Events Calendar
Montana Makes a Difference Day!!
Montana Makes a Difference Day is a day of service!
How can you celebrate?
Volunteer at local organizations! Food pantry? Shelter?
Organize a fundraiser! Maybe a bake sale? A can drive?
Head to an animal shelter and play with some dogs!
Simply say thank you!
Post your celebrations with the hashtags #ServeMontana and #TwoLightMT :)
Montana Reads - American Covenant: How the Constitution Unified Our Nation―and Could Again
November 2026’s Selection is American Covenant: How the Constitution Unified Our Nation―and Could Again by Yuval Levin
Common ground is hard to find in today’s politics. In a society teeming with clashing political perspectives, many people have grown frustrated under a system of government that constantly demands compromise. More and more on both the right and the left have come to blame the Constitution for the resulting discord. But the Constitution is not the problem we face; it is the solution.
Blending engaging history with lucid analysis, conservative scholar Yuval Levin’s American Covenant recovers the Constitution’s true genius and reveals how it charts a path to repairing America’s fault lines. Uncovering the framers’ sophisticated grasp of political division, Levin showcases the Constitution’s exceptional power to facilitate constructive disagreement, negotiate resolutions to disputes, and forge unity in a fractured society. Clear-eyed about the ways that contemporary politics have malfunctioned, Levin also offers practical solutions for reforming those aspects of the constitutional order that have gone awry.
Please register HERE (LINK FORTHCOMING) to receive the Zoom link for the meeting or to attend in person at the Lewis and Clark Library in Helena. You will receive the link in the automatic confirmation email, and we will send out a reminder on the day of the event. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to read the book before the meeting.
Montana Reads - The Pursuit of Happiness
December 2026’s Selection is The Pursuit of Happiness by Jeffery Rosen
The Declaration of Independence identified “the pursuit of happiness” as one of our unalienable rights, along with life and liberty. Jeffrey Rosen, the president of the National Constitution Center, profiles six of the most influential founders—Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton—to show what pursuing happiness meant in their lives, and to give us the “best and most readable introduction to the ideas of the Founders that we have” (Gordon Wood, author of Power and Liberty).
By reading the classical Greek and Roman moral philosophers who inspired the Founders, Rosen shows us how they understood the pursuit of happiness as a quest for being good, not feeling good—the pursuit of lifelong virtue, not short-term pleasure. Among those virtues were the habits of industry, temperance, moderation, and sincerity, which the Founders viewed as part of a daily struggle for self-improvement, character development, and calm self-mastery. They believed that political self-government required personal self-government. For all six Founders, the pursuit of virtue was incompatible with enslavement of African Americans, although the Virginians betrayed their own principles.
Please register HERE (LINK FORTHCOMING) to receive the Zoom link for the meeting or to attend in person at the Lewis and Clark Library in Helena. You will receive the link in the automatic confirmation email, and we will send out a reminder on the day of the event. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to read the book before the meeting.
Montana Reads - The Greatest Sentence Ever Written
October 2026’s Selection is The Greatest Sentence Ever Written by Walter Isaacson.
To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, Walter Isaacson takes readers on a fascinating deep dive into the creation of one of history’s most powerful sentences: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Drafted by Thomas Jefferson and edited by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, this line lays the foundation for the American Dream and defines the common ground we share as a nation.
Isaacson unpacks its genius, word by word, illuminating the then-radical concepts behind it. Readers will gain a fresh appreciation for how it was drafted to inspire unity, equality, and the enduring promise of America. With clarity and insight, he reveals not just the power of these words but describes how, in these polarized times, we can use them to restore an appreciation for our common values.
Please register HERE to receive the Zoom link for the meeting or to attend in person at the Lewis and Clark Library in Helena. You will receive the link in the automatic confirmation email, and we will send out a reminder on the day of the event. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to read the book before the meeting.
MT250 Commission October Meeting
Join us for the MT250 Commission’s October Meeting!
Join Zoom Meeting
https://mt-gov.zoom.us/j/87681992804?pwd=ipb10g281CPtZ8BSv5q7MzQLijbdL7.1
Meeting ID: 876 8199 2804
Password: 930785
Mud Drags!
This event is only one of many at Park County Motor Vehicle Park! There are a variety of Motor Vehicle Events from Mud Bogs, Mud Drags, Hill in the Hole, Tuff Trucks, Lemon Car Races! All of which are posted on our promotional calendar.
Find the latest information from Park County Motor Vehicle Park’s Facebook linked here!
Indigenous Northwest Montana History Exhibit Update
The Northwest Montana Historical Society, a MT250 Grant recipient, plans on opening their new and improved Indigenous Northwest Montana History Exhibit sometime in October 2026.
Anaconda Oral Histories
Anaconda Oral Histories, a program that received funding from the MT250 Grant, has already recorded 8 stories from Anaconda community members that would have been lost otherwise. With the funding they received from the MT250 Grant they plan to record eight more.
They plan to have all recordings and programs available on their website by late December.
Location: Online. Link coming soon!
Lemon Race!
This event is only one of many at Park County Motor Vehicle Park! There are a variety of Motor Vehicle Events from Mud Bogs, Mud Drags, Hill in the Hole, Tuff Trucks, Lemon Car Races! All of which are posted on our promotional calendar.
Find the latest information from Park County Motor Vehicle Park’s Facebook linked here!
Helena Symphony 72nd Opening Night America 250! Party to Follow!
The Helena Symphony’s Season opens with a celebration of the 250th anniversary of America! Experience the soul of American classical music with Samuel Barber’s evocative Violin Concerto and Aaron Copland’s majestic and uplifting Third Symphony. The evening continues with dinner and drinks at the Opening Night After Party!
Tickets for the Symphony: https://ci.ovationtix.com/37028/production/1264581
Location: Helena Civic Center
Tickets: Level I $80, Level II $65, Level III $50, Level IV $37, Level V $25
Celebrate 72 extraordinary years of the Helena Symphony with a truly dazzling Opening Night After Party! The magic continues the moment the final note fades. Step into an elegant celebration filled with catered cuisine, sparkling drinks, and a live and silent auction.
Location: Helena Civic Center Ballroom
Tickets: Single tickets $72 | Table of 8 $520 | Table of 10 $680
Tickets for the After Party: https://ci.ovationtix.com/37028/production/1265038?performanceId=11761018
Mud Bog!
This event is only one of many at Park County Motor Vehicle Park! There are a variety of Motor Vehicle Events from Mud Bogs, Mud Drags, Hill in the Hole, Tuff Trucks, Lemon Car Races! All of which are posted on our promotional calendar.
Find the latest information from Park County Motor Vehicle Park’s Facebook linked here!
Montana Reads - Our Ancient Faith: Lincoln, Democracy, and the American Experiment
September 2026’s Selection is Our Ancient Faith: Lincoln, Democracy, and the American Experiment, by Allen Guelzo.
An intimate study of Abraham Lincoln’s powerful vision of democracy, which guided him through the Civil War and is still relevant today—by a best-selling historian and three-time winner of the Lincoln Prize.
You can either attend online through zoom or in-person at the Lewis and Clark Library. If attending online, once you register you will receive the link in the automatic confirmation email, and we will send out a reminder on the day of the event. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to read the book before the session.
Please register HERE to receive the Zoom link for the meeting or to attend in person at the Lewis and Clark Library in Helena. You will receive the link in the automatic confirmation email, and we will send out a reminder on the day of the event. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to read the book before the meeting.
AMERICAN REVOLUTION EXPERIENCE Traveling Exhibit Sept. 5 - 17
The Oro Fino Chapter of the DAR is hosting the American Revolution Experience at the Montana Heritage Center September 5th-17th.
Partners: MT250 Commission; Montana Sons of the American Revolution; General Services Division, Department of Administration, State of MT
A self-guided brochure will be available (Panel Synopsis listed below)
Panel 1 & 2 An Introduction to The American Revolution Experience
Kiosk 1. The People. Explore biographies of Patriots, Loyalists, women spies, Native American leaders, people seeking freedom
Panel 3 & 4 Changing Sides. This actually was a Civil War and it was very hard to decide whether you were going to be a Loyalist or a Patriot.
Panel 5 & 6 Freedom or Slavery. Difficult decisions for individuals, landowners, members of the Continental Congress.
*iPad Kiosk 2 The Places. Explore the places connected to the stories that still can be visited.
Panel 7 & 8 On the Front Lines. From the young drummer boy to the old veteran, people joined the struggle for independence.
Panel 9 & 10 Help from Abroad. Just when George Washington feared all might be lost, help came from Spain, France or others.
*iPad Kiosk 3 The Battles. Explore the Trust-produced maps that show the course of the Revolutionary War as battles unfolded across the continent.
Panel 11 & 12 Post-War Lives and Legacies. What do we recall and preserve?
Building Malmstrom's Missile Fields in Central Montana, 1960-1963
As part of the upcoming Yellowstone International Air Show, please join the Montana 250th Commission for an exciting discussion with Troy Halsell, Historian at Malmstrom AFB's 341st Missile Wing! Gain a glimpse into Montana military aviation history before watching the Blue Angels take to the sky!
This event is hybrid in-person and livestreamed. For those in person, the event will take place at the MSUB Library in Billings.
Can't be there in person? Join us online: https://teams.microsoft.com/dl/launcher/launcher.html...
Grand Victorian Ball
Participants, dressed in Victorian era style, will promenade through town then spend an evening dancing classic reels and waltzes under the guidance of the dance caller. Light refreshments will also be available. Don't miss this unique opportunity to step back in time!
Ball Dance Lessons 1 pm
Registration at 5:30 - 6:30 pm
Promendade at 6:30 pm. Dance at 7 - 10 pm
Tickets can be purchased through the Virginia City Preservation Alliance website: www.virginiacitypreservationalliance.com [virginiacitypreservationalliance.com]
Special In-Person Book Club
Join us for a special in-person Book Club on The Greatest Sentence Ever Written, by Walter Isaacson.
America’s bestselling biographer reveals the origins of the most revolutionary sentence in the Declaration of Independence, the one that defines who we are as Americans—and explains how it should shape our politics today.
We think this is worth it to have an in-person discussion about. We hope to see you on August 15 at 10am at Extreme History at 234 E Mendenhall.
From Extreme History’s Website page. Link: https://extremehistoryproject.org/2026/07/07/special-in-person-book-club/
The Inaugural Montana American Legion Legacy Ride
Food & Drink, Cultural Event, Community Gathering
Montana Reads - Facing East from Indian Country
August 2026’s Selection is Facing East from Indian Country, by Daniel Richter.
In the beginning, North America was Indian country. But only in the beginning. After the opening act of the great national drama, Native Americans yielded to the westward rush of European settlers. Or so the story usually goes. Yet, for three centuries after Columbus, Native people controlled most of eastern North America and profoundly shaped its destiny. In Facing East from Indian Country, Daniel K. Richter keeps Native people center-stage throughout the story of the origins of the United States.
You can either attend online through zoom or in-person at the Lewis and Clark Library. If attending online, once you register you will receive the link in the automatic confirmation email, and we will send out a reminder on the day of the event. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to read the book before the session.
Please register HERE to receive the Zoom link for the meeting or to attend in person at the Lewis and Clark Library in Helena. You will receive the link in the automatic confirmation email, and we will send out a reminder on the day of the event. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to read the book before the meeting.
Hill in the Hole!
This event is only one of many at Park County Motor Vehicle Park! There are a variety of Motor Vehicle Events from Mud Bogs, Mud Drags, Hill in the Hole, Tuff Trucks, Lemon Car Races! All of which are posted on our promotional calendar.
Find the latest information from Park County Motor Vehicle Park’s Facebook linked here!
Mud Drags!
This event is only one of many at Park County Motor Vehicle Park! There are a variety of Motor Vehicle Events from Mud Bogs, Mud Drags, Hill in the Hole, Tuff Trucks, Lemon Car Races! All of which are posted on our promotional calendar.
Find the latest information from Park County Motor Vehicle Park’s Facebook linked here!
MT250 Commission August Meeting
Wednesday, August 5, 4:00 pm-6:00 pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://mt-gov.zoom.us/j/82853063859?pwd=QkbaxdsOajyfvYzbmRcneAZt6XaaxR.1
Meeting ID: 828 5306 3859
Password: 394138
Join us! :-)
The Last Chance Stampede and Fair (Night 3!)
The Last Chance Stampede and Fair is a long-running summer community event held each July at the Lewis & Clark County Fairgrounds in Helena, Montana. It combines a professional rodeo, a county fair, concerts, carnival rides, food vendors, exhibits (including 4-H and local displays), and family-friendly activities over five days. The event traditionally includes PRCA-sanctioned rodeo competitions with top cowboys and cowgirls, a carnival with rides and games, fair food and vendors, and other entertainment such as concerts and special themed nights. It’s one of Helena’s signature summer traditions that draws locals and visitors for fun, food, and western culture.
AMERICA AT 250: HISTORY COMES ALIVE AT MOR Teddy Roosevelt's Ice Cream Extravaganza
$5/member child, $10/member adult, $7/non-member child, $12/non-member adult
For more information and to buy your tickets please visit: https://mor.ticketapp.org/portal/product/67/event/a260227e-48ef-41a2-811c-98cf15e8909e
The Last Chance Stampede and Fair (Night 2!)
The Last Chance Stampede and Fair is a long-running summer community event held each July at the Lewis & Clark County Fairgrounds in Helena, Montana. It combines a professional rodeo, a county fair, concerts, carnival rides, food vendors, exhibits (including 4-H and local displays), and family-friendly activities over five days. The event traditionally includes PRCA-sanctioned rodeo competitions with top cowboys and cowgirls, a carnival with rides and games, fair food and vendors, and other entertainment such as concerts and special themed nights. It’s one of Helena’s signature summer traditions that draws locals and visitors for fun, food, and western culture.
AMERICA AT 250: HISTORY COMES ALIVE AT MOR The Story of Teddy Roosevelt
$10/member, $15/non-member
Registration is required
For more information and to buy your tickets please visit: https://mor.ticketapp.org/portal/product/67/event/79057cae-0aac-4690-848c-c89ea17c8e10
The Last Chance Stampede and Fair (Night 1!)
The Last Chance Stampede and Fair is a long-running summer community event held each July at the Lewis & Clark County Fairgrounds in Helena, Montana. It combines a professional rodeo, a county fair, concerts, carnival rides, food vendors, exhibits (including 4-H and local displays), and family-friendly activities over five days. The event traditionally includes PRCA-sanctioned rodeo competitions with top cowboys and cowgirls, a carnival with rides and games, fair food and vendors, and other entertainment such as concerts and special themed nights. It’s one of Helena’s signature summer traditions that draws locals and visitors for fun, food, and western culture.
Bozeman Trail Community and Family Educational Hike
Join our experts on the morning of July 18 at the Bozeman Trail trailhead for a guided hike along the trail, where you’ll hear its history and explore new theories. Transportation will be available for anyone who prefers a ride. Come enjoy a beautiful hike and discover the story behind the trail.
Grand Opening: The National Conservation Legacy Center
The Grand Opening of the National Conservation Legacy Center – the Museum’s stunning 27,000sf mass timber, flagship facility - will be an event heard throughout the state, as well as the country. As the only national museum to share our collective conservation history, being located in Missoula on a beautiful 31-acre campus rightly brings a spotlight on the people and cultures of our state’s history.
Click here for a sneak peek!
Click here to get forwarded to The National Museum of Forest Service History website.
AMERICA AT 250: HISTORY COMES ALIVE AT MOR Experience York's Life: A Reenacted History with Hasan Davis
5:30 - 7 p.m. | Hager Auditorium
Free for members, $5/non-member
Experience history come to life by listening to the life and experiences of York, the enslaved man on the Lewis and Clark expedition
Oh, That Dreadful Tea! A Musical about the Boston Tea Party, a Celebration of our Nation's Semiquincentennial
Oh, That Dreadful Tea! is a musical about the Boston Tea Party.
The cast is made up of local 4th-7th grade students!
Admission is free!
This show will be running on July 10 (7pm), July 11 (7pm), and July 12th (2pm).