We’ve got your plans for the next few weeks

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.

BEST BETS FOR THIS WEEK

Wine week and wine fest in Palisade

Colorado Wine Week is happening now (click here for the event schedule) in and around Palisade, and includes a Thursday fundraiser concert for the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra at Restoration Vineyards.

The weeklong celebration culminates with the Colorado Mountain Winefest Saturday. The state’s largest wine festival includes unlimited sips from dozens of wineries, as well as live music, silent disco, ice carving and ice luge, grape stomp, chef demonstrations and educational seminars.

Also, click here for an itinerary for touring through Colorado wine country any time of the year.

Music and yoga in Salida Thursday to Saturday

Campout for the Cause returns after a six-year hiatus. The event has been rebranded and expanded as Smalltown for the Cause. The new iteration will bring back the camping, causes, activities, artistry and mindfulness of the three-day yoga and music festival. The festival is on Saturday and Sunday, but early camping opens Thursday.

For more information and to meet the organizers, read our preview story here.

Film Festival in Breckenridge Thursday to Sunday

After an opening night film and party on Thursday, five venues around Breckenridge host movies, panel discussions and parties through the weekend. The lineup includes juried short films made by high schoolers around the country, several environmental documentaries and acclaimed films by and about indigenous Americans.

Wine festival in Winter Park Friday and Saturday

The Rocky Mountain Wine Fest includes award-winning wines from around the world, as well as live music, pairing dinners and a tasting seminar. The event benefits the National Sports Center for the Disabled.

Balloon rally and more in Pagosa Springs Friday to Sunday

The Colorfest Hot Air Balloon Rally starts at 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday in downtown Pagosa Springs. The town also hosts a wine and food festival with live music on Friday evening; the Color Run 5K and community breakfast on Saturday morning; a beer and music festival on Saturday evening; and a sunset balloon glow at around 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Chile and frijoles in Pueblo Friday to Sunday

Pueblo celebrates chile farms and other local agriculture at the Chile & Frijoles Festival, including a chili and salsa showdown, jalapeno eating contest, balloon fest, pet parade, magic show, comedy show by George Lopez, farmer’s market and chile roasting.

The festival also includes live music, parades, hot air balloons, magic shows, kids’ activities and more.

Fresh hop beer fest in Montrose Saturday

Billy Goat Hop Farm in Montrose hosts the fourth annual Southwest Fresh Fest. Attendees can sample fresh hop and seasonal beers from across the region. The event also includes live bluegrass music, local food trucks, farm tours and games.

Alzheimer’s Walk in Denver Saturday

The Walk to End Alzheimer’s returns to Denver’s City Park. So far, nearly 3,000 participants have raised $900,000, and participants and volunteers can still register. The Alzheimer's Association hopes to reach a fundraising goal of $1.25 million.

Wine and Music in Lake City Saturday

The Ucorked Wine and Music Festival starts at 10 a.m. in Town Park, with a variety of wine, beer from San Luis Valley Brewing, and art and food vendors.

Mojo Birds will headline the festival at 7:15. Other acts include Cash’d Out, Peach Street Revival, Sugar Britches, Sunny Downpour and Anvil Strings.

Pack burro racing and more in Frederick Saturday

Frederick hosts Miners Day on Saturday, with a parade and pack burro race starting at 10 a.m. The event also includes live music, museum tours, beer garden, vendors, fireworks and a wreath ceremony to commemorate the area’s miners.

Friday brings bingo, free churros and a chance to meet the burros.

Art in Crested Butte Saturday and Sunday

Artists in a variety of media will showcase and sell their work at the ARTumn festival on Elk Avenue in downtown Crested Butte. It should also be a great time and place to see fall colors.

Art festival in Durango Saturday and Sunday

The 32st Durango Autumn Arts Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, showcasing artists in a wide variety of media, including a new young artists space. The event also has a new beer and food garden, and is the largest fundraiser of the year for the Durango Arts Center.

Scottish games in Sedalia Saturday and Sunday

The Colorado Highland Games run from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Denver Polo Club. In addition to traditional Scottish games and feats of strength, the event includes a clan parade, British car show, dog parade, Celtic music and dance, whisky tastings, rugby, cooking demonstrations and more.

PLAN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS

Classic cars and more in Telluride Sept 25-27

The 10th Telluride Autumn Classic takes place all weekend at the Mountain Village. The family-friendly festival is a showcase of exotic and vintage cars, motorcycles, aircraft and more, with art and live music.

Celebrating fall in Fruita Sept 26 and 27

The 10th annual Fruita Fall Festival includes a beef and wine dinner, sporting contests and a cupcake eating contest. The event also brings outhouse races, parades, pet shows, baking and canning contests, a history fair, beer garden and live music.

Harvest festival in Paonia Sept. 26 to 28

The Mountain Harvest Festival opens Friday with a book sale, bike parade, art walk, and theater and live music. Saturday and Sunday events include yoga, farm tours, wine and cider tastings, art markets and demos, chili and pie contests, and live music on several stages.

Big B’s Fruit Company also hosts live music, camping and more all weekend.

Bluegrass and beer in Breckenridge Sept. 26 to 28

Breckenridge Bluegrass & Beer opens Sept. 26 with a beer pairing dinner at Sauce on the Maggie. Saturday brings the grand tasting at Main Street Station, including live music from Grass it Up. VIP access begins at 12:30 p.m., and GA access runs from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday brunch at Sauce on the Maggie rounds out the weekend.

Books in Aspen Sept. 26-28

Aspen Words hosts the first Aspen Literary Festival, starting Sept. 26. The three-day event brings 40 authors for lectures, panel discussions, parties and more. Presenters include prolific mystery writer Malter Mosley, “The Big Short” and “Moneyball” author Michael Lewis, “The Nix” author Nathan Hill and “The Perfect Storm” author Sebastian Junger.

Paid tickets are required for some events.

Green chile party in Pagosa Springs Sept. 27

The Mountain Chile Cha Cha centers around the Patty Aragon Chile Cook-Off, and also offers margarita contests, sangria tent, beer garden, live Latino music, family activities, and a variety of food and arts vendors.

Blues in Colorado Springs Sept. 27

Grammy nominee Ruthie Foster headlines the fifth annual Blues on the Mesa festival at Gold Hill Mesa in Colorado Springs. The lineup also includes Mike Zito, Eden Brent, Jack Hadley and Grant Sabin.

The festival will also bring local food and drink vendors, a health fair and more. General-admission and VIP tickets are available, and children 16 and under are free with a paying adult.

Creek cleanup in Colorado Springs Sept. 27

Red Leg Brewing hosts a creek cleanup as part of the Fountain Creek Watershed’s Creek Week, the largest river cleanup event in Colorado.

Brewery block party in Denver Sept. 27

Woods Boss Brewing in Denver hosts a daylong block party, with food trucks, splatter paint station, steinholding competition, live screen printing, drag shows and live music.

Wine Festival in Cañon City Sept. 27 and 28

The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey in Cañon City hosts its 23rd annual Harvest Festival.

The event is free and includes wine, live music, food, chili roasting, a farmers market, and arts and crafts vendors. The two-day event opens at 10 a.m. Saturday with the blessing of the harvest by Father Jesse Perez of St. Michael’s Catholic Church.

Musicians include Hammerstadt Fusion of the Soul, Deja Bluz, Gentle Rain and Deep Blue Sea

Celebrating elk in Estes Park Sept. 27 and 28

Estes Park celebrates its most famous fall visitors at the Estes Park Elk Fest in Bond Park. Saturday opens with a 5K run. Both days also bring a bugling contest, educational presentations, live music, Native American dancing and other activities.

Elk will likely wander through and around town, but be warned that elk can be aggressive, especially during the rut, or mating season.

Whiskey fest in Breck Oct. 3-5

The Breckenridge Craft Spirits Festival, also known as Still on the Hill, comes to Breckenridge, with live music, seminars, cocktail pairing dinners, mine and distillery tours, happy hours and more.

The highlight of the event, though, is the grand tasting from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, with opportunities to sample spirits, meet distillers, and vote for their favorite sips.

Local restaurants serve gourmet bites, and Local Folk will play bluegrass music.

Bluegrass festival near Manitou Oct. 3-5

The Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort is a unique lodging option between Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs that aims to foster community and excitement around cycling.

The hotel will host the Buffalo Grass festival, including live music, group bike rides, yoga, vendors, bluegrass circles and more.

The music headliners are Wirewood Station on Friday, Blue Canyon Boys on Saturday, and Magoo on Sunday.

Beer fest in Manitou Oct. 4

The 10th Heritage Brewfest moves to early fall and showcases regional Southern Colorado beer and music. The event is a fundraiser for the Manitou Springs Heritage Museum.

Creepy beer fest in Colorado Springs Oct 4

The Halloween season opens with a wide variety of beer, liquor and wine at the Dead Man’s Brew Fest at Weidner Field, home of the Colorado Springs Switchbacks professional soccer team.

Belgian beers in Denver Oct. 4

Bruz Beers in northwest Denver will host a celebration of Belgian-stye beers from Colorado and Belgium from 1 to 4 p.m. Local breweries include Barquentine, Purpose, River North, Our Mutual Friend, Wanderment and Locavore.

In addition to unlimited samples, the festival offers live music, a food truck and a dog treat truck. Tickets sell out in advance every year for the festival.

Cars, music and ribs in Montrose Oct. 4

The Rides, Rhythms and Ribs Fest returns to the Montrose Rotary Amphitheater.The rides are cars, trucks, motorcycles, ATV's and more. The rhythms are live acts playing country, rock, hip hop, blues Christian rock and more. The ribs part refers to rib cooking and eating contests, with trophies. There also is a kids’ zone, vendors, food trucks, a beer garden, karaoke and more.

Cider celebration in Lakewood Oct. 4 and 5

The Cider Days festival comes to Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park. The historic event celebrates the area’s roots in apple farming and other agriculture. There will be apple pressing, live performances, tractor pulls, vintage displays and demonstrations, wagon and barrel train rides, and a variety of exhibitors and vendors.

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.