Get ready to celebrate Colorado’s rivers, food, music and … a headless chicken?

By the Thirst Team

Get Out of Town is our weekly roundup of recommended events across Colorado. Summer is getting wet and wild this weekend, with river festivals, a headless chicken celebration, bluegrass and a top-notch food and drink festival.

For even more happenings, check out our events calendar.

Mike the Headless Chicken Festival

Mike is one of Fruita’s most famous historic figures. He was a chicken who lived for 18 months without a head starting in September 1945. He traveled around the West and became a national sensation. Now his indomitable spirit is celebrated every year at the Mike the Headless Chicken Festival, returning to Fruita Friday and Saturday.

The festival includes a pancake breakfast, 5K run, car show, chicken show, peep- and wing-eating contests. There also will be live music from Randal Dubis Band and Boys of Summer on Friday, and Roka Hueka, Black Canyon Boys and the Cleverlys on Saturday.

Yampa River Festival

The 45th annual Yampa River Festival runs from Thursday to Sunday in Steamboat Springs. The main event is a series of river races on Saturday, but there also is a raft rodeo, tube rodeo, fly fishing events and a family zone.

Animas River Days

For more waterborne action, Animas River Days flow into Durango Thursday through Sunday, with river surfing, freestyle kayaking, boatercross, raft and kayak slalom, and more.

There is a slalom clinic and kickoff party on Thursday, followed by more clinics and instruction on Friday. Saturday brings most of the races, plus a river parade, floatie rodeo, and a late-night party. Finally, Sunday brings final races, a fly casting contest and a wrap party with live music by Carute Roma.

Goldengrass music festival

New Terrain Brewing in Golden will host the ninth Goldengrass bluegrass weekend Thursday through Sunday, with food trucks, face painting and, of course, beer. The festival draws bluegrass and roots bands from across the country. Arkansauce will play on Thursday. The Fretliners, Easy Tiger and The Milbillies will perform Friday. Tyler Grant’s Bluegrass Farm, Coral Creek, Foggy Memory Boys and Deer Creek Sharp Shooters are lined up for Saturday. Finally, Sunday brings Pick & Howl, Slay & Stinson and Timber.

Taste of the West

Taste of the West returns to Foothills Fieldhouse on Thursday, June 5. One ticket gets unlimited bites and drinks from local chefs, culinary creators, and mixologists.

The event includes drinks from 6 and 40 Brewery, Blanchard Family Wines, Ceria Brewing, Deep Roots Winery, State 38 Distilling and many more, plus bites from 240 Union, The Werks, The Colorado Cookie Company, Nothing Bundt Cakes and many more.

Team Thirst also will be there, with free magazines, swag and a ticket giveaway.

Save the date: Pours on the Plains

Pours on the Plains runs from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, July 25, at the Arapahoe County Fair in Aurora. It is an annual celebration of Colorado craft beer, with unlimited pours from at least 15 local breweries. Discover a new favorite beer and enjoy live music and fun activities. There also will be a photo bus, golf simulator, roaming magician, temporary tattoo and henna artists, and more. And stay after the festival for fireworks and rides at the county fair.

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.