First Wildflower Week festival in Colorado mountain community to include free hikes, concerts and events

Breckenridge is launching its first-ever Wildflower Week this summer, hoping colorful alpine blooms and a lineup of free events will encourage more people to visit Colorado's mountains.

The festival runs July 2 through July 12 and comes after a difficult winter season that saw lower visitation due to poor snow conditions.

"The winter was really soft. We didn't have a great snow season, and visitation was low," said Kerry O'Conner, public relations manager for the Breckenridge Tourism Office. "It's (the festival) happening in a really important year for us where we can hopefully drive some more visitation up here."

The festival includes free guided hikes, concerts, farmers markets, yoga classes, art events and family activities spread throughout town. One of the signature attractions will be guided wildflower hikes led by local naturalists, who can help visitors identify flowers and learn about the area's ecosystem.

Breckenridge's extensive trail system gives visitors access to a wide variety of blooms at different elevations.

"We have wildflowers at every single level of elevation, and we have over 50 different wildflower species," O'Conner said.

Officials say this year's bloom is expected earlier than normal because of the region's below-average snowpack. Visitors can expect to see everything from lupine and mule's ear at lower elevations to Colorado's state flower, the columbine, higher in the mountains.

Beyond attracting tourists, organizers hope the festival highlights a side of Breckenridge that sometimes gets overshadowed by its reputation as a ski town.

"The mountain is so fun. But in the summer it's just as fun," O'Conner said. "There is even more access for people who want to get outdoors but don't want to do anything too intense."

Businesses throughout downtown are joining the celebration by decorating storefronts with wildflower-themed displays, while restaurants and local organizations are hosting special events inspired by the annual bloom.

With many activities offered free of charge, organizers said the festival is designed to make it easy for both visitors and locals to enjoy one of the High Country's most colorful seasons.