The Local newsletter is your free, daily guide to life in Colorado. For locals, by locals. Sign up today!
December 2017
Urban Adventure Quest
Anytime
A $49 walking tour of downtown Denver combined with a scavenger-hunt challenge makes for a clever way to learn about the landmarks you pass on your way to work every day.
January 2018
U.S. Grand Prix
January 10–14
For the first time in two decades, Aspen Snowmass will host tour events for snowboarders and freeskiers looking to qualify for the Winter Olympic Games in February.
Ouray Ice Festival
January 18–21
This fundraiser for the renowned Ouray Ice Park, a man-made ice climbing mecca, boasts daily vendor exhibitions and gear demos from well-known brands such as Black Diamond along with climbing competitions in the Uncompahgre Gorge.
February
Colorado Pond Hockey Tournament
February 16–18
Silverthorne’s three-day outdoor hockey tournament includes competitive and “just for fun” divisions as well as a women-only league.
March
Frozen Dead Guys Day
March 9–11
The Jeff Guercio Memorial Baseball Field in Nederland hosts one of Colorado’s quirkiest races, in which costumed teams transport a coffin—with a member inside—through a snowy obstacle course.
April
5Point Film Festival
April 19–22
The theme for the 2018 version of this annual film festival is “Our Stories Our Lands.” Expect plenty of shorts and documentaries celebrating our country’s striking open spaces and the adventures taking place in them.
May
Pikes Peak Birding & Nature Festival
May 11–13
Take a field trip alongside bird researchers to El Paso County and learn about the migration patterns of local species, including the broad-tailed hummingbird.
June
GoPro Mountain Games
June 7–10
Professional and amateur adventure athletes from around the world come to Vail for a free-to-watch summer kickoff that showcases more than 25 events in 11 sports (including kayaking, rock climbing, and trail running) plus photography—with more than $120,000 in prize money on the line.
FIBArk Whitewater Festival
June 14–17
America’s oldest white-water festival, located in Salida, presents raft, kayak, and stand-up paddleboard races on the mighty Arkansas River.
July
Never Summer Adventure Race
July 28–29
Teams choose from a six- or 24-hour trek, both of which include mountain biking, trail running, and packrafting (rafting with an inflatable boat that fits in your pack) in the Grand County area. Solo racers can also compete but only in the shorter contest.
August
Telluride Mushroom Festival
August 16–19
Fungi experts at this unconventional festival lead guided hikes into the San Juan Mountains to help you distinguish between a delectable chanterelle and its poisonous cousin.
September
Hut Run Hut
September 16–22
Experienced runners can spend six days jogging 100 miles from Aspen to Vail along the breathtaking Continental Divide.
Outlier Offroad Festival
Dates TBD
Check out 2019 mountain bike models in advance and compete in enduro (racing against the clock) or cross-country (racing against other humans) events, all against the backdrop of Vail Mountain Resort.
October
Man Of The Cliff
October 13–14
Colorado’s lumberjack games (think: speed chopping and spear throwing) are appealing enough to warrant driving two hours to Avon’s Nottingham Park. But the festival sweetens the deal by donating all proceeds to First Descents, a nonprofit providing young-adult cancer fighters and survivors with free outdoor adventures.
November
Warren Miller Film Tour
Dates TBD
We don’t yet know what new terrain the legendary adventure filmmaker will crush next year, but we do know that whatever it is, it will be epic.
