Fair season is almost here, but the Western Slope still has a packed July 10-12 weekend with KAFM benefit music, the Black Canyon Quilt Show, a Loma car show, farmers markets, library events, comedy, jazz, and free live music from Palisade to Carbondale.
It's the calm before the fair-season storm, friends — Mesa County Fair kicks off Tuesday and Montrose's is a week behind it. But this weekend has plenty going on: a benefit concert for KAFM, 150+ quilts in Montrose, a 250th-birthday car show in Loma, and free live music from Palisade to Cedaredge to Carbondale.
An Evening with Peggy Malone — The Radio Room, 1310 Ute Ave., Grand Junction. The beloved Colorado vocalist takes a nostalgic trip back to her musical roots, with proceeds benefiting KAFM Community Radio.
Electric Avenue: The 80s MTV Experience — Asteria Theatre, 864 Bunting Ave., Grand Junction. A full-throttle recreation of 1980s New Wave and radio pop — every sound, every nuance.
Movies Under the Stars: Ghostbusters — Afterlife — Glade Park, movie at dusk (grill opens 6 p.m.). Volleyball, hay rides, corn hole, and bingo before the show; bring a chair and warm layers. About 30 minutes from GJ.
Science Uncorked: Forensic Investigation Research Station — Whitewater Hill Vineyards — 220 32 Road, Grand Junction, 6–8 p.m. Wine plus a talk from CMU forensic anthropologist Christiane Baigent on the world's highest-elevation human decomposition research facility. Fascinating and a little macabre.
Altas Radio — Mesa Theater — 538 Main St, Grand Junction,, 8–11 p.m.
Farmers Market at Cross Orchards — Cross Orchards Historic Site, 3073 F (Patterson) Rd., Grand Junction, 8 a.m.–noon. Fresh produce, baked goods, and handmade items in the historic orchard setting, with train rides and live music.
Beginner Pickleball Clinic — Lincoln Park Pickleball Complex, 1340 Gunnison Ave., Grand Junction, 8–10 a.m. GJ Parks & Rec's clinic for brand-new players — get your dinks in before the heat sets in.
Fruita Farmers Market — Civic Center Park, corner of Peach & Aspen, downtown Fruita, 8:30 a.m.–noon. The Lower Valley's hometown market: local produce, artisan goods, and live entertainment, every Saturday through October.
Sensory Hour at Dinosaur Journey — 550 Jurassic Ct., Fruita, 9–10 a.m. Second-Saturday sensory-friendly hour: lowered lights, no ambient noise, reduced admission.
Saturday Morning Music Sessions — downtown GJ, 10 a.m.–noon. Triple Play Records' free summer concert series featuring local and regional talent.
Freedom, Farms & Classic Cars — Absolute Prestige Ranch, 1351 Q Rd., Loma. A 250th Birthday Bash for the USA with classic cars in the countryside.
Faith Eliza + Mercury Bloom — Warehouse 25sixty-five Kitchen & Bar, 2565 American Way, Grand Junction, 8–11 p.m. Faith Eliza's new alt-rock direction meets Mercury Bloom (featuring original Peach Street Revival members) for a high-energy double bill. Tickets ~$9 on Eventbrite.
Line Dancing Class at Mama Ree's Cowboy Bar — 664 North Ave., Grand Junction. Free class 8–9 p.m. before Country Night (9 p.m.–2 a.m.). Free pool, too.
Beer Geek Trivia — Cruise Control Kitchen + Cellar, 555 Colorado Ave., Grand Junction, 3–5 p.m. Fresh-written trivia every week; prizes for top teams.
📚 At the library: The Friends of the Mesa County Libraries Weekend Book Sale runs Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. at First Congregational Church (1425 N. 5th St., Grand Junction, across from GJHS) — used books, DVDs, and CDs at bargain prices (cash, check, or Venmo).
🍷 Wine country:
Restoration Vineyards (3594 E½ Rd., Palisade) hosts Gonzales & Ritchen for free live jazz and soul Saturday (sets 1–2:30 and 3:30–5 p.m.) in the Band in the Barrel series.
Carboy Palisade (3572 G Rd.) pours its free Backyard Beats music series Saturday afternoon, with gentle Vin.Yasa yoga at 11 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday.
Look ahead: The Mesa County Fair opens Tuesday, July 14 at the fairgrounds — five days of carnival rides, Bull Wars bull riding, and Cuts & Corks.
Black Canyon Quilt Show — Montrose Pavilion, 1800 Pavilion Dr. The 29th annual show features 150+ quilts and vendors. Fri/Sat 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sun 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m., $5.
Fridays on the Farm — Billy Goat Hop Farms — 67181 Trout Rd, Montrose, 4–9 p.m. Live music, homegrown hop beverages, a rotating food truck, and yard games in the hop yard. Free.
Second Saturday Montrose — downtown. The monthly shop-local celebration, with participating businesses offering specials.
Canyon Creek Comedy — Canyon Creek Bed & Breakfast backyard, 820 E Main St., 8–9:30 p.m. Touring comedians under the stars; 14+ years of laughs in Montrose. Tickets on Eventbrite.
Shop Sundays Montrose — downtown businesses open Sunday for a slower-paced stroll.
📚 At the library: Saturday's a double-header — the Adult Book Club meets at 9 a.m. in the Montrose Library Meeting Room (320 S 2nd St.), and Libros y Chisme, the bilingual book club, gathers at Ay! Chabela (1015 E Main St.) at 11:30 a.m.
Look ahead: The Montrose County Fair & Rodeo runs July 17–25 at the fairgrounds — with the Rocky Mountain Oyster Fry on July 24.
Clay Date — Glenwood Springs Community Art Center Clay Studio, 601 E 6th St., 6:30–8:30 p.m. Wheel-throwing and handbuilding for ages 21+, BYOB — a hands-on date night that beats dinner and a movie.
Sound Journey — True Nature Healing Arts' Kiva, 100 N 3rd St., Carbondale, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Krista and Zachary Cashin guide an immersive sound-healing session; these tend to sell out, tickets at truenaturehealingarts.com.
"Disclosure Day" — Crystal Theatre, Carbondale, 7 p.m. (also Sunday at 5 p.m., captioned).
Glenwood Vaudeville Revue Summer Show — 915 Grand Ave., Glenwood Springs. Doors 6 p.m., show 6:45 p.m. The dinner-theater comedy institution's new summer show, Fridays and Saturdays. $20–$35.
Live music at Townline Trucks — Carbondale's food-truck court (111 Main St.), free. Friday ~6 p.m. and Saturday ~6:30 p.m.
World Cup on the big screen — Crystal Theatre, Carbondale. Friday 1 p.m. (Spain–Belgium), Saturday 3 p.m. (Norway–England) and 7 p.m. (Argentina). Full schedule at crystaltheatrecarbondale.com.
📚 At the library: Garfield County Libraries' summer-reading History Hike explores Babbish Gulch Trail at Sunlight Mountain Saturday, 8 a.m.–noon (register at gcpld.org/summer-reading). Teens and tweens can make jewelry at the Glenwood Library Friday 2–4 p.m., and bilingual storytime returns to the Carbondale Library Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
Look ahead: Carbondale Mountain Fair returns July 24–26 (its 55th year!), and the Garfield County Fair runs August 1 & 4–8 in Rifle.
Mixed Bag Jazz — Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center, 195 W. Main St., Cedaredge. An evening of jazz in the high-altitude creative hub.
