It’s back! Things will start to feel a little bit normal this summer and you can celebrate a little bit of life with other humans at these famed Rocky Mountain festivals. Music, beer, dancing, art, sport—it’s all here and waiting for you to get to these fests on a classic road trip with bikes, SUPs, tents, and loved ones. Dig into the guide. Mark your calendars and we will see you out there.
MAY 2022 FESTIVALS IN COLORADO
Food Truck Carnival
May 13–15,Northglenn, CO
Indulge in everything from Vietnamese to BBQ at this tasty party featuring bluegrass and Americana music on the main stage, beer tastings and a Tilt-A-Whirl-style carnival. foodtruckcarnival.com
Upslope Get Down
May 7, Boulder, CO
Dance to live music, eat great food, crush your friends in yard games, all while sampling beers on tap at this spring fling held in the back parking lot at the Upslope Brewery. You are sure to see EO staff here and, best of all, it’s free. upslopebrewing.com/getdown
Head for the Hills Pickin’ on the Poudre
May 14, Bellvue, CO
Colorado fest season kicks off here when Head for the Hills—a post-modern bluegrass, progressive string band—hits the stage with the Horsetooth Horns and Tejon Street Corner Thieves and Morsel at Mishawaka Amphitheatre. mishawaka.com
MeadowGrass Music Festival
May 27–29, Colorado Springs, CO
Spend Memorial Day weekend shaking your thing to eclectic bands, hiking or hammocking with your fam and practicing yoga at the La Foret Conference & Retreat Center. rockymountainhighway.org
CKS PaddleFest
May 27–30, Buena Vista, CO
Held in the mountain town EO readers voted “Best of the Rockies,” this four-day paddling blowout includes comps and other fun events in whitewater, flatwater and land races in the heart of Buena Vista. You can plunge in or simply kick back and enjoy the party. ckspaddlefest.com
ARISE Music Festival
May 27–30, Boone, CO
Open yourself to this joyous event that celebrates community and life with music, yoga, camping, art and more. Alison Wonderland, Galactic, The Polish Ambassador and more will keep your body moving all night long. arisefestival.com
Denver Day of Rock
May 28, Denver, CO
Don’t miss this free one-day music event will feature four stages along Denver’s 16th Street Mall and benefit local non profit Amp the Cause. denverdayofrock.com
Festival of the Brewpubs
May 29, Arapahoe Basin, CO
Plunge in to spring skiing, tunes and brews at A-Basin’s an endless corn snow and suds block party. arapahoebasin.com/event/festival-of-the-brewpub
JUNE 2022 FESTIVALS IN COLORADO
Eagle Block Party
June 3–5, Eagle, CO
Test new bikes at the bustling demo and sign up for events like the RippinChix Skills Clinic or races like the new Enduro or the Intergalactic Footdown Championship. eagleoutside.com
Animas River Days
June 3–5, Durango, CO
Durango embraces its lifeblood—its downtown river—with whitewater slalom, kayak rodeos, boatercross and SUP races. And all this paddling fun is packed into one Saturday afternoon. animasriverdays.com
2022 GoPro Mountain Games
June 7–12, Vail, CO
Come join in on the country’s largest celebration of mountain sports or just ogle Olympians. Don’t miss three free nights of concerts, including Twiddle, Grace Potter and Gov’t Mule at the historic Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. mountaingames.com
Gunnison River Festival
June 10–12, Gunnison, CO
This festival is more than fun and games: It celebrates the importance of clean water for everyone, bringing people together to celebrate at the headwaters of the Taylor and Gunnison Rivers and regional creeks off the Continental Divide. gunnisonriverfestival.com
FIBArk
June 16–19, Salida, CO
FIBArk is the oldest whitewater festival in the world! The festival, best known for its paddling events, will include so much more this year, its 73rd year. Head to downtown Salida for four days of whitewater, free music from national acts and an always hopping beer garden. fibark.net
Telluride Bluegrass
June 16–19,Telluride, CO
Don’t miss the big daddy. Beyond the pickers, Sunday is going to be a special day with Phil Lesh and Friends headlining. bluegrass.com
Sonic Bloom Festival
June 16–19, Hummingbird Ranch, Spanish Peaks County, CO
Electronic music freaks rejoice! Join acts including Tipper, Lettuce, Lab Group, and dozens more under the sparkling Colorado skies. sonicbloomfestival.com
Denver PrideFest
June 25–26, Denver, CO
Join 350,000 people of all orientations celebrating love and inclusion. denverpride.org
Keystone’s Bacon and Bourbon Festival
June 25–26, Keystone, CO
What pairs better than bacon and bourbon? Top it off with a bacon Bloody Mary. keystonefestivals.com
Telluride Yoga Festival
June 23–26, Telluride, CO
Now in its 15th year, this limber fest includes biking, slacklining and SUP yoga events. Bonus: The gondola ferries yogis between classes. tellurideyogafestival.com
Salida Art Walk
June 23–26, Salida, CO
The lovely annual Art Walk features exhibits from local and regional artists in many forms, including art demos, musicians and busking street performers. salidaartwalk.org
Ridgway River Festival
June 25, Ridgway, CO
Float into this celebration of the Uncompahgre River and the Ridgway community. Events include SUP races, an inflatables race, a hard shells race and “Junk of the unc” race. Riverfest is produced by a Ouray nonprofit that is dedicated to helping protect the Uncompahgre River watershed. ridgwayriverfest.org
Blues From the Top
June 29-30, Winter Park, CO
Winter Park’s non-profit blues extravaganza brings some heat to the high country. It also serves as a showcase for young and up-and-coming blues artists. bluesfromthetop.org
JULY 2022 FESTIVALS IN COLORADO
Ride Festival
July 6–10, Telluride, CO
Telluride’s new-school festival features acts including James McMurty, Tyler Bryant and The Shakedown, and Danille Ponder. ridefestival.com
Crested Butte Wildflower Festival
July 8–17, Crested Butte, CO
If you want to celebrate summer in the mountains, head to one of the most colorful and beautiful festivals in Colorado. Be sure to get out on one of the insightful guided hikes. crestedbuttewildflowerfestival.com
Keystone Mountain Town Music Series
July 2, 9, and 30; August 13 and 20, Keystone, CO
The Mountain Town Music Series celebrates the sunny afternoons of summer in Keystone with outdoor concerts in River Run Village, complemented by a variety of other entertainment throughout the day. keystonefestivals.com
Under the Big Sky Festival
July 15–17, Whitefish, MT
This new Americana bash up in Whitefish should be worth the drive with headliners including Lord Huron, turnpike Troubadours, and Cody Jinks. underthebigskyfest.com
Keystone Wine and Jazz
July 16–17, Keystone, CO
Lift a glass of Malbec and bob your head to fest favorites Dotsero. keystonefestivals.com
Hanuman
July 14-17, Boulder, CO
Open your heart and experience awakening, belonging and connection at this four-day celebration of world-class yoga, mind-blowing music, inspirational experiences and nourishing community. hanumanfestival.com
Royal Gorge Whitewater Festival
July 22–23, Canon City, CO
Join in on two glorious days of boats, bands and beer along the Arkansas—and you might even take a scenic train ride along the gorge. royalgorgewhitewaterfestival.com
Oyster Ridge Music Festival
July 22–23, Kemmerer, WY
The Oyster Ridge Music Festival is Wyoming’s Largest free festival. Kemmerer is quirky and cool, too. oysterridgemusicfestival.com
Rockygrass
July 29–31, Lyons, CO
The premier hoedown for bluegrass aficionados features Sam Bush, Punch Brothers (playing bluegrass), Hot Rize, Steep Canyon Rangers, Yonder Mountain String Band, and all the hot pickin’ you can handle. bluegrass.com/rockygrass
AUGUST 2022 FESTIVALS IN COLORADO
Pickin’ in the Park
August 1, 8, 15, 22, Paonia, CO
This four-show series, with two bands each night, is free to the public and features top notch music from around the country. pickinproductions.com
Keystone Bluegrass and Beer Festival
August 6–7, Keystone, CO
Appalachia meets Colorado at this quintessential mountain festival. Add in drinks from 40+ craft breweries and you have one down-home weekend. keystonefestivals.com
Telluride Jazz Festival
August 12–14, Telluride, CO
The real sophistcation hits Colorado’s favorite festival town with jazz in the box canyon. The Motet, Yola, and Rufus Reid top an impressive lineup. telluridejazz.org
Rocky Mountain Folks Festival
August 12–14, Lyons, CO
Kick back creekside on the Planet Bluegrass grounds and enjoy an all-star lineup this year, including Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers, Ani Difranco, Sarah Jarosz, and Indigo Girls. bluegrass.com/folks
Trinidaddio Blues
August 26–27, Trinidad, CO
Cruise down to the New Mexico border for this hot, end-of-summer happening that features Bernard Allison, Vanessa Collier, Bob Margolin and more. trinidaddiobluesfest.com
SEPTEMBER 2022 FESTIVALS IN COLORADO
Four Corners Folk Festival
September 2–4, Pagosa Springs, CO
Yonder Mountain Strnig Band, Gangstagrass, Heratless Bastards—they’re all coming to this year’s fete. Spend your downtime soaking in Pagosas steamy pools. folkwest.com/fourcornersfolkfestival
Seven Peaks Festival
September 2–4, Buena Vista, CO
The Collegiate Peaks will echo with roots music: Country star Dierks Bentley, in partnership with Live Nation, will once again hold the Seven Peaks Music Festival, a multi-stage country and bluegrass extravaganza. sevenpeaksfestival.com
Keystone Oktoberfest
September 3, Keystone, CO
Dig out the lederhosen and the dirndls and bring out the family for Keystone’s Oktoberfest. Earn your Bavarian steeze at the stein hoisting contests. keystonefestivals.com
Telluride Blues and Brews
September 16–18, Telluride, CO
This fall classic will feature Buddy Guy, Gov’t Mule, John Hiatt and the Goners, Ceelo Green and more—oh, and plenty of hoppy refreshment. The Grand Tasting is the perfect way to cap off the entire festival season with one big, extended toast. Extend the buzz with late-night concerts throughout town. tellurideblues.com
Mountain Harvest
September 23–25 | Paonia, CO
Tour the local wineries and farms and lace up your boots for a full lineup of roots music at this fall shindig. mountainharvestfestival.org
OCTOBER 2022 FESTIVALS IN COLORADO
Great American Beer Festival
October 6–8, Denver, CO
The world’s greatest gathering of brews and those who make and imbibe them goes down (where else?) in craft-beer central. Designate a driver. greatamericanbeerfestival.com
