It’s 2025. Katy Perry’s playing outer space, Coachella costs more than your car, and your group chat still can’t agree on a playlist. But Colorado? Colorado gets it right. This summer, the state is leaning into what it does best: killer mountain views, chill crowds, and live music that won’t bankrupt your Venmo.
Whether you're in Denver, Boulder, or somewhere with more elk than Wi-Fi, there's a concert series that’s free or almost free and well worth showing up for. No wristbands. No phone face-scan fumbles. Just music (and maybe a beer garden).
2025 Denver Free Concerts (in the City Un-Proper)
Music on the House: Free Shows in Denver and Its Suburbs
Levitt Pavilion – Denver
FREE | Ruby Hill Park | Levitt Pavilion Free Concert Series
If you’re looking for volume, both in decibels and frequency, Levitt Pavilion wins. They’re putting on 50 free shows between May and October, covering everything from bluegrass to hip hop to mariachi. This isn’t open mic night; past headliners include DeVotchKa, Low Cut Connie, and Jeremy Zucker. Bring a blanket, some snacks, and someone you don’t mind dancing next to.
City Park Jazz – Denver
FREE | City Park Pavilion | City Park Jazz Concert Schedule
It’s Denver’s most well-dressed picnic. For 38 years, this Sunday-night series has turned the park into a living jazz record. The crowd is loyal. The trumpets are loud. And the vibe is full "local legend." Runs June 1 through August 3 with standout acts like Hazel Miller & the Collective and the Brass Band Extravaganza.
Cherry Creek North Summer Concert Series – Denver
FREE | Fillmore Plaza | Cherry Creek North Concerts
Four "Throwback Thursdays" (June 12, July 10, August 14, September 11) bring Colorado’s best cover bands to the middle of luxury retail land. It’s a great excuse to wear something absurd and sing along to songs you haven’t heard since prom.
Swallow Hill Summer Concerts – Denver
Low cost (discounts for members/kids) | Four Mile Historic Park | Swallow Hill at Four Mile
This one’s got the whole Colorado historical aesthetic down. Think midweek concerts (Wednesdays, June 4–July 16), tribute bands, and folk-inspired vibes under the trees. Highlights this year include tributes to Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, and some surprise guests worth showing up for.
Sunnyside Music Fest – Denver
FREE | Chaffee Park | Sunnyside Music Festival
This North Denver neighborhood favorite is everything you want from a local festival: live music across multiple genres, rows of food trucks, a beer garden, and zero pretension. Sunnyside Music Fest is community-built and donation-funded, so the good vibes are basically baked in. Bonus: it’s dog-friendly, family-friendly, and truly come-as-you-are.
Littleton Museum Summer Concert Series – Littleton
FREE | Littleton Museum Grounds | Littleton Museum Concerts
This is Americana in stereo: families on lawn chairs, kids with ice cream, and tunes that bounce from blues to country to swing. Runs every Wednesday in June and July, starting at 6:30 PM. Not trying to be cool—just trying to be good. And succeeding.
Highlands Ranch Summer Concert Series – Highlands Ranch
FREE | Highland Heritage Park | HRCA Concert Series
The suburbs know how to throw a summer party. These Thursday night shows (June–July) are low-key local legends, with tribute bands, indie acts, and food trucks that deserve more attention. BYO camp chair.
Sounds of Southlands – Aurora
Free | Southlands Mall | Sounds of Southlands
It’s technically a mall parking lot, but don’t let that stop you. Thursday nights from June 19 to August 7 turn into a mini block party with live music, patio seating, and some solid people-watching. Expect everything from funk to '90s hits.
Outside the City. On the House. (Free Colorado Concerts)
Bands on the Bricks – Boulder
FREE | Pearl Street Mall | Bands on the Bricks
This is Boulder’s version of a street party. On Wednesdays from June 11 to July 30, they shut down Pearl Street and turn it into a concert zone, complete with a beer garden and rotating headliners. Best experienced barefoot, preferably dancing.
One Sweet Summer – Loveland
FREE | The Foundry Plaza | One Sweet Summer
Wednesdays from May 31 to August 8, this series brings a polished lineup to a not-so-obvious hotspot. Past performers include indie darlings, funk collectives, and even some folk-pop newcomers. Bonus: free parking and nearby taco trucks.
Evergreen Lake Summer Concerts – Evergreen
FREE | Evergreen Concert Series
If you’ve ever thought, “I wish I could kayak to a concert,” this is your scene. The setting is absurdly pretty. The music leans acoustic, rootsy, and relaxed. Wednesday nights from June 11 to August 6.
Rock & Rails – Niwot
FREE | Rock & Rails 2025
Possibly the best food truck-to-live music ratio in the state. Thursdays from June 5 to August 28, this series mixes local bands with beer garden hangs and one of the most community-friendly atmospheres you’ll find outside a farmers market.
Castle Rock Summer Concert Series – Castle Rock
Low cost | Philip S. Miller Park | Castle Rock Concert Series
These shows are ticketed, but affordable, and the lineup leans national. This summer brings in names like Vertical Horizon (yes, the “Everything You Want” guys) and The Fab Four Beatles tribute. Bonus: the park is stunning and the sound system is legit.
Montrose Summer Music Series – Montrose
FREE | Cerise Park | Montrose Summer Music
Only four shows, but they pack a punch. This western Colorado gem punches above its weight with touring acts and a riverside amphitheater that feels straight out of a travel ad.
Mountain Fair – Carbondale
FREE | Mountain Fair
Three days of music, art, and very good dogs. July 25 to 27, Carbondale brings in a curated lineup of indie bands, roots musicians, and one or two acts you’ll immediately want to follow on Spotify. La Luz and Thee Heart Tones are this year’s highlights.
Before the Encore: Colorado Free Concerts this Summer
Colorado isn’t trying to be the next Nashville or LA. It’s just out here doing what it does best: mixing good music with fresh air and letting the vibe build naturally. Whether you're front row with a picnic blanket or catching the bassline from your bike, these summer shows prove that live music doesn’t need VIP wristbands or overpriced parking to hit hard.
So go ahead. Cancel your weekend plans, drag your friends out of group chat purgatory, and let the music play.
Harmony isn’t just for headliners. It’s for homebuyers, too. That’s why our Colorado real estate agents are experts on every neighborhood and every hidden gem (from killer acoustics to killer kitchens).
Socials