Longmont Holiday Market

When: 1pm - 5pm on December 10th, 2016

Where: 321 Main Street, Longmont

Web: http://www.longmontcolony.com/longmont-holiday-market/

I am very pleased to be involved with a new holiday market in Longmont! The aptly-named Longmont Holiday Market will be taking place downtown in a newly renovated historic space on the same day as the city's annual holiday parade (a must-see event). 

The Longmont area has a bustling scene of artisans and makers, and this Market has a curated collection of some of the very best. Here is a sampling:

Brylo - A Longmont-based design studio that specializes in letterpress gift cards.

Verbena - Beautifully designed, small-batch skincare made in Boulder.

Motherlode Provisions - Bloody Mary mix, barbecue sauce, and hot sauce based in Longmont.

Fairisle Coffee - Ethically sourced, organic coffee roaster from Longmont.

Moxie Bread Co. - Exceptional artisanal breads and pastries from Louisville. 

Yore - Modern minimalist and traditional practical goods from downtown Longmont.

Colorado Crafted - Gift collections of locally made foods and artisanal goods (yes, this is my shop!).

There are quite a few more and you can find out about them at Longmont Colony's website. Colony is a newly formed collective of creatives, makers and small business owners who have come together to strengthen our community and showcase the unique individuals who make Longmont interesting. They will be sponsoring more events in the future, and the websites features profiles of local artisans accompanied by beautiful photography. Check it out!

The Best Fall Activities in Longmont

Temperatures are finally cooling down and leaves are just starting to change color ... that's right, fall (AKA The Best Season of Them All) is right around the corner. And there's no shortage of seasonal fun coming your way in Longmont, from cider doughnuts to sugar skulls. Here are our favorite autumnal activities around town.

Roger's Grove

Places To Go

Ya-Ya Farm & Orchard

Where: 6914 Ute Highway
When: September through November, Sat/Sun: 9am-4pm, Tues-Fri: 10am-3pm
Web: www.yayafarmandorchard.com
Pick apples from more than 800 trees, say hello to a few Percheron draft horses, enjoy a fresh-baked cider doughnut or two, and soak up some spectacular views at this lovely spot between Longmont and Lyons. More info

Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch

Where: 9057 Ute Hwy
When: The October Pumpkin Festival is on weekends in October, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Select activities also available M-F, 9a.m.-5p.m.
Web: www.rockymtnpumpkinranch.com
October in Longmont isn't complete without at least one visit to the Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch. On Saturdays and Sundays, this Highway 66 spot offers carnival rides, petting zoos, pony rides, bouncy play structures, corn mazes ... and oh yeah, a whole lot of pumpkins. More info

Roger's Grove

Where: Roger's Grove Park, 220 S Hover Street
The apples at Roger's Grove are free for the picking, so grab your tote bags and start harvesting -- fruit is usually on the trees through September. Be prepared: many of the best specimens can be found on the highest limbs, and a step stool will come in handy. (Bug spray is a good idea, too.) Kids will love climbing the trees and unlimited apples. More info

Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch

Events

Longmont Oktoberfest

Where: Roosevelt Park
When: Saturday, October 24
Web: www.lefthandbrewing.com/events/longmont-oktoberfest-5/
Prost! Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont's original craft brewery, brings Bavaria to Roosevelt Park with this annual event. There are some classic Oktoberfest sights, tastes, and sounds -- liederhosen, sauerkraut and polka -- alongside less traditional vibes: this year's headlining band is the legendary reggae group, The Wailers. There's also a whole lot of beer from local breweries, including Left Hand, Oskar Blues, Pumphouse Brewery, 300 Suns, Grossen Bart, Long’s Peak Tap House, Shoes & Brews, Skeye Brewing, and Wibby Brewing.

2016 Longmont Halloween Parade & Trick or Treat Street

Where: Parade starts on Longs Peak and Coffman and travels down Main Street
When: 9:30am, Saturday, October 29
Web: http://www.longmontcolorado.gov/departments/departments-n-z/recreation-services/special-events-recreation/halloween-parade
This one seems to get bigger (and the costumes more elaborate) with each passing year. Dress up in your Halloween costume and parade down Main Street with thousands of other spooky Longmontians. Afterwards, drop in at participating downtown stores for a little pre-Halloween trick or treating.

Longmont Museum's Dia De Los Muertos Celebration

Where: 400 Quail Road
When: Saturday, November 5, 11 am - 3 pm
Web: http://longmontcolorado.gov/departments/departments-e-m/museum/education/day-of-the-dead
The Longmont Museum's signature event is Dia De Los Muertos, the largest Day of the Dead celebration in Colorado. It's a fantastic (and FREE) cultural experience, honoring the memories of those who came before us with food, music, art, and much more. Kids will love sugar skull decorating, paper flower making, face painting, and more. Get into the spirit and come dressed in your finest “calaca” (skeleton) apparel.

Ya-Ya Farm & Orchard

Longmont Bike Night - 2015

When: Wednesdays, 6:30pm, May-September  (Bike Night launches on May 13th!)

Where: Rides start at Roosevelt Park, under the flags on the east side of the park. 

Web: www.bicyclelongmont.org

Blog: www.longmontbikenight.org

Wednesday evenings in the summer are filled with the cheerful sound of ringing bike bells, as hundreds of cyclists young and old cruise through the shady streets of Old Town Longmont. Bike Night is a very popular summer activity — and every week seems to draw bigger crowds. Routes generally stick to the Old Town area and they're usually pretty easy, not to mention safe, thanks to the presence of police escorts (riding along on bikes, of course). Kids will love the whimsical weekly themes, which encourage dressing up. This year has included rides devoted to the totally rad 1980s, Prom Night and, entertainingly, the holiday season. Nothing stranger and more charming than a flock of cyclists in Santa hats rolling into a hot summer night.

Downtown Summer Concert Series

Where: Corner of 4th Ave and Kimbark Street
When: Fridays at 6 p.m.: June 7, June 14, June 21, June 28, July 5, July 26, 2013
Web: www.downtownlongmont.org

The streets of downtown Longmont are filled with the sound of music on several Friday nights over the summer, as locals gather for these very fun and very free concerts. We caught the first show last week and it was a blast, with Chris Daniels and the Kings providing the swinging soundtrack, beer from Longmont's own Left Hand Brewing and Oskar Blues, BBQ from the great Georgia Boys and a festive street party atmosphere. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy some tunes on a hot summer night.

 

 2013 Lineup

June 7 -  Chris Daniels and the Kings
June 14 - Retro Sonics
June 21 - Something Underground
June 28 - Chris Thompson & Coral Creek
July 5 - Quemando
July 26 - Girls On Top

ArtWalk

When: Select Fridays in the Summer, 6:30-9 p.m.

Where: Main Street, between 3^rd and 6^th Aves.

Web: www.artlinklongmont.org

Always a fun way to say goodbye to the work week during the summer, ArtWalk sees Downtown Longmont turn into a family friendly street party. Art is the focus, obviously, with galleries staying open late, local artists displaying their work and opportunities to create your very own masterpiece. But that’s really just the tip of the iceberg – expect live music, performing arts, feats of acrobatic daring, martial arts demonstrations, food carts and much more. Traffic is diverted around Main Street during the event, which means you can stroll up and down the busiest strip of asphalt in town for a few hours without worrying about being run over. Which is nice. 

Don’t miss the last ArtWalk of the season this Friday, September 21! 

G'Knight Ride

More Info: http://www.gknightride.org

For the month of June, Longmont was officially re-christened “BikeMont.” Seriously! Perhaps the biggest public display of this deep love of all things two-wheeled took place last weekend during the second annual G’Knight Ride, when more than 2,000 cyclists young, old and in between took to the streets of the city for a scenic evening ride. 

Put on by Bicycle Longmont (with sponsorship from Oskar Blues Brewery – it’s named after one of their brews), you have three route options – one mile, three miles and 10+ miles. We were ambitious and chose the 10-mile route this year – though we hopped off when we cruised past our house in Old Town. 

The ride is really just the beginning of the fun, however. Before and after in Prospect, there’s a big festival, with kids’ activities, live music and food trucks. Proceeds go to Bicycle Longmont, so you’re just helping a bike-friendly town get even bike-friendlier. See you there next year!

Longmont Farmers Market

When: Saturdays, 8am-1pm, first Saturday in April through the first Saturday in November

Where: Boulder County Fairgrounds (9595 Nelson Rd.)

Web: www.boulderfarmers.org

With every passing year, the Longmont Farmers Market gets bigger and better. What once was a fairly bare-bones affair has grown into one of the bigger events of its type on the Front Range. On sunny Saturday mornings, throngs gather to enjoy the fresh bounty of local farms. Of course, this is a 21st century farmers market, so the produce is merely the beginning of the goods offered. Munch on tasty pastries, sample some Colorado wines, listen to a little live music, buy handmade crafts and get your cutlery sharpened. Highly recommended: the artisanal cheeses at Windsor Dairy's booth. They're made with 100 percent grass fed milk from Swiss cattle, aged over 60 days, all natural -- but the important thing is that they are totally delicious. There is plenty of prepared food too, ranging from pupusas to pizza, so the market is a great breakfast, brunch or lunch destination.

Tip: Though parking is generally in abundance at the Boulder County Fairgrounds, we strongly recommend biking. Not only is the market located right off of the St. Vrain Greenway, but Bicycle Longmont (www.bicyclelongmont.org) offers a free bike valet service, located at the north end of the market. Just drop off your wheels with them and start exploring.