What happened???? The only good thing about the festival…read morethis year was the music. I loved the bands that I got to hear. I have been going to this festival for 25 years or more. I've seen it grow and become one of the highlights of fall. I have not been since COVID. Wow. What happened? I really hate leaving critical reviews, but had to in the hopes that person(s) who are organizing this event will read this and make some improvements. While I realize that inflation is terrible now, the cost of food was insane. Some other reviewer mentioned that the cost for a booth this year was around $200. Overall, they didn't have much to offer this year. We went on a Sunday which is often less busy, but it felt like the Arapahoe County Fair. There were only a few Scottish themed food items and rest were typical carnival food. There wasn't a vendor selling Guinness or cider. They had some craft beer, mead, and wine in a can. There was one small food truck selling scotch eggs and another selling cottage pies. Each of these vendors had very long lines. There were a few vendors selling fish and chips. Several turkey leg vendors. There were only one-two people working at each booth. The admission fee was strange. The website said purchasing tickets online would save money. It was $35 at the door and $40 if you purchased it online plus a $5 convenience fee. That made no sense. That is higher rather than lower. I purchased two tickets online anyway and only got one. I emailed them and they emailed me my tickets. A few people mentioned that whomever organized the Festival needed to find a better vendor for selling tickets online. I would agree. Their website needs to be updated. Schedules of events were unclear. There was no information about parking and when we arrived, there were no signs indicating where we should park. There was a janky little machine that you could pay for parking through that. When got there, there was no program or one printed map and schedule on a sandwich board sign, so you could take a picture of. It was a map that looked like a 3rd grader did it with Minecraft and information on which tent to go to for the music. There were about half the number of pipe bands, competitive dancing, dogs of the British Isles, and agility dog shows. At the closing ceremony, there were only a handful of people in the bleachers and maybe 3 bands. It was so sad to see it decline like this. Just overall, it seemed like no thought or attention was given towards anything and it was like they thought the festival was going to run itself. I don't know how the festival is supposed to be run -- is it all volunteers?

I'm still a fan, but there have been many negative changes to the festivities: prices are higher,…read morethere were no rescue dogs there, on Sunday there were minimal dog agility activities, the heavy armour jousting was absent, and many of the clans have pulled out. We plan to get there early so we can get parking, and take a picnic rather than eat the festival food. Sis and I go to walk with the Douglas Clan in the service on Sunday, and love visiting with other clan members. Albannach was also present, as was the Welsh Baker in a separate tent set up for enjoying a Scotch egg and scones.

I don't see any events for less than $70 for about 3-5 hours. Most events include guided hikes to…read morelook at wildflowers, something anyone can do for free as all the trails being used are open to the public. I don't know how any working class person can afford to do anything at this festival. At three events, you're already over $200 minimum. I just don't see the value the festival is trying to portray.

ORIGIN: The first festival was organized in 1985 by…read morecommunity business leaders in effort to bring summer visitors to the town previously known for winter skiing on its namesake mountain. In 1999 the festival became a non-profit organization dedicated to wildflower education. TIME: The ten day long annual festival typically takes place in the middle of July in order to capture peek wildflower bloom. COST: Fees for events vary, and are primarily fund-raisers to support festival organization and facilitation. Each event appears to be limited to 15 participants to ensure active engagement and ability to hear event facilitator and participants as you walk along public trails. EXPERIENCE: I came across the small town of Crested Butte, and the wildflower festival, while spending much of one summer helping with field and laboratory research at neighboring Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory. I have since returned annually to participate as a festival participant. Some festival events I have experienced include: "Birding in the Lower Loop: led by decades-long festival leader, participants are introduced to local birds and their relation to wildflowers. Event leader scouts out locations of nests, and ensures everyone's binoculars are adjusted in advance. "Geology of Paradise": led by two geologists/festival presidents, this hike along Peanut Lake lower loop introduces participants to the geological history of the area, and its impact on location of wildflowers and trees. "Gothic Wildflowers": led by decades-long resident/scientist, participants are introduced to the unique wildflowers found on the site of Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory. "Plant Defense and Survival Strategies: led by Denver Botanical Garden botanist and wildflower specialist, participants learn how how the shape, chemical composition, and color of wildflowers along Brush Creek trail support survival and reproduction. "Wildcrafted Cocktails": led by professional bartender, participants learned the process of infusing liquors with wildflower leaves, roots, and flowers, as well as how to make three different cocktails that use wildflower-infused liquor. Materials were available for all participants to make (and taste) each of the cocktails. TIPS: At around 9500 feet above sea level participants traveling from low elevation need to be mindful of health. In addition, some events travel of steep trails. Taking this into consideration, festival organizers have planned a range from of events that are categorized into different levels to accommodate diverse health and mobility conditions. Events can sell out quickly, so plan accordingly. In 2022 the festival was featured in a national news broadcast, and apparently this has made many people from distant locations aware of the festival. New events are added each year, so there is always an opportunity to learn something new. Events take place in many different public land locations in the area.

We had a great time at the 2023 Keystone Bluegrass and Beer Festival! Great music, lots of…read moredifferent breweries to sample, fun and tasty food options and a family friendly crowd. Be sure to order a beer sampling glass in advance from their website by the day, if you want an easier way to sample the different beers on tap. My husband enjoyed his and said all the beers were great.

I saw a familiar grammy artist for the 1st time, renfrow from grateful dead by a great producer…read moreMonroe. Foelowd up by lead singer for lonesome days and the band's woody hollow and mighty pines. Last year I saw mandoline orange

Fourth of July weekend with my Mom always has me making the rounds at new places in CO. If I knew…read moreBreckenridge was so close before I would be there every other weekend (no lie). With Denver enjoying a pretty decent heat wave, the BF suggested a trip up to Breckenridge, between the 30 degree drop in temperature and a great road trip, we couldn't resist. To our surprise there was an Art Festival in Breckenridge this weekend. It's a bit different then the one in Cherry Creek. A lot less crowded and I would say and more modern art if you ask me. Not as big as Cherry Creek, in my opinion I think the Breckenridge Art Festival is the perfect size. My Mom even found some art she decided to buy for her house back home. I fell in love with some great photography there as well and would love to buy some in the coming years for my house. With the weather being cooler and the crowds being easier to migrate through, the Breckenridge Art Festival is the better choice in CO. And if you don't find any art, there are a million cute boutiques to shop at as well.

I'm a huge fan of the summer art festivals around the state, especially in mountain locales. Out…read moreof all of them, the Breckenridge one is my favorite. It's grown quite a bit in the last few years and seems to attract artists that don't necessarily frequent the other festivals. Even if something isn't my taste, most of the art here is at least interesting to look at. The past couple of years, I've found items to take home. This year I bought a couple of pottery pieces at fantastic prices (I got a collector discount since I've purchased from that artist a few times before) and I spent out of my comfort zone to get an amazing mixed media piece that I absolutely fell in love with. If you like art and you like escaping to the mountains during the hot summer, I'd highly recommend this festival. Look for it on a weekend around July 4th each year.

Fantastic festival! Previously held in Copper Mountain now held in Snowmass…read more So much more than yoga with rafting, hikes, hoop dance, gondola rides (10-4pm), paddle boarding, slacklining, fantastic speakers and live performances (Jurassic 5, dj drez, tycho, & more). Staying on site is convenient but parking is scarce. I definitely recommend the Aspen shuttle which leaves every 10-15 minutes for free! Popular stops near the festival site include Base Village and Rodeo Lot. 4 stars because maps provided are difficult to read.

I enjoy the festival but when they say it is oversold or sold out, they keep selling tickets…read more Seats in VIP are absolutely to close to one another. It truly is a safety hazard. They focus on people bringing in a bottle f wine, mor focus should be on the SAFETY of the ticket holders

I don't go to festivals anymore, but I made an exception when I learned Maxwell was playing Winter…read morePark Jazz Festival. We booked a hotel nearby for the weekend and came out for both days. The performances were great, even for artists who aren't used to elevation. The sound was decent, and they kept on schedule, swapping out setups quickly between acts. I really enjoyed the performances (Leela James as AMAZING, and Maxwell was great as always), and the DJ (Your Pal Al) in between kept the party going. The crowd was pretty mellow and cooperative, putting their umbrellas down when the performers were on. What I learned: Go big if you can. I sprung for VIP tickets and for early admission on day one. I was so glad I did. We arrived early and grabbed great seats for the first day. The second day we didn't have early access so we came later and still were able to get seats with a decent view in the VIP area. This is definitely the way to go if you can afford it. The general admission area seemed crowded and uncomfortable. Bring your own food. I stopped in a supermarket in Denver and got food for the weekend. I was so glad we brought that cooler of salads and cheese crackers. The food for sale was carnival food, so I was really glad we didn't have to choose between a $22 turkey leg or funnel cake for lunch...nor did we have to wait in line. We brought empty water bottles and filled up often at the water stations provided. Bring umbrellas or other shade. It was unshaded, and there were no cooling tents or other options. I had lots of sunscreen and a hat, but I still got sunburn on my hands. I bought a long-sleeve shirt for the next day. Because we stayed in Winter Park for the weekend, we took the free shuttle to and from the event. It was great. Despite the heat and sun, I had a great time and appreciated the small-town vibe of the festival with world-class performers.