The Boulder Creek Festival is set to return to Boulder’s Civic Area Park from May 23 to 26 for its 36th year. Co-produced by the City of Boulder and Team Player Productions, the event typically draws more than 150,000 attendees and features live entertainment, local vendors, and family activities.
Spanning Memorial Day weekend, the festival will feature more than 200 artisan vendors, performances by more than 30 musical acts, a separately ticketed Creekside Beer Festival, a Creekside for Kids activity zone, food trucks, and art exhibitions. Headlining bands include Steely Dead on Friday, Magic Beans on Saturday, and Boulder Bandshell Sound Machine on Monday. Another highlight is the Street Wise Art Battle, during which ten local artists will compete in a live painting contest. The finished pieces will be showcased throughout Boulder after the event.
“This is truly an event for the community, by the community,” said Justin Greenstein, manager of the city’s Office of Special Events and a lead organizer. He emphasized how the festival celebrates Boulder’s natural setting, with Boulder Creek running through the venue. “There are activities for all ages,” he said. “Children’s activities, hundreds of vendors and exhibitors, four different stages for live entertainment. All free.”
The Creekside Beer Festival, scheduled for May 24 and 25, will feature more than 20 breweries from Boulder and across Colorado, allowing attendees to sample various craft beers, including IPAs, lagers, sours, ciders, and non-alcoholic options. “It’s a really fun, unique ticketed event right beside the creek,” Greenstein said. Event Director Ryan Slater encouraged festivalgoers to soak up the sunshine with a cold brew and browse the curated market of local artisans.
In addition to food and music, the festival also highlights Boulder’s commitment to the environment. One returning group is the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program (RMRP), a northern Colorado nonprofit that rescues and rehabilitates injured birds of prey. For more than two decades, the organization has brought ambassador birds that cannot return to the wild to educate the public about wildlife conservation.
“This year, we’re bringing a Swainson’s hawk, a red-tailed hawk, an American kestrel, and an eastern screech owl,” said Carin Avila, Executive Director of RMRP. The birds will rotate appearances throughout the weekend to minimize stress and allow for rest. “You rarely get to see them just five feet away,” she said. “It’s a special experience that brings people closer to wildlife.”
Avila described the festival as an ideal venue to connect with environmentally conscious attendees and raise funds for the organization’s work. “Raptors play a vital role in maintaining predator-prey balance,” she added. “We hope visitors will be inspired to protect and conserve our environment, especially as natural resources are increasingly exploited without regard for future generations.”
Sustainability remains a core pillar of the festival itself. The City of Boulder’s Climate Initiatives Department partners with organizers to reduce the event’s environmental footprint through waste reduction, expanded recycling, and energy-efficient practices. These efforts are integrated into city contracts and event applications, ensuring that eco-conscious planning is embedded from the start.
Organizing an event of this scale presents major logistical demands. Greenstein said that coordinating across city departments including public works, police, and fire is essential for managing everything from parking and crowd safety to emergency response, especially with nearby construction projects. “It’s just a really big, citywide and community-wide collaboration,” he said.
Looking ahead, Greenstein noted that the festival will evolve alongside its venue. Major redevelopment is planned for the Civic Area Park beginning in late 2026 or early 2027. “As the park evolves, so will the festival,” he said. “Because this event is all about community, it serves as a launchpad for fresh ideas from new groups. Boulder is full of creative individuals, and it’s exciting to see what new elements emerge each year.”
Admission to the Boulder Creek Festival is free. Tickets for the Creekside Beer Fest can be purchased online.
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