September has become a favorite month for me. Steamboat in September is a beautiful place and as the days change from warm to cool, the colors are also changing. Our gardens are producing the last of the squash and tomatoes that they can before the frost. The weather has monsoon rains that come and go with great thunder booms and big raindrops. And we all can sense that Summer shenanigans are coming to a quick close.
Labor Day weekend tends to be a fun and busy weekend. Many people visit to get a last bit of Summer in. Between enjoying resort activities like hiking, Sunset Happy Hour, and the mountain coaster, the resort offers many things to do with a view. Smiling faces with cameras nearby is a common site.
The next weekend is Chili Cook Off, held by the Main Street Association. It’s held in conjunction with one of the last Farmers’ Markets of the year. Persons compete to claim an award that proves they are a chili master. Patrons enjoy over 12 different chili’s and local microbrew beer from Steamboat breweries. The event a Steamboat favorite.
For me, the last event of the season is Oktoberwest. It is Steamboat’s most popular brewfest. Many breweries and ciders from around the state come in and share their craft drinks. Each year, there is a great band that keeps things moving and shaking. Though it isn’t the last event where locals can say hello to each other before it gets cold, it is the largest event where we can gather with sunglasses on and the biggest smiles we can wear.
All of this is fun, but it doesn’t compare to noticing hummingbirds migrating south, bears finding the last berries of the season, and watching the gold colors of Aspens slowly move downhill. The bright hues of yellow, orange and red are both exhilarating and bittersweet. Autumn is beautiful in Colorado. Aspens are one plant that make it very epic and breathtaking. And it also signals the end of Summer and the anxious wait for snowfall begins.
While students are working on their schoolwork and playing sports, without question their thoughts and conversations include tuning ski gear and getting new gear because they outgrew last year’s gear. Adults, though thinking similar thoughts, are eager to get more downhill mountain biking in, as well as a camping trip or two in before it gets too cold.
September in Steamboat Springs is an excellent time. Between the beautiful color changes and Fall activities, it is easy to appreciate being in a place that offers so much so close.