Bikes, Barks, and the Calm Before Winefest: Your Western Slope Weekend Sep 11-13

It's the quiet weekend before Winefest, which means it's the best weekend to actually get into a tasting room. Cyclists take over the Monument Saturday morning, the dogs take over the pool Sunday, Montrose closes out its free summer concert series, and Cedaredge fills up with writers. Here's the rundown.

MESA COUNTY

Friday, Sept. 11

• Topaz Stories: Remembering the Japanese American Incarceration — Whitman Building, Museums of Western Colorado, 248 S. 4th St., Grand Junction, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. (also Saturday). Traveling exhibit of personal stories from the Topaz, Utah, internment camp, presented by Rocky Mountain PBS and the Museums of Western Colorado. Free parking in the Museum of the West lot.
• Ned LeDoux: The Bareback Jack Tour — Warehouse25sixty-five, Grand Junction, 7:30 p.m. Ned honors his dad's 1976 Bareback World Championship with a night of Chris LeDoux songs. Tickets roughly $35–$46.
• 📚 At the library: Friends of the Mesa County Libraries Weekend Book Sale, First Congregational Church, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Cash, check or Venmo; proceeds fund Summer Reading, Comic Con and Culture Fest.
• 🍷 Wine country: Friday Afternoon Club at Sauvage Spectrum, 676 38¼ Rd., Palisade, 4–7 p.m. — Underdog Cheese, live music from Ian Janco 5–7, half-off tapped wines and 10% off growler fills 4–6. Free. Also Friday: Bubbles & Brims hat-making workshop with Laredo Hat Bar at Carboy Winery at Mt. Garfield Estate, 5 p.m. (ticketed, roughly $146–$247).

Saturday, Sept. 12

• Tour of the Moon — starts and finishes at the Grand Junction Convention Center, 159 Main St., 7 a.m. The Coors Classic–famous ride through Colorado National Monument, 41- or 64-mile options, capped at 2,200 riders. Heads up if you're driving Rim Rock Drive or the Redlands Saturday morning: expect bikes.
• Saturday Morning Music Sessions — 530 Main St., downtown Grand Junction, 10 a.m.–noon. Triple Play Records' free weekly concert.
• Topaz Stories — Whitman Building, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. (see Friday).
• Comedy Night at Gemini Beer Company — 310 N. 7th St., Grand Junction, 7:30 p.m. Two nationally touring comics, presented by Joke Junction. $30.
• 📚 At the library: Book sale continues, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Saturday hours: Central and Clifton 9–5, Fruita, Orchard Mesa and Palisade 9–4, Collbran 9–1, De Beque 9–1 and 2–4. Gateway is closed.
• 🍷 Wine country: Backyard Beats free live music at Carboy Winery at Mt. Garfield Estate, 4 p.m. Bubbles Brunch at Sauvage Spectrum, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., with DJ Tokyo Mandy and food trucks. Early risers: Vin.Yasa gentle yoga at Carboy, 11 a.m., with optional snacks and wine after ($15–$41).

Sunday, Sept. 13

• 22nd Annual Dog Days — Lincoln Park–Moyer Pool, 1340 Gunnison Ave., Grand Junction, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. The whole pool goes to the dogs for the last swim of the season: small dogs (25 lbs and under) 10–11 a.m., all dogs 11–3. Canines only in the water — health rules. $5 per dog, spectators free; proceeds benefit Roice-Hurst Humane Society and the Billy Crawford Memorial Scholarship Fund.
• The Rush Tribute Project — Avalon Theatre, 645 Main St., Grand Junction, 7:30 p.m. Three-piece with vintage gear recreating four decades of Rush.
• 📚 At the library: Only Central Library is open Sunday, 1–5 p.m. All branches closed.
• 🍷 Wine country: Country Swing Dance Class with MCDC at Carboy Winery, 4 p.m., $15.

Look ahead, Mesa County: Colorado Wine Week runs Sept. 14–20 with tastings and dinners across the valley, and the 35th Colorado Mountain Winefest lands at Riverbend Park in Palisade Saturday, Sept. 19 (11 a.m.–4 p.m.) — same day as the Tour de Vineyards ride, the 25th Downtown Car Show on Main Street, and the Rock, Gem & Mineral Show at the Mesa County Fairgrounds (Sept. 19–20). Laura Jane Grace plays Mesa Theater Sept. 16; Ian Munsick plays Las Colonias Sept. 23; the Blue Angels headline the Grand Junction Air Show Oct. 3–4.

MONTROSE COUNTY

Friday, Sept. 11

• 9/11 25th Anniversary Memorial — Demoret Park, Main and Townsend, Montrose, 6:30 a.m. Moments of silence at 6:46, 7:03, 7:37 and 8:03 a.m. marking each attack. Bring a flag and line the corners.
• Montrose Summer Music Series: Stylie, with La Familia Music Group — Montrose Rotary Amphitheater at Cerise Park, 6 p.m. The free series' season finale: Colorado reggae-rock-funk headliner, food court on site, free parking.
• Fridays on the Farm — Billy Goat Hop Farm, 67181 Trout Rd., Montrose, 4–9 p.m. Live music, beers brewed with the farm's own hops, NA hop water, a rotating food truck. Kids, dogs and goats welcome. Last one is Oct. 2.
• JBF Community Children's Sale — Friendship Hall, 1001 N. 2nd St., Montrose. Friday 5:45–9 p.m. is presale-ticket holders only; Saturday 10 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m.–2 p.m. half-price day. Consignment clothes, gear, toys and books for babies through teens; free entry tickets requested for Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday, Sept. 12

• Montrose Farmers' Market — Centennial Plaza, 422 S. 1st St., 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Summer market runs every Saturday through October.
• bRUNch Fun Run — Toasty All Day Eatery, 1341 Mayfly Dr., Montrose. Sign-in 7:15 a.m., run 7:45. 5K or 1-mile on the river trail; one drink included with a finished run, then brunch.
• JBF Children's Sale — Friendship Hall, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. (see Friday).
• 📚 At the library: The main Montrose branch is closed Saturdays, but two programs still run — the adult book club discusses The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon at 9 a.m. in the meeting room, and Libros y Chisme, the bilingual book club, meets 11:30 a.m. at Ay! Chabela, 1015 E. Main St. Naturita Library is open 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Saturday.

Sunday, Sept. 13

• JBF Children's Sale half-price day — Friendship Hall, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
• 📚 At the library: Montrose main branch open 1–5 p.m.; Naturita 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Look ahead, Montrose County: September is Library Card Sign-Up Month — the Montrose Library Open House is Tuesday, Sept. 15, 5–6:30 p.m., followed at 6 by author J.v.L. Bell on Colorado women of the Gold Rush era. The Mountain States Ranch Rodeo Finals hit the fairgrounds Sept. 18–19, KVNF's first Punk on the Unc takes over the Montrose Skatepark Sept. 19, and the 25th Black Canyon Triathlon is Sept. 26.

GARFIELD COUNTY

Friday, Sept. 11

• Kids Night at the Rec — Glenwood Springs Community Center, 110 Wulfsohn Rd., 4:30–9 p.m. Parents get the evening off; kids 5–12 get a themed night of activities and dinner led by Junior Rec Counselors. $40, $32 for members; register at gwsco.info/KidsNight.
• Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park — open 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Saturday. The summer concert series is wrapped, but it's a quiet weekend on the mountain before Octoberfest starts.

Look ahead, Garfield County: Rifle's Third Thursday on Third goes Oktoberfest Sept. 17, 5–8 p.m., with Alpine Echo and Smokey Bones food truck. Octoberfest at Glenwood Caverns runs Saturdays Sept. 19, Sept. 26, Oct. 3 and Oct. 10, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Also Sept. 19: the Western Slope Out of the Darkness Walk at Two Rivers Park (10 a.m.) and the Sunlight Showdown trail half marathon (8 a.m.). The Glenwood Springs and Colorado River Valley chambers host a Regional Candidate Forum Monday, Sept. 28, 6 p.m., at the Ute Theater in Rifle.

DELTA COUNTY (worth the drive)

Friday, Sept. 11

• Grand Mesa Writers' Symposium — Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center, 195 W. Main St., Cedaredge, Friday–Sunday. Craig Childs, Paolo Bacigalupi and Kierstin Bridger headline. Friday: social hour 6–7 p.m., speaker readings 7–8. Saturday: workshops all day, then the "Writing with a Sense of Place" keynote at 7:30 (doors 7) — that evening alone is $25, the weekend pass is $160. Sunday: open mic 9 a.m., closing keynote with poet Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer at 11.
• Delta Car Show, Downtown Cruise Night & "Stories in the Sky" drone show — Main Street, Delta. Car show and cruise 4–8 p.m., then a synchronized drone light show at nightfall celebrating Colorado 150 and America 250. Free.
• Hotchkiss Second Friday Art Walk — downtown Hotchkiss, 5–8 p.m. Galleries, studios and shops open late; free.
• Friday Nights Live in the Orchard — Big B's Delicious Orchards, 39126 Hwy 133, Hotchkiss. DJ at 6 p.m., main act 7:30. Free show, $10 parking benefits local nonprofits; camping available.

Saturday, Sept. 12

• Delta Farmers Market & Bazaar — 2195 Southgate Ln., Delta, 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
• Hotchkiss Farmers Market — outside the Creamery Arts Center, 165 W. Bridge St., 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
• Saturday Sessions at Big B's — Hotchkiss, 7 p.m. showtime. Free; come early to paddle the pond.

Look ahead, Delta County: Tony Furtado Trio at GMAEC Sept. 20, Delta Comic Fest at the Delta Library Sept. 26, and Paonia's Mountain Harvest Festival Sept. 25–27.