Denver Arts Festival: Dozens of state and national artists and craftspeople will display their wares around Conservatory Green at Central Park. The event includes alcoholic drinks, a kids’ art zone and music by Dotsero, Wendy Woo, the Jacob Larson Band and others, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, 8304 E. 49th Place, free; denverartsfestival.com.

Bluegrass on the Arkansas: Rotary Club of Salida offers free bluegrass by local and regional bands next to the headwaters of the Arkansas River. Pint and a Half, RapidGrass, Deer Creek Sharp Shooters, Blue Canyon Boys, Liver Down the River and others will perform 4-9:30 p.m. Saturday and noon-9:30 p.m. Sunday, Riverside Park, 170 E. Sackett Ave.; bluegrassonthearkansas.org.

Mountain Words Festival: A bevy of well-known fiction and nonfiction authors will do workshops, readings and panel discussions in Crested Butte, including Terry Tempest Williams, Paula McLain and Nina McConigley. The festival offers free and ticketed events Thursday through Sunday, Crested Butte Center for the Arts, 606 Sixth St., mtnwords.org.

Idaho Springs Burro Races: The small mountain town will celebrate its mining heritage this weekend with burro races. Back in the early days of the Colorado mining industry, miners used burros to carry their supplies while prospecting in the mountains. Watch runners and their burros navigate a trail in Georgetown on Saturday and Idaho Springs on Sunday; ccburroracing.com.

Boulder Creek Festival: Usher in the summer with the four-day mostly free event that offers more than 30 bands, movie nights, food trucks, more than 200 vendors, activities for kids, rides, games, a beer festival, artist village and more. It runs Friday through Monday along Boulder Creek from Ninth to 14th streets between Canyon Boulevard and Arapahoe Avenue; bouldercreekfest.com.