Combine this signature Colorado event with pure relaxation at Glenwood Hot Springs Resort
The 126th annual Strawberry Days Festival on June 16-18 in Glenwood Springs has another longtime entity making sure this iconic event continues to bring joy to locals and visitors. This year’s festival is being held at Two Rivers Park and presented by Glenwood Hot Springs Resort (celebrating its 135th birthday on July 4), Glenwood Springs Chamber Foundation, and Alpine Bank.
Strawberry Days Festival is considered one of the oldest, continuously held civic celebrations west of the Mississippi River. Started by Tri-County Farmer’s Union, the first Strawberry Day was held on June 18, 1898. The intention was to promote some of the finest fruits, vegetables and dairy products produced in the region. Local farmers donated strawberries and fresh cream and local women baked cakes to serve nearly 2,000 people from across the state who attended the first celebration.
Fast forward to today and Strawberry Days Festival has entertained multiple generations. This year’s lineup is filled with a wide range of live entertainment, an arts and crafts fair, a food court, a community parade, Family Fest, and more. There is no charge to attend the festivities courtesy of event sponsors from throughout the area.
When you’ve had enough celebrating, head to Glenwood Hot Springs Resort for a blissful soak in natural hot springs. The pool is open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., no reservations are necessary, and guests can come and go throughout the day with a day pass or annual pass.
Take a look at the 2023 Strawberry Days Festival schedule and get ready to make memories in the mountains.
Check Out the Booths & Family Fun
All ages will enjoy the arts and crafts fair with one-of-a-kind items made by local, regional and national artists, ranging from fine art and gourmet sauces to everything in between.
There also will be other booths with local connections. As one of the main events sponsors, Glenwood Hot Springs Resort has donated its booth to Return to Dirt (RTD), an adaptive motorsports service of the High Fives Foundation. RTD provides equipment and instruction for individuals with disabilities to pilot off-road vehicles into backcountry areas that otherwise are difficult to access with a mobility impairment. The program was founded in 2018 by a Glenwood Springs local, Tim Burr, who was paralyzed from the chest down in a 2014 skiing accident. Tim and his family have been members of the Glenwood Hot Springs Athletic Club for many years.
Stop by the RTD booth that will be across from the Salida Circus to pick up strawberry stickers, meet Tim and other volunteers, see adapted off-road vehicles, and purchase RTD-branded items and raffle tickets for an annual pass to Glenwood Hot Springs Pool. All proceeds from the booth benefit RTD.
Additional highlights from the 2023 Strawberry Days Festival schedule include fun for all ages such as Family Fest, Strawberry Shortcut Race (1 mile, 5K and 10K), and Kiwanis Ball Race. Family Fest features interactive entertainment such as Walk on Water, Rocky Mountain Mini Train, Salida Circus, arts and crafts projects, and more.
Indulge in Tasty Treats
This year’s theme is “Home Sweet Home,” which is more than appropriate as some people attend just for the food! The longstanding tradition of free strawberries and ice cream right after the Saturday morning parade continues with the Kiwanis Club dishing up the sweet treat at Two Rivers Park right after the parade, until supplies run out.
A wide variety of food and drink vendors will be available for purchasing treats in the food court, with culinary delights ranging from tacos, pork green chili and fresh-squeezed lemonade to grilled items, French foods, barbecue and crepes. For those who are extra thirsty, a beer garden opens at 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sunday.
There is also Glenwood Springs Rotary Clubs’s Pie Day on Friday morning at the United Methodist Church and the organization’s Pancake Breakfast on Sunday morning downtown on Seventh Street (east of the bridge).
If you take a break to enjoy the mineral hot springs at Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, you can keep the focus on delicious red berries with a refreshing regular strawberry or strawberry cilantro lime smoothie at the Grill or a tasty soft-serve ice cream cone with a strawberry-swirled twist at the Snack Bar.
Tune into the Entertainment Schedule
The Strawberry Days Main Stage features live entertainment Friday through Sunday. Click here for the full entertainment lineup, times and descriptions.
Among the many highlights are the Friday night headline band Funkiphino, a 13-member, high-energy funk band playing at 8 p.m. after two acts from the Roaring Fork Valley.
On Saturday, the 101st Army Band, a unit of the Colorado Army National Guard, returns to Strawberry Days on Saturday at noon with its Hot Seven Jazz Band, Rock Band and Country Band. The afternoon is filled with local entertainers followed by the 8 p.m. headliner Ponder the Albatross, which is sure to get the crowd dancing to upbeat rock, gypsy and grass music.
The music doesn’t slow down on Sunday with the sounds of a Roaring Fork Valley favorite, guitarist Rodrigo Arreguin, kicking off entertainment at 11 a.m., followed by the Denver-based Chicano funk band Mocochetes at noon. A four-piece, female-dominated rock band from Grand Junction, Peach Street Revival, will close out the festival with the sounds of classic rock, blues and punk starting at 2:30 p.m.
Start planning your Strawberry Days Festival 2023 schedule now. Don’t forget to make time for a soak at Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, the world’s largest hot springs pool.