when is the east helena food truck festival 2026

The 2026 festivals were Thursday, July 9 and Thursday, August 13, both 4 to 8 p.m. at Main Street Park, 105 E. Main St., East Helena.

is the east helena food truck festival every week

No. It runs on two or three separate Thursday evenings each summer: three in 2024 and 2025, two in 2026.

how much does the east helena food truck festival cost

Admission is free. You pay the food trucks, beer garden and vendors for what you buy.

how many food trucks are at the east helena food truck festival

Organizers list 15 to 20 trucks per festival. The chamber's recap of the August 2025 festival counted upwards of 20 trucks and 15 local maker vendors.

is there beer at the east helena food truck festival

Yes. Missouri River Brewing Company runs a beer garden at the festival.

Food & Drink

East Helena Food Truck Festival

Fifteen to 20 food trucks line Main Street in East Helena on a few Thursday evenings each summer, with free admission and a kids' area.

When

Thursday, July 9, 2026 – Thursday, August 13, 2026

Finished for 2026. Next year's dates are not announced yet; it usually falls two or three separate Thursday evenings between June and August, 4 to 8 p.m. The dates are set each spring and do not repeat weekly.

Where

Main Street Park, East Helena

105 E Main St, East Helena, MT 59635

Cost

Free admission; food and drinks are paid for at each truck

By Joe and Whitney Mitchell, presented by Joe Mitchell State Farm

About East Helena Food Truck Festival

The East Helena Food Truck Festival started in 2024, when Joe and Whitney Mitchell set it up to bring the town together and support small businesses. It runs on a handful of separate summer evenings rather than every week: three festivals in each of 2024 and 2025, and two in 2026. Each one fills Main Street Park and the length of Main Street with 15 to 20 food trucks, a vendor village of Montana-made goods, live music and a Missouri River Brewing Company beer garden. Organizers put attendance at 1,500 to 2,000 per festival, and the Helena Area Chamber of Commerce reported about 3,000 at the last festival of 2025.

The 2026 festivals were Thursday, July 9 and Thursday, August 13, both 4 to 8 p.m. at 105 E. Main Street. Admission is free. The kids' area, called Festival Funland, has bounce houses, balloon artists and free airbrush tattoos. Dates for the next summer are announced in the spring, and they have changed from year to year (June, July and August in 2024 and 2025; July and August in 2026), so check before planning around a particular month.

What happens

15 to 20 food trucks along Main Street
Vendor village with Montana-made goods and local artisans
Festival Funland: bounce houses, balloon artists and free airbrush tattoos
Missouri River Brewing Company beer garden
Live music through the evening

Tips

These are separate nights, not a weekly series; confirm the dates for the current summer before you go.
Admission is free, but bring a card or cash for the trucks, the beer garden and the vendor village.

East Helena Food Truck Festival FAQ

when is the east helena food truck festival 2026: The 2026 festivals were Thursday, July 9 and Thursday, August 13, both 4 to 8 p.m. at Main Street Park, 105 E. Main St., East Helena.
is the east helena food truck festival every week: No. It runs on two or three separate Thursday evenings each summer: three in 2024 and 2025, two in 2026.
how much does the east helena food truck festival cost: Admission is free. You pay the food trucks, beer garden and vendors for what you buy.
how many food trucks are at the east helena food truck festival: Organizers list 15 to 20 trucks per festival. The chamber's recap of the August 2025 festival counted upwards of 20 trucks and 15 local maker vendors.
is there beer at the east helena food truck festival: Yes. Missouri River Brewing Company runs a beer garden at the festival.

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