Día de los Meurtos starts early, and booze festivals abound around the state

By Steve Graham

Get Out of Town is our weekly roundup of recommended events across Colorado, mostly focusing outside of Denver, to help everyone enjoy the entire state. For more happenings, check out our events calendar.

Día de los Muertos in Longmont

Traditionally, Día de los Muertos is celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2, known as All Saints Day and All Souls Day for Catholics. Aztec symbols and traditions including skulls, monarch butterflies and hummingbirds are part of the holiday celebrating deceased loved ones.

The Longmont Museum and the Firehouse Art Center in Longmont claim the state’s longest-running Day of the Dead exhibit, which starts Saturday with a community celebration. The event includes music and dance performances, arts and crafts, cultural education, downtown business altars, and the Gigantes Procession, a parade of giant papier mache and cardboard puppets.

The Firehouse Art Center also hosts a Catrina Ball and Catrina & Mask Auction next Saturday night (Oct. 19).

Fundraiser concert in Palisade

Grande River Vineyards in Palisade hosts its last “Live in the Grapevines” concert for 2024 on Friday night. The “Stray Grass for Stray Pets” bluegrass show is a fundraiser for the Roice-Hurst Humane Society. Tickets cost $25 in advance, and the show starts at 7 p.m.

Water Lights in Grand Junction

Just up the road in Grand Junction, the butterfly pond at Las Colonias Park hosts a water lantern festival on Saturday night. Buy a water lantern kit for $7, and decorate with messages of remembrance, hope, wishes and more. The kit includes a marker, but added colors, stickers, etc. are welcome.

Food trucks open, music begins, and lantern pick-up starts at 5:30, followed by the launch at 6:45 p.m.

Breckenridge Craft Spirits Festival

The Still on the Hill is back. It’s a highlight of the year for Colorado whiskey aficionados. The Riverwalk Center hosts the grand tasting of handcrafted spirits at 4 p.m. Saturday. Admission includes a tasting glass, craft spirits and cocktails, food from local restaurants and live bluegrass music by Local Folk.

There also are other events all over Breckenridge Friday through Sunday, including spirits seminars, craft workshops, a scavenger hunt, historic hikes and walking tours.

Hallowine Festival

The inaugural Hallowine Festival is coming to Johnstown’s Thompson River Ranch neighborhood on Saturday. The event includes unlimited samples from more than 15 Colorado wineries, as well as live music, food trucks and artisan vendors.

Beer parties aplenty

Outside of those spirits and wine festivals, the big drinks party is of course the Great American Beer Festival in Denver. It should be a blast this year, with additional non-beer options and more entertainment and themed areas. Tickets are still available.

There also are breweries and taprooms all over the metro area pouring specialty beers brewed and delivered just for the massive festival and awards show. Check their websites and social media for details.

As always, please send us your events and announcements. We’re happy to share them. If they don’t fit in the Get Out of Town column, we will add them to our events calendar.