Art Gallery
Dairy Arts Center
2590 Walnut St., Boulder
The votes are in, and it’s official: Dairy Arts Center has usurped the throne for 2025’s top art gallery. As the city’s largest multidisciplinary arts venue, there’s something for everyone. Whether your interest is in the visual arts, theater, film, dance or live music, you’ll find it at the Dairy. It’s a creative hub where the arts mix and mingle across three live performance theaters, an arthouse cinema and multiple art galleries, constantly bringing exciting events and exhibits to Boulder.
Silver: Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art
Bronze: The New Local
Write-in: Nick Ryan Gallery
Festival / Event (non-music)
Boulder County Farmers Market
13th St., Boulder
Spending a warm, sunny day at the Boulder County Farmers Market leaves no surprise as to why it tops our readers’ list of local events to look forward to and enjoy. Fruit and vegetable stands are accompanied by artisan crafts, local eats and live music, all gathered together in Downtown Boulder from mid-spring to the early fall months. Shop local produce while sipping or snacking from a Colorado food vendor and on the second Saturday of each month, peruse hand-crafted items like clothing, accessories and cosmetics at the artisan fair.
Silver: BolderBoulder
Bronze: Boulder Creek Festival
Live Dance Group
Alchemy of Movement
2436 30th St., Boulder
Readers love that Alchemy of Movement offers plenty of ways to get your dancing feet wet. On-demand video classes allow you to explore dance fitness from the comfort and privacy of your home, but we bet that before long, you’ll be enjoying the wide range of adult dance and dance workout classes at the studio — whether your jam is hip-hop, belly dancing, latin or power classes that incorporate weights. Once you’re really inspired, reserve a private studio where you and your friends can bust your own moves.
Silver: Boulder Ballet
Bronze: Streetside Dance
Live Jazz Venue
Muse Performance Space
200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette
Packed shoulder to shoulder in the Muse to hear a live band always feels like you’re discovering the next big thing. The lineup delivers jazz performances that are on the pulse of the genre, always combining the bounce of swing and crooning of classic blues with something fresh and exciting. Grab a ticket to an upcoming show, and you’ll be in the good company of Boulder Weekly readers who give this venue top marks.
Silver: St Julien Hotel & Spa
Bronze: Nissi’s
Live Theater Group
Colorado Shakespeare Festival
CU Boulder campus
Shakespeare’s works may have first hit the stage more than 400 years ago, but the actors at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival give performances that are as funny, heart wrenching, sardonic, earnest and alive as ever. This season, audiences can enjoy the classics from the comfort of the newly renovated Roe Green Theater. Does a rose by any other name really smell just as sweet? Grab a ticket to a performance this summer and let us know.
Silver: Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company
Bronze: CU Theatre & Dance
Multiple categories
Gregory Alan Isakov
Gregory Alan Isakov is maybe our favorite kind of multi-hyphenate: When he’s not farming in Boulder County, he’s making soulful folk rock music that is in regular rotation in Boulder Weekly readers’ playlists. Isakov’s first studio album released in 2005, and for the last 20 years he’s continued to use his signature lullaby-soft rhythms to create a body of work that’s wistful, melancholy and earnestly hopeful.
His 2023 release, Appaloosa Bones, is already a folk classic, the perfect soundtrack for a drive into the mountains or a rainy summer evening at home. His most recent single “Flowers” was released in February, hopefully a sign of more to come in the future. We hope you had the chance to catch him in concert with The Colorado Symphony, but if not, you can keep an eye out for future performances at gregoryalanisakov.com/tour.
Local Celebrity
Silver: Deion Sanders
Bronze: Hazel Miller
Local Musician / Group
Silver: Hazel Miller
Bronze: Elephant Revival
Movie Theater
AMC Flatiron Crossing 14
61 W. Flatiron Crossing Drive, Broomfield
Sitting back and enjoying the show is easy at the AMC Flatiron Crossing with cushy recliner seats, classic movie-theater popcorn and 14 immersive IMAX theaters. AMC Members should be sure to check out Discount Tuesdays for cheaper tickets and concessions, and a deal for 25% off showtimes before 4 p.m. is open to all customers. Sensory Friendly Films that accommodate sensory sensitivities by adjusting lighting, sound levels, and allowing for movement can be attended on the second and fourth Saturday and Wednesday evenings of every month.
Silver: Boedecker Theater (Dairy Arts Center)
Bronze: Boulder Theater
Museum
Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art
1750 13th St., Boulder
In a creative rut? Strolling the halls of The Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art is a surefire cure. Regional and international artists are well represented here, and though there are only three gallery spaces, the exhibits deliver big on quality. Pay-your-own-price admission makes it a great weekend activity or spontaneous stop after lunch in downtown Boulder. Some exhibits close this spring, while others will open in the early summer months, so we recommend making it a destination soon.
Silver: WOW! Children’s Museum
Bronze: Longmont Museum and Cultural Center
Music Festival
RockyGrass
Planet Bluegrass, 500 W. Main St., Lyons
Tickets go quickly for this Lyons-based festival, so if you’re a fan of traditional bluegrass, there’s no time to waste. Join the laidback crowd for up to three days of music, camping and jam sessions surrounded by red rock cliffs and swaying cottonwoods and you’ll soon see why it’s the highlight of the summer for many a Boulder Weekly reader. Checkout this year’s exciting lineup at bluegrass.com/rockygrass and get ready to enjoy one of the most regarded bluegrass festivals in the U.S.
Silver: Rocky Mountain Folks Festival
Bronze: Colorado Music Festival
Music Venue
Boulder Theater
2032 14th St., Boulder
Boulder Theater is a crowd favorite for many reasons. Intimate setting: Check. Unique art deco design: Check. Convenient location in downtown Boulder: Check. Catch a concert from the rowdy standing-room only pit, or sit back on the balcony with a drink from the bar as tunes float up from below. Keep an eye on the theater’s iconic neon marquee to see what artists are coming to town, or find the events calendar online so you never miss out.
Silver: Chautauqua Auditorium
Bronze: The Fox Theatre
Nonprofit
Planned Parenthood
2525 Arapahoe Ave., Suite C-200, Boulder
Planned Parenthood provides a range of reproductive and sexual health services, including family planning assistance, abortion services, STD/STI testing and treatment, birth control options and gender-affirming care. They also offer resources for sex education, pregnancy options, and are LGBTQ-friendly. Since the overturning of Roe V. Wade in 2022, the right to a legal abortion is now determined at the state level, and as Colorado law upholds abortion rights, organizations like Planned Parenthood are helping people access safe treatment options.
Silver: Humane Society of Boulder Valley
Bronze: Emergency Family Assistance Association
Open Mic
Trident Booksellers and Cafe
940 Pearl St., Boulder
Trident’s open mic event is open to anyone hoping to share creative work, test out a new joke, perform a song or just deliver an inspiring message to the gathered crowd. If the stage isn’t your jam, sip on a cup of brewed coffee or tea and pursue books and knick knacks in the shop while cheering on the brave performers. Open mic nights crop up periodically, so take a peek at tridentcafe.com/events every once in a while to stay up to date.
Silver: Roots Music Project
Bronze: Junkyard Social
Place to Dance
Alchemy of Movement
2436 30th St., Boulder
Stressful week at work? Dance it out at BoB winner Alchemy of Movement with expert dance and exercise coaches who will get your feet moving and blood pumping — even if you’ve never stepped in the studio. There’s a style for everyone, and with a membership you can explore hip hop, belly dancing, Zumba, Bollywood, K-Pop, Samba and more. Classes don’t have an age limit: Alchemy of Movement coaches regularly see older members in their high-energy dance classes. Or if you want gentler movement, check out one of the low-impact classes.
Silver: Avalon Ballroom
Bronze: Nissi’s
Place to Work Remotely
Trident Booksellers and Cafe
940 Pearl St., Boulder
Set up shop inside Trident Booksellers and Cafe during your next out-of-office day. Their cafe will keep you well caffeinated with an award-winning tea selection and specialty coffee from renowned Idle Hands Roasting Company. When the midday craving hits, grab a homemade pastry, or feed the soul with a browse through the new and used books or stationary and journals in the bookstore. Soak up warm weather with a table out on the back patio beneath their shade trees and flowering shrubs.
Silver: Rayback Collective
Bronze: OZO Coffee Company
Private School
Shining Mountain Waldorf school
999 Violet Ave., Boulder
Shining Mountain Waldorf School doesn’t just usher students through required curriculum and tests, but incorporates outdoor education, creative, physical and emotional learning for a holistic approach to education. The school offers K-12 education, and just opened a brand new high school building in spring 2024 wherein students explore hands-on disciplines like woodworking and blacksmithing in addition to core subjects like math, science and language arts. Students can also attend after-school care, participate in athletics and summer camps, and receive additional education support.
Silver: Friends School Boulder
Bronze: Dawson School
Summer Camp
Colorado Mountain Ranch
10063 Gold Hill Road, Boulder
Colorado Mountain Ranch is only 10 miles from downtown Boulder, but its activities and rustic Gold Hill location offer kids the perfect summer escape. There’s horseback riding, archery, mountainboarding, disc golf, gymnastics, hiking, camping, improv, yoga, arts and crafts, and just plain old summer camp fun. Campers can explore, have fun and get dirty while parents know their kiddos are safe and well taken care of. So dust off the tie-dye shirts and sneakers, and get ready for a summer of fun!
Silver: CU Science Discovery
Bronze: Thorne Nature Experience
Day Care Center
Boulder Journey School
1919 Yarmouth Ave., Boulder
Who to trust with your little ones is a big decision, but Boulder Journey School comes well recommended from readers of Boulder Weekly. The private school accepts children ages 8 weeks to 5 years old and tailors its education to the context and needs of each age group so young minds can grow in safe, age-appropriate settings. They’ll be in good hands, with teachers who are lauded for their patience, enthusiasm and nurturing attitudes.
Silver: Sunflower Preschool
Bronze: Boulder Day Nursery
Advanced Education
CU Continuing Education
1505 University Ave., Boulder
Our readers are smart cookies, so when they name CU Continuing Education as the top choice for lifelong learning the second year in a row, we trust it’s the real deal. Flexible, accessible course schedules and online classes mean students don’t have to choose between achieving their education goals and keeping up with daily responsibilities. The wide range of higher-learning programs at CU hold a wealth of opportunities for those looking to explore their interests, make a career change or earn an advanced degree.
Silver: Front Range Community College
Bronze: Naropa University