Denver, CO (June 5, 2024) - Colorado is committed to fostering an inclusive environment that celebrates the state’s diverse origins, travelers and residents from various backgrounds. This month, Colorado celebrates Juneteenth, African American Emancipation Day and National Pride Month. Beyond June, Colorado offers year-round experiences that showcase the state’s rich cultural heritage, diverse events, minority-owned businesses, adaptive adventures and more. A sampling of offerings can be found below. For more information, visit www.COLORADO.com.

Explore Colorado’s Rich Cultural Heritage

Amache Officially Designated as a National Historic Site, Granada: The Amache National Historic Site in Granada, Colorado was officially designated in February 2024 as part of the National Park System. This designation will permanently protect the site for future generations and will help tell the history of Japanese American incarceration during World War II.

Barney Ford Museum Honors the Life of Storied Black Businessman, Breckenridge: Operated by Breckenridge History, the Barney Ford Museum honors the life of Barney Ford. Enslaved for the first 26 years of his life, Ford wrote a letter to his enslaver advocating for his own freedom. With his freedom, Ford became an entrepreneur, opening various businesses in Colorado and beyond. He was also a Civil Rights proponent, signing a letter to the U.S. Congress demanding Colorado's state Constitution include the right to vote for all men. The museum operates in Ford's 1882 Breckenridge home.

Journey Across Colorado’s Black History Via Interactive Mobile App: History Colorado offers the “Black Heritage Trail,” an interactive mobile app that maps sites and places of Black historical significance to explore throughout Colorado. This mobile guide highlights virtual and in-person experiences that present historical narratives that trace Black history from pioneer days to modern times. It features important locations, landmarks and photographs alongside oral histories from History Colorado’s collections.

History Colorado Center Offers Permanent Exhibit, The Sand Creek Massacre: The Betrayal that Changed Cheyenne and Arapaho People Forever, Denver:The one-of-a-kind exhibition tells the history of the U.S. Army attack on a camp of mostly women, children, and elders at Big Sandy Creek in southeastern Colorado. The soldiers murdered more than 230 peaceful people, marking the deadliest day in Colorado history. The story is told from the perspectives of Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal representatives, drawn from oral histories that have been passed down for generations.

History Colorado Exhibition Celebrates Black Excellence and Recognizes the Contributions of the Owl Club, Denver: On May 10, 2024, the History Colorado Center opened a new exhibition, Owl Club of Denver: Legacies of Excellence, which explores the rich traditions of a prominent all-Black debutante cotillion club in the Mile High City. Built from oral histories, and featuring a remarkable collection of photographs, the exhibition recounts the rarely told history of debutante culture from the perspective of African Americans who were historically excluded from the beauty standards of this European-born tradition.

Museo de las Americas, Denver: Located in the heart of the Art District on Santa Fe, Museo de las Americas is the premier Latin American art museum in the Rocky Mountain region. Dedicated to telling the story of Latin culture and heritage in Colorado, the museum has a stacked lineup of award-winning exhibitions, educational programming and special events for visitors to enjoy.

Ute Mountain Tribal Park Offers Guided Tours, Towaoc: The Ute Mountain Tribal Park on the southern border of Mesa Verde National Park offers tours with a Native American Ute guide. To preserve the Ancestral Puebloan architecture, the area was set aside by the Ute Mountain Utes and is accessible to the public only through guided tours. Ute guides interpret the history, dwellings and centuries old rock art decorating the canyon walls.

Winter Park Ski Resort Partners with NativesOutdoors on Heniiniini’Installation, Winter Park: Located at the headwaters of the Colorado River, Winter Park Resort has fostered a partnership with Indigenous artists and NativesOutdoors to explore the connections between people, place and snow. The resulting art installation is called There Is Snow On The Ground, which is the Arapaho translation of the word 'heniiniini'. This multifaceted installation invites guests to reconsider their relationship to the mountain and recreation by acting as a catalyst for deeper conversations about snow, land, ecosystems and climate change.

Support Colorado’s Diverse Events and Offerings:

Juneteenth Music Festival, Denver (June 15 & 16, 2024): This street festival returns to Denver’s Five Points neighborhood, the historic “Harlem of the West,” with live performances, art, vendors and fun for the entire family. Don’t miss the interactive and educational programming at acclaimed African American cultural institutions and landmarks across Five Points.

Juneteenth at Aspen Meadows Resort, Aspen (June 16, 2024): Aspen Meadows Resort has announced the lineup for its popular and uplifting Juneteenth Celebration that officially wraps up the weekend’s events surrounding the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. The brunch-inspired event is designed to celebrate culinary diversity, excellence and the national Juneteenth holiday. It is sponsored by the award-winning Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, which honors the world's first-known African American master distiller, Nearest Green. The event will also showcase various Black chefs from across the country including Aspen’s Mawa McQueen.

Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, Denver (July 27-28, 2024): The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival returns to Sloan’s Lake Park as the largest Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) celebration in the Rocky Mountain Region. The park will be filled with dragon boat races, food, an Asian marketplace and more.

Mile High Asian Food Week Returns to Denver (April 27-May 5, 2025): In its third year, Mile High Asian Food Week is a week-long celebration of Colorado’s growing AANHPI culinary scene. Foodies can experience different AANHPI cuisines from AANHPI-owned participating businesses and receive insider perks such as special discounts, secret menu items, specialty menus and more.

Latino Outdoors, Statewide: Latino Outdoors is a unique Latinx-led organization working to provide members of the Hispanic and other underrepresented communities with transformative outdoor experiences. As part of this work, the organization serves as a platform for sharing cultural connections and narratives that are often overlooked by the traditional outdoor movement. It is a space for the community to be present, share their voices and showcase how conservation roots have been ingrained in la cultura Latina for generations.

Museum For Black Girls, Denver: A pop-up elevating and empowering Black women has made its return to the Mile High City with a new location in Denver. The museum is a love letter to Black women and creates a place for women of all ages to feel safe, comfortable and accepted. All locations are filled with fun selfie installations, murals embracing beauty, body and natural hair, art created by Black women and a crowd favorite, affirmations.

First Friday Events in the Town of Silverthorne: Silverthorne has consistently promoted welcoming and accessible events through its freeFirst Friday series, a monthly celebration that gathers residents and visitors to enjoy local art, food, music and fun. Annual special events including their annual Dia de los Muertoscelebration and the Celebrations Around The World event bring local multicultural community groups to the forefront to showcase dances, food and fun in a festive, upbeat environment.

Wanderland Outdoors, Denver: Founded by Angel and Bobby Massie, a former Denver Bronco, Wanderland Outdoors was created to fill the need in the outdoor space for diversity in faces, an elevated luxury experience, and to help connect future clients to the land around them. The adventure outfitter offers guided fly fishing trips, mindful hiking experiences, “Food x Fire”, trail rides, retreats and special events. Wanderland Outdoors is dedicated to ensuring continued education, knowledge and access of BIPOC peoples -especially women- to the outdoor industry.

Celebrate PRIDE with LGBTQIA+ Events:

Rainbows & RevolutionsTraveling Exhibition, Grand Junction (June 2024): Opened on June 3, 2024, Rainbows & Revolutions is a traveling exhibition featuring artifacts and interpretations that explore the history of Colorado’s LGBTQIA+ community. Rainbows & Revolutions will open at Colorado Mesa University's 437CO Art Gallery.

17th Annual Big Gay Raft Trip, Glenwood Springs (June & August): The Big Gay Raft Trip is held twice each summer: the second week of June and the third week in August. Each weekend trip offers a full day of rafting, including lunch, welcome parties, happy hours, friendship dinners at various Glenwood Springs restaurants and a Sunday brunch. There have even been a few weddings during Big Gay Raft Trips.

10 Mile Pride, Breckenridge (June 13-15, 2024): 10 Mile Pride is an inclusive event in its second year celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community, friends, family and allies in Breckenridge. More than just a gathering, 10 Mile Pride is a beacon of education and inspiration, illuminating the path towards acceptance, understanding and respect for all. Events will include a fireside chat, arts exhibits, Pride yoga, a party on the Riverwalk Center lawn with drag queen performances and more.

Denver PrideFest Celebrates 50 Years (June 22-23, 2024): Denver PrideFest features a two-day festival that draws visitors from across Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region. Kick-off the weekend with the Pride 5K on Saturday, June 22 followed by the iconic two-day Denver PrideFest event at Civic Center Park boasting 250+ exhibitors, 30 food vendors and captivating live performances. Sunday’s Coors Light PrideFest Parade flaunts colorful floats, marchers, music and more.

Pride on the Divide, Leadville (June 23, 2024): Embark on a colorful journey with Pride on the Divide hosted by the Continental Divide Trail Coalition. The event includes a breathtaking 4.3-mile wildflower hike to Timberline Lake, where vibrant blooms and majestic vistas await. Trek through pristine alpine meadows, connect with nature, and celebrate LGBTQIA+ pride in the heart of the mountains. All ages and abilities are welcome.

The Well Hotel & Taproom to Host Charity Drag Show, Trinidad (June 29, 2024): Once known as the "Sex Change Capital of the World" due to the work of Dr. Stanley Biber, Trinidad, Colorado, has a long and important history supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. That support continues today, as seen atThe Well Hotel & Taproom. On June 29, 2024, the venue will host a Charity Drag Show as part of Trinidad's Pride month. The majority of this business's current and previous staff are members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and the venue regularly hosts drag shows and is a safe place for the LGBTQIA+ and all communities.

Boulder Pride Festival (June 30, 2024): The Boulder Pride Festival will be jam-packed with activities, amazing community partners sharing information, Pride merchandise galore from Out Boulder County and other vendors. Fun Fact: America’s first same sex marriage license was issued in 1975 in Boulder at the Boulder County Court House. And because of its significance in LGBTQ+ history, the Court House is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Aspen Gay Ski Week (January 12-19, 2025): Serving up seven nights of parties, concerts, comedy and skiing, Aspen Gay Ski Week is also the only nonprofit one in the world. All the money raised is given back to the LGBTQIA+ community via grants and scholarships. Attracting more than 3,000 people from across the globe, many have been making the scene for decades.

Telluride Gay Ski Week (February 22-March 1, 2025): The week-long celebration of equality, inclusivity and awareness features tons of activities to showcase the beauty of Telluride's LGBTQIA+ community. The Telluride community is proud to fight for human rights to live openly and authentically, and the town embraces and welcomes visitors from all walks of life with signature flair and mountain charm.

Keystone Resort's Queer Ski Weekend, (Spring 2025): Keystone Resort recently launched its annual Queer Ski Weekend as an inclusive ski celebration for the LGBTQIA+ community and allies. Hosted in the early spring in partnership with local nonprofits, Keystone's Queer Ski Weekend includes performances from local drag artists, a pride parade ski-down, merchandise giveaways and trivia.

Experience Adventures for People of All Abilities:

Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center (BOEC) Offers Adaptive Sports and Recreation Programs, Breckenridge: BOEC’s Summer Wilderness Program features camps and retreats for individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities who want to enjoy the experience of rafting, rock climbing, hiking, cycling, canoeing, kayaking, whitewater rafting, stand up paddle boarding (SUP), camping, an accessible high ropes course and much more. As a national leader in adaptive outdoor adventure, BOEC’s programs take place on their 39-acre campus in Breckenridge and provide an opportunity to explore the amazing sights and sounds of the western United States.

Accessible Colorado State Parks: Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) strives to ensure everyone can access the state’s special places and activities. CPW offers the Columbine Pass, which provides reduced park entrance fees to Colorado residents with different abilities. It also offers accessible fishing locations in every corner of the state and offers people with disabilities hunting accommodations and services. Requests can also be made for sign language interpretation and assistive listening equipment in the parks. Visitors seeking wheelchair-accessible trails across the state can access the Colorado Trail Explorer app.

Adaptive Adventures on Colorado’s Storied Slopes: National Sports Center for the Disabled in Winter Park has provided adaptive sports lessons in Colorado for more than 40 years and offers a variety of adaptive lesson opportunities--including skiing, rafting, horseback riding and more--for both groups and individuals. Vail Mountain's world-renowned program is dedicated to adaptive skiing and snowboarding for individuals with disabilities. Specially-trained professional instructors tailor each lesson to the needs of the skier for a safe, yet unforgettable experience. The Adaptive Sports Center (ASC) of Crested Butte provides year-round outdoor recreation activities for people with disabilities and their families, including one of the only downhill mountain biking programs in the world for people with disabilities.

Adaptive Experiences in Boulder: In Boulder, specialized outfitters make it easy for people with disabilities to experience the comradery and natural high that nature and recreation offer. Paradox Sports offers one-day to multi-day programs specifically for adaptive rock climbing. Boulder’s Sensory Trail is designed specifically for people with vision impairment and for sighted visitors to imagine what it might be like to be blind. The 1.2 mile dirt trail has signs in English and Braille that encourage hikers to use their other senses.

American Sign Language Jeep Tours, Canon City: Colorado Jeep Tours in Cañon City accommodates hard-of-hearing clientele with American Sign Language Jeep tours. For any tour, clientele who are hard of hearing are provided a tablet with a video of travel blogger Calvin Young signing along with info shared by the tour guide. This enables these clients to enjoy captivating information about the sights of that particular tour.

Accessible Trail Adventures in Colorado Springs: In 2024, Colorado Springs is expanding its accessible trail offerings with the addition of two trackchairs. The off-road wheelchairs will help people get outside who otherwise would miss out due to mobility challenges. The program’s offering will start at Red Rock Canyon Open Space and hopes to expand into other parks. In addition to the trackchair program, El Paso County Parks recently purchased two TerrainHoppers and started the Trailability program at Bear Creek and Fountain Creek Regional Parks. In spring 2024, Visit Colorado Springs received Wheel the World’s official Destination Verified Seal as part of its program to improve information available on accessible travel to the destination.

Meow Wolf Offers Audio Tours for Blind and Low Vision Travelers, Denver: Meow Wolf Denver offers a groundbreaking two-hour Audio Description Tour, Highlights of the Convergence. Travelers who want or need a guided experience can explore the Convergence through the descriptive narration of expert guides, detailing key visual elements and action that might not be observed by someone with limited vision. This complimentary Audio Description Tour is designed specifically for audience members who are Blind or have low vision.

Inclusive Culinary Offerings and Minority-Owned Businesses:

99ers to Open as Denver’s First Women’s Sports Bar, Denver: Inspired by the 1999 USA Women’s World Cup Championship, 99ers will be Denver’s first bar dedicated to women’s sports. Slated to open on East Colfax, the bar will feature eight TVs that show sports such as basketball, soccer and hockey, and documentaries highlighting the greats.

Arboretum Coffee, Fort Collins: Arboretum Coffee is a nonprofit coffee shop that offers apprenticeship programs for Fort Collins’ refugee and immigrant youth. Participants learn barista and customer service skills through on-the-job training and mentoring. Along with building community and empowerment, expect exceptional coffee, tea, and made-in-house snacks.

Avery’s Modern Teahouse, Loveland: Avery’s Modern Teahouse is a nonprofit that provides an inclusive space for people with disabilities to work and learn new skills, Opened in February 2024 in east Loveland, the teahouse serves 15 varieties of tea as well as select breakfast items.

Comal Heritage Food Incubator, Denver: Comal's mission is to serve as a platform for economic development for aspiring immigrant and refugee women entrepreneurs to learn the skills to find a great job in the culinary industry or launch their own business using our earn-while-you-learn model. Since Comal opened its doors, the training program has served 40 participants and helped launch 6 businesses.

DV8 Distilling, Boulder: DV8 isn’t only known for its gluten-free, rice-based spirits.. The distillery — a welcoming community gathering place run by Rawley Gunnels and Johnathan Tilley — operates as a queer-owned safe space for the surrounding LGBTQIA+ community.

Four by Brother Luck, Colorado Springs: With a name like Brother Luck it would be easy to attribute your success to good fortune, but his achievements have been a result of hard work, determination and passion. Luck has been cooking up meals in kitchens since he was in high school, and has worked his way up to TV screens across America, where he was a contestant in Bravo’s Top Chef, a finalist in Food Network’s Chopped and the winner of Beat Bobby Flay. He now owns two restaurants in the Pikes Peak region.

Lady Justice Brewing, Aurora: Based in the Aurora Cultural Arts District, Lady Justice — a queer-owned, woman-owned, Latina-founded brewery — doesn’t just make delicious beer. Their slogan is “Great Beer, Better World,” and they live that mantra accordingly. By enrolling in their Community-Supported Beer membership, you can support Colorado organizations that support women, girls and nonbinary individuals. Monthly brewing collaborations benefit local nonprofits, too.

Mango House, Aurora: Mango House is a refugee resource center with several non-profits operating inside, along with a food hall with international offerings including Burmese, Sudanese, Syrian and Somali cuisine.

New Belgium Brewing is Brewed For All, Fort Collins: New Belgium Brewing is dedicated to transforming the culture of craft beer with intentional work to build a more diverse, equitable, and truly inclusive industry. On the third Thursday of every month, New Belgium hosts an ASL social– an evening centered around American Sign Language – speaking, learning, and sharing. All knowledge levels are welcome. This is a space for the Fort Collins’ Deaf community, and anyone interested in learning more, to participate in a night of shared language.

Tocabe, Denver and Greenwood Village: This restaurant is the only American Indian owned and operated restaurant in Metro Denver specializing in Native and Indigenous cuisine. It offers guests a warm, open space to dine with connections to American Indian cultural elements, infused with a contemporary atmosphere.

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ABOUT COLORADO: Colorado is a four-season destination offering unparalleled adventure and recreational pursuits, a thriving arts scene, a rich cultural heritage, flavorful cuisine and 28 renowned ski areas and resorts. The state's breathtaking scenic landscape boasts natural hot springs, the headwaters of seven major rivers, many peaceful lakes and reservoirs, 12 national parks and monuments, 26 scenic and historic byways and 58 mountain peaks that top 14,000 feet. For more information or a copy of the Colorado Official State Vacation Guide, visit www.COLORADO.com or call 1-800 COLORADO. Follow Colorado on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

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