Billings may be Montana’s largest city, but it still holds onto the community spirit that defines much of the state. Throughout the year, that spirit shows up in a lively calendar of concerts, festivals, rodeo competitions, art walks, and neighborhood traditions that bring people together across the Yellowstone Valley.
Planning a trip and want to attend a fun event in Billings? You’re in the right place. Explore popular outings and things to see in our guide to local events. Whether you’re a longtime local or just passing through, Billings always has something worth showing up for.
Billings Events at a Glance: Billings hosts an active events calendar. Large venues like MetraPark bring major touring acts and entertainment productions to the city, while downtown streets, theaters, and parks host festivals, art walks, and seasonal celebrations. The mix of western heritage, performing arts, and outdoor gatherings offers both residents and visitors plenty of ways to experience Billings’ culture.
Plan Your Trip to Billings’ Annual Events
Billings has built a reputation as one of the most active event cities in Montana. Located at the crossroads of major travel routes, it draws touring artists, cultural festivals, rodeo competitors, and community gatherings from across the Yellowstone Valley throughout the year.
Many of these events have become annual traditions for residents and visitors alike. Downtown festivals fill the streets, arena shows bring in national performers, and seasonal celebrations reflect the working-culture identity that gives Billings its character. There’s rarely a slow stretch on the calendar.
Concerts & Live Music: The City Has Range
Live music has a real foothold in Billings, from intimate club shows at the Pub Station to symphony performances and Broadway touring productions at the Alberta Bair Theater. If there’s a night you want to be out, you won’t have trouble finding one.
The Pub Station
The historic Pub Station remains one of the most recognizable live music venues in Billings. Its Ballroom and Taproom host a steady calendar of touring musicians and regional performers throughout the year. Seed of Life also sponsors a green room at the venue, supporting the artists who help keep downtown’s music scene thriving.
Alberta Bair Theater
The Alberta Bair Theater regularly hosts Broadway touring productions, dance performances, and concerts by the Billings Symphony. Each October, it also serves as the stage for the finale of the Big Sky Comedy Festival. Located in the heart of downtown, the historic theater has long been one of the city’s premier venues for performing arts and cultural events.
MetraPark
Large-scale concerts in Billings and touring productions often stop at MetraPark, the city’s main arena complex; if you’re looking for your favorite artist or team, start here. National musicians, sporting events, and entertainment productions fill the venue’s calendar throughout the year.
Art & Museum Events: Billings Shows Up for Its Artists
Billings has a surprisingly deep arts scene for a city of its size, and several events throughout the year put that on full display. Many of these gatherings take place in the downtown core, where historic buildings and gallery spaces create a walkable arts district.
Yellowstone Art Museum
The Yellowstone Art Museum hosts rotating exhibitions and community programming throughout the year, including two of the museum’s biggest annual events: SummerFair and WinterFair. Each brings artists, vendors, and visitors together to celebrate regional creativity, often spilling outdoors with art booths, demonstrations, and opportunities to meet artists from across the Yellowstone Valley and beyond.
Billings ArtWalk
The monthly Billings ArtWalk invites visitors to explore downtown galleries during an evening celebration of local art. Held on the first Friday of each month, the event connects artists and community members while highlighting the city’s growing creative scene. Many galleries also stay open late for the occasion.
Rodeos & Fairs: Experience the City’s Western Charm
Western heritage isn’t just a historical backdrop in Billings. It’s still very much part of the city’s calendar. Each year, rodeos and regional fairs bring competitors, local vendors, and working ranch culture into the heart of the city. These events celebrate the working culture of the Yellowstone Valley and the agricultural roots that continue to shape the region.
MontanaFair
Each August, MontanaFair takes over MetraPark for nine days of rides, food stands, agricultural exhibits, and live entertainment. As the largest fair in Montana, it attracts visitors from across the region and remains one of the biggest events of the summer.
Rodeo Billings
During MontanaFair weekend, the professional rodeo competition known as Rodeo Billings brings PRCA-sanctioned riders to the arena. Events like bull riding and barrel racing showcase the skills and traditions that continue to define western rodeo culture.
Outdoor Festivals & Lively Seasonal Events
Summer in Billings fills up fast. From the Thursday evening concert series to the city’s largest street festival, the stretch from June through August gives locals and visitors plenty of reasons to be outside.
Alive After 5
The summer concert series Alive After 5 brings thousands of people downtown on Thursday evenings in June and July. Rotating outdoor venues host live music, food vendors, and fun gatherings throughout the season. Seed of Life supports these events as a sponsor of the Downtown Billings Association.
Strawberry Festival
Every July, the annual Strawberry Festival takes over downtown. At the city’s largest street festival, you’ll find a host of food stands, craft booths, live music, and activities filling the streets. It’s one of the more spirited days on Billings’ summer calendar, with food stands, craft booths, and live music filling several blocks of downtown.
Big Sky Balloon Rally
The annual Big Sky Balloon Rally is Billings’ hot air balloon festival. Held at Amend Park in late July, the event features early morning balloon launches and an evening Field Festival where visitors can watch dozens of balloons lift off over the Yellowstone Valley. The sunrise ascensions are especially memorable, as colorful balloons slowly rise above the park and the surrounding Rimrocks.
Festival of Trees
Each December, the holiday tradition known as Festival of Trees returns to MetraPark. One of the most recognizable winter celebrations in Billings, you can kick off the festive season with decorated trees and seasonal displays.
Seed of Life at Billings Community Events
Many of the events that fill Billings’ calendar each year are powered by local organizations, businesses, and volunteers working behind the scenes. Seed of Life supports that effort as a sponsor of the Downtown Billings Association, the group responsible for organizing events like Alive After 5 and several other downtown celebrations.
Attending an event around the city? We’re close by. Our Sugar Avenue location sits near the downtown festival footprint, while the Lockwood shop is a convenient stop for visitors heading to concerts and events at MetraPark. Additional locations in the Billings Heights and Billings West End neighborhoods help serve the broader community.
To see what’s happening next in Billings, check out our Billings tourist guide, or view the Downtown Billings events calendar for the latest concerts, festivals, and local happenings.
FAQ: Events in Billings, Montana
Billings runs a full calendar year-round. Summer brings the Alive After 5 concert series, MontanaFair, and the Big Sky Balloon Rally. Fall transitions into the Festival of Trees and holiday programming at MetraPark and the Alberta Bair Theater. The Strawberry Festival is a classic for the warmer months downtown. There’s rarely a slow stretch.
Alive After 5 runs on Thursday evenings throughout June and July at rotating downtown locations. The free outdoor concert series draws large crowds and features live music, food vendors, and local business participation. No ticket is required, and the rotating venue format keeps the experience fresh each week.
Adults 21 and older, including visitors, can legally purchase cannabis at licensed dispensaries in Montana with a valid government-issued ID. Public consumption is not permitted at events, parks, or other public spaces. Visit a licensed dispensary before the festivities and review Montana cannabis laws if you have questions about what’s allowed.
MontanaFair typically opens during the second weekend of August and runs for nine days at MetraPark. It’s the largest annual fair in Montana, combining carnival rides, agricultural exhibits, rodeo competitions, and headline concerts. Tickets for the grandstand concerts are sold separately and often sell out quickly for popular performers.
Winter in Billings centers around performing arts and holiday programming. The Festival of Trees at MetraPark is one of the most attended seasonal events in the city. The Alberta Bair Theater runs a full winter schedule of symphony performances, touring productions, and holiday shows. Community parades and local holiday markets fill out the calendar through December.
