East Missoula has had, over the years, the reputation of being Missoula’s black sheep sibling on the wrong side of the mountain. It always had character — ask anyone who has been around about the Cabin Bar or Dixie’s Diner (both are gone now), or check out The Reno bar and restaurant, which has been a hot spot for watching sports, eating great bar food and karaoke. But it was also a lower-class area that didn’t get much credit or notice from those living on the main Missoula side, especially in the wealthier neighborhoods.Sat., Nov. 16, from 11 AM to 3 PM @ The ReStore in East MissoulaOver the past decade or so, however, East Missoulians have become more empowered. In 2021, for instance, members of the unincorporated community fought against storage unit zoning that would have opened the door for a massive storage unit project right in the heart of E-Mo’s downtown — land many residents hoped would be used for businesses and social spaces. E-Mo has also become a pretty great example for community organizing and mutual aid, and the upcoming East Missoula People’s Fair is the perfect encapsulation of the community’s character. The Saturday event is being held at Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore, a donation warehouse where they keep the costs low for people in need. At the fair, you can shop for local crafts from vendors such as Gratitude Ceramics, My Stars, T.Lyle, Bitterroot Shining Creations, Michelle Workman, Coming Up Rainbows, W. Monster Art, The Lady Baltimore, and Dolly Pop Shoppe. Ten percent of sales will be donated to the East Missoula Community Garden. If that sounds exciting to you, but also somewhat similar to other craft fairs, let me burst that bubble of familiarity for you, because E-Mo’s way of doing this is anything but typical. Besides the craft fair, there will also be free haircuts in the courtyard courtesy of Lady J’s Barbershop and live music from local icon Bob Wire, who is always surprising us with unexpected, quirky songs. On top of all that, this fair is about providing health and safety info and services everyone needs but not everyone is getting. A team from Missoula Public Health will be on site to provide a suite of necessities: flu and Covid immunization, free gun locks, Narcan, medication lock boxes, and tobacco cessation production. (For immunizations, don’t forget to bring a photo ID and insurance card, but know that a sliding fee is available for the uninsured.) Nutrition Services will be offering information and resources relating to WIC and the Diabetes Prevention Program. And you can learn about disaster preparedness, Smart911 and a bunch of other important stuff. For some extra entertainment, check out the East Missoula Art Challenge, which pits 10 local artists in a battle for cash prizes when they create art made of items from the ReStore shelves. That’s the East Missoula vibe when it comes to these particular organizers and artists: holistic, creative, DIY, and motivated to share resources and keep neighbors — even those of us on the West Missoula side of the mountain — healthy and engaged with each other. —Erika Fredrickson |
