2018 Calendar of Events & Festivals / COME TO LIFE GLENWOOD SPRINGS 3RD ANNUAL FERMENTATION FEST JUNE 29–30 With a Rocky Mountain backdrop and live music, the festival will feature some of the best fermented potables from across the region, includ-ing craft beer, cider, wine and liquor. f 970-989-2233, wildwestfermentationfest.com BUFFALO BBQ WEEKEND! JULY 14–15 Join Grand Lake for our annual Buffalo Days festival featuring music, activities, 5K Buffalo Stampede, a parade with a water-zone water fight and, of course, delicious buffalo food! f 970-627-3402, grandlakechamber.com MANITOU SPRINGS 2018 MANITOU SPRINGS COLORADO WINE FESTIVAL JUNE 1 Sample & purchase wine from 30 Colorado wineries; enjoy entertainment, food and gift vendors at the base of Pikes Peak America’s Mountain. Breathtaking views with an amazing atmosphere. f 719-685-5089, 800-642-2567, manitouspringswinefestival.com COLORFEST WEEKEND SEPT. 14–16 Balloons rise against the backdrop of the San Juan Mountains and early signs of autumn. Featuring mass hot-air balloon ascensions, live music, beer, wine, food and much more. f 970-585-1200, visitpagosasprings.com GREELEY GREELEY STAMPEDE JUNE 22–JULY 4 The Greeley Stampede is Colorado’s premier summer Western celebration. Rodeo, concerts, carnival, shopping, food, Kids Korral, demolition derby, Western Art Show and more. f 970-356-7787, greeleystampede.org PALISADE PALISADE PEACH FESTIVAL AUG. 17–18 The 50th Annual Palisade Peach Festival on August 17–18, 2018. Peach pies, peach cobblers, peach ice-cream, peach drinks, peach cuisine, peach jams, peach salsas & peachy music. f 970-464-7458, palisadepeachfest.com GRANBY 3 LAKES ICE FISHING CONTEST JAN. 26–28 30th Annual tournament. Vie for more than $21,000 in cash and prizes at the best ice tourney in Colorado! Multiple adult and kids cat-egories. Entries are $35–50. f 970-887-2311, granbychamber.com/fish COMMONWHEEL ARTS FESTIVAL SEPT. 1–3 Commonwheel Art Festival is rated the best place to buy exceptional juried fine art, pottery, jewelry, sculpture & photography, all while enjoying live music on our stage. f 719-577-7700, 877-685-1008, commonwheel.com/festival KREMMLING KREMMLING DAYS FESTIVAL JUNE 15–16 Escape to Kremmling and experience free live music, vendors, a Kidzone, parade, fireman’s barbecue & games, mud bog, Mustang Mile road race, cliff golf, beer garden & much more! f 970-724-3472, kremmlingchamber.com COLORADO MOUNTAIN WINEFEST SEPT. 13–16 Sample an array of Colorado wines and participate in a variety of events such as winery tours, winemaker competitions, dueling chefs, grape stomps, wine-and-food pairings, music and more. f 970-464-0111, coloradowinefest.com JULY 4TH PARADE AND PARTY IN THE PARK JULY 4 Please join us for the best small-town parade in Colorado! The parade goes down Main Street (Agate Ave.) in Granby on Wednesday, July 4, 2018, followed by a party in Town Park. f 970-887-2311, granbychamber.com 2018 EMMA CRAWFORD COFFIN RACES & PARADE OCT. 27 Build a coffin, dress up, then race up Manitou Avenue to compete for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. The legend of Emma Crawford lives in downtown Manitou Springs! f 719-685-5089, emmacrawfordcoffinfest.com FIRE UP THE CLIFFS JULY 4 Begin your cel-ebration with a barbecue dinner, home-baked pies, live music and games for the kids. End it with a spectacular fire-works display off the famous Kremmling Cliffs at dark. f 970-724-3472, kremmlingchamber.com GRAND JUNCTION GRAND JUNCTION OFF-ROAD MOUNTAIN BIKE ENDURANCE EVENT & DOWNTOWN MUSIC FESTIVAL MAY 18–20 The Grand Junction Off-Road Endurance Mountain Bike Event and Downtown Music Festival, sched-uled for May 18–20, 2018, with 3 days of festival, an industry expo and live music. f 520-623-1584, epicrides.com MAYBELL SOMBRERO RANCHES GREAT AMERICAN HORSE DRIVE & MAYBELL HERITAGE DAYS MAY 6 Experience 600–800 ranch horses trotting through the heart of Maybell, then stay for Heritage Days in the Maybell Park. Don’t miss Sand Wash Basin wild horses or Browns Park area. f 970-985-9924, visitmoffatcounty.com PARKER PARKER DAYS FESTIVAL JUNE 7–10 The Parker Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to celebrate the 41st year of Parker Days Festival at O’Brien Park in Parker. f 303-841-4268, parkerdaysfestival.com DEMOLITION DERBY AUG. 18 Come get smashed at the Demolition Derby! Cars and trucks actually try to wreck into each other and the last car running takes the cash prize. f 970-724-3472, kremmlingchamber.com PUEBLO 34TH ANNUAL NSRA ROCKY MOUNTAIN STREET ROD NATIONALS PLUS JUNE 22–24 The premier street-rod event of the Rocky Mountain region; with more than 2,000 custom street rods in attendance, this event is sure to be fun for the whole family! f 901-452-4030, nsra-usa.com/events JUNIOR COLLEGE BASEBALL WORLD SERIES (JUCO) MAY 26–JUNE 2 The Junior College World Series draws amazing young baseball players full of talent and commitment from around the United States. f 970-245-9166, jucogj.org MEEKER MEEKERPALOOZA ARTS & MUSIC FESTIVAL JUNE 2 Fun for the whole fam-ily! Events include live music, workshops & demonstrations, Kids Art Zone, Arts & Craft Fair, Taste of Meeker, Park to Art Races and Metal Art Competition. f 970-439-0183, meekerpalooza.com LAKE CITY LAKE CITY UNCORKED WINE & MUSIC FESTIVAL SEPT. 15 Good friends, music and wine under the fall leaves of historic downtown. Seven bands, more than 100 wines for tasting, beer from San Luis Valley Brewing Company and unique food. f 970-596-9071, lakecityfestival.org COLORADO STATE FAIR AUG. 24–SEPT. 3 Bring the family for 11 days and nights of Colorado’s biggest summer party! Enjoy concerts, rodeos, carnival, livestock, ag exhibits, fiesta, free attractions and fabulous fair food. f 719-561-8484, 800-876-4567, coloradostatefair.com COLORADO PORK ’N HOPS BBQ CHALLENGE SEPT. 7–8 Buy barbecue from award-winning cooking teams, enjoy your favorite regional mircrobrews and listen to some of your favorite local bands! f 970-242-7788, porkandhops.com 32ND ANNUAL MEEKER CLASSIC SHEEPDOG TRIALS SEPT. 5–9 Premier event for northwest Colorado. 130 dog/ handler teams compete against tough Meeker sheep. Artisan, craft and food festival, art contest, silent auction and daily demos. f 970-878-0111, meekersheepdog.com DOWNTOWN GRAND JUNCTION CAR SHOW SEPT. 22 Outdoor car show fea-turing hundreds of classic cars, hot rods, exotic sports cars and more. f 970-245-9697, downtowngj.org LOVELAND LOVELAND FIRE AND ICE FESTIVAL FEB. 9–11 Celebrate Valentine’s Day weekend in Loveland! Fireworks, bands, brews, live entertainment and the arts headline this award-winning, fami-ly-friendly, free festival. f 800-980-4155, lovelandfireandice.com 24TH ANNUAL PUEBLO CHILE AND FRIJOLES FESTIVAL SEPT. 21–23 Celebrate Pueblo’s favorite crop — the infamous Mirasol chile pepper. Enjoy farmers’ markets, carnival food, chili and salsa showdowns, a jalapeño-eat-ing contest, live music and more! f 719-542-1704, festival.pueblochamber.org MONTE VISTA SAN LUIS VALLEY POTATO FESTIVAL SEPT. 8 Celebrate potato harvest in beautiful Monte Vista at the San Luis Valley Potato Festival on Sept. 8, 2018! There will be fun activities all day long and a concert to wrap it up! f 719-852-3322, coloradopotato.org/potatofestival TOUR OF THE MOON CYCLING CLASSIC SEPT. 29 Considered one of the premier recreational road-cycling events in the western US. The breathtaking Colorado National Monument makes an epic day of cycling near Grand Junction. f 303-282-9020, tourofthemoon.com SCULPTURE IN THE PARK AUG. 10–12 Join us for the 35th-annual largest juried sculpture show and sale in the US at Benson Sculpture Garden, which brings artists and art lovers from around the globe together to inspire. f 970-663-2940, sculptureinthepark.org SALIDA ARK VALLEY PRIDE JUNE 2–7 Ark Valley Pride supports and celebrates the diver-sity of the Upper Arkansas River Valley through a variety of events. f 719-221-9893, gopfca.com DOWNTOWN GRAND JUNCTION ART FESTIVAL OCT. 5–6 This new event focuses on the area’s abundant artists and local galleries. Downtown shops become weekend art galleries. Enjoy street art and wine tasting from local wineries. f 970-245-9697, downtowngj.org MONTROSE FUNC (FUN ON THE UNCOMPAHGRE) FEST JULY 14 Watersports enthusiasts, competitors and fun-loving spectators are invited to enjoy the FUNC Fest at the Montrose Water Sports Park. Music, food and a whole lot of fun awaits! f 970-497-8558, coloradofuncfest.com THUNDER IN THE ROCKIES BIKE RALLY AUG. 31–SEPT. 3 The Thunder in the Rockies Bike Rally is Labor Day week-end. An action-packed, four-day event featuring 50,000 motorcycle enthusiasts, live music, vendors, Colorado riding and more! f thunderintherockies.com 70TH ANNUAL FIBARK FESTIVAL JUNE 14–17 America’s oldest and bold-est whitewater festival. Four days of free music, river, running and mountain-bike races, including the famous Holligan Race. Something for everyone! f fibark.com GRAND LAKE GRAND LAKE WINTER CARNIVAL FEB. 10 This year Grand Lake Goes Hollywood in our Winter Carnival festival! Enjoy bed sledding, snow golf, parade, music and fireworks. Activities for kids of all ages. f 970-627-3402, grandlakechamber.com LYONS LYONS OUTDOOR GAMES JUNE 2 Lyons is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts. The Lyons Outdoor Games features a kids’ zone, trail running, biking, kayaking, yoga, 50-plus craft breweries and on-site camping. f 303-823-8250, lyonscolorado.com/outdoorgames PAGOSA SPRINGS PAGOSA PINTS AND POOLS APRIL 27–29 Enjoy craft beer tasting from many Colorado breweries and soaking in 23 individual outdoor hot-springs pools in the heart of downtown Pagosa Springs. f 970-585-1200, visitpagosasprings.com SALIDA ART WALK JUNE 21–24 Celebrating 26 years of art receptions, music, entertainment and artist demon-strations in numerous participating venues around town. Don’t miss the Mini Masterpiece Auction! f 719-530-0933, salidaartwalk.org GRAND LAKE ARTS AND CRAFTS FESTIVAL JUNE 9–10, JULY 7–8, AUG. 4–5 Handmade articles from talented craftsmen. Join us in Town Park for a wonderful array of high-quality goods. It’s also a great opportunity to explore Colorado’s No. 1 authentic small town! f 970-627-3402, grandlakechamber.com ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARADE OF LIGHTS AND FIREWORKS DEC. 1 Revel in the old-fashioned values of community that make Lyons such a magical place during the holiday season. The Parade of Lights goes down Main St. and is followed by fireworks! f 303-823-8250, lyonscolorado.com/paradeoflights FOLK N’ BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL JUNE 8–10 The 12th-annual festival provides three days of great music on scenic Reservoir Hill Park in downtown Pagosa Springs. Children under 12 attend the festival for free. f 970-585-1200, folkwest.com 22ND ANNUAL COLORADO BREWERS RENDEZVOUS JULY 14 The 22nd Annual Colorado Brewers Rendezvous at Riverside Park in historic down-town Salida will feature more than 75 Colorado brewers, live music and great food. f 719-539-2068, 877-772-5432, salidachamber.org COLORADO.COM / 21
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