Great News: The Red Lodge Festival of Nations is Returning

A beloved Red Lodge, MT tradition is slated to return this summer, and fans are thrilled. The Festival of Nations will be held on June 27, 28, and 29, 2025. The festival was last held in 2017.

We caught up with Carbon County Historical Preservation Officer Becky Van Horn, who is thrilled about the news.

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The event had been held every year since 1951, although it technically began in 1950 with the dedication of the Red Lodge Veterans Memorial Civic Center. Back in the day, the Festival of Nations was a nine-day event!

Over the years it shrank to a weekend of activities. Community interest waned after the 2017 event, said Becky, and combined with a lack of volunteers, it went on hiatus.

A Montana mining town melting pot.

Like many Montana communities, Red Lodge was a melting pot during its early days. Originally Crow country, the town was established in 1884 and things started booming when coal was discovered in 1887.

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The mines drew immigrants from around the globe. Populations of Finns, Scots, Irish, Italians, and Slavs soon called the mountain town home, creating a diverse mix of languages and cultures. The Festival of Nations is a celebration of these early Red Lodge residents.

Van Horn is in the early stages of mapping out an event schedule for the 2025 Festival of Nations. Tentative plans include a kickoff dinner featuring ethnic specialty foods on Friday night. Traditional dancers, musicians, and craftsmen will line the streets on Saturday, and activities will wrap up on Sunday with a "New West" BBQ.

How can you get involved?

There is still plenty of time to be a part of the Festival of Nations. If you're interested in volunteering, performing, hosting demonstrations, etc., reach out to Becky at preservation@carboncountyhistory.com for more information.

See ya' in Red Lodge at the end of June!