Here are five places worth adding to any music fan’s bucket list. Don’t forget to pack your dancing shoes.

Aspen

Aspen is a small town with big city energy when it comes to live music, thanks to its mix of venues, festivals and sporting events that draw bands from around the country. is the premiere club to catch a concert whether you’re a fan of EDM, country music, blues, indie rock or reggae. The historic caters to fans of classical music and opera. And the festival season runs year-round with winter attractions like and summer events like . In June, the takes over the town with a plethora of events at indoor and outdoor venues, before its sister festival, , pops up with a more traditional main stage festival experience in the fall. All that, plus free shows during ski season and summer make Aspen a must-visit for music lovers.

Buena Vista

Whether you’re a casual music fan or a hardcore festivarian, Buena Vista has the tunes to sonically satisfy. The town’s most high-profile venue is , a sprawling 277-acre plot of land used as a festival grounds complete with the full destination camping experience. Previously the site of Billy Strings’ Renewal festival, in 2025, Meadow Creek hosts Pretty Lights for the two-day (June 27-28) and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard for a three-day event called (Aug. 15-17).

Downtown Buena Vista boasts several indoor venues, such as the at the Surf Hotel and , that host local and nationally touring bands across a variety of genres. When the weather is nice, fans can take in a concert at outdoor spaces like The Lawn (also at the Surf Hotel) and , located 6 miles south of town on the banks of the Arkansas River.

Dillon

First opened in the 1990s, the got a major upgrade in 2018 and has become the hallmark of the town’s summer music scene. It regularly attracts artists you might otherwise see on the lineup at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, including Alison Krauss & Union Station, Tash Sultana and Rainbow Kitten Surprise in the 2025 season. But with a roughly 3,600-person capacity – less than half that of Red Rocks – seeing those acts in Dillon promises to be a more intimate experience. And because it����ap located on the shore of Lake Dillion, which is surrounded by peaks, the view isn’t bad either. Shows usually require a ticket, but not always, as bands play for free as part of the venue’s Monday music series.

Telluride

Though it����ap one of Colorado’s far-out enclaves, Telluride is a stop on nationally touring bands’ calendars because of the myriad festivals it hosts each summer. The box canyon comes alive with the sound of music for events like the in June, which has become a time-honored tradition for locals and artists alike over its 50-plus year history, and in August, which includes a second line parade down Colorado Avenue every year. Free concerts on and in Mountain Village, which is just a short gondola ride away, keep the vibes rolling through the summer before the season concludes with the incomparable in September.

Even in the winter, though, fans are likely to catch an act they like at the historic or local bars like and . The ski resort also books local DJs to play at restaurants on the mountain, because dancing is the best way to stay warm – trust us.

Vail

Similarly to Dillon, the town of Vail boasts a state-of-the-art amphitheater that bands forgo radius clauses to perform at. The opened in 1987, and in July of that year, Willie Nelson was the first artist to christen the stage. The outdoor venue has grown from hosting six concerts in its first year to dozens, including acclaimed acts like O.A.R. and Melissa Etheridge, both of whom will be stopping by this summer after performances at Red Rocks. The amphitheater is also known for hosting dance performances and classical music, like the annual .

Elsewhere in Vail, is a mainstay for live music with performers almost every night of the week, and is the place to dance the night away to the tune of DJs. All the aforementioned venues book their calendars in the winter months, too, from après hour to late night.

For more than 50 years, the has been a must-hit destination for music lovers. Those willing to make the trek to this remote enclave of Colorado are rewarded with an endless supply of A+ talent, stunning mountain views and convivial vibes that are so magnetic they’ll draw you back year after year.

But don’t just take my word for it. Many artists return to play the fest multiple times because of the atmosphere.

That’s true of Colorado’s own , which marked its 24th appearance at Telluride Bluegrass Festival this year. The 52nd annual event took place at Telluride Town Park from June 19 to 22, and to suggest it might feel like old hat after performing two dozen times is almost offensive.

“Yeah, totally… if by ‘old hat’ you mean ‘dream gig we’d mud wrestle each other to play every year,’” said bassist Ben Kaufmann in an email interview. “It����ap Telluride – there’s nothing else like it.”

The town of Telluride and its unique setting in a box canyon, surrounded by 13,000-foot-plus peaks, is certainly an obvious draw for musicians and fans alike. The members of bluesy pop outfit , who performed Friday night, took turns describing it in an interview at the festival grounds: “Beautiful,” “majestic,” “utopia,” and “sublime” were just a few of their choice words.

Singer Rachael Price added that the festival is unique because of how “artist-friendly” it is. The musicians who perform can also access the VIP seating area to watch other bands they know and love.

“That����ap a really kind thing to do because I think it makes all the artists wanna support each other and we’ve seen such incredible sets here over the years,” Price said.

This year was the band’s fourth time on the bill, and its set featured favorites from its newest album, “Good Together,” alongside excellent covers. In true Telluride Bluegrass form, there were a few surprises. Lake Street Dive collaborated with other musicians on the lineup to reimagine its funky hit “Party on the Roof” as a bluegrass tune before welcoming legendary banjo player Béla Fleck to the stage for a soulful cover of Hall & Oates’ “Rich Girl.”

That collaborative spirit is one thing that keeps performing interesting and exciting, said drummer Mike Calabrese, likening the culture to that of the renowned Newport Folk Festival.

“Be ready to be asked to play with other people and be ready to ask other people to sit in with you,” he said.

Artist comingling doesn’t just happen on stage. Lake Street Dive bassist Bridget Kearney and keyboardist Akie Bermiss recounted playing Dungeons & Dragons with the banjo player from Sam Bush Band and several sound engineers.

“It was a blast, it was battle royale,” Bermiss said.

Though New Orleans’ has played in Telluride before, 2025 was the first year it joined the bluegrass festival. Co-founder Keith Frazier – who plays the bass drum with a cymbal mounted on top, using a screwdriver for the latter – said he’ll take any opportunity to perform in the mountain town because of how supportive the fans are.

“The community really comes out to support. Whatever music they have, they come out and support,” Frazier said. That was perhaps no more evident on Sunday afternoon, when attendees commandeered the “standing only” walkway near the front of the stage during Rebirth’s set and transformed it into a massive dancefloor.

“If you want to be a part of it, you have to really want to be here. If you’re not from here, it����ap a long drive,” he added. “So people come and they really want to be here.”

Artists, like folk singer , noticed that from the stage, too. “One thing I find so special about this festival is you guys are so quiet, until you need to be,” she said. “I’ve never ever experienced that at a festival. Only in Telluride!”

That confluence of factors has inspired traditions unique to Telluride Bluegrass Festival, such as sleeping in line overnight to be the first for the morning tarp run and brunch picnics at the main stage. During Yonder Mountain String Band’s set, fans throw a barrage of marshmallows at the members on stage. Kaufmann said the genesis of that tradition remains “one of those great mysteries.”

“It����ap endearing, it����ap distracting, and somehow it keeps you from overthinking the enormity of the gig — because instead of nerves, you’re busy dodging 20,000 airborne marshmallows,” he said. “That said, we definitely feel for the stage crew. Pretty sure we owe the festival about 20 new carpets.”

Always a crowd favorite, we’ll wager that won’t keep them from receiving an invitation to next year’s event.

Saturday. Forget goats: rescue puppy yoga has all the animal goodness of that formerly trendy activity, but with the scrappy cuteness of puppies. The first of three Puppy Yoga with Soul Dog Rescue sessions starts Saturday, June 14, at Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace, bringing pups in need of adoption to the vendor-driven venue’s Sky Rink (on the south side of the building).

“Attendees can stretch, smile, and maybe even meet their new best friend when they join us on the Sky Rink … for a heartwarming one-hour yoga session led by the amazing instructors at Rise Yoga & Wellness alongside some very special furry guests from Soul Dog Rescue,” organizers wrote. Sessions will also take place July 12 and Aug. 9.

The event is 8:30-9:30 a.m. at 2501 Dallas St. in Aurora. Tickets are $10.61 per person, per session. Call 720-990-6743 or visit for more information. — John Wenzel

Juneteenth Music Festival

Sunday. Among the metro-area events celebrating the official holiday of Juneteenth (Sunday, June 19), the revival of the beloved Juneteenth Music Festival looms large. It’s held in the Five Points neighborhood despite major changes over the last year — thanks in large part to sponsor The Drop 104.7 FM — and returns Sunday, June 15, with headliner Juvenile (a free, public show) and an 11 a.m. parade along Welton Street, along with 100 vendors and lots more family-friendly programming.

It all takes place along Welton, with the main stage at 2700 Welton St. All ages and open to the public. See , schedule and get VIP tickets at — John Wenzel

Telluride Bluegrass Festival

Thursday-June 22. If you ever wanted to check out the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, 2025 could be your year — seriously! There are still four-day passes and single-day tickets available for sale, as well as some camping passes, a rarity in the fest’s recent history.

The event, coming to Telluride’s Town Park Thursday, June 19-Sunday, June 22, celebrates its 52nd year to the tune of headliners Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, Greensky Bluegrass, Lake Street Dive, Sam Bush Band, Punch Brothers and more. Though many of the acts are mainstays on the lineup, a unique one is Toy Factory Project, a super-group of sorts that will perform live for the first time in the box canyon. The group was formed in honor of the late Toy Caldwell, co-founder of Marshall Tucker Band, and features one of his former bandmates plus members Marcus King Band, Blackberry Smoke and more.

Telluride Bluegrass Festival comes to Town Park, 500 E. Colorado Ave. in Telluride, June 19-22. Tickets cost $130 for single-day admission and $405 for a four-day pass. Buy tickets and find more information at . — Tiney Ricciardi

1940s Ball in Boulder

Saturday. Postwar culture gets its due again at Boulder’s 1940s Ball, which revives the spirit of America as it climbed out of World War II and into the booming 1950s. This summer, aviation-themed version — producers also put on the retro-minded White Christmas Ball — returns to Boulder Airport on Saturday, June 14.

The dress-up event includes dancing, a bevy of live performances (including a Frank Sinatra tribute with a modern version of Sinatra’s original band, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra), dancing, illusions and mentalism, vintage cars, aircraft flybys, “Happy Days” co-star Donny Most and sets, props and other themed items from aviation-themed movies.

The event is 5:45 p.m.-midnight at 3393 Airport Road in Boulder. Tickets: $101.67 via . Visit for more details. — John Wenzel

The Telluride valley will be alive with the sound of electronic dance music this summer when Denver-based producer stops by for a two-night run.

The artist – real name Tyler Coombs – visits the Western Slope Aug. 22-23 for back-to-back performances at Telluride Town Park where other renowned festivals take place throughout the summer. The event is expected to attract about 7,000 attendees and will include camping.

In addition to Of The Trees, electronic acts Tycho, Ott., EPROM, Jade Cicada, Thought Process (live band), Taiki Nulight, Curra and Air Castles are on the bill. Tickets go on sale via an artist presale on Thursday, April 17 before going on sale to the general public on Friday, April 18, via axs.com.

“My team and I are incredibly excited to bring a concert experience to a location where the natural beauty is perhaps an even bigger centerpiece to the experience than the show itself,” Of The Trees, who has previously sold out Red Rocks Amphitheatre, said in a statement. “This is the beginning of realizing the dream I’ve always had of hosting events that bring people together to a place where nature and music are intertwined in a way such as this.”

Of The Trees’ appearance marks the first large-scale EDM concert in Telluride since 2016, when homegrown producer Pretty Lights played the same venue. Pretty Lights also played in 2015 and both shows live famously in local lore because of how different the vibe was compared to the town’s signature events like Telluride Bluegrass Festival and Telluride Blues & Brews.

That was part of the appeal of booking a show with a single headliner, said Zach Tucker, vice president of production company Planet Bluegrass. The company throws Telluride Bluegrass Festival every year and wanted to offer a different kind of concert, in terms of format and genre.

In fact, the company had been in talks to bring Pretty Lights back to Telluride, but couldn’t get approval to use the venue quickly enough to make a competitive offer, Tucker said. (Pretty Lights recently announced a in late June.)

“It����ap a challenge that a lot of people who have tried to bring events to Telluride have faced. How do you (the artist) commit without an event? But then how do you approve an event without knowing who’s playing? That is the constant back and forth struggle,” Tucker told The Denver Post in January.

Tucker was happy with the amount of faith the town council put into Planet Bluegrass, which was approved to use Town Park before securing an artist – perhaps a testament to its history running the bluegrass festival for more than 30 years. The idea of bringing a different kind of act also seemed to be appealing to local leaders and as did having a nighttime concert, which allows fans to enjoy the mountains, shops and restaurants throughout the day.

“I think there’s excitement for some fresh, new change,” Tucker said.

Though Of The Trees is projected to bring millions of dollars to Telluride, where the tourism economy is king, the pitch received pushback from some locals. Organizers of the , which is slated for the same weekend, said having thousands of concertgoers in and around Town Park would impede their event����ap success, and by introducing “a completely different and incompatible atmosphere,” the Telluride Daily Planet reported.

The reason Planet Bluegrass chose those specific dates was because almost every other weekend in Telluride is already booked with long-standing events, Tucker said. The company coordinated with the Telluride Mountain Run on camping and logistics to ensure both events could still happen. After August, Planet Bluegrass plans to work with its partners in town to evaluate if the event was successful and could be replicated in future years.

“We’re excited to have those conversations and hopefully they’re all positive and we prove ourselves,” Tucker said.

Zach Tucker, vice president of the fest����ap production company Planet Bluegrass, tells The Denver Post there are “a fair amount” of tickets still available for this year’s event at . That includes passes to two campgrounds outside of downtown Telluride.

The fest (June 19-22) is one of the town’s most popular summer gatherings, welcoming about 12,000 people per day to enjoy live music in the scenic box canyon. The fact it isn’t sold out is unusual since tickets are known to evaporate almost instantaneously once they hit the digital box office.

Tucker doesn’t think the lineup is to blame. Headliners this year include Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Allison Krauss & Union Station, Lake Street Dive and, of course, Sam Bush, who has been a staple of the event throughout its 52-year run.

Instead, Tucker suspects part of the issue is that people don’t want to go through the hassle of competing for tickets.

“Some of it might be that we’re fighting that exact thought of, ‘It����ap sold out, I shouldn’t even look,’” Tucker said. “It����ap very interesting to be like, how do you change everyone’s thought that, ‘oh we can’t go so we’re not going to think about it’?”

Planet Bluegrass has been working in recent years to address the frustration caused by sell-outs. In 2023, when the festival celebrated its 50th anniversary, organizers reclaimed a number of tickets that were purchased by scalpers and bots, and then resold them to fans.

Last year, the company tried to get ahead of the bots by implementing a pre-sale registration system to verify buyers were real people. The day before tickets went on sale, fans made a $10 pre-sale purchase, which granted them access to buy festival passes the following day. (Proceeds benefitted Planet Bluegrass’ carbon offset fund.)

“Once we implemented this new program, we have not had the problems we had in 2023, so it works extremely well,” Tucker said.

According to Planet Bluegrass, the festival didn’t technically sell out in 2024. The town of Telluride allowed the event to increase its capacity late last spring, so there ended up being tickets available to walk-up patrons. It was close to selling out, but not quite all the way there, the company said.

Still, economic factors may be coming into play. Festivals around the U.S., from to , have experienced ticket sale slumps recently. Organizers last year due to , as did touring artists such as The Black Keys and Jennifer Lopez.

On , fans of the Electric Forest music festival in Michigan cite the cost of tickets, unpredictable weather, and a plethora of summer music events to choose from as potential deterrents for ticket buyers. A four-day to that event costs $600 plus additional camping fees.

Tucker acknowledged that no event is immune from the economic headwinds facing the country right now. Still, he thinks Telluride Bluegrass is better insulated than most because of its long legacy and the community it brings together. He sees the availability of tickets as an chance to bring new festivarians into the fold.

“It����ap been something so many people want to do,” Tucker said. “This is your opportunity to make this happen.”

Tickets to the 52nd Telluride Bluegrass Festival cost $130 for single-day access and $405 for a four-day pass. Find those and camping options at .

The woman, who The Denver Post isn’t naming because she is the victim of alleged sexual harassment, also included the Telluride Bluegrass Festival (aka Planet Bluegrass) and its related Annex (aka “the farm”) in the lawsuit, which was filed Friday in Boulder County District Court.

The legal action follows Ferguson’s arrest and jailing in June for violating a permanent restraining order against the woman that had been granted by a Boulder County judge for his “credible threat to (the plaintiff’s) life and health,” according to court filings.

Planet Bluegrass owns and produces events such as Telluride Bluegrass Festival (which took place June 15-18), Rockygrass Festival (July 28-30) and the Rocky Mountain Folks Fest — which returns Aug. 11-13, in Lyons.

The plaintiff is represented by Boulder attorney Paul Maxon, who couldn’t be reached for comment on Monday.

Lawyer Jon Banashek, who is representing Ferguson and Planet Bluegrass, on Monday confirmed that Ferguson had received the complaint, “which includes consequential charges, to which we will respond in court.”

The lawsuit claims that Ferguson engaged in the “persistent, outrageous, and violent sexual harassment” of the former employee and calls for a jury trial that seeks “compensation for the extreme emotional distress.” It does not name a dollar figure.

The alleged events occurred in early 2023 in Lyons when Ferguson “began subjecting (the woman) to a continuous barrage of unwanted sexual advances and innuendo,” the legal filing states. Alleged instances of verbal abuse include repeated comments about genitalia and intercourse; urging her to send nude videos of herself to Ferguson; comparing her to a dog and talking about animal intercourse; calling her a “sorceress” and inviting her to become his “queen”; and criticizing her for not traveling with him, according to the lawsuit.

Ferguson also physically grabbed her at various times, the lawsuit alleges, “to kiss her and (stare) into her eyes while asking how she felt about him …” as well as “walking up behind her and massaging her shoulders while she was working.”

Zach Tucker, the human resources manager for Planet Bluegrass, ignored the woman’s concerns when she took them to him, the lawsuit further alleges, after which Tucker “dismissed her complaint and took no remedial action.” Eleven days after the HR complaint, the plaintiff alleged that Ferguson stormed into her on-site residence and angrily fired her.

The filing goes on to claim that Ferguson also threw a rock and bowling ball through her window, kicked her out of her on-site residence with no replacement lodging, and threatened to call her abusive boyfriend. Ferguson’s lawyer Banashek said that residence was the Ferguson family home.

“I also can confirm that (the woman) was a caretaker of the Ferguson family home during a tragic time, following the immeasurable loss of Mr. Ferguson’s son last year,” he wrote via email.

Ferguson’s son, professional firefighter Griffin Charles Ferguson, died on May 26, 2022, in Lyons in a motorcycle accident, .

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The comment was an understatement. Surrounded by soaring peaks in the craggy San Juan Mountains, Telluride sits in an almost impossibly beautiful setting. I’ve been visiting regularly from my home near Aspen, Colorado, for almost 30 years, and every time I drive the final stretch into town, my breath catches when the lofty panorama bursts into view.

Well known for its ski resort, Telluride attracts plenty of summer and fall visitors, too. A season-long slate of weekend festivals ranges from bluegrass to blues, mushroom hunting to classic cars. For a time, some locals even designated one July weekend as the “Nothing Festival” to provide a break from the hectic schedule. Later this summer the star-studded Telluride Film Festival celebrates its 50th anniversary (Aug. 31 to Sept. 4).

Special programming aside, summer and fall (through mid-October, when many businesses close down until Thanksgiving) are the time to discover not just Telluride’s stellar scenery, but the hiking and biking trails scribed across those hillsides. There’s also a flourishing arts scene and plenty of independently owned shops and galleries along Colorado Avenue, the main thoroughfare.

Despite the remote location, getting to Telluride is easier than it may seem. Throughout the summer, nonstop flights from four cities — Denver, Chicago, Houston and Dallas — arrive daily at the Montrose Regional Airport, an hour and a half drive away by shuttle or rental car. Denver Air Connection also offers daily flights from Phoenix and Denver to the small Telluride Airport, on a mesa above the town. You can easily get by without a car for a weekend. Several hikes start from town, and free bus service loops through the community. A gondola, also free, runs daily until midnight between Telluride and the pedestrian-oriented center of Mountain Village, a town partway up the ski area purpose-built for visitors.

Transition and Tradition

Like many mountain resort communities that have felt the impact of a pandemic-driven surge in residents and visitors, exacerbated by soaring housing costs and the resulting employee shortage, Telluride emphasizes sustainable tourism these days. The primary message you’ll see online and in visitor guides: Be conscious not only of your environmental footprint but also of your impact on the community.

Amid the changes, some of the things that embody Telluride’s tight-knit ethos remain the same. For almost 40 years, the beloved community radio station, KOTO, has been broadcasting local news and eclectic music from a lavender-hued Victorian. For nearly the same amount of time, downtown’s legendary Free Box has drawn treasure hunters who browse among the castoffs — books, clothing, housewares — left within the worn wood cubbies. Some even find serviceable skis and other sports gear.

Victorians, a Waterfall and Tea

Acclimate to the altitude — Telluride sits at 8,750 feet — with a day spent exploring the town, which was designated a National Historic Landmark District more than 60 years ago for its importance as a late-19th-century mining hub.

Start out with breakfast at the Butcher and the Baker. If you’re not diverted by the pastries at the counter — homemade pop tarts, cinnamon buns, scones — opt for a hearty breakfast sandwich on a homemade English muffin (from $11) or house granola with yogurt and fruit ($13). The restaurant operates its own farm, which supplies fresh produce.

At only 12 blocks long by eight blocks wide, Telluride is eminently walkable. I love strolling by the meticulously kept Victorians, their candy-colored shingles and gingerbread trim intact thanks to stringent preservation and design guidelines (inside, they’re often sleekly modern). They’re not just for show, either, as stand-up paddleboards stored under a porch, camping trailers parked in the driveway or mountain bikes propped up outside reflect mountain-town activities — and gorgeous flowers bloom everywhere.

Stop in at the Telluride Historical Museum ($9), housed in a former hospital, for more insight on the town’s past; a new exhibition celebrates 50 years of festivals, starting with the Telluride Bluegrass Festival that takes place each June and attracts some 10,000 music aficionados.

If you’re near the north end of Aspen Street, look for the quarter-of-a-mile steep trail that leads to Cornet Falls, an 80-foot-high cascade that plummets off a lip of red-hued sandstone into a small pool. (Depending on water levels, you may have to cross a small side stream along the way, so watch your footing.)

Back downtown, stop by the Stronghouse Brew Pub for Bavarian-style pretzels with beer-cheese dip ($13) and an elk jalapeño cheddar bratwurst ($11) amid a buzzy beer hall vibe. The building’s stone walls (inside and out) give it a European farmhouse feel, but the setting is actually a renovated warehouse dating to 1892. Out of the nine or so beers brewed on site, I sampled the petite saison ($8 for a pint), which was light and tart.

After lunch, walk to the north end of the block to peek into the Telluride Transfer Warehouse, an arts center in the making. The one-time hub for commerce and storage, built in 1906, sat empty for almost 40 years after the roof collapsed under heavy snow in 1979. Telluride Arts, a nonprofit group, bought the building six years ago and launched a fundraising campaign to restore it as a performance and exhibition venue, with a striking design by the Seattle architecture firm Olson Kundig.

Diagonally across the street, the longtime Ah Haa School for the Arts recently reopened in a new building that includes studios and exhibition space (closed on Sundays); among the offerings are an annual buildingwide immersive art installation that was just completed and farmers market-to-table lunchtime cooking classes on select Fridays.

Head up to Colorado Avenue to browse stores and galleries. Among them, Western Rise offers tech pants, shorts and merino T-shirts for men, designed by a husband-and-wife team who have an atelier in the back. Crossbow Leather specializes in locally made bags and accessories. Mixx Projects has artisan jewelry, paintings, mixed media art and furniture. Jagged Edge Mountain Gear carries hiking apparel, shoes, backpacks and accessories. Telluride Arts has two adjacent gallery spaces; one hosts rotating shows, while the other has a new long-term exhibition that focuses on Transfer Warehouse’s history and artwork inspired by the site. If it����ap a Friday, wind down the afternoon with a gondola ride up to Mountain Village for Music on the Green, a free weekly concert series (5 p.m. to 7 p.m., through Sept. 8) that spotlights Americana, roots and bluegrass performers.

Make your dinner reservation at Petite Maison, a jewel box of a restaurant opened last year by the team behind the National, another popular spot. The menu features classic French bistro fare like coq au vin, moules frites and steak tartare (entrees from $34). The nightly bar menu special offers a less expensive option.

Then amble back up to Colorado Avenue and the Ride Lounge in the historic Roma building, which has welcomed live-music lovers since last summer. Local bands jam in the unpretentious venue amid a gallery of photos featuring musicians who have played in town, including, at the bar’s namesake, the annual Ride Festival.

Hikes, a Ghost Town and Local Spirits

Take advantage of Telluride’s mountain setting with a morning adventure: hiking, going for a four-wheel-drive excursion or tackling the via ferrata.

Before heading out, stop by Baked in Telluride for coffee and raised doughnuts the size of small plates ($2.80), foot-long maple bars ($3.30) or a bagel breakfast sandwich ($8). Take along a sandwich and maybe a sea salt dark chocolate chip cookie ($2.95) to eat on the trail.

Two half-day hikes start in town: From the top of Aspen Street, the Jud Wiebe trail loops for almost 3 miles through field and forest above Telluride, with 1,200 feet of elevation gain. The heavily trafficked Bear Creek trail starts at the south end of Pine Street and follows an old mining track for a little more than 2 miles to Bear Creek Falls, gaining some 1,000 feet.

A less-busy option: the 2-mile Ridge trail at the ski area. Ride the gondola from Telluride to the San Sophia Station. The view includes Lizard Head Peak (a distinctive vertical rock formation) and two 14,000-foot-plus-high mountains, Wilson Peak and Mount Wilson. Follow the trail signs to hike downhill, detouring to take in the bird’s-eye overlook of town. The route winds through aspen groves and meadows, finishing in Mountain Village.

Telluride Outside’s half-day, four-wheel-drive tour ($120 per person) up a road to the top of Imogene Pass is breathtaking both for the scenery and the elevation (13,114 feet). It includes a stop at Tomboy ghost town, where gold miners eked out a hardscrabble life in the early 1900s, as vividly recounted in Harriet Fish Backus’ book “Tomboy Bride.”

Telluride’s via ferrata used to be under the radar, but now three local guide services, including Mountain Trip (from $189 per person), lead outings on it. Thanks to permanently attached steel cables and rungs, you can traverse this cliff face several hundred feet above the ground — provided you don’t fear heights. You’ll get a distinct vantage of Bridal Veil Falls, Colorado’s highest free-flowing waterfall.

Post-adventure, go for the summer version of après-ski at a trio of spots around Mountain Village. On the ground floor of the Franz Klammer Lodge complex, Telluride Distilling Company serves up $5 mules, made with housemade ginger beer and vodka, and other reasonably priced whiskey, gin and agave cocktails. Next door, the Communion Wine Bar, which opened last summer, has been getting enthusiastic reviews for its lesser-known wines by the glass. Telluride Brewing Company pours its refreshing IPAs and other ales at a brewpub in the Hotel Madeline building (the brewery’s original tap room just west of Telluride remains a hub for locals who stream in after biking and kayaking.)

Finish up with a casual dinner back in Telluride. La Cocina de Luz is my go-to for tamales and giant burrito plates, accompanied by the requisite margarita (entrees from $22). Newer is the Wok of Joy, a Thai spot opened in 2021 by Joy Itthithepphana, who earned fans for her pad Thai and spicy curries while operating a food cart in Mountain Village. Now that devoted clientele packs the small dining area of this counter-service restaurant for those dishes and more (entrees average $20).

Where to Stay

The Telluride area has no shortage of luxe hotels, with the biggest concentration in Mountain Village. Last year at the Madeline Hotel and Residences (rooms from $599), an Auberge Resorts Collection property, the 155 rooms and suites were redone in a modern chalet style. An emphasis on wellness includes meditation stools in every room, chlorophyll-enhanced water in the lobby and nightly turndown service with amenities like CBD lotion. The complex also has a spa, outdoor pool, restaurant and cocktail lounge. Every afternoon at 4 p.m., Bryan Woody, the hotel’s general manager, plays the alpenhorn during a complimentary Champagne toast, as his St. Bernard, Cheyenne, greets guests.

On the west side of town, the Hotel Telluride (rooms from $369) is a reliable option, with friendly service and a relaxed vibe. The 59 rooms, all with balconies, are furnished in mountain lodge style, and the on-site restaurant serves breakfast and dinner. The hotel is within a few blocks of the commercial district and offers free shuttle service around town and cruiser bikes for loan.

If you have a car and a limited budget, consider the Bivvi Hostel Telluride, open since 2020 in Placerville, about 16 miles down the valley. Private and shared rooms, all with their own bathrooms and continental breakfast included, start at $55 per person in a dorm room.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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The 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival opened Thursday, June 15 with a mix of new and veteran artists from Bella White to Del McCoury to Béla Fleck and the Flecktones to Colorado’s own the String Cheese Incident. Other notable Telluride favorites like Sam Bush sat in with various groups during the afternoon.

As fresh snow fell on the towering peaks of the San Juan Mountains overlooking the valley, opening day weather saw sporadic rain showers mixed with short periods of sunshine as temperatures barely cracked 50 degrees. It was certainly different in past years where hot, sunny days brought thousands of music fans twirling around Town Park. The four-day 50th Telluride Bluegrass Festival runs through Sunday.

Telluride Bluegrass Festival, which celebrates its 50th anniversary June 15-18, has always been about enjoying great music in one of the most distinct locations in Colorado.

“I get chills every time I crest the hill and come into the valley and see the waterfall at the end,” Tucker said of Telluride, which inhabits a box canyon nestled among 14,000-foot mountain peaks. “It����ap the same feeling that hasn’t changed for the last 11 years I’ve made that trek. The first time I rolled in I couldn’t believe that somewhere this beautiful existed in Colorado — or in the world, for that matter.”

Despite its reputation as one of the country’s premiere music gatherings, the Telluride Bluegrass Festival has humble beginnings as a small gathering on a pop-up stage in Town Park. Since that first iteration in 1974 — when it was called the Telluride Bluegrass and Country Festival and tickets cost $2 per person or $5 per family — it����ap grown to include some 12,000 attendees and a permanent stage that����ap been rebuilt several times to accommodate the ever-popular event.

“Fifty years for a festival is almost unheard of,” Tucker said. “Only a handful have reached that milestone and maybe ever will.”

To celebrate, the festival will host a pop-up museum that chronicles the event throughout the years outside the gates for anyone in town to enjoy, whether they have a ticket or not. Historic posters will also be for sale. Additionally, Planet Bluegrass collaborated with Upslope Brewing Co. on a special beer, an orange blossom-infused wheat ale called , that will be served throughout the weekend.

Longtime festivarians and locals agree that when bluegrass reverberates throughout the box canyon, there’s an inescapable majesty that lures them back year after year. That����ap no doubt, in part, why Telluride Bluegrass Festival notoriously sells out within minutes of tickets going on sale. Tucker said that tradition dates back to the early 1990s when the festival booked James Taylor to headline.

That feeling is also a draw for bands like 2023 headliner the Sam Bush Band, which has performed at the festival dozens of times over the years. Other big-name acts on this year’s lineup include Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Punch Brothers and Yonder Mountain String Band.

Some even got their start in the festival’s contests for up-and-coming musicians before graduating to the main stage and becoming household names in the music scene. Greensky Bluegrass, which headlines the main stage on Friday night, won the band contest in 2006, while Gregory Alan Isakov, who performs Sunday, won the songwriter contest in 2007, Tucker said.

Durango resident Chris Aaland, who will attend for the 26th time this year, contends the Telluride Bluegrass Festival is more sonically diverse than its brand name suggests. The lineup continually expands to include genres such as rock, jam, gospel and world music, among others.

“It����ap bluegrass in name only,” said Aaland, who works at KSUT Public Radio in Ignacio and produces music festivals in Pagosa Springs. “It’s more of a musical appreciation festival. I love that even as an insider they book bands I’ve never heard of and make sure not to miss.”

What truly makes the Telluride Bluegrass Festival iconic — even more than the music — is the community it����ap cultivated over the last 50 years, Aaland added. His first event in 1997 was the second date that he and his now-wife shared, and they’ve been going every year since — except for in 2020 when the festival was canceled due to COVID-19. They now lodge with another couple they met in the overnight line preceding the Thursday morning tarp run, when festivarians literally sprint to claim their spot in front of the stage.

Aaland’s favorite tradition, however, is a Sunday morning potluck. Started as just a few couples who decided to get fancy with their food during the morning’s music, which is typically gospel, the brunch now includes more than 40 people who bring dishes to match a theme that changes each year. In 2023, the theme is anything to do with crab.

“Telluride’s the magic,” Aaland said. “Half my friends in the world I met on the tarp, and what a great way to go through life.”

Visual artist William Matthews tries to capture that magic every time he designs a poster for Telluride Bluegrass Festival. He estimates he’s crafted more than two dozen designs since the 1980s, though he doesn’t know the exact count. And while it����ap often a challenge to find a fresh angle, for the 50th anniversary Matthews knew he wanted to focus on the setting – “the thing that makes the fest unique,” he said.

The poster features a dreamy and colorful landscape of the valley without any development – no mining-era buildings or modern-day, multimillion-dollar mansions. Instead, Matthews tried to make the scenery “operatic” using just its natural elements.

“I wanted it to be bigger and more theatrical, but transcendent from what we think of as bluegrass where five guys stand around a mic and it����ap very focused,” he said. “I wanted this to be the opposite of that, something grand and spectacular and Western and everything we know and love about Telluride.”

After all, the mountains will remain for centuries to come — and Tucker hopes the festival will, too.

“We’re all trying to share music with as many people as possible in the most beautiful place you’ve ever been,” he said. “If we can do that 10, 20, 50, 100 more years, that’s the best thing I can imagine, and what the fest is all about.”

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Many of the Centennial State’s best summer festivals take advantage of this vivid natural palette, using it as the backdrop for live music, wine, yoga, craft beer, food, dance, theater, visual art, outdoor recreation and other joyous activities that bring people together. Below we share a list of the can’t-miss summer festivals that promise fun times around the state.

May

May 26-29
Planet V. Stargazing, fire art, glamping, live performances, silent discos, musical meditation sessions and other creativity-boosting moments await at this year’s Planet V (formerly called Burning Van). The annual Memorial Day weekend festival is held at CampV, a unique lodging and arts destination — complete with Airstream trailers, restored cabins, RV and tent sites, and several types of glamping setups — in a remote area of southwestern Colorado. CampV, Ee 26 Road, Vancorum near Naturita.

May 26-28
MeadowGrass Music Festival. Now in its 14th year, MeadowGrass helps kick off the summer by bringing more than a dozen folk, roots, funk, bluegrass and Americana musicians and bands to the Pikes Peak region. This family-friendly fest (kids 12 and younger free with an adult admission), organized by the Rocky Mountain Highway Music Collaborative, includes kids’ activities, yoga, arts and assorted workshops, guided hikes and more. This year’s headliners are Jig Jam, Donna the Buffalo and Cha Wa. La Foret Conference & Retreat Center, 6145 Shoup Road, Colorado Springs.

May 26-29
Boulder Creek Festival. A beloved Memorial Day weekend tradition since the late 1980s, the Boulder Creek Festival celebrates the start of summer with performances by more than 30 bands and entertainers on three stages. Though live music is a major focus, there’s also a painting battle, a craft beer festival, dozens of tasty food vendors, kids’ activities and booths supporting more than 200 artists, nonprofits and businesses. The Bolder Boulder 10K run also takes place on May 29 and adds to the festive atmosphere. Boulder Creek Path, 1212 Canyon Blvd., Boulder.

May 27-28
Denver Arts Festival. Support fine arts and crafts by attending the Denver Arts Festival, which highlights the many talented creatives who call Colorado home (as well as a select few national artists, too). At the festival, which is in its 24th year, you can listen to live music while perusing the works of artists specializing in everything from clay and ceramics to furniture and glass by visiting their booths. And if you’re planning to bring little ones, be sure to drop by the kids’ art zone. Central Park Conservatory Green, 8304 E. 49th Place, Denver.

May 27-29
Territory Days. Whether or not you consider yourself a history buff, you’re sure to have fun at Territory Days, which celebrates Colorado’s Wild West roots. Listen to live performances from more than 35 bands, sip brews at the two beer gardens and munch on delicious food, then shop the wares of hundreds of craft vendors. Kiddos will love the pony rides, costumed characters, petting zoo, train rides, mechanical bull and gold panning activities. Old Colorado City, Colorado Avenue between 23rd and 27th streets, Colorado Springs.

June

June 3
Manitou Springs Colorado Wine Festival. Wine, sunshine, mountain backdrop — what more do you need? This one-day affair celebrates all the delicious reds, whites and rosés made right here in Colorado. And if wine isn’t your thing, there’s also mead and glögg, plus food trucks and live music. Memorial Park, 502 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs.

June 8-11
Parker Days. This long-running festival, organized by the Parker Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation, has all the hallmarks of a good time: carnival rides and games, live music, kids crafts, silent disco, street performers, food trucks, more than 200 artists and vendors, culinary demonstrations and more. Downtown Parker.

June 10-11
Denver Chalk Art Festival. You’re guaranteed to walk away feeling inspired by this colorful festival, which features more than 150 artists covering the streets with impressive works of art. Golden Triangle neighborhood, Denver.

June 10-11
Taste of Fort Collins. The All-American Rejects and Lil Jon will be headlining this year’s Taste of Fort Collins, which includes activities for kids and food vendors. Washington Park, 321 Maple St., Fort Collins.

June 11-Aug. 13
Colorado Shakespeare Festival. Get in touch with your literary side while enjoying Boulder’s warm summer nights during performances throughout June, July and August. This year, you can snag tickets to “Much Ado About Nothing,” “The Winter’s Tale,” “King Lear” and “The Comedy of Errors,” written by that 400-year-old playwright Bill Shakespeare. You can also catch a show by another English playwright, Richard Bean, called “One Man, Two Guvnors.” Most performances take place under the stars at the Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre, though a few are held indoors. University of Colorado Boulder campus.

June 14-18
Rocky Mountain Star Stare. Ponder the mysteries of the cosmos with fellow stargazers at this five-day affair, which includes scientist talks, kids’ games and activities, a homemade telescope exhibition and, of course, unobstructed dark-sky observing sessions. Gardner.

June 15-18
FIBArk Whitewater Festival. Watch athletes skillfully navigate Class III-IV rapids on the Arkansas River as they compete in various challenging races during this long-running festival. Standup paddleboard boxing, surfing, raft sprints, slalom races and the annual 26-mile downriver race are all on tap this year. There are more lighthearted events too, like the raft rodeo, which awards paddlers for their silly moves. And live music, food, a kids area, running races, skateboarding and more. Salida.

June 15-18
Sonic Bloom Festival. Enjoy four nights of electronic music, plus camping, yoga classes, art installations, workshops, speakers and more at this boundary-pushing gathering in southern Colorado’s Spanish Peaks Country. Hummingbird Ranch, Rye.

June 15-18
Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Demand was so hot for the 50th anniversary of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival that tickets sold out back in December. Unfortunately, there’s no waitlist, but you can check with the organizers for any refunded ticket resale options. Telluride.

June 15-17
Colorado BBQ Challenge. Big changes are coming to the annual Colorado BBQ Challenge: After 27 years on Frisco’s Main Street, this beloved fest is moving to Copper Mountain. You can still expect great music, fun competitions and, of course, mouth-watering smoked meats. Plus, summer resort activities like mountain biking, go-karts, bumper boats, a climbing wall and a “Ribs and Jibs” rail jam, to name a few activities. Copper Mountain.

June 16-18
Food & Wine Classic. As is usually the case, this popular Aspen festival is sold out, but if you’re committed to trying to make it this year, be sure to join the waitlist. Aspen.

June 16-17
Colorado New Play Festival. For 25 years, this Steamboat Springs festival has been helping plays go from “page to stage” with a week of rehearsals, workshops and other collaborative moments. Members of the public can also support new play development by attending readings, which help the playwrights get a sense of audience reactions. See the various event venues and purchase tickets online. Steamboat Springs.

June 16-17
Vail Craft Beer Classic. Need an excuse for a road trip? Look no further than this peppy beer festival, which spotlights brews from more than 50 Colorado craft breweries. Vail.

June 16-18
Strawberry Days. Now in its 126th year, this fruit-focused celebration includes a parade, an arts and crafts show, live music, kids’ activities and tasty eats. Glenwood Springs.

June 17
Lake Dillon Beer Festival. Sip IPAs, pilsners and sours from 30 Colorado breweries while ogling the breathtaking views of Lake Dillon and the surrounding mountains. Your ticket benefits the Colorado Brewers Guild and the Blue River Watershed Group. Dillon.

June 22-Aug. 3
Bravo! Vail Music Festival. Get your classical music fix with six weeks of concerts throughout scenic Eagle County. Vail.

June 22-July 4
Greeley Stampede. What started as a community celebration for local potato farmers more than a century ago has blossomed into a massive festival, complete with concerts, rodeo events, carnival, Western art show, golf tournament, demolition derby and more. Jam out during performances by Flo Ride, Sam Hunt, Lee Brice, Dustin Lynch, Tyler Hubbard and other big-name performing artists. Greeley.

June 22-25
Telluride Yoga Festival. Re-center yourself and create meaningful connections during yoga, meditation and wellness classes led by a variety of presenters like Jewel, Koya Webb, Sianna Sherman and Desiree Rumbaugh. Telluride.

June 22-25
Jazz Aspen Snowmass June Experience. Treat yourself to a long weekend jam-packed with music in the Roaring Fork Valley. More than 40 performances at 12 venues are on tap this year, with artists like Galactic, Greyboy Allstars and Veronica Swift bringing their unique sounds to downtown Aspen.

June 23-25
Blues From the Top Music Festival. Blues, roots, rock, jam, soul, gospel and other musical genres take centerstage at this event, organized by the Grand County Blues Society. This year’s headliners include Grace Potter, Samantha Fish featuring Jesse Dayton, Devon Allman Project with Jimmy Hall & Larry McCray, Blood Brothers with Mike Zito & Albert Castigila and Shemekia Copeland. Rendezvous Event Center, Winter Park.

June 23-25
Colorado Lavender Festival. With farm tours, seminars, crafts, live music and arts and crafts booths, this festival pays homage to the calming, light purple herb that grows so well on the Western Slope. Palisade.

June 24
Red, Whites & Brews. Grab your friends and venture up to Steamboat Springs for this one-day celebration of wine, beer and live music. Steamboat Springs.

June 24-25
Bacon and Bourbon Festival. Imagine biting into a perfectly crispy strip of bacon, then washing it down with a sip of smooth bourbon. That fantasy can become your reality when you attend this food-and-drink-focused event in Keystone, which also includes concerts and kids’ activities. Keystone.

June 24-25
Snowmass Art Festival. Admire the work of Colorado and national artists at this juried show, which includes ceramics, sculpture, painting, photography, wood, glass and other mediums. Snowmass.

June 24-30
Aspen Ideas Festival. Join some of the brightest minds in medicine, business, sustainability, journalism, art, science and other fields as they discuss some of the world’s most pressing issues – as well as potential solutions to global problems. Organized by the Aspen Institute, this festival brings more than 100 speakers to the Roaring Fork Valley to help you “think big and get inspired.” Aspen.

June 29-Aug. 6
Colorado Music Festival. Musicians from 23 states, four provinces and three countries converge upon Colorado to produce this magical six-week concert series at Boulder’s historic Chautauqua Auditorium. From classical masterpieces to more contemporary pieces, this annual festival offers concerts for everyone — even little ones. Boulder.

June 29-Aug. 20
Aspen Music Festival and School. This is one of Aspen’s longest-running and proudest annual traditions, dating back to 1949. In addition to training the next generation of talented musicians, organizers put on more than 400 concerts and events, ranging from full-scale operas to insightful lectures — and nearly everything in between. Aspen.

July

July 1-3
Cherry Creek Arts Festival. For its 32nd festival, CherryArts is bringing 260 artists from three countries to town so they can show their work to the public and try to impress a jury of five art professionals. Last year, the three-day affair — which also includes food trucks, live music, interactive art and kids’ activities — generated more than $4.1 million in total art sales. Cherry Creek North Shopping District, Denver.

July 5-10
Rooftop Rodeo. Break out your cowboy boots for this high-altitude rodeo, which includes a parade, the crowning of rodeo royalty, mutton bustin’, bull riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing and more. Estes Park.

July 6-9
High Mountain Hay Fever Bluegrass Festival. Soak up the views of the stunning Sangre de Cristo Mountains while listening to the upbeat sounds of bluegrass artists like Dry Branch Fire Squad, Ralph Stanley II & The Clinch Mountain Boys and The Baker Family. Bluff and Summit Park in Westcliffe.

July 7-16
Crested Butte Wildflower Festival. Immerse yourself in the colorful blooms by attending any of the more than 200 wildflower-focused workshops, hikes, tours and other events at this annual fest. Crested Butte.

July 7-9
Drishti Beats Yoga & Music Festival. Back for its second year, this three-day gathering draws on the restorative power of yoga, live music, nature and community. Snowmass.

July 7-8
Colorado Brewers Rendezvous. Help raise money for the Colorado Brewers Guild and Salida Chamber of Commerce by sipping beers from 70 Colorado craft beers in beautiful Riverside Park. Salida.

July 8-9
Art in the Park. Help Steamboat Creates celebrate the 50th anniversary of its beloved summer festival, which features more than 150 vendors and their handmade art, gifts and crafts. Steamboat Springs.

July 15-16
Keystone Wine and Jazz Festival. Sip and groove your way through River Run Village during this can’t-miss weekend in the mountains. Keystone.

July 20
The Big Eat. Love Denver’s thriving food and drink scene? If so, show your support by attending The Big Eat, a one-day food festival where you can munch on bites and sip on drinks from more than 60 independent restaurants and bars. Also enjoy performances by Izbo and David Lawrence & The Spoonful. Galleria at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, 1400 Curtis St.

July 21-22
Royal Gorge Whitewater Festival. Head south for two days filled with the three Bs: boats, bands and beer. Now in its 13th year, this festival is guaranteed to make you smile with quirky events like a standup paddleboard parade, a “weenie” dog race and a floatie rodeo. Centennial Park, Cañon City.

July 22-23
Colorado Dragon Boat Festival. Celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander culture and heritage with two days of dragon boat races, delicious food, shopping, entertainment and camaraderie. Sloan’s Lake, Denver.

July 28-30
Buffalo Bill Days. Golden’s Wild West roots are in the spotlight at this three-day event, which includes a parade, pancake breakfast, car show, musical entertainment, kids’ activities, arts and crafts festival, mutton bustin’ and more. Golden.

July 28-30
Mountain Fair. This funky tradition, now in its 52nd year, offers a little bit of everything: There’s a wood-splitting contest, a 14-mile race up Mount Sopris, a pie and cake baking competition, a pottery throwing relay, art vendors, food and tons of live music. This year’s performers include Moon Hooch, the Bright Light Social Hour and Shinyribs. Carbondale.

July 28-Aug. 7
Vail Dance Festival. Marvel at the incredible talent and artistry of the dancers who join this annual gathering, which includes 12 boundary-pushing performances. This year’s lineup includes Martha Graham Dance Company, L.A. Dance Project, Music From the Sole, BalletX, DanceAspen and artists from other top dance companies. Vail.

August

Aug. 3
Denver Burger Battle. Since 2010, Colorado restaurants have been duking it out to determine who’s got the best burger of them all. You’ll be able to sample each one — and bask in all the savory, meaty goodness — while sipping beer, wine and cocktails. And you can feel good knowing your burger habit will support Firefly Autism, a nonprofit helping children and families living with autism spectrum disorder. Auraria Campus, Denver.

Aug. 4-6
Leadville Boom Days. Venture up to the highest incorporated city in North America for a long weekend packed with family-friendly activities that celebrate Leadville’s mining and Old West heritage. Wander through the street fair, cheer on your favorite donkey during the burro races, watch the parade and ogle impressive vehicles at the car show. Leadville.

Aug. 4-8
Larimer County Fair. Back for its 140th year, the Larimer County Fair is a beloved Northern Colorado tradition that features 4-H shows, a parade, exhibitions, games, a cornhole tournament, rides, pig wrestling, a farmers market and more. This year also marks the 75th year of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Rodeo, held in conjunction with the fair.

Aug. 5
Olathe Sweet Corn Festival. Corn is having a moment this year, thanks to a viral video of a cute 7-year-old named Tariq professing his love for the juicy yellow vegetable and gleefully exclaiming, “It����ap corn!” (And if you don’t know what we’re talking about, do yourself a favor and look it up.) What better way to celebrate the majesty of this starchy staple than by heading to Olathe for its 33rd annual festival? Olathe.

Aug. 5-12
Sand & Sage Round-Up. Head east for a fun week of live music, carnival rides, a parade, rodeo events and other family-friendly activities at the Sand & Sage Round-Up, aka the Prowers County Fair. Lamar.

Aug. 5-6
Bluegrass & Beer Festival. Since 1996, this two-day fest has been the place to be if you love string bands, craft beer and stunning mountain scenery. Keystone.

Aug. 5-6
Snowmass Plein Air Art Festival. More than 20 Colorado artists will set up shop in Snowmass and spend four days getting inspired by the awe-inspiring natural surroundings. Then, over the weekend, they’ll put their masterpieces on display so that festivalgoers can ooh and aah and, ideally, take a painting or two home. Snowmass.

Aug. 10-12
Vail Wine Classic. Whether you love whites, reds, rosés, bubbles or all of the above, you’re sure to find your new favorite wine at this three-day event, which includes paired dinners, seminars and grand tastings with wineries from all over the world. Vail.

Aug. 11-13
Rocky Mountain Folks Festival. Pop your tent and plop down your lawn chair along the banks of the mighty St. Vrain for three days of folk music and community. This year’s lineup includes Charley Crockett, Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band and Larkin Poe. Lyons.

Aug. 11-13
Telluride Jazz Festival. Gregory Porter, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Tower of Power, The Soul Rebels and Jamison Ross are just some of the talented musicians slated to play this year’s festival, which has been running since 1977. Telluride.

Aug. 11-13
Sculpture in the Park. Back for its 39th year, this Loveland festival features 2,000 works from 160 artists from around the world. Admire the artworks in the park and maybe even buy one to take home. Benson Sculpture Garden, 2908 Aspen Drive, Loveland.

Aug. 12-13
Estes Park Wine Festival. This popular wine festival typically sells out, so grab a ticket while you can and enjoy unlimited wine tastings, live music, food and shopping in scenic Bond Park. Estes Park.

Aug. 12-13
Art in the Park Loveland. For more than 50 years, Art in the Park has been promoting the visual arts. During this year’s festival organized by the Thompson Valley Art League and Lincoln Gallery more than 200 craftspeople and artisans will display their works. North Lake Park, 2750 N. Taft Ave., Loveland.

Aug. 18-19
Palisade Peach Festival. Take a minute to thank the hard-working farmers who toil away to bring us these sweet, juicy fruits every summer. Now in its 55th year, this festival of deliciousness on the Western Slope includes orchard tours, a pancake breakfast, a 5K fun run, peach-eating contests, barbecue, cooking demos and more. Palisade.

Aug. 19
Snowmass Cidermass. There are so many reasons to love cider. It tastes great, for one. It����ap friendly to those folks who can’t do gluten. And it has a way of bringing people together, like it does at this festival, which features sips from more than 30 cideries and distilleries. Snowmass. s

Aug. 24-26
Breckenridge Wine Classic. Toast the beauty of the mountains in summertime at this wine-centric festival, which includes paired wine lunches and dinners, seminars, wine hikes, blind tastings and all-inclusive grand tastings. The fun spotlights more than 100 wineries, breweries, distilleries and other culinary creatives. Breckenridge.

Aug. 24-26
Durango Blues Train. This is one of the most unique festivals in Colorado: Board a historic steam-powered locomotive for six live blues performances organized by the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. As the train rolls along the tracks, you get to boogie your way from car to car. Be sure to pause now and then to admire the gorgeous scenery. Durango.

Aug. 25-26
Loveland Corn Roast Festival. This year marks the 127th year of this festival, which pays homage to those sweet yellow kernels that farmers harvest every August. The two-day celebration includes a parade, a beer garden, live music, activities for kids and, of course, tons of delicious roasted corn.

Aug. 25-Sept. 4
Colorado State Fair. Show your Centennial State pride at this long-running, family-friendly tradition. The schedule includes live musical performances, 4-H events, competitions, rodeos, carnival rides and more. Pueblo.

Aug. 26
Boulder Taco Fest. Go ahead, eat as many tacos as you want — we won’t judge. And while you digest, check out lucha libre wrestling matches, live music, pinatas and other activities. Wash it all down with a margarita (or two). Boulder Civic Area and Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder.

September

Sept. 1-3
Four Corners Folk Festival. Set up your camp chair or pop your tent in the shade of the evergreen trees for three days of live folk performances at Reservoir Hill. Marvel at the views of the San Juan Mountains while listening to this year’s performers, including Peter Rowan, Gangstagrass, Chatham County Line and Jim Lauderdale. Pagosa Springs.

Sept. 1-3
Jazz Aspen Snowmass’ Labor Day Experience. Don’t let the name fool you: There’s way more than jazz at this beloved end-of-summer music festival. Headliners this year include Foo Fighters, the Lumineers, Old Dominion and Billy Idol. Snowmass Town Park, Snowmass Village.

Sept. 2-4
Labor Day Lift Off. Colorful hot air balloons are the stars of this buoyant festival, which includes morning liftoffs, evening balloon glows, live music, skydivers and remote-controlled balloon displays. Memorial Park, Colorado Springs.

Sept. 6-9
Denver Food + Wine. Tastings, wine seminars, a cocktail and food truck contest and other culinary-focused events are all on the schedule at this year’s Denver Food + Wine Festival. The four days of festivities will highlight more than 700 wines and spirits as well as creations from more than 50 Denver restaurants. Proceeds from the event will help support the Colorado Restaurant Foundation. Tivoli Quad, Auraria Campus, 1000 Larimer St.

Sept. 7-14
Solo Flights. Love the performing arts? Then venture up to the Roaring Fork Valley for this weeklong new works festival, put on by Theatre Aspen to help directors and actors fine-tune their one-person shows. Watch the creative process work its magic as you attend performances, discussions, talkbacks, panels and receptions. Aspen.

Sept. 8-10
Longs Peak Scottish-Irish Highland Festival. You don’t have to be Scottish or Irish to appreciate Celtic culture—or, more importantly, to enjoy yourself at this lively annual shindig, which includes military music displays, whiskey tastings, strongman competitions, dog exhibitions, bagpiping contests, highland dance and a parade. Estes Park.

Sept. 8-10
Union Peak Festival. Think Copper is just for skiing? Think again. This mountain resort knows how to throw a good party, complete with live music, sports clinics and art. Copper Mountain.

Sept. 16
Snowmass Wine Festival. For a quick weekend getaway filled with wine and beautiful scenery, head to this half-day fest in the Roaring Fork Valley. As you sip and sample your way through the more than 30 tables of international wines, be sure to bid on some of the silent auction items. Your dollars help fund scholarships and grants offered by the Rotary Club of Snowmass Village. Town Park, 2909 Brush Creek Road, Snowmass.

Sept. 15-17
Telluride Blues & Brews Festival. Need an excuse for one last summer road trip? Point your wheels southwest for three days of craft beer and live musical performances in an array of genres, including gospel, soul, indie, funk, blues and jam band. Bring the kids, too, because it����ap a family-friendly affair. Telluride.

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