Events Calendar

Things To Do in Estes Park, Colorado

Estes Park is a year-round destination filled with festivals, live music, cultural events, and outdoor experiences. From wine and whiskey tastings to quirky Bigfoot celebrations and elk festivals, Estes Park events bring local culture to life and offer memorable ways to connect with the community.

Don’t miss the chance to explore these events and create lasting memories. Book your stay at Rocky Mountain Resorts for an unforgettable experience.

January

First People’s Festival
Where: Estes Park Events Complex

The First People’s Festival celebrates Indigenous culture, art, music, language, and oral traditions. Vendors from across the nation showcase handcrafted wares, while workshops and cultural demonstrations offer an opportunity to learn directly from Indigenous educators and performers. Live music and storytelling highlight the deep cultural roots of the region. Visitors won’t want to miss the chance to explore the longstanding Indigenous connection to the Estes Valley and Rocky Mountain National Park.

Estes Park Skijor Weekend
Where: Estes Park Events Complex

Estes Park Skijor is a high-energy winter competition where skiers are pulled at high speeds by a horse-and-rider team through a challenging course of gates, jumps, and obstacles. Blending Colorado’s skiing culture with its Western heritage, the event offers an exciting display of athleticism and horsemanship. Participants compete throughout the weekend for cash prizes and awards, making this one of the most thrilling winter events in Estes Park.

February

Wine and Chocolate Festival
Where: Estes Park Events Center

Indulge in samples from regional chocolatiers and Colorado wineries while enjoying live music and a festive winter atmosphere. This annual 21+ event continues to be a staple of Estes Park’s winter calendar.

Ranger-Led Snowshoe Walks
Where: Rocky Mountain National Park

Explore RMNP in its quietest season on ranger-guided snowshoe walks. Offered on select winter days, these moderately strenuous outings include education about local wildlife and winter ecology, with snowshoes provided.

March

Whiskey Warm-Up
Where: George Hix Riverside Plaza

Celebrate Colorado-made whiskey at this outdoor tasting event featuring dozens of distilleries, live music, local vendors, and food truck pairings. Guests receive a commemorative tasting glass and can sample a wide range of spirits.

Frozen Dead Guy Days
Where: Estes Park Events Complex & around town

This famously quirky festival celebrates the legend of “Grandpa Bredo” with coffin races, live music, bar crawls, themed parties, a polar plunge, and more. After moving from Nederland, the event is now firmly rooted in Estes Park and continues annually.

April

Bigfoot Days
Where: Bond Park & Estes Park Events Complex

Bigfoot Days celebrates all things “squatchy” with celebrity speakers, Bigfoot researchers, live music, outdoor activities, vendors, and a Bigfoot BBQ dinner. The free festival day in Bond Park has become a recurring spring highlight.

May

Estes Park Duck Race Festival
Where: Fall River at Nicky’s Resort & downtown

Thousands of rubber ducks are released into Fall River in this beloved Rotary fundraiser. Adopt a duck, watch the race, and enjoy a day of live music, vendors, and family fun in downtown Estes Park.

Memorial Day Art Market
Where: Bond Park, Downtown Estes Park

Over Memorial Day weekend, the Estes Park Art Market brings together around 100 juried artists showcasing pottery, paintings, jewelry, photography, glass, woodcrafts, and more—officially kicking off the summer season.

June

Estes Park Wool Market & Fiber Festival
Where: Estes Park Events Complex

One of the best-known wool and fiber events in the region, the Wool Market features fiber animals, shearing demonstrations, working sheep dogs, kids’ activities, and more than 70 vendors selling yarn, fiber, and finished goods.

July

4th of July Celebration
Where: Lake Estes & around town

Celebrate Independence Day with live music and one of Colorado’s standout fireworks displays over Lake Estes (conditions permitting). The reflections on the water make this show especially memorable.

Rooftop Rodeo
Where: Granny May Arena, Stanley Park Fairgrounds

The PRCA-sanctioned Rooftop Rodeo brings six nights of professional rodeo action, parades, behind-the-scenes tours, and western-themed fun. It’s a signature Estes Park summer tradition.

August

Estes Park Wine Festival
Where: Bond Park, Downtown Estes Park

Taste Colorado-produced wine, cider, and mead at this two-day festival featuring dozens of wineries, live music, food vendors, and artisan booths in the heart of downtown.

September

Rails in the Rockies
Where: Estes Park Events Complex

Colorado’s premier model train show features elaborate layouts with trains from the steam era to modern times. It’s a family-friendly favorite with free shuttles often connecting downtown and the event complex.

Estes Park Labor Day Arts & Crafts Show
Where: Bond Park

A long-running Labor Day tradition, this juried arts and crafts festival fills Bond Park with nearly 100 artisans selling jewelry, pottery, clothing, paintings, metalwork, glass, and more.

https://www.scotfest.com/
Where: Estes Park Fairgrounds & Events Complex

Known as a major Celtic celebration in North America, this festival features jousting, Highland athletics, Celtic music, dance, and a colorful parade.

Autumn Gold Festival
Where: Granny May Arena, Stanley Park Fairgrounds

“Brats, Bands, and Beer” define Autumn Gold, a free festival featuring live music, grilled brats, beer and wine, a classic car show, and a family fun area—perfect for welcoming fall in the Rockies.

October

Elk Fest
Where: Bond Park & around town

Timed with the elk rut, Elk Fest celebrates Estes Park’s resident herds with educational programs, bugling contests, Native American music and dance, vendors, and live music—all set against peak fall colors.

Pumpkins & Pilsners Festival
Where: Bond Park

A free fall festival benefiting the Estes Park Education Foundation, Pumpkins & Pilsners offers pumpkin picking, kids’ games, bounce houses, pony rides, live music, and craft beer for adults.

November

Rocky Mountain Craft Spirits Festival
Where: Estes Park Events Complex

Celebrate Colorado craft distilleries at this speakeasy-themed festival featuring tasting booths, live music, games, and an immersive Prohibition-style atmosphere. Admission typically includes a souvenir tasting glass.

Catch the Glow Christmas Parade and Celebration
Where: Bond Park

On the day after Thanksgiving, downtown lights up with the Catch the Glow Parade—dozens of illuminated floats, marching bands, fire trucks, carolers, and a visit from Santa draw thousands of spectators each year.

Estes Park Holiday Wine Festival
Where: Estes Park Events Complex

Ring in the season with unlimited tastings from Colorado wineries, holiday shopping, food vendors, kids’ activities, and photos with Santa at this growing annual festival.

December

Sleigh the Games
Where: Estes Park Events Complex & Downtown Estes Park

Sleigh the Games brings a new weekend-long holiday festival to Estes Park. From playful winter competitions to live entertainment and family fun, this ticketed event is designed to create unforgettable holiday memories.
Wrapping up the festival is the Sweet Stroll Finale, back by popular demand. Visitors can pick up a punch card in Bond Park and wander through candy shops, chocolatiers, and bakeries for complimentary treats, turning the stroll into a sweet ending to the weekend.

Plan Your Estes Park Getaway

From winter snowshoe walks and whiskey tastings to summer rodeos, duck races, and fall festivals, Estes Park offers something special in every season. Don’t miss your chance to join in the fun. Book your stay at Rocky Mountain Resorts for comfort, convenience, and easy access to Estes Park’s best events.

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