Festivals in Boulder, Colorado
Community Festivals | Cultural Festivals | Farmers Markets | Food & Drink | Wine TastingsCommunity Festivals
Boulder Creek Festival May 27-29: This huge annual festival has been Boulder’s unofficial kickoff to summer since 1987. It features nine separate event areas, more than 500 vendor booths, live entertainment on four stages, carnival rides, food and drink stations, and a signature rubber duck race down the creek. In downtown Boulder, in Central Park and the Municipal Building lawn. Find the full schedule of events and times for each day at www.bouldercreekevents.com. Estes Park Winter Festival Jan. 14-15: Estes Park’s annual celebration of all things wintry features high-flying skiers and snowboarders demonstrating their skills on indoor trampolines, plus demo snowshoes, award-winning chili, beer and wine, kids’ activities, vendor booths, and giveaways for big prizes like snowcat tours, a national parks pass and adventure gear. Saturday is also Winter Trails Day in Rocky Mountain National Park. Festival is at the Estes Park Events Complex, 1125 Rooftop Way. Find the schedule of events at www.visitestespark.com. Frozen Dead Guy Days March 10-12: Nederland’s quirky annual winter festival pays homage to Bredo Morstøl, who is frozen in a state of suspended animation and housed in a Tuff Shed high above Nederland. The three-day event features activities like polar plunging, coffin racing, ice turkey bowling, human foosball, a parade of coffins and hearses, a frozen salmon toss and more, plus live music and food/drinks. You have to experience it to believe it! For more details, see www.frozendeadguydays.org.Cultural Festivals
BaoBao Festival March, TBA: Annual festival celebrates Africa’s age-old community theater experience of gathering under the baobab tree for singing, storytelling, drumming and dance. Check online for updates, which weren’t available at press time. www.baobaofoundation.org.Farmers’ Markets
Farmers’ Markets
Farmers’ market locations in and around Boulder County begin opening in early April. Find farm-fresh produce, meats, cheeses, eggs, flowers, herbs and much more, with offerings changing weekly as the season progresses. Berthoud: Saturdays 9am-1pm beginning in June at the southeast corner of Fickel Park. www.berthoudlocal.org. Boulder: Saturdays 8am-2pm beginning April 1 and Wednesdays 4-8pmbeginning May 3 at 13th Street between Canyon Boulevard and Arapahoe Avenue. www.bcfm.org. Erie: Thursdays 5-8pm through Sept. 22 on Wells Street between Pierce and Briggs streets; www.getfreshmarkets.com. Frederick: Thursdays 4-8pm beginning in early June at Crist Park, 105 Fifth St.; www.frederickco.gov. Longmont: Saturdays 8am-1pm beginning April 1 at the Boulder County Fairgrounds, Hover Street and Boston Avenue. www.bcfm.org. Louisville: Saturdays 9am-1pm beginning in late May at 824 Front St. www.getfreshmarkets.com. Mead: Sundays 10am-1pm beginning in late June at Mead Town Park. www.townofmead.org.Food & Drink Festivals & Events
For tours of local wineries, breweries and distilleries, see listings under Tours. Ales For Females Select Mondays: Three times per month on Mondays (6:30-8pm), beer-loving women meet to discuss all things beer and learn how to pair beer with food. Purchase tickets in advance at www.lefthandbrewing.com. The Left Hand Tasting Room is at 1265 Boston Ave. in Longmont. Alfalfa’s Wine & Cheese Tasting Series Dec. 9 (and monthly): Alfalfa’s Market, 1651 Broadway, offers a free monthly wine and cheese tasting event; December’s theme is Holiday Entertaining. 5-7pm. Check www.alfalfas.com for other upcoming events. The Art of Cheese Cheesemaking Classes Longmont’s artisanal cheesemaking school offers classes covering everything from soft cheeses like chèvre to firm cheeses like Cheddar and Jarlsberg. Find the full schedule and Longmont locations at www.theartofcheese.com. Dec. 17: Intro to Hard Cheeses Dec. 29: Mozzarella, Ricotta & Burrata Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts offers occasional classes for amateur chefs; there are also open-house events on Sept. 17 and Oct. 29 for prospective full-time students. Check www.escoffier.edu for schedule updates. The Boulder campus is at 637 S. Broadway, Suite H. Dairy Arts Center: Moovers and Shakers April 20: The Dairy Arts Center hosts this annual event featuring a cocktail competition between popular area chefs. Check www.thedairy.org for more details, which weren’t available at press time. The Dairy Arts Center is at 2590 Walnut St. Estes Park Whiskey Warm-up Weekend March 11: Estes Park’s annual whiskey-tasting event and celebration includes unlimited samples from distilleries, educational seminars with food pairings, live entertainment, and a souvenir tasting glass. Details: www.visitestespark.com. Food Lab Cooking School Food Lab offers three-hour classes with plenty of time built in to enjoy the prepared courses. It also holds camps for kids when school is closed. Recent class topics included Tagine Cooking and Dim Sum; see the calendar online for the winter/spring schedule. www.foodlabboulder.com. Dec. 17: Gingerbread House Making Lafayette Quaker Oatmeal Festival & Fair Jan. 14: See listing under Health/Fitness Events. Local Table Tours LTT hosts a number of culinary-themed tours around Boulder, including Downtown Dining, Beer Tasting, and Coffee and Pastry tours. www.localtabletours.com. Nederland Area Seniors Pancake Breakfast March 11-12: All-you-can-eat pancake breakfast benefits the nonprofit senior organization in Nederland. 8-11am both days at Nederland Community Center, 750 Highway 72 North. www.nederlandareaseniors.org. Prospect Sound Bites Opens in April, TBA: Prospect Sound Bites is a “mobile feast”—a gathering of food trucks at Prospect Downtown Park, just south of Longmont on Highway 287, plus concerts by local and regional favorites. 5-8pm; band starts at 5:30pm. www.prospectnewtown.com. Settembre Cellars: Boulder Wine Reads 1st Sundays: See listing under Literary Events.Wine Tastings
Many wine shops, wineries and liquor stores around the county offer free tastings that let you try before you buy.
