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Summer is quickly approaching, and so is festival season.
In the city, we’ll see the return of Indiewood Street Festival, which made its Englewood debut with Swallow Hill last year, as well as Outside Festival’s rebrand as Outside Days. And then there’s a major choice to be made the weekend of July 23: whether to attend Blucifer’s First Rodeo, a new, all-local fest coming to Broadway, or the Underground Music Showcase, which held its last iteration on that same stretch of Broadway in 2025 and has moved to RiNo.
And then there are all the mountain affairs, from Telluride Bluegrass to Jazz Aspen to King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s Field of Vision, returning to Buena Vista.
Check out all the fests you don’t want to miss below, and keep coming back: We’ll be adding to this list as more festivals are announced.
Courtesy Cobranoid
HUFR Fest
April 24-26
Bar 404, 404 Broadway
A new festival is landing at Bar 404, which just won a Best of Denver editorial award for Best Venue for Music, Community and Food. The doomy jamboree is chock-full of incredible acts, with Saturday’s lineup including Cobranoid, Blue Heron, Luna Sol, Godzillionaire, Buzzard Fight and Psalm, and Sunday’s showcasing Black Moon Cult, Shadow of Jupiter, Messiahvore, Black Sunrise and Electric Condor.
Backstage Flash
FoCoMX
April 24-25
Downtown Fort Collins
FoCoMX is Colorado’s biggest celebration of local bands, with 450 of them on this year’s lineup. The musicians will be performing across forty stages around downtown Fort Collins. Tickets to the festival ($60-$75) are on sale now, and we’ve made a list of the fifty acts we’re most excited to see.
Photography By: Brandon Johnson (@bjohnsonxar)
Outside Days
May 28-31
Auraria Campus
Outside Days — formerly Outside Festival — is returning to Denver for a multi-day event on the Auraria Campus this year (since Civic Center is under construction). While there are many outdoor-rec industry events and film screenings to attend, the biggest draw is the music. This year’s lineup includes My Morning Jacket, the Flaming Lips, Death Cab for Cutie, Cage The Elephant, Tash Sultana, Japanese Breakfast, Goth Babe, Dawes and more.
Photography By: Brandon Johnson (@bjohnsonxar)
Photography By: Brandon Johnson (@bjohnsonxar)
Indiewood Street Festival
Saturday, June 6, 1-7 p.m.
South Broadway and West Hampden Avenue, Englewood
After its sold-out debut last year, Indiewood Street Festival returns with an excellent lineup featuring Sam Burchfield, the Animeros, Frail Talk and the Crooked Rugs Bluebook. Hosted by music nonprofit Swallow Hill Music in partnership with Downtown Englewood, the festivities include food trucks, craft beer, local vendors and Swallow Hill’s beloved “Instrument Petting Zoo,” where you can try your hand at playing a new instrument. Get tickets at swallowhillmusic.org.
City Park Jazz
City Park Jazz
Every Sunday, 6 to 8 p.m., June 7 through August 9
City Park
Since 1986, City Park Jazz has hosted ten free concerts each summer – a gift of free live music that’s become a beloved annual tradition. And yes, the show will go on this year, despite a fire that decimated the century-old bandshell; the performers will be on a mobile stage. So bring your lawn chairs, picnics and friends and family, and gather around the City Park Pavilion to listen to jazz, blues, salsa and more from some of the city’s best musicians. This year’s performers includes Hazel Miller & the Collective, DJ Williams Band, Jakarta and more. Visit cityparkjazz.org for the full schedule.
Courtesy Justin Criado
Telluride Bluegrass Festival
June 18-21
Telluride
This year’s edition will be the 51st Telluride Bluegrass Festival, when you can again soak up all your favorite bluegrass and roots acts surrounded by the San Juan Mountains, with beer in hand and good vibes all around. This year’s lineup includes Tedeschi Trucks Band, Greensky Bluegrass, Shakey Graves, Bela Fleck, Leftover Salmon, Larkin Poe, Sam Bush Band, Gregory Alan Isakov, Sierra Hull, the Infamous Stringdusters and so many more. Get tickets and more info at bluegrass.com.
Edgewater Music Festival
Saturday, June 20, 2-10 p.m.
5540 West 22nd Avenue, Edgewater
The Edgewater Music Festival isn’t just a great time – it also gives back. Presented by the Blues & BBQ for Better Housing Foundation, the festival raises money for Habitat for Humanity Metro Denver. It also has killer music: This year’s roster includes Jubilingo, Shwarma, NoCo Latin All Stars, Rugburn, In Plain Air, Native Space, Los Mocochetes, the Duke Street Kings, Velvet Daydream and Wild Love Tigress. Get tickets at bluesnbbq.com.
Blues From the Top
June 26-28
Winter Park
Hosted by Grand County Blues Society, Blues From the Top celebrates all of the best blues musicians and, via GCBS, helps to educate youth on the genre. This year’s lineup includes the Wood Brothers, Marc Broussard, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Jimmie Vaughan, North Mississippi Allstars, By water Call, Los Lobos, Southern Hospitality, Blind Boys of Alabama and Vanessa Collier. Learn more at bluesfromthetop.org.
Jensen Sutta
Juneteenth Music Festival
Saturday, June 29, noon to 8 p.m.
2700 Welton Street
While the lineup is yet to be announced, the Juneteenth Music Festival is slated to return to Welton Street for a day-long, free celebration featuring music, food trucks, vendors and family-friendly activities. Find more information at juneteenthmusicfestival.com.
Winter Park Jazz Festival
July 18-19
Winter Park
Held at the Rendezvous Event Center in Winter Park, Winter Park Jazz Fest will be back for its 43rd year. This year’s lineup includes two days of stellar jazz music from such artists as Patti LaBelle, Damien Escobar, Najee, Brian Culbertson, After 7, Kim and Kayla Waters, and more. Get tickets and more info at the festival website.
Blucifer’s First Rodeo
July 23-26
Broadway
Blucifer’s First Rodeo will gallop into central Denver this summer. The all-local festival, staged by Denver musicians, is a testament to the Mile High music scene, with bands such as Bluebook, Cheap Perfume, Horse Bitch, Honey Blazer, Los Mocochetes, Fruta Brutal, Ritmo Cascabel, Bitchflower, 2MX2, Sunstoney and Wheelchair Sports Camp signing on, with others to be announced. Two-day passes are available now for $59 at bluciferfest.com.
Jordan Altergott (@jordanaltergott)
Underground Music Showcase
July 24-26
RiNo Art District
Last year was the Underground Music Showcase’s final iteration at its longtime home along Broadway. Many thought the festival wouldn’t return, but it will be back this summer — and this time, it will take place in RiNo, across several outdoor stages and venues around the neighborhood, with more than 200 local and national acts. Pre-sale tickets ($75) are available now at undergroundmusicshowcase.com.
Rockygrass Festival
July 24-26
Lyons
Head to the Planet Bluegrass ranch for the 54th annual RockyGrass Festival, a celebration of traditional bluegrass and roots music. Held along the banks of the St. Vrain River, the fest offers an array of outdoor-rec activities along with the tunes. This year’s lineup includes Willie Watson, the Del McCourty Band, Kruger Brothers and more.
Rhythms on the Rio
July 30-August 2
Del Norte
The lineup at this fest includes two sets from Leftover Salmon (including a Jerry Garcia tribute set) as well as two from the Infamous Stringdusters. There’s also bluegrass from Clay Street Unit, the Fretliners and Magoo, as well as more jams from Moontricks, the Brothers Comatose, Fireside Collective, Sqwerv and more. Learn more at rhythmsontherio.com.
Beanstalk Music Festival
August 6-8
Rancho Del Rio, Bond
The Magic Beans has hosted its annual Beanstalk Festival for thirteen years now. The jam-centric band will perform all three nights, of course, and this year’s roster also includes two sets from Lotus, Squeaky Feet and Sqwerv, as well as sets from Banshee Tree, Space Bacon, Octabe Cat and more. The fest’s appeal goes beyond music, though: Since it’s nestled alongside the Colorado River in the Vail Valley, you can go rafting, bike along a wide selection of trails, or hike and then soak in hot springs. Learn more at beanstalkfestival.com.
Up in the Sky
August 7-8
Buttermilk, Aspen
Up in the Sky had a successful debut in Aspen last year and will be back on the mountain for a major music weekend. The lineup includes such heavyweights as John Summit, Empire of the Sun, Leon Thomas, Passion Pit, Dom Dolla, Parcels, Polo & Pan and so many more; grab your tickets at upintheskyfestival.com.
Rocky Mountain Folks Festival
August 7-9
Lyons
This will be the 36th annual Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, which celebrates singer-songwriters of all genres across three days at the Planet Bluegrass ranch in Lyons, along the St. Vrain River. This year’s lineup includes Jesse Welles, Big Richard, Ani DiFranco, Valerie June, Steve Poltz, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, the Strumbellas, Junior Brown, Bonfire Dub and more. Get your tickets on the festival website.
Ross Jones
Field of Vision
August 14-16
Buena Vista
After a major first year, Field of Vision will return to Meadow Creek in Buena Vista for three days of one of the best bands in the world: King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. Aside from that prolific act, which will perform daily, the lineup is replete with amazing bands, including Denver’s own Blood Incantation, Die Spitz, Jello Biafra, La Luz, Pattie Gonia, Folk Bitch Trio and more. Get tickets at the festival website.
Badger Music & Arts Festival
August 14-16
Hartsel
Badger Music & Arts Festival dubs itself “a scene-built, artist-calibrated gathering tucked into Colorado’s high desert built for music, art and sonic transmissions from the astral plane.” In other words, sounds like a great place for shrooms. The festival touts Burner values and will have a lineup of DJs, producers and live performers. Find out more at badgermusicfestival.com.
Mountain Music Fest
Sunday, August 16, noon to 9 p.m.
Buchanan Field, Evergreen
Mountain Music Fest has a great mission — to support the local school system — and it brings top-notch entertainment to Evergreen each year for that cause. The festival has announced the Bacon Brothers (Michael and Kevin Bacon) as the 2026 headliner, and there will be carnival games, food trucks, vendors and more. Find more info on the festival website.
Psychs Peak
August 28-29
Green Mountain Ranch
Psychs Peak leans into the state’s love of psych rock, and always puts on a killer fest with local and national bands. While this year’s lineup hasn’t been announced, we’d still recommend grabbing tickets in advance. Keep updated at psychs-peak.com.
Ghost Canyon
August 28-30
Denver venues
Presented by Wax Trax, Ghost Canyon dubs itself a “boundary-pushing DIY music festival,” which is right on the money. We strongly recommend this fest for its commitment to the underground scene alone. Its first wave of lineup announcements includes Kowloon Walled City, Steve Von Till, Blacks’ Myths, Daniel Higgs, Great Falls, Moor Mother, Nora Mal, Silkworm, Supreme Joy, the Gotobeds and Water Damage. Sign up to receive updates and get tickets at ghostcanyonfest.com.
Caveman Music Festival
September 4-6
Monument Lake Resort, Weston
Give summer a proper sendoff at Caveman Music Festival, where you’ll have outdoor rec options ranging from fishing to hiking to kayaking, all while you listen to live music from twenty bands and musicians. This year’s roster has yet to be announced, but the lineup is always tight, and pre-sale tickets are available now at cavemanmusicfestival.com.
Jazz Aspen
September 4-6
Aspen Snowmass, Aspen
Spend your Labor Day weekend at Jazz Aspen, one of the state’s premier music festivals. This year’s lineup includes Benson Boone, Tim McGraw, Red Clay Strays, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Bonnie Raitt, Shaboozey, Avery Anna and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram. Grab your tickets at jazzaspensnowmass.org.
Sunnyside Music Festival
Saturday, September 12
Chafee Park
Sunnyside Music Festival is the perfect family event, and even better — it’s free! The nonprofit festival provides grants to music and art programs for Denver’s Northside youth, so you’re supporting a good cause, too. Stay tuned for the lineup, and visit sunnysidemusicfest.org for more information.
