September Brings Month of Activity - 08/20/2007

September Special Events & Festivals in Estes Park: A Synopsis
Sept. 1, 2: Alpaca Show, free at Fairgrounds at Stanley Park
Sept. 1, 2: Sheriffs Posse Competition, free at Fairgrounds at Stanley Park
Sept 1, 2 & 3: Labor Day Craft Show, free downtown in Bond Park
Sept. 6-9: Longs Peak Scottish Irish Highland Festival, free parade downtown,
events held at Stanley Park and various concert & party venues
Sept. 14, 15 &16: Estes Park Film Festival in several locations
Sept. 15: Sombrero Ranch Roundup, 4.5 mile singletrack foot race
Sept. 15, 16: Fine Arts & Fine Crafts juried show, free downtown in Bond Park
Sept. 15, 16: Team Penning, free at Fairgrounds at Stanley Park
Sept. 22-23: Autumn Gold: A Festival of Brats ‘n Bands, free downtown in Bond Park
Sept. 29-30: Elk Fest, free downtown in Bond Park
Sept. 30: Running of the Bulls 3.75 mile walk-race around Lake Estes



Events in Estes Park welcome new season

Although there are fewer daylight hours at this time of year, night-time temperatures are dropping into the 40s on a consistent basis, and a hint of color soon will be creeping from the land into trees, the number of special activities and events in Estes Park are beginning to peak.

While many people think of Estes Park as a summer resort (which it is), locals in this mountain village resort are quick to point out that there are more special events and activities in September than any other month of the year. With the Labor Day holiday looming, events get underway.

Take your pick of things to do and see: rollicking bagpipe and brass bands, enough special visual art to fill multiple galleries and a city park, Chamber music, horses at work, or an end-of-summer outdoor fling with bratwurst, beer and bands.

Labor Day weekend brings an annual “last rite” of summer in the heart of downtown Estes Park. Saturday, Sunday and Monday (Sept. 1, 2 and 3) the Labor Day Craft Show to benefit the Estes Park Volunteer Fire Department takes place in Bond Park. Not to be overlooked, however are the Saturday and Sunday annual Alpaca Show and, this year, Sheriffs Posse competition at the fairgrounds at Stanley Park. he Alpaca Show features the animal, weaving demonstrations and booths featuring fiber from the animal. During the Sheriff's Posses from counties across Colorado come together to test their law enforcement and horsemanship skills. There is no charge to take in any of the Labor Day weekend events.

The annual four-day-long Longs Peak Scottish Irish Highland Festival, now the biggest festival of its kind, kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 6 with an evening “Tattoo,” a concert performance spectacle with firm roots in military traditions. The Tattoo involves bands, precision military marching, dancers and more. Festival field competition that begins Friday afternoon continues through the weekend. Highlights of this year’s Festival include jousting championships, a parade through downtown Estes Park beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8 and evening concerts. Discounted field passes to the festival are available in advance at metro-area King Soopers stores. For more information about the festival, call 800-90-ESTES of check out the official festival website at www.scotfest.com

The weekend of Sept. 15 and 16 offers something for everyone.

A Fine Arts & Fine Crafts juried show under tents in Bond Park in the center of Estes Park occurs that weekend. Now in its 33rd year, this year’s show has entrants from 10-states. Those attending can expect to see wearable art, sculpture, photography, jewelry, folk art, glass, wood metal, ceramics, oil, pencil drawing and water color paintings among the 100 entries judged to be the best or most interesting.

Coupled with the show in Bond Park is an annual autumn art walk, a self-conducted tour of local galleries and the opening of “Lines into Shapes,” a juried art show that showcases work by artists chosen through a selection process of entries from throughout the United States and abroad. Lines into Shapes can be found at the Art Center of Estes Park in lower Stanley Village Shopping Center.

Also occurring between Friday and Sunday (Sept. 14-16)is the Estes Park Film Festival. Filmmakers from around the world travel to Estes Park to showcase their newest independent feature films, documentaries, and short films. In addition to showings at the Park Theatre, suspense and horror films will screen at the Historic Stanley Hotel, famous for its inspirational role in Stephen King's book & film, "The Shining." Student films will also screen at the Lake Shore Lodge as part of the festival’s Student Filmmaker Showcase.

If that’s not enough from which to choose, there’s team penning competition to see which team of horse and rider can sort cows from a group and herd them to a designated spot the fastest Sept. 15 and 16. Interested in more human foot power activities? On Sept. 16 A TrailRunner Trophy Series Race from the Bolder Boulder organization, covers 4.5 miles over rugged singletrack, with lots of rocks, steep hills and amazing views of Estes Park and the Continental Divide. Prizes for excellence during the Sombrero Ranch Roundup are awarded in several age groups: 19 & under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60+.

The following weekend is Autumn Gold: A Festival of Brats ‘n Bands. A mainstay anchor of September, this weekend heralds golden sights and sounds of fun in Bond Park where a variety of fun music can be heard. The lineup on Saturday, Sept. 24 includes acoustic folk from Spheres, White & Orleans at 11 a.m.; Kathy & Brad Fitch performing western tunes at 1 p.m. and toe-tapping folk from Elk Hollow at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23 features the Boulder Acoustic Society at 11 a.m.; the Tom Allen Variety Dance Band at 1 p.m. and western rockers The Elktones at 3 p.m.

Planning more than a week or two ahead? Put Elk Fest on your calendar for Sept. 29 and 30. The free event is a celebration of all things Wapiti, the American elk that calls Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park its home and includes seminars, bugling contests, elk tours and edible products from elk.

On September 30 and still take in a full day of Elk Fest activities. Runners and walkers can experience take on each other and the views during Running of the Bulls, a 3.75 mile run-walk race along the Lake Estes Lake Trail.

For more information on these or any other Estes Park activities, call 800-44-ESTES (800-443-7837) or visit the website: www.EstesParkCVB.com.