Summer is in Full Swing, and the Events Keep Coming!
It is officially summertime - prime time for outdoor adventure here in Grand County! Whether you're hiking, biking, fishing, boating, camping, golfing, or simply basking in the sheer beauty of our slice of the Rocky Mountains this time of year, we really don't think life gets much better than summer in the mountains. And we still have a jam-packed summer event schedule of festivals, concerts, races, and more to make your mountain summer even better!
July 13: Grand Lake Folk Festival
Two days after they take the stage as headliners at Red Rocks, Trampled by Turtles is playing the Grand Lake Folk Festival. Joined by Josiah and the Bonnevilles along with Clay Street Unit, the folk festival is bringing big name bands to the small town. Right in the heart of Grand Lake, this festival brings top-notch music to an outdoor venue in the beauty of our summertime Rocky Mountains. Doors open at 2pm, and music starts at 3pm. Note: the event is 16+, but kids under age 16 can join the fun if they're with a parent or guardian. Get your tickets and mark your calendars for a day full of folk music in the mountains!
July 13: Crooked Gravel RACE
The Crooked Gravel race has some options for everyone. If you're looking for a long race, sign up for the 67-mile long course with an elevation gain of 5,700 feet. Or take it a little easy with the 25-mile course that boasts an elevation gain of 1,700 feet. Long and short courses for riders 16 years old and younger are also available. All rides start at 8am. Sign up in advance and be ready to ride the morning of!
July 13: Winter Park Resort Venture Out Fest
Winter Park Resort is hosting a mid-summer party! Live music, free outdoor activities, professional "Dock Dogs" performances, avy dog meet ups, yoga classes, and more are all on the line-up for Venture Out Fest.
July 20-21: Jazz Fest at Rendezvous Event Center
We love when Jazz Fest comes to town. The rhythmic sounds of saxophones and trumpets fill the streets of downtown Winter Park for the two-day festival, and the whole town feels like a party. Enjoying outdoor music in the high country in the middle of July! The 41st Annual Winter Park Jazz Festival runs all-day Saturday and Sunday, with live music playing 11am-6pm at the Rendezvous Event center. Get your tickets and start planning to enjoy some high country jazz in Winter Park this summer!
July 26- August 5: Zoppe Family Circus
A yearly family favorite, the Zoppe Family Italian Circus makes a stop and sets up camp in Fraser this summer. This intimate one-ring circus starring Nino the Clown features acrobatic feats, equestrian showmanship, canine capers, clowning and plenty of audience participation all while being propelled by a central story. You will not regret a trip to the Zoppe Circus - grab your tickets here! Weekday shows are at 6pm, and weekend shows are at 1pm, 4pm, and 7pm. We are so grateful they chose to make Fraser one of their handful of stops this summer!
July 27: Solshine Music Festival
The Winter Park SolShine Concert at Rendezvous Event Center in downtown Winter Park will be an afternoon and evening of live bluegrass music. The show starts at 4pm, featuring Two Runner, The Lil Smokies, and Greensky Bluegrass. Spend your day mountain biking, hiking, or on the lake before heading over to the SolShine concert to finish off a day enjoying all the mountains have to offer in summer. Be sure to buy your tickets in advance!
AUGUST 2: FIRST FRIDAY
This summer's second First Friday event, hosted by Uptripping Gallery, takes place (you guessed it!) the first Friday of August in Cooper Creek Square, right in the heart of downtown Winter Park. Be sure to swing by between 5-8pm. An open-air market featuring local artists will be set up all evening, and complimentary wine and beer will be served from 5-7pm. Enjoy the live music of local-favorite, mother-daughter duo Blood Sugar from 6-8pm.
We love how Uptripping puts on this event to support and showcase local artists -booths are free for the artists, and we get the opportunity to shop the work of local artists in a fun, festive environment at this twice-a-summer event!
August 2-4: Fraser Mountain Mural Festival
Raising awareness for the Fraser Center for Creative Arts through local nonprofit Fraser Valley Arts artists will use their creative energy to produce their best work on an 8'x8' primed mural. This year's theme is “Life In Motion," celebrating Fraser’s legacy of outdoor recreation. Watch the artists in action while listening to live music in the new art hub of the county at the 2024 Fraser Mountain Mural Festival!
August 3 Winter Park Brew Festival
A cold beer after a long bike ride or hike? Or a sampling of a few of your favorites? Or even a few you've never tried before? The Winter Park Brew Fest will be held at the Rendezvous Event Center and is sure to top your list of summer favorite events! Enjoy the live music (featuring local-favorite Hunker Down and That Eighties Band, one of the most popular eighties tribute bands in the country!) while filling your cup with some of the finest and enjoying delicious food vendors.
Some of the featured breweries are Big Trout Brewery, Great Divide Brewing Company, Left Hand Brewing, Vicious Cycle Brewing Company, Cellar West Brewery, Cabin Creek Brewing, The Noble Buck, Curation Beverage Company, Epic Western, Evergreen Brewery, Owl's Brew, AC Golden, Ska Brewing Company. They'll even been a few spirits and cocktails from Idlewild Spirits! You can get your tickets in advance or purchase them day of.
August 9-10 AVR Bluegrass Weekend
Arapaho Valley Ranch is a little gem, 40-acre property tucked off the dirt road near Arapaho Bay Campground just past Lake Granby and just before Monarch Lake. A prime location for anything summer, AVR offers plenty of options for spending the night: cabins for larger groups, "glamping" in tipis and tents, riverside campsites, and dispersed camping.
This year, they'll host Bluegrass Weekend with live music all weekend long! Kicking off Friday night at 6pm, Shakedown Strings and Shovelin Stone take the stage. Saturdays shows start at 2pm, adding Icebox Sound and Bottle Rocket Hurricane to the line up.
Make a reservation for a night or two - all reservations include admission to the shows!
August 10: Country at the Park
This country festival is coming back to Winter Park this summer! An afternoon and evening of country music at Rendezvous Event Center in downtown Winter Park has been a favorite in years past, so they're putting the show back on the calendar. This year's musicians include local-favorite Blood Sugar, Ray Wylie Hubbard, A Thousand Horses, and headliner Justin Moore. Gates open at 3pm and the show starts at 4pm. Grab your tickets online, and mark your calendars!
August 10: Granby Ranch Rocky Mountain Music Series
Doors open at 2pm; music starts at 3pm
Granby Ranch holds their Wednesday night Summer Nights Music Series throughout the summer, but they go big for a couple events this summer with the Rocky Mountain Music Series. The free event brings in big names for an afternoon and evening of outdoor music. August's line up brings Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, DJ Williams Band, and The Copper Children. If you've been to the Wednesday night music, this scene is a little different. With the bigger scale comes more security - bags are checked on the way in, and outside alcohol is not allowed. And it comes with more options for family fun: henna tattoos, balloon art, airbrush tattoos, caricatures, photo booths, and more are available for all-ages entertainment. If you plan on taking part in the extra activities, note that you'll need to buy tickets or punch cards before you hop in line for one of the activities. Bring lawn chairs and blankets to set up for a day full of music and fun!
August 17: Winter Park Uncorked
Enjoy a laid-back afternoon of wine tasting from dozens of wineries while listening to live music from SawatchLand and Andy Hackbarth Band at Winter Park Uncorked at the Rendezvous Event Center. Food vendors will be available, but you're also welcome to bring in your own picnic or your favorite take-out from a local restaurant. Tastings and music go from 2-5pm. You can choose from general admission tickets (that include unlimited tastings), entrance tickets (food and drinks available for purchase once inside), or VIP tickets (unlimited tastings, wine seminar, designated VIP area + free lunch). Be sure to get your tickets in advance! Day-of tickets prices go up.
August 24: Byers Peak Stampede HALF MARATHON + 5K
Formerly the Winter Park Half Marathon and 5K, the Byers Peak Stampede gives participants the opportunity to race through the Fraser Valley, enjoying the breathtaking views on a course that beautifully meanders across dirt roads and single track trails in the Arapaho National Forest. Dogs are welcome to run as well!
The half-marathon starts at 8am, and the 5K has a 9am start. Both races end at the High Country Stampede Rodeo in Fraser for a post-race party. Vicious Cycle Brewery will host a pre-party and packet pick up the night before from 6-8pm.
And this isn't just any race; it's a run with purpose. All proceeds from this event benefit the Shining Stars Foundation, a local nonprofit that provides therapeutic social and recreational services to children with cancer.
Check out Shining Stars' website to learn more about the courses and register for this fun event!
Saturday, August 24: Tacos and Margs in the Mountains
A hammer and a nail? Peanut butter and jelly? Tacos and margs? Quintessential pairings, no doubt. So why not celebrate summer with one? Head over to the base of the Winter Park Resort from 1-4pm for Tacos + Margs in the Mountains, complete with live music! You can get taco-only tickets or general admission tickets that include the margs - take your pick, but be sure to get your tickets in advance. You can even take a few laps at Trestle Bike Park or enjoy the resort's base activities before
MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR A CONSULTATION!
The summer event schedule here in Grand County is worth marking on your calendar! And if buying or selling a property here is on your radar, we'd love to get a coffee or happy hour with you on the calendar. Let's connect to have a conversation about our local market, your real estate goals, and how we can partner with you in buying or selling a mountain property.
Posted by Leah Bishop on
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