Presented by Old Salt Co-op, the 4th annual Old Salt Festival is a food & music celebration of Montana land stewardship taking place June 19th - 21st, 2026. We’re bringing together wood-fired cooking, Americana musicians, Montana ranchers, and Western makers to celebrate in high Montana style on the Mannix Family Ranch in Helmville, Montana. Check below for details, and be sure to sign up for updates as information about festival programming and lineup is in the process of being finalized and released.
Cole Mannix is the president of Old Salt Co-op. As fifth generation of the Mannix family, his love for people, ranching, and land stewardship is deep rooted in Montana. Though his schooling and professional life have taken him many places beyond the ranch, his heart remains devoted to the cause of bringing people together around a love for life and all of its beautiful diversity. One of his mentors described land stewardship as an effort to create "more heartbeats per acre". Cole thinks that's a pretty damned good idea and continues to lead Old Salt Co-op's efforts to build a resilient, regional food system that directs more value back to the land and the people who care for it.
Is food included?
General admission tickets (including day pass and weekend pass) include access to all of the festival events and small plates from our featured chefs. These small plates are enough for a meal, but we will also have food and drink vendors on site for purchasing what you need through the day or weekend.
Bringing kids
Yes. Kids age 12 and under are free. We will still require a ticket to be selected for each child during checkout online to help us prepare for infrastructure and accommodations. Limit of 3 free kid passes per adult ticket holder. All kids 13 and over will require a regular ticket.
Festival re-entry
You are welcome to come and go from the festival grounds as needed but please keep your wristband on at all times. We are very limited in being able to get you a replacement wristband.
Return policy
All events, prices, personalities, performances, venues, dates and times are subject to change without notice.
All sales are final. We are a rain-or-shine event. If for any reason you must cancel, the ticketing platform does have an open market to re-sell your ticket, but there is no guarantee you will be able to do so.
Ticket information
Please email us at [email protected] for support.
Cell or internet service
There is no general wifi or cell service at the festival. Unplug and enjoy yourself! The nearest wifi will be at the Copper Queen Bar in Helmville about 2 miles down the road. In case of emergencies, staff can assist with communications. For vendors at the festival, connections are available to process credit cards.
Volunteer
Whether you're passionate about music, food, or just love being part of the experience, we've got a role for you. Plus, volunteering comes with perks!
Sign up for our email newsletter (if you haven't already) to receive updates about volunteering.
Pet policy
We love animals, but we kindly ask that you leave your animals at home. The weather in June is unpredictable, please do not leave your animals in your vehicle. Thanks for your cooperation!
Weather
It’s Montana. We are a snow, rain, or shine event so please prepare for cold, wet, and hot conditions. Typically daytime temps are in the high 50s to low 60s and evenings are in the mid-40s to low 50s. Again please bring a variety of layers. There will be fires available to warm up if needed!
Bear safety
BE BEAR AWARE - We have taken appropriate precautions to make sure that we are safe in grizzly country.
Help us to be our eyes and ears. If you see a bear, come find a Festival Official to alert our Bear Mitigation Team. Do NOT leave any food left unsupervised. Store all of your food in a locked car during the day and overnight. DO NOT STORE FOOD IN YOUR SLEEPING AREA. Feeding wildlife is illegal.
Bear spray - Be mindful that bear spray may cause irreversible eye damage if sprayed in the eye at close range. Contact through touching or rubbing eyes may result in substantial but temporary eye injury. Strongly irritating to nose and skin.
Festival sponsorship
Are you interested in learning more about how to get involved? Helps us model a new agriculture, a food system that actually nourishes land and community. Please reach out to [email protected] or check out our sponsorship page for more information.
We offer car/tent camping, RV/trailer sites, and even beautiful glamping options for those who want the extra layer of comfort. These passes are limited and sold on a first come, first served basis. Other off-site accommodations are also available.
Car and tent camping
Each person planning to spend the night at the festival must purchase a camping pass. Each pass is good for the entire weekend. Car/tent campsites are 20ft x 20ft. No water or supplies will be available in the camping area, so please come prepared. Bathrooms are accessible during your stay. Festival campgrounds open Friday at 9am, and you are welcome to stay until Monday at 10am. If you need a place to camp Thursday night, we recommend Geary's HipCamp.
RV and trailer camping
If you'd like to park your RV or trailer on the festival grounds, each trailer must purchase a RV/trailer pass. Each pass is good for the entire weekend. These sites are 20ft x 40ft. No hookups, water, or supplies will be available in the camping area, so please come prepared. Bathrooms are accessible during your stay. Festival campgrounds open Friday at 9am, and you are welcome to stay until Monday at 10am. If you need a place to camp Thursday night, we recommend Geary's HipCamp.
Glamping
Glamping accommodations are available on a first come, first served basis and facilitated by Wild Productions. Passes can be purchased alongside festival tickets. Either 1 large bed or 2 smaller beds will be in each glamping tent. We will communicate with you at a later time to confirm which you prefer.
Nearby off-site lodging
Below is a list of places all within 30-45 minutes from the festival grounds. The towns of Helena, Missoula and Great Falls are all within 60-90 minutes drive or so and are reasonable for day tripping.
Ovando, MT
The Ovando Inn
406 Pine Street
Ovando, MT 59854
406-793-5555
Lincoln, MT
Lincoln Log Hotel
101 Sleepy Hollow Ln
Lincoln, MT 59639
406-362-4822
Three Bears Motel of Lincoln
203 Main St
Lincoln, MT
406-362-4355
Leeper's Motel
110 1st Ave
Lincoln, MT 59639
406-362-4333
Drummond, MT
Drummond Motel
170 W. Front St.
Drummond, MT 59832
406-288-6000
Philipsburg, MT
The Broadway Hotel
103 West Broadway
Philipsburg, MT
800-877-4436
https://www.broadwaymontana.com/
Seeley Lake, MT
Double Arrow Lodge
MT-83
Seeley Lake, MT 59868
406-677-2777
Greenough, MT
The Resort at Paws Up
40060 Paws Up Rd
Greenough, MT 59823
877-580-6343
© 2025 Old Salt Co-op : Montana, USA