Two Oktoberfests in Carbondale and Glenwood Springs, Celtic Thunder at the Avalon, electric violinist Mia Asano at the Mesa Theater, Symphony in the Valley in Rifle and Glenwood, and a fall festival in Delta. Here is what is happening in Mesa, Montrose and Garfield counties this weekend.
Your Western Slope weekend, Oct. 16 to 18: an electric violinist at the Mesa Theater, Rockestra goes country, a symphony in Rifle and Glenwood, and a fall festival in Delta.
Mid-October is when the Western Slope leans all the way into fall, and this weekend there is a little of everything: stein-raising in two Garfield County towns, orchestras in unexpected places, and a haunted house with a pirate ship out back.
Friday night the Avalon Theatre shows Ghostbusters at 7 p.m., a good warm-up for spooky season. A few doors down, the Mesa Theater has indie act Crêpe girl with Opal Rash and Boys N Berry. Doors are at 7 and the show starts at 8, with tickets at $16 before fees.
Saturday starts with Triple Play Records' free Saturday Morning Music Sessions from 10 a.m. to noon. That night, electric violinist Mia Asano plays the Mesa Theater, all ages, with DEADGRACE opening. Doors are at 6 and the show starts at 7. Advance tickets are $25 plus fees, and a meet-and-greet upgrade is sold separately. Her 7-string violin blends classical training with rock, metal and Celtic music.
Across town at the Asteria Theatre (864 Bunting Ave.), the Grand Junction Rockestra goes country at 7:30 p.m. with a set drawing from Hank Williams Jr., Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, the Eagles and more. Guitarist Bart Walker, who has played with Hank Williams Jr. and Jamey Johnson, joins as special guest. Tickets are at tickets.coloradomesa.edu.
Sunday, Celtic Thunder takes the Avalon stage. Doors are at 6 p.m. and music starts at 7. Tickets are through Ticketmaster or the box office at 970-263-5757. Over at the Mesa Theater, metal fans have Day X Day with As We Rise, Through The Smoke and Sadie Solstice. Doors are at 6, the show is at 7 and tickets are $15 plus fees.
Riders should note the Grand Valley Dirt Bike Rally runs Friday through Sunday, with guided rides Saturday and Sunday and event headquarters at the 27 1/4 Road motocross area. Food trucks, vendors and a DJ are part of the weekend. Details and registration are at grandvalleydirtbikerally.com.
Carboy Winery at Mt. Garfield Estate in Palisade (3572 G Rd.) kicks things off Friday with its free Community Clothing Swap from 2 to 7 p.m. Bring 5 to 20 clean items, earn a token for each one accepted and trade for a fall wardrobe. Leftovers go to a local nonprofit. Saturday there is gentle Vin.Yasa yoga at 11 a.m. and free Backyard Beats live music starting at 4 p.m.
Friday evening, a free talk on the Andean cat, Ghost of the Andes, runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Ute Indian Museum. For something spookier, the sixth annual Skellington Manor haunted house at 799 6530 Rd. is open Friday and Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m. The haunted house is $12 for kids and $20 for adults, the Pirate Shipwreck add-on is $7, and popcorn comes with your ticket. They take cash, Venmo or Zelle.
Saturday, the farmers market is at Centennial Plaza from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. At the Montrose Pavilion, the 7th Judicial District Domestic Violence Task Force hosts Safety Can't Wait from 3 to 7:30 p.m. Speakers include James Schmidt, Gabby Petito's stepfather, and Colorado Deputy Attorney General Janet Drake. Tickets are $30, and a silent art auction runs in the lobby. Proceeds help build San Juan Landing, a 10-unit housing facility for domestic violence victims, their families and pets.
Sunday, Madi's Horse Lessons hosts Trick or Treat with Farm Animals from 3 to 6 p.m., and downtown businesses are open for Shop Sundays Montrose.
Saturday is Oktoberfest day. In Carbondale, the party fills downtown at 579 Main St. from noon to 10 p.m., with a cornhole tournament at noon and music all day from Hazel Kuhn, the Rock & Roll Academy, Anthony Peebles, Sweet Jessup & The Dirty Buckets and Typical Ghost. In Glenwood Springs, Oktoberfest takes over 7th Street from 3 to 8 p.m. with polka from Neue Polka and The Polkanauts. Glenwood Canyon Brewpub taps a keg and pours free beer for the first 50 people.
Symphony in the Valley plays its fall concert, "Phantoms of the Orchestra," twice: Friday at 7 p.m. at the Ute Theater in Rifle and Saturday at 4 p.m. at Glenwood Springs High School. Tickets for both are $5 to $20. Saturday night the Ute also hosts Glitter in the Air, a Paramore tribute with Misery INC., at 7 p.m. ($30 to $35).
Also Friday in Rifle, the Garfield County 4-H Open House runs from 6 to 8 p.m. in the indoor arena at the fairgrounds. Saturday morning, the Rifle Area Mountain Biking Organization hosts the 6th annual Grand Hogback Extravaganza from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Grand Hogback Trail System. Registration is $13 to $29.
In Basalt, the Arts Campus at Willits (400 Robinson St.) hosts a Songwriters' Round with Jackson Emmer, Megan Burtt and Martin Gilmore on Friday at 8 p.m., then the Backcountry Symposium on Saturday. The ski and bike swap runs 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., group runs and rides start at 10:30 a.m., workshops are from 1 to 3 p.m. and the winter forecast is at 3:30. It is free with an RSVP, though some workshops need separate registration. The Basalt Library holds a clothing swap Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
More Saturday picks in Carbondale: a pumpkin carving party from 4 to 6 p.m. at The Meeting Place (981 Cowen Dr.), a free girls' intro-to-hockey skate and pizza party at 5 p.m. at the Colorado Extreme rink, and Kohanna McCrary and her band at Steve's Guitars at 7:30 p.m. Friday evening, Silt River Preserve hosts Stars n' S'mores from 6 to 9 p.m., no registration required.
Sunday morning, the Halloween Hustle fun runs and walks (1.5K and 5.5K) start at 9 a.m. from Glenwood Springs Elementary School. Register at tinyurl.com/hustleforcharity.
Glenwood Springs Fire Department also holds Fire Away Q&A sessions about its operations and funding ballot measure: Friday 5 to 6 p.m. at Glenwood Springs Middle School and Saturday 2 to 3 p.m. at the Glenwood Library.
Saturday, the Families Plus Fall Festival fills Confluence Park (440 N. Palmer St.) in Delta from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with live music, vendors, tractor rides, a vehicle show and Turkey Bowl flag football. Proceeds support Families Plus programs in Delta and Montrose counties.
That evening in Cedaredge, the Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center (195 W. Main St.) screens Watershed, the Robert Redford-narrated film about the Colorado River, from 7 to 9 p.m. A panel on living with mega-drought comes first. Suggested donation is $10.
Mesa County library branches this weekend: Central is open 9 to 6 Friday, 9 to 5 Saturday and 1 to 5 Sunday. Clifton is open 9 to 6 Friday and 9 to 5 Saturday. Fruita, Orchard Mesa and Palisade are open 9 to 6 Friday and 9 to 4 Saturday. All but Central are closed Sunday, and Gateway is closed all weekend. The main Montrose library branch is open Friday 10 to 6, closed Saturday and open Sunday 1 to 5.
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Sources: Downtown Grand Junction, Avalon Theatre, Mesa Theater, Eventim, Carboy Winery, Grand Valley Dirt Bike Rally, AllEvents Montrose, Montrose Lifestyle, Montrose Regional Library, Valley Food Partnership, Ute Theater, AllEvents Rifle, The Sopris Sun, TACAW, Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center, Mesa County Libraries.
