7 Crested Butte Summer Events You Can’t Miss

The summer season is a hectic time in Crested Butte. There is so much to do in such a short amount of time. We’ve taken the burden of planning out 7 events this summer (in chronological order), so that you can just show up and enjoy. Sit back, relax, and check out what’s coming up soon!  

The Mountain Words Festival is a multi-day literary celebration at nine-thousand feet, featuring readings, workshops, kids’ events, parties, panel discussions, live theater, and more. Dozens of renowned authors gather in Crested Butte to kick off the summer with this one-of-a-kind event!

Independence Day in Crested Butte is one of the biggest events of the year. This year there are a few more celebrations to enjoy. Fireworks at the base of the mountain in Mt. CB will be the evening of July 3rd, 2025, preceded by a live music concert. The annual parade down Elk Ave with dozens of creative floats will be on the 4th including:

• Pancake breakfast at the firehouse
• Vendor Village at 3rd and Elk featuring live music, beverages, face painting, eats, and more
• Epic water fight at the end of the parade route by the Big Mine/CB Nordic Center courtesy of the CB Fire Department
• Live music at the Mt. CB base area starting 5:30pm

 Ticketed concert events at the Center for the Arts offer a variety of bands and musical genres in Crested Butte from June through August. Check out the full schedule here.

Crested Butte is the undisputed Wildflower Capital of Colorado. Every summer is a treat here, with colorful and truly amazing blooms of countless species. The Wildflower Festival itself spans two weeks, however there are events offered all summer long including 4×4 jeep tours, art classes, garden tours, guided hikes, photography workshops, and much more. Keep in mind the July events sell out pretty quickly.

Now in its fifteenth year, the Crested Butte Wine + Food Festival is an annual four-day epicurean celebration featuring world-class chefs, winemakers, brewers, distillers, sommeliers, and spirit experts.

Back on Elk Avenue for 2025, the Arts Fest continues to attract unique and talented fine artists from both Colorado and around the world. Expect delicious food trucks, music and dance, and family friendly activities to go along with over 100 artist exhibits showcased outdoors.

Crested Butte is certainly a great place for music lovers. Every Monday evening Alpenglow features live music at the Center for the Arts outdoor stage starting 5:30pm. On Wednesday evenings at the same time head up to the Mt. CB Base Area for their Music on the Mountain Concert Series. On top of that there’s the Summer Classics in the Courtyard series every other Tuesday back at the Center for the Arts. All are FREE!

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At Crested Butte Lodging & Property Management, we understand the quality of lodging can make or break your vacation. We have carefully evaluated and inspected each property and have categorized our accommodations to further help you make your lodging selection. We want you to come to Crested Butte, Colorado to relax and have fun – not hassle with your accommodations.