Old Salt Festival 2026

Mannix Family Ranch

OLD SALT FESTIVAL 2026 COUNTDOWN

Tickets Now On Sale

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.

Meet Our Founder,

Cole Mannix

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.

Old Salt Festival 2025 Sponsors

Old Salt Festival FAQ

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.

Camping and Lodging

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

https://ovandoinnmt.com/

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

https://threebearsmotel.com/ 

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

https://doublearrowresort.com

Greenough, MT

The Resort at Paws Up

40060 Paws Up Rd

Greenough, MT 59823

877-580-6343

www.pawsup.com

© 2025 Old Salt Co-op : Montana, USA