Taste of Colorado

The Taste of Colorado 2011 is free and, even better, it features some of the best food from around the city. It is one of the top food festivals in the region and one of Denver's biggest events, spanning four days in an outdoor venue within Civic Center Park in downtown Denver. Each year, the Taste of Colorado Denver Colorado visitors number hundreds of thousands, with recent years welcoming more than half a million strong. A wide range of kids activities, top music, and other festival attractions are each play a part in event.

Taste of Colorado History and Facts

Premiering as the Festival of Mountain and Plain in 1895, Taste of Colorado Denver organizers took the fair to a new level and made it one of the biggest Colorado events around. The focus aligns with the original mandate of Mardi Gras in New Orleans: to boost local confidence after the Silver Panic of 1893. For nine years, the Taste of Colorado survived, but eventually buckled under the pressure of low attendance. Fast forward to 1983 when the Denver Downtown Partnership reignited interest while re-producing the event within the original venue to celebrate the 16th Street Mall opening.

The Taste of Colorado defines food fanatic's dream festival: more than 50 booths dedicated to local food, seven stages for music, kids activities, interactive exhibits, carnival attractions, and local arts and crafts dealers. It is one of the premiere end-of-summer festivals featuring tons of attractions that feature a diverse array of cultures as well as the history and heritage of the west, all for free. Tickets are available for carnival rides, food, and drinks.

Directions to Taste of Colorado

Directions to Civic Center Park in Denver lead the way to the venue at 100 W 14th Ave Parkway, the corner of Broadway and Colfax. I-70 is the main route coming from either east or west while Highway 25 is the main route from north or south. Both highways converge at Globeville where valley Highway South/Highway 25 South is the next turn. Continue to Colfax Avenue West to Broadway and the park is on there, adjacent to the Colorado State Capital.

Lodging near Taste of Colorado

Downtown Denver hotels are ideal for the easy walking access provided to the food festival. The Taste of Colorado Denver Colorado hotels include the popular Sheraton and Hotel Monaco along with plenty of budget hotels to choose from. Be sure to keep an eye out for low weekend rates featured during the festival weekend.

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Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado

Great American Beer Festival 2011 is one of the top fall festivals in the United States. It’s an annual, three-day event hosted by the prestigious Brewers Association. This popular Denver event takes place over a mid-September weekend and attracts beer enthusiasts from across the world sampling more than 2,000 American craft beers. There are more than 95 product judges sampling along with the rest of the crowd, choosing finalists, and eventually the winners. The host city is an ideal place for the Denver Beer Festival: it is home to the country’s first brewery, Coors, and is also now home to Coors Field, a popular city baseball field. With this kind of history, it’s no surprise that the city is now dotted with microbreweries

Great American Beer Festival History and Facts

The Denver Beer Festival has enjoyed immense success since 1982, when it was first conceived by a resident of Boulder Colorado named Charlie Papazian, an American-born nuclear engineer. Papazian was also the original founder of the Association of Brewers and is considered an expert in the industry. He was known to love discussing and enjoying food and beer pairings, of which he wrote a book on the same topic.

A long stretch from the hundreds of breweries participating today, the original Great American Beer Festival welcomed just 22 breweries. There is one reliable constant over the years the festival has occurred: the category with the largest number of entries is almost always American-style India Pale Ale, a light, refreshing beer style appealing to all types of palates, making it extremely popular.

Over the years, the festival has drawn crowds that number 30, 40, and almost 50,000 people, attracted almost 500 unique breweries and more than 3,000 types of brews, and given out more than 200 medals at each of the festivals. Judges determine the Gold, Silver, and bronze finalists in categories totaling almost 80.

Tickets to Great American Beer Festival

Tickets to Great American Beer Festival are only available in advance. They go on sale toward the end of June as general admission tickets and are available by session or weekend pass. Sessions include blocks of time for each of the festival days. The first night welcomes the fewest crowds. The Member’s Only session happens on Saturday and is when most awards are given out.

Directions to Great American Beer Festival

The Great American Beer Festival is held at the Colorado Convention Center at 700 14th Street. From Boulder, Denver International Airport, Denver West, getting here includes a trip down the I-25 southbound. Follow the highway and merge onto Colfax Avenue East and then to Speer Boulevard and continue one block to Welton Street. The main entrance is at Welton Street and 13th to the Colorado Convention Center located at 700 14th Street where there is a parking garage for 1,000 vehicles.

Lodging near Great American Beer Festival

Lodging at the Great American Beer Festival is available at many nearby Denver hotels. The official hotel sponsor of the weekend events is the Denver Marriott City Center. Other Convention Center hotels include Hotel Monaco, the Hyatt Regency, and the Holiday Inn. There are many other downtown Denver hotels available near the Denver Beer Festival in many price ranges to suit all budgets.

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Mile High Music Festival in Denver, Colorado

Mile High Music Festival 2011 kicks off in Denver in Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The festival features world-famous live acts like Jack Johnson, Jimmy Cliff, Railroad Earth, and Steve Miller Band. This is no small show. Each year the festival hosts more than 40 artists over two days, creating a frenzy of music fanatics heading in from all over the country.

The park comprises fourteen soccer fields on sweeping grounds, which are the dance floor for weekend events. This is one of the top music festivals in the area, and backdrop has a lot to do with it. Beyond the park lies Rocky Mountain National Forrest along with Boulder and Denver, two of the state’s most famous attractions.

Mile High Music Festival History and Facts

In July of 2008, the Mile High Music Festival joined a long list of annual American music festivals. The first festival was headlined by famous acts like Dave Matthews Band and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, getting a strong start on the scene and adding to its popularity immediately. The next year, Mile High Music Fest Denver Colorado performers went a step further, adding a third top billing act to their line-up. The festivals second season was headlined by The Fray, TOOL, and Widespread Panic.

Similar to Virgin Mobile Fest and Coachella Festival in music genres and venues, Mile High Music Festival 2011 sets up five stages to accommodate the many artists and bands that perform. Along with the stages are plenty of other amenities like food stands, restrooms, and plenty of shade throughout the park. There are also ATMs onsite, merchandise, and drinking fountains.

Anyone planning Colorado vacations around this event has it made if the outdoors are particularly appealing. With a natural backdrop of forests, lakes, rivers and mountains, things to do such as hiking, rafting, climbing, and cycling take top spot. But don’t fret if you’re not the outdoors type. There is also shopping, spas, golf, and dining to enjoy, too.

Tickets to Mile High Music Festival

Tickets to Mile High Music Festival 2011 are available as early bird tickets and regularly priced tickets. There are also VIP tickets available, offering VIP seating and areas. Mile High Music Festival Denver Colorado organizers have also offered straight-up pricing, meaning there are no hidden fees or taxes. Tickets purchased at any of the announced ticket locations are all the same price. Tickets go on sale in April for the July show and are limited.

Directions to Mile High Music Festival

Located at The Fields at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park at 6000 Victory Way, directions to Mile High Music Fest Denver Colorado are simple. Follow the I-70 which is west of Denver International Airport (where most major airlines to Colorado fly) and east of the city. Exit onto Quebec Street, go north on Quebec Street until you see signs for the festival. From the airport, exit onto Pena Boulevard toward I-70, but before you get onto the freeway, exit onto East 56th Avenue. Drive for about ten minutes before you see signs for the festival.

Lodging near Mile High Music Festival

Denver hotels offer the best access for those looking for lodging near Mile High Music Festival 2011. An endless array of budget options and hotels styles are available for the choosing within downtown Denver, which is an area offering convenience and things to do. Aurora is a more residential city on the east side of Denver that offers more quiet than the city along with easy approach to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

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Denver Events and Festivals

Denver events offer something for everyone, and since they take place throughout the year, it is often possible to include at least one on a vacation itinerary. Many Denver visitors drop in during the ski season, and when they're not on the slopes, they can enjoy seasonal events such as the Zoo Lights. The Denver Green Festival is another annual event that is worth keeping in mind when planning a visit to Colorado's largest city, and there are plenty of others that can also make for ideal additions to the agenda. When it comes to the Denver events, visitors can choose from any number of interesting options.

The Denver Green Festival has the world's ecosystem as a focus. More than 100 speakers offer insight into any number of ecological topics during the festival, and for those who are interested in subjects such as global warming and sustainability, it's a great forum for exchanging ideas. May is the month for the Denver Green Festival, and the Colorado Convention Center serves as the venue. Coincidentally, the Convention Center hosts all kinds of events throughout the year, including a kid's expo and an auto show, so it's always a good idea to check the venue's events calendar when planning a Denver getaway.

Many top rated Denver festivals revolve around food and drink, with the Taste of Colorado being one of the best. Celebrated at Civic Center Park, this Labor Day Weekend event attracts thousands with its food and its festive atmosphere. On average, some 50 Colorado restaurants have a presence at the Taste of Colorado, and when visitors aren't sampling the food, they can play various games, ride some rides, and enjoy live music, among other things.

For beer enthusiasts, the Denver events calendar doesn't only feature Oktoberfest on Larimer. In late September and early October, Denver's Great American Beer Festival gets under way, and it offers more than 1,500 different kinds of beers for visitors to try. Supplying the products are more than 300 American breweries, some of which are local establishments. You can definitely expect Coors to have its beers on offer during the Great American Beer Festival, thanks to the fact that the large and historic Coors Brewery can be found in nearby Golden.

Oktoberfest in Larimer takes place in October and is one of the longest-running Denver festivals. This festival celebrates German heritage, and plenty of German beer is on tap. Oktoberfest used to take place in Larimer Square. These days, however, the Denver Ballpark Neighborhood is the scene for all the German-related festivities.

Denver is the largest city in a fairly big region, and as such, it is a cultural capital of sorts. In March, the Mile High City celebrates Saint Patrick's Day in style, offering a colorful parade in front of Coors Field, and every year in May, it hosts the country's largest Cinco de Mayo Festival. The former celebrates the culture and people of Mexico, and it too features a fantastic parade. For anyone who wants to learn about the area's Native American community, the March Pow Wow is one of the other Denver events that caters to cultural enthusiasts. This weekend event takes place at the end of March, with the Denver Coliseum serving as the main venue. The Pow Wow includes Native American singing and dancing performances.

These are just some of the Denver festivals and events that are worth adding to the agenda, and there are plenty more that can also add extra flavor to a Mile High City escape. They include the excellent Denver Film Festival, where it's often possible to speak with cast members and directors from films that are being showcased, and the Denver International Buskerfest, which revolves around the art of street theater. Speaking of theater, the Denver Performing Arts Center hosts a number of annual theater shows, as well as opera, ballet, and symphony performances.

In addition to cultural enthusiasts, Denver caters to sports enthusiasts. Invesco Field, the Pepsi Center, and Coors Field serve as the venues for pro sporting events, and they are often open for tours when they aren't hosting football, basketball, hockey, and baseball games.

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Renaissance Festival Colorado

The 2011 Renaissance Festival Colorado brings a colorful world to life—one of legend, magic, and imagination. King Henry invites you to join the world of Tudor England as presented in Larkspur, Colorado. Jugglers, jousters, artisans and others gather to celebrate the good things in life, complete with art, music, and food.

Renaissance Festival Colorado History and Facts

The first festival was held 1976 and quickly became one of the most popular Colorado events. The Renaissance Festival Colorado Larkspur Colorado continues to unfold on Saturdays and Sundays in June and July, a spectacular time to visit Colorado. Every new festival brings back old favorites and new entertainment, making it a fun thing to do year after year. When you add in theme weekends, every visit is a magical experience all its own.

Hundreds of artisans open up shop, and seven stages hosts all types of performances. Live music, hypnotists, and others bring interactive theater to a whole new level. The Renaissance Festival Colorado schedule of events also includes kids' games and some truly amazing shopping. You'll also find a spread of good food and drink fit for a king.

Tickets to the Renaissance Festival Colorado

Daily admission fees are charged for visitors over the age of 5; kids under 5 can enjoy the festival for free. Kids aged 5 to 12 enjoy big discounts over the regular ticket price, which is charged for anyone 13 and up. If you look around, you should be able to find discounts that make the 2011 Renaissance Festival Colorado Larkspur Colorado even more affordable.

Directions to the Renaissance Festival

The fairgrounds are located at 650 West Perry Park Avenue in the small town of Larkspur, about halfway between Colorado Springs and Denver. It's about a 30-minute trip from either city. From Colorado Springs, take Interstate 25 north to exit 172 and follow the signs to the Renaissance festival. The Denver directions are nearly the same, only take I-25 to the south and use exit 173. If you want to take the scenic route south from Denver, take the interstate to highway 85. In Sedalia, catch Colorado 105 and take that south to Larkspur.

Once you arrive, parking is free for cars as well as RVs and motor coaches. A free shuttle can take you right to the gate, so you don't have to worry about finding a super-close spot.

Lodging near the Renaissance Festival Colorado

Many welcoming hotels and campgrounds are located with a half-hour drive of the Renaissance Festival Colorado. Some people choose to stay in Denver or Colorado Springs or do some camping in one of the scenic settings in between the two. If you're thinking the Denver hotels are too far away, consider looking to Castle Rock. The accommodations in this town are even closer to the festival grounds.

The Best Western Inn and Suites, located at 595 Genoa Way in Castle Rock, provides a comfortable and welcome place to stay after spending the day in the sixteenth century. The hotel features 70 rooms and suites, each with air-conditioning and wireless Internet access. In the morning, guests can fuel up on the free breakfast buffet before heading off the Renaissance festival.

The Renaissance Festival Colorado Larkspur Colorado also is close to the Quality Inn at 884 Park Street. The former Holiday Inn Express has been renovated and upgraded, making it more comfortable and welcoming. An easy trip to the airports in Colorado Springs and Denver, the Quality Inn is also close to the United States Air Force Academy, one of the region's top attractions.

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Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Colorado

The Telluride Bluegrass Festival 2011 unfolds over three days in June, bringing music to this renewed mining town best known for its skiing. In the summer, Telluride is blessed with long, sunny days and pleasant views. This three-day celebration, with the mountains as a stunning backdrop, features a long list of music acts. As you would expect from the Telluride Bluegrass Festival lineup, some of the best and biggest names in the field will make their way to the mountains in the summer.

Telluride Bluegrass Festival History and Facts

The first festival was held in 1973 in conjunction with the summer solstice. Every year, one of the most popular Colorado events happens around the official start of summer and the longest day of the year. Over the years, more and more people have gathered in the heart of the San Juan Mountains to enjoy great scenery and great music. The Telluride Bluegrass Festival lineup gets stronger every summer.

Tickets to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival

Admission is charged for anyone over the age of 12, and all kids need to have an adult with them. 2011 Telluride Bluegrass Festival tickets are available for one day, or you could upgrade to a full festival pass.

Telluride Bluegrass Festival tickets also are available for the NightGrass series. These concerts are held a the Sheridan Opera House and the Fly Me to the Moon Saloon. Both are a short walk away from the Town Park grounds, and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival lineup is even better when you add in these shows. A few concerts also take place at the Telluride Conference Center, a free gondola ride away from the heart of town.

Directions to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival

Telluride is nestled in the Rocky Mountains along the San Juan Skyway. This scenic drive is a 200-plus mile loop that passes through other historic mining towns such as Durango, Cortez, Silverton, and Ouray. From Durango, follow the Skyway (Highway 160) west to Cortez, where the Skyway turns to Highway 145. Follow that north until you arrive at Telluride.

The trip from Denver is about 330 miles. Once you have your Telluride Bluegrass Festival tickets in the car with you, follow Interstate 70 to the west until Route 50 in Grand Junction. In Montrose, take Route 550 until Highway 62, which is a short trip to Route 145 into Telluride.

From Highway 145 and the Telluride airport, the festival's home is easy to reach. Take Colorado Road to the east until you reach Telluride Town Park at 500 E. Colorado Avenue. A free shuttle runs throughout town, and much of the small town is within walking distance.

Lodging near the Telluride Bluegrass Festival

Camping is a popular way to experience the festival. Several campgrounds provide a place for festival-goers to spend the overnight. Many of the campsites require four-day passes, which cost the same whether you're planning to spend one night or four. Both tent camping and RVs can be accommodated at the various campgrounds.

If you'd rather stay in a plush accommodations, you'll have plenty of choices in Telluride. Whether you choose a cozy mountain chalet, friendly bed and breakfast inn, or one of the Colorado hotels, you'll have a fine place to spend the night and check out the Telluride Bluegrass Festival lineup for the next day.

Right in the heart of Mountain Village, the Hotel Madeline is located at 568 Mountain Village Boulevard. The elegant hotel, which offers excellent views of the San Juan peaks, has 89 guestrooms and suites. The former Capella Telluride pampers its guests with refined luxury, along with an indoor pool, spa, and fireside lounge.

The Hotel Telluride at 199 North Cornet Street welcomes guests during the bluegrass festival as well as ski season. The guestrooms feature high thread count sheets and MP3 players, as well as luxury bath products. The rooms also have private patios or balconies, a place to sit, relax, and soak in the mountain views.

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Aspen Music Festival, Colorado

The Aspen Music festival 2011 is both a training ground for young musicians and a place for fans to experience one of the finer things in life. Known as one the best places for Colorado skiing, the town of Aspen offers charms in all four seasons. For eight weeks in the summer, this summertime tradition brings a full schedule of concerts both indoors and out.

Aspen Music Festival History and Facts

Many of the Colorado events focus on music, and the Aspen Music Festival is no exception. Concerts take place at the Wheeler Opera House as well as the Harris Concert Hall and the Benedict Music Tent during July and August.

Aspen Music Festival 2011 continues a tradition that started in 1949 as the Goethe Bicentennial Convocation. In the first years, the festival, organized by Elizabeth and Walter Paepcke from Chicago, brought in lecturers and musicians. As time passed, the festival grew from two weeks to eight, shifting the emphasis to classical music and education. Today, the Aspen Music Festival Colorado has more than 320 events on the schedule. Orchestra concerts, chamber music, and opera are on the list, as are contemporary musicians, master classes, and so much more.

Tickets to the Aspen Music Festival Colorado

With the option to purchase single concert tickets or festival packages you can experience the Aspen Music Festival at your own pace. Season passes are available at a discount for youth tickets. Those who purchase season passes can reserve seats on the day of the event for free or pay a small fee to reserve seats beforehand.

Many of the events are free and do not require tickets—around 25 percent of the festival is free to enjoy. Master classes and students concerts, also free, fill the schedule during the festival weekdays. At the Benedict Music Tent, you can save money by purchasing a low-cost ticket to one of the open dress rehearsals. Guests also can enjoy these shows for free by sitting on the David Karetsky Music Lawn or the Music Garden.

Directions to the Aspen Music Festival

The Aspen Music Festival and School is easy to access from Highway 82, which crosses Interstate 70 near Glenwood Springs. From Denver, travel through Avon and Vail, taking the interstate west 145 miles to exit 116. The trip into Aspen on Highway 82 is about 40 miles, filled with mountain views.

If you'd prefer to take the scenic route, take I-70 west from Denver to exit 195, the Copper Mountain exit. Catch Colorado Highway 91 south to Leadville. The highway turns into Co-24, which crosses Highway 82 at Twin Lakes.

Lodging near the Aspen Music Festival Colorado

Aspen's ski resorts and hotels provide hospitality year-round, while camping is an option during the warmer months of the year.

The Sky Hotel in the heart of town is one option for places to stay during the Aspen Music Festival. The pet-friendly hotel at 709 East Durant Avenue features 90 comfortable and chic guestrooms with down comforters, wireless Internet access, and in-room movies. The indoor heated pool is open year-round, as is the fitness center.

The Inn at Aspen Hotel at the base Buttermilk Mountain at 38750 Highway 82 offers its summertime guests a free continental breakfast. The Inn's 122 guestrooms and suites have patios and balconies perfect for soaking in the mountain scenery.

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Colorado Events and Festivals

Colorado events run the gamut from state fairs to film festivals and beyond. Although there are an infinite variety of things to do in Colorado, many people like to plan their Colorado vacations around specific Colorado events. In every season and in every part of the state, there are always an exciting multitude of Colorado events that will satisfy every interest as well as every age group. These are just a few of them.

State Fairs

The State Fairs are probably the most event popular Colorado events. While the fairs are held in different parts of Colorado, the largest is held in Pueblo. The Pueblo State Fair, which usually takes place in late August or early September, features a variety of exciting attractions. One of the most interesting of these is the "Barn Tours" which are conducted by an internationally known company that provides agriculture education and literacy in a highly entertaining manner. The goal of these tours is to demonstrate how animals play an important role of our everyday life. Each tour accommodates up to 60 people. As the tours walk through the livestock barns on the fair grounds, the highly trained tour guides teach tour members surprising and humorous facts and trivia about animals and agriculture.

Although the Pueblo fair is one of the larger Colorado summer events, the Community Fair in Silverthorne is perfect for anyone who once to get up close and personal with small animals. Both the young and the young at heart can spend some quality time in the snuggling with the animals in the petting zoo. The Silverthorne fair also features a Professional Rodeo sanctioned rodeo event. The Silverthorne Community Fair usually takes place in late July.

Colorado Film Festivals

Every year, a variety of film festivals are held throughout Colorado. If you are looking for Denver Colorado events, the Films on the Rocks series at the Red Rocks Amphitheater is one of the many exciting Colorado summer events. If you are looking for one of the elite Denver Colorado events, try to get yourself invited to the Party with Oscar. This premiere Academy Awards party features 15 screens for viewing the academy awards. It is one of the most sophisticated Denver Colorado events. If you are looking for Boulder Colorado events, check out the Boulder International Film Festival in February. Other film festivals take place throughout the year in Breckenridge, Telluride, Vail and Aspen.

Colorado Springs Events

The Colorado Festival of World Theatre is one of the most interesting Colorado Springs Events. Every year, some of the best theatre companies from all parts of the globe gather near Pike's Peak in order to present a variety of top-notch theatrical programs. If you love the "darned old rodeo" as much as you love theatre, then you will probably enjoy the Pike's Peak or Bust Rodeo in July.

No matter when you travel to Colorado, there will always be some exciting events taking place.

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