It's the most wonderful time of the year. No, not Christmas - summer festival season! A few of these have come and gone (we were first timers to some this year!) but keep them on your radar for next year. Let us know YOUR favorite festivals in the comments below!

BBQ CHALLENGE

June 16 in Frisco, CO

The BBQ Challenge brings the best BBQ restaurants and food trucks from around the country to Frisco, Colorado (THIS weekend!). It’s free to the public and you purchase your food and beer at the festival. The food is amazing, the beer is cold, and it is arguably one of the best settings. The day starts off with the Bacon Burner, a 6K around Lake Dillon. Following the race, the BBQ festival takes place on Main St with gorgeous mountain views all around. There is live music and even little piglet races (the cutest thing of all time!) We recommend grabbing a VRBO or hotel near Main Street for easy access. We’re a fan of the Snowshoe Motel. It’s pet friendly, reasonably priced, and walking distance to all of the festivities!

Wine on the Rocks

August 4 in Morrison, CO

We love wine, so we had to check this one out! This festival was outdoors and you guessed it - all wine vendors! Many were local but some were from different parts of the country. We loved the setting near Red Rocks which provided views in every direction. There were many different varieties of wine and definitely something for everyone. Ticket prices include unlimited wine samples but food trucks were scattered around the festival for purchase. There were enough vendors present that we never had to wait in lines very long (some wineries were even pouring wine for those in line!). They also host a “Cocktail on the Rocks” that just took place the first week of June. We weren’t able to attend that one because it was the same day as Burning Can, but we will certainly be going to Wine on the Rocks this year!

Bacon and Beer

May in Denver, CO

This was our second time attending this festival. This year was our favorite, as the event was actually ON Sports Authority Field! The food selection was one of the best we’ve seen at a festival. We were impressed with the creativity of the food (even desserts sprinkled with bacon!). There was a good beer selection too - definitely something for everyone. The festival had a big attendance, but we never had to wait too long at any tent due to the amount of vendors. Tickets are a little pricey but we definitely felt you got your money’s worth.

Burning Can

June in Lyons, CO

We went to burning Can this past weekend and had a blast! It took place in a big open field with stunning views in every direction. The festival was not crowded at all, so you barely had to wait in any lines. It can be a little bit of a trek depending on where you live, but they offered a free shuttle from the Oskar Blues location in Boulder and overnight camping. There were food vendors outside the festival (you could come and go as you please) and a concert in the evening. The beer festival itself was 3 hours, but they had events taking place throughout the day (like dog jumping, mountain biking, and a beer relay). It was certainly one of the more unique festivals we’ve been to, and we felt it truly captured the Colorado vibe!

International Rose Wine Festival

June in Broomfied, CO

This festival was a little fancier than others we’ve attended. It was hosted at an outdoor space at the Omni Interlocken Resort. Everyone wore pink for the occasion (even the guys!) We never fancied ourselves as Rosé drinkers, but we found out we actually love it! There were tons of different types to try and we really enjoyed sampling all of the varieties. They have the best of the best at this festival, so we’d totally recommend going even if you aren’t too sure about rosé. They also had amazing appetizers, like fresh shucked oysters, cheese plates, and local meats. The day was a little hot, but the rosé was chilled and perfectly refreshing!

Fave Summer Fests