COLORADO, USA — Summer fair and festival season continues in Colorado this second weekend of August.
There are outdoor celebrations in Littleton, Centennial, Wheat Ridge, Hugo, Lamar, La Veta, Keenesburg, Strasburg, Durango, Alamosa, Montrose, Buena Vista, Denver, Telluride, Vail, Craig, Manitou Springs and more.
From festivals and fairs to expos and runs, there's lots to do, see and explore in Denver and Colorado this weekend. Remember to share your weekend photos with the "Near Me" feature on the 9NEWS app.
Western Welcome Week
LITTLETON — Littleton residents have been holding this community celebration for 96 years. This year’s Western Welcome Week opens Friday and continues through Sunday, Aug. 18. The event schedule is packed with more than 40 events from a fishing derby to hometown pig roast benefiting dozens nonprofits. A concert by Denver Municipal Band and a new drone show at Sterne Park takes place Friday. A show from Eagles cover band The Long Run begins at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
Centennial Under the Stars
CENTENNIAL — The 18th annual Centennial Under The Stars is Saturday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Centennial Center Park. The free outdoor even features live music, local vendors, food trucks and family friendly activities.
Wheat Ridge Carnation Festival
WHEAT RIDGE — The 55th annual Wheat Ridge Carnation Festival will be held at Anderson Park on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The festival began as a promotion of the city's 32 carnation nurseries, but has evolved into a family celebration of everything Wheat Ridge with a carnival, vintage car show, parade, art show and live music.
Friday's events include a spaghetti dinner, fireworks, carnival and live music. Saturday morning will begin with a pancake breakfast followed by the Carnation Festival Grand Parade along 38th Avenue as well as live music, carnival and fireworks. The Big Wheels on the Farm Car Show starts Sunday at 9 a.m. For a complete schedule, visit TheCarnationFestival.com.
Boulder County Fair
LONGMONT — The Boulder County Fair is the oldest fair in Colorado, operating since 1869. Kids, families and friends will enjoy lots of free entertainment and activities throughout the fair which runs through Sunday. The 155th annual Boulder County Fair features a daily carnival, food, 4-H shows, petting zoo, live music and more. For tickets and the 2024 schedule, check out BoulderCountyFair.org.
Lincoln County Fair
HUGO — The Lincoln County Fair runs through Sunday. Admission to the fair is free, plus there's kids’ events, 4H shows, rodeo and camping. A parade steps off at 10 a.m. Saturday. Check out the complete Lincoln County Fair and Rodeo schedule here.
Southeast Weld County Fair
KEENESBURG — The Southeast Weld County Fair is celebrating its 102nd anniversary this weekend. Two days of 4-H activities, horse, hog, poultry, beef, sheep, dairy and goat shows lead to rodeos at 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. The 2024 Fair Parade steps off at 8:30 a.m. Saturday on South Marin followed by a livestock sale, beef barbecue, kid’s rodeo, ranch rodeo and concert.
Gold Rush Days
BUENA VISTA — Buena Vista’s signature annual event is back this weekend at the McPhelemy Park. The 74th Gold Rush Days offers free live music, kids’ games, beer garden, good food, vendors and giveaways. Gold Rush Days runs Saturday and Sunday.
Sand & Sage Round-Up
LAMAR — The Sand & Sage Round-Up turns 123 years old in 2024. The fair’s second weekend includes a chuck wagon barbecue at 5 p.m. Friday, followed by a PRCA Rodeo. A parade will step off at 10 a.m. Saturday. The Tough Enough to Wear Pink Night at the Sand & Sage Roundup is Saturday with a beer garden, PCRA rodeo, barbecue, junior livestock sale and 4-H/FFA Parade of Champions. See a full fair schedule here.
Middle Park Fair & Rodeo
KREMMLING — The Middle Park Fairgrounds in Kremmling are decked out for the 108th annual Middle Park Fair & Rodeo. This weekend's events include a community dance, agricultural shows, kid's games and activities, horse races, pony rides, ranch rodeo and cowboy church. The 2024 fair ends Sunday afternoon with a CPRA rodeo.
Huerfano County Fair
LA VETA — This year's Huerfano County Fair is underway and runs until Sunday. Friday's schedule has rabbit, poultry, sheep, goat and swine shows. There will be a dance at 7 p.m. Saturday night. The Huerfano County Fair concludes Sunday with a cowboy church, dinner and livestock sale.
Moffat County Fair
CRAIG — It's sure to be a great weekend at the 2024 Moffat County Fair. The annual PRCA/WPRA Rodeo is set for Thursday at 7 p.m. Swine, rabbit, poultry and 4-H shows are scheduled throughout Friday, with root beer floats at 2 p.m. A demo derby begins Friday at 6 p.m. followed by a concert. Saturday is the final day of the fair, but it's a full day with a free pancake breakfast, tractor driving contest, entertainment, ranch games, lawnmower pulls, pie-eating contest, turtle races, Coca-Cola floats and dance.
La Plata County Fair
DURANGO — The La Plata County Fair is underway at the La Plata County Fairgrounds in Durango. In addition to a carnival, beer garden, 4-H and FFA exhibits, shows and sales, Friday night will also feature a concert by Suzy Bogguss. A community barbeque cookoff is set for noon Saturday. The 2024 fair ends Sunday.
Beat the Heat BBQ & Brews
ALAMOSA — San Luis Valley Beat the Head BBQ is back this weekend in Alamosa. The annual celebration on Friday and Saturday has professional BBQ teams, craft beer, live music and yard games. A Bloody Mary Showdown begins Friday at 5:30 p.m.
Fun on the Uncompahgre Fest
MONTROSE — Fun on the Uncompahgre Fest offers a lineup of events on land and water. The festival, held at Riverbottom Park on Saturday and Sunday, includes water competitions such as a downriver race, river surf competition, kayak rodeo, and boogie board championships. Head to VisitMontrose.com to see a complete event schedule.
Hometown Days
STRASBURG — Strasburg Hometown Days takes place Friday to Sunday. The celebration commemorates the joining of the first continuous railroad in the country which took place just east of the town in 1870 when the Kansas Pacific Railroads met. This weekend’s festivities include a free community barbeque, vendor fair, hay rides, family dinner, square dance, chili cook-off, movie, 5K run and fireworks. Visit StrasburgParks.org for a complete Hometown Days schedule.
Denver Parade of Homes
DENVER — The Denver Parade of Homes returns Thursday and runs through Sunday, Aug. 25. The largest showcase of the latest in architecture and home design along the Front Range features newly designed model and custom homes located in neighborhoods throughout the Denver area. Attendees can see unique homes and floor plans, beautiful communities, the latest in interior design trends and home technology, exterior finishes and outdoor living, and landscaping that will inspire. Denver Parade of Homes self-guided tours are free and open to the public.
Tour when and where you want with options for on-demand virtual tours or in-person tours Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. during the Parade. Download directions to participating homes at ParadeOfHomesDenver.com or download a print map here.
Ford Amphitheater grand opening
COLORADO SPRINGS — Colorado's new outdoor amphitheater opens this weekend. Colorado Springs' OneRepublic will headline the first concert on Friday at Ford Amphitheater in north Colorado Springs at the Polaris Pointe development near the Air Force Academy. OneRepublic will also be performing Saturday and Sunday.
Vendor builder Notes Live said Ford Amphitheater is part of a $90 million entertainment campus that will host large touring acts with a top-of-the-line audio-visual system, a self-draining grass berm, and more than 90 luxury fire pit suites.
Notes Live said the venue has "an unparalleled view of the sun setting over Pikes Peak, America’s mountain, right behind the stage as each concert begins, flanked by the United States Air Force Academy stadium on the left and the iconic Air Force chapel on the right."
Boulder Taco Fest
BOULDER — Tacos, craft breweries, tequilas, luchadores, live music and free activities for kids are the highlight's of the annual Boulder Taco Fest. The all-ages festival runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. Held near Boulder Creek at the civic area and Boulder Library, the festival's ticket includes a concert, wrestling and a beer, taco or margarita.
ManiPalooza
MANITOU SPRINGS — Get ready for a day of family fun and community spirit at ManiPalooza in Manitou Springs. This event will take place Saturday starting at noon at Soda Springs Park. There will be live music, yard games, face painting, food trucks, pop-up shops and silent disco.
Unicorn World
COLORADO SPRINGS — Unicorn World, an immersive, interactive and themed experience, gallops into Colorado Springs on Saturday and Sunday at the Colorado Springs Event Center. The event includes an enchanted forest, arts and crafts, story time and life-sized, moving and neighing unicorns. The ticketed event also has unicorn bounce houses, rides, face painting, professional photos and gift shop.
Bubble Bash
WESTMINSTER — The Orchard Town Center will transform into a magical bubble wonderland on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The free festival will have bubble-themed activities, DJ, entertainment, face painting and games.
Sculpture in the Park
LOVELAND — The 40th annual Sculpture in the Park show and art sale will be open at 9:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Over thousands of sculptures created by national and international artists are featured during this weekend-long event, now the largest outdoor juried sculpture show in the country. This event serves as a public showcase of bronze, wood, stone, ceramic, metal, and mixed-media sculptures.
Golden Fine Arts Festival
GOLDEN — The 34th annual Golden Fine Arts Festival is back this weekend in downtown Golden. The juried art show will have art, live performances, beer and wine gardens and food vendors. One hundred artists have been selected to showcase and sell their work in the mediums of jewelry, painting, photography, sculpture and more. The festival will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Firefly Handmade Summer Market
DENVER — Artisans will return to Denver’s historic South Gaylord Street on Saturday and Sunday for the annual Firefly Handmade’s Summer Market. The market in the Washington Park neighborhood will feature new and returning artisans, cocktails, beer, wine and live music. Vendors will be showcasing their handmade goods, jewelry, skincare, ceramics, art, artisanal food, pet goods and more.
Smash Fine Arts Festival
DENVER — The Smash Arts Festival returns to the Fillmore Plaza at Cherry Creek North this weekend. Held Saturday and Sunday, the festival features top shelf fine artists from across the nation with a variety of painting, photography, jewelry, sculpture, mixed-media, wood, and metal works. There will also be artists and live violin, piano and acoustic guitar music.
Gold Rush Days
GOLDEN — Colorado Railroad Museum's Gold Rush Days event is set for this Saturday and Sunday. The celebration features steam-powered train rides and special demonstrations. The event will celebrate the role railroads have played in Colorado’s agricultural, mining and transportation history, and offer attendees the opportunity to ride behind one of the last coal-fired steam locomotives operating in Colorado. Grounds open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with special programs and activities. Train rides depart every 30 minutes from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Rocky Mountain Folks Festival
LYONS — This weekend is the 34th annual Rocky Mountain Folks Festival. The event brings together songwriters and fans for three days of music, camping and inspiration along the St. Vrain River. The Wood Brothers, John Vincent III, Handmade Moments, Bonny Light Horseman, Pokey LaFarge, The Mother Hips, Brittany Howard, Jamestown Revival, The Watson Twins, and Darlingside are a few of this weekend's performers.
Telluride Jazz Festival
TELLURIDE — The Telluride Jazz Festival is back for three days of jazz, funk, soul, folk and gospel music. The event also has on-site camping, free yoga, cozy late-night club shows, interactive artist performances, children's activities, outdoor recreation and more. Antibalas, Marco Benevento, Say She She, Cool Cool Cool, New Breed Brass Band and La Lom are set to perform. The 47th annual Telluride Jazz Festival runs Friday to Sunday and tickets are at TellurideJazz.org.
Black Forest Festival
BLACK FOREST — The 2024 Black Forest Festival is a day of fun and live music at the Black Forest Community Center. The day begins with a pancake breakfast from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Saturday. The Black Forest Parade will step off at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Expect craft booths, games, demos, music, food vendors and tractor rides.
Kids’ Sandcastle Competition
FRISCO — The Frisco Bay Marina Kids’ Sandcastle Competition starts at 10 a.m. Sunday. Kids have until 11:30 a.m. to build their sandcastles and judging will commence. Each child will receive a free ice cream, and prizes will be awarded to first place overall and first, second, and third places in each age category. Online registration for different age groups can be completed at TownofFrisco.com.
Estes Park Wine Festival
ESTES PARK — The 9th annual Estes Park Wine Festival will be held at Bond Park in downtown Estes Park. A ticket includes a wine glass, wine tote and unlimited tastings, along with live music, retail vendors, artisans and food vendors. The Estes Park Wine Festival runs Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Vail Wine Classic
VAIL — Wine makers and enthusiasts will be in Vail for the four-day Vail Wine Classic. The festival runs Thursday through Sunday with mountainside tasting of hundreds of high-end wines, spirits and food. The event schedule features grand tastings, wine dinners, lunches, workshops and more.
Vail Valley Brew'Au
AVON — The annual Brew'Au is happening on Saturday at Harry A. Nottingham Park. Attendees will enjoy unlimited samples of beer, seltzers, and ciders in a souvenir sampling glass, live music, water lanterns, food trucks, kids activities, lawn games, arts, crafts, bounce castle and more. Tickets are available online.
Living History Days
FAIRPLAY — The annual Living History Days returns this Saturday and Sunday. The event lets you revisit a restored 1880s mining town with miners, cowboys, mountain men, blacksmith and townspeople dressed in costume. Guests will feel transported back in time when they see South Park City, which has restored historical buildings including a drugstore, bank, general store, saloon, court house, blacksmith shop, doctor and dentist office, barber shop, stagecoach inn, pioneer homes, mining exhibits, an old train and more than 60,000 artifacts.
Touch-A-Truck
ERIE — Kids of all ages can honk the horn, turn the wheel and touch the buttons at Saturday’s Touch-A-Truck event. Trucks, cars, vans and equipment of all sizes will be at the event. The free event runs from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday at Erie Community Center with a helicopter landing planned for 10:30 a.m.
Denver Public Library Book Sale
DENVER — The Denver Public Library Friends Foundation is holding a Used Book Sale on Saturday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Fiction Beer Company on East Colfax Avenue. Various used books will be sold at bargain prices. Proceeds from the sale provide operating support for library and foundation programs.
Cockpit Demo Day
DENVER — Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum is having a Cockpit Demo Day on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Included in the price of admission, attendees can get an up-close look inside select aircraft at the museum and learn about the history of the aircraft, instruments and controls. Featured aircraft include a Rotorway Scorpion II, Martin EB-57, Kitty Hawk Flyer, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23, and North American F-86 Sabre.
Denver Urban Gardens Summer Plant Sale
DENVER — With the changing weather comes a whole new slew of veggies to plant, and Denver Urban Gardens' Summer Plant Sale has them at un-beet-able prices. Find your fall starts, trees, straw, compost and cover crop seeds. Experts also will teach workshops related to summer-to-fall garden transitions, tree and perennial care, all about garlic, harvest and storage and composting with worms. The plant sale is Saturday at 10 a.m. at 1031 33rd St.
Broadmoor Cycle to the Summit
CASCADE — The Broadmoor Cycle to the Summit bicycle race up Pikes Peak is back this Saturday. This competitive style hill climb consists of multiple medal categories giving cyclists of all skill levels the opportunity to take on America's Mountain. Visit CycletotheSummit.org for details.
B Strong Ride
BOULDER — The 14th annual B Strong Ride on Saturday is a celebration of survivorship. Families and non-riders welcome at the event which features four bicycle rides including a 68-mile route, 38-mile route, 24-mile route, and Sleepytime Mini B one-mile route. To learn more or to register for the event, which raises money for Boulder Community Hospital and other cancer charities, head to BStrongRide.com.
Run the Rockies Trail 10K and Half Marathon
FRISCO — One of Colorado’s most beautiful races is back in Frisco this weekend. Saturday’s Run the Rockies Trail 10K and Half Marathon will lead runners through the Frisco Peninsula trails with views of Lake Dillon and the Ten Mile Range. Organizers say the course is great for a first-time half-marathoner or runner looking for a fun course that offers single track and dirt road trails.
Sunrise Stampede
LONGMONT — At 39 years strong, the Sunrise Stampede is a cornerstone community event in Longmont. This year's Sunrise Stampede will be a 5K run/walk with a 1-mile fun run. In-person races begin at 8 a.m. Saturday at Silver Creek High School. Race registration is available at SunriseStampede.org.
Human Race
FORT COLLINS — The Human Race is back at Fort Collins' Civic Center Park with classic race courses (5K, 10K and half marathon) and the Mountain Avenue Mile race. The 41st annual Human Race is Saturday and the 26th annual Mountain Avenue Mile is Friday.
Leadville 10K Run
LEADVILLE — The Leadville 10K Run begins just at 9 a.m. Sunday at the corner of 6th and Harrison Avenue. Registration can be completed online.
Pancake Stampede 5K
LITTLETON — Part of Littleton’s Western Welcome Week, the 14th annual Pancake Stampede 5K will be held Saturday before the annual pancake breakfast at Hudson Gardens & Event Center. Registration includes entry to the Western Welcome Week Pancake breakfast with pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee. The Pancake 5K run and walk goes along the Platte River on the Mary Carter Greenway with the start and finish at Hudson Gardens.
Peso Pluma
DENVER — Mexican singer Peso Pluma brings his "Exodo" tour to Ball Arena on Friday. Concert promoter Live Nation said the tour will have Peso Pluma performing an all-new show with his live band and a reimagined set design and setlist. Peso Pluma sold out 54 shows in 2023 and won a Grammy Award for his album “Genesis.”
Peso Pluma and Mexican American group Eslabon Armado made Denver's top-five most-streamed songs on Spotify last year with their 2023 hit single "Ella Baila Sola," which was also Spotify's fifth most-streamed song in 2023.
Blue October and Switchfoot
GREENWOOD VILLAGE — Rock bands Blue October and Switchfoot have teamed with Matt Nathanson for a concert at Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre. The show begins at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Atlanta Braves vs. Colorado Rockies
DENVER — The Colorado Rockies have a homestand planned through Sunday. The Atlanta Braves are at Coors Field from Friday to Sunday. Sunday is the Rockies' 20th annual Faith Day with a post-game concert by Zach Williams.
Wicked
DENVER — The stage musical adaption of "Wicked" is back in Colorado. "Wicked" has performances planned through Sunday, Aug. 25, at the Buell Theatre in Denver. Currently the fourth longest-running show in Broadway history, "Wicked" celebrated its 20th anniversary on Broadway on Oct. 30. Tickets are available at DenverCenter.org.
Red Rocks
DENVER — There is no better venue for live music in the country than Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The Red Rocks 2024 concert schedule is actually still growing with new shows being added in October and November. This summer looks to be one for the record books.
- Wednesday, Aug. 7 - K-Love Live
- Thursday, Aug. 8 - Mt. Joy
- Friday, Aug. 9 - Mt. Joy
- Saturday, Aug. 10 - Slightly Stoopid
- Sunday, Aug. 11 - Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, Joe Satriani, Jason Bonham
- Monday, Aug. 12 - The Head and the Heart
- Tuesday, Aug. 13 - The Head and the Heart
Bright Nights at Four Mile Historic Park
DENVER — Four Mile Historic Park has transformed into a glowing landscape that immerses visitors with larger-than-life lantern installations that include a mythical dragon that blows smoke, Colorado wildlife and flowers, a crystal forest with unicorns, and creatures from Chinese mythology. The Bright Nights series will be open until Sept. 29. Proceeds from the installation go to help pay for animal care at the park, as well as maintain the historic museum, the oldest standing structure in Denver.
The North Pole: Santa's Workshop
CASCADE — Colorado's favorite Christmas-themed amusement park is open for the season. Home to Santa's village and the jolly old elf himself, The North Pole: Santa’s Workshop, located at 7,500 feet at the foot of Pikes Peak west of Colorado Springs, traditionally opens the weekend before Memorial Day and remains open through Christmas. With vintage rides and sweet treats, the park as been spreading Christmas cheer since 1956.
The Power of Poison
DENVER — A new temporary exhibition at Denver Museum of Nature and Science, "The Power of Poison" explores the captivating and often paradoxical world of nature's toxic arsenal. Through live performances and interactive dioramas, this exhibition will take you into familiar and novel tales of illness, enchantment and death by poison. Whether used as a defense against predators, a source of magical strength or a lifesaving medical treatment, "The Power of Poison" is sure to surprise.
Movies this weekend
“Deadpool & Wolverine” is already the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever, not accounting for inflation, after 10 days in theaters. In its second weekend, the Marvel Studios blockbuster starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman continued to steamroll through movie theaters.
New movies this weekend
- It Ends With Us
- Cuckoo
- Borderlands
Last weekend's box office
- "Deadpool & Wolverine," $97 million.
- “Twisters,” $22.7 million.
- “Trap,” $15.6 million.
- “Despicable Me 2,” $11.3 million.
- “Inside Out 2,” $6.7 million.
- “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” $6 million.
- “Longlegs,” $4.1 million.
- “A Quiet Place: Day One,” $1.4 million.
- “Daaru Na Peenda Hove,” $615,782.
- “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” $600,000.
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