The Side Stage at the Red Ants Pants Music Festival is for emerging artists. Unlike many other festivals, our Side Stage is application-based and juried by our festival staff.
This year's event takes place July 22-25th, 2027––please ensure that you are available before applying. Sets are approximately 25 to 30 minutes and occur between acts on the Main Stage. This is a great opportunity to share the festival “stage” with national touring acts and get exposure to loyal country, Americana, and folk fans from across Montana and beyond. Not only that, but Side Stage bands compete to be our “Emerging Artist of the Year,” as voted by fans. The winner of the Emerging Artist contest earns a chance to play the main stage the following year.
Check out the info below to learn more about the opportunity. Applications close December 15th.
THE DETAILS
- Sets are 25-30 minutes
- A small travel stipend PLUS, a chance to win a spot on the Main Stage the following year through our Emerging Artist Contest
- Complimentary weekend festival and camping passes for band members
- Band bio listed on our website and in our festival newspaper
- Audio and audio techs are provided, though backline and hospitality are not
Thank you for taking time to apply. We look forward to hearing your music!
– The Red Ants Pants Music Festival Team
*PLEASE NOTE: This is not an application to play the Main Stage.
Thanks for submitting your artwork for the 2027 Red Ants Pants Music Festival poster contest! This is our 16th festival and we are so excited you are interested in being a part of the colony! The winner's artwork will be featured as the backdrop for the 2027 Music Festival Poster. We print thousands of these posters and distribute them throughout the country as part of our marketing efforts. This contest is a great way to get your beautiful artwork the attention it deserves! The winner will receive a $250 cash prize and SIX Weekend Passes to the 2027 Red Ants Pants Music Festival July 22-25, 2027.
Entry Requirements & Notes:
- Artwork dimensions are 10.5" wide x 10" tall. The entire poster is 11 x 17" once the artwork is entered into the full poster design. We will insert the Festival logo, text footer, and musician lineup ourselves -- no need to include on your end!
- High resolution PDF, JPG, and SVG file formats accepted.
- Consider negative space in your design where we can overlay the names of the artists who will be playing. You can see a sample of how text has been overlayed on past posters here.
- All submissions are due by Monday, December 15th, 2026. Winners will be announced in early 2027 when the lineup is released!
Thanks for playing and sharing your art with us!