FIRST FRIDAY Experience an Authentic Missoula Evening

First Friday Special Happenings:

*for more First Friday happenings, visit missoulaevents.org or download the Arts Missoula Directory from Arts Missoula to get First Friday schedules, peruse artistic resources, check out the guide to local artists, and more!

OCTOBER 2026

• Après Alley (alley between Toiffer Pet Outfitter and Rice Thai on N. Higgins): Fall vibes have hit Après Alley! Pop by for a quick bevie from The Rhino and dance to music from DJ TRX. Grab a pumpkin with Pumpkins for the Pov or grab a warm cookie from Bake Sale. Swanson’s Food Trailer will be there with apple cider donuts and slushies. Event runs 4:30 – 7:30pm.
• Artists’ Shop (127 N. Higgins): Opening reception for ‘Remembrance 2026’ by Kelsey Parker and Bev Back Glueckert. These mixed-media works once again honor and remember those we have lost in the past year or so. The images and forms included hold personal meaning and are connected to those remembrances. Bev and her niece Kelsey present drawings, prints and ceramics. A small ofrenda will be present for those who wish to leave a sentiment or memento for a loved one. Event runs 5 – 8pm.
• Bayern Brewing (1507 Montana): Join Bayern on the last of three evenings filled with Oktoberfest festivities! Bayern likes to get down the Bavarian way, so expect your Oktoberfest dreams to come true. With a full menu of Bavarian classics- prepared fresh each morning, and a tap list full of Authentic German Lagers- brewed in house, Bayern tends to holler “OKTOBERFEST” 365 days a year. Grab something to eat in the Edelweiss Bistro then step outside into their authentic German Biergarten surrounded by Horse Chestnut Trees that will transport you right to Bavaria. Event begins at 4:30pm.
• Caras Park: Pray for Snow Party & Fundraiser – Winter is just around the corner, and the West Central Montana Avalanche Center is kicking things off with a celebration you won’t want to miss. Their annual Pray for Snow tradition is back, bigger, better, and more festive than ever! Head to Caras Park for an evening filled with music, laughter, delicious food, and community spirit as we rally together in support of avalanche forecasting and education. Event runs 5 – 10pm.
• Confluence Center (119 W. Main): 2nd annual art exhibit to coincide with the holiday celebration Día de los Muertos, Entre Dos Mundos: Between Two Worlds. Entre Dos Mundos (Between Two Worlds) explores the delicate intersection of life and death. It highlights the profound connection between the spiritual and physical realms, celebrating the lives of those who have passed away. In collaboration with local artist Krissy Ramirez, and featuring primarily local Latine artists, this exhibition aims to showcase a dynamic blend of how artists interpret this theme while honoring their own unique traditions. Featuring live music by Canta Brasil. Event runs 5 – 8pm.
• Cranky Sam Public House (233 W. Main): Live music from Wolf and the Moons and art from Jodi Monahan. Open 11am – 10pm.
• Dana Gallery (246 N. Higgins): First Friday we open Kira Fercho’s solo show: Visual Stories, featuring original oil paintings in her signature impasto style. Art lovers of all ages are welcome to view the artwork, meet Kira, and enjoy live music at the artist reception. Event runs 5 – 8pm.
• Engle & Volkers (321 N. Higgins): Welcoming local artist Scott Woodall as well as Bob & Chops Processing. Event runs 5 – 8pm.
• Fact & Fiction (220 N. Higgins): Browse through the newest selections and seek out old favorites. Open late until 8pm.
• First Security Bank Downtown Branch (150 W. Broadway): Join us as we kick off the fall season! We’re highlighting our talented employee artists who will be showcasing one-of-a-kind art, earrings, exquisite crafts, handmade cards, photography, specialty lore books and more! This is a great opportunity to support your local artists and get some early holiday shopping done. Enjoy apple cinnamon donuts and cider drinks with the FSB team and enter to win a local gift basket with a $50 Missoula Downtown card. Learn more via Instagram @firstsecuritybankmissoula
• FMC Books (123 W. Main): We’re so excited to welcome Dagny Walton, aka Stray Dog Press, to FMC Books! A Missoula-based illustrator and printmaker, Dagny blends the mythology of the American West with Greco-Roman imagery in work that feels bold, thoughtful, and completely her own. Join us an Open House featuring some of Dagny’s favorite works. Event runs 5 – 8pm.
• Import Market (201 W. Broadway): Family friendly First Friday! New art by Charlotte O’Brien, Rough Buffalo, Kake, Ben Silv, Lucy Scermy, and Raina Gavin. Karaoke and fun times for all! Event runs 4 – 8pm.
• Lake Missoula Tea Company (136 E. Broadway): Double punch on punch card on First Friday. Open 9am – 6pm.
• Leaf + Quiet (235 N. 1st St. W – Suite F): University of Montana Jazz students continue to hone in their skills in this Music Lab hosted by Leaf and Quiet. Now outside in the Secret Gardens off the Rails! Event starts at 7pm.
• Local Missoula Walking Tours: Celebrate First Friday with 50% off Local Missoula Tours’ Downtown Art or History Audio Tours! All you need is a charged phone and headphones. Purchase your audio tour through Local Missoula Tours and VoiceMap, then hit the streets and discover more of downtown Missoula! localmissoulatours.com
• McCall Homes Design Studio (259 W. Front St.): Opening its doors for First Friday. On the walls is student work from the Hellgate High School Gifted Arts class, part of a show called Home that McCall commissioned. Inside you will also find the new homes McCall is building at Old Sawmill District, including the first public look at The Porchlight Collection. Beer and wine served. Everybody is welcome. Event runs 5 – 8pm.
• Missoula Art Museum (335 N. Pattee): Kick Off Fall at MAM during October First Friday and help us kick off our Fall Membership Drive! Molly Murphy Adams custom made keychains will be on sale in the MAM gift shop and get creative in the lobby with a FREE MAM-logo screen print! Bring a T-shirt, tote, or another printable item and make it your own. Explore Joe Feddersen: Earth, Water, Sky and On Darkness: shifting perceptions, enjoy music by Dylan Running Crane, and grab a drink from the no-host bar. Event runs 5 – 7pm.
• Missoula County Lands & Communities Offices (131 E. Main): As part of a Missoula County, City of Missoula, and Climate Smart Missoula extreme heat campaign called “Stay Cool Missoula”, we asked Missoulians to share their vision of a “cool” Missoula: a future community that has invested in its people, ecosystems, and infrastructure to protect against increasingly hot, dry, and smoky summer weather. Art will be displayed at 131 E. Main St for the month of October. Come visit to see what your friends and neighbors envision when they think of a climate-resilient, “cool” community. Event runs 5 – 8pm.
• Modern Pastime (160 E. Front): Browse our Sale Racks with Apparel up to 50% Off! Open 10am – 6pm.
• Montana Antique Mall (331 W. Railroad): DJ Madhatter playing Edison Cylinder Records, Halloween giveaway raffle & complimentary food & beverages Event runs 5:30 – 7:30pm.
• Montana Natural History Center (120 Hickory): Celebrate the brand new mural designed and painted by local artists Aspen and Cameron Decker of X?lx?ilt and the official unveiling of Sx?elí x?èct u Ql?epm or Camas Dig and Bake, located in MNHC’s garden on Hickory Street. Approximately 40-foot-wide, 20-foot-tall, the mural depicts the traditional gathering of Bitterroot Salish people to dig and bake camas, a plant that has long served as an important food source. Opening ceremony at 5pm; event runs 5 – 8pm.
• Pearl Boba Tea (420 N. Higgins): Asian pop up market with 5 local vendors! Vendors: Hugging Bubbles, Sherpa’s Momo House, Ping’s Asian Kitchen, KMob Mart, The Dumpling Fairy. Open 11am – 8pm; event runs 5 – 8pm.
• Run Wild Missoula (125 E. Main): Looking to make new connections? Whether you’re searching for a love match, a new best friend, or just someone to share miles with, Sole Mates is designed to bring people together in a fun and low-pressure way. Join us on the first Friday of every month at Caras Park for a relaxed 3.5-mile run followed by snacks and time to mingle. Afterward, you’re welcome to keep the night going and head off to other First Friday shenanigans with your new connections.
• SterlingCRE (269 W. Front): Come see SterlingCRE’s brand new Downtown office during their Wurst Party Ever. Brats, pretzel bites, and more alongside brews on tap, wine, and non-alcoholic options. Art by Julie Wulf will be on display and Oktubfest will be playing from 5 – 6:30pm. Event runs 5 – 7pm.
• TrailWest Bank Downtown Branch (218 E. Main): Featuring Steve Wilson Art and Gallery out of Corvallis, Montana. Steve’s Rocky Mountain Fine Art showcases a diverse collection of landscape and wildlife art of the Rocky Mountains and other nations and international landmarks.  Painted with vibrant colors and vivid definition, each painting comes to life on the canvas, combining realism with dreamlike beauty. You can view Steve’s artwork at stevewilsonart.com. Food and drinks provided. Event runs 5 – 8pm.
• The Clay Studio of Missoula (1106 Hawthorne): Please Elaborate: An Exploration of the Ceramic Surface brings together ceramic works that begin with function but move beyond it. Through glaze, slip, texture, mark-making, and material interventions, artists transform familiar forms into layered explorations of memory, labor, ritual, cultural reference, and more. Guest curated and juried by Eva Champagne, the exhibition celebrates ceramic tradition while exploring the possibilities of surface as a powerful site of meaning and expression. Event runs 5 – 8pm.
• The Dram Shop (229 E. Front): Join your friends at Dram Shop to welcome in a new show of wildlife photography from Andy Anderson! These are spectacular images that are sure to stir your admiration for the wildlife inhabiting the Rocky Mountains. Grab some food from your favorite local restaurant and come it to wash it down with a cold beverage. Open 1 – 11pm.
• The Montana Scene (170 E. Front): Enjoy an additional 20% off our Sale Items! Open 9am – 7pm.
• The Roxy Theater (718 S. Higgins): Twin Peaks – Episode 9
• The Rhino (158 Ryman): Rhino Ross Art Night Benefitting Missoula Senior Center. Support the Missoula Senior Center and win a $50 bar tab! When you’re done cruising around town on First Friday, stop by for Rhino Ross Art Nite – a coloring contest for a cause. Winner gets a $50 bar tab. $10 entry includes: drink ticket and coloring supplies. $4 from every entry gets donated. Event begins at 7pm.
• Tosca Olive Oils (137 E. Main): Snacks, wine, live music & double the loyalty points on all purchases. Open 10am-8pm.
• University of Montana: The Theatre Program of the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance is proud to present the contemporary play “Almost, Maine,” by John Cariani. On a clear, moonless night in the middle of winter, all is not what it seems in the remote town of Almost, Maine. As the Northern Lights hover in the sky above, Almost’s residents find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and hilarious ways. Performance begins at 7:30pm. *tickets required
• Zootown Arts Community Center (216 W. Main): The Missoula Monster Project: For the 12th year in a row, the ZACC has partnered with the Missoula County Public Schools Fine Arts Department to produce one of Missoula’s most beloved community art traditions. Kindergarteners created monsters with unique personalities, which are then reinterpreted by adult artists. Opening night festivities include a performance by Cowboy Andy & the Salamanders on the Show Room stage from 5–7 PM, plus free cake! Adult-created monster artworks will be available for purchase—arrive early to claim your favorite before it’s gone! Event runs 5 – 8pm.

Downtown Galleries

• 4 Ravens Gallery (216 N. Higgins)
• Art Attic Framing & Design (123 South Ave W.)
• Dana Gallery (246 N. Higgins)
• Frame of Mind (1706 Brooks)
• Missoula Art Museum (335 N. Pattee)
• Radius Gallery (120 N. Higgins)
• The Artists Shop (127 N. Higgins)
• The Clay Studio of Missoula (1106 Hawthorne)
• Zootown Arts Community Center (216 W. Main)