River City Roots Festival
Took place Aug 21–22 and has ended.
River City Roots Festival is a free two-day August event in downtown Missoula, with music on West Main Street and at Caras Park. The program includes a fine art show, children’s and family entertainment, and a 4-mile run. It draws more than 15,000 people, and camping is not part of the festival.
Caras Park + downtown · Missoula, MT · in Missoula
Good to know
Getting there
Roots Fest is held at Caras Park and along West Main Street, at the W. Main and Ryman intersection in downtown Missoula. Mountain Line's zero-fare fixed-route bus and paratransit service connect downtown with the rest of Missoula and the University of Montana. The city's flat grid layout, shared-use paths, and Neighborhood Greenways make walking and biking practical ways to reach the festival.
Camping
Camping is not part of the festival. The festival lists downtown hotels such as Residence Inn by Marriott, AC Hotel, Edgewater Missoula, and The Wren Hotel, plus options including Broadway Inn, Comfort Inn University, Staybridge Suites, and Jim and Mary's RV Park for overnight stays.
Tickets
Admission is free for all to enjoy.
Lineup notes
Friday opens on the West Main Street stage with the Z.A.C.C. Rock Camp Bands at 12:30 pm, Joan Zen at 2:30 pm, Amanda Shaw at 6:30 pm, and the Honey Island Swamp Band at 8:30 pm. Saturday features Cowboy Andy and the Salamanders at 12:30 pm, Silas Herman and the Tone Unit at 6:30 pm, and the Grammy Award-winning Infamous Stringdusters at 8:30 pm. The Unfaithful Servants, Reverend Slanky, Andy Dunnigan and Friends, and Tangled Tones round out the bill.
What to expect
Beyond the music, the fine art show brings 35 to 40 artists to Main Street on Friday from 12 pm and Saturday from 10 am. Children's and family activities fill Caras Park on Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm, with crafts, obstacle courses, guitar lessons, and bean bag toss. The 4-mile Roots Run, organized by Run Wild Missoula, opens Saturday morning. The festival is the Downtown Missoula Partnership's signature celebration and draws more than 15,000 people.
- Ample parking is available in downtown Missoula.
2026 lineup
Full lineup
- Silas Herman & the Tone Unit
- Amanda Shaw
- Andy Dunnigan & Friends
- The Unfaithful Servants
- Reverend Slanky
- Joan Zen
- Z.A.C.C. Rock Camp Bands
- Tangled Tones
Saturday, Aug 22
Hear the headliners
Amanda Shaw
Amanda Shaw is an American Cajun fiddler and singer from Mandeville, Louisiana. She was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2020.
- american
- cajun
- folk
Andy Dunnigan & Friends
Joan Zen is an award-winning funky-soul and reggae band from Missoula, Montana. She performs with her husband, Jason, and a six-piece band, traveling throughout a three-state area. Joan Zen has a five-song EP available on major music platforms.
Reverend Slanky
Silas Herman & the Tone Unit
The Unfaithful Servants are a high-energy folk/Americana band from Vancouver Island. The group features Grammy-nominated Jesse Cobb, singer-songwriter Dylan Stone, fiddle player Quin Etheridge-Pedden, and bassist Mark Johnson. Their sound blends bluegrass, folk, and old-time roots, and they had a new album coming in 2025.
From past years
