Steamboat Events
The Winter Carnival celebration includes a variety of events that embrace Steamboat's Western heritage and highlight our tradition of winter sports.
Traditional highlights of this unique event include everything from kids pulled on skis behind horses down a snow-covered main street, to the Lighted Man at the Night Show Extravaganza whose battery-powered suit weighs 70 pounds.
Celebrate the 114th Winter Carnival in Steamboat Springs
Mention a parade and fireworks and people say that’s typical. Talk about adults on shovels being pulled down Main Street behind horses or skiers jumping through fiery hoops and people stop to listen. In Steamboat Springs we do things differently, and with the oldest, continuous Winter Carnival west of the Mississippi, this event is certainly no different.
Steamboat celebrates its 52nd annual Cowboy Downhill, one of the most unique ski racing events in Colorado. It invites competitive cowboys from all over to strap on their skis and race to the base.
The Cowboy Downhill started in 1974 when world cowboy champion Larry Mahan and skiing Olympic medalist Billy Kidd gathered ProRodeo stars from the National Western Stock Show in Denver to Steamboat Springs for ski races. The event was such a hit that it’s become an annual tradition.
The Cardboard Classic is a creative and hilarious way to say goodbye to winter and officially prepare as warmer weather returns.
This is a great way to show off your hidden talent for arts and crafts. Participants make their own homemade sleds from cardboard, glue, and string for this unique race. Bring your creativity and fun costumes to make your ride stand out. Then watch each race as it stampedes to the finish line.
Celebrate New Year's Eve mountain style in Steamboat Springs with the resort's Light Up Snow Cat Parade, torchlit skiing, and fireworks at the base of the mountain.
Under the lights at the Brent Romick Arena, clouds of dirt and cries of victory tell the gripping story of the West with a time-honored and award-winning Steamboat tradition.
The Steamboat Pro Rodeo Series takes place every Friday and Saturday night from June 19 through August 29, 2026, in Downtown Steamboat Springs, with an additional holiday performance on Thursday, July 2. All 2026 performances, including July 4, begin at 7:30 p.m.
The 53rd annual Art in the Park is the largest arts festival in Northwest Colorado. This beloved event draws art enthusiasts and families from around the county with a wide variety of hand-made art and hands-on creativity. This weekend has become a staple of Steamboat Springs, Colorado in the summertime!
The Fourth of July in Steamboat is more than a celebration of national pride; it’s an opportunity to honor the Yampa Valley’s rich western heritage with fun for all.
Events like the ski jumping Elimination Jump Competition at Howelsen Hill, hometown parade, and the largest Pro Rodeo event of the summer, have visitors proclaiming independence at this celebration, which dates back to 1927.
