Boulder is home to an abundance of exciting activities and things to do each year. Not only are there hundreds of events at the University of Colorado each year, the city of Boulder is home of the Boulder International Film Festival, Boulder Creek Festival, Colorado Chautauqua, a 10K event called Bolder Boulder, and more.
Boulder hosts a variety of festivals each year involving music, film and theatre. Every January brings an annual celebration honoring Austrian composer Gustav Mahler called the Colorado MahlerFest. And if you like independent film, you’ll love the Boulder International Film Festival in February. Each summer brings the Colorado Music Festival, a six-week classical music festival with professional musicians from around the world. This event is held at the historic Chautauqua Auditorium at the base of the Flatirons. There’s also the Colorado Shakespeare Festival that celebrates the works of Shakespeare every year.
The Boulder Creek Festival takes place very year during Memorial Day Weekend along Canyon Boulevard. Local vendors set up tents and sell their wares, and the festival itself is free of charge. Try unique food, check out the live music, kids’ activities, art shows and a rubber duck race down Boulder Creek during the Boulder Creek Festival.
Boulder Kinetics is a kinetic sculpture race that runs from the banks of the Boulder Reservoir and back by human-powered vehicles timed on speed and judged for style. The race is often accompanied by live music from well-known bands, and the event traditionally signals the beginning of summer.
If you are visiting the area during the winter holidays, you might see hundreds of people head to the Boulder Reservoir on New Year’s Day to take part in the annual polar bear plunge. Once the plunge is complete, swimmers are treated to hot tubs on the reservoir beach to warm up.
If you’re interested in more intellectual pursuits, the Conference on World Affairs is an annual one-week conference featuring dozens of discussion panels on a variety of contemporary issues.
No matter what time of year it is when you find yourself in Boulder, there’s always plenty to do and see.
