Labor Day weekend. A weekend where we don’t actually labor much at all but eat, drink and say an unofficial goodbye to summer. Here are some ideas to fill your three-day weekend.
A Taste of Colorado
Some of Colorado’s favorite restaurants and food vendors, more than 50, will come together for A Taste of Colorado from Friday through Monday in Civic Center Park. But Taste is more than just food. Games, shopping and, of course, some will complete the fest.
A Taste of Colorado is in Denver’s Civic Center, 101 W 14th Ave., Friday, Sept. 2, from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday Sept. 4-5, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Monday, Sept. 5 from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Colorado State Fair
In its 144th year, the in Pueblo may be offering the widest range of events and entertainment ever presented in one spot in Colorado with sideshows, games, cuisine, competitions, prizes, music, dance, arts, rodeo, livestock, heritage, culture, agriculture, education and 45 carnival rides. Concerts include Lee Brice (Sept. 2) Vanilla Ice (Sept. 3) and Huey Lewis and the News (Sept. 4). Yes, all of that.
The Colorado State Fair is at 1001 Beulah Ave., Pueblo, open until 11 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1 and Friday, Sept. 2 through Labor Day from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tickets: $20-$98 via 719-404-2071 or
Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off
Start your Labor Day weekend off with a whole lot of “whoa.” The will features the flight of 50 hot air balloons paired with breakfast and drinks from local vendors. The celebration starts bright and early at 6 a.m. Saturday with the lift off at 7 a.m. The rest of the day will be filled with skydive jumpers, games, music and watersports until a balloon glow at dusk. The fun repeats Sunday and Monday.
Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off is in Memorial Park, 1605 E. Pikes Peak Ave., from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and 6 a.m. to the end of lift off Monday.
TheBigWonderful Blues & Brews Fest
TheBigWonderful, a marketplace that brings art, music, fashion and food together in Denver, is stepping it up a notch with Blues & Brews Fest in Aurora. Featuring Otis Taylor Band, Michael Hornbuckle and Justus League at Stanley Marketplace on Sept. 3, they will be serving up beer from Oskar Blues, Sierra Nevada, Modelo and Pacifico.
The Big Wonderful Blues & Brews Fest is at Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas St., Aurora, from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 3 with tickets from $5-$25 at
The Rocky Mountain Showdown
Ah yes, the smell of rivalry on a Friday night. The University of Colorado Buffaloes take on the Colorado State Rams at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Friday night.
Rockies vs. Diamondbacks
Holiday weekends and America’s favorite pastime just pair so nicely together, especially when free stuff is involved. The Rockies will face off against the Diamondbacks in a three-game series at home. On Friday, the first 10,000 fans will receive a T-shirt and on Sunday, 15,000 fans will go home with CarGo. Well, his bobblehead at least.
Get wet at Elitch’s
Labor Day weekend is the last weekend to cool off at Elitch Gardens’ Island Kingdom Water Park. The amusement park will remain open through Halloween for Fright Fest.
Elitch Gardens is at 2000 Elitch Circle in Denver, the water park is open Friday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Riot fest
Denver’s rock ‘n roll rodeo better known as Riot Fest is back and loaded up with hip-hop, punk and alt-rock all Labor Day weekend. Read more about the Ի on Reverb.
First Friday Art Walk
The popular First Friday Art Walk along Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe will kick your long weekend off with gallery openings and receptions as well as food and boutique shopping. Stroll up and down Santa Fe popping in and out of galleries like to see their new exhibit “The Sound of Silence” that features large-scale black and white landscape photographs.
Parking can get rough, so
Free First Saturday at Denver Art Museum
Keep the culture going on Saturday when general admission is free on the Denver Art Museum on the first Saturday of the month. Current exhibits include “” and their “” theme is not to be missed.
The Denver Art Museum is at 100 W 14th Ave Pkwy. and is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Shop ’til you drop
Labor day weekend means deal, deals and more deals, especially when it comes to ski gear and equipment. Although Sniagrab may be gone, Ski Rex and Powder Daze will keep Labor Day ski sale tradition going,
