Durango offers a full event calendar all year long. Some of our favorite and longest running events occur in fall.
ANNUAL FALL EVENTS:
Located at the La Plata County Fairgrounds and Events Center
August 7-10, 2024
An annual tradition for the entire family. The County Fair features live animals, exhibits, pies, quilts, and more. Fairgoers should check out the prized livestock raised by our local 4-H youth. No fair would be complete without traditional carnival rides and decadent carnival food. A local favorite event not to be missed is the Demolition Derby. Tickets for this sell out quickly, so get yours in advance or pick up one the morning of the event. There is so much to do at the Fair, you just might want to visit more than once! Click here for a full schedule.
Buckley Park, August 23 & 24, 2024
This year’s Brewfest will take place over two days, Friday August 25 from 5 to 8 pm and Saturday August 26 from 1 to 5 pm in Buckley Park. The event is a benefit of United Way of Southwest Colorado and features unlimited tastings from 35 breweries and live music. Ticket holders will receive a 5 oz souvenir tasting glass and unlimited samples, but know your limits. There will be approximately 100 beers for you to taste. Check out our Top Ten Things you should Know before you go to the Brewfest.
Tickets are available now for this year’s event: Click here to buy yours today!.
The Art Galleries of Durango Autumn Gallery Walk
Downtown Durango, September 20 from 5pm-8pm
Twelve galleries in Downtown Durango, along with the Smiley Building, will host their Annual Autumn Gallery Walk, featuring a variety of art and crafts from hundreds of talented artists, refreshments and live music.
Downtown Durango on 2nd Avenue ~ September 21 & 22
The Autumn Arts Festival takes place September 21 and 22, 2024, in Historic Downtown Durango on E. 2nd Avenue. Celebrating 30 years of presenting fine art and fine craft makers, the festival features nearly 100 artist booths. The event is a benefit for the Durango Arts center, a non-profit arts organization serving Durango and the Four Corners. Festival hours are 10 am to 5 pm.
Purgatory Resort, Dates for 2024 coming soon.
Join us for Oktoberfest in Durango. As Durango's premier beer festival, we celebrate the combined creativity and downright tastiness of our town's local brews. Join us for a day of live entertainment from local musicians as well as delicious food, games and more. This is a family friendly event!
Learn more at https://www.purgatory.ski/event/purgatory-oktoberfest-presented-by-sky-ute-casino
Various venues in Durango, Oct. 2nd-6th 2024
The Durango Cowboy Gathering is a fun filled five day event that captures the true spirit of the American cowboy through song, music and stories. Cowboy poets and musicians from all across the country will perform in various venues throughout Durango including the Doubletree and Strater Hotels. They also will visit area schools to entertain students with stories and songs about our western culture and lifestyle. On Saturday, one of Colorado’s largest motorless parades and a chuckwagon breakfast kick off a day full of activities.. New this year, the Gathering will feature a Horseback Social before the start of the parade. Six blocks of historic downtown historic Durango will be closed to traffic so that hundreds of cowboys, cowgirls, and other horse enthusiasts can get together with each other, along with members of the community. Multiple areas adjacent to the riding enclosure will be set aside for a variety of activities, including a petting corral and horse rides for the kids. It will be a unique and captivating experience for participants, as well as locals and visitors alike.
For 36 years, the mission of the Gathering is to remind people of Durango’s western heritage and culture. We hope you will join us as we celebrate the traditions unique to the Old West. For more information, please visit our website at www.durangocowboygathering.org
Spoketober Month of October
A month- long Celebration of all things cycling.
Hosted by Visit Durango, the City of Durango, and various other organizations throughout the community, Spoketober is a celebration of all things cycling. This includes mountain biking, road biking, e-biking, gravel biking, BMXing, bike commuting, and everything in between.
This annual event lasts throughout the month of October: the 1st through the 31st, and includes various events hosted throughout Durango. These events range from group rides, bike swaps, parades, prizes, specials, sweepstakes, and more.
Animas Valley and Historic Downtown Durango, October 18-20, 2024
The Animas Valley Balloon Rally hosts a full weekend of events October 18-20, 2024. The event kicks off with the Downtown Balloon Glow on Friday, where spectators will see multiple hot air balloons light up. The event also features a few candlesticks (baskets without their balloons.) A second Downtown Balloon Glow will also take place on Saturday night. This is a great opportunity to meet the pilots and get up close to the balloons. In the Animas Valley on Saturday and Sunday early bird spectators can see the balloons inflate and then watch the balloons take flight for a mass ascension. This is a great event for families. Free tethered balloon rides will be available. The event is weather permitting.
Historic Downtown Durango, October 31, 2024
The little ghost and goblins fill the streets of Downtown Durango on October 31 for the Children’s Halloween Event. This is a fun and safe option for kids to trick or treat in costume at nearly 100 participating merchants. This event is for children 10 and under, accompanied by an adult, and in costume. Children’s Halloween will also include a Children's Carival and Trunk-or-Treat at TBK Bank with games offered by Boys and Girls Club of La Plata County. The games are free for children 14 and under and offer additional fun activities on Halloween night. In addition to the games there will be approximately 10-15 businesses doing a Trunk-or-Treat and handing out goodies to the kids. This event is generously sponsored by TBK Bank. All donations will support the Boys and Girls Club of La Plata County. Learn more about this event here.
WEEKLY/ONGOING FALL EVENTS:
Wednesday Evenings at the La Plata County Fairgrounds and Events Center.
True Western Roundup is excited to showcase the working ranch activities of the American Cowboy and Cowgirl. We are proud to promote and preserve our western heritage in a positive family atmosphere and we welcome you to bring your family and friends for an exciting evening of wild western entertainment!
Our mission is to produce events that preserve our western heritage, promote business, support human and animal athletes, build community and provide a family friendly atmosphere in an authentic fashion.
Our western events are hosted each Wednesday evening at the La Plata County Fairgrounds.
For event details, visit our website or follow our facebook page. Avoid the line and buy your tickets online at TrueWestenRoundup.com
Last Wednesday of each month- through September from 6pm-9pm
Located in the North Main District at various locations
The Animas City Night Bazaar converts a lonely neighborhood parking lot or alley in the North Main District into a lively, creative gathering space that welcomes vendors, artisans, musicians, performers, non-profit partners and our community. Our three events of the season will take place on:
Visit their website to learn more about the location and event details.
First Friday of Every Month, March - November 2024
Durango First Friday is a monthly art walk celebrating all things local in our amazing community—art and music, culture, unique goods, real food, and movement makers! Rain or shine, this monthly event will take place through out Durango from 4-8pm, with free transit provided by the City of Durango
TBK Parking Lot, Saturday Mornings
The Durango Farmers Market is celebrating 25 years of offering an open-air market in Downtown Durango. Featuring local farmers, artisans and more. Buy your produce from the farmers that grew it. The market offers vegetables, meat, honey, fruit, eggs, cheese, ceramics, jewelry, and fresh ready to eat meals. Musical entertainment is also offered at each market. It’s a community event not to be missed!
Located at the TBK Bank Parking Lot at 259 W. 9th Street, just one block off Main Avenue.
Open Saturdays 8am to noon (October 9am-noon)
On the third Saturday of the month-August- October- Dates in 2024 coming soon.
An evening of Art and Self Expression. Join the party at Hermosa Cafe - every 3rd Saturday of the month. The Art Mart will include Artisan Vendors, Interactive art demonstations, performance artists, live music, free kids art projects, costume contest and more. Visit their instagram page for more information.