One of the greatest Shakespeare festivals in the nation takes place right in Boulder on the University of Colorado campus. The Colorado Shakespeare Festival brings in astounding local and national talent for a month and a half of stunning performances of some of Shakespeare's greatest plays. In 2009, the roster includes the bard's Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing and The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Two modern pieces are also running during the course of the festival, the comedic masterpiece The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) and the haunting stage version of To Kill A Mockingbird, the novel written by Harper Lee and adapted to the stage by Christopher Sergel.

Some plays take place outdoors at the Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre, while others happen indoors at the University Theatre. While the show you want to see determines what theater you'll be in, try to catch at least one performance outside: watching the sun drop behind the Flatirons as the play commences is a spectacular vision. For a truly romantic evening, have a picnic out on the lawn before the play begins: you can bring your own meal or purchase a gourmet picnic dinner in advance. Curious theater lovers can even sign up for a backstage tour and see just how the play is put together behind the scenes. Just make sure to purchase your tickets in advance: this is an incredibly popular event and performances tend to sell out early.

Between barbecues, parties and fireworks, July 4th weekend is always packed with fun, but take the time to visit the Cherry Creek Arts Festival and you will see one of the best events the city has to offer. At this massive celebration of community and art in Cherry Creek North, only the best artists find a place in the vendor tents, which attracts true fans of art as well as those who just love a good party.

Three outdoor stages keep the music going all day long with jazz and blues performances by truly talented performers. Dine on all the festival culinary traditions and drink down a nice, chilled glass of beer as you take a break from the activity. And active the festival is, filled with people of all ages and from all walks of life. Whether looking for a great piece of art to take home or just a chance to do a bit of people watching, this festival has it all.

For just one weekend in the year, Sloan's Lake Park becomes something out of a storybook, where brilliantly decorated dragon boats course over the water, Buddhist monks perform ceremonial chants and people garbed in bright traditional dress wander through the crowds. This is the region's biggest and best celebration of Asian-American and Pacific Islander culture: the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival which showcases the styles, activities and entertainments of a way of life very different from that of Western society.

In the Explore Asia portion of the festival, you can see live performances of dance and song, while the Gateway to Asia section emphasizes the ceremonies and rituals of these descendents of the Far East. Explore Asia is the most family-friendly part of the festival, with different areas that are styled after communities in Indonesia, India and the Philippines. Here there are exhibits and activities for all ages, as well as unique storytelling events and authentic ethnic dishes to sample. Make sure to stick around for the dragon boat races themselves: watching these fantastically decorated ships as they glide across the water is a truly amazing experience.