COME TO LIFE Colorado Mountain Winefest in Palisade 3 Frozen Dead Guy Days 4 Colorado Mountain Winefest Held in Nederland for more than 20 years before its resurrection in Estes Park in 2023, Frozen Dead Guy Days is an offbeat March tradition. The multiday festival features a lineup of musical acts on three different stages and a zombie bar crawl around town — in addition to spectacles like coffin races and a polar plunge. The backstory behind this quirky event is a fascinating tale involving a Norwegian man, cryonics and a storage shed in Colorado. After Bredo Morstøl’s death in 1989, his family brought his body to the U.S. where it was cryogenically frozen and later relocated to Nederland and the aforementioned shed. Packed in dry ice, “Grandpa” Bredo and his journey inspired the festival’s name and legacy. Palisade is home to towering mesas, the winding Colorado River and acres of vineyards, so it’s only natural that the Colorado Mountain Winefest thrives here. During the third weekend of September, more than 50 of the state’s wineries congregate on Riverbend Park’s lawn to top off your glass with vino and celebrate their craft. Enjoy samples from dozens of producers and stop by food trucks serving delicious bites. Sway your dance partner around to live music, partake in barefoot grape stomping, and post up for educational seminars and chef demonstrations. 64 1-800-COLORADO NATHAN BILOW Make the most of it: Take a tour of the International Cryonics Museum located in the Stanley Hotel’s Historical Ice House. Dedicated to the science of human preservation, it’s also the new home of Morstøl’s body, preserved with liquid nitrogen in a steel chamber. Make the most of it: The festival is part of Colorado Wine Week, so look for additional events throughout the Western Slope like wine dinners, chocolate and wine tastings, tours and more.
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2026: Page 64
