Whatcha Gonna Do?

As the old song goes...  And there is a whole lot going on in Gunnison this weekend! 
Start off your weekend with the 1st Friday Gallery Crawl at 5pm in downtown Gunnison.  You can enjoy art, music, refreshments and visit with your friends and visitors.  Find that perfect piece of art for your livingroom!  Pick up a brochure at the Gunnison Gallery, the Gunnison Arts Center or any of the participating galleries or restaurants.  While at the Arts Center, enjoy the free Fridays @ 5" live music on the patio.  Enjoy a glass of wine or your favorite malt beverage and then have dinner at one of Gunnison's great restaurants and cafes.  Whatever your taste - you can find it.  Once your tummy is full, head back over to the Arts Center and enjoy the annual  melodrama production.  This year it's Blame it on the Pony Express".  After the drama, head south out of Gunnison to the Gunnison Valley Observatoryand learn about "The Gas Giants".  There is observing of the night sky through the dome-housed 30" and samaller telescopes following the astronomy program.
Saturday morning, enjoy an early morning bike ride or run, then grad a cup of your favorite coffe at one of Gunnison's home-owned coffee houses.  Breakfast at one of the local restaurants should satisfy your hunger pangs.  At 9:30am, stroll over to the Gunnison Farmers' Market and pick up some delicious and healthy produce, baked goods, jams, jellies, crafts of all kinds and even fire baked pizza.
If Archery is your game, the West Elk Archers will be holsing a Benefit Shoot at the Gunnison State Wildlife Area on Saturday.  Put an apple oon your head - JUST KIDDING - and head out and watch.   
Saturday is your chance to out get into Gunnison - your "BaseCamp of the Rocky Mountains".  You can fly fish, lake or stream fish, hike, boat, waterski, sail, kayak, raft, swim, mountain bike, road bike, climg, ride your horse, or just sit in the sunshine and enjoy the summer.  If you want to be nostalgic about the good old days or want to learn something about Gunnison's heritage, the Pioneer Museum on the east end of Tomichi has fascinating displays of Gunnison's early days.  You can even ring the steam locomotive's bell. 
Satuday night you can once again catch the Gunnison Arts Center's Melodrama or watch some falling stars out of the Gunnison Observatory after dark. Down at the Rodeo Grounds, you can also attend the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Fundraiser Banquet and Auction.  Whew - tired yet?
Sunday morning, savor a leisurely breakfast at one of Gunnison restaurants, cafes or coffee houses.  You can also attend services at one of Gunnison's many churches.  Take a bike ride or hike on the miles of maintained trails at the City's VanTuyl Ranch, located at the east end of Spencer Avenue.  Then take the kids fishing at Pac-Man Pond located in Jorgensen Park, 501 East Tomichi Avenue (East Highway 50) 
Finish out the day by packing or buying a picnic supper and settle back in your lawnchairs at the Arts Center's weekly free Sundays @ 6 free concert in Legion Park.  check out the City's website for more information on many of these activities www.cityofgunnison-co.gov  
Have a fabulous August weekend. 

Another "Cool" Weekend

If your brain is starting to melt in Grand Junction, the Colorado Front Range, Texas, Oklahoma or just about anywhere else, Gunnison, Colorado, is the COOL place be!  Not only are our tempteratures pleasant, we have a weekend of great activities for you to enjoy. 

Friday and Saturday heralds the First Annual Gunny Grass Bluegrass Festival.  The Festival is being held at the I-Bar Ranch, located just on the eastern edge of the City.  The venue offers on-site camping, ample crowd capacity, a stunning setting, and most improtant - "Hot" Colorado and National Bluebrass Bands - in this fantastic COOL setting.  If you're not into camping, Gunnison offers a wide variety of lodging availablity.  For more information about the festival, go to http://ibarranch.com/gunnygrass/ 

Farmers' Market

Saturday morning, after grabbing your favorite espresso or latte and a bagel at one of the locally-owned coffe shops, head on downtown for the Gunnison Farmers' Market.  There's fresh produce, delicious and wholesome baked goods, Western Slope Colorado wines, eclectic crafts, 5-minute massages, food, live music and congenial company. The Market happens every Summer Saturday starting at 9:30am at the corner of North Main Street and East Virginia Avenue.


Mountain biking with
the Wildflowers



Saturday afternoon experience why Gunnison is the  "BaseCamp of the Rocky Mountains"  If you want to be in the beautiful outdoors, Gunnison provides just about everything you can imagine in premier outdoor recreation opportunities, from the largest lake in Colorado (Blue Mesa Reservoir) to the granite cliffs-climbing routes of Taylor Canyon to the challenging and scenic singletracks of Hartman Rocks.  If cooling off is your primary objective, kayak or raft on the Gunnison or Taylor Rivers.  You can even drag a fishing line behind your craft.



Kayak the Gunnison



After a delicious dinner at one of Gunnison's fine restaurants, discover that Saturday night is the start of the Summer Astronomy Program Series at the Gunnison Valley Observatory, located south of Gunnison across from the Hartman Rocks Recreation Area.  Saturday, June 29th is "Family Night - Astronomy 101".  Dr. Suzanne Taylor of Western State Colorado University will talk about the constellations of the summer night sky.  The www.gunnisonobservatory.org for details. 

Gunnison Valley Observatory

Observatory opens at dark (you can't see the stars until then :-) No reservations are required and there is a small donation entry fee.  Go to

On Sunday mornng, after having a hearty breakfast at one of Gunnison's fine cafes or restaurants and then playing in the great Gunnison outdoors, finish up the weekend by kicking back, relaxing and listening to the "Sundays @ 6" outdoor live-music concert at Legion Park presented by the Gunnison Arts Center.  By the end of the weekend, you will be cooled off and relaxed! 

Nothing to do???

There is "oodles" to do in Gunnison right now!  In addition to all of the fun and intriguing shopping and the gastronomic delight or just plain old down-home cookin' restaurants to choose from, there are fun and exciting events to choose from.  Here is just a sample of what's going on...
Thursday, July 12th - 6pm is the Annual Pioneer Banquet at the Gunnison Elks Lodge, 123 S. Main Street.  Afterwards, put on your pink shirt, dust off your cowboy hat, and march your western boots down to the Gunnison Rodeo Grounds on South Spruce Street for the Annual "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" PRCA Rodeo starting at 7pm.  Afterwards, the spinning lights and shreiking kids of the annual carnival will draw you to some fun!
Friday, July 13th (yes, Friday the 13th) morning heralds the 4-H Events at the Rodeo Grounds.  At 7pm, is the PRCA "Patriot Rodeo".  Show your patriotism and wear your red, white, and blue.  The carnival will be in full swing and there will be a Cattlmen's Dance at the Elks Club starting at 9pm. 
If you want a quieter but expansive venue, head south of Gunnison on County Road 38 - Gold Basin Road - across from the Hartman Rocks Recreation Area, both Friday and Saturday nights, for public night sky viewing at the Gunnison Valley Observatory.  Gates open at 7:30pm and admission is by donation.  No reservations are required.  Remember your jacket, it can get cool in the evenings.
Saturday, July 14th, is the busist day yet!   The Gunnison Kiwanis Club will be serving a pancake breakfast at the IOOF Park downtown starting at 7:30am.  They will follow pancakes with burgers and hotdogs starting at 11am.  Enjoy some filling flapjacks and sausage before the parade.  At 9am, over at Jorgensen Park, is the Colorado State Marbles Tournament!  What an exciting and "old-time" event.  These dedicated kids practice all year long for the opportunity to participate in this event.  Go cheer them on!  The weekly Gunnison Farmers' Market will be commence at 9:30am next to the IOOF Park.  Also at 9:30am, starting at the Meadows Park across from the City Community Center, is the "Main Street Mile Race" benefitting the Gunnison Youth Wrestling Program.  The race will end right downtown before the 10am start of the Annual Cattlemen's Days Parade.  There's everything from clowns, to horses, to mini-cars, to fire trucks, to dare-I-say politicians!  Everyone has a great time at this event.  After the parade, at 2pm down at the Rodeo Grounds, is the 4-H Jr. Livestock Auction.  7pm is the action-packed PRCA "Family Night" Rodeo.  And for all of the kids and kid-want-to-be's, the carnival will be in full-swing once again next to the rodeo grandstands.  Finish out the evening with a sashay around the dance floor at the Elks Club.
Sunday, July 15th, will see Cowboy Church, and then horse racing to finish out this year's 112th Cattlemen's Days!  Sunday evening, wind-down on the lawn at the Legion Park Pavilion on East Tomichi Avenue and listen to the music of Russ Chapman at the Gunnison Arts Center's Sundays @ 6 concert series.
Whew!  If you can't find something interesting, informative, yummy, nostalgic, or just plain fun this weekend, you're not really trying!  Yee-haw!

Another Busy Gunnison Weekend

It's shaping up to be a busy, exciting weekend in Gunnison!
Starting Friday night, head over to the Gunnison Arts Center Patio for some free "Fridays at 5" live music. Grab some dinner at one of Gunnison's great restaurants and mosey on down to the Gunnison County Rodeo Grounds (south of Safeway) on South Spruce Street and catch the Cattlmen's Days PRCA Rodeo! It's Patriot Night so wear your red-white-and blue! After the rodeo, kick up your heels at the Annual Dance at the Elks Lodge, located on South Main Street. If you're not exhausted, try out one of the thrilling amusement rides at the Cattlemen's Days Carnival, located just west of the rodeo grounds.
Saturday morning, start out the morning with a hearty pancake breakfast. The Gunnison Kiwanis Club will be serving up a fundraiser flapjack and sausage breakfast at the IOOF Park in downtown Gunnison prior to the parade. Work off the pancakes by joioning in the Main Street Mile running race. The race starts at 9:30am at Meadows Park and runners will sprint south down Main Street to the intersection of Tomichi and Main. This all heralds the start of the 111th Annual Cattlemen's Days Parade! Be sure and wave to the Rodeo Queen and her Court. After the parade, visit one of the great retail stores - selling unique and reasonable goods - in Gunnison and then pick up some wonderful fresh produce, crafts, and baked goods at the Gunnison Farmers' Market nexs to the IOOF Park. Then head to the Gunnison Arts Center for lunch and the showing of the documentary "The Challenge of Champions". After lunch, the 4-H Junior Livestock Auction gets underway at the Rodeo Grounds. If you missed the Friday night rodeo, you can catch the Family Night Rodeo at 7pm at the rodeo grounds. Then dancing continues after the rodeo at the Elks Club.
Sunday morning, after a hearty and satisfying breakfast at one of the yummy restaurants in town, you can attend one of Gunnison's many churches or attend the Cowboy Church at 9am at the Rodeo Grounds. The final rodeo events, the horse race meet and the bucking bull futurity, take place at 12:30pm at the rodeo grounds.
Of course - if you aren't into rodeoing - use Gunnison as your "Base Camp to the Rocky Mountains". You can revel in the great outdoors and fish, hike, boat/water ski, sail, skate, mountain bike, road bike, kayak, raft, run, walk, or just lay back and enjoy the spectacular wildflowers! Close out your weekend with "Sundays at 6" - a free live music concert at Legion Park. Take a picnic dinner, recline on the grass, visit with your friends and family, and enjoy the music.
Wow - what a Glorious Gunnison weekend!

Summer is Finally Here!

It was a glorious, busy summer weekend in Gunnison. Friday night kicked off with great live music on the Gunnison Arts Center patio. This was followed by many with a delicious dinner at one of Gunnison's fantastic restaurants, bistros, wine bars and brew pubs.

Friday and Saturday night had awesome clear-sky viewing at the Gunnison Valley Observatory, located south of Gunnison on Gold Basin Road. A tour of the solar system took place with a special visit to the planet Saturn. The Observatory is open every Friday and Saturday night for public night sky viewing.

Saturday morning dawned with clear, sunny skies. The Gunnison River Festival kicked off at the Gunnison Whitewater Park, just west of the City limits, with opening remarks from City Councilor Bill Nesbitt and other dignitaries. Food and product vendors were set up providing great food and information on watersports. Many wet and wild competitions were held during the day. One of the newest sports is Stand Up Paddling (SUP) where the rider stands up and "surfs" the river on a surf board with a paddle. The freestyle competition featured many local and out of town water athletes competing with awesome maneuvers on the river's waves. Downriver competitions and events filled out the weekend on Sunday morning on the upper and lower Taylor River. Closing ceremonies took place at the Almont Resort. A great time was had by participants and spectators alike! Many thanks to the sponsors and volunteers of this fun event.

Saturday morning saw opening day of the annual Gunnison Farmers' Market. The market, featuring local produce, crafts, music and baked goods, takes place every Saturday morning through mid-October. The Market is located on the 100 Block of East Virginia by the IOOF Park.

The weekend ended with some "locally-grown" music at the Arts Center's "Sundays at 6" event at Legion Park. A festive crowd enjoyed music ranging from Waylon Jennins to Jethro Tull to "Funkytown"! Many enjoyed a picnic supper or barbeque along with the music. Gunnison - it's a great place to be!