Summer Festivals Display Colorado's Diversity

Summer festivals are a temptation to lure those, from the deep recesses of winter, outside. Whether it is music, theater, leisurely activities, or a combination of them all, events become fully-fledged festivals as the Rocky Mountains become a panoramic backdrop for the festivities of the season. The weather is warm, the sun shines 300 plus days, and there is an event for everyone to enjoy.



Come ye, come ye to one of the first festivals to officially begin the summer season. The Colorado Shakespeare Festival showcases the work of William Shakespeare June 23 to 26. Romeo and Juliet, The Comedy of Errors, The Little Princess, and The Inspector General transform the University of Colorado campus in Boulder into a Shakespearean celebration with indoor and outdoor stage performances.



The 22^nd annual Colorado Brewers' Festival showcases the brews of Colorado with non-stop live acts for two days. From June 25 to 26, downtown Fort Collins lines up almost 60 Colorado beers and 30 breweries in Colorado to sample the Centennial state's finest brews. Two stages liven up historic Fort Collins with bluegrass, ska, rockabilly, and more from 11 am to 5 pm each day.



The Crested Butte Wildflower Festival is a tribute to the inherent beauty of Colorado July 11 to 17. Wildflower lovers embark on over 80 hikes, yoga classes, 4X4 tours, garden tours, photography instruction, cooking and art classes, botanical medicinal classes, wildflower gardening, and birding and butterflies are explored in Crested Buttes' alpine terrain.



At the end of July, the 6^th annual Collegiate Peaks Music Festival takes over South Main in Buena Vista with a mesh of sounds that include bluegrass, jazz, and folk. The Collegiate Peaks flow with music from Keller Williams, Kyle Hollingsworth Band, Elephant Revival, The Drew Emmitt Band of Leftover Salmon, and many more acts from July 28 to July 30 with gates opening at 4 pm every day and the last act ending at 10 pm. Join the after party each day until 2 am.



As the growing season nears an end, the 42^nd annual Palisade Peach Festival celebrates summer's final days. On August 18 to 21, tour the orchards, vineyards and wineries, brewery and distillery, and alpacas while also incorporating sampling of the peaches being honored. Bike tours, Colorado River trip floats, a parade, and much more pack each day so that the revelries last all day from 10 am to 10 pm.