Things to do in Missoula: Pride, new art space, Broad Comedy (2024)

Here’s a quick guide to some upcoming arts and cultural events happening around Missoula in the coming week.

New art space on the Westside

(Thursday, June 13)

A new space from a longtime member of the art community is opening up on the Westside.

From 2010 to 2016, Jennifer Leutzinger ran a gallery on West Front Street called The Brink that specialized in challenging and non-commercial art.

She’s opening a new space, called Bob’s Your Uncle, on the Westside, that functions as both her studio and a contemporary art gallery for pop-up shows. The grand opening will feature more than 25 artists. Follow them on bobs_your_uncle_project for more details.

Details: 5-8 p.m., 812 Toole Avenue Suite A1, located in the back of the Toole Crossing building, just across the tracks from Draught Works.

Missoula Pride

(Friday-Sunday, June 14-16)

Now in its third year, the city’s official three-day Pride celebration is looking bigger than ever, with an estimated attendance of 20,000 to 25,000, according to organizers.

The offerings cover the rainbow gamut from a Pride run to a two-day block party, parade and rally, brunches, panels and more. There are seriously too many to list here, head to missoula-pride.com for the full lineup.

On the entertainment front, the two-day block party on West Main and Ryman runs 4-10 p.m. On Friday, they’ve booked the Pride Rally at 5 p.m., then Maris and Anna Morgan. On Saturday, you can hear Mic Mercury, Hairspray Queen, plus Jurassic 5’s Chali 2na and DJ Shub.

Broad Comedy at the Westside

(Friday-Saturday, June 14-15)

This comedy group originated in Bozeman before decamping for New York and tours around the U.S. and abroad. They’re returning to Missoula with their off Broadway cast with an evening of progressive sketch comedy and satire, according to a news release.

The show was written and directed by Katie Goodman and her husband Soren Kiesel, both Bozeman natives. Check out videos at broadcomedy.com.

Details: 7:30 p.m., Westside Theater, age 18 and up. Advance general admission for $32 for adults, $25 for students, seniors and military. Day-of tickets are $36 or $28 for students, seniors and military.

Art celebration for a cause

(Friday, June 14)

Free Cycles is hosting a benefit to help a Missoula resident, Cory Stalling, raise money for an accessible van. Stalling has duch*enne muscular dystrophy, according to a fundraising letter he wrote. The Jett Foundation, a national nonprofit, accepted him for an accessible vehicle grant that calls for him to raise half, or $32,500.

At Friday's gathering, he's asking people to bring art to donate for a silent auction and raffle. The public can come bid there, and he's planning a second one on July 21 at Ten Spoon Winery and Vineyard.

According to the Facebook event page, there will be music by DJs, plus food and beverages provided.

Details: 7-10 p.m. Free Cycles.

Pinky and the Floyd

(Saturday, June 15)

The Bozeman-based Pink Floyd tribute act is celebrating the 30th anniversary of “The Division Bell,” the group’s ’90s comeback album with a show at the KettleHouse Amphitheater in Bonner.

Details: Doors at 6:30 p.m., show at 8. Tickets are $25-$50, all ages.

Stories from the landscape

(Saturday, June 15)

Sally Thompson, a Missoula archaeologist and ethnohistorian, will illuminate the ways in which Indigenous history colors the Montana landscape.

In her new book, "Disturbing the Sleeping Buffalo: 23 Unexpected Stories that Awaken Montana's Past," out this month on Farcountry Press, she gives details examples. Among them are "traces of history lurking in place names and written in cairns, carved in tree bark, etched into prairie boulders, or resting among well-knapped spear points," according to the news release.

Details: 10 a.m. Shakespeare and Co., free.

Aquarian Blood and Worst Feelings

(Monday, June 17)

Check out some visitors and a rare sighting of a great local band with an early show at a cidery.

The guests are Aquarian Blood, a husband-wife duo hailing from the Memphis area, with a blend of garage, folk and psych.

Worst Feelings, meanwhile, pre-date the pandemic, but with members dispersed around four different cities in western Montana, they have an open-eared type of Americana they describe as “Silver Jews meet Fleetwood Mac.”

Led by songwriter-vocalist-guitarist Jesse Hadden, the lineup now includes a real group of ringers from various other bands and solo projects: Lukas Phelan (keyboards, vocals), and Caroline Keys (guitar, banjo, vocals), Nate Biehl (pedal steel), Kale Husby (bass), Jamie Rogers (drums).

Details: 5 p.m. Western Cider, $10 suggested donation.