Music. Art. Food. Community. All the ingredients that make up the Missoula Downtown Association’s River City Roots Festival returns to the streets of Downtown Friday and Saturday August 27-28. This annual event celebrates everything that makes Missoula, Missoula.
“It was hard to imagine another year without Roots Fest,” said committee chair Ellen Buchanan. “The staff and the committee had many lengthy discussions over the course of the winter on how we could bring this event back to the Heart of Missoula, even if it had to be in a modified format. It became clear about a month ago that with COVID cases declining and vaccination numbers increasing by the end of August we could make Roots Fest happen.”
While a full line-up needs to be rounded out, festival goers can expect both local and national touring acts on the Main Street stage. Local eats will be found in the food court area along with local drinks in the beverage court. To celebrate Missoula’s love for art, the Art Show will also return, giving the community a chance to support local artists who had limited opportunities to showcase their talents in 2020. Run Wild Missoula will again host a 4-mile run, with a route that guides runners along the Clark Fork River. Roots Fest truly has something for everyone.
Photo by Athena Lonsdale courtesy of the Missoula Downtown Association.
“Our community needs Roots Fest more than ever,” said Downtown Missoula Partnership Executive Director Linda McCarthy. “It’s been a challenging year, and we are ready to bring the community back together and celebrate all that we love about Missoula. Hosting this event means we are well on our way back to life in the streets of Downtown Missoula.”
River City Roots Festival isn’t the only Missoula Downtown Association event to return this summer. Two of Missoula’s longest-standing events – Out to Lunch and Downtown ToNight – kick off June 2 and 3 respectively. A full line-up of local food vendors will be available as well as live music, although attendees should expect to see solo acts or duos for the first month and larger bands will round out the schedule in July and August. A full schedule for both events can be found at missouladowntown.com.
Information about River City Roots Festival and a full schedule can be found at rivercityrootsfestival.com. Artists looking to apply for the Art Show should visit rivercityrootsfestival.com/events and follow the link for the online application. Art Show applications are due June 18. A full band line-up will be released in late May.
For additional information or questions about Roots Fest, Out to Lunch, or Downtown ToNight contact the Downtown Missoula Partnership staff via phone (406.543.4238) or email (info@missouladowntown.com).