How It Works

• All immersive experiences will be offered on both Tuesday, June 24 and Wednesday, June 25
• Choose 1 all-day experience OR 2 half-day experiences each day
• Immersive Experience selection details will be provided within 48 hours of registering
• Transportation provided for all bus experiences
• Walking experiences are categorized by intensity level (Light, Moderate, Heavy)

Small-Town Startups with Global Spark
Location: Conrad, MT
Walking Level: Light

Dive into the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit of Conrad, Montana — a rural town recharging its future through global e-commerce. Visit a homegrown family soap business that has gone international. You’ll explore how communities with limited traffic and infrastructure can still scale globally by leveraging digital commerce and grassroots innovation. This experience will inspire economic developers to ignite entrepreneurial ecosystems without relying on foot traffic — because rural business can thrive on broadband. 

Tracks: Igniting Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Attracting and Growing Rural Industry, Solving Workforce Challenges

Trails, Tales & Tourism That Transforms
Location: Choteau & Bynum, MT 
Walking Level: Light

Explore how Choteau and Bynum are fueling their economies through heritage, natural beauty, and authentic experiences. These rural towns are harnessing their location near Glacier National Park and the Rocky Mountain Front to turn tourists into long-term investors and residents. Discover fossil-focused attractions, downtown reinvestments, and vibrant local shops — all part of a broader strategy to use tourism as a lever for housing and workforce solutions. See how storytelling, partnerships, and placemaking drive rural revitalization.

Tracks: Tourism as a Catalyst, Solving Housing and Workforce Challenges, Revitalizing Main Streets 

Housing the Boom in a Town Discovered
Location: White Sulphur Springs, MT
Walking Level: Light

White Sulphur Springs is experiencing a tourism boom and an influx of residents — and they're rising to meet the challenge. Visit new and reimagined developments that show how rural communities can grow without losing their soul. From a ski hill expansion to a new mining operation and thriving downtown revitalization, this tour illustrates the art of balancing opportunity with community preservation. Hear how leaders are navigating short-term rental pressure, rising construction costs, and the need to keep housing affordable for local workers.

Tracks: Housing and Workforce, Rural Development, Entrepreneurship, Revitalizing Main Streets 

Hemp, History & Hometown Growth
Location: Fort Benton, MT
Walking Level: Light

Fort Benton — a community rich in frontier history — is now leading the charge in hemp processing and industrial growth. This tour dives into how the town developed an industrial park, secured the nation’s largest hemp processor, and repurposed its historical charm to attract talent and investment. Experience how rural communities are building new industries while embracing their heritage, and learn how infrastructure, incentives, and imagination can transform a small town into a destination for innovation.

Tracks: Attracting and Growing Rural Industry, Tourism, Talent Attraction, Placemaking

Rail, Real Estate & the Rise of Innovation Hubs
Location: Cut Bank & Shelby, MT
Walking Level: Light

Across Cut Bank and Shelby, underutilized buildings are being transformed into economic powerhouses. This immersive journey spotlights rural real estate redevelopment strategies — from adaptive reuse to catalytic investments in downtown cores. Learn how these towns are leveraging rail infrastructure, historic tax credits, and creative financing to create welcoming spaces for entrepreneurs, families, and future industries. Discover how smart design and bold vision are breathing new life into Montana’s Hi-Line.

Tracks: Revitalizing Main Streets, Reuse & Redevelopment, Placemaking, Tourism

Clean Energy That Powers the Planet
Energy Corridor Tour
Walking Level: Moderate

Montana’s energy corridor is pulsing with new potential. Visit a working hydroelectric dam, a site of one of the world’s largest sustainable aviation fuel projects, and North Central Montana’s future hub for solar, wind, and battery storage. Hear from utility partners and agricultural innovators leading the clean energy movement. This tour illustrates how rural areas are anchoring the nation’s renewable energy strategy — creating jobs, supporting climate goals, and recharging communities through energy infrastructure.

Sub tracks: Powering the Future: Energy, Infrastructure, Agriculture, and Utilities

Building Homes, Health & Hope
Housing and MedTech Tour
Walking Level: Light

This half-day experience uncovers how rural healthcare systems are reshaping housing strategies. Explore how regional hospitals and med-tech firms are driving demand for new housing, and how local leaders are partnering with lenders, builders, and state agencies to meet the moment. This tour is ideal for communities balancing primary sector growth with livability, showcasing cross-sector collaboration, workforce retention tools, and financial solutions tailored for rural needs. 

Tracks: Housing and Workforce, Industry Expansion, Public-Private Partnerships

From Field to Fortune – Agriculture That Scales
Agriculture Processing Tour
Walking Level: Light

From grain to global goods, Montana’s agri-processing sector is recharging rural economies. On this tour, explore how multinational companies are anchoring supply chains in rural towns, spurring spinoff businesses and export opportunities. Witness firsthand the impact of business retention and expansion programs and foreign direct investment strategies in action. This experience is ideal for anyone seeking to grow rural industry while preserving local character.

Tracks: Attracting and Growing Rural Industry, Foreign Direct Investment, Business Retention and Expansion

Breathing Life into Main Street
Location: Downtown Great Falls
Walking Level: Heavy

Explore how communities utilize Tax Increment Financing Districts, Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (CPACE), and other innovative tools to transform vacant spaces into thriving businesses. This walking tour visits some of downtown Great Falls' oldest buildings that once sat vacant, but thanks to these tools and the people behind them, have been successfully revitalized.

Tracks: Brownfields, TIF Districts, Main Street Programs, Real Estate Redevelopment 

Riverfront Revival on the Missouri
Location: West Bank Landing, Great Falls
Walking Level: Heavy

What was once industrial land on the banks of the Missouri River is now a beacon of mixed-use success. This tour takes you to West Bank Landing — a thriving district reborn through bold investments and faith in local developers. Discover how a chance taken during the 2008 financial crisis sparked a long-term vision that’s still growing today. Learn how environmental cleanup, infrastructure, and placemaking are key to activating rural waterfronts. 

Tracks: Brownfield Cleanup, TIF, Gap/Bridge Financing, Placemaking

Reimagining Space, Reclaiming Identity
Location: Downtown Great Falls
Walking Level: Heavy

Get a behind-the-scenes look at several adaptive reuse projects transforming the core of downtown Great Falls. From industrial spaces to modern coworking hubs, this tour highlights what’s possible when public incentives align with private-sector passion. Discuss the economic ripple effects of reuse — from job creation to talent retention — and how these historic buildings are playing a new role in the city’s identity and economy. 

Tracks: Real Estate Reuse, Brownfields, TIF Districts, Main Street Revitalization