Where's Waldo hiding in downtown Missoula?

The downtown Missoula hunt for Waldo has returned for the twelfth straight year which means you can shop around at downtown businesses and search for the classic character, Waldo.

Scattered around 25 different stores are small little Waldo cut outs, hidden somewhere within each store that is participating.

“Customers and tourists and Missoulians just love it because they get to wander around town. Sometimes they go into stores, they haven't been in, in a long time or ever” said Fact and Fiction Books owner Mara Panich.

Put on by Fact and Fiction Books locally, the event is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association as well as Candlewick Press — the publisher of the famous Where’s Waldo books.

Along with the hunt, participants can also fill out a passport of all the Waldos they’ve found and at the end of the month, they can turn it in to win prizes such as a Waldo sticker for finding 10. Or if you find 20, you will be entered to win a set of Waldo books.

Panich says local stores have loved the event as not only does it bring in more foot traffic and sales, but adds a bit of fun to the day-to-day.

“They get to look around, parents get to send their kids off to find Waldo while they get to shop in some of the stores. So it's really well received. Everybody loves Waldo” Panich told MTN.

If you would like to find some of the Waldos yourself, look for the large cut-out in a store’s window.

For people who don't want to wander around downtown too long looking for the stores, below is a full list.

• Fact & Fiction Books - 220 N. Higgins Ave.
• Butterfly Herbs - 232 N. Higgins Ave.
• Imagination Station - 227 N. Higgins Ave.
• The Trail Head - 221 E. Front St.
• Betty V. Vintage - 114 E. Main St.
• A Carousel for Missoula - 101 Carousel Dr.
• Hide & Sole - 236 N. Higgins Ave.
• Noteworthy Paper and Press - 219 S. 3rd St.
• Jeannette Rankin Peace Center / The Olive Branch - 519 S. Higgins Ave.
• Mary’s Mountain Cookies - 101 S. Higgins Ave.
• Missoula Art Museum - 335 N. Pattee St.
• Soul City Dry Goods - 127 N. Higgins Ave.
• Missoula Public Library - 455 E. Main St.
• Hazel & Fawn - 612 S. Higgins Ave.
• Artist’s Shop - 127 N. Higgins Ave.
• Home Room Missoula - 101 E. Broadway St.
• The ZACC - 216 W. Main St.
• Toiler Per Outfitter - 422 N. Higgins Ave.
• Dana Gallery - 426 N. Higgins Ave.
• PaddleHeads Post - 140 N. Higgins Ave.
• Betty’s Devine - 509 S. Higgins Ave.
• 4 Ravens Gallery - 216 N. Higgins Ave.
• Runner’s Edge - 304 N. Higgins Ave.
• Upcycled - 517 S. Higgins Ave.
• Lake Missoula Tea Co. - 136 E. Broadway Ave.

The search ends at 6 p.m. on July 31 and thhe prize drawings will take place at 6:30 p.m. at Fact and Fiction Books.

Wildfire Watch

Ravalli County instituting Stage II Fire Restrictions

MTN News 4:08 PM, Jul 18, 2024

Wildfire Watch

Stage II and Stage I Fire Restrictions coming to Western Montana

MTN News 3:35 PM, Jul 18, 2024

Flathead County

Woman reported missing at Hungry Horse Reservoir

MTN News 3:21 PM, Jul 18, 2024

Wildfire Watch

Little change reported from Miller Peak Fire southeast of Missoula

MTN News 1:22 PM, Jul 18, 2024

Missoula County

Missoula may lower the penalty for some municipal code violations

Martin Kidston - Missoula Current 12:09 PM, Jul 18, 2024