Annual Events in the North Fork Valley
Hotchkiss Sheep Camp Stock Dog Trials / Ute Trails Car Club Show – Mother’s Day Weekend
Since 2004 the Hotchkiss Sheep Camp Stock Dog Trials has brought Hotchkiss to life over Mother’s Day weekend. Hotchkiss’ biggest annual event, the stock dog trials are a sport consisting of highly trained dogs (mostly border collies) paired with a human handler who, solely by voice, whistle and hand signals, guides the dog in herding a small band of sheep through a series of gates and finally into a pen. This is a low key event and worth settling in to really get a feel for the skill involved.
On the Saturday of the Dog Trials weekend, the Ute Trails Car Club puts on an impressive show of classic cars. The event is held in Zack’s Park behind Zack’s BBQ. Lunch is available and a free shuttle takes attendees between the car show and the dog trials.
Crawford Pioneer Days – Early/Mid-June
Since the early 1980’s, Crawford has celebrated it’s Pioneer history during Pioneer Days in early/mid-June. The charm of Pioneer Days is that it is principally an event by locals for locals. The event is absolutely authentic with no pretense or ambition beyond celebrating everything local and honoring tradition. The days leading up to the more heavily attended weekend events, feature a silent auction, community dinner and often a locally produced melodrama. Weekend activities begin with a pancake breakfast at the town park followed by a respectable parade Saturday morning at 10am. As the parade winds down, folks flock to the town park to enjoy food and craft booths and most of all the chance to socialize with neighbors while listening to good live music. Saturday’s finale is grand indeed – fireworks over Crawford State Park reservoir! The location could not be better for a fireworks display and the Crawford fire department could not put on a more impressive display!
Top of the Rockies BMW Rally - Paonia in July
The Top O’ The Rockies Rally is the go-to event of the summer. The entire event takes place within the beautifully maintained City Park of historic Paonia, Colorado. Camp on the grass under large shade trees and you will find all rally activities, outdoors and indoors, just feet away. Fill your days with world-class paved or dual sport riding opportunities starting in any direction from Paonia. Evenings are comfortably cool and the beer garden in the park is the perfect place to gather and meet up with friends new and old. There are on-site food and entertainment and downtown restaurants are a short 3-block walk away.
Are you planning a memorable riding vacation? Past rallies have seen riders come from 37 states and 6 Canadian Provinces. If you haven’t attended this rally before, just ask your friends!
Paonia Cherry Days – Early July
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Paonia has celebrated Cherry Days for over 75 years, making this the longest continuously running event in Delta County (besides the county fair). Cherry Days includes a parade downtown leading to the park, plentiful food and craft vendors, a small carnival and plenty of live music and other entertainment over the span of three days. This is a “bring the folding chair and the family” community celebration… and at the perfect time to enjoy the bounty of Paonia’s annual cherry harvest!
Pickin’ in the Park – Thursday evenings in August at Paonia Town Park
Pickin’ in the Park has been bringing FREE live music concerts, by national touring acts, to the Paonia town park, every Thursday evening in August, since 2008. This is the sort of community event that brings throngs of locals out to enjoy good food, local wines and beer all while chilling in a folding chair while the kids run roughshod over the adjacent playground. Dancing is not mandatory but hard to resist. Musical acts span the spectrum of genres from reggae and ska to rock and country. Bluegrass and Americana artists are a favorite mainstay.
Delta County Fair in Hotchkiss – Early August
The fairgrounds park in Hotchkiss has hosted the Delta County Fair for over 100 years, and like many rural counties, the fair is a major event for families. 4H kids show the animals they have raised all year, arts and crafts are displayed, and major attractions are held every evening all week long. Fair food is abundant and good natured socializing is at the top of the agenda for many.
Colorado Grand Classic Charity Tour in Hotchkiss and Paonia – September
Hosted by The North Fork Valley Chamber of Commerce and Ute Trails Car Club in rotating years in September. This year's tour leaves Vail, Colrado on Monday, September 9th and returns to Vail on Saturday, September 13th with two stops in the North Fork Valley! The first stop will be a lunch stop at the Paonia Town Park. Cars should begin arriving shortly after 11am and most should be back on the road by 1:30pm. This stop is hosted by Ute Trails Car Club. The second stop will be hosted at Big B's a few miles west of Paonia, on Friday, September 13. Arrival and departure times should mirror the first stop. Live music and lunch for purchase will be available. The Colorado Grand brings more than vintage sports cars to the towns of Hotchkiss and Paonia. Their generousity typically provides a $10,000 scholarship to a North Fork senior student. In 2025, the Colorado Grand will be providing two scholarships. One scholarship is being awarded by the Ute Trails Auto Club and the other is by the North Fork Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Paonia Mountain Harvest Festival – Late September
In 2002 the North Fork Valley finally got a home-grown harvest festival. It is ironic that it took 120 years of agricultural activity in the Valley to finally spawn a harvest festival, but it is a great festival – and that’s because there is so much great harvest to celebrate! The festival lasts for four days on the last full weekend of September and includes lots of local food, a farmers market, a chili cookoff, vendor booths and plenty of free music and other entertainment in the park. The festivities spill out of the park with agriculturally-themed activities (hayrides, farm tours, wine tastings, farm dinners), as well as live music at several venues downtown. As one of the liveliest celebrations of the year, Mountain Harvest Festival is not to be missed.
Hard Cider Festival – Late October
Hotchkiss Holiday Art and Craft Fair - weekend before Thanksgiving
Local vendors and artisans deck Memorial Hall in Hotchkiss with boughs of holly and many other Christmasy items as the community space became a bustle of activity. The Holiday Craft Fair showcases the talents of the area and gave locals a chance to get a jump on their holiday shopping. Countless holiday pieces and arrangements take center stage as area residents search for specialty items.
Parade of Lights in Crawford - Friday after Thanksgiving
Santa will be making his way through the streets of Crawford. The Crawford Chamber is thrilled to bring you the annual Parade of Lights and Festival of trees. These events occur annually the Friday following Thanksgiving. Cozy up with some hot apple cider or hot chocolate from vendors
inside, find the perfect spot and welcome the start of the holiday season with a parade!
This community favorite features floats, fire trucks, and Santa Claus himself.The parade concludes with the lighting of the Christmas Tree. But the fun isn't over yet. Head on in to the Community Center to enjoy the Festival of Trees.
Paonia Holiday Art Fair - First Saturday in December
Shopping, Entertainment and Kids Activities encouraging locals to shop local each holiday season. Presented by the Creative Coalition