Beat the Summertime Madness with North Park Days

Every year it feels like the school year starts earlier and earlier. As temperatures climb in the city, setting record numbers, and only a few days remain to get out and do something, a small town in the Rocky Mountains of Northern Colorado is kicking off the end of summer in a big way. North Park Days celebrates a rich history and community of people who have made this remote corner of Colorado their home. 

As the last bash of the summer season, North Park Days takes place on the second weekend of August each year. This year marks its return with one of the biggest celebrations yet. Two days of fun in the Colorado sun. Locals and visitors alike gather to enjoy the charms of the area with a weekend long festival in Walden, CO. But that’s not all that is going on this weekend in August!

What’s Happening at North Park Days

The fun begins on Friday, August 9th at 5:30pm. Main Street will be blocked off for the festivities between 4th and 5th Street, and then again on Saturday, August 10th starting at 10am. Visitors can indulge in the summer fun with face painting, tarot reading, cornhole, bounce house for the kids, and a street market filled with local vendors and crafts.

Friday Night Fun and Games

In the frontier days, miners used to compete in foot races to pass the time at gatherings. In the spirit of those times, assemble your team and compete in the 3-Legged Race at 6:30pm. At 7pm the Balloon Waddle Race starts. May the best teams win!

Delicious Food

Enjoy dining at our local restaurants or kick off the end of summer with some BBQ and Tacos!

Dance the Night Away

Starting at 5:30pm kick up your heels with line dancing from DJ Christine Redman

Then at 8:30pm show off your vocal talent (or just your love for your favorite songs) with street karaoke hosted by Gypsy Karaoke. Dance like nobody's watching and sing like you do in traffic with the windows rolled up! Either way, it promises to be a lot of fun on a cool summer night.

Saturday Schedule of Events 

The party is just getting started on Saturday morning. Starting at 10am show off your skills with axe throwing and travel back in time with the old-time photo booth. Even more vendors will be set up on Walden’s Main Street with even more local crafts. 

Leather goods, hats, collectibles, hand-crafted soaps, and many other local artisanal goods will be out for sale. Get your holiday shopping started early for that unique gift you won’t get anywhere else. The bounce house, face painting, tarot reading, and cornhole will be back all day long.

Saturday Contests

If you missed the contests on Friday evening, or you want your team to compete in the Other Summer Games, sign up for the games you won’t see at the Olympics. 

• 12:15: Egg Spoon Race begins.
• 3pm: Save some room after all the BBQ and tacos for the Watermelon Eating Contest
• 4:30: Cool off with the Water Balloon Toss!

Live Music in the Mountains!

Saturday brings the music with live performances beginning at 10am. Local and national singer/songwriters featuring their own songs as well as old favorites will be playing throughout the day on Saturday. 

Live Music Schedule

• Daron Little 10am-12pm
• Braydon Zink 1pm-2:30pm
• Jason Swedlund and Mary de la Fuente 3pm-6pm

Daron Little

Coming in from the ranges of Saratoga, WY, Daron Little splits his time from riding herd and roping to songwriting and playing his own ballads before captivated audiences. A mix of old Country and Western music with the flavor of greats such as Johnny Cash, George Strait, and other favorites, Daron Little was named the Top Male Vocalist of 2009 by the Academy of Western Artists. Daron has played for crowds from Texas to Nevada and all stops in between. His combination of bluesy ballads and smokey acoustic songs about the life of the Country very familiar to North Parkers cannot be missed.

Braydon Zink

With deep Colorado roots, Braydon Zink is coming back from his homebase in Boerne, TX to get our toes tapping on the Main Street Stage. For the last seven years, Braydon has been bringing his sound from Oklahoma to Colorado, Texas, and lucky for us, Walden, CO. He will be performing live at the Stockman on Friday August 9th and then Saturday August 10th for North Park Days. Take a couple turns across the dance floor and enjoy the show!

Jason Swedlund and Mary de la Fuente

The members of this duo are consummate musical veterans and you may have seen them play at the Stockman Bar New Year’s Eve Bash.. Already a local staple in places like Saratoga’s Platte Valley and southern Wyoming, they are bringing their sound to Walden on Saturday August 10th, rounding out the afternoon festivities. Swedlund and de la Fuente have been playing for decades on their own, sometimes collaborating with artists of vastly different musical genres but they always come home to what they love to play the most. From banjo pickin’ to guitar ballads and old favorites, you’ll love what they are bringing to the party.

Balloon Festival!

Aug 10-11th. On Saturday and Sunday, the sky will be filled with hot air balloons from all across the West. Always a local favorite, the North Park Days Balloon Festival starts early in the morning on both days, with a course starting off in Walden and ending wherever the wind takes them. For more information, contact Matt Shuler at the Jackson County Star at (970) 723-4404.

Moose Fest

Aug 10th 10-4pm

There’s plenty more happening in North Park on the weekend of August 10th. The Colorado State Forest State Park is hosting Moose Fest at the Moose Visitor Center in Gould, CO. Learn more about some of our most elusive, yet famous residents at Moose Fest! 

Our friends at the State Forest State Park have plans for all-day fun, from a scavenger hunt to arts and crafts to a hay ride and viewing of the featured documentary on “Colorado’s Moose.” You can get your summer dose of Vitamin M(oose) while enjoying the scenery, cool breezes, and forest vibes in the high country of North Park. 

The Dog Days of Summer are Nearly Over

Summer is on its way out, but don’t let that get you down. There’s still time to have an adventure while summer lasts. With beautiful scenery no matter which way you arrive, North Park is a road trip destination you won’t soon forget. Come to North Park for cooler temperatures and help celebrate a hometown celebration with a vibrant community that might just become your new favorite place. You’ll find that we know how to throw a party in North Park and everyone is invited. See you there!