Best things to do in Colorado in the next few weeks

Head out across the state for music, libations and film festivals, and plenty more

By the Thirst Team

Welcome to our roundup of the best events across Colorado for the next couple of weeks. Check out our May performing arts preview here, and read on for other happenings all over the state. For more, check out our events calendar.

Watering Bowl Social in Golden today

On May 13, the Foothills Animal Shelter hosts the Watering Bowl Social, a 21+ fundraiser with gourmet food and drink, live music, auction games and behind-the-scenes shelter tours. Tickets sell out for the event every year, but were still available at press time.

Bluegrass Festival outside Durango Friday through Sunday

Old Crow Medicine Show headlines the sixth annual Tico Time Bluegrass Music Festival in the Animas River Valley just south of Durango. Yonder Mountain String Band, Keller & The Keels, Poor Man’s Whiskey and Big Richard also are on the long list of performers.

Music festivals continue at the resort through the summer and fall. All season, the resort offers tent and RV camping, glamping, dining, tubing, paddleboarding, disc golf, beach volleyball and other activities. 

Paddling and pints in Pagosa Springs Saturday 

The Pints, Pools and Paddles Craft Brew Fest returns to the Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs on Saturday. Attendees can soak in one of 20 geothermal pools and watch the Pagosa Paddle whitewater races from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., then sample craft beer from 3 to 6 p.m. 

For extra indulgence, check out a beer, chocolate and cheese tasting at Riff Raff Brewery or curated beer tastings in the wellness pools on Friday night. And recover on Sunday morning at Motel Soco, where a festival wristband earns a free mimosa or bloody mary with brunch.

Boulder Creek Festival and Sundance screenings May 22 to 25

The Sundance Film Festival is celebrating its imminent arrival in Boulder with a pair of free Creekside Movie Nights during the Boulder Creek Festival. “Napoleon Dynamite” will be on Saturday night, followed by “Zootopia 2” on Sunday night.

The Boulder Creek Festival runs from Friday through Monday, and also brings a beer festival, food, shopping and plenty of live music, including a Magic Beans super jam, a Bob Dylan tribute band and Gasoline Lollipops. 

The Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival May 22-24

Beaver Creek hosts a weekend of BBQ competitions, beer, spirits and blues music. Larry McCray and George Porter Jr. play on Friday night. Jontavious Willis and Tommy Castro & The Painkillers get top billing on Saturday. Tab Benoit and Kevin Burt & The Big Medicine close the festival on Sunday.

Vail Comedy Festival May 22-24

More than 20 comedy, cinema and street magic shows are coming to Vail on Memorial Day weekend. A variety of ticketing options are available, including one- and three-day passes, as well as individual tickets for some events. Mark Masters Comedy will also offer free family entertainment.

Denver Arts Festival May 23 and 24

Conservatory Green in Denver’s Central Park neighborhood hosts the Denver Arts Festival, a showcase for Colorado artists and a select group of national artists, on Memorial Day weekend. The event also includes wine, beer and spirits, a kids’ art zone and live music by the Denver Concert Band, Dotsero, Wendy Woo, the Jacob Larson Band and more.

Pack burro race May 23 and 24

The Colorado pack burro racing season kicks into high gear in Georgetown on May 23 and Idaho Springs May 24. Races are open to the public, and burros are available for rent (although you’ll probably need to join a waitlist at this point).

Yampa River Festival May 28-31

The 46th annual Yampa River Festival is coming to Steamboat Springs. The event includes kayak, pack raft and standup paddleboard race and rodeos, as well as a gear swap and other events. Yampa Valley Brewing Co. and Storm Peak Brewing Co. will pour beers. 

Mike the Headless Chicken Festival May 29 and 30

In the 1940s, one of the biggest celebrities from Colorado was Mike, a chicken that apparently ran around with its head cut off for 18 months. Fruita still celebrates Mike with a large statue and a spring festival that includes a 5K run, live music, chicken show, community chicken dance and Peep- and wing-eating contests.

Red Rocks Yoga season opens May 30

Pre-registration is open now for the popular Yoga on the Rocks series at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, which runs from May 30 to Aug. 29. Fans are required to pre-register this week before tickets go on sale May 14. The first five sessions, through June 27, are hosted by The River Yoga. The other season presenters are Better Buzz Yoga and Rooted Heart Yoga & Wellness. A single session cost $23, and a six-pack of tickets costs $138.

Taste of Louisville June 5-6

The Taste of Louisville is a two-day celebration that kicks off summer. The headline event is Friday’s Dinner on Main, a feast for 300 on one long table on Main Street. That is followed by a free silent disco dance party on Friday night. Revelers can burn off all the calories during Saturday’s 5K and dog jog. The rest of Saturday brings Louisville’s first Pride festival and the free Summerfest, with live music, a farmers market, craft market, car show and spaghetti eating contest.

Save the Date: Revel in the Park July 24 and 25   

Revel in the Park is two days of live music and outdoor activities in Winter Park. 

Bonfire Dub will play a free pre-show on Thursday, and a Saturday set. Dogs In A Pile and the Fretliners will perform on Friday. Shadowgrass and Madeline Hawthorne will play on Saturday, and Kitchen Dwellers are slated for both nights.
Win tickets to these upcoming events

We’ve got tickets. And they could be yours. Sign up for our weekly newsletter and you will be the first to learn about these upcoming giveaways:

• The Taste of the West food and drink festival June 4

• The Vail Craft Beer Festival June 13

• The Edgewater Music Festival June 20

• The Tico Time Country Festival June 26 to 28

As always, please send us your events and announcements. We’re happy to share them. If they don’t fit in this events roundup, we will add them to our events calendar.