COLORADO, USA — The "Daddy of 'Em All" is back in Cheyenne for a 126th year. Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Parker McCallum help kick off Cheyenne Frontier Days.
The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival returns to Denver's Sloan Lake while summer fairs are back in Greeley, Evergreen, Walden, Calhan and Poncha Springs.
While the Colorado Rockies are out of town, Coors Field is hosting two big summer concerts with Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, Poison, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, The Lumineers and Gregory Alan Isakov all performing this weekend.
From festivals and fairs to expos and runs, there's lots to do, see and explore in Denver and Colorado this hot July weekend. Remember to share your weekend photos with the "Near Me" feature on the 9NEWS app.
Cheyenne Frontier Days
CHEYENNE — The 126th annual Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) opens Friday, July 22. The 10-day western celebration has a packed schedule with rodeos, parades, pancake breakfasts, an airshow with the Thunderbirds and concerts with Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Dierks Bentley, Sam Hunt, Kid Rock and more.
The centerpiece of the celebration is the world's largest outdoor rodeo which draws the top professionals who compete for more than $1 million in prize money. Here's what to know about the 2022 Cheyenne Frontier Days.
Weld County Fair
GREELEY — The 104th annual Weld County Fair is a free, annual event in Greeley open to the public with music, food, displays, car show and more. Youth and adults in Weld County will be exhibiting their skills in agriculture, livestock, natural resources, engineering, consumer and family, fine arts, horticulture and family living. The Weld County Fair is open Saturday, July 23 through Monday, Aug. 1 at the Island Grove Regional Park.
Chaffee County Fair & Rodeo
PONCHA SPRINGS — The 2022 Chaffee County Fair opens Friday, July 22. This summer's fair includes rodeos, mutton busting, live music, 4-H exhibits and more. The Chaffee County Fair runs through Sunday, July 31. Tickets and a schedule are available at ChaffeeCountyFair.com.
El Paso County Fair
CALHAN — The El Paso County Fair in Calhan rolls on this weekend with a truck and tractor pull, demolition derby, roping and racing events. The fair runs through Saturday. General admission tickets can be purchased at ElPasoCountyFair.com.
Summer Fest
EVERGREEN — Evergreen's Buchanan Park will be home to the 42nd annual Summerfest on Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24. This event is a family-friendly festival of art, crafts, music and beer. Over 120 artisans and craftspeople will be selling their work in ceramics, digital art, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal, mixed media, painting, photography, sculpture, wood and more. Admission to the festival is $5 for adults and children are free.
North Park Days
WALDEN — North Park Days opens Friday, July 22 with vendors, food trucks, beer garden, car show, live music, kids' games and more. The celebration is held at the old courthouse in Walden, one block west of Main Street.
Colorado Dragon Boat Festival
DENVER — The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, an annual celebration of Asian and Asian American heritage, will take place on Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24 at Denver's Sloan Lake. The biggest pan-Asian dragon boat festival in the country, the event features dragon boat races across Sloan Lake beginning Saturday at 8 a.m. There will also be live music, performing arts, martial arts and educational shows. The "Taste of Asia" food vendors on site will have cuisines from China, India, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos, Thailand, Hawaii, Ethiopia, Mexico and the United States.
Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, Poison, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
DENVER — Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, Poison and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts will perform at Coors Field on Thursday, July 21.
"The Stadium Tour" was originally scheduled stop in Denver on Aug. 30, 2020. That concert was later moved to Aug. 26, 2021, and then moved again to 2022. All tickets for the original Coors Field show will be honored for this year's performance. Tickets for Thursday's concert are on sale at Ticketmaster.com.
This summer's tour will be Mötley Crüe's first since signing a "cessation of touring agreement," following their 2014-2015 "Final Tour."
The Lumineers
DENVER — The Lumineers' Brightside World Tour will stop at Denver's baseball stadium on Friday, July 22. The band will be joined by Gregory Alan Isakov at the concert. The Lumineers were to play Coors Field in August 2020, but that concert was postponed due to the pandemic. Tickets for the 2020 show will be honored at the July 22 date. Tickets to Friday's show are on sale at Ticketmaster.com.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
DENVER — Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith and John Frusciante bring their massive global stadium tour to Denver this weekend. The Red Hot Chili Peppers' 19-date stadium tour in North America begins Saturday, July 23 at Empower Field at Mile High. HAIM and Thundercat will appear as special guests at the Denver performance. Ticketmaster.com has some tickets available.
Chainsaws and Chuckwagons
FREDERICK — Some of the most talented chainsaw carvers in the country will be in Colorado this weekend for a carving competition that pits the best against the best. The Chainsaws and Chuckwagons competition will take place on Main Street in downtown Frederick. Artists will turn giant logs into beautiful works of art starting Wednesday, July 20. There will be live music and food trucks on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. The completed wood carvings will be on display on Saturday, July 23 at Centennial Park.
Cheesman Park Art Fest
DENVER — The Cheesman Park Art Fest will return for a 9th year at one of Denver's most historic parks. The free two-day festival runs Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24 starting at 9 a.m. each day. Over 150 artists and craftsmen will showcase their work in pottery, jewelry, glass, painting and much more. The festival will also feature food trucks and live music. For a full music lineup, visit DashEventsDenver.com.
Avon Arts Celebration
AVON — The 3rd annual Avon Arts Celebration takes place Friday, July 22 to Sunday, July 24. The three-day outdoor event features juried artists from across the nation. This free outdoor fine art show will be presented on the grounds of Harry A. Nottingham Park and will include painting, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, metal, and woodwork and more.
River Run Art Festival
KEYSTONE — Keystone's River Run Village is where artists from around the country will convene on Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24. The 6th annual River Run Village Art Festival will showcase original art including paintings, sculptures, photography, ceramics, glass, wood, handmade jewelry, collage, mixed media and more. Admission is free and open to the public.
Timberline Cruiser Regatta
FRISCO — Frisco Bay Marina and the Dillon Yacht Club will host the 13th annual Timberline Cruiser Regatta, after a two-year hiatus, on Saturday, July 23. The race is open to anyone with a sailboat who wants to compete for bragging rights and glory, and the event will benefit the Dillon Junior Sailors. Costumes and creativity will be rewarded. All Cruiser Regatta participants will receive a t-shirt, racers’ buffet dinner and New Belgium beer at the after party.
Royal Gorge Whitewater Festival
CAÑON CITY — The 13th annual Royal Gorge Whitewater Festival returns Friday, July 22 and Saturday, July 23. Held in the refurbished and family-friendly Centennial Park, the festival pairs boats, bands, and beer for a weekend of fun-filled — and whitewater-fueled — events. The festival’s mantra is “Boats, Bands, Beer and Bikes!” Admission is $5 for adults and gets 12 and under are free.
Music Under the Stars
CRESTED BUTTE — Music Under the Stars, part of the Crested Butte Music Festival, will be held Saturday, July 23 at the Gunnison Valley Observatory. Guests will be treated to a night of music under the stars from acclaimed pianist Anna Arzumanya followed by a star-gazing experience through the Observatory's powerful telescopes. Tickets include hors d'oeuvres and drinks and can be purchased here.
The Hero's Journey 5K
AURORA — The Hero's Journey 5K relates to any person who faces a challenge, encounters struggles to overcome it and returns home a hero. The 5K run starts across from the Century Aurora theater and ends at the 7/20 Memorial in the Reflection Garden. All proceeds will go towards the Zack Golditch opportunity scholarship. The run/walk begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 23.
Dash for Smiles
DENVER — Central Park will be home base of the 12th annual Dash for Smiles 5K run and walk on Sunday, July 24. The event aims to raise funds for the cleft lip and palate programs at Children's Hospital Colorado and Rose Medical Center. Sunday's run and walk will start at 8 a.m. If you'd like to register for the Dash for Smiles, visit DashForSmiles.org.
Tough Mudder
BYERS — The Tough Mudder mud run and obstacle course is back in Colorado this weekend. The event is being held at May Farms, 55 minutes from Denver. Mudders from all walks of life can come tackle Tough Mudder's famous obstacles, enjoy a post-race beer, and relax at the recovery zone. Register at ToughMudder.com.
Rocky Mountain State Games
COLORADO SPRINGS — The Rocky Mountain State Games is a multi-sport festival for athletes of all ages and athletic abilities. About 30 sports competitions will be held this weekend, beginning Friday, July 22, and next weekend at the Olympic Training Center, National Strength & Conditioning Association, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado College and Memorial Park. Some sports require a small ticket fee to attend, but most are free for spectators. Head to RockyMountainStateGames.org and click on a sport to see when and where the competition is being held.
Northern Colorado Owlz vs. Rocky Mountain Vibes
WINDSOR — The Northern Colorado Owlz host the Rocky Mountain Vibes this weekend in a Pioneer Baseball League matchup. The Owlz and Vibes meet Friday, July 22 and Saturday, July 23 at 4:05 p.m. and Sunday, July 24 at 1:05 p.m.
Denver Summer Brew Fest
DENVER — Beer lovers, rejoice! The annual Denver Summer Brew Fest is Saturday, July 23 at Denver’s Mile High Station. Over 40 breweries will be on hand offering samples of more than 100 beers and ciders. The festival takes place inside Mile High Station and spreads out into the parking lots where there will be live music and food trucks. Tickets are available online.
Call to Arms Brewing's 7th Anniversary Celebration
DENVER — Denver's Call to Arms Brewing is holding its 7th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, July 23. In commemorating lucky number seven, the Call to Arms team will be releasing seven special beers for the occasion. These include a mix of limited unique takes on familiar staples, a pair of special collaboration beers, as well as several completely new releases. The Call to Arms Anniversary Celebration culminates with a concert from The Seeing Stars Band, a Grateful Dead cover band, performing outside of the brewery beginning at 6 p.m.
The Friends Experience
DENVER — Fans of the NBC sitcom "Friends" can celebrate some of the series’ most iconic moments with a new interactive experience in the Mile High City. "The Friends Experience" is located at Cherry Creek West at 2500 East First Avenue. The experience" features 12 rooms and activations, including Monica’s kitchen and the iconic opening-credits fountain. Tickets are on sale at FriendsTheExperience.com/Denver starting at $32.
Boyz II Men
GREENWOOD VILLAGE — One of the most iconic R&B groups in music history is back in Colorado. Boyz II Men, a trio that holds the distinction of being the best-selling R&B group of all time, will perform Friday, July 22 at 8 p.m. at Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre. Boyz II Men’s hits include: “End of the Road,” “I’ll Make Love to You,” “One Sweet Day,” and “Motownphilly.” Tickets are sold at AXS.com.
Tom Segura
DENVER — Comedian Tom Segura has sold out Denver's largest indoor arena and added an additional performance on his latest cross-country tour. The stand-up comic will bring the "I'm Coming Everywhere - World Tour" to Ball Arena in Denver on Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24. Saturday's show is sold out. Limited tickets remain for Sunday's performance.
Lecrae at Elitch Gardens
DENVER — Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park will host a concert from Lecrae on Saturday, July 23. Lecrae has sold over one million albums and won two Grammy Awards. The concert is included in park admission. Avoid the lines and get your tickets at ElitchGardens.com.
Red Rocks
DENVER — There is no better venue for live music in the country than Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The Red Rocks 2022 concert schedule (announced so far) is steadily growing and even features some concerts postponed from 2020.
- Thursday, July 21 - David Gray
- Friday, July 22 - STS9
- Saturday, July 23 - STS9
- Sunday, July 24 - Josh Groban with Colorado Symphony
RELATED: Who's playing Red Rocks this summer?
Movies this weekend
“Thor: Love & Thunder” led the box office for a second-straight weekend. “Where the Crawdads Sing” had a solid debut while “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Elvis” continue to help lead the box office recovery back to near pre-pandemic levels.
New movies this weekend
- “Nope”
Last weekend's box office
- Thor: Love and Thunder — $46.6 million
- Minions: The Rise of Gru — $26.8 million
- Where the Crawdads Sing — $17.2 million
- Top Gun: Maverick — $12.2 million
- Elvis — $8 million
- Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank — $6.3 million
- The Black Phone — $5.3 million
- Jurassic World: Dominion — $5.1 million
- Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris — $1.9 million
- Lightyear — $1.4 million
> 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.
Cheyenne Frontier Days: Daddy of 'em All
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