Missoula's first-ever fall festival brings families together for autumn fun at Grass Valley Farms, featuring corn mazes, hay slides, and seasonal activities that will continue for six weekends.
The inaugural Missoula Fall Fest kicked off this weekend, marking the beginning of autumn celebrations in the city.
Located at Grass Valley Farms on Mullan Road, the festival offers families a variety of seasonal activities designed to bring the community together.
"It's really wonderful to see it all come together," said Hayden Medlinger.
Watch to check out the fun at the inaugural Missoula Fall Fest:
The festival features multiple attractions, including a corn maze, corn cannon, and the main draw — a large hay slide that has quickly become a favorite among young visitors.
"I just like doing all this fun stuff with my family," said Elena Butler.
Children have been particularly enthusiastic about the hay slide experience.
"Definitely going down that slide over there," said Michaela Davenport, co-founder of the event.
"I went pretty fast," said Sawyer Medlinger after his trip down the slide.
"I went really fast, it like speeded down," another young festival-goer added.
The festival originated from a simple desire among local families to create autumn entertainment options that didn't previously exist in Missoula.
"It was kinda selfish move on our end, because we just wanted something like this for our families and it just didn't exist," Davenport said.
After planning and preparation, the organizers decided to make their vision a reality at Grass Valley Farms.
"We finally just worked out the nerve to say we're doing it this year, and it's been a lot of work...but it's so worth it, so worth it," Davenport said.
The festival will continue operating for the next six weekends, giving families multiple opportunities to experience the autumn activities.
Missoula Fall Festival runs every weekend through October 26 at Grass Valley Farms, located at 5280 Deschamps Lane, west of Missoula.
The hours are 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Fridays, 12 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Saturdays, and from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Sundays.
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