If you're hungry for a good time, food and beer fests abound, too. Here are our picks for the best events to put on your summer schedule:
Westword's Out to Brunch
June 8
York Street Yards
Indulge in unlimited drinks (mimosas!) and a build-your-own Bloody bar, bites from top restaurants and entertainment including a silent disco and drag show. This is the second edition of an event that was a big hit its first year. General admission entry at 11:30 a.m. is $50 — though that will go up to $60 at the door, if there are any tickets left. VIP access, which gets you early admission at 11 a.m. plus exclusive perks like the VIP lounge, is $75, or $85 at the door.
Vail Beer Classic
June 14-15
Vail
Breweries from across the state will be pouring at this weekend-long fest. Sip your way through the event and pick your favorite for the People's Choice vote for Best Beer of the Summer. There will also be seltzers and spirits as well as food trucks and live music. Tickets start at $59.
Lake Dillon Beer Festival
June 15
Dillon
Fresh mountain air, lakeside views and lots of brews combine at this summer kickoff event. Taste beers from over thirty Colorado breweries and enjoy food and live music at the Lake Dillon Amphitheater and Marina Park from 1 to 4 p.m. Tickets are $40.
Belgian Brew Fest
June 15
Bruz Beers
This fest may be a bit smaller than others on this list, but it's well curated and always has a great turnout. Tickets, $48, include unlimited pours of dozens of renowned Belgian beers from around the world.
RARE Steak Championship
June 20
Sculpture Park, Denver Performing Arts Complex
Sample beefed-up eats from restaurants serving entries in both the traditional and creative steak categories at this annual fest that also includes elevated cocktails, live music and more. Tickets for general admission with entry at 7 p.m. start at $99; there are also First Bite and VIP options with earlier entry.
Keystone Bacon and Bourbon Festival
June 22-23
Keystone
This family-friendly fest combines plenty of sizzling bacon-filled bites with a top-notch bourbon sampling lineup along with live music, a bacon-eating contest, kids' activities at Camp Bacon and more. Single-day food sampling passes start at $30.
Taste of Arvada
July 11
Apex Center, Arvada
More than fifty metro Denver and Arvada restaurants, craft breweries, distilleries, wineries, bakeries and non-food vendors will display their finest culinary bites, sips and offerings from 6 to 8 p.m., with a VIP early-access hour starting at 5 p.m. Restaurant and bar vendors will be competing for prizes in various categories voted on by attendees, who will also enjoy cocktails and other beverages, live music, art vendors and more. Tickets start at $30.
Tacolandia
July 13
Civic Center Park
Westword's seventh Tacolandia is back from 4 to 7 p.m. (3 p.m. for VIP), offering unlimited tacos from restaurants such as Comal Heritage Food Incubator, Luchador Taco & More, McDevitt Taco Supply, Necio Mexican Kitchen, Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant, Wild Taco and more. There will also be boozy beverages and entertainment. Tickets start at $45.
Colorado Brewers Rendezvous
July 13
Salida
A favorite among beer lovers, this Colorado Brewers Guild event features over 65 Colorado craft breweries pouring next to breathtaking views of the Collegiate Peaks and the Arkansas River. Tickets start at $60.
The Big Eat
July 18
Denver Performing Arts Complex
EatDenver's annual fundraising event, the Big Eat, returns from 6 to 9 p.m. Sample bites from over seventy of the top independent restaurants in town at this industry-favorite evening of food and drinks. Tickets are $93.
Tennyson Street Fair
July 20
Tennyson Street from West 41st Avenue to West 43rd Avenue
This block party runs from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and is a great chance to visit neighborhood restaurants and breweries such as Hops & Pie, Bakery Four, Atomic Cowboy, Empourium Brewing Company and Lucy’s Burger Bar. There will also be nearly fifteen food trucks plus a makers' market, live music and more.
Hooplagers, the Lager Hoopla
July 20
Wibby Brewing, Longmont
This lager-exclusive pool-party beer fest is the best way to cool off when that late July heat hits. Sip unlimited pours from over fifty breweries at this beach bash complete with tropical-themed food available for purchase. There will also be party trolleys operating from Denver and beyond to get you to and from this event. General admission starts at $30.
Outdoor cooking over open flames is the name of the game at Heritage Fire.
Heritage Fire by Cochon555
July 27
Snowmass
Top chefs from all over the state will be on hand for this live-fire cooking extravaganza. Enjoy free-flowing food and drinks along with live music and more. Tickets start at $99.
Denver Burger Battle
August 1
Tivoli Quad
Nineteen restaurants will vie for the title of best burger in both the people's choice and judge's choice categories. There will also be beer, wine and cocktail samples, plus live music. Tickets start at $89.
Palisade Peach Festival
August 16-17
Palisade
This Western Slope tradition is a celebration of one of the sweetest locally grown specialties. Head to Palisade during peak peach season for a weekend of events that includes an ice cream social, parade and farm dinners, plus the main tasting event packed with food trucks, vendors, live music, chef demos, a peach-eating contest and more. Single-day tickets start at $20.
Olathe Sweet Corn Festival
August 24
Montrose
The 36th annual edition of this small-town fest kicks off at 10 a.m. and lasts "'til the cows come home," according to the website. Enjoy free, all-you-can-eat roasted Olathe sweet corn while enjoying festivities that include karaoke, a car show, yard games, a beer garden and live music all day. Festival admission is free.
Chicken Fight
August 29
Elitch Gardens
Dubbed "the everything fried chicken festival," this event brings together top local restaurants as they battle to serve the best bird among the roller coasters at Elitch Gardens. Enjoy the rides as you nosh on unlimited bites and sip craft cocktails, beer and more. There will also be live country, bluegrass and blues music. Tickets start at $109.
Denver Food & Wine Festival
September 4-7
Tivoli Quad
This weekend-long celebration from the Colorado Restaurant Association kicks off with a Riedel wine seminar on September 4 and the Shake + Brake Showdown, a friendly food-truck competition, on September 5. The main event is the September 7 Grand Tasting, with bites from more than fifty top local restaurants and hundreds of sips from the Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits portfolio. Sign up to get more info when tickets go on sale.
