Events and Festivals

Denver has literally dozens of festivals and events throughout the summer. Here are my personal favorites.

Cinco de Mayo
The summer festival and event season kicks off with a Cinco De Mayo celebration on May 6 and 7 at Civic Center Park (see map below Capitol Hill People's Fair).

This festival had its beginning in 1987 and has grown each year into what is now recognized as the largest such event in the United States, and it just keeps getting bigger. This outstanding event attracts in excess of 400,000 people of all ages and cultural backgrounds.

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The Denver Cinco de Mayo Cultural Celebration includes Mariachi bands, live performances on multiple stages, children’s activities, piñatas, a variety of dance troops, and a parade. Cinco de Mayo is truly a happening, an event not to be missed. You just have to be there to feel the ambiance and experience the wafting aroma of ethnic foods.

Capital Hill People's Fair
Our second summer festival is the Capital Hill People's Fair. This festival, which will be held June 3 and 4, is basically an arts and crafts festival. It was begun in 1969 by a group called CHUN (Capital Hill United Neighborhoods) and was, well, pretty much of a hippie happening. It drew about 2,000 people its first year. It has now grown up big time, as this year, there will be some 600 volunteers, 500 exhibitor and food booths and about 275,000 attendees. The Fair is held primarily at Civic Center Park and offers family fun and excitement, the sale of the works of local, national and international artisans and crafters, and quality foods and beverages. There is also live entertainment.


Cherry Creek Arts Festival
This festival will take place on July 1, 2 and 3 in the Cherry Creek North Shoppng area. 

Each year, this festival brings the works of over 200 international artists to Denver. The Cherry Creek Arts Festival is Colorado's signature cultural event. It' s one of the nation's most competitive outdoor juried arts festivals. The Arts Festival gives visitors a rare opportunity to meet and talk with international artists, sample fine cuisine, visit special exhibits and entertain their kids with creative activities. There are artist demonstrations, live music and unique special exhibits and performing artists that have never before been seen in Denver.

Denver Greek Festival
The Denver Greek Festival will be held this year on June 24, 25 and 26. Trust me, you don't have to be Greek to have fun at this festival. This celebration of Greek food and dancing is held at the Assumption Cathedral at Alameda and Colorado Blvd. It offers food, vendors, Greek folk dancers, a great band, and more food. Additionally this year, the festival will feature an expanded cultural component with more artists and other aspects of Hellenic culture. 

A Taste of Colorado
The Taste of Colorado festival will be held in 2006 from Friday, Sept. 1 through Monday, Sept. 4.

Originally known as the Festival of Mountain and Plain, this event has a checkered career dating back to 1895. It folded in 1902, was revived momentarily in 1912 and then went to sleep until 1983, when it was brought back as the inaugural celebration of the opening of Denver's 16th Street Mall. The Festival was a celebration of Denver and Colorado's heritage, rich cultural and ethnic background, and the lifestyles of the region. The event was a success with more than 100,000 attending. 

IN 1984, the title “A Taste of Colorado” was added, making the formal name of this event: “Festival of Mountain and Plain: A Taste of Colorado.” Since nobody really wants to say this mouthful, it's known by most Denverites simply as A Taste of Colorado.

This festival stands proud as the end-of-summer celebration of community pride and spirit in the Denver region. Over 500,000 people make the 4-day festival their Labor Day Weekend celebration to enjoy the offerings of over 50 area restaurants, 280 marketplace artisans and vendors, seven stages and educational programs promoting the diverse cultural and western heritage of the region - all for no admission fee. 

Colorado Dragon Boat Festival
The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival is one of the fastest-growing events of its type. When the first festival was held in 2001, 16,000 spectators attended and watched 16 teams race. In 2004, 65,000 people turned out to enjoy 52 teams racing! 

Since then, the Festival has become a premiere showcase of pan-Asian culture, combined with a unique, thrilling athletic competition -- Dragon Boat Racing, an ancient sport that's catching on worldwide. In fact, Dragon Boat Racing has become so popular that it will be presented as a demonstration sport during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. 

In addition to the Dragon Boat races, the Festival includes an Asian Market Place, Taste of Asia, Dragonland for kids, and Gateway to Asia. It will be held this year at Sloane's Park on Sunday July 30 to Monday July 31.

Gran Prix of Denver
The 2006 Centrix Financial Grand Prix Will be August 11, 12, & 13 near the Pepsi Center on a road course specially constructed for this race.

The race features Champ Cars powered by turbocharged, four-cycle, overhead camshaft, eight-cylinder Ford-Cosworth XFE engines. The race is run over a 1.65 mile gran prix type circuit