From grand occasions with big-name artists to intimate gatherings in picturesque settings, Colorado offers summer music festivals for any and all tastes. The statewide programming offers a wide variety, whether you prefer indoor venues or concerts under the stars, free tickets, or ticketed shows.
Did we miss a notable summer music festival in Colorado?Email the main points to [email protected].
May 17 – October 5
Levitt Pavilion in Denver offers a series of free summer concerts for all ages. You will meet with a diversity of artists: major, emerging, local and foreign artists from various genres and backgrounds. RSVP is recommended, but walk-ins are allowed until the hostel has reached capacity.
May 18 – September 13
The annual One Sweet Summer event series at Foundry Plaza features several events, adding a Bluegrass Festival
May 30 – September 5
The weekly concerts will feature artists from Colorado and across the country, representing a wide diversity of genres and styles. The series provides an opportunity for emerging and established artists to share their music live and connect with the Northern Colorado community. The free performances will take place on the level in Fort Collins’ Old Town Square every Thursday from 7 p. m. At nine o’clock at night
June 1 – August 25
The Alamosa Live Music Association hosts a series of free concerts, known locally as Sundays at Six, that are a staple of the San Luis Valley summer season. During the lovely summer months, Cole Park audiences enjoy a wide variety of music, from local artists to nationally renowned traveling musicians.
June 2 – August 4
City Park Jazz draws large crowds from all over the city every summer for its free concerts. The line-up includes jazz, blues and salsa and takes place at the City Park Pavilion.
June 20 – August 1
Well done! Vail began as a modest chamber music series in 1987 and has grown into a well-known music festival that hosts dozens of concerts in halls throughout Eagle County and serves as a summer home for some of the world’s most productive performers and orchestras.
Fifth of July – August 4
This six-week summer performance season has kicked off at the Chautauqua Auditorium in Boulder. Under the musical direction of Peter Oundjian, this world-class festival orchestra features artists representing four orchestras from 23 states and four provinces. Highlights of the 202four Festival come with the return of violinist Augustin Hadelich, pianist Olga Kern, and pianists Christina and Michelle Naughton; the world premiere of a new concert by Gabriela Lena Frank; a Bruckner 200th birthday party and more.
July & 18
This classic summer event, hosted through the Rialto Theatre and held at the Foote Lagoon Amphitheatre in Loveland, is free and open to the public. Shows start at 7 p. m. and seats are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
May 17 – 19
Located in the center of the beautiful Animas River Valley just outside of Durango, Colorado, the Tico Time Bluegrass Festival combines music, nature, and adventure. The occasion is presented through the local public radio station, KSUT.
May 24 – 26
The MeadowGrass Music Festival is an early summer occasion in the Pikes Peak area. Held over Memorial Day weekend, Meadowgrass features local and regional performers, as well as children’s entertainment, guided walks, workshops, yoga sessions, and evening performances.
May 24 – 27
Experience 4 days of music, food from more than 20 vendors, a beer festival, local artisans, family-friendly activities, and more along the Boulder Creek Trail. There will be 3 scenes of musical functionality, starting with Steely Dead (Steely Dan meets the Grateful Dead) on Friday night.
May 30 – June 1
Greeley Blues Jam aims to promote the teaching of blues music and unite the network in a family atmosphere to have a blues experience. The festival includes food and beverages, merchandise vendors, and plenty of free parking. Also, campsites and RV sites. are available just outside the Island Grove Arena, a convenient option for visitors who need to stay overnight.
June 6-9
The Mountains of Music concert series returns as part of the 2024 GoPro Mountain Games. Daily free music sets will liven up Mountain House games Gear Town in Vail Village and The Hangout, installed in Golden Peak. The late-night lines at the Amp will come with paid headliners.
June 5 – 9
Apogaea is an officially registered regional Burning Man event for Colorado, which is based on the long-running Nevada Ten Principles festival. Trinidad’s event focuses on art, performance, sustainability, radical inclusion, and radical autonomy.
June 14 – 16
The Bluegrass Palisade
June 8
This informal annual festival is a birthday party to the history of Denver’s Five Points neighborhood, once known as the “Harlem of the West,” where jazz legends like Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk performed at local clubs. Today, the festival brings together dozens of people. thousands of people to listen to music on 4 stages.
June 15 and 16
Every year on June 16, the day the country’s last slaves discovered their freedom, Denver’s Five Points Network hosts a celebration of the network. The festival includes Denver’s oldest parade, dating back to the 1950s, and thousands more people are expected to march in honor of the day. Hip-hop artist Bow Wow is the most sensible of the music programming.
June 20 – 22
The three-day Country Jam Festival invites audiences to camp out and enjoy music in the beautiful red rock landscape of western Colorado in the town of Mack, just outside Grand Junction. Headliners include Parker McCollum, Jelly Roll, and Tomas Rhett.
June 20 – 23
Jazz Aspen Snowmass, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1991 to showcase and sustain jazz and similar music through world-class events, performances, and education. The annual festival takes place at more than a dozen other venues and features exhibits each day, spanning time periods.
June 20 – 23
The Telluride Bluegrass Festival features an impressive lineup of bluegrass, country, and rock artists in the San Juan Mountains. This year’s program includes more than 30 presentations, as well as competitions, workshops and more.
June 28 – 30
For 18 years, the Grand County Blues Society has hosted live concerts through blues musicians and worked to teach audiences about the history of this uniquely American musical genre. The festival will also feature vendors promoting everything from food and clothing to jewelry and artwork.
July – 14
Bluegrass music can be heard in the Wet Mountain Valley when the annual High Mountain Hay Fever Bluegrass festival takes place in the town of Westcliffe, Colorado. This year’s headliner is Grammy Award winner Jim Lauderdale.
July 12 – 14
Since 2016, this riverside music festival has the air of the mountain with the sounds of bluegrass and American string orchestras. The dog-friendly weekend includes on-site camping and food trucks.
July 19 and 20
Psychs Peak is a psych-rock camping festival, made up of seventeen artists. The festival takes place approximately 1 hour from Denver at the historic Green Mountain Ranch in Pine, Colorado.
July 26 and 27
The Global Dance Festival has a new venue this year on the grounds of the Stockyards Event Center at the National Western complex. The event will take place starting at five p. m. to 1 a. m. every day, but participants will need to find another sleeping position; Camping is not allowed on the site.
July 26 – 28
Colorado’s music scene is thriving and UMS is its annual show. Hundreds of artists will perform at venues along and around South Broadway, providing the opportunity to revel in the city’s next Billboard band in an intimate, impromptu consultation space.
July 26 – 28
RockyGrass, which celebrates its 52nd anniversary this year, is one of the largest classic bluegrass festivals in the country. It takes place at the Planet Bluegrass Ranch in Lyons, Colorado, along the forested banks of the scenic St. Louis River. Vrain.
August 2 – 4
Headliners at this year’s Rhythms on the Rio festival include the award-winning Fretliners, California Honeydrop, ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra) and many more. The occasion is organized through the South Fork Music Association, a volunteer nonprofit that distributes tools and teaches youth in the San Luis Valley how to play them for free.
August 10
Hosted through Boulder’s Magic Beans Band, the festival features jam bands from the local scene and on tour. The Eagle County Festival showcases the stunning scenery of the Rocky Mountains and the Colorado River.
August 9 – 11
Founded in 1977, the Telluride Jazz Festival is an annual birthday party showcasing the cultural traditions and avant-garde progression of American jazz. This year’s lineup includes Christian McBride
August 9 – 11
For over thirty years, Planet Bluegrass Ranch in Lyon, Colorado, has hosted songwriters of all genres for 3 days of music, camps, and inspiration under the so-called Rocky Mountain Folks, known as “Song Summit. “
August 15 – 24
This annual festival showcases the skills of local and foreign chamber musicians, while promoting appreciation of the art form through participation in networking and educational programs.
August 17
Runaway Grooms and Salida Circus close out the summer festival season at Keystone, with an event for the whole family. The festival will pay homage to Colorado’s culture and history, with free concerts, moose and the state’s most productive regional produce.
August 30 – September 1
Organized through public radio station KSUT, the three-day occasion will feature a major stage, a night stage, workshops and a children’s tent. Sam Bush and Tophouse headline this year’s lineup.
Editor’s note: Some organizations or occasions discussed in this article are possibly financially CPR News. Financial has no editorial clout.
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