The 62-Year-Old Small Town Festival That Is Secretly Montana’s Best Summer Weekend

If your perfect summer night involves cold drinks, the smell of smoky barbecue, and live music under a massive Montana sky, clear your calendar for July 10-11, 2026.

Huntley Homesteader Days is returning for its 62nd year, and it’s shaping up to be one of the biggest weekend parties just east of Billings. Whether you are a lifelong local or looking for the ultimate Montana small-town experience, here is everything you need to know about the 2026 festival, including how to score a massive discount on concert tickets right now.

The Friday Night Concert Lineup (July 10)

This isn’t your typical cramped, parking lot concert. The Homesteader Days concert takes place in a gorgeous, shady, seven-acre park. You can bring your own lawn chair, spread out, and actually enjoy the music.

The gates open at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, July 10, and the music rolls all night long:

• 6:30 p.m. - Chancey Williams
• 8:00 p.m.- Darryl Worley
• Post-Show to 1:00 a.m. - Afterparty featuring Exit 53

Budget Hack: How to Save on Concert Tickets

Concert tickets are skyrocketing lately, but you can bypass the high prices if you act fast.

Deal Alert: Right now, you can snag general admission tickets to the concerts through our Seize the Deal Store for just $36 (normally a $45 value), while supplies last. Seating is first-come, first-served, so grab your chairs and lock in this price before it sells out!

Saturday Family Fun: Greased Pigs, Parades, & Famous BBQ (July 11)

While Friday night is for the country music lovers, Saturday, July 11, is a full-blown, nostalgic community celebration. The park opens at 10:00 p.m. (following the Homesteader Run at 8:15 a.m.) and features:

• A traditional hometown parade winding through Huntley.
• Carnival rides and "Fun on the Farm" games for the kids.
• A notoriously chaotic greased pig race.
• Local craft vendors to shop from.

Come Hungry

This is where your diet goes to die. The Huntley Project Lions Club will be serving up their famous barbecue beef and chicken dinners. Local vendors will also be churning out funnel cakes, tacos, homemade pie, and ice cream. Expect to leave smelling like sunscreen and hickory smoke.

Saturday Night: Fireworks & The Beer Garden

As the sun sets over the prairie, the party shifts gears. The beer garden lights up, and The Tanglewood Band takes the stage from 8:00 p.m. to midnight.

Weather permitting, a massive fireworks display will light up the sky at dusk, capping off the ultimate Montana summer weekend.

5 Things You Must Know Before You Go

To make sure you don't get turned away at the gate, keep these festival rules in mind:

• Cash is King: Food and drink vendors inside the park are cash-only (ATMs are available on-site).
• Pack Your Chairs: Lawn chairs are highly encouraged, but large umbrellas are a no-go.
• No Coolers or Outside Alcohol: Leave the tailgating supplies in the truck.
• No Re-entry: Once you leave the concert area on Friday, you can't get back in.
• Rain or Shine: The show goes on regardless of the weather, which is the true Montana way.

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Why You Can't Miss This

In a world that feels increasingly rushed, Homesteader Days feels beautifully disconnected. It’s a place where kids run free, neighbors actually talk to each other, and generations gather to celebrate the grit of the original Montana homesteaders.

[Click here to grab your $36 discounted concert tickets before they're gone!]