Summers in Northern Colorado are anything but lazy. We take our outdoor recreation seriously, because it’s not just a hobby – it’s a lifestyle. In between the camping, fishing, mountain biking, and paddle-boarding, you can hardly find time to join the unending parade of music festivals, beer and foodie extravaganzas, or community events like farmer’s markets and fundraisers. Here’s a breakdown of the most happenin’ hot spots in and around Larimer County all summer long, with links to more information:
May 30 Poudre River Fest, Legacy Park, Fort Collins – Come celebrate the Poudre River and learn how you can help restore and preserve one of our most vital natural resources. Food, beer, music, activities, and free to enter! http://sustainablelivingassociation.org/event/poudre-river-fest/
May 30 Front Range Rally, Loveland Food Share – Craft beer and food truck festival with loads of great beer and a few bands for your entertainment. Proceeds help support the Food Bank of Larimer County.
June 12-14 Taste of Fort Collins, Civic Center Park – A three day festival with tons of culinary color. Featuring local and national cuisine, impressive musical headliners like Smashmouth, artwork, activities, and more. http://tasteoffortcollins.com/
June 12-13 Greeley Blues Jam, downtown Greeley – This festival is all about the Blues. Lineup will include some big names in the genre, and the atmosphere is family oriented. http://greeleybluesjam.com/
June 20-27 Fort Collins Beer Week – A wide spread celebration of craft brews and community connection all week long. Event benefits several local restaurants, breweries, and businesses. http://fortcollinsbeerweek.com/
June 25-July 5 Greeley Stampede – Break out the boots and spurs and head to Greeley. This iconic 10-day event features rodeos, parades, art shows, comedy shows, plenty of food and drink, and all the western style garb you can buy. http://www.greeleystampede.org/
June 28-29 Colorado Brewer’s Festival, downtown fort Collins, Washington park and Civic Center Park – If you love local beer, you won’t want to miss this! Featuring over 100 kinds of pure Colorado brewskies, 50+ of the state’s breweries, plenty of music, and an interactive “Beer School!” Get there early, this event can draw over 20,000 people.http://downtownfortcollins.com/events/colorado-brewers-festival
August 1 Gnarly Barley Brew Fest at The Ranch Complex in Loveland, CO – Because we just can’t get enough beer festivals, this one features tons of breweries, food and beer pairings, and a competition for the best homebrew. http://www.gnarlybarleybrewfest.com/
August 14-16 Bohemian Nights at New West Fest, downtown Fort Collins – Celebrate the birthday of Fort Collins in historic downtown with food, drink, arts, crafts, and past musical numbers like Pat Benetar and Big Head Todd & the Monsters. http://www.bohemiannights.org/bohemian-nights-at-newwestfest.html
September 5 New Belgium’s Tour de Fat, Civic Center Park downtown Fort Collins – the infamous bicycling circus filled with the craziest costumes imaginable, and, of course, plenty of beer.
http://www.newbelgium.com/events/tour-de-fat/fort-collins.aspx
Farmer’s Markets – http://www.fortcollinsfarmersmarkets.com/
- Wednesdays – 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the corner of Harmony & Lemay
- Saturdays – 8 a.m.-12 p.m. at the Oak St. Courthouse, & 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Drake shopping center east of Shields.
- Sundays – 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Harmony & Lemay