What’s Happening Around Durango | Week of April 14, 2026

April 14, 2026

Here are three events worth putting on your calendar this week: an Arbor Day Celebration at the Durango Recreation Center on April 17th, Durango's Earth Day celebration with a parade and live music on April 18th, and Durango Montessori School's annual Electronics Recycling fundraiser on April 22nd. This story is sponsored by Kroegers Ace Hardware and the FLC Center for Innovation.

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Earth Day Durango

City of Durango

Durango Montessori

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Sponsored by:

Kroegers Ace Hardware‍

FLC Center for Innovation

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You're watching the Local News Network brought to you by Kroegers Ace Hardware and the FLC Center for Innovation. On Thursday, April 17th, head to the Rec center for an Arbor Day celebration from 1:00 to 4:00 PM. Enjoy a nature walk, a tree planning demonstration, and a free tree giveaway so you can bring home a seedling and contribute to Durango's urban forest. This event is free and open to all ages. For more information, visit the City of Durango website. On Saturday April 18th, Durango celebrates Earth Day with a full day of events. Kickoff the morning with a parade along Main Street, starting at 10:30 AM. Come dressed as your favorite animal, plant, or fungi for a chance to win best costume. from 11:00 to 3:00 PM the celebration continues at Buckley Park with booths, food, music, and family activities. For more information, visit earthdaydurango.com And on Wednesday, April 22nd, Durango Montessori School is hosting its annual Electronics Recycling fundraiser at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. From 8:00 to 5:30 PM bring your old electronics to recycle with proceeds supporting student outdoor education. A donation is requested but not required. For more information, visit durangomontessorischool.org. Thank you for watching the Local News Network. For more events happening in your area, visit whatshappeningdurango.com. And for more stories like this, visit durangolocal.news.

PAST DURANGO LOCAL NEWS STORIES

Voices of the Past: A Different Perspective (Part 1)

How do we get to where we are — and how important is every little story? Native historian Johnny Valdez reminds us that we are each the product of a hundred generations, and that any one of those stories going differently means we wouldn't be here at all. That perspective, he says, is exactly what makes listening to someone else's story so powerful — because in their story, you find your own. Writing for the U.S. 250/Colorado 150 Power of Place Magazine, Valdez draws on his heritage as a member of the Ute Tribe to explore a largely untold chapter of Colorado's history: the Brunot Agreement of 1873, the treaty that transferred Ute ancestral lands to the United States government. It's a story most Colorado schoolchildren have never heard — they know the beautiful mountains, the great hikes, the fishing and skiing — but not the history beneath their feet. This is the land of the Great Spirit. That's what the Ute Tribe has always called it. And Valdez believes that knowing its true history transforms visitors and residents alike into protectors of this place. The Power of Place Magazine is a special initiative of the Colorado 150 Southwest organizing committee, featuring 20 articles by professional historians and local writers exploring Southwest Colorado's rich and complex heritage. This story is sponsored by Alpine Bank, Sky Ute Casino and Strater Hotel.

Thousands March in Third No Kings Protest

An estimated 3,200 protesters gathered in Buckley Park Saturday for Durango's third No Kings rally and march — part of a nationwide wave of protests spanning more than 3,300 rallies across all 50 states against the Trump administration. The crowd then took to Main Avenue — closed to traffic for the occasion — marching south toward Fifth Street. Speakers rallied attendees around concerns of balance of powers. This story is sponsored by the Payroll Department and Durango Gelato, Coffee & Tea.

What’s Happening Around Durango | Week of March 31, 2026

The city kicks off its annual Spring Cleanup, Duranglers brings three days of fly fishing films, demos, and clinics, and Maria's Literary Foundation opens sign-ups for its Second Annual Read-a-Thon fundraiser benefiting youth literacy in Durango. This story is sponsored by Sky Ute Casino and Serious Texas Bar-B-Q.

Colorado's New Wildfire Resiliency Code Explained

Colorado's new Wildfire Resiliency Building Code requires fire-resistant materials and vegetation management for new construction and major home renovations in wildfire-prone areas. The town of Pagosa Springs plans to adopt the code April 1, with full implementation by July 1. Organizations like Wildfire Adapted Partnership offer free property assessments to help homeowners reduce their risk, even if the code does not apply to them yet. This story is sponsored by FASTSIGNS Durango and Blondies Trophy Room.

What’s Happening Around Durango | Week of March 24, 2026

This week in Durango, the airport is collecting donations for TSA workers affected by the federal government shutdown, Durango Comedy takes the stage at the Durango Arts Center, and the Spring in the Rockies Arts and Crafts Festival closes out the month at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. This story is sponsored by The FLC Center for Innovation and Dunkin Donuts.

Ebb and Flow: Art Along the Animas

Durango artist Matt Clark of Little Bud Designs collaborated with mural artist Parker Ledford to create Ebb and Flow — a public mural along the Animas River trail. The piece pulls from Clark's collage and illustration work and features everything from King Kong to a pride rainbow to the topography of the Animas River. This story is sponsored by the Payroll Department and Durango Gelato Coffee & Tea.

A Pillar of Montezuma County Agriculture

Cortez Livestock has been a cornerstone of Montezuma County agriculture since 1959. For more than six decades, the auction barn has served local ranchers, farmers, and Native American producers as a place to buy, sell, and trade livestock — and to keep a way of life going. As family farms and ranches continue to decline, this longtime auction barn remains a critical part of preserving Western heritage and supporting local agriculture. This story is sponsored by Sky Ute Casino and Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers.

What’s Happening Around Durango | Week of March 17, 2026

Local artist Shanda Akin brings her newest collection to Four Leaves Winery for a free evening of art and conversation, the Durango Arts Center opens Trey Parker's Cannibal: The Musical for a limited run, and the Southwestern Water Conservation District hosts its 42nd Annual Water Seminar at Sky Ute Casino Resort in Ignacio. Here's everything you need to know. This story is sponsored by Dunkin' Donuts and RMW Tafoya Barrett & Associates

Durango's Forest Faces Climate Change Challenges

Durango wasn't always the tree-lined community it is today — in the late 19th century, the landscape was largely barren — but now, climate change and rapid development are threatening the 12,000-plus trees that define it. The DurangoScape 2026 Climate Conference, hosted by the Durango Botanic Gardens brought together local and regional experts to help residents understand how to protect their community forest through smarter planting, root system awareness, and early action. This story is sponsored by Payroll Department and Durango Gelato, Coffee & Tea

Durango Follows Global Bird Migration

What happens when one woman's curiosity about disappearing birds grows into a global movement? For Kelly Miller, founder of Follow the Birds, a simple question about winter silence along the Animas River trails became a three-day gathering connecting scientists, artists and storytellers from across the world. The Bird Migration Gathering — held each March and October — drew participants from 16 countries at its inaugural October event, exploring migration through ornithology, conservation, art, storytelling and technology. Past contributors include celebrated naturalist Scott Weidensaul, wildlife advocate Craig Foster of Cape Town, South Africa, and bird language expert Jon Young. The next gathering takes place online March 13-15, 2026. This story is sponsored by Kroegers Ace Hardware and Dunkin’ Donuts

What’s Happening Around Durango | Week of March 10, 2026

This week in Durango, Rocky Mountain PBS brings its Mini-Film Fest to Fort Lewis College, the Friends of the Library kicks off its annual Spring Book Sale, and hip-hop artist Grieves brings his Out Cold Tour 4 to Animas City Theatre. Here's everything you need to know. This story is sponsored by Happy Pappy’s Pizza and Wings and the FLC Center for Innovation

Durango's New Dance Hub Builds Community One Swing at a Time

West Coast Swing is more than a dance style — it's a lifestyle for members of West Slope Westies, Durango's nonprofit swing dance community. Known for its fluid, elastic movement and ability to complement almost any genre of music, West Coast Swing has drawn a growing and passionate local following. When the group began outgrowing their rented rooms at the Smiley Building, leadership made a bold decision: find a bigger home and trust the community to fill it. That leap of faith led to the creation of The Durango Collective, a downtown studio that now serves as a shared hub for multiple local dance communities all under one roof. As the group's president describes it, the space was built for people to connect, create and celebrate — and for anyone willing to push through that first moment of vulnerability on the dance floor, joy is waiting on the other side.

What’s Happening Around Durango | Week of Mar. 3

Durango has a full week of events ahead. The Second Annual Disability Art Show opens March 6 at the Durango Arts Center, featuring work from more than 30 artists with disabilities. A closing celebration and silent auction will be held April 3. On March 7, the McDonald’s Cardboard Derby returns to Purgatory Resort, where participants race handmade cardboard creations down the mountain. And from March 8–14, the Durango Bach Festival, presented by the San Juan Symphony, brings a week of “Mostly Mozart” performances to St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. This story is sponsored by RMW Tafoya Barrett & Associates and Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

February 27, 2026

Durango Film Festival Turns 21 This Year

The Durango Independent Film Festival is celebrating its 21st year with the tagline "We're Legal," bringing independent films from over 50 countries to southwest Colorado from March 4–8, 2026. Known as a "Filmmaker's Festival," DIFF showcases adventure, documentary, native cinema, shorts, features, and more — creating a rare space where audiences are elbow to elbow with the filmmakers themselves. Among this year's selections is the Colorado-shot feature The Only Way Out Is Through, whose editor Misty Wilson is a Bayfield local, making the screening a homecoming celebration. Whether you're a film lover or just looking for that communal theater experience you didn't know you missed, DIFF is the place to find it. For more information, visit durangofilm.org. This story is sponsored by FASTSIGNS Durango and Payroll Department

February 25, 2026

Southwest Colorado Rocks Honors Community Impact

A new chapter of a longtime community tradition took center stage in Durango. “Southwest Colorado Rocks” celebrated local leaders, businesses, and organizations making a difference across the region. The event marks the first year of the new name after more than 40 years as “Durango Rocks,” expanding the celebration beyond Durango to include partners from Ignacio and Bayfield. Organized by the Durango Chamber of Commerce, the event highlights individuals and organizations that prioritize community, collaboration, and philanthropy alongside business success throughout La Plata County. Finalists and winners alike are celebrated for their impact, reinforcing the idea that success in Southwest Colorado is built on community support. This story is sponsored by FASTSIGNS Durango

February 24, 2026

What’s Happening Around Durango | Week of Feb. 24

Leadership, comedy, and independent film are all on the schedule in Durango over the next couple of weeks. From the upcoming Durango Women's Leadership Conference to a stand-up show from Olivia Carter and the return of the Durango Independent Film Festival, here’s what to know about these upcoming local events. This story is sponsored by Happy Pappy's Pizza & Wings and The FLC Center for Innovation.

February 20, 2026

Counting Dippers to Gauge Animas River Health

Every February, volunteers walk the banks of the Animas River counting American dippers — small, bold birds that dive headfirst into rushing rapids and spend their entire lives along river corridors. Because dippers feed on the aquatic insects that can only survive in clean water, they serve as a living indicator of river health. The American Dipper Project launched in 2016 following the Gold King Mine spill, and citizen scientists have been tracking nesting behavior and success rates ever since, entering all data into Cornell Lab of Ornithology's NestWatch database. When nesting success declined after the 416 Fire in 2018 and subsequent flooding, the dippers reflected that environmental stress. This story is sponsored by Durango Gelato, Coffee & Tea and The LOR Foundation.

February 18, 2026

Senator Bennet Visits Durango, Discusses Governor's Race

Colorado U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet made a stop in Durango this week to discuss his campaign for governor, touching on some of the most pressing issues facing the state. Bennet, who has represented Colorado in the U.S. Senate since 2009, shared his vision for Colorado's future and what he says sets him apart as a candidate. Watch the full interview to hear where he stands. This story is sponsored by Sky Ute Casino and Hospice of Montezuma.

February 18, 2026

Tracking Colorado's Changing Snowpack Patterns

The Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies is documenting an unusually low snow year in Colorado. The team monitors how dust layers and temperatures affect snowmelt patterns, building on over two decades of data collection. Their research helps explain the relationship between dust, climate, and the snowpack that provides 70% of Colorado's water. This nonprofit shares their findings for free, offering valuable insights for water managers and helping us understand what's happening in our mountains. This story is sponsored by Dunkin Donuts and Keesee Motor Company.

February 17, 2026

What’s Happening Around Durango | Week of Feb. 17

This week in Durango features community recognition, small business education, and winter sports competition. Southwest Colorado Rocks will host its Annual Awards Ceremony on February 19th at 5 p.m. at the Community Concert Hall, honoring outstanding businesses and leaders across La Plata County. On February 20th, the Seeds of Success DFM Summit takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the La Plata County Fairgrounds, offering free workshops, panels, and networking opportunities for farmers, food producers, makers, and small business owners, with breakfast and lunch provided. And February 21st and 22nd, Purgatory Resort hosts the 23rd Annual Ski Bike Festival and Race in partnership with the American Skibike Association, bringing riders from across the country to compete in the longest-running ski bike festival in the United States. This story is sponsored by Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers and The FLC Center for Innovation.

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