White Sulphur Springs, Mont. — The Red Ants Pants Festival is bringing music, community and Montana culture together in White Sulphur Springs this weekend, as the festival's 15th anniversary celebrations began on Thursday, July 23rd.
Lauren Dillon, operations manager for the Red Ants Pants Festival, says the gathering is about more than entertainment.
"Having an event that's based around connection and community and good neighbor is like nothing else," Dillon said. "We really use this event as a way to just gather with each other, as a way for people to connect and celebrate rural communities."
Festival staff says the event also helps draw attention to the town and its businesses. The festival officially began Thursday night with street dances downtown. Music acts take the stage on Friday, July 24th.
Alyssa Mathieu, communication and development coordinator for the Red Ants Pants Foundation, says the festival gives people a chance to experience what rural communities offer.
"It's just an opportunity to showcase like what these communities have to offer as far as restaurants and different events and storefronts that you get to visit," Mathieu said. "It's really the personal touch that you get when you come to rural communities; getting to know the people and hearing their stories and being able to be apart of it is really cool."
Organizers say the festival supports the local economy by bringing money into White Sulphur Springs beyond a single weekend.
The festival is also related to the Red Ants Pants nonprofit organization, which focuses on empowering women in leadership. Part of that mission included its Girls in Leadership program, which taught women practical leadership skills and helped build supportive networks. Applications for the 2027 Girls in Leadership program were open through the Red Ants Pants Foundation website.
Festival events are scheduled to officially begin on Friday, July 24th and conclude on Sunday, July 26th.