Colorado summers are filled with festivals that encompass
all sorts of interests, activities, and themes. From Renaissance Fairs to
Bluegrass festivals, our great state comes alive with the warm weather. Take
the opportunity to expand your imagination, play dress up, and be a kid again
at the 1840 Rendezvous & Spanish Colonial Art Market in Morrison, Colorado. Here’s what you
need to know to make the most out of this unique event.
What is a Rendezvous?
From 1825 to 1840, the Rocky Mountain
Rendezvous was held each year at various locations around the mountain
west. Mountain men, trappers, and fur traders would attend these events. Some
fur companies sent mule trains to the rendezvous location each spring with
supplies like whiskey, food, and tobacco to set up the fair grounds and hype up
the event.
All were invited, and as the Rocky Mountain Rendezvous
gained notoriety, tourists from Europe would even travel overseas to experience
the revelry that took place. Trading was the main event. However, drinking,
dancing, singing, and storytelling happened often around campfires, in pop-up
salons, and in tents.
Rendezvous in Morrison
While this gathering certainly lacks some of the more
illicit events that took place during the 19th century version, it boasts
all the fun. From musket-shooting competitions to hatchet throwing, the 1840
Rendezvous is a great time for guests of all ages.
Learn how to start a fire with nothing but twigs, watch a
blacksmith forge cutlery, horseshoes, and tools over a hot flame, or learn
about traditional native beadwork. Historic interpreters are at the ready to
provide accurate accounts of each activity while other events, like birds of
prey demonstrations and live-action storytelling, will take place throughout
the two-day festival.
When & Where
The Fort Restaurant in
Morrison, Colorado is an authentic, life-sized replica of a fur trading fort
from the 1800s. Buffalo prime rib and juicy steaks are on the menu and the
eating is good! Additional festival fare will be provided by The Fort. The 1840
Rendezvous festival will take place in and around the restaurant, on September
11 and 12 from 10am – 4pm. Dress up in your best western wear or buy hand-made
garb at the event made by talented leatherworkers.
Denver and its surrounding suburbs were stopping grounds on
people passing from east to west and north to south. Fur trading was a huge
industry only 150 years ago and developed many of the large cities we know and
love today. Rendezvous festivals like these transport guests back in time, offering
a unique experience in which one can truly imagine what life was like in the
open western landscape.
Just a short drive from Littleton, Colorado, the 1840
Rendezvous & Spanish Colonial Art Market can’t be missed. Grab your friends
at Windermere Apartments and carpool to this rip-roaring good time. Contact us to
learn more about our conveniently located, 55+ active community apartments in
Littleton.