Upcoming Events
Friday at the Farm: The Gulleys
Bring your own lawn chair or a blanket, pack snacks or a picnic, bring your family and friends, and kick back to enjoy live music in an unforgettable setting.
6-8 PM
Admission by donation.
AppleFest
Celebrate the season at Buena Vista Heritage's annual AppleFest at Turner Farm & Apple Orchard. Enjoy a full day of heritage, harvest, and family fun with local vendors, live demonstrations, apple pie and apple-themed treats, an apple pie contest, children's activities, pony rides, live music, historic farm tours, and more—all set against the backdrop of Buena Vista's historic orchard.
Whether you're continuing a family tradition or visiting for the first time, AppleFest is a celebration of Chaffee County's history, agriculture, and community.
Cemetery Tour
Buena Vista’s most legendary dead are about to come back to life, and this is your chance to meet them!
Note: online ticket sales for each tour will close the day before the event. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Historic Courthouse Museum, or Cash Only tickets are available at the gate.
Madams of Central Colorado
The wildest women of the West are ready to spill the secrets of the red-light district, and you can be front and center to witness it all!
High Country Talks Lecture Series: Trout Creek Transformation
About the Lecture
We’ve all traveled over Trout Creek Pass, taking in its spectacular views while navigating its notorious curves. With towering rock formations above and lush beaver ponds below, the landscape is striking—but it wasn’t always this healthy.
After decades of damage to the watershed, local ranchers and land managers came together to restore it. Join us to learn how their collaborative efforts transformed Trout Creek and helped restore the landscape we see today.
Meet the Speakers
Bruce Cogan
Bruce Cogan was born and raised on his family’s Chaffee County ranch, established in 1889. He has served with Search and Rescue and participated in several county and community boards and associations, including county planning and local cattlemen’s groups.
Now retired from ranching, Bruce enjoys hiking, running, spending time outdoors, and being with his wife, Stacey, and their seven grandchildren. His sons and their wives continue the family’s ranching operations.
Jeff Keidel
Jeff Keidel is a retired Buena Vista High School science teacher. He and his wife, Kathy, have lived in Buena Vista since 1984, where they raised their two children and now enjoy spending time with their two grandsons.
Jeff continues to study the natural history of the Upper Arkansas Valley. Local rancher Joe Cogan first introduced him to the ecological changes occurring in the Trout Creek watershed in the early 1990s. Today, Joe’s son Bruce continues to share his family’s history and knowledge of the area with Jeff.
High Country Talks Lecture Series: The Midland Railroad
Admission by Donation │ Doors open at 5:30
Many Buena Vista residents are familiar with County Road 371 and its four railroad tunnels north of town, but few know the history behind them. This presentation will take a closer look at the Colorado Midland through historic photographs, maps, and firsthand research, revealing how the railroad transformed the Arkansas Valley and the communities it served. You'll see rare images, including Engine No. 18 emerging from Tunnel No. 4 around 1880, with the Denver & Rio Grande narrow-gauge tracks along the Arkansas River below and the area now known as the Tunnel View BLM campground visible across the river.
Meet Lyn Berry
For more than 25 years, I have explored the history of the Colorado Midland Railway. After making my home in Wildhorse—once the Midland Railroad's switching and maintenance center near Buena Vista—I began tracing the route of the railroad from Trout Creek Pass to Hagerman Pass, uncovering the stories, engineering, and landscapes that shaped this remarkable line.
Friday at the Farm: Tom Dalton
Bring your own lawn chair or a blanket, pack snacks or a picnic, bring your family and friends, and kick back to enjoy live music in an unforgettable setting.
6-8 PM
Admission by donation.
Friday at the Farm: Katja
Bring your own lawn chair or a blanket, pack snacks or a picnic, bring your family and friends, and kick back to enjoy live music in an unforgettable setting.
6-8 PM
Admission by donation.
High Country Talks: Early American Expeditions of the Upper Arkansas Valley
Admission by Donation │ Doors open at 5:30
Before Buena Vista was a town, the area was home to the Ute, Arapahoe, Comanche, Cheyenne and other native tribes. Spain made early conquests into the region, and mountain men came along to trap furs. But what about early American expeditions? Well known figures like Zebulon Pike and John C. Fremont made journeys to the valley in lesser known expeditions of their own. Join us on August 27th as Trevor Mark takes us through these early campaigns into the wilderness of the Upper Arkansas River Valley.
Detail of Pike's map from 1810 — the first to depict the upper Arkansas and Pikes Peak
Chaffee Arts Award Show
The Chaffee Arts Open Award Show brings together original artwork by talented local artists for a weekend exhibition at the Buena Vista Heritage Museum. Explore a diverse collection of artwork, see this year’s award-winning pieces, and discover something new—many of the works on display will also be available for purchase.
Friday at the Farm: Annette & Doug Conlan
Bring your own lawn chair or a blanket, pack snacks or a picnic, bring your family and friends, and kick back to enjoy live music in an unforgettable setting.
Admission by donation.
Annette and Doug Conlon are talented singer-songwriters who create unforgettable live music experiences. Their diverse melodies transition from upbeat and joyful to deep and moving, consistently fostering a warm and inviting atmosphere that enhances their heartfelt lyrics. They have shared the stage with countless major artists and have had several songs published with DSM Producers in New York and placed for sync in film and television. Annette leads the Black Rose Songwriting Circle, while Doug manages the Open Mic, organized through the Black Rose Acoustic Society.
Chaffee Arts Open Reception
Join us for the Opening Reception and be among the first to view the award-winning artwork from the Chaffee Arts Open. Winning entries in each category will be displayed with award ribbons, and artists will be recognized during the presentation of award prizes. Guests are invited to enjoy light refreshments while exploring the exhibition and celebrating the creativity of local and regional artists. The reception is free and open to the public.
Friday at the Farm: Richard Maas and Friends
Bring your own lawn chair or a blanket, pack snacks or a picnic, bring your family and friends, and kick back to enjoy live music in an unforgettable setting.
6-8 PM
Admission by donation.
High Country Talks Lecture Series: Mountain Memories – Ghost Towns of Chaffee County
Admission by Donation │ Doors open at 5:30
Step back in time and explore the fascinating ghost towns scattered throughout Colorado’s Chaffee County. This engaging presentation uncovers the stories behind once-thriving mining camps and railroad communities that sprang to life during the Colorado mining boom and later faded into history. Through historic photographs and colorful tales of prospectors, entrepreneurs, and everyday residents, attendees will discover how settlements such as St. Elmo, Alpine, Vicksburg, Winfield, and Granite helped shape the region’s development. Learn what remains of these remarkable places today and how their legacy continues to captivate visitors and historians alike. Perfect for history enthusiasts, Colorado travelers, and anyone curious about the people and events that built the American West.
Madams of Central Colorado
The wildest women of the West are ready to spill the secrets of the red-light district, and you can be front and center to witness it all!
Friday at the Farm: The Lack Family
Bring your own lawn chair or a blanket, pack snacks or a picnic, bring your family and friends, and kick back to enjoy live music in an unforgettable setting.
6-8 PM
Admission by donation.
High Country Talks: High-Altitude Heritage — Ranching the Upper Arkansas
Admission by Donation │ Doors open at 5:30
Ranching families have shaped Chaffee County since the first homesteaders arrived in the Arkansas River Valley in the 1860s. Drawn by fertile grasslands, mountain water, and new opportunities, they built cattle and hay operations that became the foundation of the local economy. Despite isolation, harsh winters, and disputes over land and water, these pioneers established a ranching tradition that continues to influence the county today.
Local ranchers helped create a culture rooted in stewardship, self-reliance, and deep multigenerational connections to the land. Many ranches have remained in the same families for more than a century, passing from one generation to the next while enduring mining booms, railroad expansion, droughts, fluctuating cattle markets, and increasing development pressures while preserving the region’s agricultural heritage and rural character.
Today, ranching in Chaffee County remains both an economic activity and a living heritage. While tourism and recreation now dominate the local economy, hay meadows, cattle operations, the county fair, and 4-H programs continue to connect residents to the valley’s frontier roots.
Join us for a casual lecture with some local ranchers. Hear their stories, learn about life on the ranch, and enjoy a laid-back, friendly conversation.
With:
Bruce Cogan of Cogan Ranch
Ken McMurray of McMurray Land & Livestock
Lee Rooks of Rafter 26 Ranch
Nancy Roberts of Arrowpoint Cattle Co.
Suzy and David Kelly of Kelly Ranch
A Midsummer Night's Queen Drag Show
We are excited to welcome the BV Pride Coalition to Turner Farm for this exciting drag show!
Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the gate.
All a welcome, but anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Madams of Central Colorado
The wildest women of the West are ready to spill the secrets of the red-light district, and you can be front and center to witness it all!
Cemetery Tour
Buena Vista’s most legendary dead are about to come back to life, and this is your chance to meet them!
Note: online ticket sales for each tour will close the day before the event. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Historic Courthouse Museum, or Cash Only tickets are available at the gate.
High Country Talks: Fighting for Every Drop
Admission by Donation │ Doors open at 5:30
Most of us don't think about water rights until a ditch runs dry, a development goes in or a dry year reminds us just how tight things can get, but the system that decides who gets water in Chaffee County didn't just appear--it was shaped by conflict, necessity, and some hard choices made over a century ago.
Back in the 1880s disputes over water and land boiled over into what is now called the Lake County War. This wasn't a polite disagreement--it was a violent struggle over control of the critical water. While that conflict may feel distant, the rules that came out of that era still govern the rivers and ditches today.
First in time, first in right is the principle that determines if a rancher can irrigate, a town can grow or if there is enough water left in the river for recreation and fish.
Today the setting looks different--but the pressure is just as real. Growing communities, changing agriculture, outdoor recreation and health of the Arkansas river are all concerns. Add drought and those rules are being tested in new ways. This isn't just history--it's about decisions that affect property, livelihoods, and the future of this valley.
Join us as David Kelly and Greg Felt connect the dots from the conflicts of the 1800's to water questions of today and get a picture of where things could be headed next.
Art in the Park
Celebrate July 4th with style! Buena Vista Heritage has partnered with the Buena Vista Events Co-op and the Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce to put on a party you’re not going to want to miss!
Friday at the Farm: The Gulleys
Bring your own lawn chair or a blanket, pack snacks or a picnic, bring your family and friends, and kick back to enjoy live music in an unforgettable setting.
6-8 PM
Admission by donation.