Free events in Boulder, CO

Shop local bulk foods, refillables, pantry staples, snacks, spices, and other sustainable goods at this pop-up at VisionQuest Brewery. Expect low-waste shopping with locally sourced products, plenty of refillable options, and a friendly community atmosphere. Bring your own jars or containers to refill, or use ones provided. Enjoy craft beer on tap from VisionQuest Brewery while supporting local and making your errands a little more fun.

Women of the J hosts a relaxed hiking meetup on a scenic local trail, a chance to enjoy the outdoors, get some steps in, and meet others. Difficulty varies from outing to outing, and this month the route in Boulder County includes about 400 to 700 feet of elevation gain. Registered participants will receive the meeting location a few days in advance. Attendance is free.

Matt Flaherty Band presents a free performance highlighting fubk and jam sounds.

The Dirty Turkeys bring their self-described Acid Cow Punk to the Downtown Louisville Street Faire, blending psychedelia, surf, punk, and outlaw country into a raw spin on psychedelic rock. Born from late night basement jams among friends in Boulder, the group has grown into a high-energy touring act that headlines stages around the country. This long-running summer street fair has been bringing people together for 26 years with live music, a variety of food options, refreshing beverages, activities for kids, and a marketplace of arts, crafts, and sundries. Admission is free thanks to sponsor support.

A monthly gallery stroll presented by the NoBo Art District takes place on the first Friday of the month, with a pause in January. Admission is free, and each edition brings new exhibitions at Bus Stop Gallery, the NoBo Art Center, and NoBo on the Corner, plus open studios, galleries, artist demonstrations, and other destinations around North Boulder. Explore at your own pace on a self-guided route and meet painters, sculptors, photographers, designers, and other artisans. Discover original work, support local creatives, and find gift-worthy pieces to take home. Pick up a map at the NoBo tent and follow the bright flags that mark participating locations. Check the map listing for the most current details, and enjoy the surprises waiting along the way. Thanks to Visit Boulder and Create Boulder for their support. Funding is provided in part by the Event, Arts & Culture Grant Program.

Immediately after the concert, a brief, interactive Q&A with Music Director Peter Oundjian and pianist Michelle Cann will take place in Chautauqua Auditorium. Free for ticketholders.

Dirt Circus Boulder is a free, single-day trail running festival from UltraSignup presented in partnership with Runners Roost. It brings the running community together at Runners Roost Boulder to spotlight local races, run clubs, outdoor brands, and neighborhood businesses. The experience includes a social trail run with two route options of roughly 4.4 or 6.6 miles, welcoming every pace, including hikers. After the run, the celebration continues with food, a lively expo, and plenty of opportunities to connect with fellow runners. Look for raffle giveaways with lots of prizes, brand activations, shoe demos, and chances to talk with race directors and learn about upcoming races. Check-in includes an UltraSignup Shoe Bag Lite while supplies last, along with hydration and fueling samples from LMNT and Precision. A face-decorating and glitter station by Wildsense adds a playful touch. Advance registration is required. Dirt Circus is a series of free community gatherings from UltraSignup that celebrate local races and the people who organize them. Local partners for this stop include BeyondHome's Break of Dawn North Table Trail Race, Gemini Adventures, and The Stoke Fine Racing Events, with series support from LMNT, SILO, and Precision.

Celebrate the kickoff of the Louisville Farmers Market as it opens its 18th season. Browse a mix of returning favorites and new vendors ready to support weekly shopping. Enjoy live music, grab something to eat, and stock up on fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, honey, and other local goods. The market was voted the number one farmers market in Colorado in 2023, 2024, and 2025 through the People's Choice awards from American Farmland Trust and the Farmers Market Coalition.

Browse a market where Colorado farmers offer vegetables grown organically, in transition, or without pesticides. Orchard keepers share fruit from Palisades, Colorado, available in both organic and conventional varieties. A broad mix of vendors creates an exciting shopping experience in a welcoming, family atmosphere. Choosing to shop locally supports Colorado farms, benefits the environment, strengthens the community, and helps the economy.

A free monthly gathering for local songwriters, musicians, and anyone exploring original music. Share a work in progress, perform a song, play an instrument, or simply offer support for those presenting. It provides a friendly setting to request feedback and encouragement, spark fresh ideas, or enjoy attentive listening. Connect with new collaborators and contribute to a thriving, community-minded music scene in Lafayette. Dog House Music Studios offers coffee, tea, and spring water, along with a bar serving beer, wine, cider, and hard seltzers. Outside alcohol is not allowed. All ages, genres, and experience levels are welcome. The session is guided by local musician and singer songwriter Carly Fox and hosted by Rock for the People, a Lafayette nonprofit focused on building a diverse, inclusive, and equitable music community in Boulder County. The organization reduces barriers through free or low cost rehearsal, recording, and marketing support, paid performance opportunities for artists, and paid roles for aspiring audio professionals. Its priority includes serving women, non binary people, BIPOC and Hispanic communities, and LGBTQ+ identifying musicians, audio workers, and fans.

Test your knowledge at a free live trivia night at Toosteppin Brewing. It is free to play, and the top teams earn prizes. Participants can sign up ahead of time to receive three bonus clues before the game. Please note that only one ticket is needed per team.

Bourbon, Blues, and Grooves at Nissi’s features the Kurt Allen Band with free entry and $1 off bourbon and whiskey drinks. For over a decade, Kurt Allen has blended old school blues, vintage soul, and swampy funk from the bayou into a hard-driving blues rock sound. His songwriting shows years of dedication, and his records explore a wide range of blues styles. His latest album, Live From The Red Shed, captures a modern blues rock performance recorded in Hutchinson, Kansas. Known for an intense touring pace of 150 to 200 shows a year, he paused during 2020 and 2021, then returned to extensive travel across the lower 48. The Red Shed set spans nine tracks that highlight his guitar work, mixing songs from across his catalog with new and previously unrecorded material, channeling the raw power of live blues.

Hosted by Women R.I.S.E., which stands for Rising In Success & Entrepreneurship, this weekly coworking session at Rayback Collective welcomes women entrepreneurs for connection and focused work. The gathering begins with coffee and introductions, then flows into open coworking. Attendance is free, and participants can drop in at any time. Look for the group at one of the large tables.

The Yard hosts a summer patio music series featuring free live performances by local talent. Shows take place on Thursday evenings, with each set running for a few hours, and the lineup includes Jonah Cook, Siena Marina, Mike Lamitola, Nina de Freitas, Tony Crank, Sophia Stout, Eliah Marley, Alex Nikiforoff, Mercy Club, The Dollhouse Thieves, and Laurie & Lorrie. Admission is free. The series is supported by Old Town Lafayette, Vintrey Honest Goods, Foxglove Bar, Ghost Box Pizza, Punch Buggy Shave Ice, and Public Wine.

Admission is free for a performance by The Wrecklunds, a Colorado group blending outlaw country with psychedelic rock. Based in Evergreen, they pair gritty storytelling and lush harmonies with a vintage-soul vibe and a broad palette of influences, shaping concerts that feel like a journey. The group began when lifelong friends Bryan Eklund and Eric Drobny launched an acoustic string project, soon earning recognition as RockyGrass Band Competition finalists and recording their debut, Moon Over Broadway, with Vince Herman. The sound that started with upright bass and porch-ready picking has evolved into a fully electric band inspired by a golden-era mix of groove, harmony, and freedom.