Watch CBS News

10 Big Events Coloradans Can Look Forward To In 2021 (With Fingers Crossed)

DENVER (CBS4) - What's to look forward to in 2021? How about EVERYTHING? Assuming the response to coronavirus goes well in the later part of of 2020, we have high hopes that there will be a return to some semblance of normalcy when it comes to events in Denver next year. Here's a list of some of the events in the city or within a few hours drive that have officially been scheduled.

1. Cinco de Mayo celebrates the Battle of Puebla on May 5 and Denver hosts one of the largest celebrations at Civic Center Park. When it was canceled organizers encouraged everyone to celebrate Mexican holidays and traditions in their own way, saying they looked forward to seeing everyone in 2021. cincodemayodenver.com

RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL 5PKG.transfer_frame_551
(credit: CBS)

2. The Colorado Renaissance Festival plans to bring back the magic kingdom of Larkspur in 2021. The plan is to have opening weekend on June 12 and closing weekend Aug. 1. The festival has worked all summer to keep the experience available by sending out links to digital faires after 2020's in-person event was canceled.

3. We expect Juneteenth to be celebrated in person in 2021. The music festival went virtual because of the pandemic but the parade still happened, with calls for racial justice. Denver organizers are hoping to make June 19 a national holiday. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the U.S. juneteenthmusicfestival.com

4. The Greeley Stampede expects to host its 99th event in 2021. It usually happens in late June and didn't this year, but as of this writing no 2021 dates had yet been set. The Stampede does plan to host the National Circuit Finals Rodeo in September. greeleystampede.org

5. The music should return for the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in June 2021. Planet Bluegrass said canceling the annual music festival was one of its hardest decisions ever and promised folks could use 2020 tickets in 2021.

6. The Cherry Creek Arts Festival is looking forward to taking over the neighborhood on July 2, 3 and 4 in 2021.  It will be celebrating the 30th anniversary in 2021 instead of 2020 with Art for Everyone with 260 artists on hand.

7. The Colorado Shakespeare Festival feels confident about its 2021 summer season (after canceling 2020's) with season tickets for the Boulder event going on sale on Oct. 26. Single tickets go on sale Nov. 30. The season starts on July 7 and runs through August 8.

DRAGON BOAT RACES 5VO_frame_882
(credit: CBS)

8. The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival says it hopes to bring the festival back in 2021. The July event is an annual celebration of Asian and Asian American heritage and didn't happen in 2020. It takes place at Sloan's Lake Park.

9. Cheyenne Frontier Days will come roaring back in 2021 with Garth Brooks in the lineup. CFD will celebrate its 125th anniversary next year and will be dedicated to late Wyoming country music star and world rodeo Chris LeDoux. Music legend Brooks and he were friends and performed together at the 100th anniversary show. Cheyenne Frontiers Days will run from July 23 through Aug. 1.

10. A Taste of Colorado hopes have all those chefs back and cooking in 2021.  The annual Labor Day Weekend event fills all of downtown with the smells of cooking and sounds of music from its spot in Civic Center Park, and it will take a year off this year due to the pandemic.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.