Record Number of Special Events Featured in 2026
Trevor Phipps
Now that warmer weather has finally arrived, the prime local season for outdoor events is now in full force.
The month of June kicked off with a swift festival start, serving as a teaser for what local officials are calling a return of the region’s infamous “Summer of Fun.”
Already residents and visitors have enjoyed festivities, such as the Pearl DeVere Bed Races in Cripple Creek. And last weekend, hundreds invaded the gambling town for annual Cripple Creek Gold Rush Rodeo.
This summer, more festivals are slated to occur in the high country, as the gaming community is unveiling its most impressive showcase of special events attempted in years. Plus, the 250th birthday of America and the 150th year of statehood for Colorado will propel the Fourth of July celebration like never before throughout the entire county.
Overall, there will be no excuse not to leave the house and enjoy some sunny weather over the next couple of months. The following is a look at many of the events planned for the Teller/Ute Pass region and beyond. For more specific details, make sure to check our weekly Mountain Almanac section as the summer progresses.
Cripple Creek/Victor
This weekend the fun infiltrating the city of Cripple Creek continues with a unique event to celebrate the town’s history. Jack Dempsey Days kicks off at the Double Eagle this Friday at 7:30 p.m. with live professional weigh-ins and face-offs.
“We aim to present a USA boxing sanctioned pro-am event with professional and amateur bouts, historic reenactments, food, vendors and more,” an event post states. “This is more than a festival. It’s a tribute to grit, transformation, and the enduring spirit of the West. It’s for the underdogs, the fighters, and the dreamers. It’s for Cripple Creek.”
Amateur and professional boxing matches will then take place all day on Saturday. The event caps at noon on Sunday with a live reenactment of the Dempsey/Coplen fight in the Double Eagle Ballroom.
Also, this weekend, the City of Victor hosts its annual Victor Gem and Mineral Show. The event will feature several vendors selling gems and jewelry as well as live music at the city’s plaza.
Last weekend, the Butte Theater officially started its summer schedule with “Under the Moon” a Cripple Creek melodrama written by Chris Sorensen. The melodrama is slated to run from June 12 to July 12 before the musical “Dames at Sea” takes over the stage on July 17.
“Last seen on the Butte stage in 2021, ‘Under the Colorado Moon’ tells the story of gentleman Brett Armstrong,” the Cripple Creek website states. “In financial distress after a lost wager and falsely accused of forgery, Brett must fake his own death and flee for a new life in the rough and tumble mountain town of Cripple Creek, CO.”
Then on June 26, the city of Cripple Creek hosts the 95th Annual Donkey Derby Days. During June 26-28, the three-day festival will feature donkey races as well as vendors and a beer garden. This year’s festival also features a return of the once-very popular burro races.
The 29th annual “Once Upon a Time in the West” Art Show starts this Friday at the Cripple Creek Heritage Center and runs through July 5. To add to the festivities in Cripple Creek on the Fourth of July, the Heritage Center will be hosting its own events to add to the city’s downtown celebration and fireworks display.
On the Fourth from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the Cripple Creek Heritage Center will have food vendors, a craft fair, their art show, a scavenger hunt and prize giveaways. Starting at 6 p.m. the heritage center will host an upscale VIP July 4th Fireworks Experience for $75 or $135, a couple featuring charcuterie boards and two complimentary drinks of beer or wine.
The Teller County Fair takes place between July 24 and August 2 at the county Fairgrounds area off Teller One, just outside Cripple Creek
The Salute to American Veterans Rally, which returned to Cripple Creek last year after an extended absence and received stellar reviews, takes place on August 21-22. This event, capped by many patriotic ceremonies, attracts thousands of visitors.
This year on August 21 from 7-9 p.m. Cripple Creek will host the America 250 – Colorado 150 Drone Show. “This high-tech spectacle will feature a choreographed display of illuminated drones creating patriotic images and Colorado-inspired designs above the historic mining town,” the Cripple Creek website reports.
The Rita Run Victor 10K takes place on July 11, and the city’s Gold Rush Days runs from July 17-19. The City of Mines Summer Festival then occurs August 8-9.
In addition, a new Farmers’ Market benefitting the southern Teller area, will take place in Cripple Creek this summer. Plans are tentatively scheduled for the Market to occur on two Fridays per month in the Pocket Park, starting in July, next to the Cripple Creek City Hall. This effort is being spearheaded by the town’s Main Street program. For more details, visit the city of Cripple Creek’s tourism website, or the city’s Facebook page.
City Above the Clouds
The Farmers’ Market in Woodland Park came to town earlier this month and will remain every Friday through September from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The farmers’ market features various items for sale from arts and crafts to produce along with various food trucks.
The Old Fashioned Fourth of July festival starts in the morning of the Fourth and it’s followed by the Symphony Above the Clouds at Woodland Park’s Memorial Park. The symphony concert will then lead to a possible fireworks show, which may or may not take place depending on weather conditions.
Then on July 11, the Tava House in downtown Woodland Park hosts its Second Annual America’s Mountain Festival with live music from artists like Matt Skinner Band, Tyce Delk and Walker Montgomery. The festival will run separately from the concert this year and it will feature fun and activities for all ages as well as food and other vendors.
Green Mountain Falls
The event lineup for Green Mountain Falls starts when the Green Box Arts Festival kicks off its 18th annual festival on July 4. The festival features a variety of events including art installations, performances, classes, and community events. It will run from July 4 to July 19. The festival has been rated as one of the best-kept secrets in the Pikes Peak region with more than 100 various events, performances and planned activities during a two-week period.
On the Fourth of July, Green Mountain Falls celebrates the holiday with various events throughout the day including a parade in the morning, a community performance, a community hot dog lunch and a pie contest. Live music at the Farm Stand starts at 5:30 p.m. and will include Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light, Cary Morin & Ghost Dog and Jeremy Mohney & His Orchestra. The music will play until 9 p.m. when the water lanterns will get released on the town’s pond.
The town then celebrates the summer season during the 88th annual Bronc Day 2026 on July 25. The festival starts with activities at 7:30 a.m. at the Church in the Wildwood with a pancake breakfast. The event’s signature highlight is a parade down Ute Pass Avenue around 10 a.m., which continues to grow every year. It ranks as the most scenic parade celebration in the area. The festivities continue throughout the day with live music from the Backroads Band at the Farm Stand from 1 to 3 p.m.
