Festivals of beer, wine, chocolate, Aurora Borealis and more on tap, plus close out an amphitheater season

By the Thirst Team

Get Out of Town is our roundup of the best events across Colorado for the next few weeks. For more happenings, check out our events calendar.

Giant beer festival in Denver Thursday to Sunday

The Great American Beer Festival, the largest beer tasting event in the nation, returns to the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.

The festival expands into liquor for the first time this year, and there will be Halloween and sports-themed areas. There also will be live music, lip sync battles, costume contests and more.

The epic pour list is available here.

Plenty of breweries also host pre-parties, awards watch parties, meetups and more. Click here for a list, or check with your local taproom.

Aurora Borealis Festival Friday and Saturday

The second annual Aurora Borealis Festival comes to High Prairie Park. Immersive light displays and interactive installations are designed to recreate the Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis.

There also will be a global gift bazaar, international food court, live music, cultural performances, family activities, and hands-on art experiences.

Choral music and mariachis Friday and Saturday

The Cherry Creek Chorale opens its performance season with Spirits, Spells & Mariachis this weekend, featuring Mariachi Las Dahlias alongside the choir. Selections range from the classic “I Put a Spell on You” to “Un Poco Loco” from the movie “Coco.”

Wine festival in Johnstown Saturday

The second annual Hallowine Festival is coming to Thompson River Ranch in Johnstown on Saturday, Oct. 11. Tickets include unlimited tastings, a Halloween costume contest, live music, vendors and food trucks.

Chocolate festival in Aurora Saturday

The Choctoberfest chocolate and cheese tasting festival comes to the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $10, plus $10 for every 12 tasting tickets. VIP packages with early entry also are available.

Final 2025 Mishawaka show Saturday

Local “analog dance music and neo jam” band Magic Beans will close out the season at the Mishawaka Amphitheatre. The venue is in the Poudre River canyon west of Fort Collins, and worth the pilgrimage for any Colorado music fan.

The concert is free, but attendees must pay for either parking or a shuttle from Fort Collins. Parking is very limited at the venue, and the party always starts on the shuttle bus.

The first announced show for 2026 is a rescheduled set by Tycho on June 20.

Mountain Bike Fest in Rifle Saturday

The Rifle Area Mountain Biking Organization shows off Western Slope trails and raises money on Saturday at the Grand Hogback Extravaganza.

The event includes raffle prizes and a celebration in town, as well as mountain bike rides ranging from three to 20 miles long, with Lotería-themed games at various stops.

Classical music in Evergreen Saturday

Ovation West in Evergreen hosts the Aries Brass Quintet, the premier recital ensemble of Denver Brass, an acclaimed group with more than 40 years of experience and 32 recordings played on radio stations around the world.

PLAN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS

Fundraising gala in Grand Junction Oct. 17

Mafia Princess Wines hosts the Velvet Vine Gala, a speakeasy-themed evening of wine, live jazz and community. The event is a fundraiser to help the winery rebuild its vineyard after a devastating hail storm. Money also will be donated to Father to the Fatherless, a nonprofit school and orphanage in Uganda.

PB&J Jazz will perform, and there also will be a raffle and a silent auction, as well as Mafia Princess Wines and Underdog Cheese small bites.

Latin American festival in Breckenridge Oct. 17-18

Día de Muertos + Latin Festival is a two-day celebration of Latin American culture, ancestry and diversity. The event includes a new exhibition by Denver artist Juan Fuentes, a candlelight vigil and Aztec dance with Grupo Huitzilopochtli, family crafts and activities, a Latin market, Latin dance night and more.

Coffin races in Manitou Springs Oct. 25

Entry is open through Oct. 17 to build and race a coffin in Manitou Springs. The Emma Crawford Coffin Races are on Saturday, Oct. 25.

The nation’s first coffin races have been running since 1995. They commemorate Crawford, who wished to be buried atop Red Mountain. Colorado weather had different plans, and a series of freeze-thaw cycles and some heavy spring rains sent her coffin sliding down the mountainside in 1929.

As always, please send us your events and announcements. We’re happy to share them. If they don’t fit in the Get Out of Town column, we will add them to our events calendar.