Soak in the Last Days of Summer over Labor Day Weekend in Winter Park!
As we close in on September, we know fall and all its glory is around the corner. The days are getting shorter, and if you're looking closely, you'll see yellow leaves replacing the summer green here and there. Labor Day weekend typically marks the unofficial end of summer: school starts, weekly seasonal events come to an end, and local businesses adjust their hours of operation as we settle into a slower pace here in Grand County.
But if you're in town over the holiday, there are still plenty of events and outdoor opportunities to close out the summer season! We really think Labor Day weekend doesn't get much better than it does in Grand County. This year, the long weekend looks to be significantly warmer than the month of June, which brought us cooler temps and much-needed rain. So we're all in for soaking up warm, sunny days that tell us there's more summer fun to be had before the aspens shed their leaves and the snow flies!
We've put together all the weekend's events, so you can pick and choose. Or skip the events and just find a campsite for the weekend, sit back, relax, and breathe in the fresh mountain air!
COOPER CREEK SQUARE
Cooper Creek Square in downtown Winter Park goes big for Labor Day weekend! And we'll be there to celebrate! Our West + Main office is on the second level of Cooper Creek, the perfect spot to pull up a lawn chair and enjoy the weekend full of live music on the stage below.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1st: First Friday
Kick off the holiday with one of our favorite summer events! First Friday, hosted by Uptripping Gallery, takes place (you guessed it!) the first Friday of each month all summer long. Be sure to swing by the last First Friday of the summer between 5-8pm on September 1. 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 Durango-based High Country Hustle from 6-8pm. We'll be at our office all evening long and would love to see you! Swing by for a drink or to just say hi!
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2nd: Music on the Square
The last of the summer music series at Cooper Creek Square brings in a local favorite: Peggy Mann Band has been the winner of the "Best Band in Grand County" for six years running. With a mix of covers and original songs, the band always brings a fun vibe - you're sure to hear a song you love! The free Music on the Square series has run all summer on Friday and Saturday nights and wraps up over Labor Day weekend. Grab a drink or bite to eat at a restaurant in the square and enjoy it outside. Cooper Creek Square is zoned as an "entertainment district," meaning the courtyard of the square is an extension of the dining spaces. We've enjoyed these weekend events all summer and hope you can make the last one to end the season on a "high note."
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3rd: Block Party
Make a weekend of it, and come back to Cooper Creek for our Block Party! Swing by between 1 and 4pm on Sunday to take part in the festivities. More live music with longtime local-favorite Andy Strauss will fill the air. His style has been dubbed "Rocky Mountain folk-n-roll," a descriptor that will totally make sense when you hear him play! The kids will love the free face painting and playground, and you can take advantage of the good music, great sales, and small-town mountain vibe as we close at the summer season at Cooper Creek Square. Come by the office and say hi if you're around for the block party!
TRESTLE GRAVITY RACES
Is downhill biking your scene? It's not too late to sign up for a weekend of gravity races at Trestle Bike Park at Winter Park Resort. They host downhill, super downhill, and air downhill races all weekend long! Friday kicks off with a downhill race designed for riders who love speed. Saturday brings the super downhill (or Super-D) with a mix of downhill and cross-country riding. Sunday's air downhill is the most attended with its fast-paced, flow-based course that will definitely send you flying!
And we love the Battle of the Grommets, a downhill race on mainly blue runs designed for the youth rippers. Ages 15 and under can sign up for this flowy course with gentle bumps. The term "grommet" ("grom" for short) is a nickname for kids who get after it (and our valley is full of them!). Whether skiing, snowboarding, downhill biking, or skateboarding, a grom is simply a young kid who goes big in any extreme sport! Sign your downhill-biking enthusiast up for the race next weekend to give them a taste of what might be to come!
GRANBY'S ART IN THE PARK
Granby hosts its third annual Art in the Park on Saturday, September 2 from 12-5pm at Polhamus Park just off Main Street in downtown Granby. Swing by to enjoy free live music and art activities for kids. Vote for your favorite bear-shaped murals or bid on the opportunity to win one of last year's aspen-shaped mural art. The winners of this year's competition's art will replace the aspen art that lines Granby's main street.
GRAND LAKE'S ROCKY MOUNTAIN REPERTORY THEATER
Rocky Mountain Repertory Theater, one of the gems of Grand Lake, kicks off its production of Almost Heaven: Songs of John Denver on Labor Day weekend. The show starts its run Saturday, September 2 and will fill Rocky Mountain Rep's calendar for the month of September. Featuring 29 of John Denver's songs, its troupe of actors and musicians creates a fun theatrical narrative depicting life when Denver wrote his now-famous songs. The Rocky Mountain Repertory Theater truly brings world-class theater and a taste of the arts that you might never expect from our small mountain community. If you haven't been to a show, we highly recommend marking your calendars for one - and this Labor Day is a perfect time to check it out!
EXPLORE THE OUTDOORS
Not into the events? Or want to balance them with more of a connection to the incredible nature here in Grand County? We hear you and are with you! All our favorite mountain summer activities are still in full swing over Labor Day weekend! Hike and bike our miles of world-class trails with jaw-dropping views. Get out on speedboat or pontoon on one of our three lakes open to motorized crafts. Paddle board or kayak on other reservoirs like Meadow Creek or Willow Creek. Float the Upper Colorado River. Grab your fishing gear and get away from it all in on a lake or river. Looking for a little more of an adrenaline rush? Trestle Bike Park at Winter Park Resort is still open for the season! Or just soak in some sun at the base of the resort while taking advantage of the base activities like mini golf, the alpine slide, and climbing walls (which all close for the season September 4).
LET'S CONNECT!
If we don't catch you at First Friday or the Cooper Creek Square Block Party, we'd love to get together over Labor Day weekend and check out any current listings on your radar or tour a neighborhood or subdivision that might be calling your name! Reach out today - we'd love to get some time together on the books!
Posted by Leah Bishop on
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