The home of Spanish Peaks International Celtic Music Festival is Huerfano County, Colorado, with events taking place in the communities of La Veta, Walsenburg, and Cuchara. At an average elevation of 6200 ft, Huerfano is considered high desert and boasts clean air, beautiful mountains, and a variety of interesting nooks and crannies to explore. The altitude can be an issue for some people (altitude sickness), but don’t let that spoil your fun. Just remember to drink plenty of water, wear sunscreen, and keep in mind that alcohol affects people differently at altitude.
Festival events begin with the Welcome Gathering at Uptop (on Old La Veta Pass) at 11 AM. You will find information and directions to the old Uptop ghost town on their website.
The mountain community of Cuchara is the setting for Thursday’s afternoon concert – the first of the weekend – with The Lads at Dog Bar. Here is a map of the Dog Bar location from the Dog Bar’s website. Look under the “Location and Hours” tab for a map.
Nestled against the Spanish Peaks, the town of La Veta provides the numerous venues which host the majority of the festival events, including 2 of the 5 concerts. See the detailed La Veta venue map and venue listings below. La Veta is also home to all events associated with the Piping Retreat.
Last, but not least, Walsenburg hosts the Friday afternoon Hooley at Miner’s Plaza, and the Friday and Saturday evening concerts at the historic Fox Theatre in Walsenburg. You can find a map of Walsenburg here.
Discover more about the area, lodging, camping, and points of interest at Spanish Peaks Country or at the Spanish Peaks Chamber of Commerce. Here you’ll find current, complete listings for all the communities in Huerfano County.
If you’re looking for a nice drive in Spanish Peaks Country, you can’t beat Highway 12, the scenic byway that wraps around the Spanish Peaks. Check the route here.
What follows below is the 2023 list of venues in La Veta and the La Veta venue map.
La Veta Venues
1. Festival Office/Francisco Center for the Performing Arts (Theater) 2. La Veta Mercantile 3. Estelle Center 4. Library 5/6. Methodist Church 7. Francisco Fort Saloon 8. Park Pavilion 9. La Veta School of the Arts
