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Celebrate the best of Colorado’s arts, culture, cuisine and history through our annual traditions. For more specifics and a calendar, go to COLORADO.com/Events or turn to page 19. FILM FESTIVALS Coloradans must have a thing for film, because it seems like every other town’s got a fest celebrating niche filmmaking, from indie to horror, adventure, international, women, mountain and more. COLORADO.com/FilmFests FOOD & FANCY BEVERAGES June through September, there’s a food, beer, spirits or wine event every weekend somewhere in Colorado. Spring barrel tastings, seasonal beers, locally distilled spirits and celebrations of bacon, barbecue and local bounty abound throughout the year. COLORADO.com/FoodDrinkFests OUTDOOR ADVENTURE Each season kicks off with parties good for watching and participating: whitewater fests, OHV road and motorcycle rallies, wildflower hikes, mountain-bike races, snowshoe tours, balloon liftoffs, fishing derbies, hard-core endurance races, bike tours, 5ks, marathons and much more. COLORADO.com/OutdoorEvents RODEOS & COUNTY FAIRS Colorado’s Western spirit is reincarnated at rodeos and county fairs, where traditional affairs such as bull riding, steer wrestling and livestock competitions are often paired with contemporary festivities, including concerts from big-name country entertainers, dog shows and other competitions. COLORADO.com/Rodeos FINE ARTS & CRAFTS Gallery walks, multimedia arts festivals, dance events and theatrical and musical performances all keep Colorado’s rarefied air full of creativity throughout the year. COLORADO.com/Arts SUMMER MUSIC Close your eyes and point to a spot on a Colorado map and you’re likely to find a summer music festival on the local events calendar. Thanks to mild summer temps and acoustically friendly mountain backdrops, bands love to make the summer pilgrimage to our gorgeous open-air venues. COLORADO.com/SummerMusic WATCHABLE WILDLIFE Nearly 30 wildlife festivals are held each year to celebrate the state’s furry and feathery friends. Look for events heralding the big guys — bighorn sheep (the state mammal), moose, elk and bald eagles — to the smaller ones, including sage grouse, snow geese and marmots. COLORADO.com/WildlifeFests CULTURE & HERITAGE Wild West fests bring our pioneer spirit to life; American Indian powwows, art shows and markets connect us with the past; and mining heritage is celebrated with burro runs and gold panning. COLORADO.com/Heritage MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS No matter where you are traveling to in Colorado, there’s bound to be an extraordinary museum nearby to expand your mind, your knowledge or your appreciation of art, history and science — or to give your kids a lesson they can experience rather than just read about. COLORADO.com/Museums FALL, HARVEST & AGRICULTURE When harvest season nears, Colorado’s farms and ranches swing open their gates for fall fun in the fields. Load up the whole family for learnin’, pickin’ and eatin’. And throughout the year, farmers’ markets, tours, fiber and lavender festivals, cattle-dog trials and other events keep the fields full of fun. COLORADO.com/HarvestFun PRO SPORTS Population wise, Denver is the smallest city in the country with four major professional sports teams. That should tell you something about the way Coloradans feel about sports, but it doesn’t stop there: From Grand Junction to Colorado Springs and Denver, from bike races to indoor lacrosse and from the big leagues to the minors, there’s always an event happening. COLORADO.com/ProSports WINTER CARNIVALS & HOLIDAY LIGHTINGS We don’t head inside when the snow starts falling — we celebrate with special events! Winter carnivals, ice-carving competitions, holiday markets and lighting ceremonies are some of the ways we live winter to the fullest. COLORADO.com/WinterEvents
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