HRC Equidad MX Report Recognizes 32 LGBT-Inclusive Workplaces in Mexico

Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of America’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, in partnership with PEMEX, Mexico’s largest state-owned petroleum company, launched the 2018 HRC Equidad MX Report, a first-of-its-kind assessment designed to increase LGBTQ-inclusion in workplaces across Mexico. Thirty-two major major employers earned top ratings in the inaugural report, reflecting their commitment to LGBTQ equality and adoption of vital LGBTQ-inclusive policies and practices.

The 2018 HRC Equidad MX Report assessed major Mexican businesses and multinational companies based on three core pillars of LGBTQ inclusion:
Adoption of nondiscrimination policies;
Creation of employee resource groups or diversity and inclusion councils; and
Engagement in public activities to support LGBTQ inclusion.

“These employers have invested in LGBTQ inclusion in the workplace because it is both fair and smart business. The 32 honorees know that the economy of tomorrow is built by today’s talent and becoming more inclusive is key to attracting and retaining the best workforce, said Deena Fidas, HRC Director of HRC Equidad MX and Workplace Equality Programs. “We commend all of them on this designation of being a ‘Best Place to Work for LGBT Inclusion’ and look forward to continuing our work together in the coming years.”

Since September 2016, HRC Equidad MX has been on the ground working with Mexican companies to promote awareness about the importance of LGBTQ diversity and inclusion in workplaces across Mexico. The program creates consulting and education models for Mexican companies and organizations interested in furthering their inclusivity efforts. The companies will be honored at an event hosted by PEMEX, Mexico’s largest employer, for their commitment to creating LGBTQ-inclusive workplaces.

“Earning the HRC Equidad MX certification is a watershed moment that will motivate more people to build more respectful work environments. We are delighted to demonstrate PEMEX’s commitment to equality and non-discrimination policies, especially among its LGBT employees,” said PEMEX Inclusion Manager Melissa García Godínez. “We are proud that the talent and effort of our employees contribute to the growth our company regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.”

Through HRC Equidad MX and the Corporate Equality Index (CEI), HRC Foundation has established guidelines to implement LGBTQ-inclusive policies, best practices and benefits across national and international corporations. Last year, HRC held its second-ever international launch of the CEI in Mexico City, recognizing the positive impact of leading companies for LGBTQ-inclusion. In addition, HRC Equidad MX released a Spanish-language business toolkit for workplaces in Mexico and Latin America.

HRC is proud to join with Accenture México (Accenture), American Express Company (México), S.A. de C.V. (American Express), AT&T, México (AT&T), Cinépolis de México (Cinepolis), Grupo Financiero Banamex, S.A. de C.V. (Citibanamex), CompuCom México (Compucom), Dow Química Mexicana, S.A. de C.V. (DOW), Edelman México, S.A de C.V. (Edelman), EY (EY), Ford Motor Company (Ford), GE México, S.A. de C.V. (General Electric), Google México (Google), Herman Miller México, S.A. de C.V. (Herman Miller), IBM de México (IBM), JP Morgan Grupo Financiero, S.A. de C.V (J.P. Morgan), Kellogg Company (Kellogg), Lubrizol Servicios Técnicos, S de R.L. de C.V. (Lubrizol), Mastercard de México (Mastercard), Nielsen México (Nielsen), PayPal México (PayPal), Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) and business subsidiaries (PEMEX), PepsiCo México – PepsiCo Internacional México, S. de R.L. de C.V. (Pepsico), Pfizer de México (Pfizer), P&G México (Procter & Gamble), SAP México, S.A. de C.V. (SAP), Scotiabank Inverlat, S.A. (Scotiabank)

SODEXO México (Sodexo), TE Connectivity México (TE Connectivity), The Boston Consulting Group (The Boston Consulting Group), UBER México Technology & Software (Uber), Unilever de México (Unilever), Walmart de México y Centroamérica (Walmart) to celebrate LGBTQ-inclusion in the workplace.

DNC on Pidgeon v. Turner Case

Today, the Supreme Court of the United States decided to not consider the case Pidgeon v. Turner, in which the Texas Supreme Court held that LGBTQ couples are not automatically entitled to government benefits. DNC spokesperson Joel Kasnetz responded:

“SCOTUS’s decision in this case upholds discrimination and opens legal avenues for those who want to chip away at LGBTQ equality. Through legislation or through the courts, this disgraceful decision by the Texas Supreme Court must be overturned. Democrats will continue to fight tooth-and-nail for LGBTQ equality in Texas and around the world.”

Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board Announces Partnership with IGLTA

Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (L.A. Tourism), the official tourism marketing organization for the City of Los Angeles, today announced its global partnership with the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA). As a global partner, L.A. Tourism strengthens its commitment to welcoming LGBTQ travel and will provide year-round support for IGLTA, the world’s premier member-based organization for LGBTQ hospitality and tourism.

“Los Angeles has a distinction worldwide of being a city that fully embraces diversity, inclusivity and acceptance and L.A. Tourism has long recognized the importance of serving LGBTQ travelers,” said Don Skeoch, chief marketing officer of Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board. “We are proud to partner with IGLTA to elevate our dedicated efforts in promoting Los Angeles as one of the most LGBTQ-friendly destinations in the world.”

"Partnering with the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board is a very significant development, as we both have a long, noteworthy history in the LGBTQ community," said IGLTA President/CEO John Tanzella. "With this partnership, we are positioned to better promote this popular, diverse destination, from its film industry to the beautiful beach communities, from its outdoor activities to shopping, the arts, and world-class dining.”

As global partner, L.A. Tourism will directly engage with IGLTA members and LGBTQ consumers through a variety of marketing opportunities including promotions via the IGLTA website and the IGLTA Annual Global Convention (which Los Angeles hosted in 2015) as well as participate in LGBTQ market research programs.

Los Angeles attracts 3.2 million LGBT visitors annually, representing an estimated $1.5 billion in travel spend.

Emmy-Nominated LGBT Series 'Eastsiders' Returns for Third Season

Kit Williamson’s two-time Emmy-nominated LGBT series, EASTSIDERS, returns for a six-episode third season this month.  Executive produced by Williamson and his husband John Halbach, and made possible via a Kickstarter campaign that raised over $80,000 from fans, the third season of EASTSIDERS picks up on Cal and Thom who, despite some confusing developments in their newly monogom-ish relationship, are determined to make things work. After a challenging year in New York City, the guys hit the road back west to Los Angeles to pick up the pieces of their old life, however, nothing can prepare them for the unexpected twists and turns they'll face on the journey home. As they travel west, their tumultuous relationship is tested by an empty bank account, arguments about the future, and an encounter with a handsome drifter that tempts them to once again redraw the map of their relationship. Will this be the trip of their lives, or the end of the road for Cal and Thom?

Shot on location in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and California, season three of EASTSIDERS stars Kit Williamson as Cal and four-time Emmy Nominee Van Hansis (As the World Turns) as Thom.  It also features guest star appearances by Constance Wu (ABC’s Fresh Off The Boat), Stephen Guarino (I’m Dying Up Here), Wilson Cruz (Star Trek Discovery), Brianna Brown (The CW’s upcoming series Dynasty), Matt McKelligon (You're Killing Me), Colby Keller (High Maintenance), Willam Belli (Rupaul’s Drag Race) and social media superstar Max Emerson. 

“It’s a difficult time to be LGBT in America right now, and I wanted to stick a rainbow flag in the tradition of the Great American Road Trip,” says Williamson.  “LGBT people have the same claim to the beautiful sights of this country as everyone else. By shooting with a skeleton crew we were able to take the characters out of their comfort zone in a way that few television shows have been able to.”

The first two seasons of EASTSIDERS are available worldwide on Netflix, where they have been translated into a dozen languages.  They are also available on DVD and digital platforms through Wolfe Video.  EASTSIDERS Season 3 is available worldwide now on WolfeOnDemand.com and Vimeo, as well as through various streaming services including Amazon Video, Google Play and iTunes.

Statement from GLAD and NCLR on Supreme Court Denial of Review in Turner v. Pidgeon

"This case is not over. It will now return to the Texas trial court for a final decision. It was an uphill battle to persuade the Supreme Court to grant review at this juncture because of the Court’s firm rule about taking cases only after a final judgment even where, as we noted in our friend of the court brief, a lower court ruling is subverting an important federal policy. We hope and expect the Texas trial court, on remand, will uphold spousal benefits for employees married to a person of the same sex, as Obergefell and common sense require."

The National - Dark Side of the Gym

 

The National are pleased to release the video for "Dark Side Of The Gym", directed, choreographed and starring NYC Ballet Resident Choreographer and soloist Justin Peck and executive produced by former Miami City Ballet dancer and current dance filmmaker Ezra Hurwitz. Also starring former Miami City Ballet mentor and Principal dancer, Patricia Delgado, the video finds the duo gracefully move around a balloon filled auditorium.

Equinox: The Season is Slaying - A Drag Benefit Show For Equinox Theatre

Get ready to see some of Denver’s best up and coming drag talent shake off their renditions of everybody’s favorite musical theater songs and ballads! From Wicked to A Chorus Line, Songs for a New World to Evita. Sing along, bring your dollar bills and see musical theater in a different light. Show your support for these drag queens and help raise money for Equinox to keep slaying the next season, and many others to come!

Hosted by Vivica Galactica, who has directed and acted in theatrical productions around Metro Denver. She has spent the past year dedicating her time to glowing up her drag career and hosts a weekly show at Gladys - The Nosey Neighbor Called Weirdo. See nationally-renowned Jessica L’Whor ruffle her tail feathers and step a bit outside of her box to show you just why the rest of the nation can’t get enough of her. Daniella and Daphne Decoteau are some of Denver’s most glamorous and respected drag queens, and no stranger to the stage, as Daniella was recently seen in Priscilla: Queen of the Desert at the Aurora Fox. Also appearing is Lala Shearz, a dedicated and important member of the Imperial Court Of the Rocky Mountain Empire here in Denver. See this sultry queen seduce you and leave you in tears. Plus, Candy Warhol, a past competitor of Ultimate Queen and Ultimate Queen All Stars, and a fierce seamstress and costume designer and is excited to show you what she has to offer. You’ll also see Eva Lucian, an up and coming cosplay queen who is excited to stretch her musical theater legs and show you what she has to offer. And last but certainly not least get excited to see the debut of Aurora Bearialis! You’ve seen her in many productions on the Bug Theater stage, and it isn’t even her first time in heels there either!

Masterpiece Cakeshop: Add Your Name In Support of LGBT Rights

This week, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Masterpiece Cakeshop – one of the most important and watched cases of the year. If the justices side with the business that refused to sell a wedding cake to our clients because they are a same-sex couple, it could take our country’s civil rights protections backwards by decades.

There’s a meaningful way you can help right now. When deciding cases, Supreme Court justices don’t only listen to the attorneys’ arguments. They also take statements of support into account.

Add your name to the ACLU's public statement to make it clear that the vast majority of us stand in solidarity with our clients, Charlie and Dave, and everyone seeking equal treatment under the law.

Hundreds of organizations from the Human Rights Campaign to the NAACP, people like Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, food world stars like Anthony Bourdain and Duff Goldman, First Amendment scholars, and even corporations like Apple, Amazon, Marriot, PayPal, Intel, and Lyft have already submitted statements of support in this case.

This public statement is another important way to show the staggering breadth of support for Charlie and Dave.

The courts have held for decades that business owners can’t deny services to some that they offer to others. If that changes now, we could see a world in which any one of us could be discriminated against while trying to lead our regular lives.

The Masterpiece Cakeshop case could determine whether or not LGBT people, religious minorities, people of color, women, single people, and many others get to live, eat, shop, and get services the same way as everyone else.

Annual Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit Brings Together Caregivers and Advocates to Learn About Biomedical HIV Prevention Tools

The annual Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit, organized by NMAC, opens today in New Orleans and runs through Dec. 5. The Summit brings together community leaders, care providers, and HIV advocates to learn the latest information and best practices to use biomedical HIV prevention tools like Treatment as Prevention (TasP) and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) more effectively. For a full program of USCA events, activities, and speakers, visit the Summit website.

“NMAC started the Summit as a way to bring more attention to biomedical methods of HIV prevention and to share information and best practices on how to use them,” said NMAC Executive Director Paul Kawata. “Areas that have readily adopted them have started to see significant reductions in new HIV diagnoses. However, we still see great racial disparities in which communities are using tools like PrEP. Since communities of color are disproportionately affected by HIV, we must ensure that those communities have access to these tools and use them.”

The Summit is supported by Presenting Sponsor Gilead; Champion Sponsor ViiV Healthcare; Benefactor Sponsors Janssen and Houston Health Department; Supporters Texas Health Action-Kind Clinic, Walgreen’s, and Washington State Department of Health; and Ally Sponsors Avita Pharmacy and Planned Parenthood.

Denver Public Health Joins “Undetectable = Untransmittable” Movement in Recognition of World AIDS Day

Earlier this week, and just in time for World AIDS Day, Denver Public Health added their support to the Prevention Access Campaign’s Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) movement, an initiative acknowledging the fact that people living with HIV on effective treatment do not sexually transmit HIV.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledges treatment as prevention, and several studies have shown that when a person living with HIV takes their medication as prescribed, it reduces copies of the HIV virus in their blood to such low levels that they cannot give HIV to another person. Managing HIV viral loads is also important to keep a person living with HIV healthy.

“Most people, including many people who are living with HIV, do not know that they cannot give HIV to other people if their viral loads are undetectable,” said Bill Burman, MD, executive director, Denver Public Health. “The U=U movement is really special. In addition to helping us educate all people about the importance of knowing one’s HIV status—and following treatment plans if needed—this movement may also help reduce stigma many people living with HIV experience around the possibility of transmission.”

Denver Public Health data shows that about 65 percent of people living with HIV and on treatment are virally suppressed in the Denver metro area. Denver committed to ending the HIV epidemic in Metro Denver and around the world when it joined the Fast Track Cities Initiative to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030. In doing so, it set a goal (among others) that 90 percent of people on anti-retroviral therapy be undetectable by 2020.

One strategy Denver Public Health is using to help people living with HIV become and stay undetectable is coaching them about how to read and access lab results via their electronic medical records.

“We teach patients the importance of numbers,” said Philip Doyle, retention outreach worker, Denver Public Health. “We do this because we believe it is empowering to be able to see how your medication is working to keep you, and your sexual partner(s), healthy.”

Free HIV and STD tests are routinely offered throughout the Denver metro area in clinical, community, and social locations. It is recommended that all people be tested for HIV at least once in their lifetime. More frequent testing is suggested for people at higher risk for getting HIV, including gay, bi-sexual and men who have sex with men; people who have sex without a condom; transgender people, especially transgender women; and people who share injection drug equipment.

Log Cabin Republicans Call on "Good Christians" to Reject Roy Moore

Today Log Cabin Republicans weighed in on United States Senate candidate Roy Moore in a video urging "good Christians" to stand up against the theocratic demagogue.

“Roy Moore has spent his entire career using his bigoted brand of Christianity as a weapon to relentlessly attack members of the LGBT community, all the while allegedly preying upon the most vulnerable in our society,” Log Cabin Republicans President Gregory T. Angelo stated. “Moore’s myopic faith prevents him from seeing that a significant number of LGBT individuals are devout Christians themselves, including many members of Log Cabin Republicans. Regardless of one’s sexual orientation or gender identity, it’s time for good Christians to do what good Christians do: REJECT Roy Moore.”

Are You Gay With Something To Say? Bloggers Wanted For Denver's Best Gay Blog!

Are you a new or experienced writer or blogger? Do you want to be? Or maybe you're just some gay guy with something to say? Well, what better forum for you than MileHighGayGuy?

MileHighGayGuy is looking for regular and guest bloggers to write about local news and events, do music and movie reviews, or write opinion or feature pieces from a gay perspective.

These are unpaid positions but offer the opportunity to be published in Colorado's Best Gay Blog (2010, 2011, 2012 OUTstanding Awards, Denver 2012 #WebAwards), expand your audience and gain valuable experience. There's also swag available in the form of free movie and concert tickets, music, books and other cool stuff.

If interested, shoot an email over to Drew Wilson at drew@milehighgayguy.com. And if you've got column or story ideas to pitch, this is the place to do it.

Scholarships Available for 2018 Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices

Lambda Literary, the global leader advancing LGBTQ literature, is pleased to announce four donor-advised scholarships for students of the organization's 2018 Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices, which begins August 5th in California. 

The 2018 Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices is the nation's premier LGBTQ writer's workshop and residency. The residency will be held on August 5-12, 2018 on the campus of Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. Founded in 2007, the Retreat is designed to offer intensive and sophisticated instruction to selected writers over a carefully designed one-week period. 

Through the support of generous benefactors, the donor-advised scholarships provide additional financial aid to Retreat fellows so they may advance in their craft and careers. The scholarships will be awarded to writers who've already been accepted to the Retreat

The Jeanne Córdova Words Scholarship

The Jeanne Córdova Words Scholarship, in memory of the beloved activist and author, is given annually in conjunction with Lambda's Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices. The Scholarship will be awarded to a lesbian of color or lesbian-identified queer or trans woman of color, working on text with lesbian content in any of the workshop categories excluding poetry.

The scholarship includes the Retreat tuition, room and board fees plus transportation costs, up to a total of $2,500. The Scholarship awardee will be selected by the Córdova Words Scholarship Committee, from a list of writers accepted to the Retreat who meet the scholarship criteria.

Applicants must be a lesbian of color or lesbian-identified queer or trans woman of color.

The Justin Chin Memorial Scholarship

Sponsored by Alexander Chee and Christine Lee, The Justin Chin Memorial Scholarship is offered in memory of the late author Justin Chin, and aims to support a queer AAPIA writer, writing with queer content in any of the workshop categories attending the Lambda Literary Retreat for LGBTQ Voices.

From Alexander Chee and Christine Lee:

Justin was a generous mentor and first reader to many writers. He was keenly aware of the need for more AAPIA queer writers and his writing and his mentorship underlined this with a sense of urgency. He guided his work as a writer and teacher with this question: "What is your responsibility, as a writer, to your culture, your society, the culture and society, to your family, friends and loved ones, to your subjects, and to yourself?"  It is in honor of his sense of the writer's responsibility that we offer this scholarship.

The scholarship covers the Retreat tuition, room and board fees plus transportation costs, up to a total of $2,500, and each year's Scholarship fellow will be selected by the Justin Chin Memorial Fellowship Committee, selected from qualifying writers who've already been accepted to the Retreat and who meet the scholarship criteria.

 

Lili Elbe Scholarship

Honoring the life and legacy of transgender pioneer Lili Elbe, the Lili Elbe Scholarship recognizes a transgender Lambda Literary Fellow in any genre whose work shows considerable talent and promise. A Danish trans woman, Lili Elbe was one of the earliest recipients of Gender Confirmation Surgery.

The scholarship covers the Retreat tuition, room and board fees plus transportation costs, up to a total of $2500. The Scholarship is sponsored by David Ebershoff, whose first novel about Elbe, The Danish Girl, won the Lambda Literary Award for transgender fiction and was recently adapted into an Oscar-winning film.

 

The Bryn Kelly Scholarship for Trans Women/Trans Femme Writers

Initiated by the 2013 Lambda Literary Retreat Fellows, The Bryn Kelly Scholarship for Trans Women/Trans Femme Writers at the Lambda Literary Retreat honors the life and artistic work of Bryn Kelly, a 2013 Lambda Literary Emerging Writer Workshop participant. The scholarship will support one Emerging Writer Workshop participant towards tuition, room & board, and travel costs to and from the workshop.

Applicants must be a trans woman or trans feminine-identified.

"These scholarship provide a vital opportunity for the Retreat fellows to take part in a dynamic identity-affirming literary experience." says Lambda Literary Program Director, William Johnson, "The scholarships allow writers to write, free of the financial stress that is often an unfortunate hindrance to those who strive to excel in the literary arts."

Click here to apply to the Retreat and, if applicable, the various scholarships.

Delicate Steve - Tattered

The sound of modernist guitar hero Delicate Steve was called “an invigorating blast of instrumental rock” by the Wall Street Journal. Now Steve is releasing a video for his track “Tattered.”  The song is from his recent digital EP entitled Cowboy Stories. The video, directed by Manu Barenboim, inventively addresses the very nature of being an instrumental artist. 

As Steve explains, “Many people over the years have said my guitar playing is like a vocal, or that I play guitar like a singer sings. So for this music video we set out to tell a story as though I was singing the lead guitar melody of the song. Although there are no lyrics, we hope you can follow the story. For it is a classic tale of love lost in translation.  The video was co-directed by Manu Barenboim and I, and may or not feature a cast of characters who are really a part of my life."

Colorado’s (Renowned and Under the Radar) Festivals Not to Be Missed in 2018

One of the most exciting times to visit Colorado is when its destinations are bustling with festival excitement. Colorado offers a variety of not-to-miss events throughout the year, some well known, such as the infamous Great American Beer Festival in Denver or Wintersköl in Aspen and some under the radar such as the Vintage Car Race in Snowmass or Wild West Air Fest in Steamboat Springs. Below is a sampling of some of Colorado’s renowned and under the radar festivals offered throughout the year. For more information, visit http://www.colorado.com. 

 

Aspen:

You might know about Wintersköl™ (January 11-14, 2018). Aspen’s annual four-day celebration features on and off mountain activities, festivals, fireworks, free and nearly free events for the entire family. Wintersköl, Aspen's annual "toast to winter," dates back to a quiet January in 1951 when local Aspenites decided to celebrate Aspen's unique lifestyle with an eclectic weekend of festivities.

 

But have you heard about the Mac N Cheese Festival (September 8, 2018)?Taking place on Aspen’s “Restaurant Row” (East Hopkins Avenue between Monarch and Mill Street), the 8^th annual Mac N Cheese festival will showcase a sample of the best Mac N Cheese creations in the Aspen area. Visitors pay $5 to participate and bring their own spoon to the event to keep it environmentally friendly. At the end, tasters vote for the favorites in five different categories.

 

Breckenridge:

You might know about the International Snow Sculpture Championships (January 22-29, 2018). The 28^th annual International Snow Sculpture Championships bring snow sculpture artists from around the world to create 12-foot-tall, 25-ton blocks of snow using only hand tools. The beautiful sculptures are sculpted over a five-day period and are lit up at night for visitors to see. 

 

But have you heard about Still on the Hill: Breckenridge Craft Spirits Festival (2018 October Dates TBD)? Craft spirit enthusiasts can experience a variety of incredible libations while being surrounded by the stunning Rocky Mountains in Breckenridge. This festival is a grand tasting of handcrafted spirits, craft cocktails, artisanal bites and more. Visitors to the festival can also take part in mixology workshops, historical walking tours, ghost tours and scavenger hunts.

 

Colorado Springs:

You might know about the Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off (September 1-3, 2018). Colorado’s largest balloon festival features 50+ pilots taking to the skies each Labor Day Weekend. This free, family friendly event showcases woodcarving and donut eating contests, live entertainment, skydiving demonstrations, balloon rides and much more. Visitors can head to Memorial Park for the early morning ascension over Prospect Lake or watch the night sky light up with each balloon glow.

 

But have you heard about the Bighorn Sheep Festival (February 10, 2018)? Wildlife enthusiasts can look for bighorn sheep in their natural habitats through high-powered telescopes at the 12^th annual Bighorn Sheep Festival. After viewing the wildlife, visitors can take part in guided nature walks, children’s activities and crafts, zoo activities, view bighorn presentations and more.  

 

Denver:

You might know about the Great American Beer Festival (September 20-22, 2018). The Great American Beer Festival is the largest beer festival in the world; and each year, it represents the largest collection of U.S. beer ever served – in both a public tasting event plus a private competition. The festival takes place at the Colorado Convention Center and brings together brewers and diverse beers from across the nation.

 

But have you heard about Collaboration Fest (March 31, 2018)? Known as America’s most creative beer festival, Collaboration Fest features brews that are a result of collaborations between two or more breweries from around the state, country and world. These individual collaborations mean that every beer tapped will be its first time, and every beer has a unique story. This year, the festival will be at the Hyatt Regency at the Colorado Convention Center.

 

Durango:

You might know about the Cowboy Poetry Gathering (October 4-7, 2018). 2018 marks the 30^th anniversary of the Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering, a celebration of the rich culture and heritage of the American cowboy. Nationally acclaimed cowboy poets, storytellers and musicians perform both traditional and contemporary poems and songs that tell authentic stories of life in the West. The weekend-long festivities also include a Cowboy Poet Train on the historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, a Cowboy Poet trail ride, Chuckwagon Breakfast, Cowboy Parade, a documentary film screening and shows of fine Western art.

 

But have you heard about the San Juan Brewfest (August 25, 2018)? The 20th anniversary of the Four Corners’ biggest beer tasting festival will showcase 50 breweries, each highlighting at least two beers, meaning over 100 beers will be available for attendees to sample. Live music, brewery line up and tickets will be announced June 1^st and ticket sales will benefit the United Way of Southwest Colorado.

 

Eastern Plains:

You might know about the High Plains Snow Goose Festival (February 8-11, 2018). The 16th Annual High Plains Snow Goose Festival takes place in several counties across Colorado’s eastern plains. In spring, waves of bright white snow geese against an endless blue sky fly into southeastern Colorado. The snow geese seen at the High Plains Snow Goose Festival are part of the Western Central Flyway population that is on their way back to the Canadian Arctic where they nest. In celebration of the migration, activities at the festival include guided birding tours, arts and crafts fair, birding workshops, a silent auction and more.

 

But have you heard about the Annual Spring Farm Festival (May TBD, 2018)?

Each May, the Colorado High Plains Adventure holds its annual Spring Farm Festival. Taking place at Caramel Apple Farm in Bennett, this event showcases businesses and animal rescues of the eastern plains. Attendees can visit with goats, donkeys, pigs, chickens and those cute alpacas. There will be food, music, goat milking demonstrations, alpaca fiber spinning and weaving, face painting and a performance from Oscar the Therapy Pig.

 

Frisco: 

You might know about the Colorado BBQ Challenge (June 14-16, 2018). Colorado’s longest-running barbeque competition, the Colorado BBQ Challenge, hosted by the Town of Frisco, takes place annually over Father’s Day weekend. The multi-day event, which extends more than six blocks on Frisco’s picturesque Main Street, features live music, pig races, kids’ activities, a firefighter cook-off, chef demos, a Breckenridge Distillery Whiskey tour, the Bacon Burner 6k and some of the best barbeque in the nation. 

 

But have you heard about Wassail Days (December 2018 Dates TBD)? The Town of Frisco's iconic Wassail Days takes place annually in early December. The weeklong celebration of the winter and holiday season celebrates wassail, a traditional warm Old English apple cider. Over the years, Frisco’s Main Street businesses have worked to perfect their own iterations of this holiday staple, collectively serving more than 5,000 complimentary cups to guests each year. This year’s Wassail Days will showcase more than 60 local businesses, each sharing their own special wassail recipe over the 10-day festival.

 

Leadville:

You might know about the Leadville Skijoring & Crystal Carnival Weekend (March 2-4, 2018). The 2018 Skijoring and Crystal Carnival Weekend hosts the unique sport of skijoring, plus mountain bike and Nordic ski races, a paintball biathlon, and more. Leadville skijoring is an action-packed sport where a horse and rider race down snow-packed Harrison Avenue in Leadville’s downtown, pulling a skier who’s holding onto a rope. As the horse gallops, the skier flies over jumps and spears rings set up along certain parts of the course.  

 

But have you heard about the Father Dyer Postal Route Ski Race (April 7, 2018)? North America’s highest backcountry ski race, The Father Dyer Postal Route Ski Race is a ski mountaineering team race held each April in the Mosquito Range east of Leadville. This challenging course takes racers up three peaks over 12,000′, including Centennial 13er Dyer Mountain (13,855’), and involves three demanding backcountry ski lines. The route is named for John Lewis Dyer, who crossed these mountains on skis as a minister and postal carrier serving the mining camps in Alma and Leadville. 

 

Salida:

You might know about the 70th Annual FIBArk Festival (June 14-18, 2018). 2018 marks the 70th anniversary of FIBArk “First in Boating on the Arkansas”, the nation's oldest whitewater festival and Salida's signature event. Every year in June during the Arkansas River runoff in Salida, the festival focuses on whitewater boat races and paddlers from around the nation and world come to compete. The festival also includes land events such as live music performances, mountain bike races, parades and more. 

 

But have you heard about the 4^th Annual Salida Fiber Fest (September 8-9 2018)? The 4th Annual Salida Fiber Festival will feature 70 fiber vendors - yarns, fibers, finished goods and more. The festival offers fiber related classes and vendors focused on all aspects of textiles and a tree-shaded beer garden offering local beer, wine and distilled drinks. Fiber Fest is held in Riverside Park, alongside the Arkansas River.  

 

Snowmass:

You might know about the JAS Aspen Snowmass Labor Day Experience (August 31 - September 2, 2018). The JAS Aspen Snowmass Labor Day Experience is an open-air extravaganza of popular R&B, rock, funk, blues, world and soul music, taking place at Snowmass Town Park, with the spectacular Elk Mountain Range as a backdrop. The festival attracts a wide demographic of attendees with past performers ranging from Stevie Wonder to the Black Eyed Peas, Zac Brown Band to Jack Johnson, The Allman Brothers Band, No Doubt and Tom Petty, just to name a few.

 

But have you heard about the Aspen Snowmass Vintage Car Race (September 16-17, 2018)? Watch the sights and sounds of high-octane racing come alive on the streets of Snowmass Village as vintage Corvettes, BMWs, Porsches, Mustangs and formula racecars from the 1960s and 1970s fly by. Not a typical car race, the Aspen Snowmass Vintage Car Race is sure to get the heart thumping and the blood pumping.

 

Steamboat Springs:

You might know about Winter Carnival (February 7 – February 11, 2018). Celebrating its 105^th year, Winter Carnival is an event not to be missed in Steamboat. The event will feature several street events such as the Nordic Dash, street slalom, donkey jumps and the infamous skijoring. A Night Extravaganza takes place on Howelsen Hill as it is lit up with colors and Winter Sports Club athletes jumping and flipping as they descend down the mountain.

 

But have you heard about Wild West Air Fest (September 1, 2018)? Every Labor Day weekend, some of the best pilots in the west and nationally renowned performers provide excitement to visitors and locals of Steamboat with thrilling aerobatics and formation flying. In previous years, performances have included a WWII Navy Torpedo Bomber TBM-3 Avenger performing a bomber simulation, international aerobatics, Trojan T-28 Warbirds and more.