We’ve got your plans through the end of the month

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

Denver Food and Wine Festival through Sept. 6

Starting today, the Colorado Restaurant Foundation hosts four days of food, wines and spirits, educational tasting seminars and more.

The main event is the grand tasting on Saturday at the Auraria campus. The other fan favorite is the Shake + Brake Showdown at Auraria on Thursday night, with some of Denver’s best food trucks and bartenders competing for prizes.

Sheepdog championships in Meeker through Sept. 7

The 38th annual Meeker Classic sheepherding competition opens today, and runs through Sunday in Meeker. The contest draws national and international competitors.

Dogs are sent 600 yards to fetch sheep and bring them into a controlled area while working them quietly and safely through a set of obstacles. Handlers guide the dogs with a series of commands, demonstrating practical working skills for a farm or ranch.

The festival also includes a culinary and cultural lamb festival, art show, craft fair, demonstrations and more.

Tomato Festival in Fort Lupton Sept. 4-6

Fort Lupton celebrates harvest season with a tomato festival and Trapper Days this weekend.

The event opens Thursday with a cooking contest. On Friday, the Amy Biondo Ensemble will perform at the free downtown street dance. Saturday events include a pancake breakfast, parade, and hop-on/hop-off city tours with activities and demonstrations at each stop.

Frisco fall festival and art show Sept. 5-6

Local and regional artists will showcase and sell a wide variety of work at the Arts at Altitude show and sale in Frisco on Friday and Saturday. Banjo player Clare Elich will perform at noon and 3 p.m.

Saturday also brings the Frisco Fall Fest, with live music from Denver’s Thirsty 5 oompah band, art projects, kids activities, food trucks and German beer. Beverage sales benefit the Friends of the Dillon Ranger District.

Highland Festival in Estes Park Sept. 5-7

The 49th Annual Longs Peak Scottish-Irish Highland Festival (aka Scotfest) is the largest celebration of Scottish and Irish communities in North America. It runs Friday through Sunday in Estes Park.

The event includes live music on five stages, plus the international “tattoo,” a ceremonial performance of military music with more than 200 musicians from around the world, on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.

Another highlight is the highland sports competition, drawing professional athletes for caber tossing, hammer throwing and other events. The canine herding, agility, disc-catching and freestyle contests also are popular, as are the guided whiskey tastings.

Brewery fundraiser in Lakewood Sept. 6

LandLocked Ales in Lakewood started hosting the Pints 4 Purple fundraiser in 2019. It has since raised $25,000 to combat pancreatic cancer research, and returns on Saturday as Legacy for Linda, with a pinball tournament, live music, a silent auction and food.

The music lineup includes DJ Cyber, singer-songwriter J.K. Halvorson, pop-punk band Capture This and acclaimed Prince cover band Paizley Park. The brewery also will unveil a limited-edition berry wheat ale, the Linda Berry.

Proceeds go to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), which also is taking online donations here.

Flock Party in Denver Sept. 6

Tickets are still available for the sixth Flock Party at the Denver Zoo on Saturday. The adult event pairs animal experiences and live music with craft cocktails and bites from some of the Denver area’s best restaurants and bars.

ThristyFest in Denver Sept. 6

Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association hosts the volunteer-led ThirstyFest on Saturday. The beer festival includes local brews, live music and food trucks. Proceeds benefit Water For People, a Denver non-profit that helps create and maintain safe water systems around the world.

Potato Festival in Monte Vista Sept. 6

The San Luis Valley Potato Festival celebrates the Colorado spud harvest, with the 5K Tater Trot, craft and food vendors, guided agriculture tours, chef demonstrations, the mashed potato dunk tank and, of course, potatoes.

Chili & Beer Fest in Superior Sept. 6

The Boulder County town of Superior hosts a free chili festival and paid beer festival from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday.

The free event includes unlimited chili samples (while supplies last), as well as a kids’ zone, food trucks and live music from Wrenn Van Band and Hazel Miller and the Collective.

VIP and GA beer fest tickets include unlimited samples of Colorado beer, cider, spirits and non-alcoholic beverages.

PLAN THE REST OF YOUR MONTH

Colorado Wine Walk Sept. 13

Blanchard Family Wines hosts another Colorado Wine Walk next Saturday at Denver’s Dairy Block.

GA tickets include unlimited samples of a wide variety of Colorado wines, a commemorative wine glass, wine tote, opportunities for wine purchases, and conversations with winemakers. The event also includes an optional ticketed seminar about wine glasses at 5, 6 or 7 p.m.

Dry Hop Fest Sept. 13

Denver‘s largest nonalcoholic beer fest comes to the Phoenix next Saturday. Attendees can sample a wide variety of NA craft beer and win exclusive raffle prizes. Rationale, Three Kings, Ted Segers, Gruvi, Ceria, Summit Cultures, Mash Gang, Wackadoo, Go Brewing, Tweedle, Eighteen Twenty, Wisetails, Years, Kit, Juna and others will pour samples.

Backcountry Taproom Sept. 13

Upslope Brewing Co. hosts its 10th annual Backcountry Tap Room on the Mary Jane side of Winter Park ski area, at 9,600 feet. It also marks the debut of this year’s spruce tip IPA. Proceeds benefit Leave No Trace, which has a mission to protect the outdoors.