The History Museum & Research Center is reviving the Cottonwood Festival! The Cottonwood Festival will be held Saturday, July 18, 2026, from 10am to 5pm at The History Museum & Research Center in Great Falls, Montana. This festival occurred for almost 20 years between 1987-2006 but was discontinued due to the cost and coordination required (there were close to 5,000 attendees in the past). The revival of the Cottonwood Festival is a special event in honor of our nation’s 250th birthday and the Cascade County Historical Society’s 50th anniversary. It will be an engaging way to reflect on and learn about traditional lifeways.

15 artisans and demonstrators will bring history to life with flintknapping, blacksmithing, beadwork, ceramics, gold panning, bison tipis, beaver hats, wood carving, historic dolls, quilting, native games, fiber arts, and much more. This festival doesn’t just entertain, it protects and preserves our heritage while sparking curiosity in the next generation. As we mark the semiquincentennial, there’s no better time to reflect on where we came from. It delivers cultural enrichment for every resident and fuels real community pride for America’s 250th.

Food tucks will be on site, too!

Admission is completely free so the Cottonwood Festival can provide an educationally enriching experience affordable for all families no matter what their income level. Additionally, it preserves rapidly disappearing lifeways by showcasing them and creating interest in their continuation through engaging the public. The Cottonwood Festival is funded by a grant from the Montana 250 Commission to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States.

Don’t miss it: join us July 18 to celebrate, learn, and keep history alive at the Cottonwood Festival!