2026 in Montana
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The following is a list of events of the year 2026 in Montana.
Incumbents
State government
Events
January
- January 5 – The Montana State Bobcats beat the Illinois State Redbirds 35–34 in overtime to win the NCAA Division I FCS football championship.[1]
- January 26 – Friend of musician D4vd and Twitch streamer Neo Langston is arrested in Helena for failing to appear as witness for D4vd's court case.[2]
- January 29 – Great Falls and surrounding communities experience a 4.2 magnitude earthquake that later causes smaller aftershocks, including one of 3.7 magnitude.[3]
February
- February 11 – The Montana Attorney General says the city of Helena will be investigated for violations of the state's ban on sanctuary cities. Helena had passed a resolution stating that city officials would not disclose immigration status or national origin to outside agencies. In March, the city council votes to repeal the resolution.[4][5]
March
- March 4 – At the United States Capitol, Senator Tim Sheehey gets involved in an altercation with former Marine Brian McGinnis who was protesting the war with Iran.[6]
- March 11
- Montana Grizzlies men's basketball team loses to the Idaho Vandals men's basketball team in the Big Sky Championship.[7]
- The Montana State Bobcats lose to the Idaho Vandals in the Big Sky Championship, and the Bobcats receive an automatic bid to the WNIT.[8][9]
- March 29 – The Montana State Bobcats women's basketball team loses to the South Dakota Coyotes in the Great 8 round of the WNIT.[10]
April
- April 11 – Tim Sheehey makes an emergency landing near the town of Ennis during a routine training exercise.[11]
- April 15 – The Montana Supreme Court rules that the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services and Montana Department of Justice cannot block transgender residents from updating their legal documents to match their gender identity.[12]
- April 22 – A Fairfield school and several businesses implement emergency water use restrictions, including portable restrooms and paper tableware at the school. The town temporarily lost multiple wells due to an ongoing drought and leaking water in the sewer and water systems.[13]
May
- May 7 – A hiker's body is found in Glacier National Park after a suspected bear attack, being the first killing in 28 years.[14]
- May 8 – Bureau of Land Management revokes American Prairie's bison grazing permit for land near Phillips County.[15]
- May 13 – A small landspout tornado near Big Sandy forms as a result of a combination of a wind and severe thunderstorm.[16][17]
- May 14 – A lawsuit is filed over the illegality of corner crossing in Montana.[18]
June
- June 25 – Native American groups celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Little Bighorn at the site of the battle near Crow Agency.[19]
- June 27 – A large low pressure system brings rain and snow to Montana, causing flooding in several parts of the state, including Glacier National Park.[20]
July
- July 21 – A Helena jury finds former state Senate Jason Ellsworth guilty of misconduct.[21] However, the verdict is thrown out the next day due to jurors accidentally being exposed to sealed exhibits.[22]
- July 23 – A major heat wave impacts the state along with unhealthy air conditions from smoke caused by wildfires.[23][24]
August
- August 20 – A federal judge orders a release for a Billings man and his daughter to be released from the Havre U.S. Customs and Border Protections station after deeming the arrest to be unconstitutional.[25]
- August 23 – Eight people are killed in a domestic shooting and house fire in Billings. The gunman kills himself. The victims are identified as the gunman's parents, grandmother, sister, and four nieces and nephews.[26][27]
Scheduled
Sports
- 2025–26 Montana Grizzlies basketball team
- 2025–26 Montana State Bobcats men's basketball team
- 2026 Montana State Bobcats football team
- 2026 Montana Grizzlies football team
- 2026-27 Montana Grizzlies men's basketball team
- 2026-27 Montana Grizzlies women's basketball team
- 2026-27 Montana State Bobcats men's basketball team
- 2026-27 Montana State Bobcats women's basketball team
See also
References
- ↑ "Montana State tops Illinois State in wild FCS title game". ESPN. The Associated Press. January 5, 2026. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
- ↑ "Friend of singer D4vd arrested on warrant for failure to appear as witness in LA homicide probe". January 26, 2026. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
- ↑ Vawter, Hayley (January 29, 2026). "Shaking felt as magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported near Great Falls, Montana". FOX Weather. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
- ↑ Brown, Matthew (February 11, 2026). "Montana city under investigation for potential violation of sanctuary city ban". The Associated Press. Retrieved February 11, 2026.
- ↑ Wagner, Jovonne (March 27, 2026). "Helena city commission scraps immigration resolution, citing legal risk". The Associated Press. Montana Free Press. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
- ↑ "Tim Sheehy altercation: Republican defends role in protester's removal". Newsweek. March 4, 2026. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
- ↑ Information, Montana Sports. "Griz season ends with title game loss". University of Montana Athletics. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
- ↑ "Montana State Bobcats vs. Idaho Vandals - Final Score - March 11, 2026". www.foxsports.com. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
- ↑ Lamberty, Bill (February 28, 2026). "PLAY ON! Bobcats Land WNIT Bid". Montana State University Athletics. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
- ↑ Lamberty, Bill (February 28, 2026). "Bobcats Close Historic Season with WNIT Great 8 Loss at South Dakota". Montana State University Athletics. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
- ↑ "Sen Tim Sheehy makes emergency landing after enging failure in Montana". April 11, 2026. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
- ↑ Ehrlick, Darrell (April 16, 2026). "Montana Supreme Court upholds ability of transgender residents to update documents • Daily Montanan". Daily Montanan. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
- ↑ Lloyd, Zeke; Press, AMANDA EGGERT/Montana Free (April 24, 2026). "Why Fairfield, Montana, is running out of water". AP News. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
- ↑ Vawter, Hayley (May 7, 2026). "Missing hiker found dead in Glacier National Park after suspected bear attack". FOX Weather. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
- ↑ "BLM revokes American Prairie bison grazing permit". Bureau of Land Management. May 8, 2026. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
- ↑ Dennis, Ryan (May 15, 2026). "Strong winds, dust storms, and a confirmed tornado". KRTV NEWS Great Falls. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
- ↑ "Video Massive 'dirtnado' spotted in Montana". ABC News. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
- ↑ Riley, John (May 15, 2026). "Lawsuit seeks to "cement legality" of corner crossing in Montana". KTVH. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
- ↑ Irvine, Tailyr (June 26, 2026). "Native American tribes mark the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Little Bighorn, in photos". The Associated Press. Retrieved August 23, 2026.
- ↑ Foster, Brooke (June 29, 2026). "Heavy rain raises flooding concerns in northwest Montana". KECI. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
- ↑ Lutey, Tom (July 22, 2026). "Jury finds Ellsworth guilty of official misconduct". Montana Free Press. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
- ↑ Lutey, Tom; Wagner, JoVonne (July 22, 2026). "Ellsworth guilty verdict thrown out". Montana Free Press. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
- ↑ Kothari, Rishav (July 23, 2026). "Extreme Heat Watches issued for Utah, Montana, and northern Wyoming, temperatures up to 43°C (110°F) forecast through July 27". The Watchers. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
- ↑ Northern, Nick NorthernNick (July 23, 2026). "June Rain Helped Montana, But Wildfire Season Isn't Over". KSEN AM 1150. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
- ↑ Mabie, Nora (August 20, 2026). "Judge orders release of Billings father and 9-year-old daughter from immigration custody in Havre". Montana Free Press. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
- ↑ Brown, Matthew; Biesecker, Michael; Schuettler, Mikella (August 25, 2026). "A Montana man killed 8 relatives, including 4 kids, at Sunday dinner, family says". The Associated Press. Retrieved August 26, 2026.
- ↑ Asma-Sadeque, Samira (August 25, 2026). "2 Siblings and Stepmom Among 8 Found Dead in Burning Home After Tragic 'Family Disturbance' Call". People. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
- ↑ "Montana elections, 2026". Ballotpedia. Retrieved December 28, 2025.
- ↑ "2026 State Primary Election Dates". www.ncsl.org. Retrieved December 28, 2025.
- ↑ www.espn.com http://www.espn.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/id/149/montana-grizzlies. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
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