Weekend PICKS: Thursday, October 23rd thru Sunday, October 26th
Mark Thome
Posted On October 23, 2025
All roads lead to so many options! The MUG is here with all our Weekend PICKS to help you make it to all the autumn October music, fall festivals, markets and pre-Halloween events Thursday thru Sunday that you don’t want to miss around Missoula and Western Montana.
Get some live music with the Pesky Varmints, plus Horns, Fins & Feathers food truck, and a surprise new beer release at Old Bull Brewing in Frenchtown Thursday from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm.
Step into the beauty of Montana’s landscape through the lens of photographer J.M. Cooper 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm Thursday at Missoula Art Museum.
Hey witchy ladies, dust off those bikes and witches hats – there will be a P’Burg Witches Brigade bike ride starting 5:00 pm Thursday from Philipsburg Elementary School to the City Park and back to Philipsburg Brewing.
Tom Catmull plays live at the KettleHouse Tap House in Bonner 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm Thursday.
Shine up those dancing shoes for Swing Dance Night to hot jazz with The Jive in the taproom at Big Sky Brewing Co. in Missoula 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm Thursday.
The Ben Larson Band performs live 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Thursday at Bitter Root Brewing in Hamilton.
Meet up with TNR at 6:00 pm at the Maurice & South Avenue trailhead for a Thursday Sunset Mountain Bike Ride Ride to the top of Missoula’s Mount Sentinel.
Unseen Missoula takes you on a walking two-hour Screams & Spirits Tour of Missoula’s haunted past, starting in front of the fountain at First Interstate Bank downtown at 6:30 pm Thursday, with advance tickets for selected dates available throughout October.
The Three-O will perform live 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm Thursday at Missoula’s Draught Works.
Cutler Bros. Theatre opens the doors to one of the most haunted buildings in the state of Montana – the old Powell County Memorial Hospital in Deer Lodge for the creepiest “Creepshow” Haunted Hospital Tour you will ever be a part of 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm Thursday, Friday and Saturday; and next week on Thursday, October 30 and Friday, October 31.
Drybar Comedy presents headliner stand-up comedian Aaron Woodall at 8:00 pm Thursday at Ole Beck VFW Post 209 in Downtown Missoula.
Rock out at the Musicians Open Jam with signups at 7:00 pm; jam 8:00 pm to 10:30 pm on Thursday at Monk’s Bar in Downtown Missoula.
Enjoy an evening of jazz in the speakeasy when DejaVu plays live 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm at Stave & Hoop in Downtown Missoula.
Swing by Missoula’s Dark Horse Bar when DJ Nite Wolf hosts Open Mic Night at 8:00 pm Thursday.
John Dunnigan returns to playing at 9:30 pm Thursday at The Great Northern Bar in Downtown Whitefish.
Get spooky and feral with some of your fave local DJs at the Madhouse Masquerade Fundraiser (proceeds to go Big Sky Happy Tails Animal Rescue) at The Badlander in Downtown Missoula 10:00 pm Thursday to 2:00 am.
Celebrate the change of seasons with carnival games, a cake walk, costume contest, face painting and board games at the Frenchtown Fall Festival 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm Friday, October 24 at Frenchtown High School.
Wrap up your work week with Live Music in the Boat Club at The Lodge at Whitefish Lake featuring Randy Marshall 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm Friday.
Philipsburg Theatre hosts Disturbia – a Terrifying Haunted House from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm Fridays and Saturdays thru October 31.
Experience the vibrant spirit of community at the historic Pearl Entertainer Theatre in Ronan, where Western Montana Musicians Cooperative hosts its weekly Friday Open Mic / Open Jam from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
Annual guided Ghost Tours continue at The Conrad Mansion in Kalispell 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm Friday and Saturday.
The Jacob Joliff Band brings mandolin to the front of their trademark bluegrass sound at Missoula’s Longstaff House 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm Friday.
Celtic music juggernaut Gaelic Storm returns to the Flathead Valley with a performance at Wachholz College Center on the FVCC campus in Kalispell at 7:00 pm Friday.
Join the Shepherds of Wildlife at 7:00 pm Thursday at the Mary Stuart Rogers Performing Arts Center in Victor High School for a special one-night-only screening and Q&A of “The Real Yellowstone – Framing the Future”.
Grab your dance shoes for a Dance Night with The Jive at the Shotgun Sanctuary Yurt in Bonner 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm Friday.
Bigfork Community Players present “A Murder is Announced” – a Miss Marple Mystery live at Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts Friday & Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:00 pm.
The Layloni Ghee Band brings all your favorite covers for a rockin’ night live at Missoula’s Sunrise Saloon starting 9:00 pm Friday.
British-American trio Raynes debuts with Meggie McDonald opening at Monk’s Bar in Downtown Missoula at 9:00 pm Friday to 1:00 am.
Groove Solventless & Logjam Presents welcome Senterline & The Gray Goo for a FREE live concert performance at the Top Hat in Downtown Missoula at 10:30 pm Friday.
The farmers’ market summer season wraps up this weekend, with last ones happening Saturday in Downtown Missoula with the Missoula Farmers Market and the Clark Fork River Market, and Hamilton Farmers Market Cooperative all open at 9:00 am Saturday morning. Last chance for a while to get the good stuff!
Now that the weather’s getting chilly, it’s time to find some great classic sweaters and jackets at the Missoula Vintage Clothing Market at the Missoula Senior Center on The Hip Strip from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday.
It’s the Cyclocross race & party of the year in Missoula! Bring your bike, bring your cowbell, bring your beer mug out to Rolling Thunder CX Weekend – racing is happening 9:15 am to 8:00 pm Saturday and 9:15 am to 3:00 pm Sunday at Big Sky Brewing Co.
Set up a table to sell your old bike stuff, or come in for some great finds at the Free Cycles Bike Swap & Sale 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday at Free Cycles Missoula.
The Missoula Health & Wellness Fair brings together the best in health, wellness, and self-care—all under one roof from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm Saturday in the University Center Ballroom on the UM Campus.
The Missoula PaddleHeads host their first-ever Corgi Races & Oktoberfest at Ogren Park at Allegiance Field from 12:00 pm Noon to 6:00 pm Saturday.
Witches are gathering…dress up in your witchiest glam and bring your enchanted vibes to meet up for an evening of spells, spirits and wicked delights for Witch’s Night Out at Westslope Distillery in Hamilton at 5:00 pm Saturday.
Join the Bitterroot Stockgrowers Association for their annual Banquet & Dance with live country music by Shodown at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds Event Center in Hamilton 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm Saturday.
Travis Yost brings along his Love is a Dog Band to fill up the murphy stage at Missoula’s Draught Works 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm Saturday.
Experience the vibrant spirit of community at the historic Pearl Entertainer Theatre in Ronan, where Western Montana Musicians Cooperative hosts its weekly Saturday Community Open Jam, starting at 7:00 pm.
Saturday night is a guaranteed good time when The Northern Lights Band plays live on stage from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm at The Jack Saloon in Lolo.
Bring your friends, your appetite, and your best songs for Karaoke Friday Night starting at 7:00 pm at A Sip of Montana at Woods Bay in Bigfork.
Logjam Presents welcomes TroyBoi for a live concert performance with Nomoredeath on The Hear2Move 2025 Tour at The Wilma in Downtown Missoula at 8:00 pm Saturday.
Groove along to some Hot Club Jazz with The Jive at Stave & Hoop Speakeasy in Downtown Missoula 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm Saturday.
Get your tickets to discover Music Inspired by Halloween at Missoula Children’s Theatre under the gentle glow of candlelight 8:30 pm to 10:30 pm Saturday.
It’s always a good ol’ time when Zootown Karaoke hosts Karaoke Night starting at 9:00 pm every Saturday at KT’s Hayloft Saloon in Lolo.
Get ready to tear up the dance floor when Outlaws & Lawmen take the stage at 9:30 pm Saturday at Missoula’s Sunrise Saloon.
Snow is surely on the way! One of the sure signs of the changing seasons is the annual SOS Fair & Winter Gear Swap in the Commercial Building at the Missoula Fairgrounds happening 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Sunday.
Ronan’s last Market on Main of the season will be 11:00 am to 4:00 pm Sunday at 325 Main Street.
Unwind and enjoy the soulful sounds from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm during the Fall Sunday Night Jazz Series, this week featuring Johan Eriksson, in the taproom at Draught Works.
It’s Bingo with a Beat! – Soundcheck Bingo at 6:00 pm every Sunday at KT’s Hayloft Saloon in Lolo.
Bone Dry Comedy hosts Very Funny Weekly Comedy Open Mic every Sunday at 8:00 pm at Ole Beck VFW Post 209 in Downtown Missoula.
Sunday Funday Karaoke is hosted by DJ Nite Wolf from 8:00 pm til Midnight at Missoula’s Sunrise Saloon.
We have around 65 live music events listed for the weekend – take your pick! Bundle up – it’s gonna be a chilly stretch coming up.
No matter what direction you wanna get outta town, you can’t go wrong. Lots of autumn activities, fall festivals, and early Halloween events are happening not only around Missoula, but all the way up the Flathead, Mission and Bitterroot valleys, east to Phillipsburg and Anaconda, and out west past Alberton. If you’re headed up to Whitefish and Glacier and even Northwestern Montana, there are some outstanding pit stops to make along the way.
Get out & enjoy our locally-owned bars & restaurants with Montana grown / made food and beverages – they need your business! Try a new local brew! Support our local artists and vendors at the area markets. Take the family for a brisk outdoor autumn hike – all the trails are waiting. Fall conditions are excellent just about everywhere for mountain biking. Fall fishing on the lakes and rivers is good, and hunting season is underway. Catch a classic movie screening or a stand-up comedy night. Stretch that big brain at one of the local trivia nights. Sing your favorite karaoke song, or catch a live music show. Enjoy safely and responsibly.
Please confirm event details at the source before you go. Last minute changes are common, especially due to weather and holidays. With each event listing, we try to include a web page or event link with more information you can check for changes.
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.“
– The Serenity Prayer
Do you have a Western Montana event coming up that you would like to have included on The MUG? Click HERE to submit your event!
THURSDAY, October 23
Events for October 23, 2025
FRIDAY, October 24
Events for October 24, 2025
SATURDAY, October 25
Events for October 25, 2025
SUNDAY, October 26
Events for October 26, 2025
Please confirm event details at the source before you go. Last minute changes are common, especially due to holidays and weather. With each event listing, we try to include a web page or event link with more information you can check for changes.
Do you have a Western Montana event you would like to have included on The MUG? Click HERE to submit your event!
In addition to being a delightful place to spend a few days in the summer and fall, the space has become the perfect blend of photographic muse and challenge. I have taken thousands of images up there and I have yet to figure out how to make a grand vista portrait of the place that feels complete. With a craggy ridgeline that wraps 270 degrees around, six plus meandering spring streams and colorful heather (in the summer) and foliage (in the fall) it is difficult to know which direction to point the camera and how to fit all of those puzzle pieces together.
On my regular July visit to the basin this summer, I put up a pair of cheap game cameras in what seemed to be high traffic areas and strategic (to the animals) passages across the basin. My primary motivator was to see if I could document a wolverine, but I was also very curious about other critters moving through the area, miles from any human trail. I refrained from using any lures, because I wanted to minimize interfering with the normal game trail wanderings of the animals. I just wanted to see what they were doing when no one was watching (aside from the camera, of course).
Last week, I returned to the basin to photograph fall colors and swap out memory cards in the game cameras. I was a bit surprised coming upon the first camera to find it akimbo and coated with saliva. Upon reviewing the footage, I found that two weeks into the two month documentation window, a savvy elk got the best of the camera, licking/pushing it (you’ll see it in the video) out of the framing I had set up. Its new orientation included a small branch directly in front of the lens. This branch endlessly fluttered in the breeze triggering the camera constantly, which then filled the memory card within 24 hours. The other camera, framed on a late summer snowfield in a couloir, was unbothered.
In spite of the fact that the experiment was somewhat truncated, the cameras captured seven different mammal species. This video is a compilation of those animal passages.
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Weekend PICKS: Thursday, November 5th thru Sunday, November 8th
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