Montana winters are long and often freakishly cold, but staying inside gives us time to make plans for what we'll do when the weather outside isn't so frightful. If you're currently creating your 2020 Montana bucket list, save a spot for the Red Ants Pants Music Festival in White Sulphur Springs. What started as a small gathering of musicians and music fans has amassed a large following, and it's only getting bigger and better.
Red Ants Pants Music Festival is held every July just outside of the small town of White Sulphur Springs.
The four-day festival gets bigger and more fun every year.
It all started in 2011, when founder Sarah Calhoun had the desire to bring people together for a celebration of music.
The festival is a program of the Red Ants Pants Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to women's leadership.
Calhoun still produces the festival, and she does a fantastic job.
Calhoun named the foundation and the festival after her brand, Red Ants Pants, a brand of work pants for women and men that are all made in the USA.
The four-day festival always kicks off with a Street Dance on Main Street in White Sulphur Springs, which is free and open to the community.
This is also the day that the campgrounds open, with free shuttles running guests to and from town.
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Then, for the next three days, it's all about the music.
Past headliners have included Patty Griffin, Brandi Carlisle, Dwight Yoakam, and Shooter Jennings & Waymore’s Outlaws.
While some guests opt to stay in a nearby hotel, the vast majority of festival attendees prefer to camp.
The campgrounds, which are for festival guests only, only cost $30 per person for all four days. You can choose between a lively camping spot and quiet camping, and the fee includes showers, restrooms, and other amenities. Food is available for purchase.
Next year's festival dates are July 23-26, and it's sure to be wildly successful.
Between 15,000 and 18,000 attend each year, and the team is expecting a record turnout in 2020.
Whether or not you're a music festival person, you just might love the Red Ants Pants Festival. Tickets will be available soon, so mark your calendar.
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