Spend summer in the pages of a good book

Summer reading programs are a fun and competitive way to keep literacy skills sharp during the languid, sunny months for kids and adults alike. But summer reading can serve yet another vital function.

In an age of heightened censorship, books with themes of LGBTQ+, race, mental health, sexuality, and social justice are being banned and restricted in schools across the United States. Second Lady Usha Vance launched a summer reading program last year, particularly encouraging military families to participate while at the same time schools near military bases were actively pulling books from their libraries for DEI-related themes and, what Florida state attorney called, “pornographic” content. 

Additionally, library funding has been challenged on a federal level with the Trump Administration’s appeal to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) which is the only federal agency dedicated to providing funding for the nation’s libraries. Earlier this month the American Library Association struck a historic win, when a federal court granted the Trump Administration’s request to withdraw its appeal to defund the IMLS.

With so much tumult rocking bookshelves, this summer, more than ever, is the time to show support for your local libraries by checking out physical books, e-books, even audiobooks. Showing demand for library services ensures continued access to books that provide essential historical, identity, and human rights perspectives.

Here is Yellow Scene’s guide to the various library summer reading programs in the area. If you’re not sure where to start, you’ll also find their book recommendations and get a peek at the prizes that await (fun ones too, not just the moralistic prizes for reading)!

BOULDER

Boulder Public Library’s Summer of Discovery is kicking off June 1st and running through July 31st. Kids, teens, adults, and even pre-readers are invited to participate. 

• Every 50 minutes of reading or participating in one library-approved activity earns the reader 50 points. Reaching 500 points earns readers a prize. 
• All registrants receive a buy-one-get-one-free voucher to a Colorado Rapids game, and adults are entered into a drawing upon registration.  
• Kids and teens who complete the challenge will receive a coupon for a free ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery, a free entry to Gateway Park Fun Center, and the choice between a new book or a coupon to the Paper and Spine bookstore.  
• Adults who complete the challenge will receive a coupon for a free ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery and a second entry into a drawing for a gift certificate. 

Once the main challenge is finished, participants can keep earning points to use as entries for the grand prize drawing. Each additional 100 points = 1 entry. There is a limit of three entries total. One winner will be drawn from each age group.

Grand prizes include: 

• Pre-Readers: Strider Bike
• Kids: Gift Card for a Cooking Class at the Food Lab
• Teens: Gift Card for a Cooking Class at the Food Lab
• Adults: Gift Card for a Class at Colorado Glass Works

The Boulder Library lists staff and reader picks on their blog, which can be filtered based on adult, teen, or kid reading. Their Teen-by-Teen book picks include reviews like Ellie’s recommendation, Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas, a paranormal mystery romance following a trans man from an unaccepting traditional Latinx family who unleashes unexpected consequences with a dangerous family ritual. In another teen review, Julian touts Queer Ducks (And Other Animals): The Animal World of Sexuality by Eliot Schrefer. NPR’s All Things Considered calls Queer Ducks “teenager-friendly. It’s a Printz Honor young adult book filled with comics and humor and accessible science, and it’s filled with research on the diversity of sexual behavior in the animal world.”  

Other teen and adult picks include I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson, a story told by twins exploring family and identity, and Soma by Fernando Llor, a sci-fi graphic novel about a struggling author whose fate collides with an alien’s. 

Staff recommendations for adults include The Last Days of Lilah Goodluck by Kylie Scott, a romance novel following a plus-size woman who is given unexpected gifts from a witch she saves, and The Emperor of Gladness by award-winning poet and fiction writer Ocean Vuong. 

The Boulder Library staff also created extensive booklists for kids on their website, which are broken down into categories like “Women Making History” and “Picture Books About Black History,” as well as by genre and age range.

ERIE

Director of Erie Public Library Becky L. Duncan was excited to share that their summer reading program will include all ages for the first time – “from 0 to 100.” It kicks off June 1st, and the theme is Bingo! More info will be shared on the Erie Public Library’s website as the date draws closer.

LAFAYETTE

The Friends of the Lafayette Library present the Exploring Colorful Colorado Summer Reading Program, running June 1st through July 31st. The program’s America 250/Colorado 150 theme celebrates the nation’s and the state’s anniversaries. 

At Festival Plaza on Thursday, May 28th, the Library’s Summer Reading Program will kick off with Picnic on the Plaza, presented by the Arts and Cultural Resources Department, featuring award-winning artist Jenn Cleary. The library says, “This family-friendly event is the perfect way to kick off a season of reading, music, and community fun.” 

No fees or registration are required to participate. Participants can track reading and activity goals with a paper passport or online. Lafayette residents and visitors can expect regular Saturday special events, workshops, storytimes, and other engaging activities all summer. Signup begins on June 1st, either in person at the library or online.

LONGMONT

Longmont’s Public Library is holding Summer Bingo May 21st through July 31st, kicking off with a party on the library’s West patio headlined by local youth band RLY ORY. 

Kids and teens must complete BINGO boards by July 31 for a chance to win prizes. Adults are also encouraged to participate and can track their reading, get card punches as they finish books, and win small prizes along the way.

DENVER

The Denver Public Library is hosting Summer of Adventure from June 1st through August 10th. It promises to be “a season filled with exciting events, reading inspiration, book giveaways, hands-on STEM activities, nature discovery, teen workforce opportunities, and meaningful connections for all ages.” Readers up to those in the 12th grade can complete 20 hours of reading, learning, listening, and attending library events to earn a completion prize. Upon registration, participants will receive their Adventure Guide to fill out with their activities. Participants can expect to find free books at any one of the library’s events.

COLORADO-WIDE

The Colorado Rapids Summer Reading Program partners with local libraries to reward young readers with complimentary game tickets and discounted tickets for family members. Readers can sign up at any library.

Yellow Scene’s 2026 Summer Support Drive is underway with a goal of 1,000 Sustaining Supporters by summer’s end.

For 26 years, we have remained fiercely independent, free from sponsored content and outside editorial influence.

Reader-driven support keeps local journalism unbossed, unbought, and our journalists fed. Become a sustaining supporter for $8/month and get Yellow Scene delivered to your home.

Join the Summer Support Drive and keep local journalism strong.

The post Summer Reading Programs appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Recapture the charm of going to the movies

This summer, Colorado theatergoers have a lot to look forward to. As blockbuster franchises dominate multiplexes across the country, a quieter, more personal movie culture is thriving in Colorado’s independent theaters. Throughout Boulder, Longmont, Lafayette, and North Boulder, local cinemas and arts venues are offering audiences something rare: curated films, repertory classics, filmmaker discussions, and communal experiences that streaming services and oversized, multi-screen theaters cannot replicate.

From restored screenings and community discussions at the Boulder Public Library to classics and new films at the Boedecker Theater, this summer there is a great deal for theatergoers to anticipate.

The new silent palace

On warm evenings in Boulder, moviegoers can be seen gathering outside the Dairy Arts Center long before the doors to the Boedecker Theater even open. There is noticeable excitement as moviegoers discuss which Hitchcock film should earn the title of his greatest work, while others scan posters for upcoming documentary film festivals, silent film nights, and new independent releases from Sundance or Cannes.

Inside the Boedecker Theater, which is located within the Dairy Arts Center, audiences regularly encounter films that they would not be able to find at a standard chain megaplex. The Boedecker has become one of Boulder’s most important destinations for arthouse cinema and independent filmmaking. Audiences may spend one weekend revisiting classic silent films and return a few days later for a new international drama or environmental documentary.

Just twenty minutes down the road from the Boedecker is The Alamo Drafthouse. The Alamo has the unique distinction of being a theater that runs new releases while also curating its own film selections. Moviegoers can go from watching the newest superhero movie one day to watching an international or independent horror film the next. The theater offers a highly curated selection of films, from localized independent productions to the newest blockbusters.

One of the hallmarks of the Alamo is its laser-focus on the experience. It has a strict no-talking and no-phone policy. Any visitor talking or using a device is given only one warning before being asked to leave. This creates the perfect atmosphere for theatergoers looking to get lost in the world of their new favorite film.

The Alamo also offers plenty to discuss when it comes to its dining menu. Before the movie, guests browse a huge menu with everything from standard popcorn to fresh stone-baked pizzas.

The classic American film-going experience

For those looking for a more relaxed, yet classic film experience, there are also various drive-in theaters near Boulder. The Dairy Arts Center and 88 Drive-In Theater both feature classic drive-in experiences that enhance even the most traditional movie. Connecting your car radio to the correct station and heading into the concession stand to fill up on popcorn and nachos can make the most mundane blockbuster feel exciting.

Extending the viewing experience

In Longmont, the Longmont Museum Stewart Auditorium has built a strong reputation for eclectic film programming that blends education and entertainment. Its screenings frequently include foreign films, documentaries, classic films, and community-centered events. The venue draws a broad audience from all walks of life, from college students discovering classic film history to retired cinephiles.

The Dairy Arts Center film program is curated by a team of movie lovers, all with interests in different areas of film. They work together to blend their tastes, and what emerges is a thoughtful, well-rounded program. The Dairy Arts Center states on its website, “Community is what sets Dairy Cinema apart from the commercial theater experience. We believe that the cinema experience should extend beyond the screen.” The organization continues by explaining that their club conversations are designed to form deeper connections with both the community and cinema.

The programming that these independent theaters offer reflects a broader philosophy shared by many independent cinemas: movies are meant to be discovered, discussed, and experienced collectively.

Over the last decade, streaming services have transformed the way people consume media, especially cinema. Nearly every film imaginable can now be watched instantly from a phone or from the comfort of a couch. Yet these independent theaters, along with countless others across the area, have found that audiences still crave the ritual of moviegoing, especially when theaters offer curated programming rather than traditional blockbusters. Streaming films offer convenience, but independent theaters offer context.

Cinema as community

When audiences attend a screening at one of these independent venues, the film does not exist in isolation. A screening of the classic Citizen Kane might include an introduction discussing the film’s revolutionary cinematography and its influence on modern filmmaking. A documentary screening may feature local activists or scholars speaking afterward. These additions transform a movie from passive entertainment into an active cultural event.

In Lafayette, organizations like The Arts HUB are helping expand that sense of community-centered cinema even further. Although smaller than traditional theaters, arts venues throughout Lafayette increasingly host film festivals, local filmmaker showcases, and independent screenings that bring residents together. The smaller scale of these events often makes them feel intimate and collaborative. This intimacy is difficult to replicate in traditional multiplexes built around speed and volume.

Independent theaters and arts venues also play an important role in preserving film history. For younger audiences raised primarily on streaming services, these screenings provide opportunities to experience older films the way they were originally intended to be seen: on large screens, in dark rooms, and surrounded by strangers.

From Boulder’s Boedecker Theater to Longmont’s museum screenings and Lafayette’s community arts venues, independent cinemas continue proving that moviegoing is not disappearing. If anything, it is evolving into something more intentional, personal, and deeply connected to the communities that support it.

Yellow Scene’s 2026 Summer Support Drive is underway with a goal of 1,000 Sustaining Supporters by summer’s end.

For 26 years, we have remained fiercely independent, free from sponsored content and outside editorial influence.

Reader-driven support keeps local journalism unbossed, unbought, and our journalists fed. Become a sustaining supporter for $8/month and get Yellow Scene delivered to your home.

Join the Summer Support Drive and keep local journalism strong.

The post Nix the Multiplex for Flix This Summer appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Legacy restaurants add to the fabric of the community.

There are so many ways to run a restaurant. From fish ‘n’ chips to fine dining, I looked into three longstanding Boulder County institutions to see how they’ve survived and thrived through ownership transitions, family legacies, a global pandemic, and at least one misspelling of the owner’s last name on an Irish-themed sign.

Palpable Energy on the Menu

When I first moved to Longmont, there was one place I walked past nearly every day that was always buzzing. Tuesday at lunch, 9 p.m. on a Thursday night, there was always some energy to it. In 2026, in this economy, I was curious about a place with that kind of pull.

A few months later, Pumphouse Brewery had become a regular in my rotation. The firehouse-themed eatery draws beer-drinking sports fans and families alike, built on a reputation for good service and generous portions. On a recent visit, I noticed a new menu celebrating the restaurant’s 30th birthday. As a ’96 baby myself, I couldn’t help but wonder how this place had stood the test of time.

Who better to pull back the curtain than long-time General Manager Ross Hagen. Hagen was a law school student when he started serving tables at Pumphouse in May 1997. He quickly gelled with the original owners, four friends who happened to also be aerospace engineers, and worked his way up through the ranks, buying in as a partner in 2000. After deciding law wasn’t his true calling, he found that the pace and energy of the restaurant world was exactly where he wanted to be. He’s been all in ever since.

Running a broad menu isn’t simple, and Hagen doesn’t pretend otherwise. “It’s gotta taste good. It’s got to be something we can execute consistently,” he said. He knows the “something for everybody” model isn’t for everyone. “Most operators starting up would shy against the breadth of what we’re doing.” What makes it work, he says, is structure: strict recipe standards, plating consistency, and a management team larger than most comparable restaurants. “It really requires that everybody’s on the same page, absolutely busting their butt, every day. There’s no way around that.”

That broad menu is also strategic. Hagen knows Pumphouse’s staying power depends on becoming the neighborhood’s go-to for both date nights and family dinners. “You have to develop regulars and keep them. It’s what matters.” A dedicated back-of-house staff, many of whom have been with the restaurant for decades, has made that consistency possible.

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a hard look at Pumphouse’s future. The answer, original ownership decided, was a transition to employee ownership. In 2022, the business was sold to Teamshares, a company that converts acquired businesses to employee-owned models over time. Every Pumphouse employee, from longtime chefs to part-time dishwashers, became a 20% owner, receiving stock and dividend checks nearly every month.

The goal is 80% employee ownership within 15 years. Hagen sees it as the best available path. “If it’s not going to be a fully independently owned restaurant like it was from the five of us, maybe the next best thing is to have it employee owned, as opposed to just selling out to some restaurant group that may or may not keep the character in place.” Though no longer an owner in the traditional sense, his commitment hasn’t shifted. “As long as I’m here, I’ll continue to run the place with an owner’s eyes and the mentality that this is a legacy business, and I don’t want it to decline on any level.”

A 40+ Year Longmont Fixture

Less than a block down Main Street, you’ll find a place that has the Pumphouse beat by 15 years. Mike O’Shays has been a fixture in downtown Longmont since 1981, when New Jersey natives Mike and Nania Shea opened the Irish pub, their last name slightly altered on the sign in a spelling that just stuck. Shea was once quoted calling it a “stay with it” place, and walking in today, you understand exactly what he meant.

General Manager Jen Burchette is the engine of Mike O’Shays. On any given afternoon, she might be welcoming a regular, interviewing a prospective bartender, and signing for a liquor delivery, sometimes in the same 10-minute window. Burchette says Shea built something that didn’t need much propping up. “This place stands on its own.” His hands-on ownership style cultivated a loyalty that has proven remarkably durable. Burchette says they’re generations deep into regulars now, and she hopes it just keeps going. Head Chef Martín, who has been with the restaurant for 30 years, has grown alongside the menu, finding creative freedom in exploring Irish cuisine.

The restaurant has navigated change, including a shift in ownership that brought menu updates and operational adjustments with mixed reactions from longtime patrons. Through it all, Mike O’Shays has held onto what it’s always been: a neighborhood place built on a little bit of grit and a lot of community.

A Generational Dining Destination

From Longmont’s Main Street, head up Baseline Road into the Boulder foothills, and you’ll find Flagstaff House, a fine dining institution with a view to match and a family story spanning three generations. Adam Monette is the restaurant’s co-owner and general manager. He’s the third member of his family to hold that role. His grandfather, Don Monette, bought the property in 1971 and moved his family onto the five-acre mountainside lot where he set about turning what had been a home — possibly destined to become a cabin or ranger station — into a year-round restaurant. Don liquidated three downtown restaurants to make it happen. “It really never should have existed in the first place,” Adam reflected. “But with his foresight and ability to put things together, he saw an opportunity that really wasn’t there at the time.” At its peak, 18 members of the Monette family were working within the restaurant’s ranks. “It was, quite literally, a family affair.”

Don’s connection to Colorado began in the 1950s, when he was stationed at Camp Hale in Leadville as part of the 10th Mountain Division. The mountains left a mark, and after marrying his wife Carol in Michigan, he insisted they move back to the Centennial State. Adam still speaks of him with reverence. “Don is honestly the foundation of this restaurant. But certainly, in many ways, he was my idol.”

That reverence shows up in how the place is run. Flagstaff House is fine dining, but Monette is deliberate about the atmosphere it projects. “Fine dining comes off as pretentious and snooty more often than not. You don’t hear those words here, because we make sure that we’re not.” Staff longevity mirrors the family’s own investment. Employees with over 35 years of service have retired from their posts while promotions into management have nearly always come from within. “Every time we’ve promoted into management, with very few exceptions, it’s been someone who has proven themselves from day one, probably starting as a food runner,” Monette said.

Another example of their commitment to the community can be found on their awards shelf. Flagstaff House recently received the Snail of Approval from Slow Food Boulder County, a non-profit dedicated to fostering a “good, clean, and fair” food system in the region.

From employee ownership to navigating a new proprietor’s vision to stewarding a grandfather’s dream, there is more than one recipe for longevity in the restaurant world. But a few ingredients keep showing up: people who refuse to treat the work as temporary, communities willing to keep coming back, and an understanding that the restaurant belongs, in some way, to everyone who walks through the door.

Yellow Scene’s 2026 Summer Support Drive is underway with a goal of 1,000 Sustaining Supporters by summer’s end.

For 26 years, we have remained fiercely independent, free from sponsored content and outside editorial influence.

Reader-driven support keeps local journalism unbossed, unbought, and our journalists fed. Become a sustaining supporter for $8/month and get Yellow Scene delivered to your home.

Join the Summer Support Drive and keep local journalism strong.

The post More Than One Recipe appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Cultivating and crafting the perfect mixers takes time and age-old processes.

Everything old is becoming new again, with summer drink choices also joining in on the trend. Sweet and savory drinks designed from what you can grow in your garden are making a comeback, providing a way to preserve the fruits of your labor or that of your local growers, if your green thumb isn’t fully developed yet.

Vintage Vibe

A refreshing drink called a Shrub was popular as a way to extend the life of produce before refrigeration hundreds of years ago. It can be made from locally grown fruits, sugars and vinegars with 2-4 days maceration time and a 2-4 week shelf life in the refrigerator. Phil Giomassis from Japango Boulder explained their process for making this base for fruity mocktails.

“What you’re doing is taking fruit, this time it’s strawberry, and you take two parts fruit to one part brown sugar,” said Phil. “You let this macerate for 24-48 hours; that’s going to extract a lot of oils and make an oleo saccharum syrup. Then you mix that syrup with one part Balsamic vinegar and let that macerate for another 24-48 hours in the fridge.”

Japango on Pearl Street in Boulder offers not only the Shrub Drink, perfect for mocktails and mixing cocktails, but also a Garden Party drink that contains carrots and an Old Fashioned-type drink made with shitake mushrooms.

After it’s ready, you take the sweet and tart mixture and add soda water to serve, giving it an effervescent, bubbly feel.

Pick your produce

If you are just practicing, or a professional, at growing greens, fruits, and vegetables you can pluck these ingredients right from your garden. Those thirsty for a refreshing drink, but lacking a gardener’s tender touch, can get what they need at the Boulder Farmer’s Market, which runs every Saturday, April through November from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Many of the growers there are able to produce fresh produce in greenhouses, making them ready for early spring delivery to the market.

Some of the produce you’ll need for your summer sips is native to Colorado, though if it’s found in the wild, is likely totally different than what you buy at the market. Tommy Roth, with the Colorado State University Extension Office, said that native plants like strawberries, blackberries and raspberries would be different when picked from the wilderness.

“The Boulder raspberry… is not going to be like if you’re expecting a raspberry, you’re going to be like, ew,” said Roth. “What is this thing that’s not sweet?” And as for the native strawberries, Roth said with a chuckle, “I wouldn’t say they are tasty, but I wouldn’t say they are not, not tasty.”

Vendor views

The farmers market offers much of what you need to get started creating your concoctions, including plant starters grown in a greenhouse over the winter that you can just pop into your garden and nurture through the growing season for your Shrub Drink needs.

One popular farmers market vendor, The Fresh Herb Company, offers herbs, vegetables, and flowers. Jonathan Rogerson who works at Fresh Herb said they have three greenhouses as well as farmland for producing plant starts, as well as peppers, cucumbers, and hanging flower baskets. Like most good things it takes time to grow the herb starter plants. “The largest rosemary was planted last fall,” explained Rogerson.

“You can never be in a bad mood at the farmers market,” said Jonathon Rogerson, with The Fresh Herb Company, which offers many herb plants to put in your own garden, as well as greens and tomatoes, lavender and other beautiful flowers.

Rogerson said the company also makes a lavender spray that is perfect for adding flavoring to drinks, with a spritz or two proving a floral pop to your summer sip.

At the farmer’s market you’ll also find pressed juices for mocktails and cocktails. Cocktail Caravan does all the work of creating refreshing drinks and mixers ready to pour over ice. A dried orange garnishment sweetens the deal.

Seasons savings

Different fruits and vegetables ripen at different times over the summer, enabling you to create a varied menu of seasonal elixirs. Melons are the bumper crop for Monroe Family Farms, which is located east of Greeley. Robert Thompson said the reason they grow so well is the sandy soil in the area. The muskmelons, cantaloupe, and honey dew will be ready for market in July.

And with a Shrub Drink, your summer doesn’t have to end just because the growing season does. “Now you can have your Colorado peaches into the winter,” pointed out Giomassis.

Whether you’re growing the goods yourself or frequenting the farmers’ market, sipping summer drinks never tasted so good.

Breakout Box:

How to Make a Shrub Drink

Ingredients:

The post Drinks from the Garden appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Monthly Summer Calendar

June

June 1, Arankai: The Portrait Tour, Marquis Theater, Denver

June 1, Classical Guitar Ensembles, Newman Center for The Performing Arts, Denver

June 1, Lamont Jazz Orchestra, Newman Center for The Performing Arts, Denver

June 2, Femme Musicians Meet-Up, Dog House, Lafayette

June 2, Sewerperson & Polearm, Globe Hall, Denver

June 2, Spite, Summit Music Hall, Denver

June 3, An Acoustic Evening With Trey Anastasio, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

June 3, Oh Snap!, Muse Performance Space, Lafayette

June 3, Bourbon, Blues, & Grooves with Delta Sonics, Nissi’s, Lafayette

June 3, White Denim, Marquis Theater, Denver

June 3, Learnmore Jonasi, Black Buzzard, Denver

June 3, Lamont Wind Ensemble, Newman Center for The Performing Arts, Denver

June 3, Leanna Firestone, The Perplexiplex, Meow Wolf, Denver

June 4, Pamela Machala, Festival Plaza, Lafayette

June 4, Mountain Grass Unit & Surf Hat, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

June 4, The Unteachables Comedy Tour: Unprofessional Development, The Louisville Underground, Louisville 

July 4, Patriotic Concert, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

June 4, ¡VIVA MÉXICO! A Dance Spectacular, Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Denver

June 4, Pradabagshawty: The Five Problems Tour, Marquis Theater, Denver

June 4, Avery Lynch & Julia Campbell, Globe Hall, Denver

June 4, MGNA Crrrta: The Beautiful Disaster Tour, Larimer Lounge, Denver

June 4, Broken Compass Bluegrass & All She Wrote, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

June 4, Shane Mauss TRIPS: The Third Dose, The Perplexiplex, Meow Wolf, Denver

June 4, Derek Dames Ohl opening for Noah Fowler & Jack Holland, Jamestown Mercantile, Jamestown

June 5, Danse Etoile Ballet: Les Contes de la Mere L’Oye, Dairy Arts Center, Boulder

June 5, Improv Boulder presents: Laughayette! Improv, Dog House, Lafayette

June 5, Last Men On Earth, Nissi’s, Lafayette

June 5 – August 30, Brigadoon, Jesters Dinner Theater, Longmont 

June 5, Jo Fuller, Brick’s on Main, Longmont 

June 5, Jammin’ Feud Trivia, Superior Community Center, Superior 

June 5, Wilderado & Michael Marcagi, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

June 5, TV Game Show Night with Rion Evans, The Louisville Underground, Louisville

June 5, Young and Dead with Josy Rosalies’ Old & in the Way Tribute, Globe Hall, Denver

June 5, North Indian Classical Ensemble, Newman Center for The Performing Arts, Denver

June 5, Adult Chamber Music Workshop, Newman Center for The Performing Arts, Denver

June 5, Taste of Louisville, Downtown Louisville

June 5, Troy Doherty, Marquis Theater, Denver 

June 5, Emerson Woolf & The Wishbones, Black Buzzard, Denver

June 5, Yo-Yo Ma & the Colorado Symphony at Ford Amphitheatre, Denver

June 5, By Storm & Lerado Khalil, Larimer Lounge, Denver

June 5, Toadies: The Charmer, Ogden Theater, Denver

June 5, Chan, Temple Denver, Denver

June 5, KR3TURE: Ecosystems Tour, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

June 5, Alex Manga & Enaldo Barrera En Concierto, Stampede, Aurora

June 5–August 9, Phenomenomaly, The Perplexiplex, Meow Wolf, Denver

June 6, Allman Betts Family Revival in the Rockies, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

June 6, Brewfest, Lafayette Chamber, Morrell Printing lot, Lafayette

June 6, Thomas Dow, 300 Suns, Longmont 

June 6, WhiteWater Ramble, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

June 6, Asti Park Historical Museum Open, Asti Park Historical Museum, Superior

June 6, National Trails Day, Coalton Trailhead, Superior 

June 6, Grasso Park Interim Museum Open, Grasso Bungalow, Superior

June 6, Lane 8, Dillon Amphitheater, Dillon

June 6, Josiah and the Bonnevilles, Gothic Theater, Denver

June 6, Fresh Fruit! & Altaphonic and Wampus Cat, Globe Hall, Denver

June 6, ‘68, Marquis Theater, Denver

June 6, Louisville Pride, Main St., Louisville

June 6, The Orion Experience, Black Buzzard, Denver

June 6, Yot Club: Simpleton Tour, Summit Music Hall, Denver

June 6, Abe Parker, Larimer Lounge, Denver

June 6, Rumours: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

June 6, Can’t Feel My Face: 2010s Dance Party, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

June 6, Open House ft. Goles, and Dayvie & Glox, Larimer Lounge, Denver

June 6, Saturday Jamz: Throwback Party, Tracks, Denver

June 7, Rise as One Concert, Stampede, Aurora

June 7, Mister Mike Unplugged, Jamestown Mercantile, Jamestown

June 7, An Evening with Dakota Blonde, Nissi’s, Lafayette

June 7, The M.O.B. (Mike Ortiz Band), Brick’s on Main, Longmont 

June 7, Danielle Ate the Sandwich, Muse Performance Space, Lafayette

June 7, Queer Circus, Junkyard Social Club, Boulder

June 7, Erie Pride, Coal Creek Park, Erie

June 7, Em Beihold, The Perplexiplex, Meow Wolf, Denver

June 8, Kittie & Gore., Ogden Theater, Denver

June 9, Ringo Starr, Bellco Theater, Denver

June 9, Leah Kate, Globe Hall, Denver 

June 9, Pearl, Marquis Theater, Denver

June 9, The Cab: The Back From the Dead Tour, Summit Music Hall, Denver

June 9, Leah Kate, Larimer Lounge, Denver

June 9, Virtuosity and Poetry, Newman Center for The Performing Arts, Denver

June 9, Ásgeir, The Perplexiplex, Meow Wolf, Denver

June 10, Broomfield Summer Concert Series | Summer Kickoff! ft. Velvet Daydream with Banshee Tree, Anthem Community Park

June 10, Songwriters Meetup, Dog House, Lafayette

June 10, Bourbon Blues & Grooves with The Front Rangers, Nissi’s, Lafayette

June 10, Museum Connection: The Right Collections Management System for Museums, History Colorado, Denver

June 10, Worm: Total Possession of America, Marquis Theater, Denver

June 10, Royal & the Serpent, Summit Music Hall, Denver

June 10, Shinyribs & Schaefer Llana, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

June 10, Claire Rosinkranz, The Perplexiplex, Meow Wolf, Denver 

June 11, Pride on the Plaza with Cellists for Change & Jeremy Dion Band, Festival Plaza, Lafayette 

June 11, Lynette Wolfe with Some Hustlers, Nissi’s, Lafayette

June 11, StreatBeets, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

June 11, Kickoff Party for Lafayette Music Fest 2026, Acreage by Stem Ciders, Lafayette

June 11, Five Dollar Film Series: Rocky Horror Picture Show, Riverwalk Center, Breckenridge

June 11, Prisoners of War, History Colorado, Denver

June 11, All the Feelings Tour: Metric, Broken Social Scene, and Stars, Fillmore, Denver

June 11, The Talbott Brothers, Globe Hall, Denver

June 11, Rostam, Gothic Theater, Denver

June 11, Head Automatica, Marquis Theater, Denver

June 11, Juvenile’s Boiling Point Album Release Tour, Ogden Theater, Denver

June 11–15, Black Pride Colorado 2026, X-Bar, Denver

June 12, Chicken Coop Willaye, Jamestown Mercantile, Jamestown

June 12, Santa Rios | “A Tribute to Santana”, Nissi’s, Lafayette

June 12, Deborah Stafford & The Night Stalkers, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

June 12, Comedy All Stars, The Louisville Underground, Louisville

June 12, The Velveteers, Riverwalk Center, Breckenridge

June 12, Palmyra & Kyle Szalay, Globe Hall, Denver

June 12, Between Worlds, Newman Center for The Performing Arts, Denver

June 12, Ace Monroe: Summer Tour 2026, Black Buzzard, Denver

June 12, Emo Nite, Summit Music Hall, Denver

June 12, Pixel Grip, ReelWorks, Denver

June 12, Justin Allison and Bob Rebholz, Muse Performance Space, Lafayette

June 13, Bill McKay Band, Superior Commons Amphitheater, Superior

June 13, DCPA Gala: Saturday Night Alive, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Denver

June 13, Racing Mount Pleasant & Isobel, Globe Hall, Denver

June 13, Those Crazy Nights, Nissi’s, Lafayette

June 13, Summer Concert Series, Superior Commons Amphitheater, Superior 

June 13, AudioMedz, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

June 13, The Pogs: A Tribute to The 90s, The Louisville Underground, Louisville

June 13, Earlybirds Club: 80s Party, Gothic Theater, Denver 

June 13, Nik Parr & the Selfless Lovers, Marquis Theater, Denver

June 13, Gabriel & Dresden: Stories We Tell 25th Anniversary Tour, Larimer Lounge, Denver

June 13, Trinix, Larimer Lounge, Denver

June 13, Mikaela Davis, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

June 13, Ireland, Appalachia, and Mendelssohn, Newman Center for The Performing Arts, Denver

June 13, Denver Onyx vs Boston Banshees, Infinity Park, Denver

June 14, 5 Foot Bettys, Jamestown Mercantile, Jamestown

June 14, Al ooooh minimum, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

June 14, Fire Station Block Party, Fire Station 1, Louisville

June 14, The Colorado Country Music Hall of Fame presents: The Ladies of Country Music All Star Showcase, Nissi’s, Lafayette

June 14, Local Author Book Fair, The Read Queen, Lafayette 

June 14, Hayden Blount, Globe Hall, Denver

June 14, Sistas Who Kill: Back from the Dead, Summit Music Hall, Denver

June 14, Flawed Mangoes: The Killswitch Memories Tour, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

June 15, MASA Seed Co. Farm Tour, Museum of Boulder, Boulder

June 15, Stygian Bough: A Bell Witch/Aerial Ruin Collaboration, Marquis Theater, Denver

June 16, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: All the Good Times, the Farewell Tour, Dillon Amphitheater, Dillon

June 16, The Main Squeeze, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

June 16, Bôa, Summit Music Hall., Denver

June 16, Tigers Jaw, Gothic Theater, Denver

June 17, Juneteenth Celebration ft. Rex Peoples & XFactr with Dzirae Gold, Anthem Community Park, Broomfield

June 17, Bourbon, Blues, & Grooves with Johnny O Band, Nissi’s, Lafayette

June 17, Summer Market, Downtown Superior

June 17, Amble, Gothic Theater, Denver

June 17, Thee Marloes, Marquis Theater, Denver

June 18, Juneteenth with Jaren Jackson, Festival Plaza, Lafayette 

June 18, Unchained “Classic Rock”, Nissi’s, Lafayette

June 18, March to August, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

June 18, Concert in the Park: The Reminders, Longmont Downtown Development Authority, Longmont

June 18, Music on the Lawn, History Colorado, Denver

June 18, Little Image & Mayor Grey, Globe Hall, Denver

June 18, The Jacob Larson Band, Community Park, Louisville

June 18, French Montana And Max B: Wave Gods Narcos Tour, Summit Music Hall, Denver

June 18, Raveyard: Daybreak & Local Sleaze, London Panther, Larimer Lounge, Denver

June 19, Van Zeppelin with Judgement Day, Nissi’s, Lafayette

June 19, Altin Sencalar Natural Rhythm CD Release, Muse Performance Space, Lafayette

June 19, O.A.R.: Three Decades Tour, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

June 19, Improvarama: Boulder’s Most Dangerous Improv Troupe, The Louisville Underground, Louisville 

June 19, Jammin’ Feud Trivia, Superior Community Center, Superior 

June 19, Flattop Rider, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

June 19, Delicate Steve, Globe Hall, Denver

June 19, The Alex Lucero Band: Heavy & Unkind, Black Buzzard, Denver

June 19, Searows: Death in the Business of Whaling, Gothic Theater, Denver

June 19, Rx Bandits: And The Battle Begun 20th Anniversary Tour, Summit Music Hall, Denver

June 19, Tycho & Nitemoves, Ogden Theater, Denver

June 19, Bluetech, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

June 19, Rainbow Roll, Tracks, Denver

June 19, Juneteenth Celebration, Bridge Refill Market, Erie

June 20, Windy Pines, Ned General, Nederland

June 20, The Nu Wave with Bullet The Blue Sky!, Nissi’s, Lafayette

June 20, Luck of the Draw – Bonnie Raitt Tribute, Brick’s on Main, Longmont 

June 20, Y2K Summer Kick-Off Party, Bounce Empire, Lafayette 

June 20, Grateful Dead Night presents: Chinaflower Suncats, The Louisville Underground, Louisville 

June 20, National Repertory Orchestra (NRO): Dreams of a New World, Riverwalk  Center, Breckenridge

June 20, Monkeypaw & The Backlash, Kung Fu Juice Box, Winched!, Larimer Lounge, Denver

June 20, Amelia Day, Globe Hall, Denver

June 20, Elijah Scott, Marquis Theater, Denver

June 20, Khary: The Big Mania Tour, Black Buzzard, Denver

June 20, Summer Vibes Bike Rally and Run, Lyons

June 20, HeartByrne, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

June 20, Level Up! A Nerdlesque Video Game Show, The Perplexiplex, Meow Wolf, Denver

June 20, Fur Coat & Davi, ReelWorks, Denver

June 20–21, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in Concert, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver

June 21, Danny Shafer, Jamestown Mercantile, Jamestown

June 21, Makeout Reef & Soft Blue Shimmer, Globe Hall, Denver

June 21, Holly Humberstone, Gothic Theater, Denver

June 21, Girli, Larimer Lounge, Denver

June 22, Cook Like an Astronaut: Demonstration of The SATED Space System, Museum of Boulder, Boulder

June 21, Moon Walker: Wasteland Country Tour, Marquis Theater, Denver

June 21, Leo Middea, The Perplexiplex, Meow Wolf, Denver

June 21, Denver Onyx vs NY Exiles, Infinity Park, Denver

June 22, Dance Gavin Dance, Fillmore, Denver

June 22, Himalayas, Marquis Theater, Denver

June 22, Modern Alibi, Summit Music Hall, Denver

June 23, Jammy Buffet, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

June 23, NRO: Free Family and Kids Concert, Riverwalk Center, Breckenridge

June 23, “Night Skies of the Ancients: Mesa Verde” Overnight Trek, History Colorado, Denver

June 23, Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters, Gothic Theater, Denver

June 23, Monolord and Mizmor, Marquis Theater, Denver

June 24, 13 Fires, Dairy Arts Center, Boulder

June 24, David Lawrence & Fruta Brutal, Anthem Community Park, Broomfield

June 24, Wine & Jazz with Nelson Rangell, Nissi’s, Lafayette

June 24, Joshua Slone, Gothic Theater, Denver

June 24, Redferrin, Summit Music Hall, Denver

June 25, Mad Dog Friedman, Festival Plaza, Lafayette 

June 25, Summer Concert in the Park: Blessing Bled Chimanga, Community Park, Louisville

June 25, Wandering Roads, Nissi’s, Lafayette

June 25, Neon Blonde & Sunday Toni and Strangers, Globe Hall, Denver 

June 25, H2O, Marquis Theater, Denver

June 25, Chandler Kline, Crisco, Tasuuna, Syphyr, Rizzy Rails, & Raiyne, Larimer Lounge, Denver

June 25, Pattie Gonia: Save Her! ft. Sequoia and Vera!, Ogden Theater, Denver

June 25, Corb Lund & Branson Anderson, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox

June 25, Tracks Pride, Tracks, Denver

June 26, Keith Waters/Niwot Jazz, Muse Performance Space, Lafayette 

June 26, Dirty Heads, Dillon Amphitheater, Dillon

June 26, Hillbilly Demons, Nissi’s, Lafayette

June 26, DJ Drake, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

June 26, This Broken Beat & Aimee Lynne, Dog House Lafayette

June 26, Comedy Underground with Al Jackson, The Louisville Underground, Louisville

June 26, Parky Jobbins & The Angle and Sniff, Globe Hall, Denver 

June 26, Tiny Desk Contest on the Road 2026, Gothic Theater, Denver

June 26, Skáld, Marquis Theater, Denver

June 26, myspace nite, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

June 26, Drag Nation and Women’s Pride, Tracks, Denver

June 26, Doses: Devastating News Tour, Black Buzzard, Denver

June 26–27, Distant Worlds: Music from FINAL FANTASY, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver

June 27, Shelvis and the Roustabouts, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

June 27, Disco Revue | An Electric Night of Disco Hits ft. members of The Petty-Nicks Experience, Nissi’s, Lafayette

June 27, Leftapalooza 2026, Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont

June 27, NRO: A Night at the Opera, Riverwalk Center, Breckenridge

June 27, Smash and Release Piñata Workshop, BMOCA, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder

June 27, 999999999, Fillmore, Denver

June 27, Cailin Russo, Marquis Theater, Denver

June 27, Bearracuda, Summit Music Hall, Denver

June 27, That Eighties Band, Superior Commons Amphitheater, Superior

June 27, The Taylor Party: Taylor Swift Night, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

June 27, Big Gay Soirée, Tracks, Denver

June 28, Cry Huntress, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

June 27–28, Claypool Gold, Dillon Amphitheater, Dillon

June 28, The Crystal Swing Band, Nissi’s, Lafayette

June 28, John Shepherd, Jamestown Mercantile, Jamestown

June 28, Queer Art Organics Open Mic, Junkyard Social Club, Boulder

June 28, Taylor Swift Fest, Boulder Public Library, Boulder

June 28, Yes Sir: Underwear Party, Tracks, Denver

June 29, Muse Jazz Jam with Clare Church Trio, Muse Performance Space, Lafayette

June 30, The Long Run, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

June 30, Novulent, Marquis Theater, Denver

June 30, Wolfmother & Love Gang, Ogden Theater, Denver

July

July 1, Bourbon, Blues, & Grooves with Mad Dog Blues, Nissis’s, Lafayette

July 2, Charlie Tea, Festival Plaza, Lafayette 

July 2, 2MX2, Longmont Museum, Longmont

July 2, Vudu Sunshine, Nissis’s Lafayette

July 2, Alex Thoele, Globe Hall, Denver

July 2, 42 Dugg and Babyface Ray: 4 the Trenches Tour, Summit Music Hall, Denver

July 2, Savage, D:Form, Macefacekilla, & Bimbofied, Larimer Lounge, Denver

July 3, Lies or Lullabies and Street Survivors, Nissis’s Lafayette

July 3, Myles Smith, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

July 3, The Doors Jam, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

July 3, Yesterday: A Tribute to The Beatles, Dillon Amphitheater, Dillon

July 3, Solya, Marquis Theater, Denver

July 4, Party in The USA!, Ned General, Nederland

July 4, NRO: Fourth of July Spectacular, Riverwalk Center, Breckenridge

July 4, Doug’s Garage, Bricks on Main, Longmont

July 4, World Rugby Nations Cup 2026, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Denver 

July 5, Special Holiday Show: 101st Army Band, Dillon Amphitheater, Dillon

July 5, Rave Jesus: Rave Revival Tour, Summit Music Hall, Denver

July 7, Spanish Music and Movement with Elisa Garcia, Boulder Public Library, Boulder

July 7, Wynton Marsalis Septet, Buell Theatre, Denver

July 8, Stillhouse Junkies & The Skinny, Midway Park

July 8, Bourbon, Blues, & Grooves with Lionel Young Band, Nissi’s, Lafayette 

July 9, Eco del Silencio, Festival Plaza, Lafayette 

July 9, The Dog and Pony Show, Bricks on Main, Longmont

July 9, Ritmo Jazz Latino, Muse Performance Space, Lafayette

July 9, Kat Hasty, Black Buzzard, Denver

July 9, St. Mary, Larimer Lounge, Denver

July 9, Summer Concert in the Park: The River Arkansas, Community Park, Louisville

July 9, Touch of Trey, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

July 9, The Bouncing Souls & The Suicide Machines, Ogden Theater, Denver

July 9–10, Rocky Horror Picture Show Summer Beach Party Extravaganza & Shadowcast, The Perplexiplex, Meow Wolf, Denver

July 10, Bands of Brothers, Muse Performance Space, Lafayette

July 10, Morpheus Dreaming, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

July 10, The Highwayman Show | Tribute to Country Legends Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson with Tony Saruci and special guest Makayla Phillips, Nissis’s, Lafayette

July 10, Futurebirds, Gothic Theater, Denver 

July 10, Sincere Engineer: The Probable Claws Tour, Marquis Theater, Denver

July 10, Tribute to Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops, Arvada Center, Denver

July 10, 128 Presents Benson, Larimer Lounge, Denver

July 11, The Dream Team, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

July 11, Spandex Nation | Nat’l Touring Act from Vegas with special guest Sound of Madness, Nissis’s, Lafayette

July 11, Low Sensory Morning, History Colorado, Denver

July 11, Harvey Street, Globe Hall, Denver

July 11, High Lonesome, Superior Commons Amphitheater, Superior

July 11, The Church: The Singles: 1980–2025, Summit Music Hall, Denver

July 11, Siamés, The Perplexiplex, Meow Wolf, Denver

July 12, Colorado Music Festival Free Family Day, Louisville

July 12, Local Author Book Fair, The Read Queen, Lafayette

July 12, Asteria Jazz Collective, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

July 12, Season Preview Concert, Buell Theater, Denver

July 13–14, Chance Peña & Hans Williams, Ogden Theater, Denver

July 14, Wuki, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

July 14, Hatebreed: Summer Slaughter Tour 2026, Summit Music Hall, Denver

July 15, Beasts of No Nation & Trusetto, Midway Park

July 15, Max Meisel, Black Buzzard, Denver

July 16, Music on the Lawn, History Colorado, Denver

July 16, Summer Concert in the Park: The Long Run, Community Park, Louisville

July 16, Lee Brice, Fillmore, Denver

July 16, Fooz Fighters, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

July 16, Aurora Fashion Week: Wild West Runway, Stampede, Aurora

July 17, Kiko Rodriguez Bachata Concert, Stampede, Aurora

July 17, David Tutmark, Muse Performance Space, Lafayette

July 17, The Traveling Wilburys Revue, Nissis’s, Lafayette

July 18, NRO: Jurassic Park in Concert, Riverwalk Center, Breckenridge

July 18, New Wave Flashback! DM101 & Double Life, Nissis’s, Lafayette 

July 18, Jay Scott Album Release, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

July 18, Summer Art Market, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder

July 18, Fiddlehead, Gothic Theater, Denver

July 19, Leon Majcen, Globe Hall, Denver

July 19, Idobi Radio: Summer School, Summit Music Hall, Denver

July 20, NRO: Chamber Concert, Riverwalk Center, Breckenridge

July 21, Jamestown Revival, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

July 21, Jinjer Duel: North America 2026, Summit Music Hall, Denver

July 22, Marfa & Riley J Band, Midway Park, Broomfield

July 22, Wavves, Marquis Theater, Denver

July 22, Flexi-Verse: Harmonic Convergence, The Perplexiplex, Meow Wolf, Denver

July 23, Rayna Marie, Festival Plaza, Lafayette 

July 23, Summer Concert in the Park: May Be Fern, Community Park, Louisville

July 23, 2026 Bites and Brews, Blue Sport Stable, Broomfield

July 23, Old 97’s, Gothic Theater, Denver

July 23, Zoska, Larimer Lounge, Denver

July 23, Kim Gordon: Play Me Tour, Ogden Theater, Denver

July 24, 6 Million Dollar Band | 80’s Dance Party, Nissis’s, Lafayette

July 24, DJ Drake, Bricks on Main, Longmont

July 24, “Japanese-American Farming, Past and Present” Bus Tour, History Colorado, Denver

July 24, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Gothic Theater, Denver

July 24-25, Premier Lacrosse League, Peter Barton Stadium, Denver

July 25, The Foundry, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

July 25, Watchhouse: Rituals Tour, Dillon Amphitheater, Dillon

July 25, Syncopation Music Experience, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder

July 25, Jamestown Revival, Gothic Theater, Denver

July 25, Soul School, Superior Commons Amphitheater, Superior

July 25, Uncle Lucius, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

July 25, Concert in the Park ft. Boogie Machine, Coal Creek Park, Erie

July 25–26, Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in Concert from the Colorado Symphony, Buell Theater, Denver

July 26, Boulder Big Band | Swinging Sunday, Nissis’s, Lafayette 

July 26, Vacation Manor, Marquis Theater, Denver

July 27, Muse Jazz Jam with Clare Church Trio, Muse Performance Space, Lafayette

July 29, End-of-Summer Celebration for Kids and Families with Animal Farm & Bear Cub Brigade, Midway Park

July 29, Poppy: Constantly Nowhere Tour, Fillmore, Denver

July 29–30, Mozart at The Studio Loft, Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Denver

July 29-August 2, The Sound of Music, Buell Theater, Denver

July 30, Mountain Buddies, Festival Plaza, Lafayette 

July 30, ConnectArte: Living Stories of Denver’s Chicano Movement, Motus Theater, Boulder

July 30, Blue Tongue, Bricks on Main, Longmont

July 30, Chiodos: It’s Not You, It’s Me Tour, Fillmore, Denver

July 30, Haunt Me, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

July 30, Max Davidson: Strangers, A Magic Show, The Perplexiplex (Meow Wolf), Denver

July 31, Thunder Roads, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

July 31, Young the Giant: Victory Garden Tour, Dillon Amphitheater, Dillon

July 31, Mozart Under Moonlight, Arvada Center, Denver

July 31, Nerd Halen, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

July 31, MC Chris, The Perplexiplex, Meow Wolf, Denver

July 31-August 1, FAN HALEN | Nat’l Touring Van Halen Tribute with special guest Mr. Scary, Nissis’s, Lafayette 

August

August 1, Martha Graham Dance Company, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

August 1, Steel Monkey, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

August 1, NRO: The American Sound: Colorado at 150, Riverwalk Center, Breckenridge

August 1, Baby Bash & MC Magic, Summit Music Hall, Denver

August 1, Erie Fest, Coal Creek Park, Erie

August 2, Upclose with Damian Woetzel, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

August 2, Opera in the Park, Boulder Opera, Boulder

August 3, State of Grace, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

August 3, Day We Ran, Globe Hall, Denver

August 4, Dance for $20.26, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

August 4, John-Robert, Globe Hall, Denver

August 4, Kingfishr, Gothic Theater, Denver

August 4, Audrey Hobert, Ogden Theater, Denver

August 4-9, Beetlejuice the Musical, Buell Theater, Denver

August 5, Rennie Harris Puremovement American Street Dance Theater: Nuttin’ But a Word, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

August 5, “Curiosities of Cripple Creek” Overnight Trek, History Colorado, Denver

August 5, Ben Chapman, Globe Hall, Denver

August 5, Alex Dagicevich, Black Buzzard, Denver

August 6, Jocelyn Medina, Brazilian Jazz, Festival Plaza, Lafayette 

August 6, Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company (BETC): Witch, Dairy Arts Center, Boulder

August 6, Upon Your Dead Body: The Coyote Gospel Tour, Black Buzzard, Denver

August 6-23, 504: The Musical, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Denver

August 7, Messengerz Dance Company Presents: “Waves”, Dairy Arts Center, Boulder

August 7, Improv Boulder presents: LAUGHayette! Improv, Dog House Lafayette

August 7, DJ_Dave, Larimer Lounge, Denver

August 7, Tomahawk, Ogden Theater, Denver

August 7, Pink Talking Fish, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

August 7–8, Trampled by Turtles & Leftover Salmon, Dillon Amphitheater, Dillon

August 7–8, International Evenings of Dance, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

 August 8, Swallow Hill Music Presents Dustbowl Revival in the Garden, Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont 

August 8, NRO: The Land that Shapes Us, Riverwalk Center, Breckenridge

August 8, Audio Medz, Bricks on Main, Longmont

August 8, The Marvelous Miss Gender starring BOSCO, Fillmore, Denver

August 8, 3BallMTY, Summit Music Hall, Denver

August 8, Dutch Melrose, The Perplexiplex (Meow Wolf), Denver  

August 8, The Long Run, Superior Commons Amphitheater, Superior

August 9, Local Author Book Fair, The Read Queen, Lafayette

August 9, Passion Pit, Ogden Theater, Denver

August 9, Legend Zepplin, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

August 10, Now: Premieres, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

August 11-23, Spamalot, Buell Theater, Denver 

August 12, Spark! Accessible Art Exhibition, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder

August 12, Museum Connections: Revenue and Financial Accessibility of Education Programs, History Colorado, Denver

August 13, Voces, Exhibition-Inspired Poetry Reading, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder

August 13, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue and St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

August 13, Jutes: Smile You’re On Tour, Summit Music Hall, Denver

August 14, Needtobreathe: The Long Surrender, Dillon Amphitheater, Dillon

August 14, Mojomama, Bricks on Main, Longmont

August 14–15, Greensky Bluegrass: Summer Tour 2026, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

August 14-30, Tick Tick Boom!, The Arts Hub, Lafayette

August 15, Good Music Medicine, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

August 15, Swallow Hill Music Presents: Two Runner in the Garden, Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont

August 15, Die Spitz, Gothic Theater, Denver

August 15, Driveways, Summit Music Hall, Denver

August 15, Hulvey: Could Be Tonight, Ogden Theater, Denver 

August 15, Jason Schmidt & Haven Madison, Larimer Lounge, Denver            

August 15, Jesse Welles: Red Tour 2026, Dillon Amphitheater, Dillon

August 15, Steely Dead, Superior Commons Amphitheater, Superior

August 16, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

August 16, Asteria Jazz Collective, Bricks on Main, Longmont 

August 18, The Australian Pink Floyd Show: The Happiest Days of Our Lives: Greatest

Hits 26, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

August 20, Music on the Lawn, History Colorado, Denver

August 21, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

August 21, Pattie Gonia: Keynote, Drag, and Dance Party, Riverwalk Center, Breckenridge

August 21, Thee Sacred Souls: The Constellation Tour, Dillon Amphitheater, Dillon

August 21, Drawing Club, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder

August 21, Strangelove: The Depeche Mode Experience, Gothic Theater, Denver

August 21, Diggy Graves: The No Vacancy Tour, Summit Music Hall, Denver

August 21, Starjunk 95, Ogden Theater, Denver

August 21, Preseason Game 1: Denver Broncos v Green Bay Packers, Empower Field At Mile High, Denver

August 22, Foggy Tops, Ned General, Nederland

August 22, Summer Art Market, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder

August 22, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Dillon Amphitheater, Dillon

August 22, Steam Powered Giraffe, Gothic Theater, Denver

August 22, Concert in the Park ft. Face Vocal Band, Coal Creek Park

August 23, Gov’t Mule: Summer Tour 2026, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

August 23, Millkzy: Extension of You Tour, Larimer Lounge, Denver

August 24, Eagles of Death Metal, Summit Music Hall, Denver

August 25, Ray Lamontagne: Trouble 20th Anniversary Tour, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

August 25, Low Gap, Black Buzzard, Denver

August 27, a plague I call a heartbeat Performance, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder

August 28, Benise, Dairy Arts Center, Boulder

August 28, Colorado Centennial Farms & Ranches, History Colorado, Denver

August 28, Emo Night Karaoke, Marquis Theater, Denver

August 28, Hayla, Ogden Theater, Denver

August 28, Preseason Game 2: Denver Broncos v Minnesota Vikings, Empower Field At Mile High, Denver

August 29, Brewfest: Pints in the Park 2026, Community Park, Louisville

August 29, Clarent, Summit Music Hall, Denver

August 31, Muse Jazz Jam with Clare Church Trio, Muse Performance Space, Lafayette

September

September 1, The Wailers, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

September 2, Dogstar: All in Now Tour, Summit Music Hall, Denver 

September 3, 76th Street, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

September 4, Improv Boulder presents: LAUGHayette! Improv, Dog House Lafayette

September 4, Have a Nice Life, Gothic Theater, Denver

September 4, An Evening with the Colorado Symphony Cello Ensemble, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver

September 4, Comedian Cliff Cash, The Louisville Underground, Louisville 

September 5, Defying Gravity: The Best of Broadway, Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver

September 6, Sonu Nigam: Revolution, Bellco Theater, Denver

September 10, Cole Swindell with Zach John King, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

September 11-12, The String Cheese Incident, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

September 12, Chili & Beer Fest, Community Park, Superior

September 12-19, Arts Week, Longmont

September 15, Yesterday and Today, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, Vail

Festivals

• Colorado Events & Festivals
• Fairs & Festivals in Colorado
• The Biggest 2026 Events in Denver | Concerts, Broadway, Festivals
• 2026 Colorado Festival Guide
• Colorado Music Festivals 2026-2027
• Colorado Music Festivals 2026 – 2027 | JamBase
• Boulder Annual Events | Parades and Festivals 
• Keystone Festivals
• Vail Events Calendar
• Festivals | Visit Telluride
• Featured Summer Events | Winter Park Colorado
• Festivals in Grand Junction
• Breckenridge Events 2026: Summer Festivals, Food, Wine & Art — The BuyBreck Team | RE/MAX Properties of the Summit 
• Summer Events in Estes Park
• Annual Events 2026 – Visit Colorado Springs
• Rocky Mountain Events
• 18 Festivals to Put on your Calendar Now
• Bravo! Vail
• Summer Music Festival – Colorado College
• June Colorado Events | 2026 Festivals

Ark Valley Pride – June 6th, Riverside Park, Salida

Aurora Fest – June 13th, Municipal Center Great Lawn, Aurora

Arvada Summerfest – June 6th, Ralston Park Addition, Arvada

Blues From The Top – June 26th through June 28th, Rendezvous Event Center, Winter Park

Boulder Comedy Festival – June 16th, Niwot Hall, Niwot

Boulder Comedy Festival -June 17th, Junkyard Social Club, Boulder

Boulder Comedy Festival – June 18th through 21st, Dairy Arts Center, Boulder

Boulder Comedy Festival – June 20th, The End at Doghouse Music, Lafayette

Boulder Environmental/Nature/Outdoors Film Festival – July 16th through 19th, Dairy Arts Center, Boulder

Boulder Jewish Festival – June 7th, Pearl Street Mall, Boulder

Boulder Philharmonic Spring Into Summer Festival – May 31st, Planet Bluegrass, Lyons

Boulder Pride Festival – June 11th, Central Park, Boulder

Boulder PrideFest – June 13th, Boulder Main Library, Boulder

Boulder Roots Music Fest – August 27th through 30th, Pearl Street, Boulder

Bourbon and Bacon Festival – June 27th and 28th, Keystone

Bravo! Vail Music Festival – June 25th through August 6th, Bravo! Vail, Vail

Breckenridge Agave Festival – June 26th through 28th, Main Street Station, Breckenridge

Breckenridge International Festival of Arts (BIFA) – August 20th – 23rd, Arts District Campus, Breckenridge

Breckenridge Summer Beer Festival – July 11th, Beaver Run Resort and Conference Center, Breckenridge

Brighton Summerfest – June 6th, Carmichael Park, Brighton

Broomfield and Westminster Pride – June 6th, Aerostat Park, Westminster

BurroFest – June 20th, Boyle Park and Grand Avenue, Mancos

Carbondale Arts Mountain Fair – July 24th – 26th, Sopris Park, Carbondale

Carbondale Pride Parade – June 5th, Main Street Carbondale

Caveman Music Festival – September 4th through 6th, Monument Lake Resort, Weston

Central City Opera Festival – June 27th through August 2nd, Central City Opera, Central City

Colorado College Summer Music Festival – June 6th through 26th, Colorado College, Colorado Springs

Cherry Creek Arts Festival – July 3rd through July 5th, Cherry Creek North, Denver Civic Center Park 

Colorado Dragon Boat Festival – August 29th and 30th, Sloan’s Lake Park, Denver

Colorado Medieval Festival – June 5th through 7th, The Savage Woods LLC, Loveland

Colorado Music Festival – July 9th through August 9th, Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder

Colorado Rennaissance Festival – Weekends from June 13th through August 7th, Colorado Renaissance, Larkspur

Colorado Shakespeare Festival – May 30th through August 2nd, Mary Rippon, Boulder

Crested Butte Wildflower Festival – July 10th through 19th, Crested Butte

Denver Chalk Art Festival – June 7th and 8th, Golden Triangle Neighborhood, Denver

Denver French Fest – July 10th through 12th, Fillmore Plaza, Denver

Denver Fringe Festival – June 3rd through 7th, Denver

Denver Greek Festival – June 5th through 7th, Assumption Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Denver

Denver International Festival – August 1st, Historic Five Points, Denver

Denver Pride – June 1st through June 30th, Denver

Denver Villain Arts Tattoo Arts Festival – June 5th through 7th, National Western Center, Denver

Dolores River Festival – June 6th, Joe Rowell Park, Dolores

Edgewater Music Festival – June 20th, Citizen’s Park, Edgewater

Edgewater Pride – June 6th, Edgewater Public Market, Edgewater

Elizabeth Celtic Festival – July 18th and 19th, Casey Jones Park, Elizabeth

Erie Balloon Festival – July 10th through 12th, West of Soaring Heights K-8, Erie

Erie Pride – June 7th, Erie

Erie Town Fair – May 16th, Historic Downtown and Coal Creek Park, Erie

Evergreen Jazz Festival – July 24th through 26th, Evergreen

Feast of St. Arnold XIV – June 13th, Chapel of Our Savior, Colorado Springs

Festival of the Arts – June 5th through 7th, Tennyson Sculpture Park and Garden, Pagosa Springs

FIBark Whitewater Festival – June 18th through 21st, FIBark Community Paddling Center, Salida

Field of Vision Festival – August 14th through 16th, Meadow Creek, Buena Vista

Flatiron Sounds Music Festival – June 21th, Chautauqua Park, Boulder

Flatline Fest – June 13th and 14th, Oriental Theater, Denver

FoCo EcoFest and Xeriscape Garden Party – June 6th, Washington Park, Fort Collins

FoCo Fondo – July 16th through 19th, Fort Collins

Fort Carson Freedom Fest – July 3rd, Iron Horse Park, Fort Carson

Fort Collins Peach Festival – August 15th, Civic Center Park, Fort Collins

Friends of Folk Music Festival – June 23th, Performance Park, Estes Park

Ghost Canyon Fest – August 28th through 30th, Denver

Glenwood Springs Strawberry Days – June 19th and 21st, Glenwood Springs

Global Sounds – May 30th, Old Town Square and Linden Street, Fort Collins

GoPro Mountain Games – June 4th through 7th, Vail

Grand Junction Peaks and Plains Prepper Expo – June 20th and 21st, Grand Junction Convention Center, Grand Junction

Grand Mesa Songwriter Festival – June 5th through 7th, Grand Mesa Arts and Events Center, Cedaridge

Greeley Blues Jam Music Festival – June 5th and 6th, Greeley

Greeley Pride – June 13th, Aims Community College Welcome Center, Greeley

Greeley Stampede – June 24th through July 5th, Greeley

Gunnison River Festival – June 12th and 13th, Gunnison

Highlands Art Festival – June 13th and 14th, Highlands Denver

Highlands Street Fair – June 20th, Highlands Denver

Jazz Aspen Snowmass Labor Day Experience – September 4th – 6th, Snowmass Village, Snowmass

June Jubilee – June 20th and 21st, Acacia Park, Colorado Springs

Juneteenth Music Festival – June 19th through 21st, Five Points, Denver

Keystone Oktoberfest – September 5th, Keystone

Keystone Bacon and Bourbon Festival – June 27th and 28th, Keystone

Keystone Bluegrass & Beer Festival – August 1st and 2nd, Keystone

Keystone River Run Village Art Festival – July 24th through 26th, River Run Village, Keystone

Keystone Stars and Guitars Festival – July 3rd through 4th of July Weekend, Keystone

Keystone Wine and Jazz Festival – July 18th and 19th, River Run Village, Keystone

Kids in the Park City of Fort Collins – July 31st, Town Silo Community Park, Fort Collins

Lafayette Arts Night Out – Every second Friday, May through September, S. Public Road, Lafayette

Lafayette Brew Fest – June 6th, S. Public Road, Lafayette

Lafayette Electronic Arts Festival (LEAF) Augurs Wand, Field Theory, Eliza & Izaiah 

Miller – May 29th, Center for Musical Arts

Lafayette Electronic Arts Festival (LEAF), Ancient Ambient Soundscape Journey – May 30th, Arapaho Center Theater

Lafayette Fun and Fireworks Festival – June 27th, Waneka Lake, Lafayette

Lafayette Music Fest Kickoff Party – June 11th, Acreage, Lafayette

Lafayette Peach Festival – August 8th, Old Town, Lafayette

Lake Dillon Beer Festival – June 13th, Dillon Amphitheater, Dillon

Lavender Festival – July 18th and 19th, Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms, Littleton

Leftapalooza – June 27th, Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont

Life in Chimney Rock Festival – June 6th and 7th, Chimney Rock National Monument, Pagosa Springs

Longmont Pride Festival – June 6th, Roosevelt Park, Longmont

Louisville Street Faire Series – June 12th through August 7th (Fridays), Downtown Louisville

Louisville SummerFest – June 6th, Main Street, Louisville

Loveland Pride – June 20th, Hammond Amphitheatre, Loveland

LunaFest – June 14th through 21st, Grossen Bart Brewery, Longmont

LunaFest Afterparty – June 22th, Bizarre Electronics Repair, Longmont

Manitou Springs Colorado Wine Festival – June 6th, Memorial Park, Manitou Springs

Mesa County Fair – July 14th through 18th, Mesa County Fairgrounds

Mike the Chicken Headless Festival – May 29th and 30th, Civic Center Park, Fruita

Mile High Power Festival – August 15th, Oriental Theater, Denver

Mimesis Documentary Festival – August 11th through 16th, Mimesis, Boulder

Montrose Pride – June 6th, Cerise Park Amphitheater, Montrose

Mountains of Music – June 4th through 7th, Golden Peak and Vail Village

Nederland Jazz & Wine Festival – August 22nd, Chipeta Park, Nederland

New Play Festival – May 27th through 31st, The Arts Hub, Lafayette

Niwot Jazz Festival – June 27th, Cottonwood Square, Niwot

Northglenn Pride, – June 6th, Festival Lawn, Northglenn

OFAM Global Festival – June 7th, Stampede, Aurora

One World Festival – June 28th and 29th, Wynkoop Plaza at Union Center, Denver

Out of the Box Summer Fest -July 11th, Downtown Longmont

Outside Days – May 29th through 31st, Auraria Campus, Denver

Palisade Bluegrass & Roots Festival – June 5th through 7th, Riverbend Park, Palisade

Palisade Peach Festival – August 21 and 22, Riverbend Park, Palisade

Paonia Cherry Days – July 3rd and 4th, Paonia

Park Hill Arts Festival – June 6th and 7th, Park Hill Masonic Lodge, Denver

Parker Days Festival – June 11th through 14th, Main Street, Parker

Pikes Peak Pride Festival and Parade – June 13th and 14th, Pioneer Museum, Colorado Springs

Planet Bluegrass RockyGrass – July 24th through  26th, Planet Bluegrass Ranch, Lyons

Planet Bluegrass Telluride Bluegrass Festival – June 18th through 21st, Town Park, Telluride

Planet Bluegrass Rocky Mountain Folks Festival – August 7th through 9th, Planet Bluegrass Ranch, Lyons

Scandinavian Midsummer Festival – June 28th and 29th, Civic Green Park, Highlands Ranch

SECO Pride – June 27th, Enchanted Forest, Lamar

Small Batch Weekend – May 29th through May 31st, Odell Brewing Company, Fort Collins

Soul Rebel Reggae Fest – July 12th, Levitt Pavilion, Denver

Southern Colorado Juneteenth Festival – June 20 and 21, Norris Penrose Indoor Events Center, Colorado Springs

Southern Colorado Renaissance Faire – August 22nd through 23rd, Pathfinder Park, Florence

Underground Music Showcase – July 24th through 26th,Rino Art District, Denver

Up in the Sky Music Festival – August 7th and 8th, Buttermilk, Aspen

Vail Dance Festival – July 31st through August 10th, Vail

Major Venues

Boulder Theater 

May 29, Ott. with Treecycle

June 2, Between the Buried and Me with Imperial Triumphant, Fallujah

June 5, Burning Spear with Jesse Royal

June 13, Lee Harris: The Oneness Experience

June 19, An Evening with Tommy Emmanuel, CGP

June 20, Mountain Grass Unit

August 9, Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble

August 11, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue with Mile High Soul Club

August 13, Django Festival Allstars ft. Samson Schmitt, Ludovic Beier, & Pierre Blanchard

August 14, Oliver Tree

August 15, Nick Shoulders

August 16, Harmony of Rhythms 2026: One Legacy

August 23, Laurie Berkner – Early Show

August 23, Laurie Berkner – Late Show

August 26, Hidden Brain with Colorado Public Radio

Fox Theater 

July 10, 2000’s Rave

July 11, Canyon Collective & Thunderboogie with special appearance by Dr. Frogger’s Electric Meatsuit

July 16, Toadstool with Wampus Cat, Third Turn

July 18, Liv, Laugh, Love: Olivia Rodrigo Dance Party

July 23, moondoggy with Uncle Strut, The Speeks

July 24, Junglefowl with Argentym, Jackson Cloud, Ok I love you

July 25, Teenage Bottlerocket with The Drowns, Tightwire, Bury Mia

July 28, Uncle Lucius with Keyland, Red Revival

July 30, Slick Portal with DTTA, Ondy, Zazzy, Beanz

July 31, House Party

August 1, A Very Jerry Birthday | A Night of JGB – Dave Abear’s A Very Jerry Band

August 14, Easy Jim with Shakedown Strings

August 20, Wax Monkey

August 23, Rehash with Mexican Slum Rats

August 28, Hostage Situation

September 4, Congress The Band with Superstar, Sunkissd

September 5, Black Flag

Chautauqua Auditorium 

June 25, Blind Pilot + John Craigie

June 26, The Wallflowers with Early James

June 28, The Crane Wives with special guest Yasmin Williams

June 30, The Robert Cray Band

July 20, Rosanne Cash with John Leventhal

July 22, DakhaBrakha

July 29, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives

August 3, Cat Power

August 5, SYML: Solo in North America

August 8, The Jayhawks + James McMurtry

August 11, Herbie Hancock

August 12, Herbie Hancock 

Roots Music Project

June 1, Open Mic Night with Host Riley J

June 2, 105.5 The Colorado Sound Presents Sober Night Live! 

June 10, Roots Psych Project – Psych Showcase

June 13, Rhythms of Resistance: Emily Barnes, Cat Plants & Trouble’s Braids

June 21, New Ways – Ian Coury & Igor Souza Duo (Colorado Brazil Fest)

June 25, Samantha McKaige with Bridgette Spinney and Emelise

June 26, Blues! Sue Foley – One Guitar Woman

July 11, Indie Roots Project

July 23, Cash Box Kings: Chicago Blues Royalty Live

July 31, Rolling Harvest & Poorfree: Dylan, Young & Mountain Soul

e-Town

June 8, Ásgeir and Pieta Brown

June 9, EmmyJean Jenkins’ Queer Country Cabaret

June 13, Jake Leg: Record Release Show

June 14, Nick Forster’s Hippy Bluegrass Church

June 18, Alash

June 20, Delicate Steve with special guest Inaiah Lujan

June 27, Los Lobos and Courtney Marie Andrews

June 28, Cousin Curtiss

July 11, An Evening with Chicken Wire Empire playing the music of Jerry Garcia

July 15, Pat Byrne Trio

July 29, Andy Babb and Lara Elle with Noah Proudfoot

August 2, The Montvales

August 20, The Animeros

August 23, Never Come Down and Tonewood String Band

September 3, Darrell Scott

Coors Field

August 8, Noah Kahan: The Great Divide Tour

August 9, Noah Kahan: The Great Divide Tour

August 14-15, Savannah Bananas vs. Indianapolis Clowns

August 27, My Chemical Romance The Black Parade 2026

Red Rocks

May 25, Alabama Shakes

May 26, Kali Uchis: For the Girls

May 27–28, Santana: Oneness Tour 2026

May 29, Michael Franti & Spearhead: Spring Tour 2026

May 30, Alan Walker

May 31, Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso: Free Spirits World Tour

June 1, Kesha: The Freedom Tour

June 2, Alex Warren: Finding Family on the Road

June 3, Yo-Yo Ma & The Colorado Symphony

June 4–5, Brit Floyd: The Moon, the Wall, and Beyond

June 6, Big Head Todd and the Monsters

June 7, Trey Anastasio & The Colorado Symphony

June 9, Jimmy Eat World: Bleed American

June 10, Lord Huron

June 11, Jon Bellion

June 12–13: Paul Simon

June 14, Lenny Pearce: Family Rave on the Rocks

June 14, Trevor Hall, Thievery Corporation, and Dirtwire

June 15–16, Rod Stewart: One Last Time

June 17, Amyl and the Sniffers

June 18, Third Day: 30th Anniversary Concert

June 19, Louis Tomlinson: How Did We Get Here? World Tour

June 20, O.A.R.: Three Decades Tour

June 23, “Weird Al” Yankovic: Bigger & Weirder 2026 Tour

June 24, Ziggy Marley & Stephen Marley

June 25, Dirty Heads, honestav, &Satsand

June 26–28, Widespread Panic

June 29–30, AJR

July 1, Treaty Oak Revival

July 2–3, Deadrocks XII with Zeds Dead

July 4, Blues Traveler

July 5, Andrea Gibson: Love Letter from the Afterlife

July 6–8, Eric Church

July 9, Sam Barber

July 10–12, The Avett Brothers

July 14, Kaleo

July 15–16, The Head and the Heart & The Colorado Symphony

July 17–18, The String Cheese Incident

July 19, Maren Morris & The Colorado Symphony

July 20, Hilary Duff: The Lucky Me Tour

July 22–23, The Strokes: Reality Awaits North America 2026

July 24, Cross Canadian Ragweed

July 25, Darius Rucker: Songs of Summer Tour 2026

July 25–26, Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in Concert from the Colorado Symphony

July 26–27, Sombr: You Are the Reason Tour

July 28, Sara McLachlan

July 29, Parker McColum: 2026 Tour

July 30, Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen

July 31–August 1, Tedeschi Trucks Band: Future Soul 2026 Tour

August 2, Wynonna Judd, Melissa Etheridge, & The Colorado Symphony

August 4–5, K-Love Live

August 6, Of Monsters and Men: The Mouse Parade Tour

August 8, Slightly Stoopid

August 9, Motionless in White: The Sweat and Blood Tour

August 11, Empire of the Sun: Ask that God: Afterlife North American Tour

August 13–14, Mt. Joy

August 17, Train: Drops of Jupiter: 25 Years in the Atmosphere

August 18, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Colorado Symphony

August 20, Tori Amos: In Times of Dragons Tour

August 21, Grupo Frontera: Triste Pero Bien C*brón Tour

August 22, Reggae on the Rocks

August 23, Joe Bonamassa

August 25, Ian Munsick

August 26, Ray LaMontagne: Trouble 20th Anniversary Tour

August 27–28, An Evening With Goose

August 30, Ty Myers: The Legal Tour

August 31, John Fogerty: The Legacy Tour

September 4–5, Maná: Vivir Sin Aire Tour

September 6–7, Gregory Alan Isakov & The Colorado Symphony

Ball Arena

June 1, NHL Western Conference Finals: Colorado Avalanche Vs. Vegas Gold Knights

July 1, Josh Groban With Special Guest Jennifer Hudson

July 5, Don Toliver: Octane Tour 

July 14th, Daniel Caesar

July 20, Forrest Frank: The Jesus Generation Tour

July 23, Joji: Solaris

July 25–26, Olivia Dean: The Art of Loving Life

July 28, Megan Moroney: The Cloud 9 Tour

July 31, Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire

August 1, Meghan Trainor: The Get in Girl Tour

August 21, J. Cole: The Fall-Off Tour

August 22, Toto, Christopher Cross, and The Romantics

August 23, Avenged Sevenfold and Good Charlotte

August 28, Chicago and Styx: The Windy Cities Tour

September 2, Babymetal World Tour 2026

Mission Ballroom

June 2, The Last Dinner Party

June 3, Wale & Smino

June 6, Beats Antique

June 13, Lane 8

June 16, Earl Sweatshirt & Mike: Home on the Range Tour

June 18, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: All the Good Times, the Farewell Tour

June 19, Synthony: A Generation of Dance Music

June 20, The Dead South & Amigo the Devil

June 21, Archetype V2: Emancipator

June 26, Connor Price & Nic D: Iconic Tour

June 27, Elderbrook & Tobiahs

July 10, Artifakts & Bricksquash Mafia and Two Guys

July 18, BUNT.

July 19, Totally Tubular Festival

July 20, The Marcus King Band: Darling Blue Tour Pt. 2

July 22, Silverstein & Story of the Year: Camp Screamo Tour

August 1, Dombresky & Walker & Royce

August 11, Sugar: Love You Even Still 2026 World Tour

August 18, Dimmu Borgir: Grand Serpent Rising

August 20, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead

August 21, Courtney Barnett

August 22, Dillstradamus: Dillon Francis B2B Flosstradamus

August 29, Little Stranger

Paramount Theater

June 3, Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson: Delusions of Space Enthusiasts

June 6, Joe Jackson + Band: Hope and Fury Tour 2026

June 12, The Moth Mainstage: American Dreams

June 13, America: The Happy Trails Tour 2026

June 14, Aaron Lewis and the Stateliners: 2026 American Tour

June 25, ALOK

June 26, Rene Vaca: 2026 Tour

June 27, The Kevin Langue Show: Live!

June 30, Five for Fighting & Edwin McCain

July 8, Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks

July 11, George Harris: El Pueblo de Uno

August 5-6, Not for Radio

August 8, Rick Ross: Port of Miami 20

August 9, One Night of Queen

August 18, Marc Cohn & Shawn Colvin: Together in Concert

August 22, Little Feat: The Last Farewell Tour

August 28, Thunder From Down Under

September 3, The Electric Light Orchestra Experience ft. Evil Woman

September 4, Theresa Caputo Live! The Experience

September 8, Comedy Bang! Bang!

September 9, All Is Not Lost Tour

Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom

June 4, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes

June 4, Burning Spear

June 5, Eric Krasno & Friends

June 5, Daniel Allan

June 6, Juno What?! & DeadPhish Orchestra

June 6, Kenny Mason

June 7, Shordie Shordie & Hoodtrophy Bino

June 9, Aaron Hibell

June 12, Atlas Radio & MoonRadish and Vada

June 12, G-Space & Patches.

June 13, Giant Walking Robots & Splendid Blend

June 14, Bleood

June 14, Emo Fest: Drag and Pop Punk by Discord Addams

June 18, Shift ft. Secret Recipe

June 19, Flying Mojito Bros

June 19–20, Iration & Artikal Sound System

June 20, Iration & Tunnel Vision

June 25, Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles

June 25, Taylor Scott Band

June 26, Howie Daw

June 26, House Party.

June 27, Monophobics

June 27, Golden Era Rave

June 28, Vincen García

July 7, Corto.Alto

July 8, Andrew Duhon

July 10, The Pamlico Sound

July 10, Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio & Typical Ghost

July 11, B-Side Players & Gio Chamba

July 11, Kitty’s Rave

July 12, Chris Travis

July 16, “Untz is Dead” Grateful Dead Celebration

July 17, Paul Oakenfold & The Crystal Method

July 17, Flowdan & Hypho

July 18, Krewe of Buddha Summer Ball

July 19, Phaseone & Autohmate

July 21, Kill Bill: The Rapper

July 23, Stavroz & Peter Blick

July 24, LTG

July 24–25, The Widdler

July 25, Lelo & Grovepill

July 30, Shift ft. Backwhen

July 31, Gudfella & Hans Glader

August 1, Polyrhythmics ft. Adryon de León

August 5, DTF: Deitch, Teitel, Fribush

August 6, Fireside Collective

August 7–8, Parkbreezy

August 8, Hogslop String Band & Hannah Marie Kelley

August 14, Wax Monkey & Sam Walker Band

August 15, Memba

August 15, Memba & Minila Killa

August 16, Nine Vicious

August 20, Five Minutes Out, Girl Dinner & Jackson Cloud

August 20, Shift

August 21, Midnight North

August 21, Richard Finger

August 22, Float Like A Buffalo

August 22, Blookah & Align, Spenny, and Gibbs

August 29, Monster Rally

August 31, Pawpaw Rod

Mishawaka Amphitheater

June 5–6, Railroad Earth: 25th Anniversary Celebration

June 12, Late Night Radio & Flamingosis, Alex Unger, and Vinyl Restoration

June 13, Pride Drag Brunch ft. Vegina Quartz, Tooth Decay, Jenna Tavia, Tink, & Amber Sand

June 13, Yonder Mountain String Band

June 14, Lane 8: TNH TEN: I Made You a New Mixtape

June 18, Canyon & Coals: A Dusk-bound Dining Experience

June 19, Mountain Grass Unit: Dog’s Out the Cage Tour

June 20, Tycho & Nitemoves

June 26, John Craigie & Blind Pilot

June 27, SoDown & Buku

June 28, Boots Fest ft. Cary Morin and Ghost Dog

July 3–5, STS9

July 6, Grace Potter

July 9, The Wood Brothers with Sway Wild

July 11, Dead Floyd & Tumbledown Shack

July 12, Asleep at the Wheel

July 17, Supertask: Downtempo

July 18, Supertask: Uptempo

July 19, Lucero

July 21, Buti & Beats

July 24–25, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country

July 30, Paul McDonald & The Mourning Doves

July 31, The Motet

August 1, The Infamous Stringdusters

August 7, Band of Horses

August 8, The Polish Ambassador

August 14, Josh Teed & Chamber Orchestra

August 15, Bertha: Grateful Drag

August 16, Nick Shoulders: Apocalypse, Never! Tour

August 21–22, Moe.

August 28–29, Tophouse with Daniel Rodriguez and Danno Simpson

August 30, St. Paul and the Broken Bones

Bluebird Theater

June 2, Graham

June 4, Los Mirlos

June 5, Jamø

June 6, Bob Schneider

June 7, The Slackers

June 9, Kings Kaleidoscope

June 10, Witch Club Satan

June 11, Haute & Freddy

June 12, Sully

June 13, ZOA: The Eras Within

June 20, The Rock and Roll Playhouse for kids

June 26, Jessica Baio

June 27, Low Cut Connie

July 1, The James Hunter Six

July 3, Dead Pioneers

July 9–10, Rattlesnake Milk

July 16, Lakeview

July 17, Olivia Rodrigo Dance Party

July 18, Marcos Valle: Jazz está morto

July 22, Kevian Kraemer: Only if it Matters

July 23, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum

July 24, of Montreal

July 25, Cracker

July 28, ML Buch & Andrew Weathers

August 1, An Album Tribute to Wilco’s Sky Blue Sky

August 2, Dinosaur Pile-Up

August 4, Wunderhorse

August 13, La Luz

August 14, Riff Wood

August 15, Willis

August 21, Dead on a Sunday

August 22, Ray Wylie Hubbard

August 25, Josh Tatofi

August 26, Fink

September 3, Congress The Band

September 5, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram: Hard Road Tour

Levitt Pavilion Denver

June 5, Pride Kick-off with Tiana Major9

June 6, Steph Strings

June 7, Drag Me to the Opera

June 12, Fleetmac Wood

June 13, Sunsquabi, Chris Karns, & Drew Birch

June 14 Sunsquabi, 5Am, & Mikey Thunder

June 19, The Circuit Summer Kickoff: Munchies Fest Edition

June 20, Lettuce Cook World Tour

June 26, The Bright Light Social Hour with Tarantula Bill

June 27, J. Roddy Walston & the Automatic Band with Rugburn

July 3, High Fade: Twice as Nice USA & Canada Tour

July 4, Flobots, Espiaille, &DCI Tour

July 11, Andy Frasco & the U.N. with The Cultet

July 12, Soul Rebel Reggae Festival & Black Uhuru

July 17, Las Cafeteras

July 18, Girls Rock Denver Showcase ft. May Be Fern and Sunstoney

July 31, Dessa & Kayla Marque

August 1, Jerry Day & Shakedown Street

August 2, Boulder Philharmonic

August 7, Mariachi Sol De Mi Tierra & Fiesta CO Dance Company

August 8, Afrik Impact Cultural Day Celebration ft. Élage Diouf

August 9, All My Relations Celebration ft. Snotty Nose Rez Kids

August 13, Shwayze & Claire Wright

August 14, Rebirth Brass Band & Deltaphonic

August 16, Silverada with Blake Brown & The American Dust Choir

August 22, Inspector & Roka Hueka

August 23, Rainbow Girls & LVDY

August 27, Dumpstaphunk

August 29, The Rock and Roll Playhouse Plays Music of Phish & More for Kids

August 30, Kyle Hollingsworth Band & Cass Clayton Band

September 4, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears

September 5, Mo Lowda & the Humble

September 11, Chali 2na + Cut Chemist & Osha Renee

Fiddlers Green

June 11, Lord Huron

June 20, Flatland Cavalry with Shane Smith & The Saints

July 22, Ella Mai: Do You Still Love Me?

July 25, Rainbow Kitten Surprise

July 30, Howard Jones: Things Can Only Get Better Tour

July 31–August 1, Excision: Mile High

August 2, The Black Crowes & Whiskey Myers

August 7, Sublime, Slightly Stoopid, and 311

August 13, The Guess Who

August 15, Mt. Joy

August 18, Muse, Portugal. The Man, & The Temper Trap

August 21–22, Caamp

August 28–29, Dave Matthews Band: Summer Tour 2026

September 2–3, Jack Johnson: Surfilmusic Tour

Dazzle Denver

June 1, Colorado Jazz Ambassadors

June 2, Andrew Elwood Quartet

June 4–6, Cyrus Chestnut Trio

June 4, Enion Pelta

June 7, Simple Match & Charles Blenzig

June 8, Queen City Jazz Band

June 9, Eric Gunnison: Horace Silver Reimagined

June 10, Kerosene Ensemble: The Music of Masada

June 11, Matt Skellenger Group

June 12, Dotsero

June 12, The End All

June 13, Dazzle Summer Musical Play Production Camp: The Rainbow Fish

June 13, Nelson Rangell

June 14, Electric Giz

June 15, G.A.M.E. Jazz

June 16, Gold & Maddox ft. HOME

June 17, Nicole Zuraitis

June 19, Joshua Trinidad’s Jaguar Breath

June 20, Luminous Beings Recital

June 20, Foothills Community Choir: Sain’t Misbehavin

June 24, Mr. Knobs

July 3, Daniel Weidlein’s From the Ashes

July 10, Aaron Summerfield’s Summer Circle

July 24, Cash Box Kings

August 9, Mary Louise Lee Band

August 13–14, Goldings/Bernsterin/Stewart Organ Trio

August 20, Miki Yamanaka Trio ft. Nicole Glover

Denver Botanic Gardens

May 25–September 7, Jaume Plensa: A New Humanism sculptural retrospective

June 20–21, Gabby’s Dollhouse Fairylandia Meet and Greet

June 23, John Craigie and Blind Pilot

June 24, Arts Ecosystem Tour: Black Cube

June 26, Children and Family Make and Take: Pollination Stations

June 26, Big Day of Bugs

June 29-30, Evening al Fresco

July 7, Grace Potter & Emily Brimlow

July 8, Allen Stone

July 9, Soccer Mommy & Jawdropped

July 16, Chris Botti

July 18–19, Lavender Festival

July 22, July Collins & Bruce Cockburn: Sweet Judy Blue Eyes Tour

June 26, Children and Family Make and Take: Pollination Stations

July 26, Watchhouse

July 29, The Beths and Beach Bunny

August 6, Band of Horses

August 10, Gregory Porter

August 11, Steel Pulse

August 12, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue

August 17, Sam Bush and phoffman

August 28, Fête des Fleurs

Repeat Events

Campfire Sessions, Thursdays and select Fridays, Riverside Colorado, Bellevue

Sunday Summer Series, select Sundays, Mishawaka Amphitheater, Bellevue  

Lunch Series, Fridays, Dazzle, Denver

Dazzle Brunch, Sundays, Dazzle, Denver 

Blues Jam, Wednesdays, Bricks on Main, Longmont

Open Mic Night, Tuesdays, Bricks on Main, Longmont

Lunch Line Dancing, 1st and 3rd Sunday, 2nd and 4th Thursday, Bricks on Main, Longmont

Acoustic Open-Mic, Every 4th Thursday, Dog House, Lafayette

Amplified Open-Mic, Every 3rd Tuesday, Dog House Lafayette

Milk & Cookies Thursdays, Thursdays, Tracks, Denver

Lesbian Night, Every 1st Friday, Tracks, Denver

Mountain Music Mondays, Mondays, Dillon Amphitheater, Dillon

Open Mic Night, Superior Community Center, Superior, 2nd & 4th Wednesday

Art Night Out & Art Market, Every 2nd Friday, Festival Plaza, Lafayette

Palisade Park Concert Series, Thursdays, Palisade Park Amphitheater, Broomfield

Denver, check website for schedule, Infinity Park, Denver

Colorado Rapids, check website for schedule, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Denver

June 4th-16th, NH L Stanley Cup Finals: Colorado Avalanche Vs. TBD 

Boulder Farmers Market, Wed & Sat, 13th & Canyon, Boulder, see website for details

Longmont Farmers Market, Sat, Boulder County Fairground, Longmont

Louisville Farmers Market, Sat, Downtown Louisville

Erie Farmers Market, Thur, Downtown Erie

Lafayette Farmers Market, Sun, Public Rd, Lafayette

Spotlights

Summer Vibes Bike Rally and Run

Lyons

June 20

The way they describe themselves says it best – “A wild weekend of gravel and road bike adventures, trail running races, summer pool party, camping and live music.” or in other words it’s pure summer fun.

Palisade Park Free Concert Series feat. Lowdown Brass Band

Palisade Park Amphitheater, Broomfield

June 27

There’s something special about a summer concert out in the park. And the mix of hip hop, reggae and soul that permeate from the talented horns of the Lowdown Brass Band makes this concert a perfect summer night out. You can bring a chair but you won’t need it.

101st Army Band

Dillon Amphitheater, Dillon

July 5

There are some big anniversaries hitting The United States and the State of Colorado this year. Celebrate both in throwback style with the measured tones of a military band. We know it can be hard to get ramped up with American pride given all that’s happening but there’s something to be said in taking a moment to remember how we started and hopefully find the hope of where we can get to.

Local Author Book Fair

The Read Queen, Lafayette

July 12

This is a fun opportunity to meet an author whose work you’ve always loved or to find a new favorite book. You’ll find dozens of authors, across genres, all with a singular purpose – to tell a story that will captivate your imagination.

Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in Concert from the Colorado Symphony

Red Rocks

July 25–26

Pirates. Red Rocks. The Symphony. How can you not? The movie is a perfect example of summer escapist fun. Whether you’ve somehow never seen it or can quote it front to back, seeing it with the score being performed live gives it an entirely new dimension. 

Bertha: Grateful Drag

Mishawaka Amphitheater

August 15

There are Grateful Dead tribute bands across the region, but Bertha is in a class of its own. They combine the perfectly melded harmonies of the Dead with the electricity of a top drag performer. The result is a concert performance with music that is felt, deep within your core.

Chicago and Styx: The Windy Cities Tour

Ball Arena

August 28

On their own, these two bands provided the soundtracks to so many summer adventures of your youth. Now they are combining their musical powers for a special evening of hits, memories, and “oh wow, what’s good” songs.

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Get wild with your staycation

Purple mountain majesty and fruited plains are just the beginning of what Colorado has to offer. It seems like something beautiful, from vibrant wildflowers to roaring waterfalls, can be found in every corner of the state. With gas prices climbing as high as a local fourteener, getting out and enjoying the landscape can feel expensive and impractical, but there is a way to make it into an economical and efficient road trip.

Sunrise

For the best summer sunrise viewing, aim to be at a location 30 minutes before the predicted sunrise in order to catch the “magic hour.” While fall and winter sunrises might be the most vivid, the soft summer yellows and pinks bouncing off the peaks provide great opportunities to practice photography.

Close to home: Davidson Mesa

While nothing beats a sunrise from the top of one of Boulder’s peaks, Davidson Mesa is the unsung hero for those who may not have the motivation (or quad power) to get up high early in the morning. The sun comes from the east and lights up the western views of the Flatirons, the Boulder skyline, and Rocky Mountain National Park, all visible from the easily accessible gravel trail. It is the perfect spot to take some photos and enjoy a morning walk.

A little further: Garden of the Gods

The sandstone formations of the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, pasted against the backdrop of Pikes Peak, lend themselves to a glowing sunrise, perfect to start any day. The more athletically inclined might take this moment to climb a few pitches to the top of a formation, or run along the trails, but views can also be enjoyed from a bench or picnic table.

Get out there: Mt. Flora

While not necessarily too far from home, just needing a little bit more planning, the summit of Mount Flora has exceptional 360 views where you can watch the sun come up over Denver and illuminate the peaks surrounding Burthoud Pass. With a six-mile round trip hike, getting up for sunrise will leave you feeling accomplished for the day.

Waterfalls

The geological richness of Colorado offers an array of cascading waterfalls throughout the state. While they are incredible, it is important to practice awareness and safety in the area, because where water falls, rocks and humans can too. Stay on marked trails and follow all signage and warnings.

Close to home: Eldorado Canyon Falls

If staying local, some hiking is required to see the falls; however with the steep grade of water flowing into the Boulder Valley you will not be disappointed. A six-mile round-trip hike from Eldorado State park up the Eldorado Canyon Trail will get you to the falls. However, if you do a little more driving to start from the Walker Ranch Trailhead, you can cut the hike to 2.5-miles round trip.

A little further: Chaffee County

With its steep mountains, roaring creeks, and rivers, the area surrounding Buena Vista and Nathrop offers several cascading waterfalls to enjoy. For a short hike, Anges Vaille waterfalls are just 1.1 miles up from Chalk Creek campground. Though the final section has been closed due to a rockslide for over a decade, the last overlook gives a great view of the falls. For a longer hike, a 5.8 mile loop will take you to Browns Canyon Falls. Not only will you get to enjoy the crashing water, but also views of Mount Antero and a picturesque wooden bridge crossing.

Get Out there: Fish Creek Falls, Steamboat

With options for the adventurous, as well as for those who would rather keep their time on the trail limited, Fish Creek Falls is located in Summer Haven, Steamboat. Just a short drive from downtown, the lower falls are a mere quarter mile up a stroller-accessible gravel path. For an even more amazing view, you can hike another couple of steep miles up the trail and see the upper falls on a five-mile round-trip adventure.

Wild Flowers

Wildflowers are an amazing perk of living in Colorado; however, they are not a given. With a dry winter and a predicted hot summer, it may not be the most vibrant year for the delicate plants. If off to see the flowers, be mindful that they are an important part of the ecosystem, especially in a high alpine environment. Avoid picking, trampling, or crushing any plants.

Close to home: Moffet Tunnel

Just past Rollinsville is the East Portal trailhead. With countless options for hikes, the trails will take you through a short wooded walk before depositing you in fields of native wildflowers. While not as vibrant as those found in higher areas, the colors and mountain views are one of a kind and easily accessible for a short trip.

A little further: Mosquito Pass, Leadville

End the day with a jeep road drive or hike to the hills east of Leadville, Colorado. From June-August, the fields bloom with wildflowers. Parking at the Monarch Mine, you are hiking in all directions. For those with a 4-wheel drive vehicle, you can take a spin up Mosquito pass. The flowers will have a backdrop of the Sawatch mountain range with Mt. Elbert and Mt. Massive towering above.

Get out there: Snodgrass, Crested Butte

Crested Butte boasts the title of Wildflower Capitol of Colorado. Just north of the town of Crested Butte is the rounded peak of Snodgrass. The sunny slopes are perfect for the vibrant flowers, with views of the Mount Crested Butte, the Elk Range, and the Gunnison valley below. While the full hike is eight miles, an easy out and back will still give you amazing views.

Scenic Mountain Drive/ Ride

Once the snow has melted, winding mountain roads can be a great way to enjoy the scenery or show off the state to visitors. While storms are less likely in summer, they are never impossible. When traveling on remote roads, be sure to always have a shovel, warm clothing, closed-toed shoes, snacks, and water. Hopping on a bike is always a great way to view these roads and get the heart rate up as well.

Close to home: Peak to Peak

A 55-mile stretch of highway connects Central City/Blackhawk to Estes Park. With plenty of stops for hikes or food in small towns along the way, it is a great way to enjoy the rolling mountain views of Indian Peaks Wilderness and Rocky Mountain National Park.

A little further: Cottonwood Pass

With paving completed in 2019, this pass stretches between Buena Vista, Colorado, and Taylor Reservoir, just above Almont. With the pass going over 12,000 feet high, with several overlook and hiking opportunities, this is a true Colorado experience without the need of 4-wheel-drive.

Get out there: Engineer Pass

On the more wild side is Engineer Pass. This 4-wheel drive road connects the small mountain towns of Lake City and Ouray. Traveling through the San Juan Mountains, you will witness looming peaks, alpine lakes, wildflowers, animals, and some challenging rocky roads. For Thai Drive, a high-clearance 4-wheel-drive vehicle is absolutely required, and travel should not take place if snow or heavy rain is predicted.

Sunsets

Closing out the day with a vibrant Colorado sunset is the perfect nightcap on a day of adventure. Be mindful and prepared when hiking to a location to watch the sunset. Even well-marked trails can become dangerous in the dark.

Close to home: Sunshine Canyon, Gold Hill

At the top of Sunshine Canyon, just past Gold Hill, is a clear pull-off to sit and watch. With views of Lefthand Canyon and the Indian Peaks, along with solitude for miles around, a rarity in Boulder County.

A little further: Salida

A cute little town for the arts and outdoors, Salida has many options for outdoor patios, parks, and trails to watch the sunset over the Collegiate Peaks. If timed at the end of the summer, fields of sunflowers can enhance the sensory experience.

Get out there: Telluride Gondola

For the ultimate sunset experience, the town of Telluride provides a free gondola from May 21-October 25, running from 6:30am to midnight on weekdays, and even longer on weekends or busy seasons. From this view, you will see the whole valley stretching out below you, the peaks illuminated, and the vibrant stars as the sky darkens.

Yellow Scene’s 2026 Summer Support Drive is underway with a goal of 1,000 Sustaining Supporters by summer’s end.

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The post Taking the Scenic Route appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Why run clubs matter in competitive Boulder County

In a region already defined by outdoor culture, run clubs do something more specific than trails or terrain, they add rhythm and connection. They turn movement into a habit. Strangers into training partners. And weekly runs into something people plan their lives around.

Whether it’s a relaxed brewery jog, a structured interval workout, or a long-standing community like LoLa, the goal is the same: help people show up. And once they do, something simple tends to happen.

They come back.

Local running culture in Boulder County has grown into something bigger than training plans or weekend mileage. It’s become a kind of social fabric, one that connects people across Lafayette, Erie, Louisville, and Boulder through shared routes, routines, and post-run coffee tables. And while the formats vary, the message underneath is surprisingly consistent, running is easier and more meaningful when you don’t do it alone.

Three local leaders, Ziranda Dominguez, Doug Croft, and Leslie Hoffmann, each describe run clubs in Boulder in their own way. One is rooted in breweries and casual connection. One is built around structured coaching and accountability. And one lives somewhere in between, where performance and community overlap on the same training calendar.

Running that starts casually and stays that way on purpose

For Ziranda Dominguez, running was never something formal.

She grew up running trails like the Old Creek Trail in Lafayette, never part of a team, never chasing races, just moving because it was there. Even now, she describes herself as a “very casual runner.”

That mindset shaped the run club she helped build, one intentionally designed to feel low pressure and social, with a strong local twist — breweries.

Instead of centering around pace or performance, her group organizes Friday runs that rotate between local breweries. The run itself is simple. The real anchor is what happens after — people lingering, talking, and building community over a shared drink.

“We have no expectations,” she said. “It’s super casual, super fun.”

The group tends to be small but mixed in experience; beginners, former athletes, and people who just want a reason to get outside on a Friday night. The common thread isn’t ability, it’s a willingness to show up.

And that’s part of something important that all three leaders touched on in different ways, running doesn’t have to feel like something you already “like” to do. In the right setting, it can become something people actually enjoy, even people who start out thinking they won’t.

Structure, accountability, and making running feel doable

If Ziranda’s group is about keeping things light, Doug Croft represents the more structured side of Boulder County’s running culture, though still grounded in accessibility.

Doug didn’t come into running through tradition. He came into it through experimentation, then endurance, then community. What started as a personal effort to get healthier eventually turned into marathons, coaching certification, and years of building local running groups.

But his philosophy isn’t built on intensity, it’s built on inclusion.

His club combines coached weekday workouts with open Saturday runs. The weekday sessions are structured with intervals, tempo runs, hills, and progression work designed to help runners improve in a guided environment. Saturdays, by contrast, are completely open. Anyone can show up, run or walk any distance, and join others afterward for coffee. “It doesn’t have to be intimidating,” he said. “Walking is perfectly fine. Just get out and try things.”

That message shows up often across his groups, people who think they “hate running” are often really reacting to running alone, or running without support. Add structure, people, and consistency, and the experience changes. Sometimes dramatically. Because in the right environment, even running, arguably one of the simplest, most stripped down forms of exercise, can shift from something people avoid into something they actually look forward to.

LoLa Runners, where effort and community meet

In Louisville and Lafayette, Leslie Hoffmann leads one of the most established groups in the region, LoLa Runners. Her own path mirrors many in the local running scene, starting young, stepping away, and then returning through community. What began as Loco Fit eventually evolved into LoLa Runners, a structured yet welcoming club that blends coached training with a strong social core.

The schedule is intentional. Weekday workouts are coached and focused with intervals, tempo runs, hill work, and time trials built to help runners improve together. Saturdays are open community runs where people choose their own distances and regroup afterward at coffee shops. But what stands out most in Leslie’s description isn’t the structure, it’s the culture.

“We’re just such a welcoming group,” she said. “It feels like family.” That sense of belonging extends beyond workouts. Members travel together for races, form book clubs, and organize social events that have nothing to do with running at all. Over time, the group becomes less about training logs and more about shared life rhythms.

And like Doug’s group, LoLa also reinforces something subtle but important, consistency beats motivation. People don’t always feel like showing up, but they usually leave glad they did.

Different styles, same discovery

Ziranda Dominguez’s group is built around brewery runs and casual social connection. Doug Croft’s group centers on structured coaching and accountability. Leslie Hoffmann’s LoLa Runners blends both, with a clear training structure anchored by a strong community identity.

But the overlap is where the story lives. All three approaches are, in their own way, solving the same problem, how to make running something people stick with, and maybe even enjoy. And that last part matters more than it sounds.

Because one of the quiet truths that comes up again and again in run clubs is this, a lot of people start running thinking they don’t like it. They associate it with discomfort, boredom, or pressure. But in a group setting, whether it’s a brewery run, a coached workout, or a Saturday coffee meetup, that perception often shifts.

Running doesn’t become easier because the miles change. It becomes easier because the experience changes. Or, as these groups show in different ways, running can actually be fun, even for people who are pretty sure they hate it. 

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The post From Solo Trails to Social Miles appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Where will you find your new favorite summer song? 

A year ago all anyone who loved music wanted to do was attend a concert on the Era’s Tour. One of the defining factors of that tour was the community that developed in, and around, each show. For seasoned concert-goers this wasn’t an entirely new experience, the surprise (and joy) was perhaps in the scale. That’s because there are dozens of opportunities, in every city, to recreate similar (albeit smaller) musical communities at local festivals large and small each summer.

The communal experience of gathering with family, neighbors, and friends you haven’t met yet to listen to someone who maybe lives just a couple of streets away share their artistry is a particular summer treat. Residents in the area are especially fortunate because of the number and range of opportunities to see live music. Yes there are larger venues that afford you the opportunity to see national or up-and-coming acts but we also have a host of festivals and local venues, from straight concert stages to brewery back rooms and library spaces, where the primary driver for a performer is not how much they will make but how much they can play. 

There are places like church socials and the “____” festival that takes place in the open area of town. In those spaces you’ll find musicians with talent, power, poise, and professionalism that’s often equal to any “big-time” performer. If they don’t have the name recognition yet, who cares. What they lack in top-line billing they more than make up for in the infectious way that they utilize their talents.

The region’s diverse population, driven in part by our university connections, means that the range of music you will hear in the summer months runs the gamut from traditional classical to avant garde. On nearly every weekend in the summer there’s a musician playing the type of music that you built your record collection around. This means there are also numerous low-investment opportunities to “try out” something new. Going into a concert blind, being unaware as to what you will hear, is not a negative thing. Live music takes on a dimension that even the best recording equipment can’t capture so experiencing it for the first time, as it plays in communion with even just one other audience member, can give you the experience, and even understanding, of a music, performer or culture that you otherwise would not have ever had.

This low-impact exposure that some concerts and festivals provide also gives you an easy way to expose the younger members of your family to different styles of music. The hope is that they will love the music on their own or maybe the excitement of hearing a live performance surrounded by others in the community will be an extra push towards putting the music in the plus column for them. 

Free and festive

One great opportunity to do that is at the Colorado Music Festival which will hold a free family concert on July 12. In addition to one of national treasure John William’s non-filmic pieces you’ll experience the musical story of Peter and the Wolf by Prokofiev. It promises to be not only entertaining but an easy entry point into a music genre that some people have trouble connecting with.

You can experience a different genre of music at the Flatiron Sounds Music Fest on June 21. In addition to free performances from Armchair Boogie, Lindsay Lou, and Blessing Bed Chimanga you’ll have an opportunity to enjoy local food vendors. Plus an artisan market gives this the full festival feel.

One of the best examples of the confluence of music and community will be found in late summer at the Boulder Roots Music Festival. Held up and down Pearl Street, this year’s incarnation will showcase over 800 performers in twenty venues across three days. It’s an incredible mix of artists all in one compact place. If there is a downside to this festival it’s that it is a ticketed event.

A sampling of international sounds

If you’re looking for music with a stronger international flavor, the Mountain View United Methodist Church in Boulder will host Adjei Abankwah. He will be sharing the music of Ghana as part of the Cultural Caravan festival on June 6. While at the Lafayette Public Library Zivanai Masango will entertain with melodies on the Zimbabwean marimba. That event, which takes place on June 6 with a second show on June 13 in Erie, highlights another bonus of more hyper-focused local concerts – opportunities to interact more directly with the performer and their instrument. Over in Longmont on July 11,  you can sample the music of Nepal at the Nepali Jatra.

A new way to listen

There is something different about listening to a song sitting in a lawn chair in a parking lot or on a blanket spread across the green grass of the park you usually only come to with the dog for exercise. Even if you’ve heard the song a dozen times before, in that summer setting it just has a different sound. Not bad, but different. More tangible. It’s not just something felt by the audience but those on the other side of the instruments as well.

Musician Peter Frasier said “There is something powerful about playing for your community, especially at a festival or celebration. It’s an opportunity to, in probably the truest sense, do what we all really love to do and that’s to change the way that a person feels.”

“Music can have this really amazing effect on people,” Fraiser continued. “And when we’re out playing and you see people, of all ages really, just…connect with the music, especially when maybe they’re walking in the background going to do something else and they just stop and then wander over and join us…we really are connecting, if just for a brief moment, together as a true community.”

Yellow Scene’s 2026 Summer Support Drive is underway with a goal of 1,000 Sustaining Supporters by summer’s end.

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The post Music Festivals Create a Pure Sense of Community appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Photo courtesy of Jay Strausser, Telluride Bluegrass Festival

This June, as folk fans and bluegrass pickers gather for the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, there’s something unmistakable in the sound. It’s not just the music, it’s the feeling of legacy — a rhythm passed down like heirlooms, something more lived-in than performed. But while some festivals in Colorado are holding fast to their identities, others have slipped quietly off the calendar. As the state’s cultural map keeps shifting, its music festivals offer a window into how Colorado holds on to its soul — and where it’s letting go.

In a state known for hosting everything from intimate songwriter circles to multi-day, laser-lit electronic blowouts, the idea of a “Colorado music festival” is hard to pin down. But if you ask the people who build their summers around these events — or the artists trying to break into their lineups — you’ll start to see a story of community, tradition, and connection no matter the genre.

What makes these festivals more than just lineups and stages is their roots in people’s lives. They’re traditions, destinations, escapes, and in many cases, the emotional cornerstones of Colorado summers.

Decades ago, Telluride was a sleepy mining town with a population barely scraping a thousand. Then, in 1974, a group of dreamers brought fiddles, banjos, and guitars to its Town Park, and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival was born. Today, under the careful curation of Planet Bluegrass, Telluride remains a pilgrimage site for “Festivarians” who time their lives around the summer solstice to sit in the sun, dance barefoot in the grass, and welcome another season with music.

Photo Courtesy of Anthony G Verkuilen, Telluride Bluegrass Festival

“Our overarching goal is to always be improving the festival, as many things have changed in the world since its inception,” Grace Barret, a Planet Bluegrass marketing director, shared. “We do everything we can to embrace long-held Festivarian traditions while being open to feedback. Many of our attendees have had this tradition since before I was alive.”

But the landscape isn’t what it was in the ’70s. “When Telluride Bluegrass started, there were very few other music festivals in the country,” Barret added. “Now, people have more options than ever. The influx has changed everything.”

That explosion of options has been a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s allowed boutique festivals like the Bluebird Music Festival in Boulder to find loyal audiences, with its intimate singer-songwriter showcases feeling almost like private performances. On the other, not every festival could survive the swelling tide.

Photo Courtesy of Lauren Hartmann, Bluebird Music Festival

Take Sonic Bloom, once a fixture for electronic and experimental music in Colorado. After years of unpredictable weather, shifting locations, and a fiercely competitive festival market, Sonic Bloom has all but disappeared, joining the fate of Vertex, an ambitious multi-genre festival launched in 2016 that collapsed after just one year. Organizers blamed logistical challenges and low ticket sales, but festival insiders pointed to a larger truth: in a state packed with summer distractions, even the best ideas can get lost.

But for those who went, Sonic Bloom wasn’t just a festival — it was a revelation. “My wife and I went to Sonic Bloom on its tenth anniversary,” said Colorado resident Casey Kirkpatrick. “Ever since, we say: ‘I wish every Saturday was a Sonic Bloom Saturday.’ We met some of the most giving and nice people in that desert.”

Every year, the Sonic Bloom Orchestra took the stage — a one-time-only ensemble of improvisational musicians who blurred every line between genre and tradition. “Its whole point was to continually break the barriers of what defined ‘electronic music,'” Kirkpatrick said. “I hope to whatever heaven is there that I can go back one more time, and even if I do, I will still feel like that.”

Photo by Bradford Watkins via Facebook

Held near the Spanish Peaks, where the mountains rise like a myth from the high desert floor, Sonic Bloom thrived on contrast — between landscape and sound, solitude and community. “Its specialty was showing how electronic music could be a fully breathing live experience,” Kirkpatrick said. “Sure, you had DJs, but you also had people that worked with live loopers, instrumentalists, full bands.”

While Sonic Bloom may be gone for now, it left behind something real. It proved that festivals don’t have to fit inside a box — that electronic music could feel raw, intimate, or even spiritual under the Colorado sky. It’s the kind of memory that sticks with people, not just because of the music, but because of how it made them feel. And while some festivals like Bloom have faded, others have found their footing by going in a different direction entirely — leaning into tradition, precision, and a different kind of awe.

Still, the success stories are worth savoring. Bravo! Vail, launched in 1987, has carved out an entirely different niche, presenting world-class orchestral music under the soft hush of Vail Valley evenings. Where Telluride echoes with mandolins and harmonies, Bravo! Vail lets strings swell and timpani rumble, drawing a different kind of audience.

Meanwhile, Planet Bluegrass has expanded its empire with events like RockyGrass and the Folks Festival, keeping the spirit of collaboration alive. RockyGrass, in particular, remains a crown jewel — and this year, the appearance of bluegrass giants such as The Infamous Stringdusters promises to anchor the festival’s roots even deeper. For Jeremy Garrett, a founding member of the Grammy-winning band, it’s more than just another gig.

“RockyGrass is one of the coolest festivals in the country,” Garrett said. “I personally have been playing this festival since I was a teenager, and the Stringdusters have done this show several times. It’s held at an amazing festival grounds in Lyons, Colorado, along the St. Vrain River. The camping is excellent, and there’s even a school of music the week prior to the festival so that people can study almost any bluegrass instrument that they want along with even learning how to build an instrument. […] The lineup is always stellar and closer to something that you would see at a huge festival, but Rocky Grass keeps it down home, close-knit, and has a small festival feel.”

Photo Courtesy of Planet Bluegrass, RockyGrass Festival

It’s that balance between legacy and intimacy that seems to secure RockyGrass’ place in the future of live music.

“Bluegrass audiences have grown a lot over the years,” Garrett shared. “There’s something special about the roots music vibe of bluegrass in particular that draws people in. With a little practice, anyone can join a bluegrass jam circle, and that can be around a campfire or next to the river and there’s no need for electricity. People are captivated by the song and the history in the music.”

From legends like Tony Rice and Hot Rize to new-school innovators, RockyGrass has remained grounded in community. “It’s like playing for your friends,” Garrett said. “In fact, I probably know most of the crowd personally. A lot of people have been coming to the event for many years in a row, and it is a sought-after hot ticket. All of that, yet the energy feels fresh and intense.”

Photo Courtesy of Planet Bluegrass, Telluride Bluegrass Festival

“We put a lot of effort into our family area and activities for kids,” Planet Bluegrass added in regards to their festivals. “It’s not just an oasis for adults. Those wild festival babies grow up and do the same with their children.”

If there’s a secret to longevity, it might be exactly that: not clinging to nostalgia, but weaving it into something sturdy enough for the next generation to climb.

Of course, not every young Coloradan is packing a mandolin. Denver’s rise as the “Bass Capital” has shifted the energy dramatically, especially among younger crowds. EDM shows now flood the city, filling spaces from underground warehouses to legendary venues like Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

“The rave community in Colorado is way more inclusive and accessible than the traditional festival scene,” said Ava Candelaria, a CU student who regularly attends EDM shows. “There’s this really respectful, established culture here that draws people in. It feels more about freedom and self-expression.”

Compared to something like the Outside Festival or even Bluebird, she says, “The atmosphere is totally different. Festivals like Outside tend to attract a laid-back, maybe older crowd. Raves are more intense, expressive — it’s about the whole experience, not just the artist.”

But not all EDM festivals have found firm footing. Some, like Global Dance Festival, have faced critiques of poor planning and underwhelming lineups. “It makes me want to explore more festivals around the country,” Candelaria admitted.

This growing divide between the grassroots, often acoustic-centered festival traditions and the newer, high-energy electronic scene reflects deeper shifts in how Colorado’s younger residents view community, accessibility, and artistry. Still, both worlds continue to coexist, if sometimes uneasily, painting a fuller picture of Colorado’s musical identity.

Photo Courtesy of Planet Bluegrass

Despite the challenges, optimism threads through the state’s festival organizers. Planet Bluegrass, for instance, is venturing into new territory this year with “Camp Alderwild,” a two-night electronic show set in Telluride Town Park — a surprising, but perhaps strategic, move.

“Planet Bluegrass has made a commitment to doing things right, both for our attendees and for everyone living in Telluride,” they said. “Even if it takes longer or is harder, we will do everything in our power to provide the best possible experience. Our relationship with the local community is integral to our long-term success.”

That relationship, built over decades of trust, may be exactly why Planet Bluegrass survives while others fold. It’s not just about the music; it’s about the land, the people, and the messy, complicated dance between tradition and change.

“It’s such a joy to play in the state of Colorado,” Garrett said. “Backstage, the vibes are always good and everyone is there to make you feel comfortable and at home and wish you the best performance you could possibly have.”

For now, Colorado’s music festivals remain what they’ve quietly become: a meeting place for restless spirits, from the bass-heads dancing until sunrise in Denver warehouses to the folk lovers chasing the last light in mountain valleys. Their form keeps shifting, but the pull stays the same. As long as there are songs worth sharing and ears willing to listen, Colorado festivals will keep finding new ways to belong.

Photo Courtesy of Planet Bluegrass, Folks Festival

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The post The Past, Present, and Future of Colorado’s Music Festivals appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

We have put together a full list of all local places to get a drink! whether its coffee, beer, Tea, or alcohol-free.

We have compiled it all in a Google map for ease of use with Google map locations and websites linked here, along with every location also listed here in this article.

For a full and more comprehensive view, click the square button in the top right (it will say “view large map” when hovering over the button).

Boulder

4 Noses Brewing | Wild Provisions

Website: http://www.4nosesbrewing.com/
Address: 2209 Central Ave, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-993-3598

Asher Brewing Company

Website: http://www.asherbrewing.com
Address: 4699 Nautilus Ct., #104, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-530-1381

Avery Brewing Company / Tap Room

Website: http://www.averybrewing.com
Address: 4910 Nautilus Ct., Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-440-4324

Bookcliff Wine Tasting Room

Website: http://bookcliffvineyards.com
Address: 1501 Lee Hill Rd., #17, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-499-7301

Boulder Spirits – Vapor Distillery

Website: http://www.vapordistillery.com
Address: 5311 Western Ave., #K, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-997-6134

The Boulder Wine Merchant

Website: N/A
Address: 2690 Broadway, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-443-6761

Boxcar Coffee Roasters

Website: http://boxcarcoffeeroasters.com/
Address: 825 Pearl St., Boulder, CO
Phone: 720-456-7962

Finkel & Garf

Website: http://www.finkelandgarf.com
Address: 5455 Spine Rd., #A, Boulder, CO
Phone: 720-379-6042

Mountain Sun

Website: http://www.mountainsunpub.com
Address: 1535 Pearl St., Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-546-0886

Ozo Coffee Company

Website: http://www.ozocoffee.com
Address: 5340 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-440-0233

Redstone Meadery

Website: http://www.redstonemeadery.com
Address: 4700 Pearl St., #2A, Boulder, CO
Phone: 720-406-1215

The Root Kava Bar

Website: https://www.therootkavabar.com/
Address: 1641 28th St., Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-856-3851

Ruzo Coffee

Website: https://www.ruzocoffee.com/
Address: 3980 Broadway St., #104, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-953-8402

Sanitas Brewing Company

Website: http://www.sanitasbrewing.com/
Address: 3550 Frontier Ave., #A, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-442-4130

Silver Vines Winery

Website: http://www.silvervineswinery.com/
Address: 2037 13th St., Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-458-0280

Twisted Pine Brewery

Website: http://www.twistedpinebrewery.com
Address: 3201 Walnut St., #A, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-786-9270

Upslope Brewing Company (Flatiron Court)

Website: http://www.upslopebrewing.com
Address: 1898 S. Flatiron Court, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-449-2911

Upslope Brewing Company (Lee Hill Rd.)

Website: http://www.upslopebrewing.com
Address: 1501 Lee Hill Rd., #20, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-449-2911

Vinnie Fera Wine

Website: https://www.vinnieferawine.com
Address: 3012 Sterling Cir., #100, Boulder, CO
Phone: 720-287-1252

Vision Quest Brewery

Website: http://www.visionquestbrewing.com
Address: 2510 47th St., #A2, Boulder, CO
Phone: 303-578-0041

Longmont

300 Suns Brewing

Website: http://300sunsbrewing.com/
Address: 335 1st Ave., #C, Longmont, CO
Phone: 720-442-8292

Abbott & Wallace – Longtucky Spirits

Website: http://www.longtuckyspirits.com
Address: 350 Terry St., #120, Longmont, CO
Phone: 720-545-2017

Bearded Brewer

Website: https://www.beardedbreweraa.com/
Address: 1425 S Airport Rd., #100, Longmont, CO
Phone: 531-999-3051

Bootstrap Brewing

Website: http://www.bootstrapbrewing.com
Address: 142 Pratt St., Longmont, CO
Phone: 720-438-8488

Collision Brewing Co.

Website: http://collisionbrewco.com
Address: 1436 Skyway Dr., Longmont, CO
Phone: 720-996-1850

Colorado Mountain Kava

Website: https://rootsandleaveskava.com/locations/colorado-mountain-kava
Address: 615 Ken Pratt Blvd., Longmont, CO
Phone: 720-833-6864

Dry Land Distillers

Website: http://www.drylanddistillers.com
Address: 471 Main Street, Unit B, Longmont, CO
Phone: 720-600-4945

Grossen Bart Brewery

Website: http://www.grossenbart.com
Address: 1025 Delaware Ave., Longmont, CO
Phone: 720-438-2060

Knuckle Puck Brewing

Website: https://www.knucklepuckbrewing.com/
Address: 13783 East I-25 Frontage Rd., #B-1, Longmont, CO
Phone: N/A

Kuper Wine Bar

Website: http://kuperwinebar.com
Address: 600 Longs Peak Ave., #11, Longmont, CO
Phone: 303-834-8902

Left Hand Brewing

Website: http://www.lefthandbrewing.com
Address: 1265 Boston Ave., Longmont, CO
Phone: 303-772-0258

Longs Peak Pub

Website: http://www.mountainsunpub.com
Address: 600 Longs Peak Ave., Longmont, CO
Phone: 303-651-7886

Meco Coffee Collective

Website: https://mecolongmont.com/
Address: 627 Main Street, Longmont, CO
Phone: 720-899-2352

Pumphouse Brewery

Website: http://www.pumphousebrewery.com
Address: 540 Main St., Longmont, CO
Phone: 303-702-0881

St. Vrain Cidery

Website: http://www.stvraincidery.com/
Address: 350 Terry St., #130, Longmont, CO
Phone: 720-727-5706

Wibby Brewing

Website: http://www.wibbybrewing.com
Address: 209 Emery St., Longmont, CO
Phone: 303-776-4594

Lafayette

Brewing Market

Website: http://brewingmarketcoffee.com/
Address: 2770 Dagny Way, #101, Lafayette, CO
Phone: 720-890-3993

Cellar West

Website: http://cellarwest.com
Address: 778 West Baseline Rd., Lafayette, CO
Phone: 720-465-9346

Day Day Up Tea

Website: N/A
Address: 535 W. South Boulder Rd., #210, Lafayette, CO
Phone: 720-835-1119

Liquid Mechanics Brewing Company

Website: http://www.liquidmechanicsbrewing.com
Address: 297 N. Hwy 287, #100, Lafayette, CO
Phone: 720-550-7813

Meco Coffee Collective

Website: N/A
Address: 1280 Centaur Village Dr., Lafayette, CO
Phone: N/A

Sanitas Brewing Company (Lafayette)

Website: http://www.sanitasbrewing.com/
Address: 400 W South Boulder Rd., #1650, Lafayette, CO
Phone: 303-442-4130

Louisville

Crystal Springs Brewing Company

Website: http://www.crystalspringsbrewing.com
Address: 604 Main St., Louisville, CO
Phone: 720-572-7975

Gravity Brewing

Website: http://thegravitybrewing.com/
Address: 1150 Pine St., #B, Louisville, CO
Phone: 303-544-0746

Mother Tucker Brewery

Website: https://www.mothertuckerbrewery.com/
Address: 1132 W. Dillon Dr., #4, Louisville, CO
Phone: 303-565-9459

Rocky Mountain Tap & Garden

Website: https://rockymountaintap.com/
Address: 1071 Courtesy Rd., Louisville, CO
Phone: 720-900-2440

Paul’s Coffee And Tea

Website: https://www.paulscoffeeandtea.com/
Address: 956 W Cherry St #101, Louisville, CO 80027
Phone: (720) 259-1723

Lyons

Spirit Hound Distillers

Website: http://www.spirithounds.com
Address: 4196 Ute Hwy, Lyons, CO
Phone: 303-823-5696

Niwot

Fritz Family Brewers

Website: https://www.fritzfamilybrewers.com/
Address: 6778 N. 79th St., Niwot, CO
Phone: 303-834-9123

Westminster

4 Noses Brewing | Wild Provisions (Westminster)

Website: http://www.4nosesbrewing.com/
Address: 8855 W. 116th Cir., #4, Westminster, CO
Phone: 720-460-2797

Windfall Brewing Co.

Website: https://windfallbrewing.co/
Address: 14694 Orchard Pkwy., #400, Westminster, CO
Phone: 720-531-5822

Erie

Old Mine Cidery & Brew Pub

Website: http://theoldmine.com
Address: 500 Briggs St., Erie, CO
Phone: 303-905-0620

Firestone

Wild Cider

Website: http://wildcider.com/home/
Address: 11455 County Rd. 17, Firestone, CO
Phone: 303-532-9949

Frederick

Mirror Image Brewing Company

Website: https://www.mirrorimagebrewco.com/
Address: 5969 Iris Pkwy., Frederick, CO
Phone: 720-445-5969

Denver

Stem Ciders (RiNo Taproom)

Website: https://stemciders.com/
Address: 2811 Walnut St., #150, Denver, CO
Phone: 720-443-3007

Like journalism like this? Support the local press that’s been telling the truth for 25 years. Become a sustaining member and get our monthly print edition at home. We’ve weathered 9/11, floods, fires, economic crashes—and some deeply chaotic years. With your support, we’ll keep going. Because democracy still depends on journalism.

The post YellowScene’s 2025 Libations Map appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Ah, brunch. The glorious time of day when we throw out all the rules and dive headfirst into eggs, pancakes, and maybe — even better — cocktails before noon. With so many tempting brunch spots close by, making a decision could call for a little help from a Magic 8 Ball.

The Buff Restaurant: Where pancakes flirt and $1 mimosas flow
Boulder

When Boulder locals talk brunch, one name always bubbles to the top: The Buff. Cozy as your favorite hoodie and twice as satisfying, this neighborhood staple has been slinging eggs, green chili, and good vibes for over 30 years.

Family-run from the start, The Buff feels like home the moment you walk through the door. General manager Dru Libby is known for greeting regulars with a warm hug and a smile as sunny as your eggs.

The crown jewel of the menu? The Olé Skillet — chorizo, green chilies, onions, jalapeños, potatoes, and cheddar smothered with their famous pork green chili, which might just be the reason Boulder gets out of bed on weekends. Feeling like a kid? Try the White Buffalo Cakes with crispy edges and pillowy softness accented with white chocolate and strawberries. The star? Chicken & French Toast, a perfectly-paired sandwich topped with bacon — because why not? (Already planning my return visit for that dish.)

White Buffalo

And the drinks? Let’s just say they’ve got legendary status. The Buff’s $1 on tap cocktails — yes, one dollar — draw brunch lovers like bees to honey. From classic mimosas to the garnish-loaded Tatanka Bloody Mary, your cup (and Instagram feed) will be full.

Non-drinkers, fear not: The White Buffalo (white chocolate espresso mocha) piled with whipped cream and Dirty Sherpa Chai will give you all the cozy, caffeinated feels you need. Here, brunch is more than a meal — it’s a ritual. Come hungry, leave hugged.

Suggested Pairing: Olé Skillet + $1 Mimosa
Pro Tip: No time to brunch? Grab a White Buffalo to go.
Vibe: Cheerful, friendly, always buzzing

Blueberry Pancakes

Morning Glory Café: Mother Earth’s brunch spot
Lafayette

Morning Glory Café isn’t your run-of-the-mill brunch joint. The secret sauce? Sustainability and local ingredients. Owner Lilly Lieb sources nearly 80% of her ingredients from local farms and strives to get organic whenever possible. From organic, cage-free eggs to fresh, wild-caught salmon, everything at Morning Glory is scratch made and straight from the heart.

Lieb’s commitment to high standards goes beyond just sourcing — it’s in the very DNA of the place. Whether it’s the homemade pesto or her iconic mom Jules’ blueberry dressing (made with agave to keep it vegan), every bite is crafted with care and intention.

The menu is so packed with options that the best choice might just be to ask your server to choose for you. Lieb brought out the Mango Salmon Salad topped with goat cheese, avocado, and blueberries and a stack of Blueberry Pancakes that pleased both my inner kid and gluten-free diet. Morning Glory Café takes dietary restrictions extremely seriously and has a cult following in the gluten-free crowd. For a breakfast entrée, try the Niwot Omelet packed with feta, tomatoes, and spinach topped with a vibrant pesto.

Lieb’s cocktail game is just as impressive as her food. Her Bloody Mary? Vegan and made in-house with balsamic vinegar for a unique kick. The Mimosas come in pint glasses and the coffee? It’s single-origin Costa Rican beans sourced directly from an employee’s family farm for a cup of goodness with a side of authenticity.

Lieb isn’t just serving up great brunches; she’s building a community. With liveable wages and a staff that sticks around for years (shoutout to Adolfo, who started as a dishwasher and now runs the show), the restaurant exudes a warmth that mirrors Lieb’s values. It’s not just about feeding people — it’s about caring for them, whether it’s through the food, the atmosphere, or the heartfelt connection with every guest.

Suggested Pairing: Niwot Omelet + House Bloody Mary
Pro Tip: Feeling spunky? Ask your server to surprise you with some Jackalope.
Vibe: Relaxed, eco-conscious, neighborly.

Salmon Caper Benedict

Tangerine: Classic breakfast with a modern twist
Longmont, Lafayette, Boulder

Tangerine is like your favorite breakfast diner, but imagine if it put on a pair of sleek, modern shoes and went to art school. Chef-owner Alec Schuler crafted a menu designed to hit that sweet spot between comforting and unexpected. Sure, you’ll find the classics — eggs Benedict, pancakes, and omelets — but Tangerine encourages a little culinary wanderlust with a breadth of creative options and a constant rotation of specials.

Schuler’s dedication to quality ingredients means that almost everything on your plate is locally sourced. Colorado-grown potatoes, hangar steak, and cage-free eggs ensure your brunch dollars support small farms and ranchers across the state.

“We’re a scratch kitchen,” said chef Jonathon Derreberry, who creates the specials for the Longmont location. “Everything is made from recipes. We hired skilled chefs. Culinary skill is at the heart of everything we do.” And it shows — whether it’s the house-cured Salmon Caper Benedict or the vibrant Strawberry French Toast, every dish feels like it was crafted with care and a lot of heart. The star of the menu is The Vegan — this isn’t your typical tofu scramble. No, this dish features tempeh, avocado, fresh greens, caramelized onions, carrots, pinto beans, romesco, and pesto, all beautifully plated in a way that could make even the most dedicated carnivore pause and say, “Yes, please.”

Let’s not forget about the drink menu. If you’re thinking about pairing your brunch with a little something special, Tangerine’s cocktails won’t disappoint. The Strawberry Matcha Latte? It’s like a blankie in a cup. If you’re in the mood for something with a little more kick, try the house-made bloody mary (yes, it’s vegan, and yes, it’s amazing). And their seasonal drink specials, like the Lavender Lemon Drop martini, are always on point.

Tangerine is a hopping spot. Call ahead on weekdays and get there early on the weekends for your best chance at getting a table when you arrive. With the generous portions, plan on loosening your pants on the ride home.

Suggested Pairing: The Vegan + Strawberry Matcha Latte
Pro Tip: The specials change often — follow your cravings off-menu.
Vibe: Bright, modern, effortlessly hip

Shrimp and Grits

Lucile’s: Brunch with a side of jazz hands
Erie, Boulder, Longmont

Lucile’s Creole Cafe has been a Boulder County brunch icon since 1980, and it only takes one bite to understand why. The Erie location is right on Briggs Street in a cheery yellow building transporting diners from Old Town Erie straight to New Orleans, complete with zydeco tunes playing softly in the background and powdered sugar floating in the air like confetti.

Lucile’s brunch is loud, lively, and unapologetically joyful. “We want it to feel like a party,” said general manager Michael Micek. “If you call on a Saturday and ask about the wait, I’ll tell you, ‘Come on in anyway — it’s a hoot!’” And he means it.

Eggs Sardou

The menu? Oh, it slaps. The inspiration came from a chef trained at New Orleans’ legendary Commander’s Palace, and the flavors still run deep. Everything’s made from scratch — from the house ketchup and jams to the light-as-air biscuits (Don’t even try to recreate them, the recipe’s top secret.).

Lucile’s elevates the basics like the Eggs Eisenhower (creamy scrambled eggs cooked low and slow with clarified butter) and Pain Perdu (pure French toast perfection with house-made pecan syrup). Teleport straight to the 504 with Eggs Pontchartrain. Regular patron Jack Feuerbach sat at the bar enjoying his mountain trout, with a side of the best jalapeño cheesy grits in Colorado. Dine like the royals with Eggs Sardou — lightly spiced and decadently creamed spinach, juicy Gulf shrimp, expertly poached eggs, and house-made hollandaise.

As for the bar, Lucile’s well-garnished Cajun Mary has won Yellow Scene Magazine’s Best of the West contest for 25 years straight. So that’s a no brainer. For a warm treat, do not miss the Café au Lait with chicory coffee and a side of beignets piled with a mountain of powdered sugar that your kids will remember for a lifetime.

Lucile’s isn’t just where you eat brunch. It’s where you experience it — Creole-style.

Suggested Pairing: Beignets + Cafe au Lait with chicory coffee
Pro Tip: Ask for the Farmer’s Eggs—an off-menu gem
Vibe: Lively, jazzy, powdered-sugar paradise

Carrot Brisket Hash

24 Carrot Bistro: The kind of brunch Gatsby would have hosted
Erie

Just a block away from Lucile’s, tucked inside a gorgeous historic building with exposed brick, rich wood tones, and a bar that would make even Gatsby jealous, this spot serves up brunch with both flair and soul. Brunch at this charming, brick-house beauty isn’t just about eating — it’s about being wrapped up in good vibes and life-altering food. Amy and Elaina greet regulars with the kind of familiar, beaming smiles that make you feel like family — even if it’s your first visit.

Carrot Farmers Benedict

The food? Oh, honey. Owner Bianca Retzloff’s menu is equal parts comforting and creative. As a starter, 24 Carrot has transformed the classic French Beignets and laid them on a layer of lemon curd that is lick-the-plate worthy. The Farmer’s Benedict is a crispy sweet potato cake crowned with a perfectly poached egg and a bright, herby house-made pesto that tastes like sunshine and garden-fresh magic. The Beef Brisket Hash is pure comfort, with melt-in-your-mouth brisket, tender potatoes, and poached eggs, the dish is a true chef’s kiss. And the French Toast? Served with Chantilly cream, fresh strawberries, and a sprinkle of fresh basil, this dish will make you rethink every brunch decision you’ve ever made. Just ask diner Scott Schneider, who paused mid-bite to ask, “Excuse me, what did you do to French toast?”

Behind the bar, Manny shakes up cocktail magic like the Hans Shot First — gin, lemon, Prosecco, and lavender, served in an antique silver chalice — and the Oh You Pretty Thing, a muddled blackberry-mint-lemon masterpiece.

Brunch here isn’t just a meal —it’s an affair, equal parts cozy, classy, and totally crave-worthy.

Suggested Pairing: Farmer’s Benedict + Bitter Sweet Symphony
Pro Tip: Save room for the lemon curd-accented beignets — they’re pure gold.
Vibe: Vintage elegance meets small-town charm

The Brunch Houses Hot Chocolate

The Brunch House: High school sweethearts serving up breakfast goals
Westminster

Some brunch spots have a line out the door. Others have a waitlist a mile long. But The Brunch House? It’s got something even better — regulars who stroll in like it’s their own kitchen, call the servers by name, and settle into the kind of warm, unhurried atmosphere that makes you forget you’re technically dining in a strip mall behind a Sonic Drive-In.

The Brunch House is the passion project of Karen Ibarra and her husband Victor Aguilar, high school sweethearts turned business partners, who took a leap on their dream after years of working in family restaurants together. When they peeked through the windows of this spot on Thanksgiving 2023, they knew they’d found “the one.” April 22 was their first anniversary, and business is booming.

The Chile Rellenos Skillet is a brunch hero in a cast-iron disguise: a golden fried tortilla stuffed with jalapeños, melted cheese, refried beans, eggs, hash browns, and then smothered (with affection, I’m convinced) in their house-made green chile — a family recipe passed down from Victor’s father. It’s spicy, hearty, comforting, and impossible to finish without leaning back in your chair with a satisfied grin.

If you’re leaning sweet, the Tres Leches French Toast is the kind of dish your childhood self would’ve ordered every single Sunday, had your parents let you. Thick slices of French toast get drenched in sweetened condensed milk and caramel, topped with strawberries, whipped cream, and fresh coconut flakes.

The bar menu leans fun and unfussy, offering brunch classics like mimosas and micheladas, as well as playful house specials like the Colorado Sunrise — a twist on the tequila sunrise that somehow tastes like both brunch and vacation at once.

The prices are the icing on the (tres leches) cake: soul satisfying dishes without the bill to match. Pancakes for $11, a Benedict under $13, and a delicious medium roast coffee that won’t break the bank at $3.50. A robust kids menu means your kids are prioritized too.

Suggested Pairing: Chile Rellenos Skillet + Colorado Sunrise
Pro Tip: Bring the whole crew — the kids menu is no afterthought.
Vibe: Homey, welcoming, and strip-mall humble, but five-star flavor

Veggie Omelet

The Greenbriar Inn: Where brunch is an elegant affair
Boulder

Step inside, and you’ll be wrapped in the warm glow of old-world Bavarian charm, where sumptuous leather booths and white linens whisper luxury, but the vibe stays as welcoming as your favorite neighborhood diner. Phil Armstrong, who’s been part of the Greenbriar team for over four decades, took the ultimate leap from chef to owner 31 years ago — and the passion still shows on every plate. He’ll stop by your table to check in on you, as any good host would in their home.

French Toast

First up: the pastries. Light, flaky, buttery, and just the right hint of sweetness — these are no off-the-truck danishes. Everything but the croissants (which fly first class from France) is made in-house, and it shows in every bite. It’s the kind of pastry basket that could easily distract you from the rest of the menu — if the rest weren’t just as stellar.

Much of what lands on your plate starts right out back, taking farm-to-table to the extreme, thanks to Greenbriar’s three on-site gardens. Whether it’s fresh herbs, veggies, pickled goodies, or house-made jams, the kitchen works seasonal magic year-round. Greenbriar even cures its own bacon, smokes its meats, and handcrafts sausages like it’s the only way to do things — because here, it kind of is.

The menu is expansive. From Deviled Eggs to Oysters Rockefeller, expect classics executed to perfection. The Traditional Benedict’s eggs arrive with yolks that practically glow, balanced on English muffins with a generous serving of house-cured ham that tastes like Easter morning. The Vegetable Omelet? Fluffy, soft, and filled with fresh seasonal veggies, like asparagus prepared so well it makes the whole plate sing. And don’t skip the Vanilla Custard French Toast — golden on the outside, tender inside, and topped with fresh blueberry and mint compote and whipped cream.

The drinks are just as thoughtfully crafted. If you’re a bloody mary fan, brace yourself: The Greenbriar Spicy Bloody Mary stars garden-grown horseradish-infused vodka dressing up a house mix, rimmed with celery salt, and garnished like it’s dressed for a party. The Passionfruit Mimosa leans bright, fruity, and just the right amount of fancy — like brunch in a glass. Oh, and if you’re the type who takes brunch with a side of wine, you’re covered. With 670 bottles in the cellar, there’s a pour here for every plate, every taste, and every excuse.

Greenbriar Inn Cocktails

At its heart, The Greenbriar Inn is more than just brunch — it’s a Boulder tradition served with genuine hospitality, garden-fresh flavor, and the kind of attention to detail only a family of food lovers could deliver. So go ahead, dress up a little for the occasion (my suggestion — not theirs) and make the drive. Brunch this good deserves a little extra effort.

No two brunches are ever the same, and that’s the magic of it. Each of these local gems serves up more than just a plate of eggs and pancakes. They offer up personality, heart, and the kind of experience that lingers long after the last sip of coffee. Morning Glory Café wraps you up in fresh, local ingredients that feel tailor-made for an Earth Day celebration, while Lucile’s is a powdered-sugar-dusted party you’ll want an invite to every weekend. 24 Carrot Bistro charms you with its unassuming elegance, the kind of place where comfort and creativity hold hands. The Brunch House reminds us that incredible food and genuine hospitality don’t have to come with a hefty price tag. The Greenbriar Inn is your go-to for those milestone moments that deserve a little extra sparkle. The Buff blends laid-back Boulder vibes with the kind of star power that might have you brunching beside a celebrity. And Tangerine? Well, it’s the rare unicorn that welcomes both stroller-pushers and flannel-wearing foodies with open arms.

Suggested Pairing: Vanilla Custard French Toast + Passionfruit Mimosa
Pro Tip: Make a reservation — especially for special occasions.
Vibe: Elegant, timeless, tranquil

Like journalism like this? Support the local press that’s been telling the truth for 25 years. Become a sustaining member and get our monthly print edition at home. We’ve weathered 9/11, floods, fires, economic crashes—and some deeply chaotic years. With your support, we’ll keep going. Because democracy still depends on journalism.

The post Bruuuunch, Please! appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

I’ve always loved a good concert in the summer, especially a good outdoor show. Growing up in Rhode Island, my friends and I always attended the local radio station’s free concerts in the park. Sometimes it was a big name band, sometimes it was a real nobody, but it was always free so we would go just for the sake of seeing a concert. Now that I’m an adult, I can be a little more discriminating with what concerts I seek out.

Where I grew up, we had too few local concert venues, and they often went out of business suddenly. One thing I like about Colorado is that it doesn’t have that problem. When it comes to concert venues, we have everything from the smaller local venues like Nissi’s to the bigger concert venues in Boulder and Denver to the world-famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre if you want to trek out to Morrison for the evening.

We always like to keep you updated on events in the area with our calendar, but we also wanted to make sure you knew about the hottest concerts going on this summer that are within a reasonable driving distance. Here, in chronological order, is the list of the 25 concerts this summer we’re most excited about.

Barenaked Ladies with Guster and Fastball, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO, June 17

If you’ve never seen a Barenaked Ladies live performance, you don’t know what you’re missing. Covers, wacky hijinks, and freestyle rapping are pretty common. The first time I saw them live, the band cleared out so the bassist could play Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” on an electric cello. And of course, you get to hear Barenaked Ladies songs, which are always clever, catchy, and fun.

Drive-By Truckers + Deer Tick with Thelma and the Sleaze, Boulder Theater, Boulder, CO, June 21

The alt-country stylings of Georgia’s Drive By Truckers and Rhode Island’s Deer Tick come together in a huge tour that’s actually making four stops in Colorado: Denver on June 20, Boulder on June 21, Bellevue on June 22, and Dillon on June 23. Both bands put on great shows that run the gamut of emotion from joy to sorrow in a way that really resonates perfectly with an audience, so catch the closest show to you.

The Weeknd, Empower Field at Mile High Stadium, Denver, CO, June 21

You can tell that The Weeknd’s new album, “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” is blowing up based on the fact that the Canadian R&B singer-songwriter can fill up an entire football stadium. Bringing with him rapper Playboi Carti and producer Mike Dean, it’s going to be a timeless evening full of high-quality performances.

Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO, June 22

For the older crowd, or the younger crowd who appreciate music history, there’s the triumphant return of Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass. Admittedly, it’s a different lineup than the one that was known for fusing mariachi with pop and jazz music in the 1960s, but the new iteration of the band is hitting the road to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the group’s classic 1965 album, “Whipped Cream & Other Delights,” so it promises to be a fun celebration.

“Weird Al” Yankovic, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO, June 24

“Weird Al” Yankovic is easily the world’s most famous musical satirist and humorist, and it’s become a very deep honor in the music industry to be parodied by Yankovic, either in one of his direct song parodies or one of his more general-style parodies. And, for his 2025 tour, dubbed the “Bigger & Weirder Tour,” Yankovic promises to get even bigger and weirder.

Elvis Costello & The Imposters with Charlie Sexton, Bellco Theatre, Denver, CO, June 29

Elvis Costello has gone through a number of different reinventions throughout his career to the point where it’s hard to nail down one particular style that he’s known for, from punk rock to baroque pop. But it’s hard to deny that the best era of Costello’s work was his early years in the late ’70s when, bursting out of the pub rock scene, he added a quirky pop flavor to punk rock that it so desperately needed. For the “Radio Soul! Tour,” he’s planning to play his early songs, making for a can’t-miss show.

Metallica M72 World Tour, Empower Field at Mile High Stadium, Denver, CO, June 27 and 29

Metal legend Metallica brings its legendary and unique M72 World Tour to Denver for a one-of-a-kind, two-night experience with different openers: Limp Bizkit and Ice Nine Kills on June 27 and Pantera and Suicidal Tendencies on June 29. Metallica is playing completely different sets each night, so you can go to both and get two completely different experiences.

Lettuce featuring GZA, Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom, Denver, CO, July 4

Choosing which concert to go to on the 4th of July is tough because Coloradans are really spoiled for options, but our pick for the best one goes to the collaborative set with Boston funk band Lettuce and rapper GZA of the legendary Wu-Tang Clan. Funk and hip-hop mix so well together, making this the most fun way to celebrate the holiday.

Bruce Cockburn, Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder, CO, July 9

Canadian folk-rock artist Bruce Cockburn is nothing short of a bona fide music legend, having put out over 30 studio albums in his career, but he’s just as well known for his activism defending the environment and indigenous people. Touring to support his 2023 album, “O Sun O Moon,” it promises to be an intimate night with a music icon.

Summer of Loud, The JunkYard, Denver, CO, July 9

Easily the best metalcore show happening this summer, the Summer of Loud concert at The JunkYard features Parkway Drive, I Prevail, Beartooth, Killswitch Engage, The Devil Wears Prada, and more. Expect loud yet melodic music and a lot of boys with dark hair and eyeliner in the mosh pits.

Car Seat Headrest, Mission Ballroom, Denver, CO, July 12

As Virginia indie act Car Seat Headrest has slowly turned from the solo project of Will Toledo into a full-fledged band, it’s gradually become one of the most respected acts in the entire indie rock scene. Promoting his brilliant new rock opera/concept album, “The Scholars,” you can expect a performance that’s just as engaging as the band’s music is clever and thoughtful.

Stephen Kellogg featuring Isaac Hanson, Roots Music Project, Boulder, CO, July 18

Known for his work in Americana folk-rock band, Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, Kellog is now solo and pulling off something unique called the “Old Friends Tour,” where he reunites with an old friend in each city. In Boulder, he’s performing with Isaac Hanson of the famous pop rock boy band Hanson. That promises to be a truly fascinating pairing you won’t want to miss.

Punk In The Park, National Western Stockyards, Denver, CO, July 18-20

Punk In The Park is, undoubtedly, the biggest punk show of the summer to hit Colorado. From headliners like Bad Religion, Dropkick Murphys, and The Descendents to the newer bands like The Bombpops, Catbite, and We Are the Union to Denver band Cheap Perfume, this is a stacked lineup from top to bottom.

Julian Marley & The Uprising, Fox Theatre, Boulder, CO, July 20

A few of the children of reggae legend Bob Marley have made a name for themselves in the reggae world, but don’t think that Julian Marley is just riding on the success of his family. In 2024 he won a Grammy award for Best Reggae Album for his collaborative album with Anteaus called “Colours of Royal,” which was a departure from Julian’s roots reggae style into dancehall reggae.

Devo, Mission Ballroom, Denver, CO, July 21

Iconic new wave punk band Devo was formed in 1973, hence the “50 Years of De-Evolution Tour” in 2023 to celebrate 50 years as a band. Then it kept expanding the tour, and here it is, still going in 2025. There are confusing reports about whether this is a farewell tour or not, so catch this concert just in case this turns out to be your last chance.

Steve Earle, Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder, CO, July 21

Steve Earle is a music giant after putting out a whopping 21 albums in his career, and he’s one of the greatest political activists in the music world. On July 21, he’s coming to Boulder to celebrate 50 years of his career with an acoustic solo performance. That’s going to be a really unique night that you may never get to experience again.

Unhinged Fest, National Western Stockyards, Denver, CO, July 26

Unhinged Fest is featuring some of the biggest names in metal right now, including Knocked Loose, whose new album has become a surprising mainstream hit for a beatdown hardcore album, and The Dillinger Escape Plan, who is celebrating its reunion with original vocalist Dimitri Minakakis. There are other metal and hardcore household names like Lamb of God, Body Count, and Sanguisugabogg. This could be, arguably, the heaviest show of the summer.

Toad the Wet Sprocket, Semisonic, and Sixpence None the Richer, Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver, CO, July 30

Nostalgia for ‘90s music exists for a very good reason: ‘90s music was really good. Celebrating the more power-pop side of the era’s alternative rock movement, this triple act at the Denver Botanic Gardens’ Summer Concert Series is a Gen X and Millennial dream concert.

The Beach Boys with the Colorado Symphony, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, August 3

The Beach Boys’ music is timeless and has always been the official soundtrack of summer. So it makes sense to celebrate the height of the summer with a beautiful outdoor concert at Red Rocks with the backing of the Colorado Symphony. Known both for their pop hooks and their deeper artistic side, The Beach Boys have got a lot of great music that would go splendidly with a full orchestra.

Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, Planet Bluegrass Ranch, Lyons, CO, August 8-10

No, that’s not a typo. It’s not the Rocky Mountain Folk Festival, it’s the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival. That gives a bit of a looser definition to what kind of music they feature, but they’ve still got some big names in folk and folk-adjacent music like country superstars the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, the Americana bluegrass stylings of The Devil Makes Three, folk duo Watchhouse, and world renowned soul singer Lee Fields.

Less Than Jake, Fillmore Auditorium, August 9

Ska-punk is seeing a big resurgence right now, so the older generation of ska-punk bands are getting a boost as well. Third-wave ska pioneers Less Than Jake make a stop off in Denver with legendary bands in tow like Fishbone and The Suicide Machines, plus rising stars Catbite. Put your dancing shoes on because everybody’s going to be skanking!

Cyndi Lauper, Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre;,Greenwood Village, CO, August 12

Pop icon Cyndi Lauper is known for a long career of great music, as well as her activism for the LGBTQ+ community that has made her, arguably, the best straight ally the queer community has ever had. Celebrating her status as one of the great pop stars in music history, she’s saying goodbye with her farewell tour, the final leg coming through Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre. Don’t miss your chance to see this pop diva one last time.

Ani Difranco with Special Guest Tune-Yards, Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder, CO, September 10

Speaking of the LGBTQ+ community, one of the most important queer artists in music history, Ani Difranco, is making a stop in Boulder on her tour promoting her 23rd album, 2024’s “Unprecedented Sh!t.” An Ani Difranco concert can be vulnerable and celebratory at the same time, and you usually walk away with recharged energy.

Black Uhuru, Fox Theatre; Boulder, CO; September 18

Speaking of artists who have won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album, Black Uhuru won that Grammy 40 years ago in 1985. That should give you an idea of how long they’ve been around and how important they are in music history. Rescheduled from last March, this now becomes the perfect concert for late summer.

Sunny Day Real Estate, Boulder Theater; Boulder, CO; September 19

Seattle’s Sunny Day Real Estate emerged as one of the key bands in the early Midwest emo scene in the 1990s. Before emo became a mainstream phenomenon with big names like Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance, Midwest emo was more steeped in indie rock with elements of folk, post-hardcore, and sometimes even post-rock. SDRE’s four albums — from 1994’s “Diary” to 2000’s “The Rising Tide” — are part of the defining sound of that movement in emo music.

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The post 25 Concerts We’re Most Excited About This Summer appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Attending a film festival is really fun for me as a big film nerd. Sure, the big ones are a blast because you could be watching next year’s biggest films before any of your friends, but sometimes a small festival can be fun too — You can see films that you might otherwise never have  a chance to see. And, obviously, Colorado is becoming a hotbed for film festivals, as evidenced by the recent announcement that the Sundance Film Festival, arguably the most prestigious film fest in the country, will be moving to Boulder, Colorado.

“Boulder is an art town, tech town, mountain town, and college town,” said the Sundance Institute’s acting CEO, Amanda Kelso, in a press release about the festival’s decision to relocate to Boulder. “It is a place where the Festival can build and flourish.”

Colorado governor Jared Polis echoed those sentiments in boasting about the city — and, by extension, Colorado as a whole — being a perfect fit for the festival, saying, “Here in our state we celebrate the arts and film industry as a key economic driver, job creator, and important contributor to our thriving culture.”

Still, it won’t be until 2027 that we’ll see Sundance take root in its new Colorado home. But there are still other great festivals that see Colorado and its surrounding states as the perfect home for a film fest. In that spirit, we put together a chronological guide of all the great film festivals taking place throughout the coming summer in Colorado and surrounding states. However, since we all know Colorado gets warm weather from late May through mid-October, we extended our definition of what constitutes a “summer” festival a little beyond the official start and end of the season. Below is our collection of 25 film festivals in Colorado and beyond, with a little bit about what makes each one special. Take a road trip to experience one of them for yourself, or pop in to one of the festivals that just happens to take place in your own backyard.

Mountainfilm, Telluride, CO, May 22-26

While it may not be the festival that Telluride is renowned for, the Mountainfilm documentary film festival has been highlighting outstanding documentaries since 1979. Plus, as of this year, Mountainfilm is a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards’ short film category, making it an important destination if you really value the brilliance of the documentary art form.

Women+Film Festival, Denver, CO, May 30 – June 1

Put on by Denver Film — the same organization behind the Denver Film Festival — the Women+Film Festival is one of their smaller, themed, offshoot festivals focusing on films by and about women. This year they’ll be giving the Barbara Bridges Inspiration Award to Julia Stiles for her directorial debut, “Wish You Were Here.”

deadCenter Film Festival, Oklahoma City, OK, June 11-15

Boasting the title of being the largest and only Oscar-qualifying festival in Oklahoma, deadCenter is one the best festivals to see if you’re looking to take a road trip to neighboring Oklahoma. Of particular interest is the fact that, in addition to the typical prize categories like Best Narrative Feature and Best Documentary Short, they have special awards like Best Pride Feature, Best Indigenous Feature, and Best High School Short.

Arizona Short Film Festival, Tucson, AZ, June TBA

If you happen to be traveling to Tucson, Arizona in June, you might just be able to catch the Arizona Short Film Festival which prides itself on screening the best shorts from around the world one night at The Screening Room. This year’s date hasn’t been announced, but having taken place on June 18 last year, it seems safe to expect an announcement soon.

Ouray International Film Festival, Ouray, CO, June 19-22

Though it often feels like summer starts sometime in May, the first official day of summer is June 20th, and what better way to celebrate the official start of the season than watching movies in the beautiful mountain community of Ouray, Colorado which is known for its pristine mountain views?

ABQ Indie Film Festival, Albuquerque, NM, June 19th

What makes an indie film “indie” enough for the ABQ Indie Film Festival? Apparently, the festival defines indie as “a state of mind,” and one that seems almost endangered today. The festival seeks to “re-create a nostalgic space for that state of mind.” Its Instagram says that the 2025 edition of the festival is in the works, so expect it to take place somewhere around June 20, which is when it was held last year.

Doc Sunback Film Festival, Mulvane, KS, June 27-28

This smaller festival in the unassuming town of Mulvane, Kansas is named after a beloved veterinarian born in that town in 1879 who, over a century later, is still warmly remembered by the locals. Priding itself on covering all genres of independent film, this is a small festival with a big heart.

Fear No Film Festival (Part of Utah Arts Festival), Salt Lake City, UT, June 28-30

Fear No Film is part of the larger Utah Arts Festival in Salt Lake City, Utah. So, while it’s a small, short-film festival, there’s still plenty more to do if you decide to make the trek out to SLC. Fear No Film is one of the festival’s no-ticket-required events too, so tie it into a larger experience at the arts festival.

Wyoming International Film Festival, Cheyenne, WY, July 9-13

Not only is the Wyoming International Film Festival one of the biggest and best festivals in the region featuring films from all over the world, it also features the added bonus of a 48 Hour Film Festival in which filmmakers have to shoot, edit, and turn in a completed film within 48 hours, with the films being screened on the last day of the festival. It’s always a fun experience to see what creatives can pull off in such a short amount of time.

Circle Cinema Film Festival, Tulsa, OK, July 11-14

This Oklahoma film festival stands out from the crowd in that they show a unique commitment to local filmmaking by only allowing films made in Oklahoma. It makes the festival a great platform for filmmakers who eschew the traditional Hollywood route to stardom in favor of building a local film industry.

Prescott Film Festival, Prescott, Arizona, July 16-20

The Prescott Film Festival in Prescott, Arizona is a small but quirky little festival on and around the Prescott campus of Yavapai College. There are five days of films and workshops and even a sing-along to “The Wizard of Oz,” which is a favorite of festival-goers.

CinemaQ Film Festival, Denver, CO, August 8-10

A personal favorite, this small festival, also from Denver Film, focuses on films by and about the LGBTQ+ community. In recent years, opening night films have given festival-goers early opportunities to see movies like “Bottoms” and “My Old Ass,” which went on to become big, queer cult flicks.

Mesa International Film Festival, Mesa, AZ, August 20-24

Billing itself as Arizona’s premiere film festival, the Mesa International Film Festival not only offers an opportunity to watch great films every year, but it also offers great opportunities to learn from filmmakers through workshops and one-on-one mentoring sessions.

Telluride Film Festival, Telluride, CO, August 28-September 1

Easily the biggest festival on our list, Jeffrey Ruoff of HuffPost wrote in 2015, “Early buzz at Telluride opens the fall season of North American award speculation that climaxes with the Oscars.” The 2024 lineup included several films that were nominated for Oscars, including the brilliant comedy and Best Picture winner “Anora.”

307 International Film Festival, Laramie, WY, August 30-31

The 307 International Film Festival, as its name suggests, has films from all over the world, but the festival gives back to its local filmmaking community by having specific categories amongst its Jackalope Awards for Best Wyoming Film and Best Wyoming Documentary for films by Wyoming filmmakers that capture the spirit of the state.

Arizona Underground Film Festival, Tucson, AZ, September TBA

Focusing on filmmakers with “defiantly independent visions,” the Arizona Underground Film Festival prides itself on bringing the best of genre cult films to the state. With award categories including Horror, Experimental, and even Exploitation, it really honors genres that are not always highlighted in bigger festivals.

Breck Film Festival, Breckenridge, CO, September TBA

Started in 1981 as the Breckenridge Festival of Film, the festival morphed in 2020 into a year-round nonprofit that even purchased the local art house, The Eclipse Theater. Still, the Breck Film Festival remains the focal point as it approaches its 45th anniversary in 2026.

Aspen Filmfest, Aspen, CO, September TBA

Back in 1979, founder Ellen Kohner Hunt passed a note to a friend at an Aspen Arts Council meeting saying, “How about having a film festival?” Since then, Aspen Filmfest has become one of Colorado’s biggest festivals, celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2024. Last year’s lineup included Oscar-nominated films like “A Real Pain,” “Memoirs of a Snail,” and “The Wild Robot.

918 Film Fest Tulsa Shorts, Tulsa, OK, September 18

Moving from the big name festivals to one of the smaller, more local festivals on the list, the 918 Film Fest in Tulsa offers up eight of the best short films from Oklahoma filmmakers in one night. If you happen to be in Tulsa, this is a great way to celebrate the end of summer.

Crested Butte Film Festival, Crested Butte, CO, September 24-28

At this point in our list, we’re technically getting into the first few days of fall. But it’s a great opportunity to celebrate the passing of the seasons with a festival in beautiful Crested Butte, Colorado. Not only is the festival full of great films, but there’s the added bonus of the amazing scenery and fall foliage.

Albuquerque Film + Music Experience, Albuquerque, NM, September 24-28

The Albuquerque Film + Music Experience festival is another great way to celebrate the passage from summer into fall with its celebration of the dual art forms of film and music. In addition to showcasing great films, the festival also gives a platform to independent music artists with a particular focus on local musicians.

Flatwater Film Festival, Seward, NE, September 26-28

The Flatwater Film Festival in Seward, Nebraska prides itself on creating a non-competitive space specifically for Nebraska filmmakers to showcase their work. Plus, this film festival has its own 48-Hour Film Challenge (last year’s challenge included a required prop — a slice of toast — and required dialogue — “Why is that wet”), which is always a good time.

Peoria Film Fest, Peoria, AZ, October TBA

The Peoria Film Fest in Peoria, Arizona is put together by the same people who put together the Phoenix Film Festival. In 2024, the Peoria Film Fest took on a new focus: family-friendly films. The schedule hasn’t been announced yet for 2025, but assuming it keeps the same family-friendly focus for this year, it would make for a great family road trip.

Telluride Horror Show, Telluride, CO, October 10-12

Who doesn’t love a good scary movie? Featuring films that range from smart, psychological thrillers to campy horror romps, the Telluride Horror Show is known for being one of the best specialized festivals around.

Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival, Colorado Springs, CO, October 17-19

Closing out our list is a great specialized festival that, like Denver’s Women+Film Festival, focuses on the importance of women in film. Held on the campus of Colorado College in Colorado Springs, the festival was sparked by an idea from founders Donna Guthrie and Jere Martin on a car ride back from the Telluride Film Festival in 1987.

If one were to make it to every festival on our list over the coming months, well that would make for an epic summer adventure. But more realistically, maybe you’ll want to take a day trip to one of these festivals and catch some films you wouldn’t otherwise find at your local Cineplex. If you do, I hope it makes your summer months a little sweeter and gives you an experience you’ll never forget.

Like journalism like this? Support the local press that’s been telling the truth for 25 years. Become a sustaining member and get our monthly print edition at home. We’ve weathered 9/11, floods, fires, economic crashes—and some deeply chaotic years. With your support, we’ll keep going. Because democracy still depends on journalism.

The post 25 Summer Film Festivals in Colorado and Beyond appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

There is a paradox in the quest to find the best stargazing towns in Colorado: in the age of artificial light even a small town’s electric glow can blot out the brilliance of the night sky. Light pollution obliterates the view of the Milky Way from eighty percent of American backyards and porches. To find the darkest skies available, we must leave town and get into the wide-open spaces.

My task was to identify those Colorado towns that are isolated enough for the starriest skies to be visible from just past the last stop sign, but big enough to offer the traveler basic accommodations. 

My search for the darkest skies began with the glow of a computer screen. The interactive light pollution map places the layers of the Bortle scale over the Earth. Without going full astro-nerd, the Bortle scale categorizes the darkness of the night sky into classes. A Bortle Class 1 is the darkest, found only in the most remote places, where, under the right conditions, the Milky Way can cast a shadow. A Bortle Class 9 is an inner city sky where no stars are visible. Erie, Colorado is a Class 5. In our search for the best stargazing towns we are looking for reasonable access to Bortle Class 1 or 2 areas.

nightsky at Dinosaur National Monument, photo by Dan Duriscoe via National Park Service

Maybell

The northwest corner of Colorado offers one of the few Bortle Class 1 areas in the state that is reasonably accessible by paved road — lonely Highway 318. Here sits the tiny town of Maybell, the smallest of our five towns with a population of 76. Maybell has one old time gas station and an RV park. There are no other towns within 30 miles of Maybell in any direction.

Winters in Maybell can get brutally cold. In February 1985, Maybell recorded a low temperature of 61 below, the state record, and the fourth coldest state record in the country. Even Minnesota has never been that cold.

The most vivid night sky I’ve ever seen was during a night sleeping under the stars at the base Vermillion Falls, 48 lonely miles to the west of Maybell. From my cot, snug in my sleeping bag, I gazed at that star-filled sky for hours with the rush of that waterfall in the darkness — a magical experience.

Just to the west of Vermillion Falls, the road will take you to the east edge of Dinosaur National Monument, itself a great place for stargazing. But for the darkest skies in the area, take one of the dirt roads leading north towards Wyoming. This is the stomping grounds of a herd of wild horses that still roam these hills like ghosts of the Old West. There is a free Bureau of Land Management (BLM) campground in beautiful Irish Canyon where Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid once hid from the law.

Mount Zirkel Wilderness, photo by Jeremy White via uncover colorado

Walden

To the east from Maybell and across a mountain range lies the small ranching community of Walden, population 606. Walden is nestled in North Park where the headwaters of the North Platte River flow north into Wyoming. Walden is a ranching and cowboy town — low on tacky tourist attractions, but high on western authenticity. It’s also a moose haven with the giant beasts often seen in the area.

For the best stars, head north from town by road towards Wyoming, or west by trail, into the Mount Zirkel Wilderness. To the east of Walden, Highway 14 passes through a long stretch of Bortle Class 2 territory which extends even to the east of the Continental Divide into the upper Cache La Poudre River canyon. Here we find the closest Bortle Class 2 skies to the Front Range metropolis.

dark night skies near the town of Nucla, photo by Derick Wilson via Darksky.org

Nucla and Naturita

You may have never heard of these twin towns, but they happen to be Colorado’s newest official dark sky communities. Nucla and Naturita, population 585 and 485 respectively, are located part way between Telluride, Colorado and Moab, Utah in an area where the Rockies transition into western red desert.

This area was used in the mid-20th Century for uranium mining to fuel our nuclear arsenal, but the name “Nucla” is coincidental. The town was founded as a utopian cooperative decades before the A-Bomb was constructed. The founder considered the new settlement to be the economic “nucleus” of the area and thereby named it Nucla.

In 2021 the twin towns became dark sky communities, which is an official designation granted by Dark Sky International, a global organization that works with communities to reduce light pollution by advocating for and funding dark sky-friendly lighting.

A community does not have to sit within a dark sky area to qualify as a dark sky community. The goal is to reduce light pollution where it exists. But, in the case of Nucla and Naturita, these towns happen to be located in one of Colorado’s most expansive dark sky regions — the southern half of the Western Slope. The underrated canyonlands to the west of these towns along Highway 141 in either direction will take you into Bortle Class 1 territory within some beautiful desert landscapes.

Milky Way above silver cliff, photo by Scott Dankoff via Darkskyscolorado.org

Westcliffe and Silver Cliff 

Steve McAllister, Acting Director of the Smokey Jack Observatory near Westcliffe, CO, moved to the area years ago partly because of its dark night skies. He’s an amateur astronomer. Westcliffe and Silver Cliff, population 435 and 609 respectively, were the first towns in Colorado to pursue and achieve official dark sky community status nearly 10 years ago.

As McAllister explained to me, the late Suzanne Jack (aka Smokey Jack) noticed through the years that the stars in the area had become less vibrant compared to the way they shined in her youth. She decided to do something about it. Through her advocacy, not only did these towns become official dark sky communities, but the Smokey Jack Observatory was constructed in her honor.

These ranching communities in southern Colorado’s beautiful Wet Mountain Valley have come to embrace this idea as one that preserves the sense of remoteness that locals treasure while also drawing visitors to the area to help keep the local businesses going. In town, there is now a “planet walk” which is a walkable scale of our solar system with interpretive signage.

This area has a reputation for strange phenomena appearing in the sky over the stunning Sangre de Cristo Mountains. When I asked about that, McAllister said he had not personally seen anything unexplainable. I told him of the time my daughter and I were climbing the Great Sand Dunes at night (an annual tradition) when we heard a low rumbling sound followed by two uniform flashes of light coming from the direction of Westcliffe, like a huge jet engine followed by enormous spotlights. “The military does conduct exercises in this area, sometimes at night,” said McAllister.

There have been many stories of UFO sightings and unexplained lights in the sky from this area. But regardless of what aliens or secret government aircraft might be lurking in these skies, the star viewing from the Wet Mountain Valley is phenomenal because of a combination of dark skies and the gorgeous backdrop of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

As McAllister told me, come to Westcliffe and Silver Cliff for the mountains, but stay for the stars. Either way, you won’t be disappointed in visiting this out-of-the-way but highly under-rated part of Colorado’s high country.

It was from McAllister that I learned some new things about stargazing. “The best time to see the Milky Way,” he said “is from late June to August” when the earth is tilted towards the center of the galaxy from our vantage point in one of the galaxy’s outer bands. We also discussed the effect that the moon and atmospheric conditions have on stargazing. The brightest light in the sky is the moon. You’ll want to time your stargazing for when the moon is busy on the other side of Earth by looking up the moonrise and moonset times for your destination.

I can attest to how much the moon impacts star viewing with a personal experience in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park years ago. I had gotten myself stranded shirtless and shoeless on the wrong side of the Green River during a solo kayak expedition down the Green River. There I was, doing twenty-minute sessions of calisthenics on a rock ledge at night to stave off hypothermia like some sort of alien dancing around on a strange planet. For half the night a nearly full moon lit up the canyon in a monochrome silver glow. The moonlight was beautifully bright and I could see everything almost as if it was daytime.

When that moon finally floated behind the canyon rim the sky exploded with stars! The Milky Way appeared like a white tapestry over the canyon. For as bright as the moon made the canyon before, now I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face and those formerly silver canyon walls became black voids below what seemed like a billion points of light arcing from one rim to the other.

I endured the night and was given a lift back to the other side of the river the next morning by a party in a canoe. But I’ll never forget seeing those stars that night with all the time in the world to contemplate my place in the universe and the unanswerable questions that viewing the starry night sky inevitably brings to mind.

The border between New Mexico and Oklahoma, Doug Geiling

Springfield

The darkest skies in all of Colorado are not found above the Western Slope, or deep inside a high-country wilderness. There is a little-appreciated corner of Colorado, right along the New Mexico state line where tendrils of the Rocky Mountains extend eastward in the form of pinion pine-topped mesas and little hidden canyons clear into Oklahoma’s panhandle. It is here, in the extreme southeastern part of our state, where the darkest skies are to be found. I convinced my middle school-aged daughter to join me on a road trip to this blank spot on the map and hopefully experience the most stunning night sky available in our region.

Springfield, Colorado, population 1,325, is a town that needs some love. It has a gorgeous city park with an enormous water tower. But for a town of over 1,000 residents it was remarkably quiet for a Saturday evening, and it seemed that half of Main Street’s storefronts were boarded up.

I was ghosted by the mayor of Springfield who previously agreed to meet with me, but didn’t answer or return my calls when we arrived. We got a laugh out of that and, after a dinner at Springfield’s only open restaurant, we headed for the remote tri-state boundary between Colorado, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. It’s a surprisingly scenic spot at sunset requiring a journey of many miles down a series of dirt roads through a checkerboard of private ranchland and parcels of the Comanche National Grassland.

Our late-night destination was the tiny hamlet of Branson, Colorado, population 57, situated just two miles north of the New Mexico state line somewhere a long way east of Trinidad and a longer way west of Springfield. Branson has no services, but I found a rental cottage operated by Jodi Doherty, a teacher at the local K-12 school.

Doherty spoke with me the next day about the history of this unique and little-known corner of Colorado. Her husband, she said, is a fifth generation Coloradan with a family history going back almost to the time of the Goodnight-Loving cattle drive which came through this area a century and a half earlier and was dramatized in the 1980s TV series “Lonesome Dove.” I learned from Doherty that there are other people who have come to stay at her wonderful little guesthouse just to see the brightest stars around.

But to get to the absolute darkest night skies available in Colorado, we had to double back to the east to a place even multi-generational locals have never heard of called Jesus Mesa. Access is on the New Mexico side, but the mesa extends north into Colorado. On this mostly dirt road drive, we met not a single other vehicle. A breakdown here would have meant an overnight in the car and a long wait the next day to flag down the first local rancher to come through on that lonely road.

Arriving at midnight just a short walk from the state line we thought luck was on our side. Cloudy skies from evening storms earlier were finally clearing just in time for the stars to shine bright. We stepped out of the car into the blackness between a cholla cactus and a pinion pine, looked up to the night sky… and saw a scattering of stars and no sign of the Milky Way. It was a bust. The one condition that did not line up for us was particulate matter in the lower atmosphere kicked up by high winds during the previous day. It was enough to turn our Bortle Class 1 sky into the equivalent of about a Bortle Class 5, similar to what we see on a clear night in east Boulder County.

It just wasn’t meant to be on this trip. But that’s why we seek these places. The elusiveness of the greatest sights on Earth are part of what makes the pursuit of them so alluring — and so rewarding when “the stars align.”

And when the stars don’t align, we remind ourselves of the old adage that the journey is the destination. We go and we do these things for the experience, the adventure, for the wonderful unexpected moments, and for the time we spend with the loved ones we travel with.

“Most people from Colorado have no clue about this area,” said Doherty. As we spoke, she told me of the school where she helps teach a senior class of just eight kids, of the multi-denominational church where my daughter and I noticed everyone seemed to meet on that windy Sunday morning, about how her husband is both the town pastor and “tech guy.”

She spoke of how often they’ve sold gas out of their garage to strangers who have under-estimated the distances between services in this most remote part of the state. Doherty never mentioned that Branson, Colorado, and her husband Brad, were in the national news recently for one of those uniquely uplifting small-town American stories. Do yourself a favor and search YouTube for “A Football Field of Dreams.” You won’t be disappointed.

No, we didn’t get to see the best stars this time. But the next day I watched my daughter smile while standing in the wind on the rim of an extinct volcano in New Mexico as she looked out over the great open space of this amazing western land. We would not have gone to Capulin Volcano if we did not decide to search for the stars at Jesus Mesa. These are the moments that remind us of why we explore.

Like journalism like this? Support the local press that’s been telling the truth for 25 years. Become a sustaining member and get our monthly print edition at home. We’ve weathered 9/11, floods, fires, economic crashes—and some deeply chaotic years. With your support, we’ll keep going. Because democracy still depends on journalism.

The post When the Stars Align appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Many — well, at least some — people of Longmont, Lafayette, Firestone, Erie, and other smaller towns in the North Central Colorado Urban Area know their identity is more significant than the shadow of Denver and Boulder. Any city or town has a valuable character. The crucial essence of community is the need for local community engagement to build connective bridges. Appreciating local culture fosters connectivity and empathy. That is a lesson to heal the wounds of division and recognize that people are not as different as they seem. Deep down, most of the population wants the same things. We want love. We want security. We believe our ideas are right and just. We need community. Live music fulfills these needs. Stern natives and wide-eyed tourists alike appreciate and understand that spectacular attractions are everywhere, and are not limited to Colorado’s most famous locations, such as Denver, Boulder, or Vail. Successful art, art showcases, and visionary curation inspire and enlighten. This article reviews some of Northern Colorado’s optimal musical event hosts.

Nissi’s Entertainment

Located at the edge before West Boulder Road becomes East Boulder Road, on the southern side of U.S. Route 287, Nissi’s is 20 minutes from Denver and just outside Boulder, Colorado. In Longmont, Nissi’s Entertainment lineup typically covers bands. The main attraction is music; the gourmet scratch menu food contains devoted-serial portions. Nissi’s is the heart of Lafayette, a quaint and comfortable suburban area with expansive plains surrounding. Maintaining its unique cultural intrigue, its rejuvenated fatigue is far enough from Denver’s capital city hustle and bustle.

Nissi’s is a let-your-guard-down haven for bedroom dance lovers, finessing enthusiasts, and casual enjoyers. When people are out of their comfort zone, they grow. That is the need for live music. The venue is relaxing, obviously prioritizing fun.

Nissi’s features dark lighting and strobe projections. Depending on the night, the mysterious mixture of lavender, green, red, burgundy, and brightness, or darkness lack thereof, fills the walls. That is aesthetic ecstasy innovating the systems at the core of living — the function of culture. On an average evening, people reward monotonous daily routines with survival, openness, and embracing through the dancefloor’s entrance — expressions expanding and reflecting self-actualizing musical enlightenment manifested into the molding movement takeover of physical form. The honest intention of creation and performance is what matters at the end. Nissi’s is a service.

Muse Performance Space

At 164 E Boulder R in Lafayette, “The Muse” Performance Space shares a building with Snow-Hut and Russell Auto Services. The building does not appear glamorous; with its unassuming brown brick façade, the joint appears to be a typical office space. However, inside is an unpretentious, cozy, cool jazz hipster sanctuary-as-art-gallery. The Muse is a non-profit; music is the priority.

Fans know and love The Muse for its diverse musical styles, including laid-back jazz, rock, and singer-songwriter elements. They can kick back where lounge furniture would fit, but general admission standing floor and fold-up chair seating suffices. Enjoy a drink, and appreciate the inspiration that is well worth the money. The Muse is a noteworthy, busy listening party with a transforming weekly lineup.

Dog House Music Studios and Lafayette Music Fest

Kenny and Liz Vasko founded Dog House Music Studios after his mother died of cancer. Kenny quit his accounting job to pursue his musical ambitions. Liz power-houses the marketing operations. The company is lovable. While writing this article, Dog House Music earned 5 stars with 117 Google Reviews.

Dog House is a supreme one-stop Willy Wonka factory for musical artists and their audience. Dog House offers 23 recording studios, marketing support for musicians such as custom branding kits, live shows and music promotion, and live music. Their valiant hearts support individualistic creative principle.

Vasko co-founded the Lafayette Music Fest, a one-day festival that showcases local bands throughout Lafayette. The festival is an inspiring transit system thoroughfare of the area’s independent music scene, platforming performers and venues. This scene entity is just as captivating as any artistic happenings in the Denver and Boulder metro areas. The festival’s curation makes the Lafayette music scene special.

Lafayette has plenty of personality. What would our culture be without music and art to bring light and joy into our world? Everyone needs imagination.

Bricks on Main

Bricks on Main is one of the more popular downtown Longmont locations. Not only a music venue, the business earned its fans for regional community business artisan retail, and an outdoor market. All these attractions make Bricks on Main a prime location for tourists and locals seeking fun and leisure downtown. Patrons can enjoy great food and drinks with a cozy, welcoming, and home-style feel.

Every Tuesday at 6 p.m., Bricks on Main hosts an open mic. Wednesday evenings at 6 are usually for karaoke. The Refit Dance Class meets once a week, either on Wednesdays or Sundays at 12:30 pm. Expect live shows every other night of the week (except Mondays). The venue features a mix of blues, jazz, and rock, with musicians from diverse backgrounds.

Bricks on Main proudly presents everything from stripped-down singer-songwriter jams to full-band performances. In a world where social media and international affairs dominate much of the narrative, Bricks on Main has a grassroots culture. It gives musicians and businesses bright happiness for their patrons, engaging audience participation. Bricks on Main relates to all these venues for the heroic act of championing local creatives.

Non-profit — Northglenn Arts and Humanities Foundation

Northglenn Arts, the city’s cultural services division, is made possible through Northglenn Arts & Humanities Foundation, a non-profit, charitable organization formed in 1990. It provides community-enriching creative expression opportunities and performances throughout Northglenn, including the Parsons Theatre, Festival Lawn, city parks, and schools.

Northglenn Arts engages the city. Musical non-profits financially support the integrity and esteem of Colorado’s creative culture. Accessible art is essential in a critically competent, educated, and liberated world. Championing less-experienced artists or performers to grow facilitates pride in significant Colorado artistry. Artistic access nurtures an ecosystem of ecstatic self-actualization, self-awareness, social awareness, and insight.

Without those masters of perspective, imagination, and attitude expressing and sharing their inventions, our communities would be bleaker, darker, and ignorant. When a society loses art, it has failed. Art is the final frontier of faith.

Honorable Mentions

In downtown Longmont, “The Speakeasy” at 301 Main St is a distinct aesthetic portal into a vintage pastiche of the 1920s and early 1930s.

The Louisville Underground has an appropriate name. The venue is located at “The Corner,” 640 Main Street, Louisville, CO, and has an off-the-radar feel. Soon, it switches from comedy and musical acts on Fridays and Saturdays, such as silent discos and bands.

In Longmont, @ 350 Terry St Suite #120, Abbott and Wallace is an intriguing distillery with a rustic atmosphere. They regularly have bands and musical acts perform on Friday and Saturday @ 6 p.m.

In Longmont @ 1265 Boston A, Left Hand Brewing Co. makes some of the finest beer in Colorado and hosts live music frequently.

In Longmont @ 1640 S Sunset St, Oskar Blues is a brilliantly eccentric hub famous for its fantastic food and beverages. It also showcases monthly music.

@  2025 Ionosphere St, The Longmont Social is a tap room and kava bar with a cultured vibe, with various activities, including axe throwing, VR games, and live music!

Thanks to all who understand this urgency. Whether for profit or non-profit, everyone must make a living. Musicians and artists need local venues to get their big break or take a break from touring to ride the relevancy wave near their home base. The populace needs these venues. Showing appreciation is an important service for the great inspirational and emotionally fulfilling fruit they grow for our communities. The arts are the foundation of a joyous world. Lovely music and art teach purpose: The highest form of reasonable meaning, and the fortitude to stay alive. Community organization is surviving and thriving in the East-of-Boulder Area, Colorado music scene.

Like journalism like this? Support the local press that’s been telling the truth for 25 years. Become a sustaining member and get our monthly print edition at home. We’ve weathered 9/11, floods, fires, economic crashes—and some deeply chaotic years. With your support, we’ll keep going. Because democracy still depends on journalism.

The post Appealing East Boulder County Summer Venues appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Boulder Theater (Boulder, CO)

An Evening with Adam Met (of AJR) | June 6

Unite to Fight IX – Undercard | June 7

Unite to Fight IX – Main Card | June 7

Tycho | June 17

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy with Guerrilla Fanfare | June 18

A.J. Croce Presents CROCE PLAYS CROCE | June 19

The English Beat | June 20

Drive-By Truckers/Deer Tick with Thelma and the Sleaze | June 21

BoDeans | June 28

Pink Talking Fish “Stops Making Sense” | July 2

Flying Mojito Bros | July 3

Galactic feat. Jelly Joseph | July 3

Arc De Soleil | July 4

A Tribute to Jamiroquai featuring ????? | July 5

Shakedown Street performs 7/13/84 Berkeley | July 11

Social Distortion with special guest Plague Vendor | July 15

Santana Tribute: Santa Rios | August 8

The Man In Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash | August 20

Fox Theatre (Boulder, CO)

The Burroughs with Hand Turkey | June 13

Amythyst Kiah | June 19

Other Brothers (ft. Members of JJ Grey, Thievery Corp. & More) with special guest Rado | June 20

The Speeks with Pet Falcon, The Sanct, Indigo | June 21

Takuya Kuroda | June 30

Taper’s Choice | July 2

PhanArt (2 Days!) | July 4

Steely Dead – A Sonic Fusion of The Grateful Dead and Steely Dan | July 4

PhanArt (2 Days) | July 5

Magic Beans do Magic Weens (Tribute to Ween) | July 5

Germ Theory with Undissassembled, Ok I Love You | July 18

Julian Marley & The Uprising | July 20

A Very Jerry Evening | July 31

Nether Hour with Horse Bitch | August 29

Aggie Theatre (Fort Collins, CO)

Latin Night: Reggaeton Recap ft DJ Prada | June 6

Gimme Gimme Disco | June 7

Emo Night Brooklyn | June 14

Exhorder with Hatriot, Voidlung, Attack on Venus, I Am The Owl | June 19

Amythyst Kiah with Katya Grasso | June 20

Joseph with Frail Talk | June 21

James McMurtry with BettySoo | June 27

Colorado Springsteen (Bruce Springsteen Tribute) with Still the Same (Bob Seger Tribute) | July 3

Deep Sea Diver with Meernaa | July 8

Jonah Kagen & Crowe Boys | July 14

Sabotage (Beastie Boys Tribute) / Guerrilla Radio (Rage Against The Machine Tribute) | July 17

Shakedown Street | July 18

SadGirl/The McCharmlys with The High Curbs | July 26

Charlie Stevens Band with Hot Dawg! (ft Jeremy Garrett) / Friendly Reminders | July 31

Babe Rainbow | August 15

Nether Hour | August 28

The High Kings | August 31

Chautauqua Auditorium (Boulder, CO)

Judy Collins | June 14

Gillian Welch & David Rawlings | June 16

Béla Fleck, Edmar Castaneda & Antonio Sánchez Trio | June 19

Joseph with special guest Covenhoven | June 20

Bruce Cockburn | July 9

Tab Benoit | July 12

Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam with Ivan Pulley | July 14

Jake Shimabukuro | July 16

Lucinda Williams & her band | July 19

Steve Earle | July 21

Jesús “Aguaje” Ramos & the Buena Vista Orchestra | July 26

Rhiannon Giddens & The Old-Time Revue | August 31

Coors Field – Colorado Rockies Home Games

New York Mets at Colorado Rockies
June 6
6:40 pm

New York Mets at Colorado Rockies
June 7
7:40 pm

New York Mets at Colorado Rockies
June 8
1:10 pm

San Francisco Giants at Colorado Rockies
June 10
6:40 pm

San Francisco Giants at Colorado Rockies
June 11
6:40 pm

San Francisco Giants at Colorado Rockies
June 12
1:10 pm

Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies
June 20
6:40 pm

Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies
June 21
7:10 pm

Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies
June 22
1:10 pm

Los Angeles Dodgers at Colorado Rockies
June 24
6:40 pm

Los Angeles Dodgers at Colorado Rockies
June 25
6:40 pm

Los Angeles Dodgers at Colorado Rockies
June 26
1:10 pm

Houston Astros at Colorado Rockies
July 1
6:40 pm

Houston Astros at Colorado Rockies
July 2
6:40 pm

Houston Astros at Colorado Rockies
July 3
1:10 pm

Chicago White Sox at Colorado Rockies
July 4
6:10 pm

Chicago White Sox at Colorado Rockies
July 5
7:10 pm

Chicago White Sox at Colorado Rockies
July 6
1:10 pm

Minnesota Twins at Colorado Rockies
July 18
6:40 pm

Minnesota Twins at Colorado Rockies
July 19
6:10 pm

Minnesota Twins at Colorado Rockies
July 20
1:10 pm

St. Louis Cardinals at Colorado Rockies
July 21
6:40 pm

St. Louis Cardinals at Colorado Rockies
July 22
6:40 pm

St. Louis Cardinals at Colorado Rockies
July 23
1:10 pm

Pittsburgh Pirates at Colorado Rockies
August 1
6:10 pm

Pittsburgh Pirates at Colorado Rockies
August 2
1:10 pm

Pittsburgh Pirates at Colorado Rockies
August 3
1:10 pm

Toronto Blue Jays at Colorado Rockies
August 4
6:40 pm

Toronto Blue Jays at Colorado Rockies
August 5
6:40 pm

Toronto Blue Jays at Colorado Rockies
August 6
1:10 pm

Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies
August 14
6:40 pm

Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies
August 15
6:40 pm

Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies
August 16
6:10 pm

Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies
August 17
1:10 pm

Los Angeles Dodgers at Colorado Rockies
August 18
6:40 pm

Los Angeles Dodgers at Colorado Rockies
August 19
6:40 pm

Los Angeles Dodgers at Colorado Rockies
August 20
6:40 pm

Los Angeles Dodgers at Colorado Rockies
August 21
1:10 pm

Chicago Cubs at Colorado Rockies
August 29
6:40 pm

Chicago Cubs at Colorado Rockies
August 30
6:10 pm

Chicago Cubs at Colorado Rockies
August 31
1:10 pm

San Francisco Giants at Colorado Rockies
September 1
2:10 pm

Globe Hall Bar-B-Q (Denver)

Drew Dvorchak Band w/ Band of Gringos + The Desert Furs
June 5
8:00pm

Vintersea w/ Blighted Eye, We Are William, Warcrown + Irah Nox
June 6
8:00pm

The Hip Snacks w/ Vada
June 7
8:00pm

Chuck w/ Jules Frantic, Christianontheinternet + Los Cronies
June 8
5:00pm

Eliza & the Delusionals w/ Grace Gardner + Gartener
June 10
8:00pm

Sea Wolf (Solo) w/ Patrick Park
June 11
8:00pm

Caspar Milquetoast w/ Clementine Was Right, Supermoon + Marty Nation
June 12
8:00pm

Petite League w/ Lavalove + Business Cashmere
June 13
8:00pm

Melissa Carper w/ Bonnie Montgomery + Amy Martin
June 15
7:30pm

Big Signal w/ The Standalones + Motel Frunz
June 19
8:00pm

Moonradish w/ Crisco Disco, Enso + Ether.Net
June 20
8:00pm

Vandoliers w/ Adeem the Artist
June 21
8:00pm

NGOC CC w/ Gay Crush, Dreamiboi + Debthedemo
June 22
5:00pm

The Family Crest w/ Babes in Canyon
June 26
8:00pm

The Wilder Blue
June 27
8:00pm

Jack Symes w/ Jacksonport
June 28
8:00pm

Mikaela Davis w/ Lily Seabird
July 1
8:00pm

The Band Feel w/ The Regular
July 3
8:00pm

Griffin William Sherry
July 9
8:00pm

Orca w/ Atlas Radio
July 11
8:00pm

Kevian Kraemer
July 17
8:00pm

Cherokee Social & Lobatomy w/ Cactusheads + Jazzy P
July 18
8:00pm

School of Rock All Stars
July 21
6:30pm

Brendan Walter
July 24
8:00pm

Mr. Woodman w/ Hard 45 + In Plain Air
July 25
8:00pm

Old Mervs w/ The Dirty Turkeys
July 26
8:00pm

Tyler Halverson
August 1
8:00pm

Everlasting Everything w/ Ripcords, North by North + Stephen Lear Band
August 6
8:00pm

Chuck Prophet and His Cumbia Shoes
August 7
8:00pm

Ellise w/ Ella Red
August 15
8:00pm

The Droptines
August 30
8:00pm

Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
June 5
7:00pm

Molly Tuttle and The California Honeydrops
June 6
6:30pm

Steel Pulse & Mike Posner
June 7
6:30pm

Trevor Hall with Fruit Bats
June 14
7:00pm

Bertha: Grateful Drag
June 17
6:30pm

O.A.R. with Special Guest Blind Melon
June 20
7:30pm

Maggie Rose
June 24
6:30pm

Patriotic Concert with The Dallas Symphony Orchestra
July 4
2:00pm

Those Crazy Nights – The Ultimate Journey Experience
July 8
6:30pm

ALO
July 15
6:30pm

Opening Night
July 25
7:30pm

Upclose: Song & Dance
July 27
6:00pm

Balanchine Celebration
July 28
7:30pm

Paul Taylor Dance Company
July 29
7:30pm

International Evenings of Dance I
August 1
7:30pm

International Evenings of Dance II
August 2
5:00pm

International Evenings of Dance III
August 2
8:00pm

Now: Premieres
August 4
7:30pm

Dance for $20.25 with BalletX
August 5
6:00pm

The String Cheese Incident
August 8
6:30pm

The String Cheese Incident
August 9
6:30pm

Melissa Etheridge
August 12
7:30pm

An August Evening with Wilco
August 17
7:00pm

The Man in Black – A Tribute to Johnny Cash
August 19
6:30pm

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead
August 21
6:30pm

Ray LaMontagne
August 26
7:00pm

Garner Galleria

Dixie’s Tupperware Party
July 16 – August 17

Dixie’s Never Wear a Tube Top…
August 20 – September 7

Temple Hoyne Buell Theater

& Juliet
June 4 – June 15

Mamma Mia!
June 25 – June 29

Some Like it Hot July 8-July 20

Moulin Rouge! The Musical
August 6 – August 17

Kilstrom Theater

Phamaly Theatre Company’s Pippin
August 7–August 24

Film on the Rocks (Red Rocks Amphitheatre)

2001: A Space Odyssey
June 9
6:30pm

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
June 23
6:30pm

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
June 30
6:30pm

Shrek 2
August 18
6:30pm

Velvet Elk Lounge

Sicard Hollow
June 5
8:00 pm

David Lowery of Cracker & Camper Van Beethoven (Presented by 105.5 The Colorado Sound)
June 8
8:00 pm

Liver Down The River with Foggy Memory Boys
June 13
8:00 pm

Bear Hat with Mighty Holler
June 20
8:00 pm

Twisted Pine with Salomé Songbird
June 26
8:00 pm

Phish Weekend Pre-Party with Studtmann Cunnane P.I.
July 3
3:00 pm

Phish Weekend Pre-Party with River Spell
July 4
3:00 pm

Griffin William Sherry
July 12
8:00 pm

The Grammy Award-Winning Rebirth Brass Band
July 31
8:00 pm

Dickens Opera House

Family Fun: Fiddlin Brothers
June 6, 2025
6:00 pm

David Tilmon
June 7
5:00 ON

Local Female Band Show
June 20, 2025

Dickens After Dark Event
June 21, 2025

Pride Drag Show
June 22, 2025
6:00 pm

Tumbledown Shack: Grateful Dead Tribute
July 11, 2025

BBQ Drag Show
July 13, 2025

Album Release Party
July 26, 2025

The Passenger

Sirona Isle
June 6
5 pm

Free Live Music by Chicken Coop Willaye
June 14
5:30pm

Pride Drag Bingo Brunch!
June 15
9am

El Dolor
June 21

Indigo
June 27

Elise
July 11 & 13

Expression Singer Showcase
July 18

Expression Singer Showcase
August 15

Bluebird Theater

Taylor Fest
June 6, 2025
9:00 pm

Planet Perreo
June 7, 2025
9:00 pm

Pub Choir – ‘Something To Do’ Tour
June 11, 2025
8:00 pm

LVDY with Mistermoon
June 13, 2025
8:00 pm

Texas Flood – A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan
June 14, 2025
8:00 pm

The Rock and Roll Playhouse – Music of Grateful Dead for Kids
June 14, 2025
11:00 am

BRONCHO – Natural Pleasure Tour 2025
June 17, 2025
8:00 pm

Shinyribs with The River Arkansas
June 18, 2025
8:00 pm

Provoker – Mausoleum Tour
June 19, 2025
7:00 pm

Merkules – The Survivor’s Guilt Tour
June 20, 2025
8:00 pm

Greer
June 21, 2025
8:00 pm

Pub Choir – ‘Something To Do’ Tour
June 24, 2025
8:00 pm

Daniel Allan
June 27, 2025
8:00 pm

Amistat
June 28, 2025
8:00 pm

Tiny Desk Contest On The Road 2025
June 29, 2025
8:00 pm

Ben Kweller – Cover the Mirrors Tour
July 11, 2025
8:00 pm

Take a Dance on Me: ABBA Disco Night
July 12, 2025
9:00 pm

Surprise Chef
July 18, 2025
8:00 pm

The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band – Porch Stomp Tour
July 24, 2025
8:00 pm

Savannah Dexter & Brabo Gator
July 26, 2025
8:00 pm

Jonah Kagen
July 27, 2025
8:00 pm

Late Night Drive Home with ALEXSUCKS.
August 2, 2025
8:00 pm

Wasia Project
August 5, 2025
8:00 pm

Loving
August 11, 2025
8:00 pm

Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs with Slaughterhouse
August 23, 2025
8:00 pm

Horsegirl with Godcaster
August 26, 2025
8:00 pm

Beginnings – A Celebration of the Music of Chicago
August 29, 2025
8:00 pm

The End Lafayette at Dog House Music

Free Songwriters Meetup
June 11, 2025
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

The Crash n’ Burn Show with Krash & The Bandahoots + Ilithyia + Dante Must Die
June 13, 2025
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Free Open Mic Night
June 17, 2025
7:30 pm – 10:30 pm

Free Podcast Jumpstart Class
June 17, 2025
8:00 pm – 9:00 pm

TBA
June 27, 2025
8:00 pm – 10:30 pm

Femme Musicians Meetup (and jam)
July 1, 2025
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Songwriters Meetup
July 9, 2025
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Performer TBD
July 11, 2025
8:00 pm – 10:30 pm

Free Open Mic Night
July 15, 2025
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Femme Musicians Meetup (and jam)
August 5, 2025
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Live Music Performer TBA
August 8, 2025
8:00 pm – 10:30 pm

Songwriters Meetup
August 13, 2025
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Live Music Performer TBA
August 22, 2025
8:00 pm – 10:30 pm

Band Speed Dating
August 25, 2025
7:30 pm – 10:30 pm

 eTown Hall – May to September 2025 Events

Chuck Prophet and His Cumbia Shoes – Live Radio Taping
August 8, 2025
7:00 pm – 9:30 pm

eTown Live Radio Taping with The SteelDrivers and Special Guest
August 24, 2025
7:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art

Puppy Camp
June 9–12
9 am

Rocks & Crystals
June 9–12
1 pm

Glow in the Dark
June 16–19
9 am

Swifties
June 16–19
1 pm

Rainbows & Unicorns
June 23–26
9 am

Glow in the Dark
June 23–26
1 pm

Rocks & Crystals
July 7–10
9 am

Puppy Camp
July 7–10
1 pm

Swifties
July 14–17
9 am

Rainbows & Unicorns
July 14–17
1 pm

Swifties
July 14–17
9 am

Rainbows & Unicorns
July 14–17
1 pm

Glow in the Dark
July 21–24
9 am

Rocks & Crystals
July 21–24
1 pm

Puppy Camp
July 28–31
9 am

Swifties
July 28–31
1 pm

Flipbooks
August 4–7
9 am

Acrylics & Watercolors
August 4–7
1 pm

 Dairy Arts Center – May to September 2025 Events

Happy Hour Draft Exchange
Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
Time: 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Danse Etoile Ballet: The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
Date: Friday, June 6, 2025
Time: 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Danse Etoile Ballet: The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
Date: Saturday, June 7, 2025
Time: 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Danse Etoile Ballet: The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
Date: Saturday, June 7, 2025
Time: 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Fearless Motion Dance Center: New York City in Motion
Date: Sunday, June 8, 2025
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

Fearless Motion Dance Center: New York City in Motion
Date: Sunday, June 8, 2025
Time: 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Fearless Motion Dance Center: New York City in Motion
Date: Sunday, June 8, 2025
Time: 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

Memoir Writing with Brenda Kahn: 6 Weeks
Date: Monday, June 9, 2025
Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Go West: Artist Talk
Date: Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Time: 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Drop-In Writing Sessions
Date: Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Time: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Cultural Caravan Presents: Behind the Music – Letters to My Daughters
Date: Thursday, June 13, 2025
Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Frequency Dance Concert: Dive Into Dance
Date: Friday, June 13, 2025
Time: 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Frequency Dance Concert: Dive Into Dance
Date: Saturday, June 14, 2025
Time: 10:00 am – 11:30 am

Frequency Dance Concert: Dive Into Dance
Date: Saturday, June 14, 2025
Time: 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Frequency Dance Concert: Dive Into Dance
Date: Saturday, June 14, 2025
Time: 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm

Memoir Writing with Brenda Kahn: 6 Weeks
Date: Monday, June 16, 2025
Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Equality Center of the Rocky Mountains

Youth Pride
June 23, 2025
4:00 pm – 8:00 pm

50+ LGBTQ+ Mixer – Save the Date
June 27, 2025
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Junkyard Social Club

Queer Circus
June 6, 2025
7:00 pm – 10:30 pm

Longmont Pride
June 7, 2025
3:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Central Park and Civic Area

Saturday Boulder Farmers Market
June 7, 2025
8:00 am

Boulder Pridefest
June 15, 2025
11:30 am – 5:00 pm

Sandstone Park

Lyons Pride
June 21, 2025
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm

June 25 – High Lonesome

July 2-  Ryan Chrys & The Rough Cuts

July 9-  Chris Daniels & The Kings

July  16- Los Cheesies

July 23- Bonnie & Taylor Sims Band

July 30- Shuck Wagaon Bluegrass Band

August 6- Halden Wofford & The Hi* Beams

 Roe Green Theatre (CU Boulder)

Indoor venue for Colorado Shakespeare Festival productions. Comfortable seating, located on CU Boulder campus.

The Tempest
June 7
7:00 pm

The Tempest
June 8
7:00 pm

The Tempest
June 14
7:00 pm

The Tempest
June 15
1:30 pm

The Tempest
June 21
7:00 pm

The Tempest
June 22
1:30 pm

The Tempest
June 26
7:00 pm

The Tempest
June 28
7:00 pm

Richard II
July 5
7:00 pm

Richard II
July 6
7:00 pm

The Tempest
July 9
7:00 pm

The Tempest
July 10
7:00 pm

Richard II
July 11
7:00 pm

Richard II
July 12
7:00 pm

Richard II
July 13
1:30 pm

The Tempest
July 13
7:00 pm

The Tempest
July 17
7:00 pm

Richard II
July 16
7:00 pm

Richard II
July 18
7:00 pm

The Tempest
July 19
7:00 pm

The Tempest
July 20
1:30 pm

Richard II
July 20
7:00 pm

Richard II
July 23
7:00 pm

Richard II
July 24
7:00 pm

The Tempest
July 25
7:00 pm

Richard II
July 26
7:00 pm

Doctor Faustus
July 27
1:30 pm

Doctor Faustus
July 27
7:00 pm

Richard II
July 30
7:00 pm

The Tempest
July 31
7:00 pm

The Tempest
August 1
7:00 pm

Richard II
August 2
7:00 pm

Richard II
August 3
1:30 pm

The Tempest
August 3
7:00 pm

The Tempest
August 6
7:00 pm

The Tempest
August 7
7:00 pm

Richard II
August 8
7:00 pm

The Tempest
August 9
7:00 pm

Richard II
August 10
1:30 pm

The Tempest
August 10
7:00 pm

Boulder Philharmonic 

Wallace & Gromit in Concert
June 7, 2025
TBA

Petals & Paintings
June 15, 2025
5:00 pm

The Art of Play Camp with Local Theater Company
June 9–13, 2025
9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Campamento de Verano: Viajer@s en la Historia y el Arte
June 16–20, 2025
9:30 am – 2:30 pm

Minecraft Master Engineering using LEGO® Materials
June 23–27, 2025
9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Summer Yoga Series with Boulder Parks and Rec
June 28, 2025
9:00 am – 10:00 am

Author Talk with Peniel E. Joseph
July 2, 2025
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Indigenous Cultures and Knowledge Summer Camp
July 7–11, 2025
TBA

Explore Coding using the LEGO® Spike Prime System
July 14–18, 2025
9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Discover Nepali Art and Culture Summer Camp
July 21–25, 2025
9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Proclaiming Colorado’s Black History Guided Tour with Adrian Miller
August 23, 2025
11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Chautauqua Park

Rumpelstiltskin and Other Tricksters
June 7, 2025
10:00 am

The Moth Mainstage
June 7, 2025
7:30 pm

Rumpelstiltskin and Other Tricksters
June 8, 2025
10:00 am

Saving Our History Film Festival
June 8, 2025
4:00 pm

Rumpelstiltskin and Other Tricksters
June 14, 2025
10:00 am

Judy Collins
June 14, 2025 (Saturday)
Doors at 6:30 pm, Show at 7:30 pm

Rumpelstiltskin and Other Tricksters
June 15, 2025
10:00 am

Gillian Welch & David Rawlings
Monday, June 16, 2025
7:30 pm

Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda & Antonio Sánchez Trio
Thursday, June 19, 2025
7:30 pm

Joseph with Special Guest Covenhoven
Friday, June 20, 2025
7:30 pm

Rumpelstiltskin and Other Tricksters
June 21, 2025
10:00 am

Flatiron Sounds Music Festival
Saturday, June 21, 2025
1:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Rumpelstiltskin and Other Tricksters
June 22, 2025
10:00 am

Dr. Brian Greene: Starry Night – A Voyage Across Space and Time
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
7:00 pm

Rumpelstiltskin and Other Tricksters
June 28, 2025
10:00 am

Rumpelstiltskin and Other Tricksters
June 29, 2025
10:00 am

Hélène Grimaud Plays Brahms
Thursday, July 3, 2025
7:30 pm

Rumpelstiltskin and Other Tricksters
July 5, 2025
10:00 am

Rumpelstiltskin and Other Tricksters
July 6, 2025
10:00 am

Family Concert: Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Missing Maestro
Sunday, July 6, 2025
10:30 am

Hélène Grimaud Plays Brahms
Thursday, July 6, 2025
6:30 pm

Schubert, Prokofiev & Brahms
Tuesday, July 8, 2025
7:30 pm

Bruce Cockburn
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
7:30 pm

Brahms 1 + Joan Tower’s World Premiere
Thursday, July 10, 2025
7:30 pm

Brahms 1 + Joan Tower’s World Premiere
Thursday, July 11, 2025
6:30 pm

Art in the Garden
Saturday, July 12, 2025
10:00 am

Tab Benoit
Saturday, July 12, 2025
7:30 pm

An Evening of Mozart
Sunday, July 13, 2025
6:30 pm

Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam with Ivan Pulley – Let It Flow 2025 Tour
Monday, July 14, 2025
7:30 pm

Brentano String Quartet
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
7:30 pm

Jake Shimabukuro
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
7:30 pm

Anne Akiko Meyers Plays Ravel
Thursday, July 17, 2025
7:30 pm

Anne Akiko Meyers Plays Ravel
Friday, July 18, 2025
6:30 pm

Lucinda Williams & Her Band
Saturday, July 19, 2025
7:30 pm

Tchaikovsky & Beethoven
Sunday, July 20, 2025
6:30 pm

Steve Earle Solo & Acoustic: 50 – Fifty Years of Songs and Stories
Monday, July 21, 2025
7:30 pm

Mozart & Dvo?ák
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
7:30 pm

Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3
Thursday, July 24, 2025
7:30 pm

Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3
Friday, July 25, 2025
6:30 pm

Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos & the Buena Vista Orchestra
Saturday, July 26, 2025
7:30 pm

Yang Plays Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez
Sunday, July 27, 2025
6:30 pm

Rhiannon Giddens & The Old-Time Revue
Monday, July 28, 2025
7:30 pm

Dover Quartet
Tuesday, July 29, 2025
7:30 pm

National Geographic Live: Wild Wolves of Yellowstone
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
7:30 pm

Beethoven 9 + Michael Abels’ Amplify
Thursday, July 31, 2025
7:30 pm

Beethoven 9 + Michael Abels’ Amplify
Friday, August 1, 2025
6:30 pm

Mahler’s Ninth Symphony
Sunday, August 3, 2025
6:30 pm

Art in the Garden
Saturday, July 12, 2025
10:00 am

Boulder Jewish Community

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
June 5, 2025
8:00 am – 11:00 am

Farm Volunteering – Teens
June 5, 2025
9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Soccer Tots
June 5, 2025
9:45 am – 10:45 am

Baby Time
June 5, 2025
11:00 am – 12:30 pm

Altitunes for Babies at the Farm
June 5, 2025
12:00 pm – 12:45 pm

Pickleball Open Play – Thursdays
June 5, 2025
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Farmside Shabbat
June 6, 2025
9:30 am – 10:15 am

Boulder Jewish Festival
June 8, 2025
11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
June 9, 2025
8:00 am – 11:00 am

Mah Jongg Game Play
June 9, 2025
9:30 am – 12:00 pm

Altitunes at the Farm (Mixed Age)
June 9, 2025
10:00 am – 10:45 am

Teva Tots
June 11, 2025
10:15 am – 11:15 am

Pickleball Clinic – Learn to Play
June 11, 2025
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
June 12, 2025
8:00 am – 11:00 am

Farm Volunteering – Teens
June 12, 2025
9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Soccer Tots
June 12, 2025
9:45 am – 10:45 am

Sit & Knit: Drop-in Knitting & Needlework
June 12, 2025
10:30 am – 12:30 pm

Baby Time
June 12, 2025
11:00 am – 12:30 pm

Altitunes for Babies at the Farm
June 12, 2025
12:00 pm – 12:45 pm

Pickleball Open Play – Thursdays
June 12, 2025
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Messinger Gallery Opening: Artie Sandstone
June 12, 2025
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Farmside Shabbat
June 13, 2025
9:30 am – 10:15 am

J Parent: Family Shabbat Picnic Dinner
Friday, June 13, 2025
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
Monday, June 16, 2025
8:00 am – 11:00 am

Mah Jongg Game Play
Monday, June 16, 2025
9:30 am – 12:00 pm

Exchange Summer Lecture Series: The Precious Minerals Challenge for Renewable Energy
Monday, June 16, 2025
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Pickleball Open Play – Tuesdays
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Learn to Play Samba
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Pickleball Clinic – Intermediate Skills & Drills
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
Thursday, June 19, 2025
8:00 am – 11:00 am

Farm Volunteering – Teens
Thursday, June 19, 2025
9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Altitunes for Babies at the Farm
Thursday, June 19, 2025
12:00 pm – 12:45 pm

Pickleball Open Play – Thursdays
Thursday, June 19, 2025
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Farmside Shabbat
Friday, June 20, 2025
9:30 am – 10:15 am

20s/30s Shabbat at the Farm
Friday, June 20, 2025
5:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Summer Shabbat 50+
Friday, June 20, 2025
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Boulder U-Fix-It Clinic at the JCC
Sunday, June 22, 2025
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Farm Volunteering: Growing Season
Monday, June 23, 2025
9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Mah Jongg Game Play
Monday, June 23, 2025
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Pickleball Open Play – Tuesdays
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Pickleball Clinic – Newbie Coached Mixer
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
Thursday, June 26, 2025
9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Farm Volunteering – Teens
Thursday, June 26, 2025
9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Altitunes for Babies at the Farm
Thursday, June 26, 2025
12:00 pm – 12:45 pm

Pickleball Open Play – Thursdays
Thursday, June 26, 2025
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Men of the J Brewery Meet-Up
Thursday, June 26, 2025
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Farmside Shabbat
Friday, June 27, 2025
9:30 am – 10:15 am

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
Monday, June 30, 2025
8:00 am – 11:00 am

Pickleball Open Play – Tuesdays
July 1, 2025
5:00 pm

Men of the J Discussion Group
July 2, 2025
4:30 pm

Pickleball Clinic – Intermediate/Advanced Endurance
July 2, 2025
5:00 pm

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
July 3, 2025
9:00 am

Farm Volunteering – Teens
July 3, 2025
9:00 am

Pickleball Open Play – Thursdays
July 3, 2025
5:00 pm

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
July 7, 2025
8:00 am

Art at the Farm
July 8, 2025
9:30 am

Babies at the Farm
July 8, 2025
12:00 pm

Nosh & Network: Speed Networking
July 8, 2025
4:00 pm

Pickleball Open Play – Tuesdays
July 8, 2025
5:00 pm

Nosh & Network: In-Person on the Farm
July 8, 2025
5:30 pm

Men of the J Breakfast Meetup
July 9, 2025
8:00 am

Teva Tots
July 9, 2025
9:30 am

Pickleball Clinic – Learn to Play
July 9, 2025
5:00 pm

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
July 10, 2025
8:00 am

Farm Volunteering – Teens
July 10, 2025
9:00 am

Soccer Tots
July 10, 2025
9:45 am

Sit & Knit: Drop-in Knitting & Needlework
July 10, 2025
10:30 am

Pickleball Open Play – Thursdays
July 10, 2025
5:00 pm

Farmside Shabbat
July 11, 2025
5:30 pm

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
July 14, 2025
8:00 am

Exchange Summer Lecture Series: Discovering Bhutan – Land of Gross National Happiness
July 14, 2025
5:30 pm

Men of the J Hike
July 15, 2025
9:00 am

Art at the Farm
July 15, 2025
9:30 am

Babies at the Farm
July 15, 2025
12:00 pm

Pickleball Open Play – Tuesdays
July 15, 2025
5:00 pm

Teva Tots
July 16, 2025
10:15 am

Pickleball Clinic – Advanced Beginner Skills & Drills
July 16, 2025
5:00 pm

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
July 17, 2025
8:00 am

Farm Volunteering – Teens
July 17, 2025
9:00 am

Soccer Tots
July 17, 2025
9:45 am

Men of the J Book Group & Schmooze
July 17, 2025
10:00 am

Volunteer Meal Prep
July 17, 2025
1:00 pm

Pickleball Open Play – Thursdays
July 17, 2025
5:00 pm

Farmside Shabbat
July 18, 2025
5:00 pm

20s–30s Shabbat at the Farm
July 18, 2025
6:00 pm

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
July 21, 2025
12:00 am

Exchange Summer Lecture Series: Artificial Intelligence – Learning, Working, and Collaborating in the Digital Age
July 21, 2025
5:30 pm

Pickleball Open Play – Tuesdays
July 22, 2025
5:00 pm

Pickleball Clinic – Newbie Coached Mixer
July 23, 2025
5:00 pm

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
July 24, 2025
12:00 am

Farm Volunteering – Teens
July 24, 2025
9:00 am

Pickleball Open Play – Thursdays
July 24, 2025
5:00 pm

Men of the J Brewery Meet Up
July 24, 2025
5:30 pm

Farmside Shabbat
July 25, 2025
12:00 am

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
July 28, 2025
12:00 am

Pickleball Open Play – Tuesdays
July 29, 2025
5:00 pm

Pickleball Clinic – Intermediate Coached Mixer
July 30, 2025
5:00 pm

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
July 31, 2025
12:00 am

Farm Volunteering – Teens
July 31, 2025
9:00 am

Pickleball Open Play – Thursdays
July 31, 2025
5:00 pm

Farmside Shabbat
August 1, 2025
12:00 am

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
August 4, 2025
12:00 am

Pickleball Open Play – Tuesdays
August 5, 2025
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Men of the J Discussion Group
August 6, 2025
4:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Pickleball Clinic – Intermediate/Advanced Endurance
August 6, 2025
Time not specified

Farm Volunteering – Teens
August 7, 2025
Time not specified

Pickleball Open Play – Thursdays
August 7, 2025
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Farmside Shabbat
August 8, 2025
12:00 am

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
August 11, 2025
All day

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
August 14, 2025
All day

Pickleball Open Play – Tuesdays
August 12, 2025
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Men of the J – Breakfast Meetup
August 13, 2025
7:30 am – 9:00 am

Pickleball Clinic – Learn to Play
August 13, 2025
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

Farm Volunteering – Teens
August 14, 2025
9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Sit & Knit – Drop-In Knitting & Needlework
August 14, 2025
10:30 am – 12:30 pm

Pickleball Open Play – Thursdays
August 14, 2025
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Farmside Shabbat
August 15, 2025
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

20s & 30s Shabbat at the Farm
August 15, 2025
7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
August 18, 2025
All day

Off-Campus Men of the J Hike
August 19, 2025
8:00 am

Pickleball Open Play – Tuesdays
August 19, 2025
5:00 pm

Pickleball Clinic – Newbie Coached Mixer
August 20, 2025
6:00 pm

Farm Volunteering – Growing Season
August 21, 2025
All day

Farm Volunteering – Teens
August 21, 2025
4:00 pm

Men of the J Book Group Schmooze
August 21, 2025
4:30 pm

Pickleball Open Play – Thursdays
August 21, 2025
5:00 pm

Farmside Shabbat
August 22, 2025
5:30 pm

Boulder Chamber of Commerce

Boulder Home Professionals
June 5, 2025
9:00 am – 10:00 am

Longmont Pride Festival
June 7, 2025
3:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Business Growth Network Leads Group
June 9, 2025
9:00 am – 10:30 am

Habitat for Humanity Ribbon Cutting
June 10, 2025
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Coffee with John
June 11, 2025
8:00 am – 9:00 am

Boulder Chamber Orientation
June 12, 2025
8:00 am – 9:30 am

Boulder Area Manufacturing Sector Partnership (Q2)
June 12, 2025
3:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Boulder Pride Festival
June 15, 2025
11:30 am – 5:00 pm

Business Growth Network Leads Group
June 16, 2025
9:00 am – 10:30 am

Boulder Area Tech Talent Sector Partnership (Q2)
June 18, 2025
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

120 Years in Motion: Connecting Boulder Through Time
June 18, 2025
3:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Business After Hours
June 18, 2025
5:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Boulder Home Professionals Happy Hour
June 19, 2025
5:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Business Growth Network Leads Group
June 23, 2025
9:00 am – 10:30 am

Summer Bike to Work Day Breakfast Station
June 25, 2025
6:30 am – 9:00 am

Business Growth Network Leads Group
June 26, 2025
9:00 am – 10:30 am

Bolder Young Professionals (BYP) Breakfast Club
June 26, 2025
8:00 am – 9:30 am

Business Growth Network Leads Group
June 30, 2025
9:00 am – 10:30 am

Boulder Chamber Running Club
July 2, 2025
7:00 am – 8:30 am

Business Growth Network Leads Group
July 7, 2025

Non-Profit Group Quarterly Meeting
July 10, 2025
8:30 am – 10:00 am

Business Growth Network Leads Group
July 14, 2025

Business Growth Network Leads Group
July 21, 2025

Business Before Hours
July 24, 2025
8:00 am – 9:30 am

Business Growth Network Leads Group
July 28, 2025

Boulder Chamber Virtual Speed Networking
July 30, 2025
8:00 am – 9:00 am

Boulder Chamber Mega Mixer and BYP Disc Golf Throwdown
July 31, 2025
4:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Business Growth Network Leads Group
August 4, 2025

Boulder Chamber Running Club
August 6, 2025
7:00 am – 8:30 am

Beer with John
August 7, 2025
4:00 pm – 5:30 pm

Business Growth Network Leads Group
August 11, 2025

Equity Amplification Meeting
August 14, 2025
11:30 am – 1:00 pm

Business Growth Network Leads Group
August 18, 2025

Boulder Chamber Orientation
August 20, 2025
4:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Business Growth Network Leads Group
August 25, 2025

BWLG: Wedges & Wine
August 25, 2025
3:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Business Growth Network Leads Group
September 1, 2025

Central Park

Boulder Wednesday Farmers Market
Wednesdays through October 2025, 3:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Saturday Boulder Farmers Market
Saturdays through November 2025, 8:00 am – 2:00 pm

Arts in the Park 2025 – Boulder Ballet Performances
June 7, 2025, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

The Riverside

Saturday Market
Saturdays through July 26, 2025, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

bands on the bricks

1300 Block of Pearl Street Mall, Boulder, CO

Graham Good & The Painters
June 11
5:00 pm

Kind Hearted Strangers
June 18
5:00 pm

Hazel Miller & The Collective
June 25
5:00 pm

The Long Run
July 2
5:00 pm

Selasee & The Fafa Family
July 9
5:00 pm

Los Mocochetes
July 16
5:00 pm

Dragondeer
July 23
5:00 pm

The Mammoths
July 30
5:00 pm

Firehouse ART Center

Firehouse South Gallery Opening – Bob Looser, Michelle Sepulveda & Michael Campbell
June 6, 2025
6:00 pm

Longmont Summer Arts & Music Series – June Edition
June 12, 2025
4:30 pm

Myth and Memory Exhibit – Final Weekend
June 13–15, 2025
12:00 pm

Longmont Summer Arts & Music Series – July Edition
July 14, 2025
4:30 pm

Longmont Summer Arts & Music Series – August Edition
August 9, 2025
4:30 pm

Jamestown Mercantile

Songwriter Night
June 5
7pm

Hunter James & The Titanic
June 6
7pm

Ingrid Avison
June 8
12:15pm

Open Mic
June 11
5pm

Gus Miller and Rachel Cole
June 12
7pm

Roma Ransom
June 13
7pm

Women’s Night with Janestown
June 14 – 5pm

Kate Farmer
June 15, 12:15pm

Open Mic
June 18, 5pm

Many Mountains
June 19, 7pm

Bourbon Brass Band
June 20, 7pm

John Shepherd
June 22, 10am

Circus Mutt Band
June 22, 12:15pm

Open Mic
June 25, 5pm

March to August
June 26, 7pm

Rolling Harvest
June 27, 7pm

5 foot bettys
June 29, 12:15pm

Open Mic
July 2, 5pm

Trace & Baerd
July 3, 7pm

The Brothers Burn Mountain
July 6, 12:15pm

Open Mic
July 9, 5pm

Brianna Straut
July 10, 7pm

Sturtz
July 11, 7pm

John Shepherd
July 13, 12:15pm

Open Mic
July 16, 5pm

Palamara
July 17, 7pm

High Lonesome Band
July 18, 7pm

Wayne Sutton & Bill Palmer
July 20, 12:15pm

Open Mic
July 23, 5pm

King Orchard
July 24, 7pm

Canyon Collective Band
July 25, 7pm

John Shepherd
July 27, 10am

Annie and the Bang Bang
July 27, 12:15pm

Clay Rose and Friends
August 1, 7pm

New Family Dog
August 3, 12:15pm

Open Mic
August 6, 5pm

Forrest McCurren
August 7, 7pm

AoxomoxoA
August 8, 7pm

John Shepherd
August 10, 10am

Danny Shafer
August 10, 12:15pm

Open Mic
August 13, 5pm

David Lawerence and the Spoonful
August 14, 7pm

Pass the Snakes
August 15, 7pm

Montana Sand Music
August 17, 12:15pm

Open Mic
August 20, 5pm

Bear Hat
August 22, 7pm

John Shepherd
August 24, 10am

Open Mic
August 27, 5pm

Derek Dames Ohl
August 28, 7pm

ZiMbira
August 29, 7pm

Fox Feather
August 31, 12:15pm

The Black Buzzard at Oscar Blues

Ben Chapman & Meg McRee
June 6, 8pm

Wild Party, Arms Akimbo, Silver & Gold
June 7, 8pm

GONG
June 8, 7:30pm

The Trouble Notes
June 13, 8pm

Ace Monroe, Radio Fluke, Stil Runnin
June 14, 8pm

Gila Teen, Team Nonexistent, Birdhouse View
June 19, 8pm

brake, Yung Kell, Flowers For You, Danny Goo, Chase Cavanaugh, Sam Bosch, Plxgves
June 20, 7:30pm

Qoncert Music Fest
June 21, 7:30pm

Vibes & Pride Artist Showcase: My’StroE, Dylanovus, DMINQ, Jade Iam, TheGoddess, Mango Slushy, DESTINO
June 27, 7:30pm

Questshun, Addie Tonic, Areyma
June 28, 8pm

American Metal Fest! Thrash Hard City, Bleed The Vain, Scream of Genovese, SpaceCorpse, Blood Across The Sky
July 5, 7pm

MojoMama
July 11, 8pm

Object Heavy
July 18, 8pm

Emma Mayes & the Hip, Jeanette/Streight
July 19, 8pm

Aaron Wolf, Mighty Mystic, Red Sage
July 25, 8pm

Sarah and the Safe Word, Everybody’s Worried About Owen
July 26, 8pm

Mitchell Ferguson, Luke Borchelt
August 8, 8pm

Kat Hasty, Jackie Darlene – Night One
August 21, 8pm

Kat Hasty, Jackie Darlene – Night Two
August 22, 8pm

Castillo Bravo, Dead Pay Rent, The Ghost Towners
August 23, 8pm

Newman Center for the Performing Arts

Awards Convocation
June 6, 12:30pm

Graduate Voice Repertoire
June 7, 7:30pm

Denver Chamber Music Festival: Beethoven’s Complete Works for Cello & Piano, Part 1
June 9, 7:30pm

Denver Chamber Music Festival: Beethoven’s Complete Works for Cello & Piano, Part 2
June 10, 7:30pm

Denver Chamber Music Festival: Folk Rhythms & Timeless Melodies
June 13, 7:30pm

Denver Chamber Music Festival: Romance & Revelry
June 14, 7:30pm

Guest artist recital: Eddy Mariën, carillon
June 22, 5pm

Guest artist recital: Tin-Shi Tam, carillon
July 13, 5pm

Guest artist recital: Emily Kim, carillon
August 24, 5pm

Bellco Theater

Banda MS
June 7, 7pm

Chelo – El Adios De Una Grande
June 13, 6:30pm

Elvis Costello & The Imposters with Charlie Sexton
June 29, 8pm

El Flaco y Sus Amigos
July 26, 8pm

Los Tigres del Norte “La Lotería”
August 30, 8pm

Summit Denver

Bayside – 25th Anniversary: The Errors Tour
June 6, 8pm

Bayside – 25th Anniversary: The Errors Tour
June 7, 8pm

Sleep Theory – The Afterglow Tour
June 8, 7pm

Panchiko
June 10, 8pm

Emo Nite – 21+
June 13, 9pm

Gasolina Reggaetón Party – 18+
June 14, 9pm

Faun “World Hex” Tour 2025
June 18, 8pm

Trap Karaoke – 21+
June 20, 7pm

Codd Dubz – Canal Street Crook Tour
June 21, 8pm

Lacey Sturm “Kenotic Metanoia Tour”
June 26, 8pm

Bearracuda – 18+
June 28, 9pm

Red Rocks Worship
June 29, 7pm

Eyedress – Stoner Tour 2025
July 15, 8pm

Paul Taylor: F*** Me I’m French – 16+
July 19, 8pm

Carnifex “Hell Chose Me 15 Year Anniversary Tour”
July 22, 6pm

Spike and the Gimme Gimmes
July 24, 7:30pm

Bashfortheworld: The Migo in America Tour
July 25, 8pm

Rio Da Yung Og
July 26, 8pm

Sorry Papi – The All Girl Rave – 18+
August 1, 10pm

The Acacia Strain
August 2, 6:30pm

Jake Scott
August 3, 8pm

JoJo Siwa LIVE
August 4, 8pm

King Lil G & Young Drummer Boy: Blue Hundreds Tour 2025 With Hexxx
August 8, 8pm

Eslabon Armado
August 14, 8pm

Twiztid – Freek Show 25 Year Tour
August 15, 7pm

The Church – THE SINGLES: 1980-2025
August 16, 8pm

Bop To The Top – 18+
August 22, 9pm

Infected Mushroom
August 30, 8pm

Oriental Theater

Beautiful Disaster – A Pole and Aerial Dance Show
June 6, 7:30pm

Dyketopia’s Fourth Annual Pridestravgaynza!
June 7, 8pm

Twin Tribes
June 8, 7pm

Big Country
June 10, 7pm

Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore with The Guilty Ones
June 11, 8pm

ZOSO: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience
June 12, 8pm

Lucha Libre & Laughs: Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride.
June 13, 8pm

Lucha Libre & Laughs: Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride.
June 14, 8pm

Mortified Live: Pride Edition
June 19, 7:30pm

Creeping Death + Kruelty
June 20, 7pm

Spacehog & EMF (Co-Headline show)
June 21, 8pm

Marcia Ball: Legendary blues pianist, vocalist, and songwriter
June 26, 7:30pm

2025 Mile High Hmong SummerFest Concert
June 27, 8pm

Hang the DJ: The Smiths Tribute
June 28, 6:30pm

Wake Me
July 11, 7pm

Hard Candy Dance: Cosmic Cabaret
July 12, 8pm

The Traveling Wilburys Revue
July 18, 8pm

In Plain Air and Requiem
July 19, 8pm

VOODOO (tribute to Godsmack)
July 25, 6:45pm

Powerman 5000
July 29, 7pm

The Union Underground and Spineshank Co-Headline Tour
July 31, 7pm

Fear – 40th Anniversary of “More Beer”
August 1, 7pm

Carnivale De Sensuale: Hotter Than Hell
August 2, 8pm

DM101 -Tribute to DEPECHE MODE
August 8, 6:30pm

Buckcherry
August 10, 7pm

Dale Watson & His Lone Stars
August 11, 8pm

Men Without Hats
August 13, 8pm

Iron Maidens
August 15, 8pm

Mile High Power Fest 2025
August 16, 2:45pm

Bug Hunter and The Narcissist Cookbook
August 30, 7pm

Mission Ballroom

Brand New
June 8, 8pm

Brand New
June 9, 8pm

Stick Figure
June 10, 7pm

The Kooks
June 13, 9pm

Three 6 Mafia & Yelawolf
June 14, 8pm

Flying Lotus & Reggie Watts
June 17, 8pm

Lake Street Dive
June 18, 8pm

LSZEE
June 19, 7pm

LSZEE
June 20, 8pm

LSZEE
June 21, 8pm

LSZEE
June 22, 7pm

Car Seat Headrest
July 12, 8pm