13 Colorado Summer Music Festivals Well Worth the Drive

How many of these are on your list, or have you done?  I hope to knock most of them off of mine, but it'll take some years!

Vans Warped Tour - July 1st in Denver

Word has it it's the last year for this, after about two decades.  The closeout show will include 3oh!3, All Time Low, Bowling for Soup, Less than Jake, Pennywise, Sum 41, Reel Big Fish, Simple Plan, Taking Back Sunday, Story of the Year, and a couple dozen other metal, punk and alternative bands.  More

Central Rockies Old Time Music Festival - July 11-15th in Berthoud

This one is about preserving and celebrating the sound of early Colorado bluegrass.  Real 'mountain' stuff.  Lots of violins, banjos, fiddles and guitars.  More

Underground Music Showcase - July 27-29th all throughout downtown Denver

Going on 20 years of boosting up-and-coming local bands, but there are some national ones, too, like Deerhunter, Night Beats, Superchunk, and White Denim.  Colorado bands include My Body Sings Electric, One Flew West, Slow Caves, Wildermiss, Kyle Emerson, We Are Not a Glum Lot, and a WHOLE lot more. 

Global Dance Music Festival - July 20th-21st at Denver Broncos Stadium

This one features some very unique headliners!  Perhaps best to take a listen to some of these.  More

Rocky Grass - July 27-29th in Lyons.  

Another bluegrass blowout-campout, but this one is sold out, unfortunately.  I added it here so you can know about it for next time!  More

Arise - August 3rd-5th at Sunrise Ranch in Loveland

EDM, hip hop, and reggae like Slightly Stoopid and Thievery Corporation, Pepper, and easily another 20 acts.  More

Bohemian Nights - August 10-12th in Old Town Fort Collins

Also known as New West Fest!  Traditionally free to attend, features the Decemberists, Blondie, the Motet, Flobots, Brent Cowles, Shatterproof... a total of about 80 bands.  More

Mountain Music Festival - August 17-18th in Keystone

Free to attend and has a great, adult alternative flavor with acts like Lone Bellow, Dustbowl Revival, and the Mulligan Brothers.  Locals consider this the last hoorah for Summer, as the aspens start to turn yellow shortly after this time.  More

Rocky Mountain Folks Festival - August 17-19th in Lyons

This one has been taking off very nicely the past few years.  It spares you the overwhelming crowd (and the drive) of, say, the Telluride Bluegrass festival.  It'll include Indigo Girls, Jeff Tweedy and Los Lobos.  More

NedFest - August 24-26th in Nederland

This really capitalizes on the eclectic, friendly vibe of the town itself.  This isn't a show you easily go to and leave without talking to people.  This is also a very popular time and place for a campout.  Bands include Electric Hot Tuna, Melvin Seals, Head for the Hills and Flash Mountain Flood.  More

Jazz Aspen Festival - August 31st-September 2nd in Snowmass

Not for the budget-minded individual.  You'll need a hotel, a shuttle, probably money for food trucks, and chances are your choice of mind-altering substances.  That said, you'd get to see Michael Franti, Lionel Richie and Fitz and the Tantrums, Jack Johnson, and Zac Brown Band, just for starters!  More

Seven Peaks Music Festival - August 31st-September 2nd in Buena Vista

A country music showdown with the likes of Miranda Lambert, Elle King, Sam Bush, Brothers Osborne, Del McCoury Band and Dierks Bentley.  Mountain twang at its finest, in one of the most adorable destinations on the map.  More

Grandoozy - September 14-16th at Overland Golf Course in Denver 

This one's organized by the organizers of the world-famous Bonnaroo Music Festival, and will bring national and local groups including Phoenix, Young the Giant, Kendrick Lamar, Florence and the Machine, Stevie Wonder, Logic, The Chainsmokers, Sturgill Simpson, Miguel... the list goes on and on.  More