Looking to party it up someplace where psychedelics are (mostly) legal? Then Colorado may just be the next spot to drop on your destination list.
In November 2022, voters in Colorado approved Proposition 122, also known as the Natural Medicine Health Act. Although the law, which establishes community healing centers for psilocybin use, doesn’t officially roll out until January 2025, local authorities have taken a hands-off approach to personal possession of small amounts. So, there’s that.
Besides being the home of one of America’s first legal cannabis markets, Colorado is also home to a substantial chunk of the Rocky Mountain range, as well as a quiet front range of plains. Summer may be the ideal season to go hard in Colorado, but the EDM scene pumps throughout the entire year. Where else can you experience a mountainside festival under a canopy of stars with the comfort that your, ahem, party favors won’t get you into (too much) trouble.
Just make sure you play it safe. Before going all out, consider assigning one of your friends as a mostly sober trip sitter, or arrange to have a ride home ahead of time. And, as always, remember that psychedelics such as psilocybin are only legal in Colorado at the state level. Federal authorities may enforce federal law where appropriate, as psilocybin remains a Schedule I controlled substance at the national level.
Danceportation (Meow Wolf, Denver)
Held at the uber-trippy art installation Meow Wolf Convergence Station, Danceportation is an EDM event series held throughout the entire venue, from top to bottom. Meow Wolf’s installation immerses visitors within an extra-dimensional travel station, rife with hidden occult symbols, dazzling sci-fi imagery and a psychotic pizza joint for kids. If you’re looking for an EDM experience that’s completely different from the usual nightclub or arena-based fare, book your tickets ASAP.
When: Autumn/Year-Round
READ: What Is Progressive Psytrance?
Global Dub Festival (Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison)
Triad Dragons’ Global Dub Festival takes place each summer at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado. Carved over eons into the side of the Rocky Mountains, the amphitheater alone is worth a visit, where Denver’s glittering cityscape acts as a backdrop for the open stage. Being the home of the Global Dub Fest is a bonus, as the show is essentially located in a valley, where deep, reverberating bass bounces off the stone and echoes back across a waving sea of angel wings, go-go boots, neon boas and glowsticks.
When: Summer
Global Dance Festival (National Western Complex, Denver)
Another Triad Dragons event, Global Dance Festival throws a two-day EDM rager right in the heart of Denver at the National Western Complex. And boy, does it go hard. Global runs until 1 a.m. on expanded festival grounds, with a stacked lineup featuring chart-topping DJs and live acts. Previous years have been headlined by ODEZSA, Knife Party, and Zedd.
When: Summer
Sonic Bloom (Hummingbird Ranch, Rye)
Sonic Bloom is a psychedelic pilgrimage to the heart of the Rockies, where pulsating beats, spinning LEDs, and a cosmically minded community collide for an unforgettable four days celebrating the summer solstice. Nestled in the foothills, the festival is basically an island of bass and flashing lights surrounded by the quiet beauty of Colorado’s mountains.
If you come to Sonic Bloom, expect to do a little camping. Fortunately, the event provides a van that makes daily trips to nearby Walsenburg, in case you forgot batteries or Vicks. Unfortunately, the festival went on hiatus in 2024 after 15 straight years of rockin’ the Rockies. Fingers crossed and visors kissed for its return in 2025.
When: Summer
Decadence NYE (Colorado Convention Center, Denver)
Trip head-first into the New Year! Decadence is a New Year’s Eve bash that brings the biggest names to the baddest decks, delivering beats harder than Mohammad Ali all the way up to the final countdown. As a two-day event at the Colorado Convention Center (say hi to the Big Blue Bear for us), psychonauts can party it up the night before NYE, then continue the fun on NYE proper for a grand exit from the previous year. But snatch up those tickets fast, as Decadence tends to sell out the same day sales go online.
When: Winter
READ: A Guide to Camping Safely With Psychedelics
Apogaea (Trinidad)
Nevada may lay claim to Burning Man, but Colorado has its own: Apogaea.
Apogaea is one of Burning Man’s regional events, with the same ideology and approach to experiencing live, living art. That means you’ll be relying on barter more than buying, and just like Sonic Bloom, expect to do some camping.
When: Spring
