You probably know the saying, “People come for the winter, stay for the summer.” That is not just a saying in Summit County. It is a reality.
It happens all the time. Someone buys a second home for ski season, shows up in July on a whim, and suddenly realizes they’ve been missing half the year. During Summit County summers the trails are dry, the wildflowers are spectacular, the days are long and warm, and somehow, it’s even more beautiful than it was under snow.
If you’ve been thinking about what a Summit County property is really worth, keep in mind, you’re not just buying easy access to skiing. You’re buying into a place that earns its keep twelve months a year.
And this Summit County summer is earning as hard as ever.
June: The summer season wakes up
Summer in Summit County starts amping up in June.
June opens with the Dillon Amphitheater kicking off its season with Lane 8 on June 6th. The Lake Dillon Beer Festival on June 13th is the official start of the summer festival season. Get out your rainbow colors and enjoy multiple days of live music, dance & unexpected moments of fun at Breck Pride June 11–13. Just try and wipe the smile off your face after a thrilling downhill ride when the Keystone Bike Park opens on June 19th. You won’t want to miss the delicious Bacon & Bourbon Festival in Keystone June 27–28. If you prefer tequila, the Breckenridge Agave Festival runs that same weekend.
Don’t forget about the Breckenridge Sunday Market that sells local, handmade, Colorado goods. It begins June 8th and runs every Sunday through September. If you are looking for fresh fruits and veggies, Dillon hosts a Farmer’s Market every Friday starting June 5th and Breckenridge’s happens every Thursday beginning June 18. There’s also free live music on Thursdays in Frisco. The Concert in the Park series begins June 25th and runs through August.
July: Summit County summer is full swing
July in Summit County is spectacular!
The 4th of July brings parades in Breckenridge and Frisco, the Silverthorne NRO concert, Keystone’s Stars & Guitars and Copper Mountain’s Red, White, Brews & Tunes festival. The whole county celebrates together all weekend long. Wildflower Week in Breckenridge runs July 2–12. The mountain meadows are extraordinary when the wildflowers are at their peak. Head out on a guided hike this week to see the brilliant colored wildflowers beneath our blue Colorado sky.
How about a Duathlon at altitude on July 10th? Typically a triathlon, the race has been adjusted this year to mountain biking and trail running, leaving out the paddleboarding, in response to anticipated low water level in Lake Dillon.
If you’ve still got some energy left after the Duathlon, get your dance on to the music of the Runaway Grooms at Copper Mountain the next day, July 11th. Then come on back for Eminence Ensemble on July 25th. Don’t miss out on the festivals happening in July. The Breckenridge Summer Beer Festival (July 11), the Keystone Wine & Jazz Festival (July 18–19), and the Breckenridge Food & Wine Festival (July 24–26).
If you’re still looking for more, start pedaling and raising money for Children’s Hospital in the Courage Classic at Copper Mountain July 18-19.
August: Summer’s sweet spot
You’re going to love August in Summit County. With our hottest days of the summer peaking in the 80s, summer events are even more fun at altitude.
The Keystone Bluegrass & Beer Festival opens the month strong on August 1–2, and the Silverthorne First Friday Block Party keeps the energy going the next weekend. As the name implies, the First Friday event happens on the first Friday of each month in Silverthorne. The Breckenridge August Art Festival, August 6–8, fills Main Street Station with artists from across the country. The Breck Epic mountain bike stage race August 9–14 brings serious riders from around the world onto some of the most spectacular singletrack in the Rockies. You can be a spectator, volunteer or competitor for the highest Regatta in the world on August 21-23.
August finishes strong with the Union Peak Festival at Copper Mountain August 28-30. It’s a convergence of community, art & sport celebrating the mountain athlete.
September: Winding down
September gets overlooked and it shouldn’t. The aspen trees start turning. The air gets crisp. The trails are still open. And the calendar refuses to quit as we celebrate the end of summer and start looking forward to winter.
The end of summer holiday, Labor Day weekend, gets September started off right. Keystone Oktoberfest, Fall Fest in Dillon, and the Breckenridge Great Divide Art Festival are all taking place that weekend.
The fun continues the next weekend for Frisco Fall Fest and the Bluegrass & Beer Fest in Breck. Don’t even think about taking a break. The 46th annual Breckenridge Film Festival is September 17-20. Run the Rockies trail race on September 19th makes you earn that post-race beer. Breckenridge’s Oktoberfest take place. September 25-27 rounding out a September that feels like Summit County summer’s victory lap.
Summit County, Colorado: So worth it
Winter is only half the story in Summit County. It’s a great half, no doubt about that. But it’s still just half. Summit County summer is the half that often goes unnoticed. But once you experience the weather, the events, the scenery, you’ll be hooked.
Your Summit County home is your key to unlock Summit County all year long. Permission to be here no matter what else is happening in your life. Where your kids grow up thinking this is what summer is supposed to be. Where you stop checking your phone because something better is always happening outside. It’s all right here, and so worth it.
Reach out if you want to discuss owning your own little piece of Summit County. We’re always here to help.
This isn’t a complete list of every event happening in the County this summer. Drop additional events in the comments to add them to the list.
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