We can’t wait for the 2024 Holidays on Higgins! See you December 7, 2024! After nearly two decades proudly bearing the name “Parade of Lights” we decided it was time for a refresh! We invite you to join us in celebrating Holidays on Higgins: Where Missoula’s festive spirit shines bright! There will be festively adorned floats and tents, a Missoula Makers Collective Market, bonfires, carolers, hot toddy’s & more.

Special thanks to our 2023 Sponsors for making Holidays on Higgins possible!

Title Sponsors:

Star Sponsors:

Media Sponsors:

Snowman & Sleigh Sponsors:

A+E Design | Betty’s Divine | Boone Karlberg | Boyle Deveny Meyer

Cancer Support Community | Engel & Volkers

Neptune Aviation | Red’s Towing | ROAM Student Living | United Way of Missoula County

Schedule of Events:

All day: Children’s Activities at Downtown Businesses

11:00am-3:00 pm: Santa at the Missoula Public Library. Enjoy FREE photos with Santa and share your holiday wishes. MUST be in line by no later than 2:30 pm, as Santa has to check on his reindeer at 3 pm sharp!

4-7 pm: Holidays on Higgins kicks off! Enjoy stationary floats parked on Higgins from Broadway to the XXXX’s, a Missoula Makers Collective Market with 30+ vendors, and cozy up to the burn barrels along Higgins.

6 pm: Tree Lighting with Santa

All day during Holidays on Higgins, Missoula businesses host or provide a free to low cost activity to children and their families.

Children’s Activities & Workshops:

*Keep checking back for new additions*

A Carousel For Missoula: Buy one, Get One Free Carousel Rides from 12-5 pm

Animal Wonders: Residence Inn Downtown will be hosting Animal Wonders for face-painting, animal ambassadors, and coloring pages (all free) from 12-3 pm.

Aspire School and Learning with Meaning: Join us at 301 E. Main St. (the old public library) to warm up with free hot cocoa, cookies, ornament decorating, and a holiday gift table! Stop on by between 4-7:30pm.

Bathing Beauties Beads: Beaded Snowflakes. We will use “bead soup” and crystals to create a beautiful beaded window hanging or holiday ornament. The fee is $6 with $3 of each snowflake being donated to the Missoula Food Bank *while supplies last. Available from 11am-5 pm. Also, the walking time from the Bathing Beauties to the Tree Lighting is 7 minutes.

Bernice’s Bakery: Cookie decorating available from 1-4 pm.

Betty’s Divine: Block print a bandana with Jethro, the Shop Cat extraordinaire $10 (or FREE if you bring your own garment to print on!) Available from 12-2 pm.

Confluence Center: We will be hosting a Popup Art Market for holiday shopping, but also including free treats, drinks and activities. The two main activities FREE for families will be an ornament workshop with Farm Hand Farm 11am-2pm, and face painting 3-5pm. The market will feature many local artisans plus be set amidst an ongoing art exhibit of local artists. Treats offered will likely be from Soft Landing. There will be some heated, outdoor activities as well in our back parking/hangout area.

Dana Gallery: Join the University of Montana Entertainment Management group for face painting, apple cider, and live music from 3-7pm.

Draught Works Brewery: Draught Works Annual Snowflake Challenge for Watson Children’s Shelter – Help us decorate for the holidays while supporting the impactful work of the Watson Children’s Shelter. Snip a beautiful paper snowflake for a great cause! Entry forms are $2, available only at Draught Works, and all funds raised directly benefit Watson Children’s Shelter! All ages encouraged to enter!

Frame of Mind and Cranky Sam Public House: Join Frame of Mind to create a memorable and personal holiday ornament at Cranky Sam.
Cranky Sam and Frame of Mind have partnered up to offer a family friendly ornament making activity. Taking personal photos onsite, Frame of Mind will guide participants in this crafty activity for kids of all ages. And adults can enjoy a tasty adult beverage while they’re at it!
Ornament making is just $3 and comes with all the supplies needed. There will also be holiday movies being shown. Available from 11 am-3 pm.

Import Market: Our in house artist Madeline will he handing out a custom Christmas coloring page with dragons and unicorns! Parents can shop while the kids color or take it with them. We will also have some Christmas treats to snack on! Available from 10 am-6pm.

Lake Missoula Tea Company: Make your own blend and design a label! Choose from various herbs and tea to concoct your own unique tea blend. Come up with your own tea name and design the label. Take yours home and brew your blend! Did it turn out the way you thought it would? Available from 12-4 pm.

Liquid Planet: Liquid Planet will be hosting a kids coloring contest December 2. Kids of all ages are welcome to come and color a page to be entered into the contest. Winner in 2 age groups under 6 and over age 6. Winner will receive a small goody basket and a free hot cocoa! Pictures will be hung up for voting until December 10 and winners will be contacted after contest closing. Available from 7:30am-8:00pm

Mary’s Mountain Cookies: Free hot chocolate & coffee 12pm-6pm, apron decorating starting at 2pm offered by Families First Learning Lab while supplies last.

Meal Thyme & Thyme Management Company: Cookie Kits from 12-3 pm.

Missoula Art Museum: Family Saturday Art Workshop, free for all ages. Starts at 11 am, ends at 12:30 pm. Come join teaching artist Jennifer Ogden for a fun family workshop creating translucent paper and cane luminaries which can be hung from sticks and carried to the Holidays on Higgins stroll. Gather your loved ones, roll up your sleeves, and prepare to carry your creative light! Please arrive a few minutes early to ensure a spot. Children under age 7 should be accompanied by an adult. All materials are provided—just bring an open mind.

Missoula Children’s Theatre: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer performance at 2 pm.

Missoula Public Library: Find Santa at the Missoula Public Library from 11:00 am-3:00 pm. Share your wishes with Santa and get phone photos–for FREE! Must be in line for photos by 2:30, as we have a hard cut-off at 3:00 pm (Santa has to check on his reindeer!).

Missoula Scuba & Snorkel: Fishing for Sea Shells, 11-6 pm.

Noteworthy Paper & Press: Letters to Santa! Join us to write your letters to Santa this holiday! We’ll provide the stationery so you can leave your letters in our magic golden mailbox. We’ll even make sure Santa himself writes back! Donations accepted, available from 11am-3 pm.

Pearl Boba Tea: Our business will be serving drinks as usual and we will have a big batch of hot cocoa. We will also provide ornament coloring sheets for kids, as well as boba coloring sheets along with coloring supplies. We will also provide the opportunity for children to come up with new drink ideas for the chance to be featured as January’s monthly drink special! Available from 2- 6pm.

Revolvr: Children’s clothing decoration Available from 11 am-4 pm.

Roxy Theater: Holiday Classics, 12-4 pm, free.

Studio Sweat: Help Mr. Grinch grow his heart & bring home your own personal slime, 11-1 pm.

Zootown Arts Community Center: Paint-A-Cookie-Plate for Santa! Stop by the ZACC and create a unique plate for Santa’s cookies that can be used year after year. Plates start at $10, and there will be numerous designs for you to choose from. Additional pottery items will be available and wreath ornaments will be 50% off! Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be available from 12-4 PM.
*All completed items will be fired and ready for pickup before Christmas! *Walk-ins only, no reservations or appointments necessary. Available from 11 am- 4pm.

Explore 30+ talented makers at the Missoula Makers Collective Market! Check out the lineup of artists joining us from 4-7 pm

Here are some transportation and parking tips and tricks for when you head to the Holidays on Higgins!

Parking is FREE on the weekends in all parking spaces Downtown, including the parking garages
YES – the gate arms are down in the garages 24/7. NO – you don’t have to pay for parking evenings (after 6pm Mon-Fri) and weekends, but you still have to take a ticket.
YES – Parking spots designated as leased spaces in the parking garages ARE AVAILABLE for public use evenings and weekends. NO – you won’t get ticketed or towed if you park in a leased spot evenings and weekends.
Ride the Line! Mountain Line is a great way to come Downtown and save some gas. It’s also Zero-Fare and all routes come to Downtown!
Carpool! Get more information on alternative modes of transportation around Missoula from Missoula in Motion.