What’s New in Breckenridge

Breckenridge, Colo. is the Small Town with Big Fun for Summer 2025

Breckenridge, Colo. – March 12, 2025

In a town of just 5,000 residents, Breckenridge, Colo. is home to more than 200 miles of hiking and biking trails, towering peaks above 13,000 feet of elevation, and unique natural preserve lands home to moose, beavers, birds and more. Breckenridge is  Yet this outdoors-loving community embraces a much wider identity with its rich history preserved in mining relics, Victorian homes, and free museums; its bustling Breck Create arts district with workshops, exhibitions, and events; and its growing prominence as a culinary hub, now home to a James Beard Awarded chef and restaurants dedicated to top quality, locally sourced ingredients. All the while, Breckenridge remains committed to sustainability for its residents and guests through the B Like Breckenridge™  stewardship movement, helping to drive education and understanding of our impact on the environment around us.

 

Beat the Heat and Get Out and Play

As one of Colorado’s highest mountain towns, Breckenridge is an ideal place to get outside, play and beat the summer heat and humidity with average daytime temperatures in the 70s. Play isn’t just for kids—it’s a travel trend reshaping the way everyone can embrace adventure and connection in an all-too-serious world. In Breckenridge, that means racing down the mountain coaster at Breckenridge Ski Resort, taking a plunge in an alpine lake, or chasing waterfalls cascading down the mountainside. Take to two wheels with a scenic e-bike ride along the Blue River or challenge yourself on Breckenridge’s extensive mountain biking network. Explore more than 65 miles of Town-managed open space, set out on a naturalist-guided wildflower walk, or use the NEW Leaf Brief tool on gobreck.com to time your perfect fall hike through golden aspens. Step up to a guided peak ascent of one of Breckenridge’s 13ers (the equally challenging cousin of the notorious 14ers) with Colorado Adventure Guides. Watch as your ball soars farther than ever before at Breckenridge’s Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course or the NEW Kingdom Park softball fields. For a touch of the unexpected, summer dog sledding, horseback riding and fly fishing offer a fresh spin on outdoor recreation.

• B Like Breckenridge Tip: Download the B Like Breckenridge app as the in-town guide to the trails, transit and town. With every helpful piece of information is a sustainability tip to help maintain Breckenridge for generations to come.

 

Arts in the Alpine

NEW this year, Breckenridge will be the first location in North America to showcase SPARK, an experiential art installation by Studio Roosegaard. Inspired by fireflies and the desire to reinvent traditional fireworks, SPARK is a poetic display of thousands of biodegradable light sparks floating through the air. SPARK will be featured for three days during the Breckenridge International Festival of Arts (BIFA), August 15-24, 2025. SPARK will serve as an artistic reflection for the community as it works towards becoming a Dark Skies International Certified Community, one of just 55 in the world. During BIFA, NEW installations and performances will explore the interconnectedness of humans and nature, such as the all-Black troupe Minty Fresh Circus’s storytelling on resilience, an interactive on-trail marble run by Swiss-Italian artist Joe Scolari, and Anna Tsouhlarakis’s works elevating Native American stories. Guests can embrace their own creative inspiration with a workshop like glassblowing, ceramics or metalwork in the Breck Create arts district, or by crafting with artisans like tie-dye at Mary B Go Round, ceramic painting at Ready Paint Fire or hat-making at Lace & Lariat. The Breckenridge Backstage Theatre will offer inspiring and family-friendly performances throughout the summer. Music can be enjoyed outdoors at the Airstage or in the Riverwalk Center for the National Repertory Orchestra’s seasonal residency.

• B Like Breckenridge Tip: Appreciate the starry nights. If SPARK inspires interest in the cosmos, visitors can learn about astronomy during NEW exclusive stargazing tours at the Lodge at Breckenridge in partnership with Astro Tours. With its secluded location on Bald Mountain, the Lodge has a deck that offers sweeping views of Breckenridge during the day and stunning starry skies at night.

 

Feel Worlds Away From Home, Steps Away from the Mountains and Main Street

Perfectly positioned between the Peak 9 mountain base area and Main Street is the NEW Hotel Alpenrock Breckenridge™, Curio Collection by Hilton™. The 205-room hotel brings modern elegance and alpine charm with three distinct dining experiences, gear valet, concierge and more. Hotel Alpenrock welcomes the whole family, including pets, with amenities such as a summer dog-washing station and the “Magical Moose Hotline” for kids. Whether it’s s’mores by the outdoor fire pits, curated art tours, or summertime yoga, Hotel Alpenrock offers daily activities to elevate guests’ experience. Solo travelers can find connection in community-oriented digs like the Bivvi Hostel and Gravity Haus. Adventurers can hike into the wilderness for a backcountry hut stay at Francie’s Cabin. Meanwhile, foodies can’t miss a night in the restaurant-with-rooms, The Carlin, with its four bespoke suites and two unique dining experiences. Families will love the in-town location, newly renovated bar, and pool-with-a-view at the Residence Inn, or the secluded cabins and family-focused amenities at Tiger Run Resort.

• B Like Breckenridge Tip: Go car free! When arriving in Breckenridge from Denver, choose a shuttle service over a rental car. Once in town, the Main Street Trolley, BreckConnect Gondola, Breck FreeRide bus system and hotel shuttles are free and easy transit options… or a walk or bike ride in the fresh mountain air doesn’t sound bad, does it?

 

Top-Tier Dining at the Top of the World

In Breckenridge, long standing restaurants and newcomers alike are committed to sourcing the highest quality, regionally grown ingredients. NEW this summer, visitors can enjoy the same produce straight from the source at the Farmer’s Market. Spearheaded by Rootstalk’s James Beard award-winning Chef Matt Vawter, this curated market will serve both restaurants and visitors with Colorado-grown produce. Don’t miss the cozy NEW bar and restaurant within the Hotel Alpenrock, The Carter, to wind down after a day of adventures, and Edwin, the signature dining space with woodfired “Breck” oven pizza. NEW in town is Breckenridge’s only speakeasy, Canary, serving up bespoke cocktails behind hidden doors in Hotel Alpenrock. For coffee connoisseurs, Breckenridge embraces global influence alongside local roasting. NEW Baretto 1931 is an Italian-inspired espresso bar offering the perfect shot of java on the go. The French-owned and operated La Francaise Bakery is just across the street baking fresh croissants, bread and pastries. In the evening, its sister business La Francaise Bistrot serves up authentic fare from French Michelin restaurant-trained Chef Yvan Heraud. Coffee culture is embedded into the community thanks to Breckenridge Coffee Roasters, which locally roasts coffee from sustainable farms around the world, and ensures the lowest possible waste in its distribution to Breckenridge businesses. NEW for beer lovers is the Highside Brewery and companion COBBQ, serving up local brews and slow-smoked flavors. Sample classic brews at Broken Compass, or taste the perfect blends of award-winning Breckenridge Distillery whisky. Gather alongside some of Breckenridge’s longest-tenured residents and enjoy a space doused in local history at Fatty’s Pizzeria, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this summer.

• B Like Breckenridge Tip: Reduce your food miles. By choosing locally sourced ingredients, restaurants minimize carbon emissions from transit and support healthy agriculture.

 

Travel Through History

2025 marks the 150^th anniversary of the Edwin Carter Museum. Opened in 1875, the museum still operates in the cabin Edwin Carter called home. Carter was the foremost naturalist of the time, created a lasting impact on conservation in Colorado, and led to the founding exhibit of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. In the Barney Ford Museum, free, daily guided tours invite visitors to learn about the legendary businessman who was born into slavery, escaped and built his fortune in Breckenridge during the mining era. A visit to the Lomax Gulch historic mine or the Country Boy Mine invites visitors to engage in the history of mining, pan for gold or even explore 1,000 feet below the earth in a real gold mine. In the Welcome Center Museum, the Seasons of the Nuche exhibit tells the story of Breckenridge before the mining era, when the indigenous Ute people roamed the region as their hunting grounds. Come fall, “Hike the Golden Horseshoe” with a historian to see mining relics in a once gold-rich, and now golden aspen-rich, area.

• B Like Breckenridge Tip: Engage in the legacy of conservation. Following a visit to the Edwin Carter Museum, explore the Cucumber Gulch Preserve on a free, naturalist-guided hike to learn about native wildlife in this rare fen wetland ecosystem.

 

Sustainability Strides

NEW, the Town of Breckenridge, State of Colorado, and Mountain Towns 2030 will host the 2025 Climate Solutions Summit in Breckenridge, October 7-8, 2025. The two-day Summit will drive forward emissions-reducing solutions for mountain communities. As a destination, Breckenridge leads the way in its investments in sustainability–from its growing fleet of e-buses and its summertime e-bike program, to the NEW e-delivery program that has kept more than 465 delivery trucks from idling downtown since its inception and town-wide bans on single-use plastic bottles, bags, and to-go serviceware. The Town of Breckenridge Open Space & Trails team is seeking a Leave No Trace Gold Standard designation in the fall of 2025.

• B Like Breckenridge Tip: Be a steward of Breckenridge trails. The Town of Breckenridge Open Space and Trails (OST) team is launching a NEW website to crowd-source trail maintenance needs. Whether it’s a downed tree or trail erosion, the real-time log invites nature lovers to alert the OST team and ensure quick action. To take it a step further, join the Friends of Breckenridge Trails for a voluntourism outing and assist with trail work!

 

Come Together: Events & Inclusivity

This year, Fourth of July in Breckenridge includes three NEW activations, along with its longstanding parade and Firecracker 50 mountain bike race: a gravity-defying, cycling-inspired, live performance by Cirque Mechanics, a bicycle decorating competition and an Artists Market. Breck Pride (formerly known as 10 Mile Pride) will kick off the summer season June 13-15 with drag performances, community education and activations around town. Standing as a beacon of Breckenridge’s gay community is the Bunk House Lodge, which has served gay men and now the greater LGBTQ+ community since the 1970s. NEW at the Breckenridge Welcome Center are interpretation services for the Blind/Low Vision and Deaf communities, Aira and Aira ASL. Celebrate and engage in the outdoors in a fully adaptive environment with the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center, or alongside women, trans, and femme folks with VNTRBirds.

• B Like Breckenridge Tip: During the Fourth of July and all summer long, let Breckenridge’s love of bikes inspire you to choose two wheels instead of four. Every corner of town is accessible by bicycle, and it’s guaranteed to be more fun than driving!

 

2025 Summer Events Lineup

• Breck Pride – June 13-15
• Breckenridge Agave Festival – June 27-29
• Independence Day Celebration – July 4
• 42nd Annual Breckenridge July Art Festival – July 3-5
• Breckenridge Beer Festival at Beaver Run – July 19
• Breckenridge Food & Wine Festival – July 25-27
• 24th Annual August Art Festival – Aug 7-9
• Breck Epic – Aug 10-15
• Breckenridge International Festival of Arts – Aug 15-24
• 10th Annual Breckenridge Wine Classic – Aug 21-23
• Breckenridge Hogfest: Bacon & Bourbon – Aug 22-24
• Labor Day Weekend, Great Divide Arts Festival, and Great Rubber Duck Race – Aug 30-Sep 2
• Oktoberfest – Sept 12-14
• Breckenridge Film Festival – Sept, TBD
• Breckenridge Bluegrass and Beer – Sep 26-28

 

Look Ahead: 2026 Anniversaries & Story Ideas

• In 2026, celebrate Colorado’s 150th birthday and America’s 250^th birthday. Activations and appreciation of Breckenridge’s history will be woven throughout the year.
• 2026 will mark the 20th anniversary of Breckenridge History, the nonprofit dedicated to interpreting and preserving the town’s history as a mining town, as well as the eras that preceded and followed. NEW, the organization just announced that it was selected to exhibit the Smithsonian’s Americans exhibit from January 17 through March 15, 2026, a coveted opportunity and testament to the work of Breckenridge History.
• In 2026, the Breckenridge International Snow Sculpture Championships celebrates 35 years as one of the most popular celebrations of snow art in the world. Renowned for its remarkable snow quality and unmatched hospitality, this event gathers teams of the world’s best snow sculptors to create marvelous, massive masterpieces in the snow.
• In 2026, the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center (BOEC) marks its 50^th anniversary of service to people with disabilities. Founded by Gene Dayton, who also built and runs the Breckenridge Nordic Center, the BOEC provides adaptive, year-round recreation for people with disabilities, from vision and hearing impairments to physical and mental disabilities.
• In 2026, Breckenridge Oktoberfest celebrates its 30th anniversary. Drawing tens of thousands of visitors over three days, the event is known as the perfect way to Prost to the end of summer and beginning of fall.

 

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