The Local newsletter is your free, daily guide to life in Colorado. For locals, by locals.
Live music has been filling—and leaking out of—the Colorado Chautauqua’s wooden auditorium in Boulder since 1898. A ticket (Cat Power on August 3, perhaps?) buys you entrée to the lofty space’s resonant acoustics and barnlike ambience. Savvy locals, however, throw down blankets on the surrounding lawn and enjoy wafting tunes and Flatiron views for free.
Read More: 3 Free Denver Concert Series To Fill Your Summer
1. After closing for most of June for renovations, the auditorium is again hosting concerts—many classical, as part of the summerlong Colorado Music Festival—more evenings than not. Search the schedule for louder acts; an orchestral quintet will be more easily heard outside than a solo violinist.
2. Parking at Chautauqua is harder to score than a reservation at Alma Fonda Fina. If you’re OK with a bit of a hike, you can usually find a spot along Baseline Road, or leave your car at New Vista High School and catch the free Hop2Chautauqua shuttle bus, which begins running 90 minutes before events.
3. You’re welcome to pack a glass- and alcohol-free picnic. But the wraparound porch of the Chautauqua’s dining hall, Boulder’s oldest continuously operating restaurant, is a lovely locale to enjoy a pre-show bison burger, crispy Brussels sprouts, and a Boulder Pearl gin and absinthe cocktail. During concerts, you can buy and consume booze at the nearby, open-air picnic shelter.
4. The best spot to post up depends on which way the wind is blowing. To the north, though, there’s plenty of space for dogs (leashes are mandatory) and children to frolic. To try and meet the musicians, hang around the south side of the auditorium after the show, where they sometimes come out to sign autographs.
5. If you like what you hear—or, at the very least, appreciate the clean public restrooms—consider giving a few bucks to Chautauqua. You can also donate directly to the Colorado Music Festival and still come out well ahead of a full ticket price, which starts around $35.
Read More: 12 of the Best Outdoor Music Venues Around Denver and Beyond
