All-American rodeo, art, music, food and more on tap

By Steve Graham

It takes less than 45 minutes to get from downtown Denver to Evergreen, but summer temperatures are pretty much always lower and the mountain vibes are great. The town will be especially fun this weekend for the Center for the Arts Evergreen’s annual Summerfest. The art festival will feature at least 100 artist booths, as well as live music, food trucks, spirits vendors, family activities and more from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Buchanan Park Field. Admission costs $5, and kids 10 and under are free.

Thirst Colorado is the media sponsor for the festival. We will be in the libations area handing out free magazines and swag, and giving away a staycation at the Ameristar Casino Resort Spa in Black Hawk.

Garfield County Fair and Rodeo

Rifle is another fun mountain town and a good homebase for visiting waterfalls, caves, rock climbing spots and more. The town also delivers classic all-American fun this weekend for the Garfield County Fair and Rodeo.

The fair opens Friday with a Latino Heritage Concert, and continues Saturday with a parade. A carnival, open exhibits for all ages, and 4-H and FFA exhibits open Tuesday.

Live music and the PRCA and WPRA pro rodeo events start Wednesday. The headline concert with Gabby Barrett and Ned LeDoux is at 7 p.m. next Friday, July 26. Concerts, carnival attractions and exhibits continue through Sunday.

Winter Park Jazz Festival

A festival lineup is pretty tight when Scotland’s funkiest combo, Average White Band, gets third billing. On Saturday at the Winter Park Jazz Festival, the constantly sampled group is upstaged by Grammy-winning soul storyteller Anthony Hamilton and former Mint Condition leader Stokley. Sunday brings jazz saxophonist Boney James, the genre-blending Lalah Hathaway and more.

The festival is at the Rendezvous Event Center in downtown Winter Park, and the music starts at 11 a.m. both days. Day passes start at $90.

HAHA immersive art in Telluride

Ah Haa is a creative arts hub in Telluride, with classes, workshops and more. It hosts its biggest annual fundraiser this weekend. The HAHA is an immersive art takeover and multimedia art experience crafted by 10 local and international artists.

It is open for adults from 7 to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and weekend admission costs $60. The Little Giggles program runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, with $20 admission for children and teens.

Taste of the week: Breck Create Culinary Affair

Breck Create, an artist community in Breckenridge, celebrates its 10-year anniversary with a creative culinary affair on the Arts District campus. Attendees can walk through the studios sampling locally crafted food and drinks, and taking in visual art, acrobatics and more. The event closes with the decade party at the Riverwalk Center, with live music from Beatlegras and Funkiphino. The cost is $300 per person.

Save the date: Scottish-Irish Festival

The huge and popular Longs Peak Scottish-Irish Festival returns to Estes Park Sept 6 to 8. It is the largest highland festival in the country, and includes Scottish athletics, Celtic rock and folk music, dog exhibits, clan tents, whiskey tastings and more.

As always, please send us your events and announcements. We’re happy to share them. And enjoy your Colorado craft libations responsibly.