Music Festivals You Have To Join
Enjoy the rhythm of Rocky Mountain music at Denver music venues and festivals.
Colorado attracts travelers with its enviable outdoor recreation activities, great neighborhoods, farm-to-table dining offerings, and an array of craft breweries. All forms of creativity flourish here, but especially in Denver, the capital also known as the “Mile High City”, where you can find a lively music scene that welcomes famous artists and promotes amateur bands equally. Check out these unique venues and festivals that celebrate the eclectic tunes of Denver and the iconic landscape of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains.
Places That Know How to Put on a Show
No Denver music tour is complete without a visit to Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater, a must see for music fans around the world. Set in a natural amphitheater of ancient sandstone formations, this iconic setting has attracted some of music’s most influential stars: Jimi Hendrix, The Grateful Dead, The Beatles and U2. During the day, you can hike along nature trails, enjoy a picnic, tour the Performers’ Hall of Fame, and join the locals in their exercise routine up the steps of the amphitheater.
Back in downtown, get a taste of Denver’s more vibrant side at Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, a former brothel that now features boudoir-inspired decor. The kitchen offers gastropub-style meals and the bar serves hand-mixed cocktails. Live shows, which generally run Wednesday through Saturday nights, range from reggae music to jazz. You can show off your best moves on the fantastic and inviting dance floor or watch from the upper level.
On Denver’s historic Colfax Avenue, the Bluebird Theater is a key venue for local artists like The Lumineers and The Fray, as well as talents traveling across the country. The music room that has no seats is within walking distance of popular bars and restaurants. Before or after the show, grab a New York-style slice of pizza and a cocktail at Fat Sully’s / Atomic Cowboy.
Featured Colorado Music Festivals
Colorado music festivals represent a part of the genres that get you moving. On Memorial Day weekend Saturday in late May, the Denver Day of Rock festival overflows the 16th Street Mall in downtown with live performances on five stages, plus food trucks, beer gardens and activities suitable for the whole family. The best part: the entire event is free.
Indie music fans can attend the Underground Music Showcase, one of the largest festivals of its kind in the region. Held in late July, this event features more than 250 bands at more than 15 locations on Denver’s South Broadway, a district known for its eclectic bars, restaurants, and trendy shops.
Jazz fans should plan a visit to coincide with the Five Points Jazz Festival. On the third Saturday in May, the free festival is held in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood, which was once known as the “Harlem of the West” for its legendary jazz clubs that drew performers like Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk. Currently, the festival welcomes different groups of musicians who perform Latin music, blues, funk and all kinds of jazz.
Connect with the energies of Colorado County at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. It’s a long drive from Denver, nearly a six-hour drive southwest, but the beautiful scenery of the San Juan Mountains and a host of top talent make the trip worthwhile. Some of the artists who have performed in the past include David Byrne, Mumford & Sons, and Béla Fleck. For almost 50 years, the festival has been a rite of passage for rock and bluegrass lovers.
The roar of the crowd waiting for one of the artists to take the stage at Denver’s Underground Music Showcase is amazing.
Denver International Airport (DEN) is one of the busiest airports in the United States, serving direct and connecting flights from around the world. There is also availability to rent vehicles. The A Line commuter rail also offers convenient public transportation to get between the airport and downtown Denver .