When summer arrives in Colorado, and the whole state seems to burst into bloom, there’s a sense of euphoria in the air. The days seem to stretch on forever, and there’s something new to celebrate around every corner. It’s possible, and even recommended, to pour all that joy into a season-long itinerary of fantastical parties.
There are, of course, the seasonal staples like incredible music festivals and cookouts. But Colorado’s out-of-the-ordinary sort of magic means there’s no shortage of wild and wondrous things that also deserve celebration. Take Mike the Headless Chicken, a miraculous poultry specimen that now has an entire festival dedicated to him. Or Prunes, a miner’s donkey that raced across the Continental Divide in the 1800s and is still celebrated today. Here, there are festivals dedicated to beloved animals, but also to the abundance of dark skies for stargazing, the vibrant wildflowers, the ripe peaches that weigh down the Western orchards, and the mushrooms that carpet the aspen forests of the San Juans.
Summer in Colorado is a unique and enchanting time: celebrate at these seven fantastic festivals.
Fairplay | July 25 – 27, 2025
Fairplay, Colorado’s Burro Days competition first started in 1949, when a local newspaper advertised a $500 prize for the fastest man-and-burro team to reach Fairplay from Leadville—two towns only 11 miles apart as the crow flies, but separated by a huge mountain in the middle. In that inaugural race, 21 contestants entered, starting a beloved local tradition. These days, the prize money is about the same, but the field has ballooned. About 100 burro teams now gather each year to sprint to the top of Mosquito Pass and back—a distance of 29 miles at an elevation of over 13,000 feet—in pursuit of modest glory. And while the iconic endurance challenge may have started with donkeys, it certainly didn’t end there. Modern participants can also sign up for llama, dog, and outhouse races. Cheer them all on, then celebrate the rest of Fairplay’s Wild West history with live music, cowboy church, horseback parades, and a bit of recreational gold panning. Also be sure to stop by Front Street to pay your respects: that way stands a memorial to one of the inaugural event’s top racers, a burro named Prunes.
Fruita | May 30-31, 2025
Every summer, locals of Fruita in western Colorado gather to eat chicken wings, run a 5k, and participate in a mass community chicken dance. The occasion? A tribute to Fruita’s own special miracle: a chicken named Mike that survived without a head for 18 months. Back in the 1940s, Mike was the victim of a routine beheading gone terribly wrong. Thanks to a lucky cutting angle and a timely blood clot, he was able to survive sans noggin for more than a year after his attempted murder. Not only did the young clucker sidestep the dinner plate; he also toured the country as part of a traveling show, achieving a national fame that lasted until his more or less inevitable demise in an Arizona hotel room in 1947. Today, you can celebrate Miracle Mike’s life and legacy at his namesake festival, which is typically held in downtown Fruita in late May or early June. (While you roam, also keep an eye out for the 4-foot-tall chicken sculpture on Aspen Avenue.)
Telluride | August 13-17, 2025
Dress as a mushroom and parade around town, attend talks by leading mycologists, or traipse through the woods in search of edible fungi: if your hobbies are ‘shroom-related, the Telluride Mushroom Festival has you covered. Founded in 1981, this late-summer fest is an annual celebration of Colorado’s thriving foraging community and rich local biodiversity. All pass-holders are invited to take part in mushroom identification forays—spotting everything from truffles to porcinis to fly-agarics to the famous Giant Puffball—cultivation workshops, arts and crafts lessons, and meals centered on freshly-picked fungi. It’s an action-packed four days, but be sure to save your energy for dancing: Saturday concludes with the infamous Puff Ball, a mushroom-themed costumed dance party at the Sheridan Opera House.
Crested Butte | July 11-20, 2025
Thanks to its high elevation, plentiful snowmelt, and nearly limitless sunshine, the mountain town of Crested Butte is widely regarded as the wildflower capital of Colorado: which means it’s a natural home for the state’s biggest annual wildflower festival. This expansive 10-day celebration of all things floral draws more than 1,500 people to town each year, and offers more than 150 different lectures, events, and workshops. Activities run the gamut from rugged hikes and jeep tours to watercolor classes and photography lessons. The festival is a true community event—for visitors who are brand new to plant identification, have never held a camera, or aren’t quite sold on hiking, there are still tons of beginner-friendly opportunities designed to help everyone experience the wildflower fun.
Palisade | August 15-16, 2025
Come summer in Colorado, Palisade peaches are all the rage. Cold winters on the Western Slope encourage stone fruits to store up their sugars, and the result come summer is a sweet, juicy peach that locals won’t hesitate to recommend. The best place to try these famous fruits is the Palisade Peach Festival, a two-day event held annually in the peach capital of Colorado. While Palisade has hosted harvest-themed parades, peach recipe contests, and beauty pageants since the 1890s, the Peach Festival as we know it first started up 57 years ago—and has happened every year since. At the festival you can tour local farms, attend peach-cooking demos, and listen to live music with a fresh peach in your hand. Maybe you’ll even consider signing up for the festival’s legendary peach-eating contest! Just be warned that you’ll be up against some stiff competition: the current record is 11 peaches in 90 seconds.
Gardner | June 25-29, 2025
Southern Colorado’s wide-open landscapes, high elevation, and cool, dry air make it one of the best places in the country for stargazing, and home to 18 certified Dark Sky locations. Every year, the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society shows its gratitude to the state’s bounty—and its tight-knit community of amateur astronomers—by hosting an annual star party in the aptly named Starry Meadows just outside Gardner. Pitch a tent or park your RV and settle in for four days of stargazing, solar observation, sky tours, games, and lectures from some of the nation’s top astronomers. At an altitude of 7,600 feet, stargazers will be able to get amazingly clear views of the solar system, the Milky Way, and even some shooting stars. Don’t forget to explore during the daytime hours, either: the Starry Meadows sit nestled between the Sangre De Cristos and the Wet Mountains, which means nearly limitless opportunity for hiking during the area’s peak wildflower season.
Greeley | June 20-July 6, 2025
This 12-day event is a celebration of all things America—and the rodeo is only the half of it. Carnival rides, live music, a demolition derby, and the state’s largest Fourth of July parade are all on offer too, making the Greeley Stampede one of the biggest Western showcases in the state of Colorado. The fest started more than 100 years ago as an opportunity for local potato farmers to let their hair down a bit. Then dubbed the Greeley Spud Rodeo, the event featured a pie-eating contest, bronco riding, a roping competition, and horse races. Since then, the Stampede has changed its name and grown to attract nearly 250,000 visitors, not to mention bull riders and rodeo professionals from across the world. Team roping, barrel racing, and mutton bustin’ are all highlights. Also not to be missed: the American Bull Fighting event, which looks something like a mix between a gladiatorial battle and freestyle parkour.