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The Denver Summer Guide: Local Picks

2nd Jul 2026

A close-up shot of a couple intertwined, drinking from small glasses with pink beverages simultaneously in an outdoor mountain setting. The man on the left wears a backward grey cap and sunglasses, while the woman on the right has long brown hair and wears sunglasses. In the background are green pine trees, a large wooden sign structure, and a snow-capped mountain peak. Text overlaid on the bottom center of the image features the white "humanitix" logo above the large text "DENVER SUMMER GUIDE".


Long, sun-drenched days, crisp mountain breezes, and an energy that pulls everyone outside. Whether you're a local looking for a good time or an out-of-towner looking to see what all the hype is about, we’ve rounded up the absolute best events happening in Denver between July and September.

From boundary-bending sounds to quirky high-altitude traditions, here are the things you cannot miss in Denver this summer.

A close-up shot of a young child wearing a light pink, wide-brimmed hat and a blue patterned t-shirt, looking directly at the camera while painting on a large, colorful mural wall. The child holds a red paintbrush tipped with yellow paint in their right hand. In the softly blurred background, another child can be seen also painting on the vibrant wall, which is covered in strokes of red, blue, pink, and yellow paint.

(Photo credit: Cherry Creek Arts Festival)

1. Cherry Creek Arts Festival

Celebrating its 35th year, the Cherry Creek Arts Festival transforms Denver's premier shopping district into a massive open-air gallery. It’s the perfect opportunity to find inspiration, connect with world-class artisans, and expand your cultural worldview. Expect incredible visual art, live performance, and plenty of local food trucks to fuel your wandering.


A close-up shot of a couple intertwined, drinking from small glasses with pink beverages simultaneously in an outdoor mountain setting. The man on the left wears a backward grey cap and sunglasses, while the woman on the right has long brown hair and wears sunglasses. In the background are green pine trees, a large wooden sign structure, and a snow-capped mountain peak.

(Photo credit: Breckenridge Summer Beer Festival)


2. Breckenridge Summer Beer Festival

Perched high up at Beaver Run Resort, the Breckenridge Summer Beer Festival is one of the premier alpine events of the season. Featuring unlimited craft beer tastings from 25+ breweries, gorgeous views of the Rocky Mountains, live music, and a lively crowd.

  • Where: Beaver Run Resort, Breckenridge
  • When: Saturday, July 11, 2026
  • Get tickets



A wide shot from within a large crowd looking toward an outdoor music festival stage under an overcast sky. The large stage structure features a black mesh banner across the top reading "UNDERGROUND MUSIC SHOWCASE" in white bold letters, flanked by two side vertical banners reading "SHOWCASE UMS STAGE" with an eye graphic. Bright blue and pink lights illuminate the stage where a performer is visible in front of a colorful digital screen. In the foreground, the backs of a dense, diverse crowd of attendees are visible, many wearing bucket hats, baseball caps, and colorful festival attire. Several colorful beach balls are tossed in the air above the crowd and stage area.

(Photo credit: Underground Music Showcase)


3. Underground Music Showcase (UMS)

This is Denver’s undisputed indie music crown jewel. The RiNo era begins in 2026, with three full days, multiple outdoor stages, 12+ venues, 200+ shows, 26 years of live music spanning 100s of national and discovery acts. It is sweaty, it is loud, and it is the absolute best of Denver's underground creative pulse.

  • Where: South Broadway District, Denver
  • When: July 24–26, 2026
  • Get tickets


A wide shot from the back of a crowd watching a live performance at an outdoor music festival during late afternoon or sunset. The stage is a large, rustic wooden structure with a prominent banner across the top reading "RHYTHMS ON THE RIO" in white stylized lettering. Musicians perform on stage under blue stage lighting, framed by vertical banners with a geometric Native American-inspired pattern on the left. In the foreground, a diverse audience is gathered, including a young child sitting on someone's shoulders wearing an orange textured dress, and attendees wearing cowboy hats, baseball caps, and tie-dye shirts. The sky above is filled with dramatic clouds lit by the setting sun.

(Photo credit: Rhythms on the Rio Festival)


4. Rhythms on the Rio Festival

If you are down for a gorgeous road trip to Southern Colorado, this festival is a beautiful, community-driven hidden gem. Hosted on the riverfront in Del Norte by the South Fork Music Association, this event features an incredible roots, bluegrass, and jam-band lineup—including Leftover Salmon and The Infamous Stringdusters. The best part? 100% of the festival’s proceeds fund musical instruments and lessons for children in rural Colorado.



A lively street scene capturing two cheerful parade participants at an outdoor festival. On the left, an older man with long white hair and a beard wearing an orange pattern shirt over a black graphic tee sings or cheers enthusiastically, holding a wooden walking staff topped with a carved morel mushroom. To the right, a woman with long dark curly hair, sunglasses, and a white embroidered top laughs joyfully while dancing with her arm raised; she wears a large, elaborate headpiece decorated with moss, flowers, and fake mushrooms. In the background, a street in a mountain town is visible with historic buildings, a banner spanning across that reads "Telluride Mushroom Festival," and towering mountains under a hazy sky.

(Photo credit: Telluride Mushroom Festival)


5. Telluride Mushroom Festival

This is easily one of the most delightfully unique and legendary summer traditions in the state. For over 40 years, the iconic canyon of Telluride has hosted mushroom enthusiasts, scientists, and foragers from afar. Featuring guided foraging treks through the pine forests to deeply fascinating mycological lectures and the world-famous mushroom costume parade down Main Street, it’s an absolute bucket-list experience.

  • Where: Telluride, Colorado
  • When: August 12–16, 2026
  • Get tickets; use code [HUMANTX10] for 10% off your ticket.



A group of five smiling women stand side-by-side posing for a photo in front of a dense, vibrant floral wall backdrop filled with red, pink, and white roses. In the center of the floral display, a glowing orange neon sign reads "DENVER FOOD + WINE FESTIVAL" with small fork and knife graphics on either side. The women are dressed in summer attire; from left to right, they wear a black floral wrap dress, a white halter top with denim shorts, a white eyelet strapless dress with a fedora hat, a black maxi dress with a wide-brimmed straw hat, and a light pink tank top paired with a white eyelet skirt.

(Photo credit: Denver Food + Wine Festival)


6. Denver Food + Wine Festival

Foodies, clear your calendars. This multi-day culinary extravaganza brings together the absolute best of Colorado’s culinary community. Spanning the last few days of August, you can hit up educational tasting seminars, wine pairings, and the signature outdoor Grand Tasting on the Tivoli Quad. It’s a massive celebration of local chefs and fine spirits that doubles as a giant fundraiser for the Colorado Restaurant Foundation.

  • Where: Tivoli Quad, Denver
  • When: August 26–29, 2026
  • Get tickets



A live music performance at night on an outdoor stage illuminated by vibrant pink, purple, and red lighting. A banner across the back of the performance area reads "SPACE STAGE" in a stylized font. The structural beams of the stage arch are covered in colorful, psychedelic illustrations including a yellow snake, stars, and abstract shapes. On stage, a full band performs, including a drummer, a keyboardist, a bassist, and a guitarist. In the foreground, the dark silhouettes of an audience are visible, watching the band play.

(Photo credit: Psychs Peak Festival)


7. Psychs Peak Festival

For those looking for something beautifully underground and off the beaten path, look no further than this community-run camping, music and arts festival, just an hour out from Denver. Where perception-altering sounds of psych-rock, visual art, and the majestic scenery of the Colorado mountains come together to create a truly transformative experience.

  • Where: Pine, Colorado
  • When: August 27–29, 2026
  • Get tickets




A high-angle, wide shot taken from the back of an elevated outdoor stage, looking out over a brass band posing with a massive, cheering crowd at a street festival. In the foreground, the band members are smiling and making playful faces surrounded by their instruments, including a large sousaphone on the left, a saxophone, and a drum kit with "TIVOLI CLUB" printed on the bass drum. Above them, a metal lighting truss holds a row of stage lights shining down. In the background, a large, dense crowd of attendees fills a blocked-off city street lined with white tents, green trees, and storefronts under a partly cloudy sky.

(Photo credit: City Park Jazz)


8. Sunday Night Picnics at City Park Jazz

If you want to feel the true, multi-generational heartbeat of the city on a warm July evening, pack a massive cooler, throw a blanket on the grass, and head to City Park. This isn't a ticketed commercial festival; it's a massive, long-running, free community tradition where locals gather on the green around the lake to drink wine, eat yummy food, and listen to incredible Colorado jazz and blues musicians perform against the backdrop of the sunset hitting the skyline.

  • Where: City Park, Denver
  • When: Sunday evenings through July–August 2026
  • Event information


Somewhere between a mushroom parade in Telluride and a jazz-colored sunset at City Park, there is a summer story waiting to be written. What will your summer story be?


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