The annual Garden City River Rod Run is two fun-packed days of classic cars in Downtown Missoula. Typically a weekend event held around late June/early July, attendees can witness the impressive array of lovingly-restored and immaculately maintained vehicles rolling through the town on a Friday evening.
Saturday sees the program of events in full swing in a city park right next to the river, where there’s also live music and plenty of food. A portion of all proceeds from ticket sales for the event goes to a worthwhile local charity.
Guide to the Garden City River Rod Run in Missoula
When was the Event First Established?
The first official River Rod Run came to life with the intention of giving the public the opportunity to head downtown and check out the town’s impressive range of classic and hot rod cars.
Missoula is one of those places where there’s a real fascination with classic cars, and this summer event gets things off to a flying start for car lovers. The event marked its 20th annual show in 2022, and it shows no signs of waning in popularity.
What Kind of Activities and Events is Featured?
The owners of the cars typically get them all geared up for the Friday night show. This is the time when attendees can expect to see somewhere in the region of 200 vehicles heading through downtown Missoula, with Higgins Street being the center of things.
The impressive array of classic cars is usually on display between 5 pm and 9 pm, and the event continues the following day on Saturday from around 11 a.m. Saturday sees a juried car show which includes awards presentations, and there will also be more food vendors showing up.
Regular attendees may notice different touches and features being added every year like the Food & Beverage Garden. On top of that, there’s a soundtrack of live music from various local artists.
Entry Fees and Tickets for the Event
Admission to the event is free to spectators, although participants who want to enter their cars need to pay a registration fee in the region of $35.00 for the show and parade.
The Venue for the Event
Missoula’s Caras Park once again plays host to the majority of the event’s proceedings.
Details
- Address: Caras Park, 123 Carousel Drive, Missoula, MT
- Phone: 406-728-0324
- Date: Late June/Early July
- Website: Facebook Page