Sidewalk signing with Leslie Budewitz, August tea party, PaddleHeads community night, and more. 
Happy Friday, Missoula. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let Missoula Brief serve up everything you need to know for the weekend ahead.
📰 In the news
Local happenings: Fair volunteers diverted over thirty tons of trash, Missoula’s parks director steps down after decades, and a hidden animal shelter gets a visible sign — catch up here.
State-level stories: Bozeman’s Cateye Café charms with kitty décor and housemade classics, a reservation gets its first off grid solar array, and space junk blazes overhead — see what else is brewing.
National headlines: South Korea’s court dismissed a Baby Shark copyright claim, a judge blocked fishing around Pacific atolls, and retirees eye a bigger Social Security increase — peruse the best of the rest.
Highlights this week
- Connect with neighbors watching Ratatouille outdoors
- Help float the Clark Fork toward recovery
- Craft magical Harry Potter fundraiser props
- Save lives by donating blood at MPL
- Support MNHC at PaddleHeads game
- Unlock dozens of travel deals with AARP
🫶 We got your back
Books: Discover your next obsession in these bookstore gems around Missoula. Nothing beats wandering into a cozy shop, flipping through shelves, and finding that perfect read.
Gardening: Growing tomatoes in Montana can feel like a rogue science experiment… one minute it’s sun, next it’s hail. These seasonal tips will help you trick your garden into thriving despite the odds.
Finance: Credit cards can look like ancient hieroglyphics to your teen. These easy credit lessons turn confusing plastic into real-world know-how.
Gamehouse: Whether you’re plotting world domination in Risk, forging trading empires in Catan, or barely surviving a crew of delightfully ruthless space invaders, OddPitch Brewing is your go-to for craft brews and snack-powered strategy sessions.
Money: The average driver pays $175 a month on car insurance, but most of us are paying way too much. If it’s been a while since you shopped around, you’re likely part of that “most of us.” This comparison tool can save you hundreds.
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📆 Around town this weekend
All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.
Today
🍲 Big Thai Country Food Truck @ Great Burn Brewing | Friday (8/15) at 5:00pm – Ready to break free from another hummus-and-salad night? Make a pilgrimage to Great Burn Brewing’s patio for the Big Thai Country truck, where authentic pad Thai, potato balls, and craft pints share top billing, with non-alcoholic sips for the designated drivers.
🐻 Griz Fest@ Scheels | Friday (8/15) at 5:00pm – Need an excuse to dust off your Griz gear? This preseason blowout has your name on it. Meet players, snap a selfie with Monte, grab free yard signs, then chow down at food trucks, soak up live music, games, and cheer squad performances.
This weekend
✍️ Sidewalk Signing with Leslie Budewitz @ Fact and Fiction | Saturday (8/16) at 11:00am – Pike Place Market just got a little more aromatic, with Leslie Budewitz holding a sidewalk signing for her new Spice Shop mystery. Swing by, chat food, flowers, and murder, then walk away with a signed copy, recipes, and a false sense of gardening confidence.
🫖 August Tea Party @ Missoula Public Library | Saturday (8/16) at 12:00pm – Nothing says “beat the heat” like retreating to the Cooper Room up on the library’s fourth floor. Bring your favorite snack, drink, and a game, just don’t blame me when everyone else picks Uno again. It’s the ultimate indoor excuse to procrastinate summer chores.
🎤 Kyle Hunter & The Mountain Standard@ Top Hat | Saturday (8/16) at 10:30pm – Top Hat is hosting a free Kyle Hunter & The Mountain Standard show, so dust off your dancing shoes and brace for some foot-stomping, twang-infused tunes. No cover charge, zero pretentiousness, just local swagger and the perfect excuse to escape your couch.
🌳 Unseen Missoula: Lower Rattlesnake & Greenough Park @ Greenough Park | Sunday (8/17) at 10:00am – Grab your walking shoes for a two-hour stroll through Greenough Park and Lower Rattlesnake, where a grand mansion rubs elbows with old bear cages, streetcar relics, Native camps, and even a forgotten cemetery. Bring water, sturdy shoes, and a tip for your guide.
🚨 Unseen Missoula: Carnal Enterprises @ The Wilma | Sunday (8/17) at 5:00pm – Downtown’s past is spicier than your last family reunion. This 90-minute, ADA-accessible stroll from the Wilma uncovers Missoula’s original red-light district, mixing tales of sex, race, class, and colorful immigrants who built our city. Wear comfy shoes, hydrate, and tip generously for the best gossip.
😂 Live Standup Comedy with Colum Tyrrell @ VFW Poker | Sunday (8/17) at 8:00pm – Weeknight blues? Pull on your best elastic waistbands and head to The VFW for touring comic Colum Tyrrell’s razor sharp standup. Expect jokes for people who think bedtime is negotiable, plenty of eye rolls, and a surprisingly cozy post-war hall.
Next week
🛶 PaddleHeads Community Night @ Ogren Park at Allegiance Field | Tuesday (8/19) at 7:00pm – This ballpark fundraiser feels like trading your couch for peanuts, pop flies, and a side of Montana Natural History pride. Affordable, laid-back tickets, easy local laughs, cold beer cheers, and every cent going straight back to keeping Missoula’s trails and critters happy.
🎸 Alabama Shakes @ KettleHouse Amphitheater | Tuesday (8/19) at 8:00pm – Grab your lawn chair and soak up soul at KettleHouse Amphitheater with Alabama Shakes and opener Y La Bamba. Expect gut-punch riffs, mountain breezes, and that oh-so-local moment when you realize you left your earplugs at home. Every ticket kicks a buck to PLUS1.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
🎶 Live music & entertainment
- 8/15 Daisy Chain Fest 2025 @ American Legion – 2 pm
- 8/15 Griz Fest @ Scheels – 5 pm
- 8/15 Tanner Laws Band @ Top Hat – 10:30 pm
- 8/16 Tom Susanj @ Draught Works – 7 pm
- 8/16 Billy Strings @ Adams Center – 7:30 pm
- 8/17 Symphony in the Park @ Caras Park – 5 pm
- 8/17 Colum Tyrrell @ VFW – 8 pm
- 8/19 Alabama Shakes @ KettleHouse – 8 pm
🏠️ Price is right – Missoula edition
How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).
Listed by: Emily Mackenroth (Revel Real Estate – Missoula/Bitterroot)
Perched on a mountain slope with 360-degree views of Montana’s wild beauty, this 9-bedroom, 7-bath estate is equal parts luxury lodge and private playground. Nearly every room is wrapped in glass, so sunrises and sunsets over the peaks steal the show. At 9,000 square feet, there’s space for epic gatherings or the world’s most comfortable game of hide-and-seek.
The walkout lower level comes with its own entrance and amenities, making it perfect for multigenerational living or a side hustle as a rental. With 7.8 subdividable acres, the only neighbors are deer and the occasional eagle, yet downtown Missoula is just minutes away.
Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →
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