect acoustic-y, bluegrassy tunes from local and regional songsters Calle Mambo, Mitch Barett, Kevin Dooley, Thermal Grass, Jenny Golding, and more. The gathering also attracts an aggregation of regional artists bearing handmade jewelry and oil paintings perfect for those artsy impulse purchases. yellowstonemusicfest.com.

Shakespeare in the Park
The sun still shines in September, when A Midsummer Night’s Dream beams into Gardiner for a hilarious and enchanting romp through a romance-filled forest. Bring your sweetie, sit outside at 6pm on September 2, and take in one of Shakespeare’s funniest and most magical plays.

Gardiner Annual Brewfest in the Park
Mourn summer’s passing with a river of beer and a pile of meat at Arch Park. Around 3pm on September 25, live music signals it's time to drown your summer's-over blues in taste-tests of the best microbrews in Montana. Expect plentiful burgers and brats. Entertainment includes the Bartenders' Olympics, featuring your favorite barstool therapists battling for fastest beer pour, drunk toss, and shot-glass sprint.