It's official. You're coming to Old Salt.
We've been building toward June 19–21 for a long time, and now that your ticket is locked in, we want to make sure you have everything you need to arrive ready — genuinely prepared for a full weekend of community, curiosity, and camaraderie on one of Montana's most beautiful working ranches.
This is your one-stop guide for dates, directions, packing, logistics, and policies. Bookmark it, share it with whoever is riding with you, and come back to it as the weekend gets closer.
Save the Dates
The Festival runs Friday through Sunday, June 19–21, 2026, on the Mannix Family Ranch in Helmville, Montana.
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Thursday early arrival: 3:00–7:00 PM
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Friday–Sunday check-in: starts at 8:00 AM each day
Please plan your travel to arrive within those windows. Our team and volunteers will be in place to welcome you and get you oriented.
Getting to Festival Grounds
The Festival is located at the Old Salt Festival Grounds on the Mannix Family Ranch. Drop the pin in Google Maps and it will get you all the way there.
When approaching the area, enter Helmville via Highway 271, through the town of Helmville. Signs will be posted along the way. Please do not turn off Highway 141 onto the county road. We ask this out of genuine respect for our neighbors — people who live and work these roads year-round. Keeping our footprint off their roads is part of how we honor their hospitality. Highway 271 through Helmville is the route.
Rain or Shine, We Gather
Montana in June is magnificent, unpredictable, and occasionally humbling. Old Salt is a rain or shine festival. We've had festival days in the 80s and afternoons that rolled in with cold rain and dropped 20 degrees in an hour. Plan for all of it.
What to Pack
Even if the forecast says one thing, experience has taught us it is better safe than sorry.
Layers and Weather Gear
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Lightweight layers you can add and remove throughout the day
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A solid rain jacket — real rain gear, not just a windbreaker
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A warm mid-layer or fleece for evenings, which cool down fast
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A puffy or heartier outer layer for evening programming
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Sturdy footwear for ranch terrain (there are gopher holes throughout the grounds — we will flag or try to fill them, but please be cautious)
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Hat, sunscreen, and bug repellent for the open pasture sessions
Extras Worth Bringing
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Cash for vendors and food trucks
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A notebook for talks
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A refillable water bottle or hydration system
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Gear for specific sessions you want to attend — a yoga mat for morning yoga, binoculars for the Audubon Pasture Walk
If You're Camping
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Rain fly (if your tent has one, bring it)
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Sleeping bag rated for temperatures that can drop into the 30s and 40s overnight
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Ground cloth or tarp under your tent
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Headlamp with fresh batteries
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Camp chair or blanket for evening programming
Quiet hours begin at 10:00 PM each night. This is a shared community — please be a good neighbor.
Water on Site
Water will be available on site, but fill-up opportunities are limited. We are on ranch land and infrastructure is intentional, not unlimited. Arrive with extra water and do not rely on the on-site stations as your primary source.
At the campground there are porta potties and hand washing stations. Five-gallon jugs will be provided and we ask that those be used sparingly — to fill water bottles or a small amount of water to wash dishes. Please do not fill up large personal camp jugs or tanks.
New This Year: Showers
Showers will be available on site at Old Salt 2026 — a first for the Festival.
We ask one thing: use the soap we provide rather than your own. We are on a working ranch with living land, and biodegradable soap is non-negotiable. Dr. Bronner's has provided us with biodegradable soap that keeps the land and your conscience clean.
Food and Vendors
There are approximately 10 food vendors on site serving throughout the Festival. We've worked to bring in vendors who reflect the Old Salt spirit, and we are proud of this lineup. That said, we also encourage you to bring snacks and supplemental food for your campsite. An extra bag of trail mix at midnight is always a good call.
Policies That Protect the Land
These are not arbitrary rules. Every one of them exists because we gather on a working family ranch, and taking care of this place is part of the deal.
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No pets (except service animals). Dogs and other pets are not allowed on festival grounds or in camping areas. With nearly 4,000 people on working ranch land in warm June weather, we cannot ensure your animal's safety or comfort. Please make arrangements before you leave home. Service animals are of course welcome.
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No outside campfires. This is fire season, and we take it seriously on this land. Ambiance fires are set up throughout the festival grounds for you to gather around — they are prepared and managed by our team. Please enjoy them, and leave the fire-making to us.
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No outside alcohol. You will be asked to remove it at check-in. There is a full bar and beverage program on site. Come thirsty, and support our vendors.
Parking and Your Footprint
We ask you to be respectful of how you park. Parking close to your neighbor might feel too close, but this allows us to fit more people into a smaller footprint and reduce our impact on the land. This applies to car parking, RV parking, and car camping alike.
Your Ticket Details
Your ticket was sent via email at the time of purchase. It is your entry to the event. If you forget it at home, don't panic — we keep a list at the gate, and a valid photo ID will get you sorted at check-in.
Take a Peek at the Full Program
Find the updated programming on the Old Salt Festival Schedule page. We have some incredible activations this year, more engagement opportunities, and a jam-packed Land Talk Lounge. Give the program a good review to see what you are most interested in attending.
Leave What You Found
Old Salt happens on a working family ranch. Every piece of trash picked up, every campsite left clean, every thoughtful choice you make on this land is an act of gratitude to the Mannix family for sharing it with us. Leave no trace. Pack it in, pack it out.
Pack well. We'll see you in Helmville.
With gratitude, The Old Salt Team
