Happy Friday, Missoula. In today’s edition: Creative financing expands housing, the MADE Fair, holiday handbuilding with clay, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

📰 In the news

Redevelopment momentum builds: Missoula could annex 93 acres of the former Roseburg site as early as January, clearing the way for infrastructure funding and Story House Montana’s planned film and television production campus — see what’s planned next.

City-county agreement extends support: Missoula will move modular bathrooms from the closed Johnson Street shelter to the county’s Temporary Safe Outdoor Space, saving $120,000 that the county will contribute to the city’s housing sprint — get all the details.

Creative financing expands housing: Missoula’s Housing Impact Fund has neared $10 million, backing 89 affordable homes and helping the YWCA secure land, with most funding for households earning below 80% of area median income — read the full story.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Identity theft is up 25%: Last year, Americans lost $12.5 billion to ID theft & fraud, and the stories behind those numbers are brutal. My friend just told me his dad’s on his fourth replacement credit card. Other folks have woken up to empty bank accounts or their personal info dumped online after a breach. Aura catches these kinds of attacks early by monitoring for new accounts, weird money movements, leaked data, and other red flags so you’re alerted before things blow up — learn more about it here.

Highlights this week

• Watch Allosaurus fossils prepped live
• Witness black holes, pulsars, and anomalies
• Rock your ugliest sweater at Cranky’s
• Run a glowing 5K at Fort Missoula
• Enjoy fireside drinks and sweet treats
• This pet insurance plan reimburses up to 90%
• A tiny hearing aid is taking the US by storm

🫶 We got your back

Local cafe enters new chapter: Drum Coffee is brewing big changes for 2026. The Missoula staple is shifting ownership and consolidating to its Broadway location. The South Avenue shop closes in January and will be sold. Co-founders Jenna and John Wicks, who opened Drum a decade ago, say the community vibe remains. Read the full story.

A better site starts here: Missoula is planning a full website redesign in 2026 and wants your two cents. A quick, four-minute survey asks what would make the site easier and more helpful to use. It’s open now through December 30. Your feedback will help shape a smoother online experience for everyone. Take the four-minute survey.

Good hair, zero drama: If your ends are telling winter survival stories, Boom Swagger Salon has you. This Aveda exclusive has served Missoula since 2009, offering thoughtful consults, cut-and-color from soft highlights to bold pigment, and a calm chair with espresso, sparkling water, or cozy Aveda tea while you reset.

Thinning hair? Same: I’ve been shedding a lot, and recently noticed my ponytail feeling thinner. After way too much panic-Googling, I decided to take Hers’ online quiz. They recommended a Biotin + Minoxidil green-apple gummy for regrowth and overall hair health. The whole thing was surprisingly easy: just verify who you are and a licensed provider signs off. Here’s the quiz if you want to check it out.

Makeup that actually works: My sister and I were talking the other day about how the makeup we used in our 20s… just doesn’t work now that we’re in our 30s and 40s. Laura Geller’s entire makeup line addresses this shift, with formulas that smooth, brighten, and actually stay put. If you’re in the same boat, their curated kits are worth a look.

📆 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

🎄 Clark Fork Coalition Holiday Party @ The Wilma | Friday (12/12) at 6:00pm – Clark Fork Coalition is taking over The Wilma for a holiday party with good drinks, better company, and a warm glow of doing right by the river. Swap waders for something festive, trade fish tales for toasts, and help keep the Clark Fork flowing merry.

📼 Mixtape: A Chamber Pop Concert @ Zootown Arts Community Center | Friday (12/12) at 7:30pm – Missoula Chamber Music Collective is spinning a mixtape of chamber pop, covering Joni to Sara Bareilles, Nina to Imogen, Eva Cassidy to Pentatonix, with festive tracks, all arranged by Johan Eriksson. Think vocals, flutes, clarinets, saxes, cello, percussion, and no algorithm, just charm.

This weekend

🏺 Holiday Handbuilding with Clay @ Zootown Arts Community Center | Saturday (12/13) at 1:00pm – Think the holiday crafts stopped at glitter glue? ZACC’s clay handbuilding workshop lets you and the kids make ornaments, luminaries, and even a Mancala board, early enough to be fired and gift ready. Quality time, a little mess, and actual keepsakes, not just fridge clutter.

🎤 Andrea Harsell @ Draught Works | Saturday (12/13) at 5:00pm – Night out calls for a voice that can actually carry, and Andrea Harsell delivers. Expect a powerhouse singer with sharp songwriting, rootsy detours, and globe-trotting polish, the kind of set that makes you finish your drink slowly, settle in, and listen.

🕺 Salsa 406! Latin Night @ Dark Horse Bar | Saturday (12/13) at 9:00pm – If your two left feet need couples therapy, head to the Dark Horse for Salsa 406’s Latin Night every second Saturday. Free lesson at 9, then live percussion, DJ Arturo, Jennifer Corbin, salsa, bachata, and merengue until late. Date night, cardio, community.

🛍️ MADE Fair @ Adams Center | Sunday (12/14) at 9:00am – Holiday shopping in Missoula means the MADE fair, with everything from pottery to heirloom showpieces, all local, no mall. Pay $15 for VIP 9 to 11 am to support a nonprofit, or roll in free later, and toss a can in for the Food Bank.

🧩 Speed Puzzling Competition @ Draught Works | Sunday (12/14) at 12:00pm – Give your brain a buzz at Draught Works’ Speed Puzzling throwdown. Bring up to four friends, $25 covers the team, then race the same 500-piece beast for gift cards, bragging rights, the take-home puzzle, and a pint that makes edge pieces seem friendlier. Register fast.

🎺 Holiday Swing Set @ The Wilma | Sunday (12/14) at 2:00pm – Skip the mall soundtrack and let the UM Jazz Program swing you into the season at The Wilma. Their annual, family friendly Holiday Swing Set brings big band cheer, kid energy, and toe tapping that even your grumpy uncle, and his sweater, cannot resist.

Next week

📚 Todd Goddard: Reading and Signing @ Montgomery Distillery | Monday (12/15) at 6:00pm – Bring your dog-eared Legends of the Fall and settle in for a reading and signing with Todd Goddard, from his biography Devouring Time on Jim Harrison’s messy, magnificent life. Expect archives, anecdotes, and appetites, plus literary gossip that pairs well with whiskey.

🧘 Yoga with Karen Oberg @ Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium | Tuesday (12/16) at 8:00am – Do gentle, contemplative yoga in the Butterfly House with Karen Oberg, a certified yoga therapist. Butterflies drift by, hustle does not. Bring your mat and any props, arrive early since the group enters together, and register online. $18 non-members, $15 members.

🖍️ After School Art Adventure @ Missoula Art Museum | Tuesday (12/16) at 3:45pm – Give the kids a culture fix after school at MAM, where ages 6 to 11 tour the exhibits, then make their own masterpieces. It beats another hour of YouTube, and you get pick-up bragging rights. Scholarships are available, email [email protected].

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 12/12 Annual Christmas Steamer @ Draught Works – 3 pm
• 12/12 Winter Square Dances @ Free Cycles – 6:30 pm
• 12/13 Andrea Harsell @ Draught Works – 5 pm
• 12/14 Winter Jazz Series @ Draught Works – 6 pm
• 12/17 Patti Nolan & The Undeniables @ Zootown Arts Community Center – 7:30 pm
• 12/19 Lunchtime Dance Party @ Zootown Arts Community Center – 12 pm
• 12/20 Strumming Vegabond @ Draught Works – 7 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)

Ralph Lauren inspired, rich textures and refined finishes meet Montana scenery. The 4 bedroom layout adds a dedicated office and a gracious den, ideal for gatherings. Agave flooring spans the main level, beautiful, durable, and unfazed by pets or spills. The primary suite leans resort with a sitting room and gas fireplace, two separate bathrooms, and dual walk in closets. Crown molding, heated floors, and sweeping Mount Sentinel views set the tone.

Warm, well built, and meticulously maintained, it mixes traditional craftsmanship with modern ease. Classic bones, thoughtful perks, and a front row seat to Missoula’s favorite mountain.

Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →