Missoula Writes: 18th Annual Writing Contest
Our 18th annual writing contest kicks off Friday, January 2, 2026. We welcome fiction, non-fiction, and poetry submissions from writers in the following age groups: 8-10, 11-14, 15-18, and 19+. Cash prizes will be awarded to the first-, second-, and third-place winners in each category and age group. Full contest rules and submission link are available on our website.
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Events for June
29
10:30 am - 11:30 am
Art with a Purpose
Families First Classroom
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Train Building Play & Crafts
Families First Classroom
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Lego Dinosaurs and Trivia
Imaginarium
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
LEGO Club
Imaginarium
6:00 pm - 7:45 pm
Learn Computer Animation with Blender
MCAT
Events for June
30
10:30 am - 11:30 am
Infant to 3-Year-Old Playgroup
Imaginarium
11:45 am - 12:15 pm
Tiny Tales at EmPower Place
EmPower Place
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Frenchtown Grab-and-Go lunches
Frenchtown Branch Library
12:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Big Sky Arts & Crafts
Big Sky Branch Library
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Summer Teen Tuesdays
Art Box
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Read with Dogs!
Imaginarium
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Bookmobile at AniMeals: Read with Cats!
AniMeals
5:45 pm - 8:45 pm
America @ 250
Missoula Public Library
Events for July
1
9:00 am - 8:00 pm
Spice It Up: Library Spice Club
Demonstration Kitchen
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Frenchtown Story Time
Frenchtown Branch Library
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Swan Valley Branch Story Time
Swan Valley Branch
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Stories and Games for Diverse Abilities
Families First Classroom
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
2:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Big Sky Drop-In D&D
Big Sky Branch Library
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Middle School Writers’ Group
Art Box
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Big Sky Writers’ Group
Big Sky Branch Library
Events for July
2
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Tiny Tales
Imaginarium
11:00 am
Seeley Lake Book Club
Seeley Lake Branch Library
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Introduction to Podcasting
MCAT
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Game On! @ MPL
Imaginarium
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Big Sky Branch Tech Time
Big Sky Branch Library
Events for July
3
No Events
Events for July
4
No Events
Events for July
5
No Events
Events for July
6
10:30 am - 11:30 am
Art with a Purpose
Families First Classroom
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
LEGO Club
Imaginarium
Events for July
7
10:30 am - 11:30 am
Infant to 3-Year-Old Playgroup
Imaginarium
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
American Red Cross Blood Drive at MPL
Cooper Room
11:45 am - 12:15 pm
Tiny Tales at EmPower Place
EmPower Place
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Frenchtown Grab-and-Go lunches
Frenchtown Branch Library
12:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Big Sky Arts & Crafts
Big Sky Branch Library
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
BodyCraft Pop-Up for Youth with Bare Bait Dance
Imaginarium
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Summer Teen Tuesdays
Art Box
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Read with Dogs!
Imaginarium
Events for July
8
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Frenchtown Story Time
Frenchtown Branch Library
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Swan Valley Branch Story Time
Swan Valley Branch
11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Resource Access Day (RAD)
Level Four
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Swan Valley Book Chat
Swan Valley Branch
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
2:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Big Sky Drop-In D&D
Big Sky Branch Library
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Middle School Writers’ Group
Art Box
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Kids Cooking Class
Demonstration Kitchen
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Big Sky Writers’ Group
Big Sky Branch Library
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
50 Years With A River Runs Through It – A Conversation with O. Alan Weltzien
Cooper Room
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Potomac Branch Library Book Club
Potomac Branch Library
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
2nd Wednesday Night Book Group
Blackfoot Room
Events for July
9
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Tiny Tales
Imaginarium
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Game On! @ MPL
Imaginarium
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Big Sky Branch Tech Time
Big Sky Branch Library
Events for July
10
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Tiny Tales in the ParkDue to weather, Tiny Tales will be in the library at 10:30 AM.
Westside Park
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Yarns @ MPL
Blackfoot Room
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Watercolor Painting Collaborative @ MPL
Cooper Room
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Meet Buddy the Dinosaur!
Imaginarium
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Young Adult Writers’ Group
Art Box
Events for July
11
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Young Kids Dance Party
MCAT
11:30 am
Story Time
Imaginarium
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Stop Animation Workshop for Kids
MCAT
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Altered Books and Free Book Giveaway
Cooper Room
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Saturday Tiny Tales
Imaginarium
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
D&D Guild for Teens
Virtual Event
Events for July
12
No Events
Events for July
13
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Paleontology: Can You Dig It?
Imaginarium
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
LEGO Club
Imaginarium
Events for July
14
10:30 am - 11:30 am
Infant to 3-Year-Old Playgroup
Imaginarium
11:45 am - 12:15 pm
Tiny Tales at EmPower Place
EmPower Place
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Frenchtown Grab-and-Go lunches
Frenchtown Branch Library
12:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Big Sky Arts & Crafts
Big Sky Branch Library
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Frenchtown Branch: Jewel River Harp Duo
Frenchtown Branch Library
2:00 pm
Memory Café
Cooper Room
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Summer Teen Tuesdays
Art Box
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Read with Dogs!
Imaginarium
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Lolo Branch: Missoula Symphony Harp Performance
Lolo Community Library
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
How to Be an Author
Blackfoot Room
Events for July
15
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Frenchtown Story Time
Frenchtown Branch Library
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Swan Valley Branch Story Time
Swan Valley Branch
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
2:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Big Sky Drop-In D&D
Big Sky Branch Library
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Middle School Writers’ Group
Art Box
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
The Community Flag – Help Make a Flag for Missoula!
MakerSpace
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Big Sky Writers’ Group
Big Sky Branch Library
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Sewing for Beginners
MakerSpace
6:30 pm
3rd Wednesday Book Group
Blackfoot Room
Events for July
16
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Tiny Tales
Imaginarium
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Death Cafe @ MPL
Cooper Room B
1:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Financial Community Education
Cooper Room A
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Game On! @ MPL
Imaginarium
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Housing Advocate Network
Blackfoot Room
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Big Sky Branch Tech Time
Big Sky Branch Library
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
The Community Flag – Help Make a Flag for Missoula!
MakerSpace
5:45 pm
Frenchtown Book Club
Frenchtown Branch Library
Events for July
17
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Tiny Tales in the ParkDue to weather, Tiny Tales will be in the library at 10:30 AM.
Westside Park
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Watercolor Painting Collaborative @ MPL
Cooper Room
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Yarns @ MPL
Blackfoot Room
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
5th Birthday Block Party
Missoula Public Library
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Young Adult Writers’ Group
Art Box
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
D&D Guild for Adults
Virtual Event
Events for July
18
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Young Kids Dance Party
MCAT
11:30 am
Story Time
Imaginarium
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Stop Animation Workshop for Kids
MCAT
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Sensory Story Time
Imaginarium
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Saturday Tiny Tales
Imaginarium
Events for July
19
No Events
Events for July
20
10:30 am - 11:30 am
Art with a Purpose
Families First Classroom
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
LEGO Club
Imaginarium
Events for July
21
10:30 am - 11:30 am
Infant to 3-Year-Old Playgroup
Imaginarium
11:45 am - 12:15 pm
Tiny Tales at EmPower Place
EmPower Place
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Frenchtown Grab-and-Go lunches
Frenchtown Branch Library
12:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Big Sky Arts & Crafts
Big Sky Branch Library
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
America @ 250
Missoula Public Library
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Summer Teen Tuesdays
Art Box
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Read with Dogs!
Imaginarium
Events for July
22
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Frenchtown Story Time
Frenchtown Branch Library
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Swan Valley Branch Story Time
Swan Valley Branch
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Stories and Games for Diverse Abilities
Families First Classroom
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
2:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Big Sky Drop-In D&D
Big Sky Branch Library
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Middle School Writers’ Group
Art Box
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
The Community Flag – Help Make a Flag for Missoula!
MakerSpace
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Big Sky Writers’ Group
Big Sky Branch Library
6:00 pm
Library Board of Trustees Meeting
Blackfoot Room
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Planting Resilience: Terrarium Workshop with Climate Smart Missoula
Art Box
Events for July
23
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Tiny Tales
Imaginarium
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Game On! @ MPL
Imaginarium
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Big Sky Branch Tech Time
Big Sky Branch Library
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
The Community Flag – Help Make a Flag for Missoula!
MakerSpace
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Lolo Book Club
Lolo Community Library
Events for July
24
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Tiny Tales in the ParkDue to weather, Tiny Tales will be in the library at 10:30 AM.
Westside Park
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Yarns @ MPL
Blackfoot Room
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Watercolor Painting Collaborative @ MPL
Cooper Room
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Young Adult Writers’ Group
Art Box
Events for July
25
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Young Kids Dance Party
MCAT
11:30 am
Story Time
Imaginarium
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Raptors of the Rockies
Cooper Room
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Stop Animation Workshop for Kids
MCAT
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Saturday Tiny Tales
Imaginarium
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
D&D Guild for Teens
Virtual Event
Events for July
26
No Events
Events for July
27
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
LEGO Club
Imaginarium
6:00 pm - 7:45 pm
Learn Computer Animation with Blender
MCAT
Events for July
28
10:30 am - 11:30 am
Infant to 3-Year-Old Playgroup
Imaginarium
11:45 am - 12:15 pm
Tiny Tales at EmPower Place
EmPower Place
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Frenchtown Grab-and-Go lunches
Frenchtown Branch Library
12:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Big Sky Arts & Crafts
Big Sky Branch Library
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Summer Teen Tuesdays
Art Box
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Read with Dogs!
Imaginarium
5:45 pm - 7:45 pm
Learn the Basics of Audio Recording
MCAT
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
The Garden Meal
Demonstration Kitchen
6:00 pm - 6:45 pm
Introduction to Podcasting
MCAT
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
4HistoryBuffs
Cooper Room
Events for July
29
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Frenchtown Story Time
Frenchtown Branch Library
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Swan Valley Branch Story Time
Swan Valley Branch
11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Museum of the Rockies Presents: Reading with a Raptor
Imaginarium
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Museum of the Rockies Presents: Montana Dinosaurs 101
Cooper Room A
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Learn Computer Video Editing
MCAT
2:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Big Sky Drop-In D&D
Big Sky Branch Library
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Middle School Writers’ Group
Art Box
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
The Community Flag – Help Make a Flag for Missoula!
MakerSpace
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Big Sky Writers’ Group
Big Sky Branch Library
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Learn Computer Video Editing
MCAT
Events for July
30
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Tiny Tales
Imaginarium
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm
Introduction to Podcasting
MCAT
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Game On! @ MPL
Imaginarium
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Big Sky Branch Tech Time
Big Sky Branch Library
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
The Community Flag – Help Make a Flag for Missoula!
MakerSpace
Events for July
31
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Tiny Tales in the ParkDue to weather, Tiny Tales will be in the library at 10:30 AM.
Westside Park
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Watercolor Painting Collaborative @ MPL
Cooper Room
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Yarns @ MPL
Blackfoot Room
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Young Adult Writers’ Group
Art Box
IndigiPalooza MT
4:00 pm - 5:45 pm
Learn Computer Animation with Blender
MCAT
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Indigipalooza MT: Speaking Truth About Power featuring Waubgeshig Rice, Nora Mabie, and B. Toastie Oaster
Cooper Room
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
D&D Guild for Adults
Virtual Event
Events for August
1
11:00 am - 11:45 am
Young Kids Dance Party
MCAT
11:30 am
Story Time
Imaginarium
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Stop Animation Workshop for Kids
MCAT
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Discovery Area Science Activity
spectrUM Discovery Area
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Saturday Tiny Tales
Imaginarium