Holiday Season Activities in White Sulphur Springs, Montana
A hot Cookie Butter Latte at The Parberry Coffee and Mercantile makes the holiday season cozy and special.
White Sulphur Springs, Montana, is a small town with big holiday spirit. Nestled at 5,091 feet in the Smith River Valley with about 1,000 residents, this community comes alive from Thanksgiving through New Year’s with a blend of heartwarming traditions and outdoor winter adventure.
In White Sulphur Springs, neighbors greet each other on Main Street under storefront Christmas lights, and snow-dusted mountains beckon just beyond town. It’s a place brimming with western flavor and small-town appeal – where holiday festivities and outdoor fun go hand-in-hand.
Speaking of holiday-inspired things that go in-hand in White Sulphur Springs, The Parberry’s Cookie Butter Latte is ready for the season. Grab one on your way to (or from) any of the holiday happenings below.
Small-Town Holiday Traditions & Community Spirit
Ring in the New Year at Showdown Ski Area’s Torchlight Parade and Fireworks Show
Holiday season in White Sulphur Springs is as much about community as it is about shopping and recreation. This is the kind of town where everyone shows up to support the local high school team, the White Sulphur Springs Hornets, and a Friday night football game can feel like a hometown holiday.
Snowy Montana in November and December isn’t high school football season (instead, catch a Hornet’s basketball game indoors), but it’s a testament to how this small town embodies the holiday spirit of giving and coming together. Let’s take a look at holiday events happening in White Sulphur Springs, Montana:
Key Holiday Events
Mark your calendar for these annual festivities that bring locals and visitors together in a festive mood:
Small Business Saturday (late November) – On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, downtown shops open their doors with special deals and local hospitality. It’s the perfect time to start your gift shopping while supporting our local small businesses. You’ll find unique treasures and feel good about keeping it local as part of the nationwide Shop Small movement.
Christmas Stroll (mid-December) – Come evening, Main Street transforms into a cheery holiday promenade. The White Sulphur Springs Christmas Stroll (typically held around the second Friday of December) invites everyone downtown for “treats, music, games, door prizes, photo opportunities, and much more”. Storefronts are aglow, kids visit with Santa, and neighbors mingle over hot cocoa. This tradition encapsulates the friendly, welcoming vibe of the town, and it’s a chance to catch up with old friends and celebrate the season under twinkling lights and perhaps a gentle swirl of snow. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself humming along to carolers or joining a round of holiday bingo at a local shop!
New Year’s Eve Torchlight Parade (December 31) – To cap off the season, head up to nearby Showdown Ski Area for a New Year’s Eve celebration unlike any other. At around 5:00 PM on New Year’s Eve, Showdown’s staff put on a torchlight ski parade, “skiing down with torches in a fun design” on the dark slopes, creating a magical glowing snake of light visible from the base area . The parade is followed by a fireworks show right on the mountain, plus live music, food and drink specials in the lodge . It’s a family-friendly event that brings together folks from all over the region to ring in the New Year with excitement and mountain spirit. Bundle up and enjoy the fireworks reflecting off the snow – a perfect sendoff to the year from the heart of Montana’s winters.
Coffee & Local Shopping at The Parberry:
Before you head out — or when you’re warming back up — stop in at The Parberry Coffee & Mercantile on Main Street. Grab a seasonal latte (the Cookie Butter Latte is a holiday favorite) and browse the shelves for gifts, local goods, and small-batch items you won’t find anywhere else. The shop carries a rotating selection of Montana-made products, books, home goods, and vintage pieces, making it an easy spot to find something thoughtful for the holidays. It’s also a natural gathering place — a good chance to run into someone you know, hear what’s happening around town, and get your bearings before the next adventure.
These events are highlights, but there are plenty of informal traditions too. During the holidays, local churches host candlelight services, schoolchildren perform winter concerts, and neighbors might organize charity drives or potluck dinners. White Sulphur Springs may be small, but it overflows with festive cheer and togetherness. By late November, you’ll see Christmas lights on the historic buildings and maybe a community tree downtown. The phrase “everyone knows everyone” truly applies here, and that makes each gathering – whether at the Stroll or a Hornets basketball game – feel like a big family reunion.
Once you’ve had your fill of downtown cheer, it’s time to head into the hills — winter really shines outside of town. Let’s talk skiing, soaking, sledding, and more:
