Horsing around outside the stock-show yards
Through Sunday. Can’t make it to the stock show? Get a fix of horsey fun at the Big Thunder Draft Horse Show in Loveland. The annual festival of huge horses includes three days of contests, with national and local teams rumbling through Budweiser Events Center. Percherons, Clydesdales, Belgians, Shires — the big breeds will be in attendance, competing in different classes and hitches. Serious fans can purchase three-day passes for $30. 6:30 p.m. today, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Budweiser Events Center, 5290 Arena Circle, Loveland; 970-619-4100. Tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for children. Buy tickets in advance by calling the BEC; tickets will also be available at the door.
A lyrical, musical winter festival in estes park
Through Monday. Cold weather is no reason to stay inside. Celebrate the season at the Estes Park Winter Festival. The party starts tonight with a free Ceilidh Barn Dance inside the pavilion at Stanley Park. Pronounced “kay-lee,” the Ceilidh is a Celtic hoedown with music, storytelling, snacks and more. On Saturday and Sunday, revelers can gather in Stanley Park for live music, shopping, a chili cook-off and an interactive ice castle complete with an ice maze, slide and other frozen fun. As part of Winter Trails Day, the Winter Festival also includes free snowshoe demos on Saturday in Rocky Mountain National Park — which is waiving entrance fees for the Martin Luther King Day weekend. Times and locations of activities vary; visit for details. Admission to Saturday and Sunday’s events at Stanley Park is $5, with fees for some additional activities, like wine tastings and carriage rides.
Run, eat, make and bake at oatmeal festival
Saturday. Oatmeal is a longtime breakfast favorite, and the city of Lafayette wants to throw it a party. The 16th annual Lafayette Quaker Oatmeal Festival is a full-on fiesta for the early-morning staple, with a morning’s worth of activities dedicated to the stuff. The highlight is a huge oatmeal breakfast that features a massive toppings bar for the ultimate customized bowl of oatmeal. Other events include a health fair, the “Quicker Quaker” 5K walk/run and, most deliciously, an oatmeal-themed baking contest. 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Breakfast served at Pioneer Elementary School, 101 E. Baseline Road, Lafayette. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for youth ages 3 to 12 and seniors age 60 and older. Visit for a full list of event times and locations.
