“September Splendor in the Rockies” Showcases Colorful Gunnison-Crested Butte

A season of spectacular views, events & deals in the Colorado Rockies

GUNNISON-CRESTED BUTTE, Colo. (May 13, 2013) - Colorado's largest aspen grove turning brilliant shades of color, Indian summer temperatures and a wide range of events and outdoor recreation combine to make "September Splendor in the Rockies" a month not to miss in Gunnison-Crested Butte, Colo. September is an ideal time for couples who love the slower pace of the mountains in the fall, families looking for memory-making outing on the weekend and outdoor recreation lovers who enjoy scenic autumn trails.

A few highlights include the Fall Festival of Beers & Chili Cook-off, Vinotok fall harvest festival, Crested Butte Film Festival, running and biking events, art walks, farmers' markets, and stargazing at the Gunnison Valley Observatory.  For more information about each event, visit www.SeptemberSplendor.com or call (877) 351-8724.  Ideas for great fall drives are posted on www.GunnisonCrestedButte.com/fall-drives.

LABOR DAY WEEKEND, August 30 - September 2

Aug.30-Sept.2  Crested Butte Sidewalk Sales, Downtown Crested Butte & Mt. Crested Butte

Aug. 30            Gunnison Valley Observatory Open for Public Viewing & Hot Topics in Astronomy program, Gunnison

Aug. 31            Gunnison Farmers' Market, Virginia Avenue & Main Street

Aug. 31            Gunnison Valley Observatory Open for Public Viewing & Saturn the Ringed Giant program, Gunnison

Aug.31-Sept.1   The People's Fair (Arts, Crafts & More), Elk Avenue, Crested Butte

Aug.31-Sept.2   Gunnison Sidewalk Sales, Downtown Gunnison

1                      Crested Butte Farmers' Market, Elk Avenue & Second Street

1                      West Elk Bicycle Classic (130-mile gran fondo ride), Gunnison to Crested Butte via West Elk Loop Scenic & Historic Byway

1                      Crested Butte Mountain Runners Trail/Fun Run - Reno, Flag, Bear & Deadman Gulch or Reno Divide

WEEK 1, September 3 - 8

5                      Tour de Forks Grand Finale, a gourmet dining series benefiting Crested Butte Center for the Arts - featuring Maxwell's Chef Tim Egelhoff, Private Home

5                      Summer Speaker Series, Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum

6                      First Friday Art Walk & Music, Various Galleries & Locations, Gunnison

6                      Fridays @ 5 at the Gunnison Art Center, Live Music on the Courtyard

6, 7                   Gunnison Valley Observatory Open for Public Viewing, Gunnison

6 - 7                 Superfly Fishing Tournament by Gunnison Trout Unlimited, Gunnison Area

7                      Fall Festival of Beers & Chili Cook-Off, Mt. Crested Butte

7 - 8                 37th Annual Pearl Pass Mountain Bike Tour, Crested Butte to Aspen

8                      Gravity Slave mountain bike race, Crested Butte Mountain Resort

WEEK 2, September 9 - 15

10                     Energy Smart Environmental Film Series Presented by Office of Resource Efficiency, Crested Butte Center for the Arts

10                     Clay Earring Holder Workshop, Art Studio of the Center for the Arts, Crested Butte

13, 14               Gunnison Valley Observatory Open for Public Viewing, Gunnison

13 - 15             Ripple: A Watercolor Art Retreat for Women, Art Studio of the Center for the Arts, Crested Butte

14                     Gunnison Farmers' Market, Virginia Avenue & Main Street

14 - 15             Rocky Mountain Collegiate Conference Mountain Bike Races, CB Mountain Resort

15                     Crested Butte Farmers' Market, Elk Avenue & Second Street

15 - 21             Vinotok Fall Harvest Festival, Crested Butte

WEEK 3, September 16 - 22

15 - 21             Vinotok Fall Harvest Festival, Crested Butte

16 - 30             Jesse Blumenthal "New Works" Multi-Media Exhibition, Crested Butte Center for the Arts

19                     Sneak Peek at the Crested Butte Film Festival, Crested Butte Center for the Arts

19                     Summer Speaker Series Finale, Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum

21                     Gunnison Farmers' Market, Virginia Avenue & Main Street

21                     Crested Butte Mountain Runners Trail/Fun Run - Camp 4 Coffee Cart to Cart

22                     Crested Butte Farmers' Market, Elk Avenue & Second Street

WEEK 4, September 23 - 30

16 - 30             Jesse Blumenthal "New Works" Multi-Media Exhibition, Crested Butte Center for the Arts

26                     ArtWalk Evening, Studios & Galleries in Downtown Crested Butte

26                     Crested Butte Mountain Runners Trail/Fun Run - Woods Walk, Crested Butte

26 - 29             Crested Butte Film Festival, Crested Butte

28                     Gunnison Farmers' Market, Virginia Avenue & Main Street

29                     Crested Butte Farmers' Market, Elk Avenue & Second Street

Visitor Information & Personalized Vacation Packages

To save on flights, hotel rooms, vacation packages, car rentals and more, call the Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association reservation hotline at (888) 559-0841 or go to http://book.gunnisoncrestedbutte.com/. For destination information, call (800) 814-8893 or visit http://www.gunnisoncrestedbutte.com/.

About Gunnison-Crested Butte, Colorado

Nestled in a valley with nearly two million acres of pristine, mountainous wilderness, Gunnison-Crested Butte has a prime location in southwest Colorado.  Winter sports enthusiasts know the area for its world-class alpine skiing and snowboarding, cross-country skiing, ice fishing and more. Fair-weather activities include mountain biking, hiking, wildflower and wildlife viewing, climbing, boating, whitewater rafting, kayaking, fly-fishing, camping and horseback riding.  Year-round visitors enjoy distinctive restaurants, locally-owned shops, stimulating cultural opportunities and festivals galore ranging from the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival and Gunnison Cattlemen's Days to Crested Butte Bike Week and Gunnison Car Show weekend.

Along a 31-mile stretch of wide-open vistas and stunning scenery, visitors can explore Gunnison, Almont, Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte and connect with the quaint and historic burgs of Pitkin, Gothic, Tin Cup, Marble, Powderhorn and Crystal, also located in Gunnison County. Gunnison and Crested Butte, both founded in 1880, are known for their Victorian-era charm, friendly Western hospitality and free-spirited nature.  Almont is a fishing, rafting and rock climbing mecca, and the resort village of Mt. Crested Butte is home to renowned Crested Butte Mountain Resort.  Visitors also can explore Curecanti National Recreation Area, home to Colorado's largest body of water, and the nearby Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.  Gunnison County is part of the West Elk Loop and Silver Thread Scenic & Historic Byways.

Gunnison-Crested Butte is conveniently located in southwestern Colorado, a scenic 4-hour drive from Denver via U.S. Highway 285 or a 3½ hour drive from Colorado Springs on U.S. Highway 50. Air service to the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport (GUC) for the 2013 summer/fall season is provided by United Airlines with direct flights from Denver (DEN).

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Photo: Amazing fall colors on Kebler Pass near Crested Butte. 

For a Word version of this press release, click on the link below.

Contact:                       Beth Buehler                                        

                                    Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association               

                                    (970) 901-6970 cell, (712) 300-6600, or bethbuehler4@gmail.com     

                                    www.gunnisoncrestedbutte.com/