Fall Events and Festivals Updated 1/12
September Festivals
Date: Labor Day Weekend
Colorado State Fair, Pueblo, CO
The Colorado State Fair runs August 27 through September 6th in Pueblo, CO (about 2 hours and 15 min. south of Broomfield on the I-25). It’s a bit of a drive to get down there, but seems well worth it! The grounds are open 10am until 1am on the weekend and they have so many fun things to do and see: booths, competitions, dog and animal shows, live entertainment and, of course, carnival rides and entertainment for the kids. On Saturday there is the “Kids Day” parade and Sunday is the “Fiesta” parade, both at 10am. You can get discount tickets (buy one admission get one free) on Monday and there are other discounts listed on their website as well as an events schedule.
6th Annual Wild West Air Fest and Labor Day Celebration, Steam Boat Springs, CO
This Festival runs from September 3rd through the 6th and you will find everything from bull riding to vintage and warbird airplane displays. There are classic cars and a remote controlled aircraft show. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for youth (6-12 yrs) and free for kids 5 and under. For a schedule of events, click here.
Taste of Colorado, Denver, CO
As far as I can tell, this is one of the most popular festivals in the Denver area this time of year. Obviously the food is a big draw! Restaurants from all over the area will be there - to see a map and menu’s click here. There is also plenty of entertainment for kids. At the Kidstage there are shows presented almost every hour from 10:45am until 6:15pm and the “Kidzone” is open from 10:30am until 7pm (Saturday, Sunday, Monday). I’m impressed that they even have a “Baby Oasis” in the kidzone where Mom’s can change and feed their babies - with diapers and wipes available! To see the kids schedule, click here. Outside the “Kidzone” there will be a variety of kid-friendly food vendors with treats that my kids usually salivate over (popcorn, pretzels, hot dogs, etc.) and most of the other restaurants will be offering “taste-sized” portions for one to three tickets. To see more, visit the Taste of Colorado website at: http://www.atasteofcolorado.com/.
Fall Harvest Festival
Date: Sept. 17th
Place: Karl’s Farm Dairy (1741 E. 120th, Northglenn)
Time: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-4pm
This is the 8th Annual Harvest Festival at Karl's Farm Dairy. There will be crafts, specialty vendors, bounce houses, obstacle courses, musicians, a Haunted House, face painting, a hay maze, a petting zoo, camel rides, a mechanical bull, pony and donkey rides, and fresh food.
Date: Third Saturday in September
Place: Midway Park, Broomfield
Time: Saturday 7am - 5pm
Parking
Midway Blvd. will be shut down from Kohl St. to Laurel St., so plan to park in the surrounding neighborhoods or in the parking lot just SE of the Kohl/Midway intersection - just East of the car show.
Massage Tents
Ok, I know I should be mentioning the “kid stuff” first, but this was my favorite thing last year! There are always a couple of tents set up offering free 10-15 min. massages. If you go earlier in the day, you should be able to hop in to take advantage of this before people start lining up!
The “Kid Stuff”
Many of the booths will be giving out fun stuff for the kids (think tattoos, face painting, knick-knacks and toys) but my kids loved the inflatables, petting zoo and carnival games. You can see a map of the festival here. The petting zoo and inflatables are on the north side of the park (across the creek from the playground) and the carnival rides are just East of the food court. There will be central ticketing booths for all of the rides and activities - there is one close to each of the two kid friendly locations.
Pancake Breakfast
If you’re able to get over there early, check out the Lion’s club breakfast at the Girl Scout Shelter. It’s $7 for adults, $4 for kids and they’ll have pancakes, bacon, eggs, juice and milk. Proceeds go towards the Lion’s Club community programs.
Parade
Who doesn’t love a parade!? The “Optimist Parade” will be at 10am on Saturday along Midway Blvd. The best places to sit are right on Midway along the actual festival. Make sure to save seats early if you want them right on the road!
October Pumpkin Festival
Date: Saturdays and Sundays in October
Place: Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch
9057 Ute/CO 66, Longmont
Time: 9am-6pm
While picking your pumpkins, enjoy pony rides, a bouncy house, petting zoo, pumpkin painting, mazes and more! No admission charged, tokens for some activities.
Country Harvest Days
Date: Saturdays through October
Place: Berry Patch Farms
13785 Potomac St., Brighton
Time: 10am-4pm
The festival features pumpkins and fall produce, hay rides, straw maze, a children’s craft and storytelling. Cost is $5 per person, children under 2 are free!
Great Broomfield Pumpkin Festival and Spooktacular
Date: Saturday, Oct. 23rd, 2011
Place: 1stBANK Center
Time: 11am-2pm
Break out the costumes and bring the kids to the 1STBANK Center on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. where this year the Great Broomfield Pumpkin Festival and the "Trick or Suite" have combined for more fun and enjoyment. Admission is only $5 per child.
The event is a partnership of Broomfield Recreation Services and Peak Entertainment.
There will be an unhauntingly good time. Come in costume! There are carnival games, prizes, wagon rides, crafts, and a trick or treat street. The $5 fee is for one series of carnival games and treat street.
Attendees can go on the upper level and stop by the various participating suites to get candy and gifts from 1STBANK Center sponsors.
This Halloween party is guaranteed to be a treat for kids of all ages!
For more information go to the Recreation Services Web pages.
Downtown Boulder’s Munchkin Masquerade
Date: Monday, Oct. 31, 2011
Place: Pearl Street Mall, Boulder
Time: 2pm-5pm
Each Halloween Downtown Boulder is invaded by 2,000+ tiny ghosts & goblins, dinosaurs & dragons, fairies & princes, super heroes and animals of every size, trick-or-treating along Pearl Street’s pedestrian mall at the East and West Ends. Come rain or shine!
Boo at the Zoo
Date: Saturday, Oct. 29th - Sunday, Oct. 30th, 2011
Place: Denver Zoo
Time: 9am-5pm
Join us at Denver Zoo for a howling good time at the 25th annual Boo At The Zoo. Take a trick-or-treat safari through the zoo while gathering zoo-lic-ious goodies at more then 20 candy stations. Enjoy entertainment throughout the day from magicians and jugglers to other characters of the more hairy then scary kind.