Even though it’s a state renowned for its winter delights, Colorado is a great place to be in summer, too. Capitalizing on the mild heat and radiant sunshine found in the Rockies, a series of outdoor sports festivals offer more than enough adventure to tide people over between ski seasons. Held in locales as notorious as Vail and as quaint as Salida, these festivals lure some of the world’s best athletes in sports like kayaking, mountain biking and climbing, among others.

Comprised of mountain sport athletes and fans, these festivals are far from being up-tight affairs. On the contrary, live music can be found at all the big ones, and with corporate sponsorship like Pabst Blue Ribbon and New Belgium Brewing Co., on-lookers and participants alike are guaranteed to stay well lubricated.

Now, a glimpse at a few of Colorado’s best mountain sports festivals this summer.

FIBArk (First in Boating the Arkansas River) Whitewater Festival

Salida’s annual whitewater festival is celebrating its 60th anniversary this June. The festival allegedly started out as a bet between two men to see who could raft the nearly 50-mile stretch on the Arkansas River from Salida to Canon City faster. A quick glance at the churning water of the Arkansas, which flows through the heart of Salida, makes that bet seem either dare-devil or dim-witted, or both. Melting snow from surrounding mountains makes the Arkansas particularly lively in Salida in June, but that’s the point. After all, it’s a whitewater festival.

“The river is just ripping,” says Donna Rhoads, a promoter of the event and a Salida historian. “It’s dangerous as heck, but people just love it.”

When: Thursday, June 12 to Sunday, June 15

Events: Kayaking and rafting—slalom, freestyle, wildwater sprint and downriver; a 5K and 10K running race; plus a skate park competition.

Location: Salida is about three hours southwest of Denver, resting near where Highways 9 and 285 converge just south of the Collegiate Peaks and Buena Vista. The city sits at 7,000 feet and is home to about 5,500 residents.

If it seems like Salida is a little bit off the beaten path, it is. But according to Rhoads, the city cherishes its annual festival.

“People really look forward to FIBArk because it’s the busiest weekend in Salida,” Rhoads says. “It’s definitely the highlight of Salida’s year.”

Niki Tracy, president of the FIBArk board of directors, admits that Salida doesn’t have the glitz or prestige that some Colorado mountain towns carry with them. But, she says, that’s what makes FIBArk even better.

“This town will use any excuse we can come up with to throw a party,” Tracy says. “It’s a pretty laid-back atmosphere. A lot of people come here because they’re not looking for all the hype of a Vail or Aspen, but we have all the amenities without the... I’ll let you finish that sentence.”

What’s Unique: The Hooligan Race. Anyone that wants to enter the Hooligan Race is welcome to do so. There’s just one simple rule: you float down the river in a boat that you made. And the boat, well, it can’t really be a boat.

“Whatever you can come up with—as long as it’s not a boat—that’s what you enter into the competition,” Tracy explains.

Last year, for example, an Oklahoma man used the trunk of a large tree that used to stand in his front yard. A few years earlier, a group of guys used a door that had come unhinged, while a woman kicked back in an inflatable chair. A pair of empty kegs was used to buoy a different group’s raft, which donned a sign reading “The Sloppy Drunks.” Makes you wonder how the kegs got empty.

Info: www.fibark.com