COLORADO, USA — Hello, autumn!
The transition from summer to fall in Colorado will never feel more evident than this first October weekend. With cooler temperatures and changing trees, this weekend is perfect for pumpkin, apple, cider, harvest and Oktoberfest celebrations.
Whether you enjoy the weekend inside or out, celebrate the season this by experiencing the unique culture, food and geography that makes our state so special. Remember to share your weekend photos with the "Near Me" feature on the 9NEWS app.
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Elk Fest
ESTES PARK — To celebrate the annual elk rut, the city of Estes Park is hosting Elk Fest this Saturday and Sunday. Held in Bond Park downtown, the festival offers the chance to see elk rutting season in the wild. Elk bulls will be bugling to win the affection of females all while guests enjoy seminars, educational areas, live music, American Indian storytelling, craft vendors, elk-viewing tours and more. Check out the complete Elk Fest schedule at VisitEstesPark.com.
Parker Fall Fest
PARKER — Capping off Parker Fall Fest, a Fun and Games Day at O’Brien Park will be held Saturday from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Kids can participate in the Colorado Avalanche’s Game On Street Hockey Program, lawn games led by Sam the Scarecrow, inflatables and carnival games with prizes. Capping off Fun and Games Day will be a drone light show.
CSU Ag Day
FORT COLLINS — Colorado State University will hold its annual Ag Day barbecue at 1 p.m. Saturday on the intramural fields west of the Lory Student Center, with food service ending at 4 p.m. – one hour before the CSU football team takes on Utah Tech at Canvas Stadium. For 42 years, Ag Day has provided the community the opportunity to learn more about where their food comes from – while enjoying a tasty barbecue in the process.
Lumberjack Festival
LITTLETON — The first-ever Lumberjack Festival is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at Littleton's Robert F. Clement Park. Children and adults will have the opportunity to test their skills with a wide array of interactive logger activities including axe throwing, bump the stump, the saw cut and more. Face painting, photo booths, and a petting zoo will also be available. Colorado’s top food trucks and nearly 16 local breweries will also be on location.
USC vs. Colorado
BOULDER — Colorado head coach Deion Sanders and his Buffaloes host No. 8 University of Southern California at Folsom Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday in Boulder. Colorado has been the story of the early season, starting 3-0 after winning just one game last season. The Oregon Ducks' blowout of Colorado on Saturday knocked the Buffs out of the AP Top 25. Against USC, Sanders' team will have a chance to either jump back in the rankings or become an afterthought for voters for the rest of the season.
Denver Oktoberfest
DENVER — The 53rd annual Denver Oktoberfest returns Friday for the second of two weekends of stein-lifting fun in downtown Denver. In addition to stein-hoisting there will be food, bier/beer, live music, brat-eating contest and more. The party will be located between 20th and 22nd on Larimer Street in the Ballpark neighborhood near Coors Field. The celebration runs Friday to Sunday. General admission is free, but Octoberfest steins and VIP tickets can be found at TheDenverOktoberfest.com.
Suave Fest
DENVER — The 3rd annual Suave Fest is Saturday at Steam on the Platte in Denver. The Latino Craft Beer Festival will celebrate Latinx-owned Craft Breweries during Hispanic Heritage Month with 28 breweries, 40 beer varieties, 50 artists and artisans, live entertainment, food vendors and more. The festival runs 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are available at SuaveFest.com.
Oktobrewfest
GREELEY — The 2023 Greeley Oktobrewfest returns Friday and Saturday at Greeley's Lincoln Park. The celebration begins Friday night at 5 p.m. with beers, brats, games and live music. Saturday will be a full day of fun at the downtown park from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. with live music, craft beer from northern Colorado breweries, food vendors, kids' area, obstacle course, carnival games, pumpkin decorating inflatable slide and more. VIP beer tasting tickets can be purchased online.
Colorado Springs Oktoberfest
COLORADO SPRINGS — Colorado Springs Oktoberfest opens Friday at the Western Museum of Mining and Industry. Festivities scheduled through Sunday include food vendors, live bands, dancing, wiener dog races, stein-hoisting contest, costume contest, retail vendors, beer school and more. Skip the lines and get your tickets now at CSOktoberfest.com.
Left Hand Oktoberfest
LONGMONT — Left Hand's Oktoberfest is back. This year's event will be held at The Garden at 1245 Boston Avenue. There will be live music, beer, costumes and polka on Friday and Saturday.
Montrose Oktoberfest
MONTROSE — The 18th annual Montrose Oktoberfest begins Saturday at 1 p.m. at Montrose Rotary Amphitheater. The festive fall event will have dozens of craft breweries, as well as live music, food, a stein-hoisting competition, costume contest and more. Tickets for the Montrose Oktoberfest can be bought in advance at AllPointsTransit.com.
Morrison Ciderfest
MORRISON — Morrison Ciderfest will be held this Saturday at the corner of Highway 8 and Summer Street in downtown Morrison. The event kicks off in the morning with plenty of family-friendly activities including cider presses, kids area with bounce castle, arts and crafts exhibits, hay and pony rides and live music. Morrison Ciderfest runs Saturday from 10 a.m. to dark. Admission is free.
Dutch Oven Chili Cook-Off
ORCHARD — Jackson Lake State Park will host its 13th annual Dutch Oven and Chili Cook-Off on Saturday at the north end of the Lakeside Campground. There will be free tasting of all the dishes at the end of judging which is at 4 pm.
Haunted Field of Screams
THORNTON — Haunted Field of Screams, Colorado’s largest haunted attraction, opens for the 2023 season on Friday. Built into a 40-acre corn field, the attraction delivers an indoor and outdoor haunt experience along the famously haunted Riverdale Road. Haunted Field of Screams is open select days through Halloween.
Haunted houses
COLORADO —The first haunted houses of the autumn season are opening in Colorado. HellScream Haunted House, 13th Floor Haunted House and Frightmare Compound have opened for the season in Denver. The Fear Complex Haunted House in Colorado Springs opens Friday.
Great Aardvark Embark Balloon Launch
GREELEY — The 6th annual Great Aardvark Embark Balloon Launch begins bright and early Saturday. Professional pilots from Colorado Balloon Club will be on site to set up, inflate and launch hot air balloons. The event at Aims Community College is free and open to the public. The event field opens to the public at 6:30 a.m. The estimated time to launch is between 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.
Adams County Festival Latino
BRIGHTON — The inaugural Adams County Festival Latino is Sunday at 11 a.m. at Riverdale Regional Park. The free event will celebrate Latino culture with live music, art, and food. Musical performances are planned from Mariachi Internacional, Chicano Heat, and Nexus.
Magic of the Jack O' Lanterns
LITTLETON — A Halloween lights festival is returning to Hudson Gardens in Littleton for a third year. Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns features a family-friendly glowing trail of more than 7,000 hand-carved pumpkins as well as light show displays such as a nautical seascape, a pirate ship, dinosaurs, and dragons. The festival runs select nights through Tuesday, Oct. 31.
Fright Fest
DENVER — Elitch Gardens' annual Halloween event is back with a vengeance in 2023. The Fright Fest fall festival kicks off Saturday for five weekends of hair-raising fun. Elitch Gardens Fright Fest has thrills and chills for ghouls of all ages. Guests can enjoy Fun by Day and Fright by Night, plus all their favorite theme park rides. For tickets, visit ElitchGardens.com/Fright-Fest.
Fall colors
COLORADO — Your Instagram feed is about to be awash with the glory of Colorado's aspens against a backdrop of blue skies, colorful mountains and literal traffic jams full of leaf peepers on U.S. 285. Fall has arrived and the aspens in Colorado's mountains are beginning to turn. The colors will peak anywhere from late September to early October. Here's what you need to know for your leaf peeping season.
> Text FALL to 303-871-1491 for leaf-peeping info.
Mile High Farms
BENNETT — A traditional Colorado fall event is back this weekend east of Denver. Mile High Farms opens on Saturday for autumn with two corn mazes, antique tractor ride, pumpkin patch, barrel cart rides, bounce houses, farm animals, entertainment, playground and more. Mile High Farms is located just east of Denver off Interstate 70 and Manila Road. Tickets and a maze map can be found at MileHighFarms.com.
Anderson Farms Fall Festival
ERIE — The fall festival at Anderson Farms just may be your one-stop-shop for all things autumn. The festival features a 25-acre corn maze, wagon rides, pumpkin cannon, combine slide, kids maze, backyard pedal karts, wooden train, tire mountain, fire pit, farm animals, sand diggers and more. The farm's fall festival runs through Monday, Oct. 30. Ticket options can be found at AndersonFarms.com.
Maize in the City
THORNTON — If you're looking for a fun, fall event, consider Maize in the City in Thornton. There is a 20-acre corn maze, mini maze, barrel train ride, corn launcher, petting zoo and more. Admission to the Maize in the City site is free with attraction ticket prices varying. The site will be open various days through Tuesday, Oct. 31. Check out all the activities and snag your tickets at MaizeintheCity.com.
PHOTOS: Maize in the City in Thornton
Fritzler Farm Park
LaSALLE — Fritzler Farm Park is open for the season with more than 15 attractions plus its famous corn maze. There will be pedal go-carts, pumpkin patch, human foosball, tetherball, ball zone, slide mountain, face painting, yard games, beer garden and more. Fritzler Farm Park will remain open through Sunday, Oct. 29. The farm's haunted attractions and "Scream Acres" begins at dusk. Tickets can be purchased at FritzlerFarmPark.com.
Corn Maze at Chatfield Farms
LITTLETON — If you're looking for a festive fall tradition, consider the Corn Maze at Chatfield Farms. The seven-acre corn maze corn maze is perfect for adults, while the little ones can explore the corn mini-maze. There will also be barrel train rides, escape rooms, food vendors and more. The Corn Maze at Chatfield Farms will be open at various times through Sunday, Oct. 29. Tickets can be found at BotanicGardens.org.
Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad
ANTONITO — Are you ready to see the Colorado "Gold Rush"? Hop aboard the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad this weekend to see the spectacular autumn colors. The railroad travels through several different ecological zones at different elevations, including low meadows and up the top of 10,015-foot Cumbres Pass, so you're sure to see some beautiful aspens. There are daily departures on the train through Saturday, Oct. 21, as well as a special dinner train. Fall rides are extremely popular, so book early at CumbresToltec.com.
Fall Bazaar
DENVER — The Denver Fall Bazaar takes place Saturday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. There will be more than 80 vendors, food trucks, fashion trucks, cocktails, beer, live DJ and more. The all-ages and dog-friendly event sets up one block from Sloan Lake in Denver.
Backcountry Tap Room
WINTER PARK — The 8th annual Backcountry Tap Room is a hike to a pop-up tap room experience for brews and views. The family-friendly day hike begins at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Winter Park Resort. The hike this year will begin from the Utah Junction lot or the Corona Lot (overflow lot) on the Mary Jane side of the mountain. Guests will then hike up Corona Way for approximately 1.4 miles from the Utah Junction lot (or 1 mile from the Corona Lot) with an elevation gain of about 800 feet, until you get to the picturesque location.
FamilyFest
COLORADO SPRINGS — FamilyFest will be held Saturday at the Colorado Springs Events Center. FamilyFest features family-friendly vendors, free kid’s activities, vendor prizes, various presentations and diaper and toddler derbies. Kid's activities are free with an adult paid admission.
Colorado hosting Southern California at Folsom Field is not the only college football game in the Centennial State this last weekend of September. There are six other games planned in Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, Greeley, Durango, Golden, and Golden.
Utah Tech vs. Colorado State
- Saturday, Sept. 30, at 5 p.m.
- Canvas Stadium, Fort Collins
- Tickets at CSURams.com
San Diego State vs. Air Force
- Saturday, Sept. 30, at 6 p.m.
- Falcon Stadium, Colorado Springs
- Tickets at GoAirForceFalcons.com
Weber State vs. Northern Colorado
- Saturday, Sept. 30, at 1 p.m.
- Nottingham Field, Greeley
- Tickets at UNCBears.com
CSU Pueblo vs. Fort Lewis
- Saturday, Sept. 30, at 12 p.m.
- Ray Dennison Field, Durango
- Tickets at GoSkyHawks.com
Chadron State vs. Colorado School of Mines
- Saturday, Sept. 30, at 12 p.m.
- Alumni Field at Marv Kay Stadium, Golden
- Tickets at MinesAthletics.com
Colorado Mesa vs. Western Colorado
- Saturday, Sept. 30, at 1 p.m.
- Katy O. Rady Field, Gunnison
- Tickets at GoMountaineers.com
Walk to End Alzheimer's
COLORADO SPRINGS — The Walk to End Alzheimer's is the world's largest event to fight Alzheimer's. A walk begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1 at Memorial Park at Prospect Lake in Colorado Springs. To register, visit Act.Alz.org.
Denver Kidney Walk
DENVER — The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) Kidney Walk returns to Denver’s City Park on Sunday starting at 9 a.m. Kidney disease is the 9th leading cause of death in the United States, and 11,000 new cases of kidney failure are diagnosed each month. The event includes a 5K run/walk and a 1-mile walk.
Emma Coburn's Elk Run 5K
CRESTED BUTTE — Crested Butte native, Colorado Buffalo and Olympic medalist Emma Coburn is holding the Elk Run 5k on Saturday in Crested Butte. The run will benefit local non-profit Living Journeys, which provides financial assistance, emotional support and enrichment programs to Gunnison Valley residents affected by cancer. The 5K is set for Saturday morning starting on Elk Avenue. The event is for runners of all abilities and also features a post-race festival. Run registration and donation information can be found at ElkRun5k.com.
Walk to Defeat ALS
FORT COLLINS — The ALS Association Rocky Mountain Chapter will hold a walk on Saturday in northern Colorado. The 1.5-mile Walk to Defeat ALS starts at 11 a.m. at Fort Collins’ City Park. Walk registration and donation information is available here.
Hot Chocolate Run
DENVER — Denver's Washington Park will be the location of the Hot Chocolate Run on Sunday. Chocolate aficionados will want to stick around for the post-race party with finisher mug, fondue, dippables and hot chocolate. Race registration for the 5K, 10K, and 15K distances can be completed at HotChocolate15K.com.
Colorado Springs Marathon
COLORADO SPRINGS — The Colorado Springs Marathon is a community running event on Saturday that features several races including a marathon, half marathon, 5K and Kids K. The races begin and end at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum in downtown Colorado Springs and will travel through America the Beautiful Park, Monument Valley Park, and Memorial Park. The full and half marathons will start at 7 a.m., the 5K at 7:30 a.m. and Kids K at 10:45 a.m. Race registration can be completed online.
Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche
DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche hockey club plays its final home preseason game at Ball Arena this weekend. The Avs are facing the same three opponents for the sixth straight preseason, as they take on the Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights twice each. The Avs host Dallas at 5 p.m. Sunday at Ball Arena. Tickets start at $14 at Ticketmaster.com.
Avenged Sevenfold
DENVER — Avenged Sevenfold is returning to Colorado for the first time in five years. The heavy metal rock group will bring the second leg of their "Life is But A Dream…" North American tour to Denver's Ball Arena on Thursday. Comprised of M. Shadows, Synyster Gates, Zacky Vengeance, Johnny Christ and Brooks Wackerman, Avenged Sevenfold has sold more than 10 albums worldwide. Tickets start at $40 at Ticketmaster.com.
Tina Fey & Amy Poehler
DENVER — Amy Poehler and Tina Fey will bring their "Restless Leg Tour" to Denver's Bellco Theatre on Sunday. The comedy writers, producers, actresses and "Saturday Night Live" alumni will perform at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday at the theater inside Colorado Convention Center.
Maná
DENVER — One of the best-selling Latin music bands of all time, Maná will return to Ball Arena after four years. The legendary pop-rock band has extended its "México Lindo Y Querido" concert tour to include a stop at Ball Arena in Denver on Friday. Concert promoter Live Nation said Maná's two-hour plus show features an all-new production and state of the art video wall. Tickets are available for resale at Ticketmaster.com.
Iliza Shlesinger
DENVER — Comedian Iliza Shlesinger will bring her biggest tour yet to Colorado this weekend. Shlesiger's "Hard Feelings" world tour will make Denver stop at Ball Arena on Saturday. Over the last decade, she has released six Netflix stand up specials including "Hot Forever," "Unveiled," "Elder Millennial," "Confirmed Kills," "Freezing Hot," and "War Paint." Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com.
Tyler Childers
GREENWOOD VILLAGE — Singer-songwriter Tyler Childers will play Red Rocks Amphitheatre this Wednesday and Thursday. Then Friday, he'll be at Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre in the Denver Tech Center. The Red Rocks shows feature S.G. Goodman and Abby Hamilton. Friday, Childers will be joined by Wynonna Judd and The Travelin' McCourys.
Red Rocks
DENVER — There is no better venue for live music in the country than Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre and although summer is flying by, but there's still time to catch a show at one of the world's best venues.
Concerts at Red Rocks are scheduled through Friday, Nov. 12, when Of the Trees with Barclay Crenshaw, Yheti, kLL sMTH, and The Librarian close out the 2023 season.
- Wednesday, Sept. 27 - Tyler Childers, S.G. Goodman, Abby Hamilton
- Thursday, Sept. 28 - Tyler Childers, S.G. Goodman, Wayne Graham
- Friday, Sept. 29 - Big Gigantic
- Saturday, Sept. 30 - Big Gigantic
- Sunday, Oct. 1 - FKJ, Nightmares on Wax
- Monday, Oct. 2 - Masego & Hiatus Kaiyote
Queens of the Stone Age
GREENWOOD VILLAGE — Queens of the Stone Age are on tour in support of their new album "In Times New Roman…." Joshua Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Michael Shuman, Dean Fertita and Jon Theodore will perform at Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are being sold at AXS.com.
Cabaret
AURORA — "Cabaret" is the newest musical at Aurora's Vintage Theatre. "Cabaret" is set in Berlin during the twilight of the Jazz Age at the seedy Kit Kat Klub a garish Master of Ceremonies welcomes the audience and assures them they will forget all their troubles at the cabaret. The musical focuses on the hedonistic nightlife and revolves around American writer Clifford Bradshaw’s relations with English cabaret performer Sally Bowles as the Nazis are ascending to power. The musical plays the Vintage Theatre through Sunday, Oct. 22.
A Little Night Music
DENVER — "A Little Night Music" has inspired decades of theatre-lovers with its music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The winner of seven Tony Awards for its original 1973 production, the musical, well known for its iconic number "Send in the Clowns," traces the plotting and foibles of three affluent couples in circa-1900 Sweden. "A Little Night Music" plays the Wolf Theatre at the Denver Performing Arts Complex through Sunday, Oct. 8. For tickets and showtimes, visit DenverCenter.org.
Movies this weekend
Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham weren't enough to save “Expend4bles” from a debut box office flop. The fourth installment suffered the action-packed franchise's worst opening weekend while “The Nun 2” took home the top spot for a third straight week.
New movies this weekend
- PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie
- Saw X
- The Creator
Last weekend's box office
- “The Nun II,” $8.4 million.
- “Expend4bles,” $8.3 million.
- “A Haunting in Venice,” $6.3 million.
- “The Equalizer 3,” $4.7 million.
- “Barbie,” $3.2 million.
- “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3,” $3 million.
- “It Lives Inside," 2.6 million.
- “Dumb Money,” $2.5 million.
- “Blue Beetle,” $1.8 million.
- “Oppenheimer,” $1.6 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.
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