Side Bets
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Fareways
By John Lehndorff
PHOTO BY TODD POWELL COURTESY OF TOP TACO DENVER COURTESY OF TOP TACO DENVER
COURTESY OF TOP TACO DENVER
PHOTO BY TODD POWELL
The Summer of ‘22
Colorado’s food festivals return with a full slate of events.
O
nce upon a time, summer in Colorado meant road-tripping to mountain towns every weekend for food and drink festivals. It was all blue skies, bright sun, roadside peaches and sipping local beer and wine at altitude. Now, after two fallow years, we can head for the hills again as the state’s remarkable menu of seasonal edible events returns in all its gustatory glory. Colorado’s myriad culinary experiences can make it hard to choose one that fits specific tastes. Colorado AvidGolfer offers this curated guide to the very best don’t-miss summer taste experiences across the state—and within minutes of great golf.
JUNE SWOON What Dad craves for Father’s Day is hardly a mystery—and there are festivals in June to satisfy his appetite for barbecue, beer, tacos and bacon. Smoked pork, beef, turkey and sides are on the menu at two Dad’s Day barbecue competitions. Downtown Frisco’s long-running Frisco BBQ Challenge (June 17-18; townoffrisco.com) is a serious, sanctioned barbecue competition focused on food without any carnival distractions. The newer Denver BBQ Festival (June 17-19; denverbbqfest.com) at Empower Field focuses on large-scale fun. The latter event’s
VIP Q Pit Pass gets you access to lounges, all-you-can-eat barbecue, free cocktails and ... private bathrooms. If dad is a hop-head who’s easily bored by standard beers, treat him to the rare and oneoff historic brews, ancient recreated ales and extinct craft beers on tap at the Brewsology Beer Fest (June 18; brewsology.com) at Denver’s History Colorado Center. Top Taco (June 23; toptacofest.com) in Westminster is billed as a taco competition, but it’s really one of the best parties of the summer. Attendees sample and vote for everything from Top Creative Taco to Top Cocktail with live music, and tequila and
FESTS IN THE WEST: The Frisco BBQ Challenge (far left, top and bottom) attracts pitmasters and ’cue connoisseurs from around the country. Top Taco in Westminster rates as one of summer’s top fiestas.
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