Summer’s Still Going Strong in Billings

Summer isn’t slowing down just yet in Billings. This week brings two great excuses to get out of the house and enjoy a little local fun.

The Billings Mustangs are back at Dehler Park for a late-summer homestand, so grab a hot dog, find your seat, and enjoy an evening at the ballpark. Then on Friday, Ales for Trails takes over ZooMontana, bringing together local brews, live music, and a good cause supporting trails around Billings.

Whether you’re in the mood for baseball under the lights or a cold beer with friends, there’s plenty happening around town this week. Here’s what to know before you head out.

🍻 Raise a Glass for Billings’ Trails

There are worse ways to support Billings’ trails than spending a Friday evening with a cold beer in hand.

Ales for Trails returns to ZooMontana, bringing together local brews, live music, food, and a crowd ready to kick off the weekend. But there’s a bigger reason to raise a glass: the event supports the trails and pathways that make it easier to get outside and explore our community.

Whether you’re a craft beer regular or just looking for something fun to do with friends, this is one of those distinctly Billings summer events that checks all the boxes—good drinks, good music, and a good cause.

📅 Friday, August 28
📍 ZooMontana
⏰ 5–10 p.m.

⚾ Summer Nights Are Better at the Ballpark

"Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack,
I don't care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game."

Few things say summer in Billings quite like an evening at Dehler Park.

The Billings Mustangs are home this week, giving you the perfect excuse to grab a hot dog, settle into the stands, and catch some baseball under the Montana sky. Whether you’re following every pitch or mostly there for the ballpark food and atmosphere, a Mustangs game is an easy weeknight outing for families, friends, or a casual date night.

And with several home games on the schedule, you’ve got more than one chance to make it out to the park.

📅 August 25–28
📍 Dehler Park

Summer won’t stick around forever—might as well catch a game while the evenings are still made for baseball.

🥕 Saturday Morning at the Market

Start the weekend downtown at the Yellowstone Valley Farmers Market. Pick up some late-summer produce, grab breakfast or a snack from a local vendor, and wander the market before the day gets going.

🎨 A Little Art Break

Need something indoors? Head to the Yellowstone Art Museum and check out one of its current exhibitions. Bonus for locals: Yellowstone County residents get in free.

🐶 Take Your Dog Out to the Ballgame

Thursday's Mustangs game isn't just for baseball fans—it's Bark at the Park. Bring your four-legged baseball buddy along, while kids 12 and under can also get into the game free.

🏟️ A Billings Landmark Gets a New Look

Daylis Stadium has been part of Billings for generations—and this Saturday, the community gets its first look at its next chapter.

The Grand Opening and Renaming of Daylis Stadium kicks off Saturday morning with a parade from the Senior High parking lot, followed by a celebration inside the newly renamed Sam McDonald Stadium at Daylis. Expect community speakers, music, performances, and then a chance to tour the renovated facility.

The upgrades are designed to give this longtime home of Billings high school sports a more modern, accessible future, with improvements including seating, locker rooms, restrooms, concessions, lighting, and the track.

📅 Saturday, August 29
⏰ 9 a.m.–noon
📍 2611 9th Avenue North

If Friday nights at Daylis have ever been part of your Billings story, this is a great chance to see what’s next.

“Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.” ~Mark Twain

A chaotic Sunday evening unfolded in Billings, Montana, after residents on White Star Circle reported gunshots coming from inside a home — only to watch the structure quickly consumed by fire. Officers confirmed shots were being fired from within the residence before flames spread rapidly and engulfed the entire building.

Multiple agencies descended on the scene, including local police, the county sheriff's office, state highway patrol, fire crews, and medical personnel. At least one person was transported to a hospital, though the extent of their injuries remained unclear, and authorities had not confirmed any fatalities.

Nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution, and neighbors described the scene as deeply unsettling — one resident recalled seeing armed officers moving through backyards while black smoke poured into the sky. Investigators said the inquiry could stretch on for several days, and no details about a motive had been released.

🏙️ Downtown Billings Is Filling Up — And That’s Good News

If you haven’t wandered around downtown Billings lately, you might be surprised by just how much is changing.

During the first six months of 2026, 15 businesses either opened, relocated, or expanded downtown—nine new businesses and six relocations or expansions. Even more notable, the Downtown Billings Partnership says street-level vacancy has fallen to its lowest point in 10 years.

And it’s not just one kind of business filling those storefronts. The newcomers range from restaurants and boutiques to art, beauty, professional services, and creative spaces. Newer names include Nisha Thai, Curry Bar & Grill, Phonomenal Vietnamese Kitchen, One More Throw, Quill – House of Ink, Billings Launchpad, and several others.

The numbers are encouraging, but maybe the more interesting question is what they mean for the rest of us. Is downtown becoming a place where Billings residents want to spend more of their free time again?

There are signs pointing that direction. More than 25 locally owned downtown businesses are now open on Sundays, giving people more reasons to head downtown for everything from coffee and brunch to shopping, movies, dinner, and drinks.

So next time you’re downtown, take a look around. That storefront you remember sitting empty might have a new sign over the door.

And with more openings reportedly on the way, downtown Billings may be worth keeping an eye on.

Have you tried one of the new downtown businesses? Hit reply and tell us which one we should check out next.

See all 15 downtown additions