This weekend in Routt County, CO

Coca-Cola Movies on the Mountain is a free outdoor movie series where family favorites are screened under the night sky at Steamboat Square. For this August 8 showing, bring your group and settle in with your own lawn chair or blanket. Steamboat Radio’s Shannon Lukens (DJ Shan Dawg) will be there with fun giveaways, and there will be outdoor movie concessions available until 9 p.m., with popcorn, boxed candy, and Coca-Cola products. Note that pets are asked to stay home, and jackets are recommended for cooler evening temperatures.

At Lupita's Taco Temple, DJ Sparkafya pairs tacos, sunshine, and mountain air with a lively blend of funky beats, global rhythms, and reggae grooves. Order a margarita, settle onto the patio, and enjoy the soundtrack of summer in Oak Creek. Whether dancing, dining, or simply soaking up the scene, the good vibes roll from start to finish.

An off-road showdown puts drivers and riders to the test on a packed obstacle course built for mud-slinging, engine-roaring action. Side-by-sides, dune buggies, four-wheelers, and motocross bikes navigate tight corners, rugged stretches, and technical features that demand quick speed and precise control. The course delivers continuous thrills for competitors and spectators as machines kick up dirt and charge through each challenge. Participation is open to a wide range of off-road vehicles, with entry available on site or in advance through the Routt County Fair Office.

The Emerald Mountain Epic presented by Hard Headed brings two days of racing on singletrack in Steamboat Springs, featuring mountain biking on the first day and trail running on the second. Riders can take on a 52 mile solo effort or split a 26 mile duo ride, and runners choose a marathon, a half marathon, or team up for a duo. Competing on both days earns recognition in Royalty of the ‘Boat. The course features about ninety percent singletrack on Emerald Mountain in downtown Steamboat Springs, with well stocked aid stations offering Honey Stinger and Tailwind, lively finish line energy, an after party, and plenty of swag, prizes, and community spirit. Every entry supports Partners for Youth and Routt County Riders, helping build trails and empower the next generation. Capacity is limited.

Steamboat Comedy returns to Schmiggity's with the 6th annual Summer Stand Up Series, bringing favorite Yampa Valley comics together with guest performers from across the country. This showcase features Kelly Ryan and Bruce Gray. Kelly Ryan mixes bold, quick-witted comedy with playful charm. She performs out of the Hollywood Improv and is a Paid Regular at The Comedy Store. Her recent highlights include featuring for Anthony Jeselnik on an international tour in 2024, winning Portland's Funniest Person in 2021, and being selected for Just For Laughs Montreal New Faces in 2023. Audiences can also find her sets with Don't Tell Comedy and see her on Iliza's Locals Season 2 on Amazon Prime. Bruce Gray is a Los Angeles based comedian, actor, and writer with appearances on Netflix's I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson. He co-hosts the weekly Hold Your Peace podcast with Kelly Ryan on the All Things Comedy network and became a Paid Regular at The Comedy Store in 2023. His stand up clips have earned more than 20 million views across social media, and his Don't Tell Comedy special surpassed 100,000 views in its first month. In 2025 he was selected for the New Faces showcase at Just For Laughs Montreal, appears as Bruce Jr. on Adam Ray's Bruce Robbins Live, performs regularly at clubs including The Comedy Store, Hollywood Improv, and The Ice House, and tours throughout the United States and Canada. Expect an evening of stand up that blends local favorites with nationally touring talent in a lively club setting.

Enjoy an orchestral celebration featuring works by Bach, Handel, and Purcell, including Brandenburg Concertos, Purcell’s Abdelazer Suite, and Handel’s Concerto Grosso in D Major. Concertmaster Amy Lee leads a Strings Music Festival ensemble with flute, oboe, trumpet, and harpsichord, plus an intermission during the program.

Drunken Hearts make a return to The Press in Steamboat, Colorado with an intimate show, and tickets will be sold only at the door. The second night features a Happy Hour performance at Thunderhead Lodge at the top of the gondola, offering two evenings of live music in Steamboat.

Wax Monkey brings its five-piece jam band sound to Schmiggity's. Formed by childhood friends from Birmingham, Alabama, the group began playing together in high school and officially became a band in 2023 while attending the University of Alabama. Their music draws on influences like the Grateful Dead, Phish, and the Allman Brothers Band, blending Southern rock, psychedelic rock, and open-ended improvisation.

Bay 1 is an intermediate biathlon-style event that combines cross-country skiing or running with rifle markshooting at distance. Participants will switch between the two disciplines, and missed shots result in penalty laps, making this a true test of endurance, focus, and shooting accuracy while working through fatigue.

Alex Thoele brings a lively solo performance to Mythology Distillery in support of Pocket Knife, his debut solo album. Expect a mix of original songs and familiar covers, delivered with the upbeat storytelling and stage presence he has honed over more than 20 years performing at venues and festivals around the United States. After five albums with Chain Station, he steps forward with Pocket Knife, a 10-song collection that highlights his songwriting and guitar work, with singles arriving in early 2026 and the full album releasing in summer 2026.

Launching the fair in a new way this year, the parade opens the festivities instead of closing them. Spectators can line Highway 40 and South Poplar Street through Hayden to watch the procession. Presented by the Hayden Lions Club, the theme is “The Bounty of Routt County,” celebrating local pride and creativity. Participants need to submit an entry form, with late entries accepted at the Hayden Center, and parade participants meet at the old high school entrance on parade day.

Rock'n The Taco, the free music series at Lupita's Cantina, features The Joey Tenuto Band. This 4 to 5 piece group blends rock, blues, reggae, and country with original tunes that keep the crowd moving. The show can also include guest horn sections along with organ and keyboard players for a fuller sound. It brings together tacos, live music, and a welcoming community vibe.

Herbie Hancock is a pioneering figure across culture, technology, business, and music, with a career stretching over six decades. He rose to prominence in the 1960s with the Miles Davis Quintet, helping define a groundbreaking jazz sound, and continued to push boundaries on his own recordings. In the 1970s he reached a wide audience with landmark releases such as Headhunters, blending electric jazz, funk, and rock in ways that continue to influence contemporary music. He later embraced electronic dance ideas on Rockit and Future Shock, while also pursuing acoustic interplay with V.S.O.P. His achievements have been recognized around the world. He earned an Academy Award for the Round Midnight score and has collected 14 Grammy Awards, including the Album of the Year honor for River: The Joni Letters, plus two Grammys in 2011 for the globally collaborative The Imagine Project. He holds the role of Creative Chair for Jazz with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association and is the Institute Chairman of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. He was named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador in 2011 and received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2013. Viking published his memoir, Herbie Hancock: Possibilities, in 2014, and he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.

Settle into a restorative sound bath to round out the week. Sacred Sound Sundays offers an elevated immersion led by a changing roster of experienced facilitators, each bringing their own instruments, techniques, and energy. Layers of sound and vibration in a thoughtfully held space help soothe the nervous system, release built-up tension, and invite deep rest with a sense of inner harmony. Every gathering is unique, yet each one creates time to slow down, reset, and realign. Come as you are and leave feeling grounded, clear, and renewed. This series takes place every third Sunday of the month.