GREAT FALLS, Mont. — Great Falls has a full lineup of events tied to Independence Day and several more activities coming up later in July.

A free outdoor concert was scheduled for Wednesday, July 1, when the Great Falls Municipal Band presented 1776-2026: An American Journey in Music at the Gibson Park Bandshell. More information is available through the Great Falls Municipal Band [link].

The Great Falls Voyagers were set to play at home against the Billings Mustangs from Wednesday, July 1, through Sunday, July 5.

Racing was also on the calendar for Friday, July 3, and Saturday, July 4, with the Fastest in the Falls double-header at Electric City Speedway. Event details are available through Electric City Speedway [link].

On Saturday, July 4, Downtown Great Falls was set to host the Independence Day Parade.

A free concert was also planned after the parade at the corner of Fifth Street and Central, where Cooper Alan was scheduled to perform during the 4th of July Hootenanny.

Later in the month, Great Falls Theatre Company was set to present The Wizard of Oz at the Great Falls High School Auditorium on July 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18.

Showtimes were scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on each date except July 18, when a 2:00 p.m. matinee was planned.

On July 11 at 11:00 a.m., the C.M. Russell Museum was set to host Saddles and Spurs.

The museum described the event this way.

"Charlie Russell knew a thing or two about a good gathering, and Saddles & Spurs keeps that tradition alive. Join us for a free afternoon of art, food, family fun, and Western adventure. From hands-on activities and creative projects to local food trucks and free Museum admission, there’s plenty to explore across campus. Come celebrate summer the Russell way: with good company, a little creativity and a whole lot of fun," the museum said.

Also on July 11, The History Museum planned its Second Saturday event at 1:00 p.m. featuring Megan Sanford and her presentation, The Anaconda Copper Mining Company of Great Falls.

The museum said Sanford, its archives and operations manager, would discuss her research on the company and its role in the riverside community. The event listing said the industrial complex stood along the north bank of the Missouri River in Great Falls from 1892 to 1982 and remained a major part of the city’s skyline.

The listing also said one-third of the world’s copper was smelted, refined and molded there at its peak. It said the site has since been removed from the landscape and remains a Superfund site expected to take several decades to restore.

The event description said Sanford created a specialized pictorial tour of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company Collection using objects, photos, testimonies and memories gathered during the last half century.

The material also noted Sanford appeared on the Visit Great Falls podcast We’re No Dam Experts in episode 285.