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: Runway repairs will ground flights all season, Alfredo Villa rejoins the PaddleHeads rotation, and UM researchers are using AI to monitor drought — catch up here.

State-level stories: Beartooth rescue by the Montana Guard, a study on four-day school weeks’ effects on students, and two highways hitting top ten scenic roads — see what else is brewing.

National headlines: Mortgage rates are trending down, investors catapult gold above 3500 an ounce, and a tropical wave eyes the Antilles — peruse the best of the rest.

Highlights this week

• Join inclusive story time with librarians
• Boost your Windows skills with Q&A
• Learn bear safety and try inert spray
• Ohkomi shares Indigenous-led forensic justice
• September Charity Match benefits Watson Children’s Shelter
• Anxiety about debt? Get a free consultation

🫶 We got your back

Sandwiches: Ditch sad desk salads and say hello to piled-high bites that actually hit the spot. These sub spots in Missoula know how to stack ’em high.

Brews: Thanks to pristine glacial water and wild huckleberries, Montana’s craft scene is a sip-fueled adventure. Check out these brewery and distillery picks and you’ll see why Big Sky Country deserves its brewer’s per capita crown.

Taqueria: From perfectly charred tortillas to fillings that demand a double order, Taco del Sol brings the kind of flavor that requires extra napkins and zero regrets.

Bargain shopping: The best finds aren’t always on store shelves. Amazon’s Deals Page is like a never-ending treasure hunt where the good stuff costs less, with new discounts dropping daily.

Save: The average driver pays $175 a month for car insurance, but most of us are paying way more than we should. If it’s been a while since you shopped around, you’re likely part of that “most of us.” This comparison tool may save you hundreds.

👀 Why just read it when you could be in it?

Own or manage a local business? Thousands of your future fans read our emails and advertising with us is as easy as it gets. Fill out this quick form and we’ll get you in an upcoming edition!

📆 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.

Have an event to share? Submit it here for free →

Today

🍲 Big Thai Country Food Truck @ Great Burn Brewing | Friday (9/5) at 5:00pm – Great Burn Brewing just got a glow-up: an authentic Thai food truck slinging curries, spring rolls, and those legendary potato balls. Park at a picnic table, snag a craft brew or fancy NA drink, and act like you planned this for months.

🎬 Centerfield Cinema – The Goonies @ Ogren Park at Allegiance Field | Friday (9/5) at 7:00pm – Movie night on the diamond! The Missoula PaddleHeads and The Roxy Theater are teaming up for a big-screen throwback of the beloved adventure classic. Gates open at 6 pm and seating is first-come, so round up your crew, grab blankets, and stake out the perfect spot. Expect stadium snacks, lots of laughs, and a whole lot of “hey you guys!” energy.

This weekend

🛤️ The Pan Escape | Saturday (9/6) at 10:00am – Grab your sense of wonder and follow Pan into a whimsical world where clever puzzles and scurvy pirates collide. It’s part escape room, part live theater, and all delightfully absurd. Bring your A-game and a healthy dose of local skepticism.

🍺 2025 Fall Rendezvous Brewfest @ Caras Park Pavilion | Saturday (9/6) at 3:00pm – Saturday at Caras Park is your excuse to chase amber nectar with fellow locals, swapping war stories with the brewers. Your ticket gets you a collectible glass, all the Montana-made craft beer you can sample, and just enough live music to keep things lively.

🌈 The Rainbow Ball @ The Wilma | Saturday (9/6) at 7:00pm – Forget weekend chores and slip into something sparkly at The Wilma for a night of dance and fundraising. The Rainbow Ball is the LGBTQ+ center’s annual fundraiser, complete with live music, cheeky cocktails, and enough glitter to brighten even the driest Montana air.

🛣️ Sunday Streets 2025 | Sunday (9/7) at 12:00pm – Trade your car keys for sneakers and hit Northside’s one-mile, car-free route from Cooley to Waverly for free fitness classes, food vendors, and traffic circles so photogenic they’ll make your Instagram followers jealous. Think block party minus cars, with local biz pop-ups and top-notch people-watching.

🐶 JabberDoggy (and Other Made-Up Words) @ Zootown Arts Community Center / ZACC | Sunday (9/7) at 2:00pm – If you need an excuse to escape the backyard grill chat, head over to the Zootown Arts Community Center for JabberDoggy, where a local troupe remixes Lewis Carroll with homemade puppets, surprising heart, and friendly monsters. Pick your price, they won’t card you past fifty.

📚 Phillip Burgess: Reading and Signing @ Fact and Fiction | Sunday (9/7) at 5:00pm – Montana poet and veteran Burgess reads from The Bunch Quitter, a grit-and-grace blend of road miles, cowboys, hoboes, and Vietnam-era reckonings. Expect tender, unherdable characters and stories that whistle through like a late-night freight. Grab a seat, pick up a copy, and stick around for the signing.

Next week

😇 Jane Lynch & Kate Flannery – The Trouble with Angels @ The Wilma | Monday (9/8) at 8:00pm – Think you can handle an evening of laugh-out-loud confessions from two convent dropouts turned comedy pros? Jane Lynch and Kate Flannery’s The Trouble with Angels hits the stage with reserved seating, no refunds, and enough dry humor to keep locals bragging all week.

🎷 NYChillharmonic @ Zootown Arts Community Center / ZACC | Tuesday (9/9) at 8:00pm – If your idea of midweek excitement doesn’t involve another rerun, check out a Brooklyn-based, 18-piece progressive-jazz orchestra that mashes rock, pop, classical, and straight-up jazz. Sophisticated enough to make you feel cultured, unpredictable enough to keep you guessing.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 9/5 Fáilte Montana Irish Festival @ Caras Park – 2:30 pm
• 9/5 Jared Justen and more @ ZACC – 8 pm
• 9/5 J.A.D.E. and more @ Monk’s Bar – 8 pm
• 9/6 2025 Fall Rendezvous Brewfest @ Caras Park – 3 pm
• 9/6 Garden Party @ Missoula Urban Demonstration Project – 6 pm
• 9/7 Fall Sunday Jazz @ Draught Works – 6 pm
• 9/8 Jane Lynch & Kate Flannery @ The Wilma – 8 pm
• 9/9 NYChillharmonic @ ZACC – 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: Kim Kahle (The 406 Properties)

Golf course views, mountain sunsets, and a five-car garage that could moonlight as a car museum. This Fairway Estates home skips the cookie-cutter vibe with a butler’s pantry (bonus sink included), two gas fireplaces, and a living room that begs for cozy nights in. The main floor office brings French-door flair, while the remodeled kitchen is ready for culinary showdowns.

Upstairs, the primary suite keeps things private, and the lower level doubles as a hangout zone with its own fireplace. Out back, the covered deck overlooks a fenced yard that melts right into the Highlands fairways.

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