The Lavender Festival at the Chatfield Botanic Gardens has become a family tradition for us since our kids were toddlers. It’s always just for one weekend during July, so I tend to set myself a reminder to look for tickets in June. Tickets for non-members are $17 each per adult and $9 per kid. Admission includes: Demonstrations in the dye garden and working blacksmith shop, ability to explore Chatfield Farms and curated Gardens, entertainment by a line-up of local Colorado bands performing in the amphitheater, barrel train rides, lawn games and a kids craft area. My kids look forward to this festival every year, but I love it as much as them!
First and foremost is my hot tip: When coming into the Chatfield Botanic Gardens from 470, exit off Kipling turning south, then go east on Deer Creek Canyon. This will bring you in from the west and trust me, you want to come in from the west. If you come in from the east, you have to wait for ages for every fucking car to turn right into the lot while you try and get a left. Heed my advice, or wait in the car line for an unnecessary extra hour. 😉
Now, we have gone to the lavender fest almost every year since Winnie was born, therefore I update this blog after every year with new intel and photos, so keep that in mind as you watch my girls grow before your eyes in the photos below.
Kids Activities at the Lavender Festival:
Face painting: My kids race to get their faces painted first. You can both kids through the years in the photo above. When Winnie was a toddler, she didn’t want her face painted but didn’t want to miss out, so they painted paw prints on her legs. To date they’re some of my favorite pictures of her.
Crafts: They always have some sort of craft for the kids. One year, they got to paint flower pots and plant their own fresh lavender seeds. The next one, they got to paint rocks like ladybugs and bees. Another year, they got to decorate mugs. In 2023, they once again decorated flower pots and got to plant sunflowers in their pots. 2026 was lame and only consisted of some coloring sheets kids could color. But you better believe they colored to escape the sun for a brief moment.
Barrel Rides: The photo above is actually from their barrel ride at the pumpkin patch that the botanic gardens hosts during the fall. And below is Lila in 2026 on it. Yes, even teens and adults can ride it! Vince and Winnie are in the front two cars!
Wagon rides: Wagon rides are also free (you just tip the driver at the end). They’re a great way to keep cool too because you catch a nice breeze whilst riding them. You get taken around the farm to see the entire property, and kids love being pulled on the giant wagon via the tractor.
Food and drink options at the lavender festival:
As soon as we get the kids’ faces painted, Vince and I immediately grab a lavender beer. The kids love the lavender lemonade, and it’s usually very hot during the festival. I love all the lavender flavored items. This year, instead of lavender beer, they offered lavender hard cider – which was equally delicous! For food, they tend to have the same food trucks year after year which include: Kona ice, Cheese Love Grill (they serve grilled cheese and Philly cheesesteaks), The Walking Taco, and they also have funnel cakes, kettle corn, and gyros.
Shopping at the lavender festival:
I found some hilarious items as well as cute women’s clothing and accessories. You can see by the photos below that I did some great retail damage. In 2023, I bought the reusable tote, towel, “fuck it” necklace, and candle. In 2024 I got a toiletry kit that says, “shit”, a mama bear necklace, another candle, and cute earrings for the girls.
In 2026, I got these cute grocery lists and menus shown below, as well as thank you card, stickers, and colored pencils. The shop owner that sells them hand-paints these all herself! And then the girls got lavender warmies, candles, candle dishes, and some goat milk soap/lotion. Overall the variety of artisans is plentiful and unique!
Entertainment at the lavender festival:
There’s always live music continually performed during the day. And for the visitors who want to get a more educational experience, you can watch demonstrations in the dye shop and working blacksmith shop. Or you can get gardening tips from one of the many horticulturists and farmers that work on the property. And if you’re of the antisocial persuasion, you can simply browse the gardens or take a wagon ride through the gardens.
My last hot tip? Buy tickets for the lavender festival as soon as they go on sale to ensure you get a morning time slot. I forgot to set myself a reminder to get our tickets early in 2026. By the time I remembered, the soonest we could get in was noon. It was literally 111 degrees out! I got fried and we were all sick to our stomachs from being over-heated by the time we left. Tickets tend to go on sale the first week of June, so set yourself a reminder and get the 9 am time slot!
For other ideas on what to do with kids around town, check out my blog here, here, or for upcoming winter festivities, read here. Thanks for stopping by!
