Strings Music Festival 

Music lovers have the opportunity to hear an incredible array of artists at the Strings Pavilion. The festival brings Grammy Award winners, tribute bands, country music stars and classical performers to the mountains. This summer’s lineup includes Clint Black, Boz Scaggs, Asleep at the Wheel and Keb’Mo’. Families may want to attend youth concerts on Tuesdays at 11 a.m.; tickets for kids are $1. Free Music on the Green concerts on Thursday lunchtimes are a hit with all ages, bringing people to the Yampa River Botanic Garden. Take the annual Strings Kitchen and Garden Tour, when local homeowners throw open their doors and gates on Saturday, July 23; $45 for advance tickets. $75 for the VIP Bus. www.stringsmusicfestival.com / 970-879-5056 

Chief Theater 

Set in the heart of downtown on Lincoln Avenue, the Chief is a cultural hub. Live performances by musicians, actors and comedians are interspersed with foreign movie nights. www.chieftheater.org / 970-871-4791 

Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School and Camp 

The nation’s oldest performing arts camp is a hotbed of up-and-coming talent. The camp began in 1913 and it is widely believed modern and contemporary dance started there. Alumni star all over the world and many return to teach youth in a wide array of dance and theater camps. The camp operates the oldest equestrian camp west of the Mississippi. Dance, theater and musical performances showcase alumni and up-and-coming student talent. Be entertained for free at Tuesday under the Stars, or go on a weekly historic walking tour and hear tales of the camp’s storied past. www.perry-mansfield.org / 970-879-7125 

Steamboat Free Summer Concerts 

Pack a blanket and follow a sea of locals to the base of Howelsen Hill to hear a free open-air concert. Booker T. Jones, Friday, June 24; Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Saturday, July 2; Hot Rize, Saturday, July 16; Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Saturday, July 30; Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers, Sunday, Aug. 7. Concerts start with an opening band around 5 p.m.; main act begins around 7 p.m., ending just after 9 p.m. Refreshments are available for purchase from a range of local vendors. www.steamboatfreeconcerts.com / 970-846-5086 

THE ART SCENE

First Friday Artwalk 

Stroll the sidewalks of old town Steamboat on the first Friday of every month, wandering in and out of an eclectic mix of venues. Sip wine and discuss media with artists of all genres. 5-8 p.m. www.steamboatartcenter.com 

Steamboat Art Museum 

Located in the historic First National Bank building on Eighth Street and Lincoln Avenue, SAM, as it’s affectionately known, hosts exhibits by nationally acclaimed artists. Check out works from the Plein Air Paint-Out contest in early June, the results of which will hang until Saturday, July 30. Then SAM hosts the Plein Air Painters of America 30th Anniversary Exhibit, which features around 100 paintings. Artwork is for sale and includes plein air and studio pieces. Friday, Aug. 12-Saturday, Sept. 17. www.steamboatartmuseum.org / 970-870-1755 

The Depot 

Home to the Steamboat Springs Arts Council, the historic Depot is a multi-use space for the community’s visual arts and dance scene. Workshops and weeklong youth creativity camps keep this old rail stop bustling. www.steamboatarts.org / 970-879-9008