It's time to look ahead to New Year's Eve and get ready to have a party in Downtown Missoula. For the past 28 years Arts Missoula has put on the "First Night Missoula" celebration held in multiple venues throughout Missoula. Over the past few years we have seen many live events change and evolve, so it shouldn't be a surprise that "First Night Missoula" has evolved too.

Missoula On Main

"Missoula On Main" is the evolution of "First Night Missoula". There will be some parts of the event that will be familiar and some that will be brand new. For starters, no more buttons. This year you will be able to go to a lot of different events for free. For the bigger events they will be ticketed events. If you purchase your tickets online in November you will be able to save some money. The earlier you buy your tickets the more money you will save. If you will miss the buttons, you can still purchase a commemorative button for you collection.

More Centralized

The events will be more centralized on Main Street. I spoke with Heather Adams the Executive Director of Arts Missoula about the event. She said, "I was a business owner on Main Street, Downtown Dance Collective for 13 years. I always felt that Main Street had it's own energy, just being the main corridor other than Higgins... I thought what if we really focused the event. Park your car once, then cruise up and down the street to the different events."

Ticketed Events

A lot of the events are free and open to the public, but for some of the bigger showcases, you will need. This will make sure that you get a seat for the event and it will streamline the different venues. The Drum Brothers, Tangled Tones Rhythmos, The Missoula Symphony, The Spotlight Teen Signing Competition, MAMA Showcase, Celtic Dragon Pipe Band and Missoula Highland Dancers, Dance Showcase and the Midnight Masquerade Under The Stars will be ticketed events. This weekend the tryouts for the Spotlight Teen Singing Competition will be taking place at the AC Hotel.

Welcome 2023

There will be two events to wrap up the night, the "Midnight Masquerade Under The Stars" with the Ed Norton Big Band at the Elks Lodge which will require a ticket. There will also be a free street party and "egg drop", that will be held on Main Street between Washington and Pattee. Heather Adams says, "The first ever Egg Drop that is happening at midnight. Our good friends at The Wren have sponsored us creating a giant egg. It is going to be like a five foot tall egg that will be beautiful and cool." Times Square may have the "Ball Drop", Missoula will be having our first ever "Egg Drop". If you would like to help out and volunteer you can sign up online to help out.

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Changes

There will be over 200 local artists and performers included in "Missoula On Main" this year. Heather talked about New Year's Eve and the changes to the event, she focused it on three things she said, "One it's a celebration of arts and culture in Missoula and that's why it has been around for so long... second we want to share this passage of time together. Collectively there is a real appetite for looking at the past year and looking into the future. The third thing is we need that catharsis. We need that sort of done with that, and moving forward." This New Year's eve let's all get together and have fun and celebrate the arts and community that is Missoula.

THANK YOU! Photos from the 2022 Guerrilla Turkey Drive in Missoula, Montana

Townsquare Media Missoula would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all the members of the community who made the 2022 Guerrilla Turkey Drive possible this year! A special thank you to our sponsors Decker Trucking, KPAX, and Missoula Electric Cooperative. It was a fantastic day of giving. 🦃💛

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