COLORADO, USA — Kids being pulled on skis behind horses and stunning mountain fireworks are just a few of the events planned this weekend at the oldest-running winter carnival in the western United States.
Steamboat’s annual celebration of winter and western heritage is back this weekend along with Frisco's Spontaneous Combustion Community Bonfire, Cripple Creek's Ice Festival, and Lake City's Ice Climbing Festival. Plus, the Winter Dew Tour moves to Copper Mountain this weekend after several years in Breckenridge.
No matter where you live in the Centennial State there is sure to be an exciting adventure awaiting you this chilly February weekend. Grab the hot cocoa and check out one of these fun events across Colorado.
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DENVER — The "most action-packed live event on four wheels" makes its annual stop in Denver this weekend. The massive monster truck extravaganza Monster Jam will rock Pepsi Center for four performances this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Trucks scheduled to appear in Denver include El Toro Loco, Megalodon, Monster Mutt, Scooby-Doo, Soldier Fortune Black Ops, Zombie, Earthshaker, and the legendary Grave Digger. Tickets to America's biggest unexpected, unscripted, and unforgettable family-friendly motorsport are available at Ticketmaster.com.
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — Head to Steamboat Springs this weekend to experience the oldest, continuous Winter Carnival west of the Mississippi. Although the festival has been underway since Wednesday, the highlights of the festival are on Saturday and Sunday. The street events feature kids being pulled on skis behind horses and adults being pulled on shovels through downtown Steamboat. On Saturday, Howelsen Hill will be lit up with illuminated skiers descending the mountain and a spectacular firework show will end the night. For a full schedule of snow sculpture judging, s’more parties, winter sports events, street slalom, ski joring, ring and spear, donkey jump, shovel races and more, visit SteamboatChamber.com.
CRIPPLE CREEK — The 13th annual Cripple Creek Ice Festival kicks off Saturday for two weekends of wintry fun. “Carver’s Choice” is the theme of this year’s festival which offers live, professional ice sculpting along the streets of Cripple Creek, plus sculptures just for kids with slides and an ice maze. There will also be live music, specialty cocktails, a beer garden and more. The Cripple Creek Ice Festival runs through Sunday, Feb. 16.
FRISCO — The Spontaneous Combustion Community Bonfire is an annual Frisco community celebration. The bonfire, fueled by the town's recycled Christmas trees, kicks off at 6 p.m. Saturday, followed by a firework show at 8 p.m. The event also features beverage and chili sales to benefit the Summit Nordic Ski Club. The Town of Frisco will be accepting Christmas trees for the bonfire through 4 p.m. Saturday at the B1 Parking Lot at the entrance to Frisco Bay Marina.
LAKE CITY — The small town of Lake City will host its annual Ice Climbing Festival on Saturday. There will be several top-roped and lead speed events in men’s and women’s categories with an awards ceremony following. On-site registration opens at 9 a.m. at the Lake City Ice Park.
COPPER MOUNTAIN — After several years at Breckenridge ski area, the Dew Tour comes to Copper Mountain this weekend. The four-day competition kicks off Thursday the world’s best male and female skiers and snowboarders competing in individual modified halfpipe, slopestyle and para snowboard competitions, along with Dew Tour’s signature Team Challenge competition and industry award shows, a special invitational competition and a calendar of fan-based activities. There will also be live music concerts and meet-and-greet opportunities through Sunday. For a Dew Tour schedule, visit DewTour.com.
RELATED: Dew Tour moves to Copper Mountain
DENVER — Golf season officially arrives this weekend with the Denver Golf Expo 2020. The expo runs Friday to Sunday at the Denver Mart. As one of the top golf expos in the country, the show will have dozens of free seminars on topics ranging from putting to swing biomechanics. There will also be free golf lessons, golf vacation information, deals on equipment and apparel, information on dozens of Colorado golf courses as well as professionals from the PGA, Colorado Golf Association, the Junior Golf Alliance and the Colorado Women’s Golf Association. Tickets can be purchased at DenverGolfExpo.com.
ESTES PARK — The 3rd annual Estes Park Wine and Chocolate Festival takes place this Saturday at the Estes Park Event Center. The region’s finest chocolatiers will be offering chocolate samples plus taste pours from a variety of wineries. Each ticket includes samples, souvenir wine glass and tote bag. Estes Park Wine and Chocolate Festival tickets are available at VisitEstesPark.com.
COLORADO SPRINGS — Homeowners will come face-to-face with knowledgeable and experienced remodeling, landscaping and building experts at this weekend’s Home & Landscape Expo in southwest Colorado Springs. The three-day festival will offer the latest in outdoor and indoor design trends with demonstrations, tutorials and advice from top professionals. The Colorado Springs Home & Landscape Expo takes place Friday to Sunday at the Norris-Penrose Event Center. A ticket discount is available at HomeShowCenter.com.
GRAND JUNCTION — The 2nd annual Explore the Outdoors Expo returns this Friday and Saturday at the Grand Junction Convention Center. The expo will showcase everything from RVs to boats, outdoor accessories, clothing and more with vendors, demonstrations, seminars and expert advice. Expo tickets are available at GJExploretheOutdoorsExpo.com.
COLORADO SPRINGS — The Colorado Springs RV & Outdoor Show runs Friday to Sunday at the Colorado Springs Event Center. Summer is just around the corner and if you’re looking to snag a good deal on an RV, you’ll have a variety of motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth wheels and more at discounted prices. Show tickets can be purchased online.
DENVER — Get ready to party this weekend like it’s the year of the rat. The 17th annual Lunar New Year Party will be held Saturday at the Grand Hyatt Denver. It’s a night of music, dance, food, drinks, a Chinese-themed marketplace with artwork for sale and, best of all, culture and education. Saturday’s party will have karaoke, silent disco, acrobats, Chinese lion dancers, food stations and more. All the proceeds go to the Nathan Yip Foundation, which provides educational funding for the most overlooked children in rural communities throughout Colorado and China. If you’d like to check out the Lunar New Year party, visit NathanYipFoundation.org for tickets.
DENVER — Jun Märkl makes his Boettcher Concert Hall return this weekend to conduct the Colorado Symphony’s performances of Frédéric Chopin’s Piano Concert No. 2. Performances, which will also feature Claude Debussy’s La Mer and Maurice Ravel’s La Valse, are scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Tickets and showtimes to your Colorado Symphony are available at ColoradoSymphony.org.
DENVER — The national tour of Summer: The Donna Summer Musical wraps up its run at the Denver Performing Arts Complex this weekend. The Broadway musical reveals how Donna Summer broke through barriers to become an icon of an era and inspiration for every music diva that followed. Summer's rise from the gospel choir to the Queen of Disco is chronicled with a score of more than 20 of her classic hits including "Love to Love You Baby," "She Works Hard For The Money," "Bad Girls," "Last Dance," and "Hot Stuff." Summer: The Donna Summer Musical plays Denver's Buell Theatre through Sunday. For tickets and showtimes, visit DenverCenter.org.
DENVER — Colorado Ballet's newest production, Peter Pan, continues through Sunday at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. With spectacular new sets, costumes and special effects, the magical ballet is a high-flying adventure to Neverland where Peter Pan, Wendy, John, and Michael experience pirates, Lost Boys, Captain Hook, an infamous crocodile and a bit of pixie dust. Peter Pan plays through Sunday. For tickets, head to ColoradoBallet.org.
FEDERAL HEIGHTS — Beauty and the Beast, Pavane of Sleeping Beauty, Tom Thumb, Empress of the Pagoda and The Fairy Garden will be brought to life this weekend by Ballet Ariel. The first of three performances of "Fairy Tale Suite and Tea Parties" is Saturday at the Pinnacle Performing Arts Center in Federal Heights.
GREELEY — The Tony Award-winning adventure Shrek the Musical will be presented by the Stampede Troupe, the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra and the Union Colony Civic Center this weekend. The musical features songs from Jeaninie Tesori and book and lyrics from David Lindsay-Abaire. Shrek the Musical brings the beloved characters from the Oscar-winning animated film to life on the Monfort Concert Hall stage. Shrek the Musical plays Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Greeley. For showtimes and tickets, check out UCStars.com.
DENVER — Comedian Brian Regan is set to headline three performances this weekend at Denver’s Paramount Theatre. Regan will take the stage Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. AltitudeTickets.com is the place for tickets this weekend.
DENVER — The 24th annual JCC Mizel Arts and Culture Center’s Denver Jewish Film Festival is now open. The festival features 43 films showcasing Jewish and Israeli cinema from around the globe, including 16 Denver premieres, six Colorado premieres and 14 Rocky Mountain premieres. The festival runs through Wednesday, Feb. 19. Festival tickets can be purchased at JCCDenver.org/Film or at JCC Mizel Arts and Culture Center box office is located at 350 S. Dahlia Street in the Staenberg-Loup Jewish Community Center lobby.
DENVER — First Baptist Church of Denver will hold "Masquerade in Red," a fundraiser to repair its 75-year-old Grand Aeolian-Skinner Organ, on Saturday. The event will feature hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar, live auction, cabaret-style concert, ballroom dancing lessons and more. The fundraiser begins at 6 p.m. Saturday at 1373 Grant Street in Denver. Tickets are $40 and are available online.
LOVELAND — The Colorado Eagles, the AHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche, are back in action this weekend at Loveland’s Budweiser Events Center. The puck drops between the fast-flying Eagles and the San Jose Barracuda at 7:05 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Grab your tickets today at ColoradoEagles.com.
COLORADO SPRINGS — The Colorado College men’s ice hockey team aims to snap a six-game losing streak when they host St. Cloud State this weekend in Colorado Springs. The CC Tigers will face the Huskies at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 6 p.m. Saturday at Broadmoor World Arena. For tickets, visit CCTigers.com.
FRISCO — The 50th annual Frisco Gold Rush is the longest running Nordic event in Colorado. The event consists of classic and skate races open to skiers of all ages and abilities. There will be 25K, 10K, 5K Youth and 1K Fun Ski events on Saturday. Gold Rush registration can be completed at FriscoGoldRush.com. The Town of Frisco will also have a firework display near the Frisco Bay Marina at 8 p.m.
PARKER — Parker Parks and Recreation Run Series' signature run/walk arrives this Saturday at Bar CCC Park. The Valentine's Day 5K/10K is a fun, festive workout followed by a post-race pancake breakfast. A free kids' dash follows the race for children 8 and under. Runners and walkers are welcome to register at ParkerRec.com.
LYONS — Head to Lyons this Sunday if you're looking to run and/or ride some of Colorado's best roads and trails. Runners can tackle the 10K flat course made of trails and gravel paths. Riders will have the choice between 50 km or 100 km of dirt courses. Sunday's Old Man Winter Bike Rally & Run begins at 10 a.m. at LaVern Johnson Park. Race registration can be completed online.
Would you like to see your favorite Colorado festival, fair, expo, concert, drama, musical, ballet, run or event listed in 9Things? Send it to alexander.kirk@9news.com.
Have a wondrous weekend!
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