when is symphony under the stars 2026

Saturday, July 18, 2026, starting at 8:30pm on Carroll College's Guadalupe Lawn in Helena.

is symphony under the stars free

Yes, general lawn admission is free. A limited number of $50 reserved front-stage seats are also offered and typically sell out.

how do you get a good spot at symphony under the stars

Carroll College opens the lawn for blanket placement the Friday before the concert, 3-5pm requires a $5 donation, after 5pm is free, and most of the lawn is already covered by Friday evening.

where do you park for symphony under the stars

Free shuttles run 6:00-8:15pm from off-site lots at the Great Northern Town Center, Centennial Park and the Lewis & Clark County Fairgrounds; on-campus parking near the PE Center is reserved for sponsors, musicians and accessible-permit holders.

does symphony under the stars have fireworks

Yes, fireworks go off during the concert's final number.

Annual · Mid-to-late July, one Saturday evening

Symphony Under the Stars

Symphony Under the Stars is a free outdoor concert the Helena Symphony and Carroll College have staged on Guadalupe Lawn every summer since 2004.

When

Saturday, July 18, 2026

Finished for 2026. Next year's dates are not announced yet; it usually falls mid-to-late July, one Saturday evening.

Where

Carroll College (Guadalupe Lawn / "Guad Hill")

1601 N. Benton Ave., Helena, MT 59625

Cost

Free general lawn admission. Limited reserved front-stage seats $50 each plus fees (sold out for 2026). Friday blanket-placement spot before 5pm requires a $5 donation; after 5pm it's free.

By Helena Symphony and Carroll College

On the calendar now

Listings from organizers' calendars that are part of Symphony Under the Stars.

Fri4Sep

Classes

Tradition, Trade and Tariffs: Understanding the Evolving U.S. - China Relationship

4:00 PMCarroll College

Fri2Oct

Classes

Parent Welcome Reception

5:30 PMCarroll College

Fri2Oct

Sports & Outdoors

Volleyball vs Montana Western

6:00 PMCarroll College

Sat3Oct

Sports & Outdoors

Tailgate with CSA

4:00 PMCarroll College

Sat3Oct

Sports & Outdoors

Football vs Arizona Christian University

6:00 PMCarroll College

Sun4Oct

ClassesWeekly

Sunday Night Mass

7:00 PMCarroll College

Tue6Oct

ClassesWeekly

Mindtap

1:00 PMCarroll College

Tue6Oct

Classes

COR

5:30 PMCarroll College

Tue6Oct

Classes

Women at the Well

7:00 PMCarroll College

Wed7Oct

Classes

Living Language Rosary

3:00 PMCarroll College

Fri9Oct

Classes

Fall Visit Day

9:00 AMCarroll College

Fri9Oct

Classes

Bowling Night

9:00 PMCarroll College

Sat10Oct

Sports & Outdoors

Football vs Montana Western

1:00 PMCarroll College

Sun11Oct

ClassesWeekly

Sunday Night Mass

7:00 PMCarroll College

Tue13Oct

ClassesWeekly

Mindtap

1:00 PMCarroll College

Wed14Oct

Classes

Movie Night at the Myrna Loy

6:00 PMCarroll College

Thu15Oct

Food & DrinkWeekly

Fighting Saints Food Pantry Open

12:00 PMCarroll College

Fri16Oct

Classes

8W-1 Session courses end

All dayCarroll College

Sat17Oct

Classes

Carroll Leadership Conference

8:00 AMCarroll College

Sat17Oct

Classes

First Annual Carroll College Leadership Conference

8:30 AMCarroll College

Sat17Oct

Sports & Outdoors

Women's Soccer vs University of Providence

12:00 PMCarroll College

Sat17Oct

Sports & Outdoors

Men's Soccer vs. University of Providence

2:30 PMCarroll College

Sun18Oct

Music

Chamber Music Concert: Brahms – Shostakovich (Concertmaster Stephen Cepeda)

3:00 PMSt. Paul's United Methodist Church

Sun18Oct

ClassesWeekly

Sunday Night Mass

7:00 PMCarroll College

Mon19Oct

Classes

Octsoberfest

All dayCarroll College

Mon19Oct

Classes

8W-2* Session courses begin

All dayCarroll College

Tue20Oct

ClassesWeekly

Mindtap

1:00 PMCarroll College

Tue20Oct

Classes

Letters from the Bitterroot - Lecture by Dr. Ryan Hanning

7:00 PMCarroll College

Wed21Oct

Classes

Halloween Paint-a-Pot

6:00 PMCarroll College

Fri23Oct

Classes

Fall Break

All dayCarroll College

Fri23Oct

Sports & Outdoors

Volleyball vs Valley City State University

6:00 PMCarroll College

Sat24Oct

Sports & Outdoors

Volleyball vs Mayville State University

2:00 PMCarroll College

Sat24Oct

Music

Masterworks Concert: Tchaikovsky & Cellist Ovidiu Marinescu

7:30 PMHelena Civic Center

Wed28Oct

Classes

Classes resume

All dayCarroll College

Thu29Oct

Classes

Mid-semester grades due from faculty

12:00 PMCarroll College

Thu29Oct

Sports & Outdoors

Women's Soccer vs. Corban University

5:00 PMCarroll College

Thu29Oct

Sports & Outdoors

Men's Soccer vs. Corban University

7:30 PMCarroll College

Fri30Oct

Classes

Admitted Students: Academic Scholarship Program

9:00 AMCarroll College

Fri30Oct

Classes

Halloween Movie Night at Cinemark

4:00 PMCarroll College

Sat31Oct

Sports & Outdoors

Women's Soccer vs. Bushnell University

9:30 AMCarroll College

Sat31Oct

Sports & Outdoors

Men's Soccer vs. Bushnell University

12:00 PMCarroll College

Sat31Oct

Classes

Halloween Movie Night at Cinemark

4:00 PMCarroll College

Sat31Oct

Sports & Outdoors

Football vs Southern Oregon

6:00 PMCarroll College

Sun1Nov

ClassesWeekly

Sunday Night Mass

7:00 PMCarroll College

Sun1Nov

Arts & Theater

All Saints Day Party

8:00 PMCarroll College

Mon2Nov

Classes

Registration for spring classes

All dayCarroll College

Tue3Nov

ClassesWeekly

Mindtap

1:00 PMCarroll College

Tue3Nov

Classes

COR

5:30 PMCarroll College

Tue3Nov

Classes

Women at the Well

7:00 PMCarroll College

Wed4Nov

Classes

Founder's Day

All dayCarroll College

Thu5Nov

Food & DrinkWeekly

Fighting Saints Food Pantry Open

3:00 PMCarroll College

Thu5Nov

Classes

Joy of Giving

5:30 PMCarroll College

Thu5Nov

Sports & Outdoors

Volleyball vs Bismarck State College

6:00 PMCarroll College

Fri6Nov

Classes

Search Retreat

All dayCarroll College

Fri6Nov

Sports & Outdoors

Volleyball vs Dickinson State University

6:00 PMCarroll College

Sat7Nov

Music

Education Concert: Symphony Kids (Emperor’s New Clothes)

10:00 AMSt. Paul's United Methodist Church

Sun8Nov

ClassesWeekly

Sunday Night Mass

7:00 PMCarroll College

Tue10Nov

ClassesWeekly

Mindtap

1:00 PMCarroll College

Fri13Nov

Music

Special Concert: Mozart by Candlelight (Mozart in Paris) – Friday

7:30 PMSt. Paul's United Methodist Church

Sat14Nov

Music

Special Concert: Mozart by Candlelight (Mozart in Paris) – Saturday

7:30 PMSt. Paul's United Methodist Church

Sun15Nov

ClassesWeekly

Sunday Night Mass

7:00 PMCarroll College

Tue17Nov

ClassesWeekly

Mindtap

1:00 PMCarroll College

Wed18Nov

Classes

Gobble Gobble Bingo

7:00 PMCarroll College

Thu19Nov

Classes

Last day to withdraw from a class with a “W”

All dayCarroll College

Thu19Nov

Food & DrinkWeekly

Fighting Saints Food Pantry Open

12:00 PMCarroll College

Fri20Nov

Classes

Admitted Students: Academic Scholarship Program

9:00 AMCarroll College

Sun22Nov

Classes

Service Saturday

8:30 AMCarroll College

Sun22Nov

ClassesWeekly

Sunday Night Mass

7:00 PMCarroll College

Wed25Nov

Classes

Thanksgiving break

All dayCarroll College

Sun29Nov

ClassesWeekly

Sunday Night Mass

7:00 PMCarroll College

Mon30Nov

Classes

Classes resume

All dayCarroll College

Tue1Dec

Classes

Graduation Applications due

All dayCarroll College

Tue1Dec

ClassesWeekly

Mindtap

1:00 PMCarroll College

Tue1Dec

Classes

Theology on Tap

6:00 PMCarroll College

Thu3Dec

Food & DrinkWeekly

Fighting Saints Food Pantry Open

3:00 PMCarroll College

Sun6Dec

ClassesWeekly

Sunday Night Mass

7:00 PMCarroll College

Tue8Dec

ClassesWeekly

Mindtap

1:00 PMCarroll College

Wed9Dec

Classes

Adoramus

9:30 PMCarroll College

Fri11Dec

Classes

Last day of classes

All dayCarroll College

Sun13Dec

ClassesWeekly

Sunday Night Mass

7:00 PMCarroll College

Sun13Dec

Classes

Late Night Breakfast

9:00 PMCarroll College

Mon14Dec

Classes

Final examinations

All dayCarroll College

Mon14Dec

CommunityFree

Free Coffee and Donuts

8:30 AMCarroll College

Mon14Dec

Music

Special Concert: Christmas in the Cathedral (Handel’s Messiah) – Monday

6:30 PMCathedral of St. Helena

Tue15Dec

Music

Special Concert: Christmas in the Cathedral (Handel’s Messiah) – Tuesday

6:30 PMCathedral of St. Helena

Thu17Dec

Classes

8W-2 Session courses end

All dayCarroll College

Thu17Dec

Food & DrinkWeekly

Fighting Saints Food Pantry Open

12:00 PMCarroll College

Fri18Dec

Classes

Campus housing closes

All dayCarroll College

Tue22Dec

Classes

Final day to drop Winter courses

All dayCarroll College

Tue22Dec

Classes

Final grades due from faculty

12:00 PMCarroll College

Fri25Dec

Classes

Christmas Day, no classes.

All dayCarroll College

Fri1Jan

Classes

New Years Day, no classes.

All dayCarroll College

About Symphony Under the Stars

Symphony Under the Stars is a free outdoor concert presented jointly by the Helena Symphony and Carroll College on Guadalupe Lawn, known locally as Guad Hill. The tradition began in 2004; the 2026 concert is its 22nd annual staging. The Helena Symphony Orchestra & Chorale, conducted by Allan R. Scott, performs a program that mixes patriotic standards like The Star-Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful with pop and soul arrangements; the 2026 program features guest vocalists Capathia Jenkins and Ryan Shaw and closes with fireworks during the final number. Attendance estimates from organizers and local coverage range from about 15,000 to 18,000 people, making it one of the largest single-day gatherings in Montana.

The 2026 concert is Saturday, July 18, starting at 8:30pm. Because lawn space fills up, Carroll College opens the grounds the Friday before for blanket placement: spots claimed 3-5pm require a $5 donation, spots claimed after 5pm are free, and by Friday evening organizers report 85-90% of the lawn already covered in blankets. General admission is free; a small number of reserved front-stage seats sell for $50 and sold out for 2026. Free shuttles run 6:00-8:15pm from off-site lots at the Great Northern Town Center, Centennial Park and the Lewis & Clark County Fairgrounds. Attendees can bring blankets, picnic food and non-alcoholic drinks; grills, tents, canopies, pets (except service animals) and drones are not allowed, and vendors sell beer, wine, desserts and dinner items on-site.

What happens

Helena Symphony Orchestra & Chorale performing a full outdoor pops-style program
Guest vocalists (2026: Capathia Jenkins and Ryan Shaw)
Fireworks during the closing number
Overnight-blanket lawn tradition the Friday before the concert
Free shuttle service from three off-site parking lots

Tips

Claim your lawn spot the Friday before, after 5pm it's free, 3-5pm costs a $5 donation, and the lawn fills up fast
Take the free shuttle from Great Northern Town Center, Centennial Park or the fairgrounds rather than trying to park on campus
Grills, tents/canopies (without prior approval), tent stakes and drones are banned, bring a blanket and canned goods to weigh it down instead
Beer and wine are sold on-site, but you can also bring your own picnic dinner

Official site & tickets →