8 Great Montana Food, Wine and Beer Festivals

If you love Big Sky Country and enjoy sampling new recipes, inventive beers and maybe even a few ingredients you’ve never tasted before, it’s time to break out your planner. We’ve done our research and narrowed down Montana’s best food and drink festivals to the top eight.

 

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Garden City BrewFest

Missoula

Hosted in the beautiful city of Missoula for more than 20 years, Garden City BrewFest is a celebration of the return of warm weather after a long, cold winter. And is there any better way to welcome springtime than with a tall glass of beer and a day of good music?

Those who are particularly picky about their craft brews will be pleased to know that many of the beers available for sampling hail from breweries local to Montana. And if you have a heart for Missoula but beer just isn’t your scene, don’t worry. There are plenty of wines and ciders to choose from too.

 

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Taste of Bigfork

Bigfork

Nestled along the edge of scenic Flathead Lake, Bigfork is just a stone’s throw from Glacier National Park, one of the most renowned national parks in the country. But did you know this city is also home to one of the greatest food festivals in Montana?

Taste of Bigfork is a long-running festival that not only gives you the opportunity to savor wine, music and wonderful food from a variety of Bigfork restaurants but also serves as a fundraiser for the community. The event raises money for everything from Habitat for Humanity to Chamber events that make Bigfork one of the greatest places to be.

If you decide to make a road trip to attend this delicious festival, be sure to sneak a peek at the raffle. You never know what local treasures you may find.

MSU Billings Foundation Wine & Food Festival

Billings

If you love good food and good wine, there’s no better place to be than the MSU Billings Foundation Wine and Food Festival. This event brings together some of the greatest chefs and winemakers in the area to craft incredible dishes paired with the best drinks from all over the globe. From guest chef dinners and wine tasting parties to the illustrious two-part wine and food event, this is one Montana food festival you don’t want to miss.

 

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Strawberry Festival

Billings

The Strawberry Festival in Billings is a longstanding favorite among residents of the area. Each summer brings fresh and juicy strawberries by the bucket load, filling the streets with everything from arts, crafts and food trucks to live entertainment and more. You may even be so lucky as to spot the much-anticipated 60-foot strawberry shortcake crafted by various Montana food artisans. Even though it’s tempting to fill your belly with all the delicious food at the festival, be sure to leave a little room for the various strawberry-themed desserts.

Huckleberry Festival

Trout Creek

Running for more than 40 years now, the Huckleberry Festival is a weekend celebration honoring the huckleberry. This lesser-known purple fruit grows wild in the high and mountainous areas of the region and has developed quite the fan following.

While every part of the festival is worth checking out, you definitely want to sample the huckleberry ice cream cones and make an appearance at the weekend breakfasts for a few sweet huckleberry pancakes. And if you still have a little bit of room left over, there’s always the huckleberry dessert contest at the end of the weekend.

Vine and Dine

Big Sky

For those who enjoy the more refined things in life, Vine and Dine in Big Sky, Montana, is the place to be when August rolls around. Considered one of the most prestigious events in the region, Vine and Dine is where foodies and wine connoisseurs can mix and mingle with master sommeliers, winemakers and chefs from the area.

You can enjoy food and wine tastings, educational seminars, curated lunches and dinners, cooking demonstrations, an evening market, and the renowned Pinot at the Peak wine tasting (with a high-altitude toast at over 11,000 feet).

Annual Montana Wine and Beer Festival

Missoula

Teased as the social event of the year, the Annual Montana Wine and Beer Festival has something for everyone. There are plenty of chances to sample a variety of fine wines and beers, but there’s also an abundance of food to try from Missoula’s top restaurants. Even if you aren’t a foodie, you can peruse the art booths or place a bid on any items that pique your interest at the silent auction.

McIntosh Apple Day

Hamilton

When the weather begins to turn and autumn is in the air, there’s no better place to be than the McIntosh Apple Day festival in Hamilton, Montana. This event is nicknamed the Biggest Bake Sale Under the Big Sky – and for good reason. The street festival will have you carrying home bags full to the brim with made-from-scratch apple pies, apple cider, apple chutney, caramel sauce and freshly bottled apple butter.

You can also peruse the 100-plus vendor booths and enjoy live music with the whole family. And once the daytime festival is done, you can hit the town for the hard cider festival. Cider companies from all over the Rocky Mountain northwest are invited, as well as local food vendors and musicians.