Louisville Street Faire
The downtown Louisville Street Faire in Louisville, Colorado brings great music to the Front Range every summer Friday from mid-June to mid-August. This fair's last performance of the year is usually the biggest with internationally known headliners.
In addition to the concert, the fair features excellent food and drink vendors, and children's activities such as arts and crafts.
When:
Summer Fridays from 5 to 10pm.
Music is typically 6:30 - 9.
Where:
Downtown Main Street in Louisville.
Schedule:
The 2013 Louisville Street Faire schedule is as follows:
June 14: CJ Chenier
June 21: Young Dubliners
June 28: Richie Furay
July 12: BoDeans
July 19: The Samples
July 26: Samantha Fish
August 2: Tab Benoit
August 9: Fireball
August 16: Dickey Betts and Great Southern (CANCELLED DUE TO ILLNESS)
I was really looking forward to seeing Dickey Betts again and hope he gets well soon and can come back to Colorado.
Chris Daniels and Freddi will be stepping in at the last minute for this concert.
More Info from the downtown Louisville web site: 
Frozen Dead Guy Days in Nederland (Annually in March)
2014's Frozen Dead Guy Days will be celebrated March 7 through March 9. The highlight of the event is really the Polar Plunge, where anyone can sign up to take a dive in a freezing pond. Some people do it for the thrill, some do it to raise money for charities, and some are just plain nuts. There is also a coffin race, hearse parade, music, and many other bizarre activities (frozen turkey bowling???). This is one of the most popular things to do in March for front range residents with cabin fever.
This is probably the wierdest festival I've ever heard of, even wierder than Manitou's fruitcake toss or Leadville's ski Joring. Come and learn about the history of the frozen dead guy and observe some of Nederland's finest citizens enjoying a day in the mountains.
Traffic can become a real problem for the small town so plan accordingly. Parking is available on the side streets but getting to them can take a while.
When:
March 7 - 9, 2014
Where:
The event is held in Nederland, Colorado (at the top of Boulder Canyon west of Boulder).
As more people down in town learn about this festival every year, it has grown from a small event for members of the mountain community to a really crowded winter festival for everyone in the front range. If the crowds don't bother you, come check it out:
Frozen Dead Guy Days Nederland Chamber web site:
If you want to learn more before you commit to a trip to the mountains, read all about the frozen dead guy here:
Frozen Dead Guy Days Wiki:
Colorado Free Fishing Weekend (First Weekend in June)
On the first weekend of June each year, Colorado waives fishing license requirements. This is a great chance to grab your gear out of storage and take the family to a nearby lake or stream for some serious trout fishing!
Old Globeville Days and the Orthodox Food Festival (annually in July)
The Old Globeville Days Orthodox Food Festival celebrates Denver's international immigrant heritage with a diverse selection of free entertainment and international food. The music features outstanding performers of diverse folk heritage including an amazing Celtic performance. The incredible food selection is sample sized and you purchase tickets to try the samples. One of the best things to do in Denver on a warm mid-July weekend.
Snowmass Summer Concerts
On summer Thursdays and Fridays the laid back atmosphere of Snowmass Colorado comes alive with their free Snowmass Village Summer Concerts. The music, set up on a Snowmass ski run stage near the upper village, is loud and wild.
When:
Summer Thursdays (and sometimes Fridays) from 6:15 to 8:30pm.
Where:
Snowmass upper village.
Schedule:
The 2013 Snowmass Village Free Summer Concert schedule is as follows:
June 20: Freddy Jones
June 27: The Dunwells
Friday July 5: CJ Chenier
July 11: The Revivalists
July 18: Mountain Standard Time
July 25: J.Boog
August 1: Tab Benoit
August 8: Nigel Hall
August 15: Robert Walters
More Info from the Aspen Snowmass web site:
Denver Center for the Performing Arts ($10 tickets)
The Denver Center for the Performing Arts offers a limited number of $10 tickets, every Tuesday morning, for shows coming later in the week.
Bluff Lake Nature Center, Aurora (always free)
Bluff Lake Nature Center is a free wildlife and nature center park in Aurora in the Stapleton area. Hiking trails wind their way through the park, passing a seasonal lake and overlooks. This is an excellent Denver area attraction for nature watchers.
Denver Firefighters Museum Free Days
The Denver Firefighters Museum free days are a fun way to learn about real Colorado firefighters and the history of fire fighting in Colorado.
Liftopia Ski Discounts
Colorado resorts offering substantial Liftopia ski discounts:
Arapahoe Basin.
Copper Mountain.
Durango.
Loveland.
Monarch Mountain.
Ski Cooper.
Sunlight.
Winter Park.
Some other resorts have discounts on Liftopia that really aren't discounts at all.
Check out Liftopia:
Rentals
If you need to pick up rentals on your way to the mountain, my favorite super cheap rental shop is Maison De Ski in Idaho Springs.
Willie G's Denver Happy Hour (Downtown Denver)
Willie G's is a great place to have a happy hour snack and a cocktail in the middle of the 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver. The street facing patio allows diners to relax with a drink and watch Denver tourists and businesspeople pass by.
Golden History Center and Astor House (free days)
The Golden History Center, along Clear Creek next to the Golden Library, and the Astor House Museum, offer free days from time to time. The next free day is during the winter Candlelight Walk, December 5th, 2014.
Details from the Golden History Museums web site:
U.S. Mint at Denver Free Tours (Monday - Thursday)
Denver Mint Tours are closed for construction through February 27, 2014.
If you ever wanted to know where that change in your pocket comes from, the free Denver Mint Tours are the place to find out! Tours are free of charge Monday through Thursday at the United States Mint in downtown Denver. Reservations must be made in advance through the United States Mint Tour Reservation System
The Denver Mint building is highly secure, so you will need to pass through a security screening before your tour begins. Many common items are not permitted on the tour, such as purses, check their web site for a detailed list of prohibited items. The tour itself is very informative and interesting, discussing not only how new coins are made but also America's coin making history.
When:
Year-round, Monday - Thursday.
Reservations are required.
Be at the tour entrance 30 minutes prior to your tour time.
Location:
320 West Colfax Avenue
It's just off the southern end of the 16th Street Mall near Civic Center Park.
Visit their web site for tour details and reservations:
Coors Tour: Golden, Colorado (always free)
The Coors tour is one of Colorado's most famous free tours, and one of the top Colorado attractions. If you are in the Denver area, try to make the trip west to the Coors tour in downtown Golden.
After parking, you will be picked up by a small bus and taken on a short tour of downtown Golden. The driver will provide information about Golden and Coors along the way.
After exiting the bus, you go into the Coors tour center, where you will receive an audio device that you listen to as you follow the self-guided tour.
The Coors tour is very in depth, taking you through the history of Coors and the stages of brewing and packaging. You will see the huge brewing vats and other facilities critical to the process. The packaging area is one of the most dramatic aspects when it is in full operation.
In the middle of the Coors tour you enter a room which serves a small sample of the freshest beer you will likely ever taste, recently off of the production line. At the end of the tour you enter the bar area where you receive three free drinks of your choice! And don't worry, they have root beer and other drinks for the designated driver and the children.
The Coors tour is so popular that it can be very crowded with long wait times at the bus and bar. Consider attending earlier in the day or on a weekday.
When:
Winter Hours:
Thursday 10-4
Friday 10-4
Saturday 10-4
Sunday noon-4
Monday 10-4
Closed Tuesday, Wednesday and all major holidays.
Summer Hours (May 29 through Labor Day):
Monday - Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 12noon - 4pm
Closed on all major holidays.
Specific Closure Dates:
April 20th.
May 26, 27, 28.
July 4th.
September 1, 2, 3.
November 28-29.
December 24-25.
December 31-January 1.
Where:
The Coors tour is located in the middle of downtown Golden. The gigantic concrete buildings are impossible to miss.
Parking for the tours is in a large lot at the intersection of 13th street and Ford Street. The line for the Coors tour bus forms near this intersection.
Information about the Coors tour from the MillerCoors site:
Howelsen Hill in Steamboat Springs (always low cost)
Howelsen Hill Ski Area is a historic ski area and Olympic training grounds operated by the city of Steamboat Springs, and is one of the only ski areas left in Colorado that is affordable on a daily basis. This ski area is a decent place for downhill skiers and snowboarders to make some quick laps, and features a nice terrain park, but it is especially nice for Cross Country / Nordic skiers.
There are only a handful of downhill runs served by 1 rope tow and 1 chair lift, but there are miles of Nordic trails. Howelson is lit for night skiing and often stays open until 8pm.
Oh yeah, the huge ski jumps are off limits to the public but they are an amazing sight!
2012 - 2013 Rates:
Lift Tickets: $20 per adult, discounts for children and seniors.
Terrain Park Only: $10
Nordic Trails Only: $10
Children's Magic carpet learning area: Free! (see concession booth for a free ticket).
$10 night skiing tickets are also available Tuesday through Friday.
Full lift ticket pricing breakdown for 2012-2013:
Hours and Season:
CLOSED MONDAYS.
Tuesday 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Wednesday 1:00 pm - 8:00pm
Thursday 3:45 pm - 8:00pm
Friday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Closed on Christmas Day and special holiday hours are in effect through Jan 3.
Howelson Hill Home Page and Maps:
Steamboat is fairly remote for a day trip, but if you can't afford the lodging in the area, there is a year-round campground that is reasonable called Steamboat Campground.