Every July for the past ten years, Audrey Wintory has tossed her Chacos aside, threaded her toes into the grass under red rock cliffs and fully bloomed cottonwoods, and watched her daughter hula hoop and twirl to the laid-back talent pickin’ their way across the RockyGrass stage. 

The Boulder local credits the longstanding Lyons bluegrass festival as a defining aspect of her daughter’s childhood. “Ever since she was one, it’s been our favorite weekend of the year,” Audrey says. “It’s a place where cell phones get put away, the kids can safely run around, and we spend our days doing face paint on each other at the kids’ tent, wading in the river, and dancing to the music.”

These utopian scenes of blissed-out, like-minded folks sharing a picturesque Colorado day crop up across Boulder County in a creative awakening each summer. On any given weekend, June through September, the foothills are sprinkled with al fresco artists, talented performers on pop-up stages, elaborate food and music festivals, and creative community makers markets.

Here, we round up the region’s essential summer music, food, and art festivals.

Arts in the Park at the Bandshell
Date: June–August
Tickets/Info: bouldercolorado.gov/arts-park

Showcasing Boulder Ballet, Boulder Symphony, and the Arts Hub at the Glenn Huntington Bandshell, Arts in the Park celebrates a mix of community and signature music and dance performances in an open-air setting. Performances are diverse, events are free or low-cost, and the blanket- and picnic-friendly environment makes for a beautiful, casual summer night out.

Colorado Shakespeare Festival
Date: May 30–August 2
Tickets/Info: cupresents.org/shakespeare

Founded in 1958 and featuring a return to CU Boulder’s Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre, this season’s Shakespeare Festival lineup includes “Twelfth Night,” “Julius Caesar,” “Shakespeare in Love,” and the world premiere of “Friends/Romans/Countrymen” by David Davalos. Savor one of the oldest Shakespeare festivals in the U.S. and dig into educational workshops, youth camps, and community theater literacy outreach programs.

Louisville Street Faire
Date: June 12–August 7
Tickets/Info: downtownlouisvilleco.com/street-faire

For eight Friday summer evenings, nationally known and local acts light up Louisville’s Front Street with free live music. Don’t miss funky jam band favorite Polyrhythmics and Southern blues legends North Mississippi Allstars. Music starts around 6 p.m. and is paired with local food, Colorado brews and ciders, lots of children’s activities, and quality arts and crafts.

“We take pride in showcasing a musically diverse lineup of bands, including zydeco, blues, rock, jam, funk, and more,” says general manager Lawrence Anderson. “But, more than just the music, food, and vendors, the Street Faire is a gathering place for Louisville families and a place you can always count on seeing your friends and neighbors having a great time.”

Colorado Music Festival
Date: July 9–August 9
Tickets/Info: coloradomusicfestival.org

Held at the iconic Chautauqua Auditorium, this summer series showcases world-class musicians from top orchestras across the country. Expect exciting debuts by pianist Yuja Wang, violinist Himari, and conductor Leonard Slatkin, and don’t forget the Free Family Concert on July 12.

“In our 2026 season, the stars align as we celebrate four incredible milestones: the Festival’s 50th, the Center for Musical Arts’ 30th, Colorado’s 150th, and our country’s 250th anniversaries,” says music director Peter Oundjian. “We’re pulling out all the stops to honor these occasions and to step into our future with pride, optimism, and exceptional music.”

Pearl Street Arts Fest
Date: July 17–19
Tickets/Info: pearlstreetartsfest.com

Mirroring Boulder’s distinct creative energy and community spirit, this juried Pearl Street Mall art festival showcases painting, photography, jewelry, and more, and features live interactive performances. This year, visitors can look forward to an expanded footprint of artists on the Boulder County Courthouse Lawn, an auction of hand-painted Adirondack chairs, and five talented local artists featured through the BIPOC Invited Artist Showcase.

RockyGrass
Date: July 24–26
Tickets/Info: bluegrass.com/rockygrass

Notching its 54th season, RockyGrass draws bluegrass lovers from all over the country. The Lyons camping and music fest unfolds across Planet Bluegrass Ranch with family-reunion vibes and a bill featuring generational talent that spans modern-day names like I’m With Her and Punch Brothers alongside time-tested acts such as Sam Bush and The Del McCoury Band.

“RockyGrass is all about community,” says Amy Mendonca with Planet Bluegrass Artist Relations. “The festival is built upon the deep-rooted traditions of bluegrass music, which extend to the dedicated community of festivarians and campers who return year after year. They gather not just for the music, but for the experience of being together.”

Rocky Mountain Folks Festival
Date: August 7–9 
Tickets/Info: bluegrass.com/folks

Dubbed the “Summit of the Song,” this 36-year-old festival brings songwriters of all genres to the Planet Bluegrass Ranch in Lyons for three days of music, camping, and inspiration. Cool off in the St. Vrain River and catch Ani DiFranco and Jesse Welles on the main stage before dancing to Colorado’s own Bonfire Dub.

Boulder Roots Music Festival
Date: August 27–30
Tickets/Info: boulderrootsmusicfest.org

This massive, multi-stage grassroots fest returns for its second year, showcasing established and up-and-coming artists across four days and 20 Boulder venues. After a sold-out inaugural festival in 2025, year two is expanding with more artists, more venues, and an extra day of programming.

“In a world where so much happens behind screens, there’s something powerful about being in the same place together—hearing live music, walking the same streets, sharing a moment with your neighbors. That’s what Boulder Roots is about,” says organizer Dan Caruso of Caruso Ventures.

Boulder Art Festival 
Date: September 5–6
Tickets/Info: boulderartfestival.com

This free Labor Day weekend art fest sprawls along the Pearl Street Mall, featuring more than 90 artisans and crafters selling handmade pottery, sculpture, glass, jewelry, fashion, home accessories, photography, and more. Sip, shop, stroll, and enjoy live music along the way.

Superior Mural Festival
Date: October 4
Tickets/Info: superiorcolorado.gov

Founded in 2019, Street Wise Mural Festival combines art with activism, using ARTivism to spark conversation. New this year, Street Wise Arts and the Town of Superior will co-produce the festival, celebrating the town’s growing community through live painting events, artist talks, workshops, and mural tours. This year’s theme: nature and regrowth.

“Downtown Superior is evolving, and this is exactly the kind of energy we want to build—creative, public, and something people can be part of,” says Superior mayor Mark Lacis.

They might not be headliners, but these are great events you won’t want to miss.

The Cultural Caravan Louisville June Festival
June 4–14  •  culturalcaravan.org
Ten days of live music, including more than a dozen main stage and pop-up concerts spanning Latin ensembles to traditional Ghanaian music and dance.

Bands on the Bricks
June 10–July 29  •  boulderdowntown.com
Catch genres from oldies to alt rock at this popular Pearl Street concert series held Wednesdays from 5:30–9 p.m.

Jaipur Literature Festival Colorado
September 22–23  •  jlflitfest.org/colorado
Boulder’s sister festival to the famous India-born event features author talks, stories, and conversation to spark imagination.

Longmont Museum Summer Concert Series
June 25–July 30  •  longmontcolorado.gov
Bring a picnic and lawn chairs to the outdoor Stewart Family Courtyard for this free Thursday night summer tradition.

Lafayette Peach Festival
August 8  •  lafayettecolorado.com/peach-festival
Public Road transforms into a vendor-lined peach-lover’s promenade at this popular gathering built around Colorado’s juicy bounty.

Boulder Taco Fest
August 22  •  bouldertacofest.com
High energy and mighty tasty, this celebration combines dozens of taco vendors, craft breweries, tequila tastings, a 5K Taco Run, and lucha libre wrestling for a summer party not to miss.

Community Roots Art Festival (CRAFt)
September 19–20  •  communityrootsartfestival.com
Celebrate Black, Indigenous, and brown self-identified artists through local food and art vendors, live music, and giveaways at VisionQuest Brewing.

Mapleton Hill Porchfest
September 20  •  mapletonhillporchfest.com
Dozens of local musicians play and sing on historic Mapleton Hill neighborhood porches during this free, walkable event.

Lafayette Music Fest
October 3  •  lafayettemusicfest.com
Fall tunes roll out with 30-plus bands across eight stages at this petite but growing street festival.