Things to Do in Boulder This Week

Late December

Leftover Salmon at Fox Theatre

The Boulder-founded slamgrass band's annual Fox Theatre stand on the Hill. Standing room only at the 625-cap venue; locals buy in October.

Music · Photo: Collin Wigger on Unsplash

Three nights, December 29 to 31

Yonder Mountain String Band New Year's Run

Yonder Mountain's annual Boulder Theater stand to close the year. Balloons drop on the 31st; a horn section sometimes guests.

Music · Photo: Collin Wigger on Unsplash

Mid-April, four days

Conference on World Affairs

Four days of panels across CU Boulder featuring journalists, scientists, and policy people in moderated debates. Free and open to the public since 1948.

Cultural

Mid-April

Tulip Fairy & Elf Festival

Costumed kids march down Pearl Street to wake up the tulips. About 15,000 bulbs planted along the mall, all in bloom for the parade.

Seasonal

Memorial Day weekend

Boulder Creek Festival

Three days along the creek and Central Park with about 500 vendors, three music stages, and a rubber-duck race down Boulder Creek that benefits Special Olympics.

Cultural

Early May

Boulder Kinetics Festival

Human-powered sculptural contraptions race across the Boulder Reservoir, on land and through water. The judges grade on engineering, art, and total absurdity.

Cultural

June through August

Colorado Shakespeare Festival

Outdoor and indoor Shakespeare productions on the CU Boulder campus, running since 1958. The Mary Rippon outdoor theater pre-show picnics are an institution.

Cultural

July 4

Boulder Independence Day Fireworks at Folsom Field

Free Boulder Concert Band performance inside Folsom Field followed by fireworks above the stadium rim. Stadium gates open at 6.

Seasonal

Mid-August, ten days

Boulder International Fringe Festival

Independent theater festival across about a dozen Boulder venues. Shows uncurated; tickets are pay-what-you-can after a $5 button.

Art

Late August

Pearl Street Stampede Football Pep Rally

Pre-CU football season pep rally on Pearl Street with the Buffalo marching band. The team and Ralphie come down the mall around 6:30.

Cultural

Late September

Boulder Fall Fest

Three blocks of Pearl Street closed for a beer garden, two music stages, and a kids' carnival. Locals come for the Avery and Boulder Beer tents.

Seasonal

Late September

Boulder Philharmonic Season Opener

Opening-night concert of the Boulder Philharmonic at CU's Macky Auditorium. The orchestra's resident season runs through May.

Music · Photo: Collin Wigger on Unsplash

First two weekends of October

Open Studios Boulder

Self-guided art tour of about 100 working studios across Boulder and Gunbarrel. The October mountain light is the unspoken reason most artists schedule for these weekends.

Art