Head out across the state to celebrate birds, art, electronic music, gluten-free food and 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.

Birding festival in Cortez through Sunday

The annual Ute Mountain Mesa Verde Birding Festival opens today in Cortez for birdwatching across the diverse landscapes of southwestern Colorado. The Cortez Cultural Center hosts regional wildlife specialists to guide tours and present guest lectures on the region’s wide spectrum of migratory and resident birds.

Art showcase in Erie Friday and Saturday

Five local artists will spotlight their original, hand-painted work at Emerge: Erie, hosted by Erie Social Club this weekend. The art will be on display from 3 to 10 p.m. with artists on hand from 5 to 9 p.m.

Hydrophonic Festival runs Thursday to Sunday

The Tico Time River Resort near Durango hosts the Hydrophonic Festival through the weekend. It is billed as “a boutique electronic music and arts gathering” organized by the local community. The headlining act is Sun Talker, featuring Jay Lane of Dead & Co, Michael Travis of String Cheese Incident and David Phipps of Sound Tribe Sector Nine.

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

Gluten-free food festival in Golden Saturday

Holidaily Brewing Company, a fast-growing gluten-free brewery in Golden, celebrates Celiac Awareness Month with the 5th Annual Gluten-Free Foodie Fest from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. At least 10 gluten-free food vendors will sell food alongside live music, Holidaily beers and activities.

The brewery also just tapped a new gluten-free Mexican-style lager with lime, a collaboration with four other Colorado breweries.

Ukefest in Denver on Saturday

Award-winning ukulele master Brittni Paiva headlines the 17th Annual Denver UkeFest at Swallow Hill Music. The daylong event also includes workshops and other performances by Cynthia Lin and Steven Espaniola. Swallow Hill instructors Casey Cormier and Daniella Katzir host the event, while also performing and teaching their own workshops.

Barrel Into Spring Saturday and Sunday

A few tickets remain for the Barrel Into Spring tour, hosted by the Colorado Association for Viticulture & Enology. The Barrel Into Spring is a self-guided tour of wineries across the Grand Valley in western Colorado, with barrel tastings and food pairings.

Run at the Colorado Springs zoo Saturday and Sunday

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo hosts the Run to the Shrine this weekend. The zoo fundraiser is the only opportunity all year to walk or run the 1,000-foot climb to the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun. Saturday is sold out, but Sunday tickets were still available at press time.

Watering Bowl Social in Golden next Wednesday

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.

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.

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.

Save the Date: Keystone Bacon and Bourbon Festival June 27-28

A weekend-long celebration of all things bacon and bourbon is coming to River Run Village at Keystone. Various ticket levels are available for sampling bacon, bourbon or both. Kids of all ages can enjoy activities at Camp Bacon.

Later in the summer, Keystone also hosts:

The Keystone Wine and Jazz Festival on July 18 and 19. Dotsero headlines a diverse lineup of Colorado jazz groups. Food-only passes are available for the festival’s gourmet vendors.
The Bluegrass and Beer Festival on Aug. 1 and 2. At least 30 craft breweries will pour samples while the Brothers Comatose, Second Gear and other bands perform.
Oktoberfest on Sept. 5. The event includes oompah bands, German food and, of course, steins of beer. Separate food and beer passes are available.

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 Lander Brewfest June 12 and 13
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.