SEPTEMBER 18 - 20, 2026
3 DAYS • 28 SONGWRITERS • 30 SHOWS
3 DAYS. 30 SHOWS. 9 VENUES.
28 SONGWRITERS. ENDLESS HITS!
ORIGINAL ARTISTS. ORIGINAL SONGS.
You know the songs. Meet the people who wrote them.
These 28 songwriters have written for Garth Brooks, Chris Stapleton, George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Luke Combs, Keith Urban, Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, Lady Gaga, Jelly Roll, Ella Langley, Ashley McBryde, Randy Houser, Chris Young, Joe Nichols, Lee Ann Womack, Blake Shelton, Craig Morgan, Tracy Byrd, John Michael Montgomery, Lonestar, Alabama, Joe Diffie, Travis Tritt, Eddy Raven, Andy Griggs, Reba McEntire, Justin Moore, Kip Moore, Eli Young Band, Florida Georgia Line, Lady A, Jake Owen, Parmalee, Dallas Smith, Jordan Davis, Muscadine Bloodline, Cole Swindell, Gary Allan, Jessica Simpson, All-4-One, and Boyzone and more. In September, they play those songs themselves, and tell you where they came from.
Festival Experiences
Bars, restaurants, theaters, and record stores across downtown Whitefish. Small rooms. No barricades. The kind of distance where you can hear a guitar breathe.
The Rooms
Number ones, album cuts, and songs that have never been recorded by anyone. Played by the person who wrote the first line.
The Songs
Where the song came from, who turned it down, and what it took to get it cut. This is the part you cannot stream.
The Stories
A VIP Experience
This experience grants you VIP access to the festival including an invitation to the exclusive “Night of #1 Hit Songs” Friday, September 18 at 101 Central in downtown Whitefish, Montana!
Make a Montana Weekend of It.
Bars, restaurants, theaters, and record stores across downtown Whitefish. Small rooms. No barricades. The kind of distance where you can hear a guitar breathe.
Getting Here
Festival lodging partners hold rooms within walking distance of every venue. Book early. September is Whitefish's best month, and the town celebrates it
Where to Stay
Glacier National Park is an hour away. The lake is ten minutes. The trailheads start at the edge of town. Join us!
What Else
The Whitefish Songwriter Festival is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating the art of songwriting and enriching our community through music. Every ticket purchased and every donation made helps bring world-class songwriters to Whitefish, supports artists who create the soundtrack of our lives with their stories and songs, and expands music education opportunities for youth throughout the Flathead Valley. Your support doesn't just fund a festival - it helps preserve the craft of songwriting, inspires the next generation of musicians, and ensures this unique Montana tradition continues to thrive for years to come.
2026 FESTIVAL SPONSORS
PRESENTING SPONSOR
DIAMOND SPONSORS
PLATINUM SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSORS
SILVER SPONSORS
VENUE PARTNERS
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
FOUNDERS
Don Rodie & Susie London
Gail Dady
Julie & Summerfield Baldridge
Keith P. Melanson
Bill Carter & Nancy Strickland
Brian Cooper & Megan Keller
Trent Custis
Dwight & Leigha Dobbs
Lissa & Jerry Dunker
Ross Edmiston
The Goguen Family
Korey & Wendy Fauque
Mack Haisten
Melinda & Mike Karstonis
Brice & Diana Kluth
Dave & Janet Leishman
John Mitschrich
John Moos & Tami Pardee
Teresa Muhic
Ryan Pidde
Carmen Rita Soplop
George Slessman
Shannon Slessman
William Slessman & Sarah Slessman
Michael & Denise Vandiver
Brigittee Whitten
Every song has a story. Come hear it from the original songwriter.