Upcoming Spring Festivals in Colorado

Come spring, Colorodans can’t wait to take on the approaching warm weather days. And this is evidenced in the fun festivities showcasing Colorado’s springtime beauty. Spring runs from Thursday, March 19th to Saturday, June 20th, 2020.

Taste of Vail is a fun way to kick off the season in the high country. Enjoy fine wine and cuisine, then hit the slopes. There are a number of exciting Denver festivals, including two art fests and a Cinco De Mayo celebration. Towards the end of spring, the 8-week Colorado Renaissance Festival begins.

Due to COVID-19, all of the upcoming events for the next several months are subject to cancellation or postponement. Please double-check the event’s official website for the most accurate, timely information on whether an event is happening.

Festivals in March

Bud Light Rocks the Boat

• Date: Saturday’s in March and April (March 7-April 12), 2020
• Address: Gondola Square, Steamboat Springs
• About: Free concert series now in its 21st season, held at the base of the mountain. Several concerts are held over the course of the ski season. The series features a mix of music genres with many big name acts having performed. The concert runs from 3:30-5pm.

Aspen Film Shortsfest

• Date: Tue-Sun, March 31-April 5, 2020
• Address: Aspen
• About: 29th year celebrating one of the continent’s best short film festivals and Oscar-qualifying showcase. International short films are defined as 40 minutes or less.

Festivals in April

Bud Light Rocks the Boat

• Date: Saturday’s in March and April (March 7-April 12), 2020
• Address: Gondola Square, Steamboat Springs
• About: Free concert series now in its 21st season, held at the base of the mountain. Several concerts are held over the course of the ski season. The series features a mix of music genres with many big name acts having performed. The concert runs from 3:30-5pm.

Taste Of Vail

• Date: Wed-Sat, April 1-4, 2020
• Address: Vail Village
• About: 30th annual Taste is the largest food and wine festival in Eagle County.

Aspen Film Shortsfest

• Date: Tue-Sun, March 31-April 5, 2020
• Address: Aspen
• About: 29th year celebrating one of the continent’s best short film festivals and Oscar-qualifying showcase. International short films are defined as 40 minutes or less.

Cardboard Classic

• Date: Sat, April 11, 2020
• Address: Gondola Square, Steamboat Springs
• About: 40th annual event features homemade sleds constructed only using cardboard, glue, string, water based paint, duct tape and masking tape. It’s a race down Headwall in this hysterical end to the season.​

Pondskim Closing Day Celebration

• Date: Sun, April 12, 2020
• ​Address: Gondola Square, Steamboat Springs
• About: 13th annual event features skiers and riders attempt to cross a pond at the base of the mountain. Judged on distance, outfit creativity and crowd response. A free Bud Light concert follows at 3:30pm.

Durango Bluegrass Meltdown

• Date: Fri-Sun, April 17-19, 2020
• Address: Durango
• About: Three days of concerts showcasing bluegrass bands from around the country. Special events include a Durango-style barn dance, Saturday night Celtdown, and music in local restaurants and bars. Headquarters is in the historic Strater Hotel.

5Point Film Festival

• Date: Wed-Sun, April 22-26, 2020​
• Address: Carbondale
• About: Five day Carbondale film festival with traveling events throughout the year.

Cañon City Music & Blossom Festival

• Date: Wed-Sun, April 29-May 3, 2020
• Address: Cañon City
• About: Long running music festival featuring a parade, rodeo and carnival. High school, middle school and junior high school bands from across the country compete in Concert Band, Jazz Band, Parade and Orchestra.

Durango Wine Experience

• Date: Thur-Sat, April 30-May 2, 2020
• Address: Durango
• About: 14th annual wine festival showcasing hundreds of craft wines, spirits and beers. The Walk-About Durango is a wine tasting held Friday and the Grand Tasting starts Saturday afternoon.

Festivals in May

Cañon City Music & Blossom Festival

• Date: Wed-Sun, April 29-May 3, 2020
• Address: Cañon City
• About: Long running music festival featuring a parade, rodeo and carnival. High school, middle school and junior high school bands from across the country compete in Concert Band, Jazz Band, Parade and Orchestra.

Royal Gorge Rodeo

• Date: Fri-Sat, May 1-2, 2020
• Address: Cañon City
• About: Founded in 1872, this is Colorado’s longest continuously running rodeo, held over two days as part of the aforementioned Cañon City Music & Blossom Festival.

Durango Wine Experience

• Date: Thur-Sat, April 30-May 2, 2020
• Address: Durango
• About: 14th annual wine festival showcasing hundreds of craft wines, spirits and beers. The Walk-About Durango is a wine tasting held Friday and the Grand Tasting starts Saturday afternoon.

Fruita Fat Tire Festival

• Date: Fri-Sun, May 1-3, 2020
• Where: Fruita
• About: Four day celebration of mountain biking featuring seminars, competitions and a giant expo, now in its 25th year.

Estes Park Duck Race Festival

• Date: Sat, May 2, 2020
• Address: Estes Park
• About: You “adopt” a little rubber duck and race it down the Fall River. 95% of your entree will go to your choice of over 60 Estes Valley charities. There’s also prizes for hundreds of entries. Bond Park will feature family games and live music. In addition to the duck race, vendors in downtown Estes Park will be having a sidewalk sale Saturday and Sunday.

Cinco de Mayo Festival

• Date: Sat-Sun, May 2-3, 2020
• Address: Civic Center Park, Denver
• About: 33rd Cinco de Mayo celebration with music, dancing, food and festivities.

TheBigWonderful

• Date: Sat-Sun, May 2-3, 2020
• Address: Denver
• About: 7th weekend celebrating the Kentucky Derby and Cinco De Mayo. It features over 100 local makers live music on two stages, a VIP program and a lot of Colorado craft food and beverage.

Rifle Rendevous Festival

• Date: Fri-Sun, May 14-16, 2021
• Address: Rifle
• About: 24th year of western fun, complete with a carnival, car show, live music and vendors.

Iron Horse Bicycle Classic

• Date: Fri-Sun, May 22-24, 2020
• Address: Durango-Silverton
• About: Historic bike race against the Durango and Silverton train, now in its 49th year.

Grand Old West Days

• Date: Fri-Mon, May 22-25, 2020
• Address: Craig
• About: Old West cultural festival that takes place over the Memorial Day Weekend at several locations: Fairgrounds, Downtown, and Cedar Mountain. Activities include a horse show, parade, carnival, live music, food and games.

Mountainfilm In Telluride

• Date: Fri-Mon, May 22-25, 2020
• Address: Telluride
• About: Film festival held since 1979 in downtown Telluride, making it one of the longest running in America.

Denver Arts Festival

• Date: Sat-Sun, May 23-24, 2020
• Address: Stapleton, Denver
• About: 22nd annual arts fest showcasing fine art from Colorado and national artists.

Rocky Mountain Pinball Showdown

• Date: Fri-Sun, May 23-25, 2020
• Address: Denver
• About: The ultimate pinball and gamer festival returns for its 17th year. Attend one or all three days and play all the games you can, no quarters needed.

Durango Blues Train

• Date: Thur-Sat, May 28-30, August 20-22, 2020
• Address: Durango
• About: Attend one of two weekends on an epic, one-of-a-kind blues train, roundtrip from Durango to Silverton.

Colorado Medieval Festival

• Date: Fri-Sun, May 29-31, 2020
• Address: Loveland
• About: It’s an outdoor medieval themed festival with live entertainment including knights, swordsmanship and music. There’ll be plenty of food, beer, craft vendors and a kid zone, no pets.

Festivals in June

GoPro Mountain Games

• Date: Thur-Sun, June 4-7, 2020
• Address: Vail
• About: Summer GoPro Mountain Games are the biggest festival of adventure sports, art and music, held annually in Vail. There are competitions in biking, climbing, fishing, kayaking, slacklining, standup paddling, rafting, running, disc golf and even events for the dogs.

Telluride Balloon Festival

• Date: Fri-Sun, June 5-7, 2020
• Address: Telluride
• About: 37th year, festivities include two sunrise balloon ascensions from Town Park, a sunset glow on Main Street and a balloon workshop.

Pagosa Folk ‘N Bluegrass

• Date: Fri-Sun, June 5-7, 2020
• Address: Pagosa Springs
• About: 15th annual music festival showcasing bluegrass and folk tunes.

Colorado Shakespeare Festival

• Date: Mixed days, June 5-August 9, 2020
• Where: Boulder
• About: 63rd season showcasing Shakespeare’s wonderful plays. It’s held on varying days throughout the week on the CU campus.

Denver Chalk Art Festival

• Date: 2020 CANCELLED; Sat-Sun, June 5-6, 2021
• Address: Larimer Square, Downtown Denver
• About: Watch over 200 artists spend the weekend painting the sidewalks with chalk.

Highlands Farmers Market

• Date: Sundays, June 7-September 27, 2020
• Address: Highland Square, 32nd Avenue, Denver
• Great farmers market with handcrafted goods and locally grown produce. Go hungry because there is plenty of homemade food for sale, fresh and ready to eat.

Animas River Days

• Date: Fri-Sat, June 12-13, 2020
• Address: Santa Rita Park, Durango
• About: Day long celebration on the Animas River thru the whitewater park. Festivities include kayak, raft and SUP races, all capped off by a wild river parade with a viewing party from the park.

Palisade Bluegrass & Roots Festival

• Date: Fri-Sun, June 12-14, 2020
• Address: Palisade
• About: 12th annual bluegrass fest in Riverbend Park, featuring guitars, fiddles and amazing artistry.

Colorado Renaissance Festival

• Date: Weekends Sat-Sun, June 13-August 2, 2020
• Address: 650 W Perry Park Ave, Larkspur (between Denver & CO Springs on I-25)
• About: On its 44th season, the Renaissance Festival is held over 8 weekends in June, July, August with medieval events for all ages. It’s held 10am until 6:30pm each day, rain or shine. Parking is free, no pets.

Hudson Gardens Summer Concert Series

• Date: Mixed Days TBD, early June-mid September, 2020
• Where: Littleton
• About: Twenty-one years and counting for this favorite summer outdoor concert series. Shows takes place regularly on Sundays, some Saturdays and July 4th.

Country Jam

• Date: Thur-Sun, June 18-21, 2020
• Address: Grand Junction
• About: Four day country music party on the Western Slope, with camping available.

FIBArk Salida

• Date: Thur-Sun, June 18-21, 2020
• Address: Downtown Salida
• About: America’s oldest whitewater festival, dating back to 1949. There are a number of exciting events including Slalom Race, Crazy River Dog and the Hooligan Race. Camping is available in the town of Salida and nearby on Highway 50.

Sonic Bloom

• Date: Thur-Sun, June 18-21, 2020
• Address: Rye
• About: 15th annual electronic music festival held during the summer solstice. The festival grounds are located by Rye in Spanish Peaks Country at Hummingbird Park.

Telluride Bluegrass Festival

• Date: Thur-Sun, June 18-21, 2020
• Address: Telluride
• About: 47th annual bluegrass music festival in downtown Telluride.

Food & Wine Classic in Aspen

• Date: Fri-Sun, June 19-21, 2020
• Address: Aspen
• About: World renowned chefs give cooking presentations and lectures, enjoy top notch cooking and wine, as well as beer, wine and cocktails.

Strawberry Days

• Date: Fri-Sun, June 19-21, 2020
• Address: Glenwood Springs
• About: 123rd annual festival held the third weekend in June every year. It features live music, stage entertainment, FamilyFest for kids, arts & crafts, food court, carnival and a parade down Grand Avenue, with free strawberries and ice cream after parade.

Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series

• Date: Fri-Sat, June 19-August 22, 2020
• Address: Howelsen Hill Rodeo Grounds, Steamboat Springs
• About: Every summer on Friday and Saturday evenings, PBR rodeo cowboys compete in the Yampa Valley.

That’s a roundup of Colorado’s annual spring events. Need help deciding? Here are eight favorite spring festivals.