Durango offers a full event calendar all year long. Some of our favorite and longest running events occur in fall.
ANNUAL FALL EVENTS:
August 28 & 29, 2026 | Buckley Park,
The best beer tasting festival in the Four Corners! The San Juan Brewfest takes place over two days - Friday August 28 and Saturday August 29 – and is held in Downtown Durango at Buckley Park. VIP and General Admission tickets will be available. Both days feature up to 35 breweries with nearly 100 beers to sample, unlimited tastings, a souvenir tasting glass, live bands, and tons of fun, all to benefit Team Up. Tickets for the Brewfest traditionally sell out, so get your ticket in advance. Tickets go on sale June 1, 2026. Information and tickets here: SanJuanBrewfest.com
September 3-6, 2026 | Various Venues
The Four Corners Motorcycle Rally returns for Labor Day weekend in Durango! The Rally will take place from Thursday, September 3, to Sunday, September 6, and will include daily events, workshops, music, and more. Activities will take place at both the La Plata County Fairgrounds and Durango Harley—Davidson.
For a full schedule, visit their website.
September 17, 2026 | La Plata County Fairgrounds & Event Center
Chocolate Fantasia is back! Join us to celebrate 30 years of chocolate creations from local chefs and community members, a silent auction, drinks, and music as we raise vital support for Volunteers of America Colorado’s shelter programs that provide safety, stability, and hope for individuals and families experiencing homelessness and fleeing domestic violence in our community.
More than just a culinary event, Chocolate Fantasia directly supports the Durango Community Shelter and Southwest Safehouse, providing meals, safe shelter, and personalized advocacy to help individuals and families break cycles of homelessness and abuse and build better futures.
Chocolate Fantasia is both a celebration of community compassion and a powerful opportunity to make a lasting impact. Learn more at their website.
The Art Galleries of Durango Autumn Gallery Walk
September 18 | Downtown Durango | 5 pm to 8 pm
Twelve galleries in Downtown Durango, along with the Smiley Building, will host their Annual Autumn Gallery Walk, featuring a variety of art and crafts from hundreds of talented artists, refreshments and live music.
September 19 & 20, 2026 | 2nd Avenue in Downtown Durango
The Autumn Arts Festival takes place September 19 and 20, 2026, in Historic Downtown Durango on E. 2nd Avenue. Celebrating 32 years of presenting fine art and fine craft makers, the festival features nearly 100 artist booths. The event is a benefit for the Durango Arts Center, a non-profit arts organization serving Durango and the Four Corners. Festival hours are 10 am to 5 pm.
September 24-27, 2026 | Historic Downtown Durango
Songs You Know. Stories You've Never Heard.
Stroll between walkable downtown venues and experience intimate "listening room" performances by more than 20 acclaimed songwriters from across the country, including nationally recognized hitmakers and outstanding regional and local artists. From classic rock to today's biggest country hits, reconnect with the songs you love as the writers share the stories behind the music that's shaped generations.
Choose from Single Daytime Passes, Weekend Daytime Passes, Headliner Show tickets, or VIP and All-Access Passes for the ultimate festival experience. All proceeds support youth music education through iAM MUSIC. For tickets and more information, visit sanjuansongwritersfestival.com.
September 26–27, 2026 | 11 a.m.–6 p.m. | Buckley Park
Durango Oktoberfest Returns to Downtown! After many years away, Durango Oktoberfest is making its much-anticipated return to downtown Durango! Join the celebration September 26–27, 2026, at Buckley Park for a weekend filled with live music, local beer and food, games, competitions, vendors and plenty of Oktoberfest fun.
Enjoy two days of live entertainment, beer tents, traditional and vintage games, plus activities including cornhole, axe throwing, a strongman competition, mechanical bull riding, pumpkin carving and more. Guests can also upgrade to the VIP experience or kick off Sunday with a special Oktoberfest brunch.
More than just a festival, Durango Oktoberfest brings the community together to celebrate local food, beer, music and the return of a longtime Durango tradition. Proceeds from the event benefit the Durango Farmers Market.
Oct.2-4, 2026 | Historic Downtown Durango
The Durango Cowboy Gathering is a fun-filled five-day event that captures the true spirit of the American cowboy through song, music, and stories. Cowboy poets and musicians from all across the country will perform in various venues throughout Durango, including the DoubleTree and Strater Hotels. They also will visit area schools to entertain students with stories and songs about our Western culture and lifestyle. On Saturday, one of Colorado’s largest motorless parades and a chuckwagon breakfast kick off a day full of activities.. New this year, the Gathering will feature a Horseback Social before the start of the parade. Six blocks of historic downtown Durango will be closed to traffic so that hundreds of cowboys, cowgirls, and other horse enthusiasts can get together with each other and community members. Multiple areas adjacent to the riding enclosure will be set aside for various activities, including a petting corral and horse rides for the kids. It will be a unique and captivating experience for participants, locals, and visitors alike.
For 36 years, the mission of the Gathering is to remind people of Durango’s western heritage and culture. We hope you will join us as we celebrate the traditions unique to the Old West. For more information, please visit our website at www.durangocowboygathering.org.
Mountain and Valley Fiber Arts Festival
October 3-4, 2026 | La Plata County Fairgrounds and Event Center
Celebrate the 43rd year of the Mountain and Valley Fiber Arts Festival (previously the Taos Wool Festival) — a vibrant, hands-on gathering where makers, learners, and curious visitors come together to experience the warmth, texture, and creative spirit of natural fiber arts.
Discover an outstanding juried market featuring regional artists and fiber producers showcasing yarn, roving, raw fleece, handcrafted tools, and one-of-a-kind creations. Enjoy live demonstrations of sheep shearing, dyeing, spinning, and other fiber crafts, all set to the ambience of live music and community connection.
Meet llamas, yaks, sheep, and alpacas, and learn how the fleece they grow becomes the clothing you wear and the art you love. Explore, shop, learn, and play — this free, all-ages, all-inclusive festival invites everyone to step into the fiber arts tradition and experience the creativity, community, and culture that make it unforgettable. Hosted by the Mountain and Valley Wool Association (MAVWA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to promoting natural fibers and passing on the rich history of fiber crafts to the next generation. Learn more about the Festival and pre-Festival workshops here.
October 16-18, 2026 | Animas Valley and Historic Downtown Durango
The Animas Valley Balloon Rally hosts a full weekend of events. The event starts with the Downtown Balloon Glow on Friday, October 16, where spectators will see multiple hot air balloons light up. The event also features a few candlesticks (baskets without their balloons) A second Downtown Balloon Glow will also take place on Saturday night. This is an excellent opportunity to meet the pilots and get close to the balloons. In the Animas Valley, on Saturday and Sunday, early bird spectators can see the balloons inflate and then watch the balloons take flight for a mass ascension. This is an excellent event for families. Free tethered balloon rides will be available. The event is weather permitting.
Saturday, October 31, 2026 | Historic Downtown Durango
The little ghosts and goblins fill the streets of Downtown Durango on October 31 for the Children’s Halloween Event. This is a fun and safe option for kids to trick-or-treat in costume at nearly 100 participating merchants. This event is for children 10 and under, accompanied by an adult, and in costume. Children’s Halloween will also include a Children's Carnival and Trunk-or-Treat at TBK Bank, with games offered by the Boys and Girls Club of La Plata County. The games are free for children 14 and under and offer additional fun activities on Halloween night. In addition to the games, there will be approximately 10-15 businesses doing a Trunk-or-Treat and handing out goodies to the kids. This event is generously sponsored by TBK Bank. All donations will support the Boys and Girls Club of La Plata County. Learn more about this event here.
WEEKLY/ONGOING FALL EVENTS:
First Friday of Every Month | Various Venues in Downtown Durango
Durango First Friday is a monthly art walk celebrating all things local in our fantastic community—art and music, culture, unique goods, real food, and movement makers! Rain or shine, this monthly event will take place throughout Durango from 4-8 pm, with free transit provided by the City of Durango
TBK Parking Lot | Saturday Mornings | 8am- 12pm (October 9am-12pm)
The Durango Farmers Market is celebrating 25 years of offering an open-air market in Downtown Durango featuring local farmers, artisans, and more. You can buy your produce from the farmers who grow it. The market offers vegetables, meat, honey, fruit, eggs, cheese, ceramics, jewelry, and fresh ready-to-eat meals. Musical entertainment is also offered at each market. It’s a community event not to be missed!
Located at the TBK Bank Parking Lot at 259 W. 9th Street, just one block off Main Avenue.
Open Saturdays 8 am to noon (October 9 am-noon)
