Telluride Blues & Brews Festival: For more than three decades, blues musicians and fans have flocked to the mountain haven just in time to see the leaves turn. This year’s lineup boasts Taj Mahal, Keb’ Mo’, the Marcus King Band, Jon Batiste, G. Love & Special Sauce, Tab Benoit and a battalion of others. There’s also tasting sessions with 28 breweries, Friday through Sunday, $35-$300, $30 beer tasting sessions; tellurideblues.com.

Pirate Festival: A free festival devoted to a bunch of Captain Jack Sparrows is the thing we didn’t know we needed. It’s adults-only at Pirate Night from 6-10 p.m. Friday, with food, grog, sword fighting, live music and the crowning of the pirate king. Saturday is for all ages from 11 a.m.-8 p.m., with food, entertainment, mermaid photos and more. It’s at E.B. Rains Jr. Memorial Park, 11800 Community Center Drive, Northglenn; thepiratefest.com. 

Rocky Mountain Archtop Guitar Festival: Archtop guitars, with their arched top and hollow bodies, are popular in the jazz, blues and rockabilly genres. The weekend event will offer 30 of the world’s premier guitar builders and their instruments, workshops and concerts by various acts, Friday through Sunday, Hilton Garden Inn, 5455 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada; $30-$150; archtopfestival.com.

Denver Oktoberfest: The season of Oktoberfest is upon us. Drinking beer tops the list of activities, but there’s plenty to do for the non-drinkers with live music and contests. General admission is free. VIP tickets include a stein, unlimited draft beer and wine, two Jägermeister shots and unlimited German food, Friday through Sunday, and Sept. 25-27, Larimer Street between 20th and 22nd streets, Denver, $116.10-$253.83; thedenveroktoberfest.com.

Colorfest: Pagosa Springs picked the right time to throw a festival. The leaves will provide a perfect backdrop for many events, including Friday’s Passport to Pagosa, with tastings from restaurants, $100; Bands, Brews & Barrels from 4-8 p.m. Saturday, with live music, beer and spirits, $10-$35, free 14 and younger; and hot air balloon ascensions at 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, and a balloon glow and drone show at dusk on Saturday, free; pagosachamber.com.