Head out across the state for celebrations of Colorado music, wine, art and burros

By the Thirst Team

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

Logan County Fair headliner Scotty McCreery. | Photo provided

Logan County Fair Thursday through Aug. 2

The Eastern Plains of Colorado don't get enough respect. Find out how fun they can be at the Logan County Fair, which opens in Sterling tomorrow. "American Idol" winner Scotty McCreery will headline on Saturday, Aug. 1. The fair also includes pro rodeo, a legendary demolition derby and all kinds of other classic county fair fun.

Fairplay concert series returns Friday

Fairplay hosts a free summer concert series on Fifth Street. The second show is by local blues legends Hazel Miller and the Collective on July 24, followed by blues-rockers Chris Daniels and the Kings on Aug. 28.

Revel in the Park in Winter Park Saturday and Sunday

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.

Fairplay Burro Days Friday and Saturday

For more than 75 years, the central Colorado town of Fairplay has celebrated the role of burros in Colorado’s mining heritage. Athletes compete to “Get Yur Ass Up the Pass” in the 29-mile World Championship Pack Burro Races. Meanwhile, festivalgoers in town enjoy a parade, outhouse races, art, activities, cowboy church and live music.

West Elks Wine Trail around Paonia July 31-Aug 2

Wine and cider businesses in Colorado's highest-elevation wine region, the North Fork Valley, host a weekend of exclusive tastings, vineyard tours, barrel samples, chef pop-ups, live music, workshops and behind-the-scenes experiences.

Winery and cidery visits are free, but the ticketed event also includes farm-to-table dinners featuring locally sourced cuisine paired with Colorado wines. Proceeds benefit the nonprofit West Elks AVA and its mission to champion the valley's award-winning craft producers.

Crested Butte Arts Festival July 31 to Aug. 2

The first Crested Butte Arts Fair in 1971 was a small platform for local artists to share their work, earn money and knit together a small, rural town. The show has since evolved into one of the most respected and competitive juried fine art shows in the region. The festival also includes live local music, a craft tent and the Flags of Intention collaborative art project. Participants can add ink block print images and positive words of intention onto a string of prayer flags.

Dacono Music and Spirits Festival Aug. 1

The Dacono Music and Spirits Festival brings national talents and local libations to the north Front Range on Aug.1. Texas country singer William Clark Green, of “She Likes the Beatles” fame, headlines the show. The rest of the lineup is from Colorado: Country band Ryan Chrys & the Rough Cuts, tribute band Creedence Colorado Revival, Latin ska group Roka Hueka, blues group The Delta Sonics and folk-rockers David Lawrence & the Spoonful.

United We Rock Festival in Colorado Springs Aug. 1

Rock Ledge Ranch at Garden of The Gods will celebrate Colorado’s 150th anniversary of statehood with a Western-style festival. The music lineup ranges from jazz and Americana to bluegrass and dance music, with Tony Exum, Jr., Tiny Pockets, Rafiel and the Roomshakers, WireWood Station, Grass It Up and Collective Groove all on tap.

History will come alive with old-fashioned games and Western activities like calf roping, stilts, hoop games and corn hole. The event also includes arts and crafts vendors, beer and whiskey tastings and food trucks.

Vino and Notes Festival in Woodland Park Aug. 1

The 18th annual jazz, food and wine festival comes to Memorial Park in Woodland Park from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Colorado Day. At least 23 Colorado wineries will participate, and musical artists include Manitou Strings, Shakin’ Like Sammy and Tidal Breeze Jazz Arts. Advance tickets are $40, increasing to $50 at the door. VIP tickets also are available for $60.

Bluegrass & Beer Festival in Keystone Aug. 1-2

One of Colorado’s longest-running beer festivals combines craft brews, bluegrass bands and mountain Cider and seltzer also will be flowing. Headliners include the Brothers Comatose on Saturday and Silas Herman & The Tone Unit on Sunday. The lineup also includes Rebecca Frazier, Buffalo Galaxy, Second Gear, Drunken Heart String Band and many more.

Steinley Cup Brewfest in Wyoming Aug. 2

Every summer should include a jaunt into Wyoming for some Western heritage, open spaces and … beer? The Steinley Cup Microbrew Festival and Competition comes to a fun island in Saratoga, Wyoming. And it’s OK to spend some money on gas because tickets are only $30 for a day of live music and sampling beers from the Rocky Mountain region and beyond.

Ukulele festival in Durango August 7 to 9

The Rocky Mountain UkeFest returns to various downtown venues in Durango. This year’s performers include Ukulele Gent, Chavacado and Dr. Mary Kleinsorge.

The Strater Hotel also hosts workshops, jams and other interactive events, and will offer a discount code for festivalgoers.

Leadville Boom Days Aug. 7 to 9

Leadville Boom Days is an annual historical celebration of the Old West and Leadville’s mining history. The weekend festival includes burro races, contests of mining skill, and a street fair with more than 100 food and craft booths.

Sculpture in the Park in Loveland Aug. 7 to 9

The Loveland High Plains Arts Council hosts the 42nd Sculpture in the Park Show and Sale at the Benson Sculpture Garden. The juried event features more than 2,000 sculptures by 160 artists from around the world. The event opens with a patron party on Friday night, and the show is open to the public all day Saturday and Sunday.

Lafayette Peach Festival Aug. 8

The focus of the 27th Annual Lafayette Peach Festival is more than 30,000 pounds of fresh, organic Palisade peaches. The event also includes peach pie and cobbler, hundreds of artisan vendors and family entertainment on Public Road in downtown Lafayette.

Fairplay Living History Days Aug 8 and 9

Dozens of volunteers and history buffs dress up and reenact historic events and characters every summer at South Park City Museum in Fairplay. The event transports attendees back to frontier life in the 1880s, with a rustic cookhouse, horse rides, Old West shootouts, gold panning and other activities.

Crafts, Cocktails, & Corks in Winter Park Aug. 15

Crafts, Cocktails & Corks brings wineries, breweries and distilleries together at Winter Park's Rendezvous Event Center for an afternoon of tastings, live music and local food. The annual fundraiser also features artisan vendors and a friendly "Best Of" competition, with proceeds supporting youth programs in Grand County.

Save the date: Oktoberwest in Steamboat Sept. 12

OktoberWest unofficially begins the fall season in the Yampa Valley. In addition to the traditional German-style beer festival, the event also includes the annual beef cook-off, lawn game competitions and a vendor market. Friday brings the annual beer stroll through downtown restaurants and bars, a fundraiser for the Young Professionals Network. The Saturday beer festival includes four-ounce samples throughout the afternoon in a souvenir branded glass.

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.