The magic of Steamboat comes to life through events that bring our community and visitors together in unforgettable ways. With the holidays in full swing and the mountain blanketed in fresh snow, we’ve already had a fantastic Santa Saddles Up event, Hannukah celebration, and New Years fireworks and torchlight parade. But the fun doesn’t stop there—some of our most beloved events are just around the corner. From legendary traditions to lively festivals, here are 5 Must-Experience Events in Steamboat to add to your calendar. 

50th Annual Bud Light Cowboy Downhill – Jan 20

When you think of iconic events in Steamboat, the first one that comes to mind is the Bud Light Cowboy Downhill, an event that Steamboat is celebrating the 50^th anniversary of this year. It all began when Steamboat’s Director of Skiing, Billy Kidd, and 6-time all-around World Champion cowboy Larry Mahan decided to invite some other pro-rodeo stars to Steamboat for a day of skiing. The cowboys had such a great time that the day became a yearly occurrence, and soon enough it had manifested into something totally different, and amazing. Now with over 100 pro-rodeo stars attending every year, the Cowboy Downhill has become the biggest event of the year in Steamboat, and this crazy ski rodeo is certainly something you’ll want to be in attendance for.

Steamboat Winter Carnival – Feb 7-9

Steamboat is Ski Town U.S.A.®.  With 13 Steamboat athletes attending the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing, there have now been over 100 Steamboat athletes that have participated in the Olympic games. So much of this continued success at the highest level of sport is thanks to the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, one of the oldest winter sports clubs in the U.S. This year, the club is hosting it’s 112^th Steamboat Springs Winter Carnival, where downtown Steamboat becomes the home to events like ski racing, ski jumping, and Skijoring on Lincoln Avenue (winter sport where skier is pulled by a horse over snow), and a whole lot more. Don’t miss the fun and festivities, including a spectacular night show featuring the legendary Lighted Man and a fireworks display.

Light up the Night – Feb 15

Some of Steamboat’s best events, all rolled into one night. This Saturday ski day is capped off by a magnificent hot air balloon glow, which will fill our base area with a warm blow and warm air from 5:30-6:30pm. Following this, spectators will be treated to a torchlight parade, followed by a firework spectacle. End your night with a bite and beverage from Timber and Torch, or The Range Food and Drink Hall, rent skates and hit Skeeter’s Ice Rink, or take some laps under the lights during night skiing.

WinterWonderGrass – Feb 28 – Mar 2

Looking for a festival lineup stacked with fantastic Bluegrass artists, an awesome outdoor venue and emphasis on valuing the community and supporting it the best we possibly can? Look no further than WinterWonderGrass. Each year, the festival supports a local non-profit, with focuses on environmental protection, sustainability, musical education, community initiatives, and disaster relief. Come on out and enjoy 3 days of music and brews, with over 20 Colorado craft breweries represented in daily beer tastings from 2-4pm. There is truly nothing like experiencing an evening at WinterWonderGrass of authentic bluegrass music under the star-lit skies, or during a heavy snowstorm. It’s time for you to experience this all-time outdoor mountain festival.

Bud Light Rocks the Boat Concert Series – Saturday’s Mar 8 – Apr 13

Steamboat will be rockin’ during the winter ski and snowboard season as the Bud Light Rocks the Boat concert series returns offering a great mixture of musical genres. The series has featured everything from bluegrass to New Orleans style rhythm and blues and traditional Irish music to flat out rock and roll. With sunny and warm spring weather, the vibes don’t get much higher than this. End your Saturday ski days with awesome free live music, and take advantage of all of our great base area vendors like The Range Food and Drink Hall and Timber and Torch.

While these events only scratch the surface of the fun we have planned throughout this winter season in Steamboat, they are certainly some of our most popular, sought-after and enjoyable events and experiences you can have in the Yampa Valley. Check out our Events page to see our entire calendar of events through closing day in April, and we hope to see you out in Steamboat enjoying one of these awesome outings.