A Taste of Colorado is a free, three-day outdoor festival held annually in Downtown Denver's

Civic Center Park The Denver Civic Center is a civic center area that includes two parks surrounded by government and cultural buildings and spaces. Civic Center is located in central Denver, Colorado, on the south side of Downtown Denver. Much of the area is a ...

Labor Day Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United St ...

weekend, as the

Festival of Mountain and Plain The Festival of Mountain and Plain was an annual celebration of pioneer days in the Old West held in early October in Denver from 1895 to 1899, and in 1901 with a final attempt at revival in 1912. Organized by The Mountain and Plain Festival Ass ...

, a celebration of pioneer days, was around the turn of the 20th century. It is produced by and benefits Downtown Denver Events, Inc., a non-profit organization of the Downtown Denver Partnership that produces community and cultural events. Typically drawing over 500,000 visitors a year, A Taste of Colorado includes over 50 booths operated by local food establishments. The event also features four music stages, arts and crafts vendors, kids' activities, and interactive exhibits.

History

In 1895, the festival was originally named Festival of Mountain and Plain. The festival started as a carnival similar to New Orleans’ Mardi Gras. The goal of the carnival was to boost the city's morale and vitality after the Silver Panic. The festival was ultimately unsuccessful in ending Denver's economic depression. After a decline in attendance the carnival ended in 1902 . In 1983, the Downtown Denver Partnership decided to bring back the spirit of the original Festival to commemorate the opening of the 16th Street Mall. "A Taste of Colorado" was added to the Festival of Mountain and Plain name and concept and moved back to Civic Center Park in Downtown Denver, where the event first began.

References

External links

Official site
Tourist attractions in Denver Food and drink festivals in the United States Summer festivals Festivals in Denver {{Food-festival-stub