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HELENA, Mont. – The Montana Department of Commerce announced today that 48 local event organizations will share more than $828,000 of grant funding to support destination events that will help increase tourism in Montana communities. The funding is through Commerce’s Economic Impact and Destination Event Grant Program.
“Economic Impact and Destination Event Grant funding assists Montana’s communities with destination events and new happenings that can help increase regional, national and international tourism, promote Montana's unique attributes and generate additional revenue for local communities,” said Commerce Director Marta Bertoglio.
The following will receive EIDE grant funding:
- The 14th Annual Dino Shindig in Ekalaka will receive $19,761.
- The 20th Annual River City Roots Festival in Missoula will receive $25,000.
- The 31st Annual Bitterroot Brewfest in Hamilton will receive $25,000.
- The 39th Annual Montana Governor's Cup Walleye Tournament in Glasgow will receive $23,750.
- The 49th Annual Sweetgrass Society Powwow in Havre will receive $3,000.
- The 2027 Wild Wings Migration Festival in Choteau will receive $6,160.
- Baker's Fourth of July in Baker will receive $9,300.
- The Basement Plays + Art Installation in Anaconda will receive $5,850.
- Bentonfest in Fort Benton will receive $12,233.
- The Bigfork Brewfest 2026 in Bigfork will receive $12,332.
- The Bigfork Whitewater Festival in Bigfork will receive $23,800.
- Big Horn County American Indian Heritage Relay Races in Hardin will receive $25,000.
- The Big Sky Balloon Rally in Billings will receive $9,765.
- The Big Sky Reining Classic in Kalispell will receive $25,000.
- The Bitterroot Performing Arts 2026 Summer Concert in Hamilton will receive $25,000.
- Centerfest Montana in Lewistown will receive $23,000.
- The Clark Fork River Pedal and Farm Tour in Thompson Falls will receive $5,830.
- The Crow Fair Powwow and Parade in Crow Agency will receive $12,000.
- Dillon Days in Dillon will receive $25,000.
- The Don't Fence Me In Trail Run in Helena will receive $16,200.
- Elevating Eastern Montana Agriculture and Local Small Business in Forsyth will receive $25,000.
- The Festival of Irish Writing in Butte will receive $25,000.
- The Fort Benton Summer Celebration in Fort Benton will receive $24,400.
- The Fourth of July Veterans Powwow in Browning will receive $19,000.
- Heritage Day 2026 in Trego will receive $15,000.
- The Journey to the Badlands Triathlon in Glendive will receive $2,300.
- The Kootenai Forest Fair in Libby will receive $3,100.
- Little Bighorn Days in Hardin will receive $25,000.
- The Livingston Songwriter Festival in Livingston will receive $22,500.
- The Lost Hawk Rendezvous in Whitehall will receive $19,500.
- The Milk River Cat Classic and Catfish Days in Glasgow will receive $25,000.
- Miner’s Day in Virginia City will receive $8,170.
- The Montana Renaissance Festival in Billings will recive $15,000.
- Music in the Mountains 2026 in Big Sky will receive $24,500.
- The Norman Maclean Literary Festival in Missoula, Ronan and Seeley Lake will receive $25,000.
- The Plevna Jamboree in Plevna will receive $3,900.
- The Red Ants Pants Music Festival in White Sulphur Springs will receive $25,000.
- The Red Lodge Winter Bash in Red Lodge will receive $25,000.
- Rhythm and Roam in Hamilton will receive $25,000.
- The Roar and Explore Dino Day, Youth and Family Paleo Program in Malta will receive $2,800.
- Rock'n on the Corner in Prairie County in Terry will receive $13,490.
- The Rotary Club of Townsend Fall Fest in Townsend will receive $25,000.
- Smeltermen’s Day in Anaconda will receive $10,200.
- Symphony Under the Stars: ICONS II in Helena will receive $25,000.
- Terror in the Cellhouse in Deer Lodge will receive $10,282.12.
- The Virginia City Gold Strike Art Show and Auction in Virginia City will receive $19,650.
- The Whitefish Songwriter Festival in Whitefish will receive $25,000.
- The Yellowstone Rendezvous Race in West Yellowstone will receive $6,617.
In 2025, Trego Fortine Stryker Community Hall received $15,500 of EIDE Grant funding to support the annual Heritage Day festival.
TFS Community Hall Development Director Kristie Eggebroten said, "The 2025 Economic Impact and Destination Event Grant is absolutely vital to the Trego, Fortine and Stryker Community. It allows us to continue hosting our annual Heritage Day at Blarney Ranch, where visitors can experience the unique history, resilience and traditions of rural Montana. The exposure and tourism dollars this event generates allows us to provide a unique experience for tourists while generating revenue to offer critical programming to our rural and underserved community."
The EIDE Grant Program is a state-funded opportunity authorized by the 2023 Montana Legislature’s enactment of Senate Bill 540.
For more information about EIDE grants, visit commerce.mt.gov.
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