Trail Listening Post

Mike Smith is joined in-studio by Marc Moss, founder and executive director of Tell Us Something, to preview the organization's upcoming live storytelling event, The Power of Place.

Marc shares how Tell Us Something has spent the last 15 years helping community members tell true personal stories on stage, why storytelling remains such a powerful way to connect people, and what audiences can expect from this year's event. The conversation touches on the importance of place in shaping our lives, supporting local artists and storytellers, and the unique stories that will be featured during the evening.

Tell Us Something: The Power of Place takes place Tuesday, June 16th at the Bonner Park Band Shell in Missoula. The event features eight storytellers sharing true personal stories inspired by the places that have shaped them. Tickets, event details, and the Tell Us Something podcast archive can be found at TellUsSomething.org.

Mike Smith sits down with Amy Cilimburg, Executive Director of Climate Smart Missoula and Kerri Mueller, Air Quality Specialist with Missoula Public Health, to discuss Montana's Wildfire Smoke Ready Week and how communities can prepare for the months ahead.

The conversation highlights the 2026 Wildfire & Smoke Outlook, a free public event taking place on Tuesday, June 9 at 6 p.m. in the Cooper Room at the Missoula Public Library. The event will feature experts from the National Weather Service and the Montana Climate Office discussing this summer's wildfire and smoke outlook, climate trends, public health impacts, and practical strategies for staying both fire-safe and smoke-safe. The program will also be simulcast with Flathead Valley Community College and available online via Zoom.

Amy and Kerri also explore the latest science on wildfire smoke, who is most vulnerable to smoke exposure, how HEPA air cleaners can improve indoor air quality, and resources available through MontanaWildfireSmoke.org. Whether you're preparing your home, workplace, or family for wildfire season, this episode offers valuable information on staying healthy and resilient during Montana's smoke season.

Zootown Swing is a newer Missoula nonprofit built around Lindy Hop, a vintage swing dance that started in Harlem in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Callie describes it as a joyful, social, goofy, partner-based dance that gives people a way to connect for a few minutes at a time through music and movement.

The group started hosting dances in Missoula last September, with regular social dances at Free Cycles. What began with a small group of organizers has grown into a steady community of dancers, newcomers, and regulars who show up to learn, practice, and spend time together.

This summer, Zootown Swing is bringing the dancing outside with four events at the Caras Park pavilion: June 8, July 6, August 10, and September 14.

The first Caras Park dance is Monday, June 8. The evening starts with a beginner lesson at 6:30 p.m., followed by live music from The Jive from 7–9 p.m. The event is free, with donations encouraged to help pay the instructors and the band. No partner is needed, and beginners are absolutely welcome.

Callie also talks about how approachable Lindy Hop can be. You do not need to know fancy spins or complicated moves to start. A simple six-count basic can get you moving with the music, and the whole point is to have fun, connect with a partner, and enjoy the moment.

The conversation also gets into Callie’s background, from growing up near Seattle and skiing Stevens Pass to coaching young skiers with the Missoula Ski Education Foundation. Like a lot of good Missoula stories, this one includes skiing, music, community, a nonprofit, and someone deciding to build the thing they wanted to see in town.

If you have ever thought about trying swing dancing, this is a pretty easy way in: show up at Caras Park, take the beginner lesson, listen to the band, and see what happens.

The Zootown Swing summer series begins Monday, June 8 at Caras Park. Lesson at 6:30 p.m. Live music from The Jive from 7–9 p.m.

Learn more and follow along with Zootown Swing on Instagram at @zootownswing.

Mike Smith welcomed Lisa from American Rivers and Carmen from Wild Montana into the Trail 103.3 studio to talk about the 2026 Trails, Rivers & Forests Expo, happening today, Wednesday, June 3, from 5–9 p.m. at Trail Head River Sports.

The free event is co-hosted by American Rivers and Wild Montana and brings together local outdoor organizations, businesses, conservation groups, and community partners who work to protect, maintain, and connect people with the wild places around Missoula.

The conversation covers the connection between public lands and public waters, the work American Rivers is doing around river protection, and Wild Montana’s long history of protecting public lands across the state. Carmen also talks about Wild Montana’s group hikes, volunteer trail projects, and the Trail of the Week partnership with Trail 103.3.

The Expo is built to be both useful and fun. More than 40 partner organizations are expected to be part of the event, with hands-on activities, river safety information, wildlife and outdoor education, volunteer opportunities, and plenty of ways to learn what is happening outside your back door this summer.

There will also be live music from The Pack Strings, food from El Cazador, cold drinks from Big Sky Brewing, raffle prizes, and family-friendly activities throughout the evening.

Mike, Lisa, and Carmen also talk about the bigger picture: why Missoula’s trails, rivers, forests, and public lands matter, and why so many local groups are working together to keep these places accessible, healthy, and protected.

The 2026 Trails, Rivers & Forests Expo is free and open to the public today from 5–9 p.m. at Trail Head River Sports, 2505 S. Garfield Street in Missoula.

Bring your friends, bring your family, meet the people doing the work, and celebrate the wild places that make Montana special.

Every year, marathon weekend brings runners, families, volunteers, spectators, local businesses, and entire neighborhoods together for one reason: the love of running. The banners go up, the course comes together, the cowbells come out, and Missoula becomes part race course, part welcome committee, and part block party.

Always fun to welcome Trisha Drobeck, executive director of Run Wild Missoula, into the Trail 103.3 studio to talk about the 2026 Missoula Marathon, happening June 26–28.

This year’s full marathon is already sold out, with limited VIP options still available at the time of our conversation. The half marathon still had a few spots open, and the weekend includes plenty beyond the 26.2-mile race: the Friday night Beer Run, Runner Expo at Caras Park, Tony Banovich 5K, Kids Marathon, half marathon, and the downtown finish that makes race weekend such a visible part of summer in Missoula.

We covered what runners can expect, what Missoulians should know, and how the weekend comes together behind the scenes. That includes the course, shuttle information, road impacts, volunteer needs, and the community support that has helped build the Missoula Marathon into one of the signature events of the year.

The full marathon starts in Frenchtown and comes toward Missoula along Mullan Road before continuing through areas including Kona Ranch, Big Flat, River Pines, Maclay Bridge, Target Range, the Slant Streets, and toward the University/downtown finish. The half marathon starts near Blue Mountain and joins the marathon course near Maclay Bridge.

Runners are coming from all 50 states and 11 countries this year, which says a lot about both the race and Missoula’s reputation as a place people want to visit, run, explore, and experience.

Trisha also shared more about the marathon’s long-running partnership with Youth Homes and the Run 4 Kids team, which is on track to raise $100,000 this year in support of local youth services.

And for anyone who wants to be part of marathon weekend without running, Run Wild Missoula is still looking for volunteers, especially course monitors. 

Course monitors help keep runners safe, support the flow of the event, cheer people on, and help race morning run smoothly. 

This year, thanks to Logjam Presents, course monitors will also receive a free ticket to a KettleHouse Amphitheater show.

The full conversation is below, with more on race weekend, volunteer opportunities, course information, the Beer Run, Youth Homes, and what makes the Missoula Marathon such a big part of summer in Missoula.

Learn more, register, volunteer, or find race weekend details at MissoulaMarathon.org.

Rosie La Secco and Joyce Gibbs join Trail 103.3’s Tommy to talk about the return of Missoula’s wildly popular Kinky Bingo — a one-of-a-kind night of burlesque, drag, bingo, immersive performance, and community fundraising. Alongside Joyce Gibbs from Tell Us Something, the conversation explores how the event grew from its roots in Moscow, Idaho into a beloved Missoula tradition now in its fourth edition.

Kinky Bingo takes place Saturday at Monks Bar in Missoula and is a 21+ event benefiting Tell Us Something, Missoula’s storytelling nonprofit. Tickets are $35 in advance and $45 the day of the show, with VIP tables available while supplies last at TellUsSomething.org.

The episode dives into the creative chaos behind producing Kinky Bingo, supporting local performers, building Montana’s drag and burlesque community, and partnering with nonprofits like Tell Us Something. Rosie also introduces “Kinky Communion,” a new audience participation experience that’s exactly as outrageous as it sounds.

Featuring stories about performance, mentorship, storytelling, rhinestones, consent, community, and “beautiful weird monster” energy, this episode is a candid and hilarious behind-the-scenes look at one of Missoula’s unforgettable live events.

Mike Smith sits down with Marcy Allen, Executive Director of the Missoula Community Foundation, for a conversation about Missoula Gives and the power of local philanthropy. They explore how this community-wide giving event has grown into a beloved annual tradition—bringing together nonprofits, businesses, and everyday donors across Missoula and the Bitterroot.

Marcy shares stories about the impact of collective giving, from record-breaking participation during 2020 to the continued growth of new donor engagement each year. The conversation highlights how Missoula Gives helps people discover local nonprofits they didn’t know existed, while also creating space for organizations to connect with fresh supporters.

They also dig into the many ways people can participate—whether it’s donating, volunteering, attending kickoff events, or simply spreading the word. With celebrations planned across town, including Plonk, Bitter Root Brewing, Cranky Sam’s, and the Missoula Public Library, this year’s Missoula Gives blends community impact with community celebration.

At its core, this episode is about one idea: when everyone gives a little, a community changes a lot.

Mike Smith is joined live in-studio by longtime Missoula community member and former Justice of the Peace Karen Orzac to talk about the 65th Annual Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast.

Now retired after 20 years on the bench—and having officiated over a thousand weddings—Orzac shares her continued passion for serving the community through the Missoula Kiwanis Club. The conversation highlights Kiwanis’ century-long mission of supporting local youth through programs, partnerships, and hands-on volunteer work.

Taking place Saturday, April 25th, the pancake breakfast is Kiwanis’ biggest fundraiser of the year, benefiting organizations like Youth Homes, Boys & Girls Club, YWCA, and more. For just $5, attendees can enjoy a full breakfast while helping fund opportunities for kids across Missoula—plus music, activities, and a strong sense of community connection.

Whether you come for the pancakes or the purpose, it’s all about showing up for local kids.

Mike Smith is joined in-studio by Lynn Wood and Sean Higgins of Storyhouse Montana for an in-depth conversation about the transformation of the former Roseburg Mill site in Missoula into a major new hub for film, media production, workforce training, and community development.

Storyhouse Montana is reimagining the industrial complex as a full-service production facility designed to attract mid-sized film and television projects while prioritizing Montana-based talent, local hiring, and long-term economic reinvestment. The conversation explores how the project connects with Montana’s growing creative economy, the challenge of retaining young talent in the state, and the role of partnerships with the University of Montana and Missoula College in building hands-on training and internship pathways.

Lynn Wood and Sean Higgins also discuss the broader vision for the site, including job creation, sustainable redevelopment, and even future housing components designed to support incoming crews and local workers. More than a studio project, Storyhouse Montana aims to become a community-centered engine for storytelling, blending filmmaking, craftsmanship, and economic opportunity in the heart of Missoula.

From Hollywood-scale production ambitions to hyperlocal workforce development, this episode looks at how one of Missoula’s largest industrial sites is being reshaped into a new creative cornerstone for Montana’s film future.

Mike Smith is joined in-studio by former Trail 103.3 program director and longtime DJ Robert Chase, along with his daughter Mazzy Chase, for a conversation that blends radio history with a deeply personal story. Now living with type 1 diabetes for over 26 years, Mazzy was diagnosed at just 20 months old—an experience that reshaped her family’s life and led Robert to become actively involved with what is now Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF).

Breakthrough T1D is a leading nonprofit dedicated to funding research, advancing technology, and ultimately finding a cure for type 1 diabetes. Through decades of innovation—from daily injections to insulin pumps and smartphone-connected care—the organization has helped improve quality of life for millions, while continuing to push toward a future without the disease.

The conversation also highlights the upcoming Breakthrough T1D Walk in Missoula, a community-driven event that brings together families, supporters, and advocates to raise funds and awareness. With reflections on resilience, progress, and the power of showing up, this episode underscores the importance of community support and continued investment in life-changing research.

Event Info: Breakthrough T1D Walk — Ogren Park, Sunday @ 2:00 PM (check-in at 1:00 PM), featuring a three-mile walk along the Clark Fork River, community resources, and fundraising opportunities.