Why Western Colorado Is Going Big For Colorado’s 150th Anniversary

It’s a big year for Colorado. 2026 is our state’s 150^th birthday, and the calendar is filling up with fun events that will also feature the rare overlap of Colorado’s Sesquicentennial and America’s 250th anniversary.

3 big events will help to get the fun underway on the Western Slope, with fun events planned in Ouray, Durango, and Grand Junction, just to name a few. Check out some of the events coming up, blending local pride with once-in-a-lifetime anniversaries.

What Is Colorado’s 150th Celebration All About?

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The Centennial State is celebrating 150 years of statehood at the same time America celebrates its 250^th anniversary. It’s a dual milestone led by the America 250–Colorado 150 Commission in partnership with History Colorado. The campaign focuses on community events, which encourage towns all over the state to showcase local history through festivals, exhibits, and statewide ‘Stories in the Sky’ drone programs.

Ouray: Turning 150 With History, Art, and Sky Light Shows

This Thursday, the fun begins! Ouray’s 150^th Anniversary Drone Show is scheduled for Thursday, January 22, at 8 P.M. A ‘Stories in the Sky’ drone show will light up the Amphitheater as part of the Ouray Ice Festival and the Ouray Ice(less) Festival. The show is free to attend, and honors 150 years of Colorado's statehood, 150 years of the City of Ouray, and 250 years of American Independence.

The show can be seen from Main Street or the Twin Peaks Lodge deck. Additional events coming to Ouray this year include: Cabin Fever Days (Feb 21, 2026), Art Walk (May 23, 2026), Ouray History Day (June 27, 2026), and the Ouray International Film Festival (June 18–21, 2026) — all weaving community history and culture into Colorado’s 150th narrative.

Durango: Snowdown 2026 Brings Colorado 150 to Winter

Coming up this weekend, Colorado is ready for the 47^th Annual Snowdown Festival, which runs January 23 – February 1. This year’s theme celebrates 150 years of Colorado history. Do not miss the festival’s Colorado 150 tie-in on Friday, January 30^th, at the Snowdown Light Parade, which starts at 6 P.M. Musical floats illuminate Main Avenue downtown. The parade will be followed by a ‘Stories in the Sky’ drone show as part of the celebration.

Grand Junction: Southwest Arbor Fest Meets Colorado 150

Grand Junction will get in on the festivities this spring when the Southwest Arbor Fest returns to Lincoln Park from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. Arbor Day activities will include free tree seedlings, craft beer tastings, live music, food trucks, arts, and vendors featuring Grand Junction’s community sustainability programs. As part of the official America 250-Colorado 150 celebration, the Stories in the Sky drone show will light up the evening sky during Arbor Fest, turning Grand Junction’s celebration into a vivid tribute to Colorado’s 150th and America’s 250th anniversaries.

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