Over this long Labor Day weekend, head down to A Taste of Colorado to sample some of the finest food, drinks, crafts and music that our state has to offer. Restaurants and wineries alike set up their stalls throughout this massive festival and, for the exchange of a few pre-purchased tickets, give out a few bites of one of their signature dishes. Wander through the rows of stalls, picking out samples by what looks or smells good, and fill up on these bite-sized portions of local cuisine. When you're thirsty, stop by a winery booth for a taste of wine from one of the state's up-and-coming vineyards. These wineries, while still relatively unnoticed in the international scene, have some great vintages for the ardent wine lover to sample.

Food and drink aren't the only attractions of the festival. Art booths by local and regional craftspeople are great for picking up gifts or home decorations. Live music fills the air day-in and day-out from the five open stages that dot the festival grounds. Even kids can have a ball with special child-sized activities, projects and shows that offer a break from the bustle of the food booths. For the least-crowded festival experience, take Friday off and show up while most people are still working, but know that many of the biggest entertainment events take place over the three-day weekend itself.

It seems a little incongruous to have one food-centered festival right after another, but the Denver Food & Wine Classic is about as different as you can get from the public chaos of A Taste of Colorado. This three-day festival is much more formalized than Denver's Labor Day food event, with a high price of admission and a more stringent selection process for restaurants and wineries that wish to take part. The biggest feature of the festival is the Grand Tasting event, which features samples of plenty of food and over 300 different wines. Other portions of the event include the wine auction, the "Art of the Cocktail" and Movie and wine dinners.

Love beer? Then head to the Great American Beer Festival and make the most of what is definitely the best beer festival in the nation. Armed with a commemorative glass and a map, embark on a taste tour of some of the 1,800 brews offered an ounce at a time. Over the course of a day it's easy to get your fill of beer, even in these miniature servings. Even better, many of these brews are quite difficult to get a hold of, making this festival the best place to explore beers that might otherwise never make it to your lips. In prior years, the festival has sold out in advance, so buy tickets ahead of time for this renowned national event.