September Events on Flathead Lake
Summer may be over, but at Flathead Lake, we are still having fun! September is an ideal time to visit northwestern Montana if you enjoy vibrant fall colors, cool temperatures, and fewer crowds while kids are in school. Here are the best September events in the Flathead Valley:
Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 1 – 2)
September kicks off with exciting Labor Day events that mark the end of the region’s summer season! Labor Day is also the last day to take sailing classes with Montana’s only sailing school, Go Sail Montana, for 2024. Spend the weekend on breathtaking Flathead Lake, becoming a better sailor before the year is done.
Montana Dragon Boat Festival (Sept. 7 – 8)
Competitors from around the US and Canada gather at Flathead Lake to race 46–foot–long dragon boats, a type of canoe, which are also decorated in stunning images of Chinese dragons. Teams of up to 20 rowers, with a steersperson and a drummer, endeavor to work in harmony with each other to maximize their boat’s speed. The event will include a made-in-Montana vendor fair, live music, and children’s activities, and best of all, it’s free to attend!
Flathead Quilters’ Guild Quilt Show (Sept. 20 – 21)
If you’re an arts and crafts buff, check out this year’s quilt show in Kalispell. The theme is “Think Modern, Montana,” juxtaposing the old-fashioned art form with modern motifs and techniques. There will be vendors from around the region displaying their creativity and selling their pieces. The event will also feature a raffle with prizes as well as quilting demonstrations and discussions. The quilt show is free to attend too!
Great Northwest Oktoberfest (Sept. 26 – 28)
We finish September events in the Flathead with the first weekend of Oktoberfest. Head over to Whitefish to enjoy flowing Hofbrau and Bayern beer, real German food, and lively competitions! All this while listening to polka bands and Flathead’s own German Orchestra, The Bavarian Echoes. On September 26th, Flathead residents 21 and older get in free, while admission is always free for children 12 and under and $10 for everyone else.
We may be best known for summer fun around Flathead Lake, but don’t dismiss the fall season. We still know how to have a good time as the temperatures drop. We hope to see you in a Labor Day weekend sailing course and perhaps out at one of these other September events in the Flathead too!