Rappin' The Rivers music festival to bring multi-genre headliners to Cardwell in August

Included in each full-weekend general admission ticket purchase is one of 8,000 campsites at the festival's location, 1865 Montana Highway 2, just west of the intersection with U.S. Highway 287, in Cardwell — roughly one hour from Helena and Bozeman and less than an hour from Butte.

The general admission pass is priced at $119, which includes both days of festivities along with a general admission campsite.

Each campsite is 20 feet by 40 feet, with no hookups.

Rappintheriversmt.com also lists single-day tickets for $79 that do not include a campsite; a crew pack ticket, which includes four weekend general admission tickets and four camping passes for $399; and a VIP weekend pass for $500.

The VIP pass includes all-access backstage time with artists and staff, air conditioned tents, "chill out areas," drinks and snacks, photo and meet-and-greet opportunities with artists, exclusive merchandise and VIP camping.

Nickel Barney, the founder and owner of the festival, said this year's goal was similar to past years in that he wanted to bring a community aspect to the musical gathering.

The four stages will host a variety of artists, including DaBaby, Paul Wall, That Mexican OT, Kid Ink, Dave East, Doggface, Unconventional Kingz, Champagne Drip, Rittz and many more.

Barney booked all the artists for the festival and has been in the booking business since 1997, he said.

"If you compare our lineup to other festivals like Rolling Loud, we did pretty well," Barney said.

Two of the stages will host rap artists, one will host EDM artists, and the fourth will feature rock and artists of other miscellaneous genres.

"There's a little something for everyone," Barney said.

Barney said despite many people complimenting him and his team on the 2026 lineup, some "loyal" fans of Rockin' The Rivers wondered if he had replaced their favorite annual rock festival in Three Forks.

He said Rappin' the Rivers did not replace the former festival down the road, but he wanted to make sure those festivalgoers still had a place to listen to their favorite type of music.

"We wanted to cater to everyone that missed Rockin' The Rivers," he said. "We are not trying to replace them at all. We actually feel sorry for the loyal fans that we wanted to cater to them."

Rockin' The Rivers hosted its final festival in 2024 after going out of business, Barney said.

Cardwell's current festival will have a variety of music to make sure the event is as inclusive as possible, "because that's how it should be."

He said no dogs or weapons are allowed: "Good vibes only," he said.

The lineup for Friday night on the main stage will be DaBaby, That Mexican OT, Paul Wall, Young Dirty Bastard, Whitney Peyton, Filth and Foul and Doggface.

On the Ravin' The Rivers Stage, Champagne Drip and Dirty Snatcha will perform; all music will run from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Saturday's headliners on the main stage will be Kid Ink, Dave East, Rittz, X-Raided, Unconventional Kingz, LadyDice and Stagga Lee, and Hairitage will headline the Ravin' The Rivers Stage.

Saturday's music will begin at 11 a.m. and run until 3 a.m.

For more information and tickets, visit the festival's website at rappintheriversmt.com.