Every state has its stellar attractions. In Colorado, the mountains probably would top most visitors’ lists. But Colorado has other things worth celebrating, and each summer special festivals draw thousands of locals and visitors alike.
High-altitude hot-air ballooning tops the list of entertainments in many towns, including Steamboat Springs. The state’s history comes alive on its trains – the narrow gauge kind that could snake through the mountains. And if you haven’t gotten the word about Colorado wines, you just aren’t paying attention.
Here’s a look at three of Colorado’s best warm-weather festivals – events that say so much about what, besides the mountains, makes our state a place to celebrate.
Get high on Steamboat
On a cool summer morning, an enormous field on the outskirts of Steamboat Springs appears to have blossomed overnight. As the sun rises, so do the blossoms – silken sacs filled with hot air. The whoosh of gas burners breaks the morning silence, and the smell of coffee helps wake early arrivers.
The Steamboat Springs Rainbow Weekend, featuring its 25th annual Balloon Rodeo, July 9-10, will bring together some of the state’s (and nation’s) top balloonists, who are tempted by the currents and whimsies of high-altitude ballooning.
“We have some friendly winds up here in Steamboat,” says Marty Pearlman, whose official title for the event is balloonmeister. “We call it the Steamboat box – similar to what they have in Albuquerque.”
But flying at high altitudes is no piece of cake.
“A lot of our entrants come here because of the challenge,” he says. “We fill up (the 50 slots) every year.”
The event is free, and visitors can wander onto the field, chat with the pilots, “and beg for rides,” Pearlman adds.
“Even if you don’t ride in a balloon, though, it makes for spectacular photos, what with the mountains for a backdrop and all,” he says.
But what does one do once the daily ascension is over? You can chase balloons and watch them land. You can head out to breakfast, or brunch, or whatever meal appeals to you at the moment. And in the evenings, there might be a balloon glow, weather permitting.
But if you’ve had enough of balloons for the day, there’s the annual Art in the Park, an outdoor fair featuring some of Colorado’s finest artists and crafters. Vendors sell paintings and sculpture, pottery and artfully crafted kites.
At night you can head to the rodeo, where you’ll see up-and-coming cowboys who one day will be major players on the professional circuit. Or you can take in a concert. Strings in the Mountains offers classical performances most summer evenings.
If you still have time on your hands, hike to Fish Creek Falls, luxuriate in the Strawberry Park Hot Springs, paddle a kayak, rent a mountain bike or ride a horse for a different view of the spectacular landscape.
Make tracks to Durango
Few sounds evoke such a sense of history in Colorado as the mournful whistle of a train echoing off canyon walls. Narrow-gauge trains were common in Colorado, and many still survive today as tourist attractions.
Durango rolls out the red carpet for the train at its Railfest, Aug. 24-28 this year.
“People come from all over the world to see and ride the trains,” says Andrea Seid, marketing manager for the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (D&SNGR). They come to ride the train, which wends its way from Durango to Silverton and back daily in the summer months and on a more limited schedule in winter.
“We have visiting equipment,” which train buffs love to view, and special train rides, such as the President’s Train, with all luxury cars. Some folks even opt to ride on the Galloping Goose, a train made out of a bus” body and powered by gasoline.
“The railroad helped develop our nation, and in Colorado it was especially important to the mining industry,” says Bill Davis, a rail buff who also coordinates volunteers the the annual event.
“The narrow gauge was cheaper, but it also worked best for Colorado because of the steep grades and sharp curves” going through the mountains, where mining primarily took place, he says. “They just made sense.”
The annual event also includes a swap meet, at which collectors can buy and sell or trade collectibles, as well as a silent auction, should you happen to need a box car for your collection.
There’s also a railroad garden tour included in the scheduled events. Davis’ own garden will be on this year’s tour.
“I modeled mine after the railroads in Switzerland,” he says. It has three mountains, rocks, tunnels and is about 30 feet by 80 feet in size.
“I can run four trains at once, so I usually need a little help to show it off,” he says.
Palisade pours it on
When most folks think of wine country, Colorado probably isn’t the first state that comes to mind. Maybe it should be. The past two decades, the Colorado wine industry has come to fruition.
“Colorado wines have come a long way. Last year, Carlson Vineyards won the World Cup for its Riesling,” says Amy
Nuernberg, director of this year’s Colorado Mountain Winefest, Sept. 15-18.
It’s a fun event, held in the tiny town of Palisade, just east of Grand Junction. The new
Riverbend Park became the venue last year and holds three times the number of participants as the old town park. With your admission fee, you get a six-bottle canvas tote bag and can sample varieties from fruity whites to rich reds, and even sip on some related beverages, such as mead (best left to those with a sweet tooth).
Bacchus cavorts among the crowd, urging everyone to come stomp some grapes. It’s a lively event, reminiscent of Lucy and Ethel in a classic “I Love Lucy” episode. Young and old participate, as long as they don’t mind getting their feet wet (and slightly purple).
And of course, there’s food. This year, there will be an “Iron Chef”-style cook-off, and last year’s chocolate- and wine-tasting event was so popular, it’ll be repeated.
The festival caps a season of agricultural celebrations in Western Colorado. Paonia has its cherries. Olathe its sweet corn. Palisade (a month earlier, in August) its peaches. Most of those festivals happen in August.
In addition to the event in the park, visitors can take self-guided tours of area wineries to sample the wares at each.
“If you think about it, we have 38 vineyards participating, and each one brings at least four to six wines to sample. That’s a lot of wine, just at a taste of each.” Nuernberg says.
If you do it right, you’ll come away with a great appreciation for how far the Colorado wine industry has come without becoming inebriated. And you’ll surely bring some well-packed bottles home with you.
And you can take some home with you in that free canvas tote bag – if it gets too full, there’ll be a wine storage area where you can tuck your harvest until it’s time to go home.
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The details
Steamboat Springs Rainbow Weekend/Balloon Rodeo: July 9-10, Steamboat Springs. Free. Call 970-879-0882 or log on to steamboatchamber.com.
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railfest: Aug. 24-28, Durango. Call 970-247-2733 or for a full schedule of events, log on to durangotrain.com.
Colorado Mountain Winefest: Sept. 15-18, Palisade. Tickets $35 at the gate, $30 in advance, $20 for non-drinkers. Call 800-704-3667 or log on to coloradowinefest.com.
