The Ultimate Guide to Colorado Music Festivals

Every summer, the hills come alive with the sound of bluegrass—and country and jazz and rock and blues. Here’s how to heed their siren songs and where to head bang, sway, and mosh in city limits.

By Jessica LaRusso & Staff 5280 May 2025

Telluride Blues & Brews Festival. Photo by Alive Coverage, courtesy of Telluride Blues and Brews

A group of strummers on a small stage, backed by peaks and forwarded by tie-dye-clad, noodle-dancing revelers, feels essentially Colorado—but recent headlines around music festivals have not been harmonious. NPR pondered if 2024 was “the year the music festival died,” cancellation announcements abound, and even big-time gatherings such as Coachella are no longer selling out. Production costs have soared along with inflation, making the already low-profit-margin endeavors even riskier. Colorado is not immune to those pressures: Planet Bluegrass’ Wildflower FallGrass in Lyons, Alma’s jam-happy Elevation Music Festival, electronic dance extravaganza Sonic Bloom in Rye, Denver’s Five Points Jazz Fest, and two festivals in Pagosa Springs (the Pagosa Folk ’N Bluegrass Fest and Four Corners Folk Festival) are among the latest casualties.

“We have more tickets available for the Telluride Bluegrass Festival today than we have had at this time in the last 15 years,” said Craig Ferguson, president and founder of 37-year-old Lyons-based event producer Planet Bluegrass, in late February. “Is it the economy? Or, have people figured out they can find community on their phone? Do you have less desire to go make that connection elsewhere?”

If it’s true that there’s a growing lack of interest in collectively experiencing the magic of strings and vocals and percussion and keys coming together in the open air, then there’s reason to worry about Colorado’s festival scene. Perhaps because of geography (not enough people within a two-hour drive) and the Red Rocks effect (bands and fans prefer the iconic foothills venue to a stage in a field), Denver has never been able to sustain a mega-fest such as Bonnaroo. But what Coloradans have long enjoyed is plenty of boutique festivals where majestic natural settings and groovy vibes are as much of a draw as the tunes.

“I hope it’s the economy,” Ferguson says. “I hope it’s not, Siri’s not so bad, I’ll just hang out with her.” Below, we hope you find inspiration to take out your AirPods, pick up a Hula-Hoop or some glow sticks, and buy a ticket to one of Colorado’s remaining al fresco fests—and help keep those stages from going quiet, too.