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! 

Sandstone Ranch Visitor Center

Where: 990 State Highway 119
Web: http://www.ci.longmont.co.us/parks/park_list/overview/SSR_District_Park.htm
Visitor Center Hours: Tuesdays – May 17-Oct. 25, 2016: 9am-12noon; 2^nd and 4^th Saturdays – May 14-Oct. 22, 2016: 10am-2pm

It's hard to imagine what Longmont was like all the way back in 1860, but you can catch a glimpse of those bygone days at Sandstone Ranch, one of the earliest homesteading sites in the area. The intensely named Morse Coffin came to Colorado during the Gold Rush in the late 1850s, and instead of heading to the mountains like most of those seized with gold fever, stuck it out on the banks of the St. Vrain. And it seems as though he thrived there, establishing a sandstone quarry that supplied stone to cities all over Colorado and beyond. In the early 1880s, Coffin built the Second Empire-style house that still stands -- it's been added to and modified over the years, but retains a definite pioneer flavor.

There's also an ancient barn and walking trails that wrap around the old quarry. We like Sandstone as a biking destination; you can roll right up to it from the St. Vrain Greenway and relax on the lawn in front of the house. The Visitors Center, featuring information on local history and wildlife, is open seasonally (see dates and times above).

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.