Honey Festival · July 15–16, 2033 · Missoula, Montana
Missoula — the 'Garden City' of Montana and hub of the northern Rocky Mountain West — sits at the convergence of five river valleys where the Clark Fork, Bitterroot, Blackfoot, Rattlesnake, and Hell Gate rivers meet. Missoula County's honey traditions are defined by the dramatic transition between valley agriculture and surrounding wilderness. Yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis) and white sweet clover are the dominant honey plants on Missoula's irrigated valley floors, producing the region's most prolific honey flow in late June through July: pale gold, intensely sweet, with the classic vanilla-like aromatics that make sweet clover honey Montana's most commercially important product. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) from the irrigated benches and Bitterroot Valley farms south of Missoula contributes substantially to the summer honey supply. Native wildflowers from the surrounding wilderness — lupine, phacelia, fireweed — provide secondary forage from higher elevations. Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) from forest clearcuts above the valley produces a premium delicate honey harvested in August. The University of Montana's biological station and the Missoula Beekeeper's Association have both documented the exceptional quality of Clark Fork Valley honey. The festival at Caras Park on the Clark Fork riverbank celebrates the confluence of wilderness, university culture, and agricultural heritage that defines Missoula.
Type: Honey Festival
Date: July 15–16, 2033
Location: Caras Park, 123 Carousel Drive, Missoula, Montana
Official website: Missoula Clark Fork Valley Honey & Wilderness Gateway Heritage Festival 2033
Honey festivals feature tastings, vendor booths, educational talks, and family-friendly activities celebrating local honey production and beekeeping traditions.
Discover 210+ honey varieties before attending, or learn how to read honey labels to make informed purchases. Explore our Montana Honey Sourcing Guide for local variety recommendations.
Find local honey sources near the event, explore the best honey for your needs, or take our honey personality quiz to find your perfect variety.
Browse all upcoming honey events across the country.