Boulder Annual Events

No matter what time of year you're visiting Boulder, there are plenty of amazing events to make your trip unforgettable. Discover intimate community events such as art fairs, cultural festivals and markets in unique venues such as downtown Boulder and Twenty Night Street.

Curious about when your favorite event is taking place? Search our event calendar by the type of event for a complete listing. If you've already scheduled your Boulder getaway, see what events will be happening by searching our calendar of events. With so many amazing events throughout the year, there's always something special happening in Boulder, Colorado! 

JANUARY
Polar Bear Plunge: New Year's Day 

The Ice Rink at One Boulder Plaza: January - February

FEBRUARY
Chocolate Lover's Fling - Benefit Safehouse, featuring a silent auction, dinner, and many wonderfully decadent chocolate goodies.

Screamin' Snowman Snowshoe Race

Boulder International Film Festival - Boulder Theater - Held annually on President's Day Weekend, featuring an eclectic infusion of innovative storytellers, actors and audiences from all over the world.

Downtown Boulder Sidewalk MidWinter Sale

MARCH
St. Patrick's Day Parade - The ‘World's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade' is a fun Boulder tradition.

Boulder Bach Festival - Live performances by local area orchestras, choruses, soloists and a handful of nationally-known musicians.

Fashion Under the Flatirons - Boulder Theater

Boulder Spring Half Marathon

Retro Ski Day - Eldora Mountain Resort

APRIL
Farmer's Market - April -Oct - The Farmer's Market takes place outside and is the largest in the state. Twice a week residents and visitors can fill their bags with goodies on Wednesdays 4pm - 8pm ( May) and Saturdays 8am - 2pm (April).

Conference on World Affairs - University of Colorado -Started by the late CU professor Howard Higman, this yearly event attracts world-renowned experts.

Tulip Fairy & Elf Parade - Spring officially arrives in Downtown Boulder when the beautiful, colorful Tulip Fairy, along with pint-sized fairies and elves, parades around the Pearl Street Mall ‘waking up the tulips'.

Boulder Distance Classic

MAY
Taste of Pearl

Boulder Home & Garden Fair

Chautauqua Summer Festival - May - September - A series of high quality, vibrant and diverse performances.

Boulder Creek Festival - This Memorial Day weekend festival along Boulder Creek celebrates spring with live entertainment, food and drink and art exhibits.

Bolder Boulder 10K Race - On Memorial Day, more than 50,000 people run this 10 kilometer (6.2 mile) race, while another 80,000 people come just to watch the event.

JUNE

Village Arts Coalition (VAC) International Festival - Music and dance from cultures around the world on Pearl Street Mall for two days of events and performances.

Community Folk Dancing - Tuesdays June -September - Celebrate Colorado's ethnic and cultural heritage with a weekly program of dance - Dushanbe Teahouse.

Performances in the Park June - August - Enjoy live music in an outdoor setting in the various parks around Boulder. Monday evenings beginning at 7p.m.

Boulder Walk and Bike Month

Uni-Hill 2k & Kids 1k

Rocky Mountain Cup College Showcase Summer soccer tournament.

Twenty Ninth Street LIVE - Saturdays - June - August - This concert series features lots of great restaurants & shopping, and the best sunset in Boulder.

Boulder Jewish Festival

Bands on the Bricks - Wednesdays - June - August - Put on your dancin' shoes and hit the bricks...the bricks in front of the Boulder County Courthouse.

Noon Tunes - Fridays June - August - The concerts are held in the 1300 block of Pearl on the bricks in front of the Boulder County Courthouse.

Boulder Ballet - Ballet in the Park

5430 Sprint Triathlon

Colorado Shakespeare Festival: June - August - Founded in 1958 and still going strong, it's held outdoors at the Mary Rippon Theater.

Colorado Music Festival - June - August - This internationally acclaimed festival is held four nights per week for seven weeks at the historic Chautauqua Auditorium.

JULY 
Independence Day Softball Tournament

Ralphie's Independence Day Blast - July 4 - Folsom Field. At dark, Boulder's sky will be illuminated with an amazing fireworks display choreographed to live music!

Boulder Outdoor Cinema - A walk-in movie theatre celebrating film classics, cult favorites, family fare and independent short films.
 
North Boulder Park Classic - Bike racing around North Boulder Park goes back to the early 1970's and has become the crown jewel of the famous Coors Classic international bike race.

Boulder Peak Triathlon - Participants' race in this annual event held at the Boulder Reservoir to raise awareness for the ALS Association.

Open Arts Fest

West End 3k and Kids 1500 Road Race

Rocky Mountain Tea Festival

Aerial Dance Festival

AUGUST
Downtown Boulder Sidewalk Sale

Eldorado Springs Cure 4 Mile and Kids Mile

5430 Ironman Boulder 70.3 Triathlon - Don't miss this one-of-a-kind ultra distance multisport race in Boulder, Colorado...the "Mecca of multi and endurance sports."

Pearl St. Mile & Kids 800 - Leaving from the courthouse at 1300 Pearl St., the first wave starts at approximately 6 pm. All waves will run sequentially & awards will follow

Boulder Asian Festival - Celebrate the diverse Asian cultures through music, dance, martial arts and other performances.

Boulder International Fringe Festival - This is an annual 12-day juried arts event packed with live theater, dance, media art, visual art, puppetry and more.

SEPTEMBER
Moondance International Film Festival - Popularly known as the "American Cannes", a premier venue for the exhibition and promotion of feature and short films.

Boulder Marathon

Boulder Creek Hometown Fair - Featuring arts & crafts exhibitors in Central Park, great live performances at the Bandshell, a food court & beer garden and more.

Boulder Romanian Festival - This annual festival features Romanian folk dancing, ethnic foods and arts and crafts. Proceeds aid Romanian children.

Buffalo Bicycle Classic

Fall Festival - This 3-day autumn festival features food, brews, and music with the added excitement of a Children's Carnival and more than 30 artisan booths.

CU Family Weekend - Formally known as Parents Weekend, this two-day event provides a great time to visit with your student and tour the campus and Boulder.

OCTOBER
CU Inspire Your Style Fashion Show

Ghostwalk - Stories and Haunted Houses for all ages.

The Shoot Out Boulder- 24-Hour Filmmaking Festival

Howl-O-Ween Canine Costume Contest

Munchkin Masquerade - Each Halloween Downtown Boulder is invaded by thousands of tiny ghosts & goblins of every size trick-or-treating along Pearl Street.

NOVEMBER
First Bite Boulder - Annual week-long event highlighting the Boulder dining scene.

The Nutcracker Ballet - The Boulder Ballet and the Boulder Philharmonic - Macky Auditorium during Thanksgiving weekend.

Ice Skate at One Boulder Plaza - November - February

Switch on the Holidays - Grand illumination of the Pearl Street Mall, the County Courthouse and the star on Flagstaff Mountain.

St. Nicks on the Bricks - Kids of all ages can visit with Santa at the Downtown Boulder Visitor Information Center.

Santa's Arrival and Tree Lighting Celebration - 29th Street

DECEMBER
Historic Homes for the Holidays Tour

Downtown Boulder's Lights of December Parade