June 23-June 24

USAF Academy Band

Kalispell & Polson

As part of its national tour, the U.S. Air Force band will perform two free concerts in Northwest Montana. The 45-member ensemble, a summer concert band made up of active duty personnel, will perform at Glacier High School in Kalispell on June 23 and at Polson High School the following night. Both concerts will begin at 7 p.m. The 90-minute performances are free, but tickets for the Kalispell show are available at Snappy Sport Senter.

July 8-July 9

Summer Symphony Pops

Kalispell

Glacier Symphony will join with jazz trumpeter Byron Stripling to perform What a Wonderful World, his electrifying and heartfelt tribute to Louis Armstrong for the annual Summer Symphony Pops concerts. The outdoor picnic-concert will be held rain or shine at Rebecca Farm that will be transformed into a music venue with full stage lighting and sound on an acoustically dynamic sound shell stage. Stripling’s show is lauded as America’s most popular orchestral pops program. With his engaging rapport, jazzy vocals and virtuosic trumpet sounds, Stripling dazzles audiences wherever he goes.

Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. concerts and patrons are encouraged to bring a picnic or buy food and libations from vendors on site.

Reserve tickets at www.gscmusic.org or by calling the GSC box office, (406) 407-7000.

July 10 & July 31

Live! In Lakeside

Lakeside

The West Shore Visitors Bureau is hosting two evenings of live music at the amphitheatre behind the Lakeside Town Center. The lineup will be announced soon and check back at visitflatheadlake.com for more details.

August 8-14

Festival Amadeus

Whitefish & Bigfork

Cap your summer with a week of music when Montana’s only week-long summer classical music festival kicks off. Once again, Festival Amadeus will feature an engaging lineup of highly acclaimed musicians who perform with the orchestra and in more intimate chamber concerts. Glacier Symphony and Chorale produces the festival under the baton of John Zoltek. Three chamber concerts, featuring the festival guest artists, will be held concurrently in the village of Bigfork, on Flathead Lake on Aug. 9 -11. All Whitefish concerts will be held at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center starting at 7:30 pm. Bigfork concerts will be held in Saint John Paul II Catholic Church at 7:30 pm.

For complete concert information and to buy tickets and ticket packages visit the website www.gscmusic.org or call (406) 407-7000.

August 17-21

Northwest Montana Fair & Rodeo

Kalispell

This year’s top performer was just announced and it’s a big one. Country star Trace Adkins will perform at the fair on Aug. 17 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are now on sale to see the multi-platinum star perform. The fair is a perennial favorite for many reasons, including the rodeo, carnival rides and 4H entries. But the concert is annually one of the best events in town.

For more information, visit nwmtfair.com.

August 19-20

Flathead Lake Blues Festival

Polson

With the sprawling waters of Flathead Lake in the backdrop, this blues festival is a favorite summertime gathering. This year’s lineup of artists is still in the works, but follow flatheadlakebluesfestival.com for a listing.

August 24-Sept. 4

Crown of the Continent Guitar Festival

Bigfork

In its seventh year, the Crown of the Continent Guitar Festival is truly a world-class musical experience. This event draws talented artists from around the world for a workshop and festival unlike anything else in Montana. Scheduled to perform this year are rock/songwriter legend, Jim Messina and his band; Grammy-winner Dweezil Zappa, son of Frank Zappa; Jazz fusion prodigy Julian Lage; Chris Eldridge of the Punch Brothers; Nashville recording legend Brent Mason; gypsy jazz artists Gonzalo Bergara and Max O’Rourke; country singer/songwriter Liz Longley; Lee Ritenour who will be returning for his seventh-straight year; rocker Shane Theriot; SoloDuo, the Italian classical duo of Matteo Mela and Lorenzo Micheli; and Andy Aledort, Guitar World and Rock pedagogue.

More artists are still being signed. These artists will be featured in special workshop clinics and all will perform onstage at various times during the week of the Crown Guitar Festival.

For more information, visit crownguitarfest.org.