Parties abound on New Year’s Eve in Denver, whether you’re looking for a fancy night on the town, a concert or something to do with your entire family. In addition to ticketed events, the Mile High City continues its two decade-long tradition of lighting up the sky with free fireworks displays at 9 p.m. and midnight on Dec. 31. The best spot to catch them is from the 16th Street pedestrian corridor in downtown.

And please don’t forget to travel safely this evening. It����ap easy to take public transportation on New Year’s Eve because from 7 p.m. on Dec. 31 to 7 a.m. on Jan. 1, thanks to Molson Coors. Visit for more details.

Here are our 12 top picks to ring in 2026.

All-inclusive soirées

Gatsby’s White Rose Gala

The 1920s are back in style at Gatsby’s White Rose Gala, one of Denver’s biggest end-of-year parties. Grab your most glamorous getup and head to the Ritz-Carlton hotel to enjoy live music, roving performers, premium cocktails and good vibes. There will be both a band and DJs curating tunes of the era as well as dance-floor-friendly jams.

Gatsby’s White Rose Gala comes to the Ritz-Carlton Denver, 1881 Curtis St. in Denver. The party runs from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tickets cost $157.17 for entry or $161.39 for table seating at .

NYE on Tap

If you’re looking for an all-inclusive bash that’s slightly less fancy, head to Bierstadt Lagerhaus, which hosts NYE on Tap. The event includes an open bar serving cocktails and house-made beers, live music from both a ’90s cover band and a DJ, an appetizer buffet, games such as giant Jenga and cornhole, and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. Suggested dress code is “New Year’s Eve casual.”

NYE on Tap comes to Bierstadt Lagerhaus, 2875 Blake St. in Denver. The party runs from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tickets cost $124.56 at .

NYE Crystal Ball Countdown

Say goodbye to 2025 and one of Denver’s best wine bars in one fell swoop by attending the NYE Crystal Ball Countdown at Sunday Vinyl. The ticket price includes access to small bites and sweets curated by chef Cody Cheetham, three specialty cocktails, and a champagne toast at midnight. Additionally, there will be a DJ catering beats well into the night. Be sure to party like it’s Sunday Vinyl’s last night because, well, it is. Owner Bobby Stuckey plans to change the concept in 2026.

NYE Crystal Ball Countdown comes to Sunday Vinyl, 1803 16th St. Mall in Denver from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tickets cost $130 at .

Unconventional events

Y2K NYE

In the words of Prince, it’s time to party like it’s 1999. Improper City invites revelers to don their jelly sandals and JNCO jeans as they ring in the New Year to the tune of a DJ playing hits from the ’90s and early 2000s. Other activities include a photo booth, temporary tattoo station, heated tents outside on the patio and yard games. There will also be a food truck and ’90s-themed snacks for purchase.

Y2K NYE comes to Improper City, 3201 Walnut St., #107 in Denver. The party runs from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Tickets cost $25 at .

Moulin Rouge drag and cabaret

Looking for a party where you can get both toasted and tantalized? You can-can-can at Ballyhoo Table & Stage during a Moulin Rouge drag and burlesque performance, hosted by local performer Richi Ramos and the House of Ishan. In addition to entertainment, expect a cocktail upon arrival to the show, a grazing station for food and dessert, and a midnight toast. After the performance, a DJ will keep the vibes high and dance party going until 1 a.m.

Moulin Rouge comes to Ballyhoo Table & Stage, 3300 Tejon St. in Denver. Doors open at 9 p.m. and the show starts at 10:30 p.m. Tickets range from $124.56 to $135.23 for individual admission and $289.95 to $620.74 for a table with beverages provided at .

Trivia & Chill NYE

If dressing up and fighting crowds are not your thing, head to Western Sky Bar & Taproom in Englewood in your comfiest pair of pajamas — seriously, that’s the encouraged dress code — for trivia. And not just any trivia, as questions will encapsulate the wonderful and weird events that occurred in 2025. Seating is first-come, first-served and additional board games will be available to play.

Trivia & Chill NYE comes to Western Sky Bar & Taproom, 4361 S. Broadway in Englewood. Trivia runs 7 to 9 p.m. and is free to attend. Find more information on .

Concerts

Decadence

Denver’s long-running, two-night Decadence event draws EDM fans from all over the world with its top-notch DJs, back-to-back sets and unique collaborations. This year, the lineup includes arena-quality headliners such as Denver’s own Illenium, Zeds Dead, Subtronics, Excision, Louis the Child, Of the Trees, Troyboi, Tape B, Dr. Fresch and others over two nights, Dec. 30-31, at the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver. The website says tickets are sold out, but check back a day or two before the event for additional ticket releases, according to promoters.

Decadence comes to the Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th St. in Denver. Sets start at 6:30 p.m. and go late (very late). Sold out — as of now — with a handful of tickets likely available just before the show. All sets are 18 and up. See for more details.

Itchy-O’s “Saturnalia”

West Denver’s Federal Theatre has already gotten off to a great start after handsome renovations and a September grand-reopening, but it’s really ramping up for NYE with a themed concert that puts the powerful Itchy-O act on its wide stage. The “Saturnalia” show furthers the 50-person Denver band’s ritualistic designs with members conducting “their own ancient Roman festival of Saturn into a modern ritual for those looking to escape any run-of-the-mill New Year’s jag,” according to the band’s website. The show includes openers and Alternative Tentacles labelmates Wheelchair Sports Camp and The Dream Eaters.

Itchy-O’s “Saturnalia” comes to the Federal Theatre, 4335 W. 44th Ave. in Denver, from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Dec. 31. Tickets are $55.43. The show is 18 and up; or under 18 with a parent or guardian. Visit for more details.

Get into a jam

Jam, folk and bluegrass bands, along with tribute acts, tend to proliferate during NYE, and that’s true again this year as names such as Pigeons Playing Ping Pong (at the Ogden Theatre), Dead Floyd (at Globe Hall) and others take the stage for concerts on Dec. 31. Amid the bounty, we recommend checking out the gritty pleasures of the long-running Five Points venue Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, which is hosting both The New Mastersounds in its main room and DeadPhish Orchestra in its connected Other Side venue, Dec. 30-31 for both bands.

The New Mastersounds will play Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, 2637 Welton St. in Denver, Dec. 30-31, but tickets are only available for the Dec. 30 show, $49.78. Ages 16 and up. Visit for more details.

Kid-friendly events

Elitch Holidays

Elitch Gardens, the thrill-ride theme park in the heart of urban Denver, has brought back its eye-popping holiday lighting display (formerly: Luminova) as part of Elitch Holidays, and they’re not leaving New Year’s Eve out in the cold. Elitch’s will be open on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31 for anyone looking to ramp up to the New Year with a family-friendly spectacle, with downtown’s separate drone and fireworks shows within viewing distance from the park, and Christkindlmarket a mile or so away at the Auraria Campus. The Elitch’s installation itself features 4 million lights, select rides and attractions, hot cocoa, adult beverages, and more.

Elitch Holidays runs through Jan. 4, 5-9 p.m. daily at 2000 Elitch Circle in Denver. Tickets are $30 per person, with parking $20 per car. All ages admission; kids 2 and under are free. Tickets are good for multiple dates and times. Visit for more details.

Noon Year’s at Children’s Museum

The Children’s Museum of Denver at Marisco Campus will open its doors for a daytime celebration for kiddos, featuring “the glitz and glam of NYE in Times Square, all before bedtime!” as organizers put it. The Noon Year’s ball will drop every hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with festive music (including the all-day dance party Club 2026), special New Year’s-themed programming and access to exhibits and play areas. Also running: the seasonal outdoor experience, Snow Days, where the ball drop will occur. That includes sledding (on real snow, no matter the weather), a skating rink and more. (Note: The next-door Downtown Aquarium is also holding its annual Sharkey’s New Year’s Eve Bash on Dec. 31; visit for more.)

Noon Year’s takes place at the Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus, 2121 Children’s Museum Drive in Denver, starting at 9 a.m. on Dec. 31. Tickets, only available at the door, are $19.75 for ages 2-59, $17.75 for year-olds and seniors, and free for those under 1. All activities are included with admission. Visit mychildsmuseum.org/events for more details.

Daytime fun in Northfield — and at libraries

Another Noon Year’s Eve for the whole family will take over the northeast Denver’s Shops at Northfield on Dec. 31, with a balloon drop, kids’ activities, live entertainment, face painting and more. And this time? Admission is totally free (not including food and beverage or retail purchases, of course). Nearby are plenty of bars, restaurants, a movie theater and other kid-friendly spots.

Also free and easy: Noon Year’s events at public libraries in Denver, Arvada, Longmont, Lakewood, Aurora, Thornton, Smoky Hill, Louisville and other Front Range locales. Storytime, kid’s activities and more offerings are on tap (see individual locations for details).

Noon Year’s Eve at The Shops at Northfield takes place at 8340 Northfield Blvd. in Denver, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., on Dec. 31. Admission is free, with items available for purchase. Visit for more details.

It����ap the most wonderful time for a beer!

The Great American Beer Festival returns to Denver for its 42nd year from Oct. 10 to 12, bringing with it hundreds of breweries serving seemingly bottomless beer. While there are some changes on tap for this edition, what remains the same is that festival fun isn’t limited to just the Colorado Convention Center.

Dozens of ancillary events pop up around the Mile High City for revelers to enjoy when they aren’t sipping samples at one of the GABF sessions. I’ve highlighted some of my favorites in an itinerary of sorts, so you can indulge whichever day you’re free from Wednesday through Saturday. And know you can also stop by any of �ٱ�Ա����’s best beer bars, which typically celebrate with tap takeovers and other special events.

Tickets to GABF are on sale at .

Wednesday: The Krispy King Lager Competition

Variety is the spice of life on the GABF festival floor, but one style reigns supreme at this kickoff event. The Krispy King Lager Competition, now in its third year, brings together the most crushable recipes from 35 breweries nationwide. Only one, however, will be crowned king by a panel of judges. All you have to do is sit back and swill. Attractions beyond beer include the ‘s mobile lounge, arcade games on the , lager doughnuts from and trucker hats from .

The Krispy King Lager Competition comes to Barrels & Bottles Brewery (1055 Orchard St., Golden) from 3 to 7 p.m. Free to attend. Find more information at .

Thursday (early): Denver Rare Beer Tasting XV

The Denver Rare Beer Tasting has been raising awareness about prostate cancer for 15 years, one sample at a time. The event, organized by Pints for Prostates, collects dozens of the most coveted bottles from breweries around the country, some of which may never be commercially available again. That����ap a great incentive to also get a free health screening while you’re there as part of the Brewers Health Initiative. Tickets include unlimited beer samples, a collectible glass and T-shirt, lunch and access to an online auction.

Denver Rare Beer Tasting XV comes to Bierstadt Lagerhaus (2875 Blake St., Denver) from noon to 4 p.m. Tickets cost $200. Find more information at .

Thursday (late): National Black Brewers Day celebration

Join the National Black Brewers Association in Five Points to celebrate . The organization established this holiday in 2023 to recognize the historical and ongoing impact of Black beer professionals who have shaped the industry. It chose Oct. 10 to memorialize Theodore A. (Ted) Mack Sr. and his business partners, who purchased Peoples Brewing Company in Oshkosh, Wis., on on that day in 1970, making it the state’s first Black-owned brewery. Expect live music, eats from Ron & Zo’s Brother Most Wanted BBQ food truck, and good vibes.

National Black Brewers Day comes to Spangalang Brewery (2736 Welton St., Denver) from 7 p.m. to midnight. Free to attend. Find more information at under “news and events.”

Friday: GABF Bierhalle Brawl

Beer and yelling are two peas in a pod. Or at least they will be during the Bierhalle Brawl, a live pro wrestling event at Bierstadt Lagerhaus in RiNo. The event promises “jaw-dropping moves, intense rivalries, and electrifying entertainment” from the athletes at . Just don’t try this at home, folks, no matter how much liquid courage you have.

GABF Bierhalle Brawl comes to Bierstadt Lagerhaus (2875 Blake St., Denver) starting at 9 p.m. Free to attend. Find more information at .

Saturday: Great American Cider Friends

Burned out on beer? GABF is leaning into additional beverage options this year and you should, too. The folks at Stem Ciders make it easy by opening their taps in RiNo to cidermakers from around the country. The GACF party runs from Thursday through Saturday with special tappings and events. You’ll want to close out the weekend there as those sporting GABF wristbands get BOGO deals on house pours to pair with live music that night.

Great American Cider Friends comes to Stem Ciders (3040 Black St., #101, Denver) during normal operating hours. Free to attend. Find more information at .

Saturday-Sunday. Interactive, all-ages experiences are often hard to get outside of museums and parks, but this weekend offers something for the whole family in Colorado Springs — provided that your family loves unicorns. Unicorn World will take over the Colorado Springs Event Center on Saturday, Aug. 10, and Sunday, Aug. 11, with a “magical forest and animatronic unicorns,” organizers wrote, as well as an arts and crafts section, story time and “colorful, life-sized, moving and neighing unicorns” and, of course, lots of things to buy.

This year they’ll also debut balloon bubble houses, a wish wall and “the world’s largest unicorn vending machine” (OK, sure?). Tickets: $41 for adults and children; free for kids under 2. Note: Tickets will not be sold at the event and are only available in advance. 3960 Palmer Park Blvd. in Colorado Springs. Visit for more. — John Wenzel

Catching Smoke

Saturday. Smoky flavors are divisive. For some, eating and drinking char-tinged foods or beverages is like being forced to lick a campfire. For others, the experience provides an untamed but still comforting connection to the human desire to stay warm. The point? If you love smoky flavors — or even if you’re just curious — check out the first-ever Rauchfest on Saturday, Aug. 10, at Mythmaker Brewing in Fort Collins.

The event brings together a rare collection of 13 beers, all brewed with smoked malts, from nine Colorado breweries, including Verboten Brewing & Blending, Zwei Brewing, Timnath Beerwerks, Our Mutual Friend Brewing and Bierstadt Lagerhaus. Tickets are $15 and include your first 10-oz pour and a souvenir glass. After that, you can buy samples in varying sizes. The fest runs from noon to 7 p.m. at Mythmaker, 1035 S. Taft Hill Road in Fort Collins. Get tickets and more information at . — Jonathan Shikes

Attention, White Claw fans

Saturday. If you’re a White Claw devotee, chances are you’ll find something to love as the Fizz Fight returns to Denver this weekend after a five-year hiatus. A ticket to the locally produced, 21-and-up event on Saturday, Aug. 10, gets you unlimited sampling from 50-plus bubbly, alcoholic beverages (and a few NA ones), for $43-$48.

Also on tap: a Best in Bubbles competition, food trucks, a live DJ, and craft vendors, organizers said. The event runs 3-7 p.m. at Sloan’s Lake Park, 1611 N. Raleigh St. in Denver. Tickets are available at , and more details are at . — John Wenzel

A Golden-hued arts fest

Saturday-Sunday. The Golden Fine Arts Festival returns for its 34th installment this weekend with free admission, diverse visual art, live entertainment, beer and wine gardens, and food galore for the estimated 15,000 people (or so) expected per day. The will feature 100 artist booths, with items for sale and a competitive element with cash prizes for first and second places.

The outdoor, all-ages festival runs Saturday, Aug. 10, and Sunday, Aug. 11, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., centered around 11th Street from Arapahoe to Maple Streets in Golden. Visit for more. — John Wenzel

Denver is brimming with New Year’s Eve events, whether you want to attend an all-inclusive soiree, a concert or a casual party. And the holiday falling on a weekend this year makes it even more worthwhile to celebrate.

Here are 15 places to say goodbye to 2023 and hello to 2024. A bonus: If you end up near the 16th Street Mall on New Year’s Eve, pop outside to enjoy a fireworks show, which will illuminate the skyline at 9 p.m. and midnight.

Swanky soirees

Denver NYE Black Tie Party

Don your best formal attire and ring in the New Year in style at the Denver NYE Black Tie Party. Guests get to enjoy an open bar, music from local DJs and cover bands, and Vegas-style casino games. There will also be a complimentary photo booth, midnight balloon drop and party favors.

Dec. 31 from 8:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. at Asterisk Event Center, 1075 Park Ave. West, Denver. Tickets cost $135 at .

Denver New Year’s Eve White Rose Gala

The Roaring ‘20s are back in fashion as the theme of the 2023 White Rose Gala. Live entertainment will spotlight music and dance from the era. Decor and dress will reflect that timeless quality, too. Additional attractions include selfie stations and a speakeasy for VIP ticket-holders.

Dec. 31 from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Ritz-Carlton, 1881 Curtis St., Denver. Tickets cost $99-$149 at .

New Year’s Eve Dance Extravaganza

Dust off your dancing shoes and start the New Year off on the right foot at the Dance Extravaganza, which features multiple ballrooms with bands playing a variety of music styles such as bachata, swing and salsa. The event includes dance lessons as well as free-for-all fun, hors d’oeuvres and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight.

Dec. 31 from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Avalon Ballroom, 6185 Arapahoe Road, Boulder. Tickets cost $40 at .

Denver NYE Cocktail Party

Looking for an all-inclusive soiree? Look no further than the Denver NYE Cocktail Party. DJs and bands will play in multiple ballrooms at the Sheraton hotel downtown, where guests can also enjoy an open bar, casino games, photo booths and more.

Dec. 31 from 8:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel, 1550 Court Place, Denver. Tickets cost $110-$210 at .

New Year’s Eve at The Tropicana

The Colorado Mambo Orchestra will be bringing the heat to The Brown Palace and transforming the venue with its Latin- and Cuban-infused jazz tunes, led by renowned musician Raul Murciano. (You might know him from the Miami Sound Machine with Gloria Estefan.) The party includes light bites, desserts, a champagne toast and enough sonic heat to make you forget the Colorado winter.

Dec. 31 from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. at The Brown Palace Hotel & Spa, 321 17th St., Denver. Tickets cost $250-$825 at .

NYE concerts

Decadence Colorado

Outside of summer festivals, there’s hardly a bigger EDM event in the U.S. than Decadence Colorado. The Denver-based New Year’s Eve party at the Colorado Convention Center welcomes the genre’s biggest DJs, producers and groups, including the city’s own Illenium (who this summer headlined at  Empower Field at Mile High). The 2024 installment also features Red Rocks headliners such as Zeds Dead and crowd-movers like Two Friends, Mersiv, Subtronics, Steve Aoki, Sofi Tukker, Sidepiece, Ganja White Night and influential dubstep act Skrillex.

Dec. 30-31 on two main stages. Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th St., Denver. Tickets cost $109-$359 at .

Slim Cessna’s Auto Club at the Hi-Dive

A beloved country-punk tradition, Slim Cessna Auto Club’s NYE shows bring the Gothic folk sound that Denver is known for to intimate crowds for a raucous, two-night run. It’s a gritty tent revival through the funhouse mirror, with glowering, preacher-like stage presence and figurative brimstone aplenty. Swaggering, thunderous instrumentation. Cowboy hipsters. Mortality! In other words: true, ungentrified Denver.

9 p.m. Dec. 30-31 at the Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway in Denver. Tickets cost $25 per night or $40 for both at .

CloZee at Mission Ballroom

French DJ and, recently, Denverite CloZee is an international EDM headliner having one of her biggest runs yet in the Mile High City this holiday season. Her pair of shows at this sterling RiNo venue are packed with guests, including Vincent Antone, Yoko and Daggz (Dec. 30), and LYNY, Super Future and Pheel (Dec. 31).

8 p.m. Dec. 30-31 at Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St. in Denver. Ages 16 and up. Tickets cost $85-$99 at .

Itchy-O NYE at Summit

This massive Denver ensemble, which invokes fiery ritual and release as much as dark rhythms and melodies, is taking over LoDo venue Summit for what promises to be a bacchanal with (a) soul. Known for its outlandish costumes, glowing instruments and in-crowd performances, Itchy-O is a unique Denver act that must be seen (and heard) to be believed. Its NYE show is pitched as a celebration when the “ancient and avant-garde merge into a symphony of sensory upheaval.”

9 p.m. Dec. 31 at Summit, 1902 Blake St. All ages. Tickets cost $41.25-$58.50 at .

Neal Francis at the Ogden

Chicago R&B act Neil Francis plays a mean keyboard as he’s backed by airtight percussion, electric guitar and rubbery bass, his tastefully detached vocals meditating over it all. Live, the band is another potent backside activator, leading crowds through sweaty bliss and funky, ’70s-flecked dance numbers that sport as much texture as they do melody. There’s every chance this will be a legendary concert.

8 p.m. Dec. 31, with the Texas Gentlemen, Ogden Theatre, at 935 E. Colfax Ave. 16 and up. Tickets cost $45 at .

Casual affairs and family-friendly parties

The Improper Circus

Ring in 2024 with help from aerial performers, fire breathers, stilt walkers and tarot card readers when the Improper City bar in RiNo transforms into a circus for the last night of the year. The ticket price includes a welcome drink, complimentary big-tent snacks like popcorn, and a champagne toast at midnight.

Dec. 31 from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Improper City, 3201 Walnut St., Denver. Tickets cost $35 at .

NYE on Tap

Denver brewery Bierstadt Lagerhaus plans to host a New Year’s Eve party sure to delight beer and cocktail drinkers alike. The all-inclusive ticket price buys access to an open bar featuring Bierstadt lagers as well as liquor, an appetizer buffet and a champagne toast at midnight. A DJ will also be onsite spinning tunes.

Dec. 31 from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. at Bierstadt Lagerhaus, 2875 Blake St., Denver. Tickets cost $99 at .

NYE Family Carnival Extravaganza at Bounce Empire

The title of this event hints at the scale of Bounce Empire, a sprawling inflatables “theme park” marketed as a DJ-driven party-pad as much as a kiddie-birthday destination. This event combines both, with full access to the huge inflatable slides and jump houses, as well as full bars and adult chill rooms, plus a full menu and other programming.

8 p.m.-1 a.m. Dec. 31 at Bounce Empire, 1380 S. Public Road in Lafayette. All ages. Tickets cost $39 at .��

Downtown Aquarium New Year’s Eve Family Celebration Sharkey, the Downtown Aquarium’s mascot, will be on hand as the cultural attraction, restaurant and venue welcomes folks for its buffet, balloon drop, contests and giveaways for kids. Reservations are required; call 303-561-4450 to secure one. Multi-course dinners are available for $45.

Seatings at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. 700 Water Drive in Denver. All ages. Tickets cost $26 for kids 10 and under, and $46 for everyone else. Reservations are available online. .

Roaring ’20s New Year’s Eve

Fortissimo’s dueling piano bar will make good on the promises of its brand name – which means “very loud” – with a raucous New Year’s Eve party. Dress the part for this Roaring ’20s-themed event and prepare to belt out sing-along songs into 2024.

Dec. 31 from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. at Fortissimo Dueling Pianos, 891 14th St., #110, Denver. Tickets cost $35-$70 at .

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, In The Know, to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox.

Here are six of our favorite Oktoberfest festivals where you can hoist beers in big steins, eat pretzels and bratwurst, listen to oompah music and play traditional games.

Copper Kettle Oktoberfest

Sept. 8-9: Copper Kettle Brewing gets the party started this weekend with the return of its annual two-day Oktoberfest celebration. The craft brewery will tap three German-style beers: Oktoberfest Lager, Dunkel Lager and Hefeweizen. There also will be live music (from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday and from 3 to 6 p.m. on Saturday); hammerschlagen both days; German food; and a dirndl and lederhosen contest on Saturday. One-liter steins will be available for purchase.

1338 S. Valentia St., Denver;

Vail Oktoberfest

Sept. 8-10 and Sept. 15-17: Vail already models itself after the Alpen towns of Germany and Switzerland, so it makes sense that this Colorado ski destination’s Bavarian-style Oktoberfest parties would be on point. The first weekend takes place in Vail’s Lionshead Village Sept. 8-10 and includes live German music and Bavarian dancers, German food and beer, performances and multiple contests, like keg bowling, bratwurst eating, stein hoisting and  costume competitions. The second weekend takes place in Vail Village Sept. 15-17 and includes all of the same.

Vail Lionshead Village and Vail Village;

Bierstadt Oktoberfest

Sept. 16. Bierstadt Lagerhaus has no patience for your early Oktoberfest parties and your seasonal creep, which is why the highly lauded brewery waits until the beginning of the holiday in Munich every year to host its own version in Denver. So, on Sept. 16, Bierstadt will tap its marzen lager (the ceremonial tapping of the fasser takes place at noon) and invites locals to don their lederhosen or dirndls for a full-fledged blowout. There will be traditional German eats, live music, stein hoisting, axe throwing and hammerschlagen.

2875 Blake St., Denver;

Breckenridge Oktoberfest

Sept. 15-17: Oktoberfest is a time-honored tradition not just in Munich, but in Breckenridge as well. OK, perhaps a little less time, but the party still goes back 27 years in the historic mountain town, which hosts its three-day festival Friday through Sunday. You’ll find plenty of German food and other festival fare, along with beers from Breckenridge Brewery and Broken Compass Brewing. There also will be stein hoisting, live music, costume contests and more.

Main Street, Breckenridge;

Denver Oktoberfest

Sept. 22-24 and Sept. 29-Oct. 1: The oldest and one of the largest Oktoberfest parties in Colorado, Denver Oktoberfest returns for its 53rd year of partying in the streets. Set up in the Ballpark neighborhood, where parts of Larimer Street will be closed, the event runs over the course of two, three-day weekends and includes tons of German food — brats, sausage, pretzels and more — along with beer, competitive stein hoisting, keg bowling, polka music, chicken dancing, a wiener dog derby, costumes and more.

21st and Larimer streets, Denver;

Left Hand Brewing Oktoberfest

Sept. 29-30: Left Hand Brewing makes one of the best marzen lagers in Colorado — rich, bready and warming — so it’s no surprise that the Longmont brewery’s annual two-day Oktoberfest party has just as much character. The family-friendly event includes live music, stein holding, brat eating and costume contests. Tickets are $10 on Friday and $20 on Saturday, and proceeds from ticket and merchandise sales and parking will benefit local nonprofits.

1245 Boston Ave., Longmont;

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, In The Know, to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox.

Call them “service fees” or “living wage fees” or fees, as restaurateur Frank Bonanno’s restaurants do, but they can range from 4 to 22% — and they are catching on as a way to offer stability in a volatile industry.

“It����ap important for local diners to be aware that, now more than ever, restaurants are not money-makers,” Colorado Restaurant Association spokesperson Denise Mickelson said.

The fees, she said, have lasted as the COVID pandemic ebbed because they offset pay disparities between front-of-the-house workers (servers, bartenders) and back-of-the-house staff (cooks, dishwashers) and help retain people amidst the industry-wide labor shortage across the country.

While servers and customers have mixed thoughts about the use of fees (Casa Bonita is facing pushback from workers over its decision to cut tipping altogether), a recent study by the concluded that 15% of restaurants nationwide now charge one.

Service charge vs. tipping

The difference between is money from a service charge can be distributed as the owner sees fit and employers must collect sales tax on them. Tips can only be distributed to front-of-the-house employees.

“My worry is that Denver restaurants may be straddling the two worlds and not committing to solely a service-fee model without tips, and that leaves a — pun intended — bad taste in guests’ mouth,” said Edwin Zoe, owner of Dragonfly Noodle and Zoe Ma Ma restaurants.

The pandemic was just a catalyst, Zoe said, for something that many restaurateurs had been considering for a long time as a way to diffuse the inequities between guest-facing employees and dishwashers and cooks, who do a lot of the grunt work but don’t get to see a penny of the tip money unless servers share it, Zoe said.

“The cost of just paying the back of the house more has to come from somewhere,” Zoe added. “The two ways are to increase prices or add a service fee. In a competitive restaurant segment like fast-casual where consumers are more price sensitive to the front end of the transaction, it is concerning for an individual business to raise prices if competitors are making up the difference on the back end of the transaction.”

Zoe said he implemented a 15% service charge, and eliminated tipping, to avoid the unintended consequences that come with tipping, like customer bias or racial discrimination, and to create a clear and set relationship with his employees.

Every one of his restaurant����ap registers has a clear “No Tipping” sign.

“Personally, I think if you have a service fee, you should have a no-tip policy,” Zoe said. “It makes it clear to our guests what we’re about. We’re not trying to have our cake and eat it too. Tipping is relatively rare around the world. It should be a thank you, not a paying for your mortgage type of relationship.”

Restaurateur Juan Padro, on the other hand, has opted to keep the tip line on the receipts at the two dozen or so restaurants he owns or runs under his Culinary Creative group, including Mister Oso, Senor Bear and Fox and the Hen. That’s on top of a 20% service charge that he first implemented in November 2020.

“I don’t think we should tell people that they can’t leave a little extra tip for a kid, but it����ap not expected,” Padro said.

Padro didn’t want to raise the prices on his menu to avoid sticker shock among customers. “People just aren’t gonna pay 25 bucks for a burger and eight bucks for a taco,” he said.

But for diners like Mike Gore, not knowing the full price upfront is an irritant. Gore stopped by Milk Market, which is owned by Bonanno, in July during his lunch break, looking for a cheap option. He decided to grab a $9 burger from Ruth’s Butchery, but with the 22% “creating happy people” fee, it ended up being $17. The cashier told him about the fee beforehand, so he decided not to tip on top of it but said he probably won’t return.

“I would rather just have the price worked into the menu, so I know how much I’m spending before the bill comes,” Gore said.

Other customers, like Jorge Velasquez, said they don’t mind a service fee.

“I know restaurants don’t have huge margins, and people should have a living wage, so if this is the way to do it, I’m happy to help,” Velasquez said. “I might just tip a little less than usual on top of it, like around 5 to 10%.”

Making restaurants like other industries

Padro argued that the service-fee model is a great first step toward making restaurants similar to other industries and helping them retain staff.

He pointed out that many other industries charge fees as well. “Why are people complaining about service charges at restaurants when you pay service charges on your cable bill, on your concert ticket, on your Nuggets ticket, on your airline ticket, on your rental car?” Padro said. “And by the way, most of those service charges go to pay administrative costs. They don’t go to their employees. Our service charge goes 100% to our employees.”

He also acknowledged that some of his front-of-the-house workers, who are used to closing out the night with a pocket full of cash rather than waiting for a paycheck, didn’t like the change. Hourly workers at his restaurants make $24 to $55. Before, he said, they were typically making minimum wage, which is currently $13.65 for non-tipped workers in Colorado. Since he’s added the service charge, Padro said front-of-the-house workers make 19% more than pre-COVID, while back-of-the-house makes 25% more.

“Once we had our initial turnover with it, we started attracting a different type of kid, who saw this more as a career and wanted to grow,” Padro said. “We’ve created all those jobs for people, like our tech guy who started as a food runner. With this model, our kids are qualifying for car loans, home loans and apartment complexes.”

Keegan Labrador has worked for Culinary Creative since 2017, starting as a bartender and working his way up to more recently becoming the beverage director for Senor Bear and Mister Oso. He said he wasn’t surprised when the company tacked on the 20% service charge, since it was already happening nationally, and has been grateful for the stability it provides.

“The service charge has been great in the sense that it offers a stable and safe environment,” Labrador said. “You never have those days anymore where you come in and do a four-hour shift, where you make only $40. You’re protected from that, and there’s a lot of value in that.”

Some service industry workers see it differently, saying the charges are a detriment to their pay and create a sense of distrust between themselves and the customer.

One bartender, who asked to remain anonymous to protect their job, told The Denver Post that her downtown Denver employer added a 5% service fee, which goes straight to cooks and dishwashers. While she’s happy to help out the kitchen staff, the bartender said she’s making fewer tips now.

“Having that service charge there takes away the autonomy from customers,” she said. “And at the end of the day, tips incentivize us to do a better job and to show up even if we’re having a bad day.”

Is the end of tipping in Denver near?

Like Zoe, Chris Rippe, owner of Bierstadt Lagerhaus in RiNo, agrees that tipping and service charges can’t coexist forever. Rippe changed the brewpub’s model to bar service only, added a 20% service charge to customers’ bills last year and removed the tip line.

“There’s this false narrative that the tip model rewards good service, but your dining experience isn’t only based on the service,” Rippe said. “That����ap only one element. There’s also the ambiance, how good your food looks and how quickly it arrives. Punishing the person who has no control over certain things, like timeliness or visual presentation, is ludicrous. I don’t think enough people understand what it takes to provide a good dining experience.”

Rippe believes that for all local restaurants to succeed with this service charge model, tipping needs to go quietly into the night.

“It����ap deceitful to turn around and also ask for a tip,” Rippe said. “I would raise the service charge percentage before I add a tip line. The cleaner and more upfront it is to customers, the more it will be accepted by customers. The more confusing it is, the harder it is for all of us to win.”

Subscribe to our new food newsletter, Stuffed, to get Denver food and drink news sent straight to your inbox.

Friday-Sunday: �ٱ�Ա����’s Bierstadt Lagerhaus, 2875 Blake St., isn’t going anywhere. And if you aren’t either, then head down to the brewery, restaurant and fun center for a variety of Orphan Christmas activities Dec. 23-25 (and yes, that includes Christmas Day).

On Friday, there will be bingo, which is free to play and includes prizes like beer and merchandise. Santa will be on hand. On Saturday, there will be live music from Matt Flaherty and Sam and Dave Randon. “They don’t know very many Xmas songs if any, so we get a sweet little break from all that for a few hours,” the brewery said. And finally, there will be a Christmas Bierhalle Party from 5 to 10 p.m. on Christmas Day with games, music, movies on the big screen, and some lager drinking. Bring cookies to share if you want.

Boogie down

Friday: Kick up your heels one last time – before digging into all those holiday treats – with a triple-decker lineup of local honky-tonk and alt-country luminaries.

The Schofields host the band’s annual Holiday Show at the Skylark Lounge with guests Casey James Prestwood and White Rose Motor Oil. Doors open at 8 p.m. and the show starts at 9. The Skylark is at 140 S. Broadway in Denver. Tickets to the 21+ show are $10 in advance at eventbrite.com and $12 the day of.

Light It Up

Saturday: One of Winter Park Resort’s most beloved holiday traditions, the Torchlight Parade, returns on Christmas Eve. The procession of torch-bearing skiers, snowboarders and snowcats, beginning at 5:30 p.m., will take place on the Larry Sale run this year, so the best viewing will be from Red Chair Plaza and at the base area in front of Larry Sale.

The day at the ski resort will also include other kinds of holiday cheer, including caroling throughout the village, photos with Santa from 1 to 4 p.m., a hot chocolate bar at Bradley’s before the parade, and a fireworks display. Get information at winterparkresort.com.

Holiday hoops

Sunday: It����ap a Denver sports double-header as the Broncos play the Los Angeles Rams in Los Angeles. And you can watch at The Lodge at Woods Boss, 675 22nd St., just around the corner from Woods Boss Brewing starting at noon. The game beings at 2:30 p.m.

But if you want actually go to a game, the Denver Nuggets host the pesky Phoenix Suns at Ball Arena at 8:30 p.m. There are still tickets available in the $25 to $35 range (for nosebleeds) at ticketmaster.com and some aftermarket sites. And if family responsibilities keep you locked down that evening, then know that this is one of the few games that Denver fans will be able to actually watch on TV since it����ap being aired on ESPN.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, In The Know, to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox.

The craft beer bar kicked off a fun-filled week each year when its digital GABF countdown clock hit 00:00:00 and owner Chris Black began tapping special, rare and delicious beers. Falling Rock also was the first stop for many out-of-state visitors coming into town for the fest and the last stop as they headed back to DIA. It was a meeting place, a hub and a heartbeat.

But Falling Rock closed in June 2021 after 24 years. The pandemic hadn’t been good to the taproom, and a years-long construction project out front and a changing neighborhood made things worse. Plus, �ٱ�Ա����’s beer culture had evolved. People were heading out to myriad taprooms all over the city to find fun and trendy new beers and experiences, eschewing the old guard beers that typically adorned Falling Rock’s 75-tap beer menu.

Which begs the questions: Where will people congregate before, during and after GABF, Oct. 6-8? What, if anything, will become the de facto meeting spot for brewers and beer geeks alike? Will there be one primary spot or a group of beer bars and breweries?

The answer for many will be , 2875 Blake St., which is already a hot meeting destination for both out-of-towners and locals during Denver events like last year’s Craft Brewers Conference and previous GABF weeks.

“Returning to Denver for the first time after Falling Rock closed offered up a conundrum,” New Jersey-based beer writer, author and editor John Holl wrote in an email to The Denver Post. “The bar was always my first stop from the airport. I’d slip in early in the week, have a quiet pint, catch up with the staff and then descend into the madness of the Great American Beer Festival.”

“When it closed, I needed a new anchor. So it was fitting last year when the Craft Brewers Conference was held in Denver … that when I walked into Bierstadt Lagerhaus for that first pint I was greeted by Chris Black of Falling Rock. He was there holding court and it all felt right and a little normal, even with no IPAs on offer. Once again, that’ll be my first stop.”

Longtime Colorado beer judge and craft brewery expert Dev Adams concurred. “I think it’ll be Bierstadt. Still easy to get to, good food and, after all the heavy beers, it’s so refreshing.”

With its insider cachet, large space, food options and great beer, Bierstadt is probably the top contender. But it’s not the only one.

We asked around to see where else beer lovers will go to help fill the void that Falling Rock left when it poured its last pint.

MobCraft Beer

Falling Rock’s Black said he will be at MobCraft Beer, a new-to-Denver brewpub that opened in early September, in the former Liberati Brewing space in Five Points. Black has teamed up with the business to offer some of his former events there, including an IPA showdown. “What we’re trying to do at MobCraft is re-create some of the camaraderie that the industry has been known for in past years — wth the focus on the event themes being to allow many breweries to participate,” Black said. But MobCraft is also very new and it hails originally from Wisconsin, so people don’t really know about it yet, and it doesn’t have any kind of track record in Denver. Nevertheless, the space is very large with a huge patio, and there’s food (from partnering restaurant Dee Tacko). The vibe will likely be comforting and familiar to people.

MobCraft/Dee Tacko, 2403 Champa St., Denver.

Goed Zuur

Like MobCraft, Goed Zuur is in Five Points, and the upscale bar, which specializes in sour and wild ales along with a small plates menu, has become a popular hangout during GABF, in part because of its rare beer list and its beautiful setting. “Downtown it����ap tough, but parts of Falling Rock’s mission are covered by Star Bar [see below], Finn’s Manor [see below] and, of course Goed Zuur,” said Black. “All three have their own vibe and specialties, and all three have really good people selecting the beer that have good relationships in the industry.”

2801 Welton St., Denver.��

Star Bar

Star Bar, despite almost no online or social media presence, has been an underground hot spot during GABF for at least a dozen years now. There’s no food and very little room to move, but its divey feel and stellar cans and draft list attract brewery staffers in particular, who are looking for an all-out party where just about anything can and does happen. “It’s where the brewers flock,” said Dev Adams. “But the popularity with the general populace seems to have waned during that week.” Nevertheless, it will likely be crowded again.

Star Bar, 2137 Larimer St., Denver. .

Finn’s Manor

Located in the heart of trendy upper Larimer Street in RiNo, Finn’s Manor has become legendary for its beer menu, which is full of rare and hard-to-find beers — even when GABF isn’t in town and no one is looking. The indoor-outdoor venue is far from luxurious and the food options have shrunk from multiple trucks to a single burger pop-up (although a delicious one), but it would be hard to do GABF week without landing at Finn’s. Black loves it. And David Lin, the owner of Comrade Brewing, said he plans to hit up MobCraft, Bierstadt (early in the week, before it gets too crazy) and Finn’s, where he says the beer list is always top-notch.

Finn’s Manor, 2927 Larimer St., Denver. .

Hops & Pie

Almost everyone we asked mentioned Hops & Pie Artisan Pizzeria. The 11-year-old spot probably has the largest and best list of craft beers on tap during GABF and just about any other time — and its pizza is some of the tastiest in the city. But Hops & Pie is located a good 20 minutes from downtown in the trendy but remote Tennyson Street art district. So heading there from the downtown corridor, where most GABF-related events take place, has to be more of a thought-out trip with a planned Uber budget rather than a short walk, scooter ride or pedicab trip from the Colorado Convention Center or the other locations on this list. Nevertheless, if you walked into Hops & Pie on Wednesday and didn’t leave until Sunday, you’d probably taste a wider variety of specialty beers than anywhere else in the city.

3920 Tennyson St., Denver.

Subscribe to our new food newsletter, Stuffed, to get Denver food and drink news sent straight to your inbox.

As the longtime home of the Great American Beer Festival, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, Oct. 6-8, the Mile High City has earned a deserved reputation as one of the world’s best beer destinations, and it����ap not hard to see why. Whether you’re craving a crisp lager, a variety of hoppy options, or something experimental, you’re bound to find it in or near Denver.

Use this list of 10 essential breweries to jumpstart your exploration.

Bierstadt Lagerhaus

Bierstadt Lagerhaus head brewer and co-owner Ashleigh Carter has been specializing in the meticulous art of lagering for nearly a decade. Her precision and knack for turning out crisp and clean recipes has turned this RiNo brewery into a destination for German-style beers. It is perhaps best known for its refreshing Slow Pour Pils and its Helles. Steins and stanges here are best enjoyed in the brewery’s massive biergarten with a Bavarian pretzel.

2875 Blake St., Denver.

Bruz Beers

Fans of Belgian beers can find more than a dozen of them on tap at Bruz Beers, which boasts two locations, one in north Denver and one just off of East Colfax Avenue. That includes fruit-forward beers, effervescent saisons, abbey-style ales and a whole menu section of sours. But don’t box Bruz in with preconceived notions: Hopheads can usually find IPAs on tap, sometimes with a Belgian twist. The beers are best enjoyed in the courtyard at the Bruz Off Fax location on York Street or in the brewery tasting room at its production location.

1675 W. 67th Ave., #100, Denver, and 1495 York St., #101, Denver.

Cannonball Creek Brewing Co.

Golden-based Cannonball Creek Brewing Co. only brews about 700 barrels of beer annually, but what it lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality. Don’t just take our word for it: Cannonball Creek has earned at least one Great American Beer Festival medal every year since it opened in 2013. Its winningest recipes include Featherweight pale ale and Vladimir Brutin brut IPA (now called Olivia Brutin John). Cannonball Creek rarely distributes its beer, so the best place to get a taste is onsite at the brewery, making it well worth the journey.

393 N. Washington Ave., Golden.

Cerebral Brewing

Experimentation is always on tap at Cerebral Brewing in Congress Park, which is known for its esoteric recipes as well as for maintaining a solid selection of IPAs. Think foeder-fermented saisons and lagers like Invisible Hand saison and Tactical Maneuver Helles, barrel-aged dark beers like Southern Jewel Sazerac-inspired strong ale, and hoppy beers brewed like they do on the West Coast, East Coast and everywhere in between. Though Cerebral has long been a small-batch operation, it����ap recently expanded to an 18,000-square-foot production facility in Aurora that will make its beer more widely available.

1477 Monroe St., Denver.

Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project

Founded in 2010, Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project quickly became a leader in the American sour beer movement. Though it has since branched out style-wise to include IPAs, pilsners and adjunct stouts, the brewery and taproom in Sunnyside still offer a plethora of recipes showcasing Brettanomyces yeast and character from wood barrels. Sample several with a flight seated at the bar, which includes a view into the production space, or on the quaint parking lot patio. Should you find yourself far north of Denver, Crooked Stave also boasts a taproom in Fort Collins.

1441 W. 46th Ave., Unit 19, Denver.

Denver Beer Co.

Does it even count as a trip to the Mile High City if you didn’t have a pint on one of Denver Beer Co.’s amazing patios? The brewery has been a stalwart since opening its first location in LoHi in 2011 and has a string of recent GABF awards. It now boasts three beer gardens, each with a pilot system, with a fourth on the way. Each one welcomes kids and fur babies, so it����ap a hotspot for the whole family.

1695 Platte St., Denver; 5768 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada; and 2425 S Downing St., Denver.

Ratio Beerworks

Ratio Beerworks in RiNo is a destination known for its A+ vibe. Whether you’re sitting inside the taproom awash in natural light, or on the patio nestled between brightly colored murals, the space welcomes drinkers to come and stay awhile. As for beer, Ratio offers a wide variety, from recent GABF medal winners Dear You saison and Domestica American ale to IPAs, Oktoberfests and Scotch ales. The carrot and edlerflower saison is also a popular choice. Now with a second location in Denver’s Overland neighborhood, there’s twice as much to enjoy.

2920 Larimer St., Denver; and 2030 S Cherokee St., Denver.

Raíces Brewing Co.

Raíces means “roots” in Spanish, and those roots run deep at this brewery on the South Platte River, where drinkers can find Latin flavors infused into the menu. Examples include Cinnamon Horchata Ale, Manguito (a mango fruit beer) and Cosecha chili pepper beer. According to the Boulder-based Brewers Association’s 2018 data, , while 2.4% consider themselves Hispanic or Latino. So in addition to serving tasty beer to Sun Valley drinkers, Raíces is a welcome hotspot for cultural events.

2060 W. Colfax Ave., Denver.

TRVE Brewing Co.

Metal isn’t just what����ap on the speakers at TRVE; it����ap also an ethos. Since opening in 2012, the brewery on South Broadway has been a haven for metalheads, but even if you’re not much into that music, there’s plenty to love about the beer list. While TRVE made a name for itself with sour and wild beers, it has since expanded its portfolio to include Belgian farmhouse-style ales and clean lagers. Pair them with something spicy from the Music City Hot Chicken restaurant onsite.

227 Broadway #101, Denver.

Westbound & Down

Named at GABF, Idaho Springs’ Westbound & Down Brewing Co. has since expanded its footprint to bring its award-winning beers to more drinkers along the Front Range. In December, it opened a 4,000-square-foot production facility in Lafayette, where it serves house-made pizza and suds. But you don’t even need to leave Denver city limits to enjoy the beer. Just stop by its pop-up taproom near Union Station for a pint.

1617 Miner St., Idaho Springs; 2755 Dagny Way, Ste. 101, Lafayette; and 1801 Blake St., Denver.

Subscribe to our new food newsletter, Stuffed, to get Denver food and drink news sent straight to your inbox.

This year, there is also a dogtoberfest, an oldtoberfest and a falltoberfest. Many of these events have similar activities, from stein-hosting to traditional keg tappings, but each has its own unique attributes and they’re spread out all over the state. Enjoy one for us. Prost.

Copper Kettle Brewing

Sept. 9-10. Copper Kettle in Denver hosts one of the larger brewery Oktoberfest parties in the city each year, offering up German-style music, food and games like hammerschlagen) over two days. There will also be branded steins for sale and a stein-holding contest. The brewery will also tap its Oktoberfest lager, along with several other German-style beers, including a hefeweizen and a Dunkel lager. No tickets are necessary; .

Lone Tree Brewing

Sept. 10. Lone Tree Brewing brings back its annual Oktoberfest and outdoor Craft Market beginning at 11 a.m. in its parking lot. There will be a three-piece polka band, a stein hoisting competition and the Schnitzelwirt food truck. The outdoor market is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with 18 vendors, including those selling jewelry, soap, jam, leather goods, pottery and more.

Dogtoberfest

Sept. 10. Denver is one of the most dog-friendly cities in the country, so it makes sense that someone would throw a dog-themed Oktoberfest — and that’s what’s happening at River North Brewing, which hosts Dogtoberfest at its Washington Street taproom. For humans, the brewery will serve its annual Festbier lager along with pretzels; there will also be an Alpine Horn Competition. For dogs, the Fetch Photo Truck will be doing dog photo shoots (signups required) from 2 to 5 p.m., while Clover Dog Co. will be selling dog treats, toys and bandanas. And Taysia Blue Rescue and Lola’s Rescue will have multiple dogs available for adoption throughout the day.

Vail Oktoberfest

Sept. 9-11 in Lionshead and Sept. 16-18 in Vail Village. Vail’s Oktoberfest has an unfair advantage every year since it is located in a town with a plethora of pseudo-Bavarian architecture and very real mountains. That setting is part of why it was named among the 10 best Oktoberfests in the U.S. by USA Today. But the free, family-friendly celebration also boasts a heavy metal polka band, among other musical acts, a keg-bowling championship, bratwurst-eating contests, German food, costumes, a stein-lifting contest, and plenty of beer, available for sale in three sizes of German-style steins; .

Kooptoberfest

Sept. 15. Wynkoop Brewing hosts is second annual Kooptoberfest starting at 6 p.m. The brewery will tap its Fest Friends Forever Festbier, brewed with Munich Malts, Tettnang and Saaz hops, which guests can pair with a Festbier glazed pretzel and sliced bratwurst. Wynkoop will have a few other German-style beers on tap as well, including a dunkelweizen, a hefeweizen and a helles. Steins are available for purchase.

Denver Oktoberfest

Sept. 16-18 and Sept. 23-25. The big daddy of Denver Oktoberfest events begins its run today and will last this weekend and next at 21st and Larimer streets. Denver Oktoberfest has been a staple here since 1969. From keg bowling to stein hoisting, food, beer, live music and much more, “there’s something here for Oktoberfest pros and first timers. So grab your stein, throw on your lederhosen and join in on the fun,” organizers say. Entry is free, although there are VIP packages available. The first night kicks off at 5 p.m. .

Rhein Haus

Sept. 17-19 and Sept. 24-26. Rhein Haus, a Bavarian-inspired restaurant at 1415 Market St., tosses its sausage into the party with a sausage toss and other Oktoberfest events this weekend and next. There will be beers from Paulaner, Sam Adams, Weihenstephaner, Prost, Wibby and Avery. “Or, for those already getting into the (German) holiday spirit, Rhein Haus’ house-made glühwein will make an early debut,” the restaurant says. There will be stein holding and bocce.

Mainstage Brewing

Sept. 16-17. Mainstage Brewing in Lyons knows how to name an event: Oktoberfestfest, which runs today and tomorrow, is a festival of Oktoberfests, Marzen and festbier styles from 25 of the best and most well-known craft breweries in Colorado. The list includes Bierstadt Lagerhaus, Comrade Brewing, Dry Dock Brewing, Left Hand Brewing, Little Machine Beer, Oskar Blues, Prost Brewing, Ratio Beerworks, Ska Brewing, Station 26 Brewing, Upslope Brewing, WeldWerks, Westbound & Down Brewing and Wibby Brewing. All beers will available for purchase in 10-ounce pours and liter sizes and served on draft. There will also be polka music, bratwursts, games, pretzels, costumes and more; .

Barnett & Son Brewing

Sept. 16-18. Barnett & Son in Parker loves to throw down for a three-day celebration each year. This time around, you’ll find Schnitzelwirt, Big Stuff food truck, stein hoisting Friday and Saturday at 6:30 p.m., and liters of freshly tapped Oktoberfest Lager.

Bierstadt Lagerhaus

Sept. 17. Bierstadt can’t be beat when it comes to honoring German traditions. Not only does it wait until today – the official kickoff of Oktoberfest in Munich – to host its party, but it will also have a maypole, a ceremonial barrel tapping of its Marzen lager and much more. Details are still TBA, but there will be live music, food, dancing, outfits and plenty more.

Docktoberfest

Sept. 17. Dry Dock Brewing brings back Docktoberfest, its long-running party, to its original location on East Hampden Avenue in Aurora. Wear your lederhosen and come hungry and thirsty because there will be pizza, wings and German-style beer, including the brewery’s Docktoberfest Marzen lager. The Polkanauts will play from 1 to 4 p.m. .

Holidaily Gluten-free Oktoberfest

Sept. 17. Golden’s Holidaily Brewing will roll out the barrels from noon to 10 p.m. with its a 7.2% ABV märzen-style lager. There will be food trucks serving sausage, brats, gluten-free soft pretzels and more, as well as music, cornhole and stein-holding contests.

Zwei Brewing

Sept. 17. “The time has come to slip on your lederhosen and dirndls, dust off your hats and boots, and quench your Märzen thirst,” says Zwei Brewing in Fort Collins, which hosts its 8th annual Oktoberfest starting at 11 a.m. There will be beer, European cuisine provided by Pierogies Factory and C-Lot Brats (formally Caupona), hours of live music (including polka) and official t-shirts.

OktoBrewfest

Sept. 23-24. Greeley’s OktoBrewfest takes place in historic Lincoln Park downtown, where there will be seven northern Colorado breweries and several local distilleries serving beverages. Attendees will also find food from nine different vendors, and yes, there will be plenty of brats, burgers, and schnitzel. Entertainment includes Randy Eckhart and the Dutch HopMakers, The Twirling Zucchinis, The UNC Jazz Lab 1 Band, the Greeley Children’s Chorale, The Colorado Conservatory of Dance, The Danny DeRail band, Incoming Groove, and more.

Breckenridge Brewery

Sept. 23-25. Breckenridge Oktoberfest, the 26th annual version, runs over three days in the historic mountain town, features collectible steins and beer from Breckenridge Brewery. There will be food, music and plenty of Oktoberfest outfits on Main Street. You can pre-order stein and beer packages early and get other information at .

Left Hand Oktoberfest

Sept. 23-24. Left Hand Oktoberfest features live music, food, costume contests, a stein-hoisting competition, polka music and lots of beer. It takes place in the brewery’s huge new outdoor amphitheater at 1245 Boston Ave. in Longmont. Tickets are $20 on .

Oktoberfest in Colorado Springs

Sept. 23-35. Weiner dog races highlight the 10th annual Oktoberfest in Colorado Springs, which takes place at the Western Museum of Mining and Industry. But you’ll also find live bands, dancing, food vendors, stein hoisting contests, costume contests, retail vendors, beer and much more. Get all the information about times, tickets and events at .

Hops & Pie

Sept. 24. This year’s Hops & Pie annual Oktoberfest will have more Oktoberfest beers on tap than ever before, and Something Vinyl will be spinning tunes all afternoon. Breweries available include: Westbound & Down, Bierstadt Lagerhaus, Wayfinder, Societe, Half Acre, Chuckanut, Jack’s Abbey, La Cumbre, Wiseacre, Toppling Goliath, Wibby, 4 Noses and Telluride Brewing.

Fall-toberfest

Sept. 24. Launch Pad Brewery puts the autumn in Fall-toberfest with a party featuring German food from Schitzelwirt Food Truck and the release of the brewery’s Festbier. (PS bring your steins.) Launch Pad rounds out the fall theme by tapping Headless Astronaut Pumpkin Beer and its World Beer Cup-award winning Pumpkin Paddy. There will also be stein holding contests and lederhosen costume contests.

Old-Toberfest

Sept. 24. Lakewood’s Old 121 Brewhouse does things its own way with Old-Toberfest where you can enjoy a pint of festbier, live music from The Inablers, along with a pretzel-making station and a stein-hoisting competition. There will also be brats, sauerkraut, and more.

Wiley Roots Brewing

Sept. 30-Oct. 1. Join Greeley’s Wiley Roots Brewing for some fun-filled festivities on Friday and Saturday, including a traditional Kolsch service from 5 to 9 p.m. both days, stein holding contests, and spätzle plates from Berlin Kraft. Wiley also has an Oktoberfest beer on tap.

Golden Mill

Oct. 2. The Golden Mill food hall in Golden welcomes in Left Hand, Ska, Four Noses, and Paulaner from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, offering samples of their Oktoberfest lagers, along with swag. From 1 to 4 p.m., there will be a live polka band, and the day will also feature a stein hoisting competition, chicken dance-off and a costume contest, all with prizes to be won.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, In The Know, to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox.