Annual Telluride Festivals and Events

• Telluride Blues & Brews Festival

  – September 16-18, 2016 – Telluride Blues & Brews takes place in the world-famous resort town of Telluride, Colorado, in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Blues & Brews is a three-day celebration of blues, funk, jam bands, indie, rock, gospel and soul performances – accompanied by some of the best microbreweries in the country, a wide variety of food and craft vendors, children’s activities, late night shows, and much, much more. Although, the festival is only three days and three nights, once you get to Telluride, you won’t want to go home. More about the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival

• Telluride Festival of Cars and Colors

  – September 9 – October 2, 2016 – In 2016, the 2nd Annual Telluride Festival of Cars & Colors will continue the time-honored tradition of the Concours d’Elegance, and gather the world’s finest automobiles at one of America’s most beautiful destinations.  The festival will occupy four distinct venues over the course of four days: downtown Telluride Historic District, the luxurious hamlet of Mountain Village, the Lawson Hill district and America’s highest commercial airstrip, the 9,070-foot Telluride Regional Airport.  Auto events include the Musicians & Their Machines and the Cool Cars on Colorado car shows, located on Telluride’s Colorado Avenue, all running from Friday through Sunday. Meet fellow enthusiasts, visit the rustic shops and restaurants, and enjoy multiple venues of live music. And on Saturday, marvel at the speed and beauty of luxury airplanes at the Telluride Regional Airport fly-in.  More about the Telluride Festival of Cars and Colors

• Telluride Horror Show Festival

  – October 14-16, 2016 – The Annual Telluride Horror Show, a 3-day horror film festival in world-famous Telluride, is three days of the latest horror, fantasy, and sci-fi films in Telluride’s historic Sheridan Opera House and Nugget Theatre. The festival screens an average of 20 feature films and 30+ short films, and hosts special programs, guests, and events. If you love genre flicks then you don’t want to miss this festival. More about Telluride Horror Show Festival

• Telluride Fire Festival

  – TBD January, 2017 – The Telluride Fire Festival will be centered around a free public and interactive experience of fire artistry in the small mountain towns of Telluride and Mountain Village, Colorado. Beginning when darkness falls on Friday, Saturday and Sunday until 8pm each evening, it takes place both on the central pedestrian plaza of Mountain Village and on the “Main Street” (closed to vehicular traffic) of historic Telluride. People will watch spontaneous fire performances and experience (and walk among) the many forms of fire art from “art cars” to fire dancers to fire-emitting sculptures to creative burn barrels. More about the Telluride Fire Festival

• Telluride Comedy Festival

  – TBD February 2017 – Since 1999 each Presidents’ Day Weekend the SAF brings in some of the country’s best and funniest comedians for four nights of amazing comedy in a historic and intimate venue. Every night the show revolves around one comedic form: either stand-up, improve or sketch comedy. The Comedy Fest strives to be a world class event while keeping the grassroots feel and uniqueness of Telluride itself. Past performers include, Rob Riggle of the Daily Show, Jack MacBrayer from 30 Rock, Stephanie Weir of Mad TV, Tig Notaro from the Sarah Silverman Program, SNL’s Casey Wilson, Rob Corddry, Ed Helms, Brian Huskey, Seth Morris, Rob Heubel, Aziz Ansari, June Raphael, Scott Armstrong, Jason Mantzoukas, Paul Scheer, Rob Corddry and more. More about the Telluride Comedy Festival

• Telluride AIDS Benefit

  – TBD February 2017 – Since 1994, Telluride AIDS Benefit has donated over $1,800,000 toward HIV/AIDS education, advocacy, clinical care and NGOs. In 2012, TAB gave over a $140,000 to five HIV/AIDS charities in Colorado and Africa: Ethiopian Family Fund, Western Colorado AIDS Project, University of Colorado Hospital Foundation, Ubuntu Africa, Denver Children’s Hospital Immunodeficiency Program, Brother Jeff’s Community Health Initiative, and The Manzini Youth Care Center in Swaziland. TAB is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to fight HIV/AIDS by heightening awareness, as well as generating financial support for educational programs and client care. By initiating outreach programs, workshops and events on a regional and global level, TAB is committed to combating this worldwide pandemic that affects individuals, families, communities and countries. More about the Telluride AIDS Benefit

• Telluride Gay Ski Week

  – TBD February 2016 – Ranked the Top Gay Ski Week in the U.S.A., by gay.com, Telluride Gay Ski Week is an alternative to other gay ski events and provides a unique vacation experience in a spirited and unpretentious ski town. Nestled in a box canyon surrounded by the majestic 13,000 foot peaks of the San Juan Mountains, Telluride Gay Ski Week brings the charm of Telluride together with the European-style town of Mountain Village. More about Telluride Gay Ski Week

• Telluride Tribute Fest

  – TBD March 2017 – The Sheridan Arts Foundation presents a week of tributes to some of the greatest bands in rock and roll history with the first annual Telluride Tribute Fest. Telluride’s newest festival kicks off Thursday, March 13 with Zoso, The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience. Friday March 14 will be dedicated to the 90s with 40 Ounces to Freedom (a Sublime tribute band) and No Duh (A No Doubt tribute band). And the weekend festivities wrap up with Gary Mullen and the Works: One Night of Queen. More about the Telluride Tribute Fest

• KOTO Street Dance

  – March 31, 2017 – Join in the fun at the end of season street dance on Colorado Avenue. Music, libations and crazy costumes will entertain and amuse. Be sure to dress in your brightest pink and favorite flamingo attire!

• MountainFilm in Telluride

  – May 26-29, 2017 – MountainFilm, which began in 1979 with a small number of films about mountains, now occupies dozens of venues in Telluride and Mountain Village and fills the two towns with inspiring thinkers and doers. In addition to showcasing leading independent films and filmmakers, the festival now includes symposia and panels, gallery exhibits of art and photography, book-signings, breakfast talks, student programs, music and street parties. The essential combination that first set the festival apart, though—friends, adventure, passion and powerful ideas—remains firmly intact. More about the MountainFilm in Telluride

• Wild West Fest

  – TBD June 2017 – Since 1990, the Sheridan Arts Foundation has raised $50,000 each year to bring 50 inner-city youth from Boys & Girls Clubs and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America to Telluride for a week of nurturing, child-centered mentorship programs and fascinating cultural experiences as a part of the Chip Allen Mentorship Program (C.A.M.P). During their week in Telluride, the inner-city and Native American youth work with nurturing mentors in the fields of drama, dance, horsemanship, fly fishing, outdoor adventure and music, as well as take part in exciting outdoor adventures and meaningful cultural experiences. More about the Wild West Fest

• Telluride Balloon Festival

  – TBD June, 2017 – One of Telluride’s most colorful festivals, Saturday is the highlight of the Balloon Festival with dozens of hot air balloons from around the country flying from Town Park (weather permitting) down valley at 7:00 a.m. Some land near Mahoney Drive, a thrill for those watching from the ground. Saturday evening, “balloon glow” lights up Main Street with numerous balloons inflating and firing their burners, starting at dusk. More about the Telluride Balloon Festival

• Telluride WOW Festival

  – TBD June 2017 – The Telluride Wow Festival is a health, fitness and wellness event that brings world-class presenters, instructors and athletes to Telluride to lecture and hold fitness classes on the latest health, fitness, wellness, nutrition and medical trends. Tony Horton, creator of P90X, along with other top leaders in the fitness industry will be in Telluride during the festival. More about the Telluride WOW Festival

• Telluride Bluegrass Festival

  – June 15-18, 2017 – The 42nd Annual Telluride Bluegrass coincides with the Summer Solstice — the longest day of the year which begins the Colorado summer. It’s a magical time of sun and light, when the high country of Colorado puts away its skis and grabs hiking boots, guitars, and a low-back festival chair to take in “Bluegrass.” The 42nd Annual festival promises a magical four days of only-in-Telluride performances, beloved Festival veterans, and inspiring new talent. More about the Telluride Bluegrass Festival

• Telluride Wine Festival

  – TBD June 2017 – Since 1981, Telluride has had the privilege of hosting the prestigious Telluride Wine Festival. The festival is a beautiful gathering of the local culinary community, enthusiastic visitors, vintners, and chefs from around the world. Chefs and wineries join to create unique luncheons, elite dinners, wine tastings, cooking classes, and educational seminars for festival attendees. Also happening within the four days of world-class wines and cuisine, are free cooking classes for kids, a Celebration of Colorado, cooking and grilling demonstrations, cocktail classes, and samplings of all kinds of foods that are new and unique. More about the Telluride Wine Festival

• Telluride Plein Air Festival

  – TBD July 2017 – Every Fourth of July in Telluride, Colorado, 25-30 nationally recognized Plein Air artists participate in the Telluride Plein Air celebration. In 2003, the Sheridan Arts Foundation first collaborated with Keith Wicks, Executive Director of Sonoma Plein Air, to produce this event, and now a week of outdoor art has become an indispensable part of the town’s Independence Day festivities. In addition to observing some of the nation’s top Plein Air artists at work, locals and tourists alike enjoy watching our two-hour quick draw competition on Tuesday, followed by the VIP Artists Choice Preview & Wine Tasting featuring each artists favorite piece of the week. The celebration culminates in a two-day sale, where the artists display the art they created all week long. More about the Telluride Plein Air Festival

• Fourth of July Celebration

  – July 4, 2017 – There’s nowhere better to celebrate Independence Day than Telluride! With the Rundola (run from the base of the Gondola to the top up the Telluride Trail), Fireman’s Parade, picnic, games in town park, Air Force fly by and fireworks (weather permitting), this festive holiday is celebrated in Telluride in the most magnificent setting in the world!

• Telluride Yoga Festival

  – TBD July, 2017 – The Annual Telluride Yoga Festival is held in the stunningly beautiful and majestic setting of Telluride, Colorado. This year, there are a total of 11 intimate and unique venues dotted throughout both Telluride and Mountain Village with more than 85 classes, workshops, lecturers and events. Many acclaimed and gifted presenters and teachers will be present. More about the Telluride Yoga Festival

• Telluride Ride Festival

  – TBD July 2017 – The annual Telluride Ride Festival is a weekend-long music festival located in Town Park in Telluride, Colorado. The Ride Fest has quickly garnered a reputation among music fans for its thoughtful performance curation – hand-picking rootsy, rocking talent whose music flawlessly compliments the festival’s stunning Telluride setting. Since its debut in 2012, The Ride Festival has filled a unique niche in Colorado – and among U.S. festival offerings – as host to a carefully curated Americana/rock lineup offering world-class musical acts and introducing new, soon-to-break talent. More about the Telluride Ride Festival

• Telluride Playwrights Festival

  – TBD July, 2017 – The Telluride Playwright’s Festival is a laboratory for playwrights, actors, and directors where dynamic, meaningful work is nurtured and refined against the backdrop of the majestic San Juan Mountains. More about the Telluride Playwrights Festival

• Telluride Jazz Festival

  – TBD August, 2017 – Since 1977, the Telluride Jazz Festival has been a celebration of the art, soul, history, and future of the genre of jazz music. The festival seeks to honor jazz’s finest historic artists and create a platform from which new artists can voice their sound. The Telluride Jazz Festival has consistently earned national and international attention for featuring the best in classic, mainstream, blues, African, Cajun, and Latin jazz music. The intimate format, majestic aesthetic, town-wide programming, and superb music come together to create a truly unique weekend experience. Performances take place on two outdoor stages during the day, the Main Stage in Telluride’s legendary Town Park, and Free Stage at the Wilkinson Public Library. More about the Telluride Jazz Festival

• Telluride Mushroom Festival

  – TBD August, 2017 – Telluride Mushroom Festival celebrates the many uses of fungi (all things mycology). Fungi serve many purposes–from breaking down plant cellulose in nature to creating nutrients for plants, to serving as food and medicine for people, to acting as bio-remediators to filter and break down toxic land like oil spills and agricultural run off. More about the Telluride Mushroom Festival

• Telluride Film Festival

  – September 1-4, 2017 – The films are wonderful, but they’re only one piece of the SHOW. There are also the people. For starters, there are three major film artists who will attend to accept our Tribute. In addition, every Telluride program is presented by special guests — usually the director or key players. With older films, it may be a historian who recognizes the significance of overlooked silver nitrate. This incomparably mixed company of directors, actors, and scholars is an essential part of the Festival: interacting all weekend with attendees, discussing, defending and delighting in the movies that are playing. More about the Telluride Film Festival.

 Ongoing Telluride Events

• Telluride Farmer’s Market

  – The 2016 Telluride Farmer’s Market takes place on South Oak Street in Telluride every Friday from early June through early October, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The market features organic fruits and vegetables, pasture-raised meats, eggs, cheese, artisan bread and baked goods, an array of delicious concessions, and expert locally made crafts. More about the Telluride Farmer’s Market

• Sunset Concert Series

  – Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association invites you to another season of outstanding music on the Sunset Concert Series stage. In its 15th year, the series brings an impressive lineup to town; a mix of Blues, Reggae, Funk, Americana, Rock and more. The free concerts are held in Sunset Plaza from 6-8pm on Wednesday evenings throughout the summer. The 2016 series has concluded, but check back next spring for information on the 2017 series. More about Sunset Concert Series