Montana
Montana Folk Festival organizers, Uptown businesses say event was a success despite lower turnout
BUTTE — A parking lot on the edge of Uptown Butte is empty now, but just a few days ago it was filled with music and dancing for the annual Montana Folk Festival. Organizers say a heat wave that rolled through town may have impacted attendance but they say that the event was a success.
“It was down a little from previous years; you know, we had a record year last year,” says George Everett, the executive director of Mainstreet Uptown Butte, the organization that hosts the festival. He says by looking at donation collections and beer sales this year’s crowd was down by about 20,000 people.
“This year we estimate so far, it was about 160,000 people over the weekend. But we know we were down by about 20,000 in buckets and about the same about in beer sales,” says Everett.
On Saturday, July 13, the high temperature bumped into the 90s and that’s hot for a city that is used to winter storm watches in June. A radio host from New Orleans NPR told the audience that The Mining City was hotter than his city.
Everett suspects festival-goers may have sought refuge in air-conditioned spaces at local bars and restaurants away from the festival.
“I think the heat helped us a lot this year, people coming into the bars and staying for a little AC, getting a little break from the sun,” says Chuckie Richards, a co-owner of the Miners Hotel and the cafe and bar that are part of the boutique hotel.
Richards says his businesses benefit from Folk Fest year-round with festival goers planning repeat trips to the Mining City during winter months, as well as return trips to the festival.
“It’s not just the three days of the Folk Fest that we see a boost. It’s in the winter they’re making plans, planning throughout the year to come back and see us again … (that’s) where we really see the boost.”
Planning for next year’s festival is already underway.
“We’re gonna do it again. A couple of people have said we should do it in a couple of weeks but I think we’ll wait until next year and we’d love to have everybody come back and a few more with them,” says Everett.
Everett says Mainstreet Uptown Butte has also collected lost items like prescription sunglasses, a cell phone, and several other items that festival-goers can collect by calling 406-565-2249.
Governor’s Office
HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today announced Montana ranks in the top ten states with the highest year-over-year job growth rates.
“Montana continues to rank as one of the best states to start or grow a business, earn a competitive wage, and secure a good-paying job,” Gov. Gianforte said. “As we continue to reform our regulatory environment to support job creators and cut taxes to give money back to the hardworking Montanans who earned it, we see the results of conservative policies at work as the Treasure State ranks in the top ten states with the strongest job growth.”
According to a report by Stat Ranker, which compared all 50 states based on year-over-year growth in total nonfarm payroll employment between February 2025 and February 2026, Montana ranked ninth in the nation for both jobs added and overall job growth adding more than 2,100 jobs over the year, representing a 0.4 percent job growth rate.
Last week, the governor attended the groundbreaking for Janicki Industries in Great Falls to celebrate the aerospace manufacturers’ investment expected to create more than 2,000 jobs over the next ten years and the ribbon cutting for Amazon’s sixth delivery station in Montana that brings the company’s total employment in the state to over 800.
Last month, the governor announced Montana was ranked in the top five states with the fastest-growing economies since 2021. The report from Visual Capitalist found that between 2021 and 2025, Montana’s GDP grew 16.1 percent while the national average in the same time period was 10.8 percent. When it comes to wage growth, Montana ranks third in the nation for fastest wage growth and is only one of two states in the nation where wage growth has outpaced inflation since 2020. The average wage earned by Montana workers reached $60,037 in 2024.
Earlier this year, Gov. Gianforte also announced Montana’s fiscal health surged into the top ten states nationally under his leadership, rising from 22nd in 2021 to 8th in 2025. Since taking office, the governor has paid off the state’s general obligation debt, making Montana debt-free in 2023 and saving Montanans $40 million over a period of two years.
Montana also consistently ranks in the top fifteen states with the lowest unemployment rates. Last month, the governor announced Montana’s unemployment rate ticked down to 3.4 percent in May, lower than the national unemployment rate which remained at 4.3 percent.
The full Stat Ranker report can be read here.
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The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 14, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from July 14 drawing
02-04-10-48-56, Mega Ball: 22
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from July 14 drawing
15-20-26-27, Bonus: 02
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 14 drawing
12-13-15-16-41, Bonus: 02
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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