Elkhorn Avenue is the main shopping area in Estes Park, and this is also where you'll find public restrooms and free parking lots. Among the notable galleries and gift shops are those in the Old Church Shops, 157 W. Elkhorn Ave. (tel. 970/586-5860; www.churchshops.com). Also worth looking for are The Glassworks, 323 W. Elkhorn Ave. (tel. 800/490-6695 or 970/586-8619; www.garthsglassworks.com), a gallery and studio with glass-blowing demonstrations; Serendipity Trading Company, 117 E. Elkhorn Ave. (tel. 800/832-8980 or 970/586-8410; www.serendipitytrading.com), traders in American Indian arts and crafts; and Trendz, 100 E. Elkhorn Ave. (tel. 970/577-0831), a contemporary home decor shop that gave downtown Estes Park's retail scene a much-needed shot of upscale.
The Cultural Arts Council of Estes Park, 304 E. Elkhorn Ave. (P.O. Box 4135), Estes Park, CO 80517 (tel. 970/586-9203; www.estesarts.com), has a fine art gallery featuring changing exhibits of works by nationally recognized artists as well as exhibits on loan from private collections and museums. The council sponsors an Art in Public Places series (call for details), and hosts Art Walks -- self-guided tours of galleries, artists' studios, special exhibits, and events throughout the area. The Art Walks take place in mid-May, June through Labor Day, late September, and early December; and maps are available. The council also sponsors an outdoor performance series, Thursday nights at 7pm from June through August at Estes Park's Performance Park (west side of downtown). Events, which are free or have a nominal admission fee, start at 7pm and offer classical, jazz, folk, or contemporary music, plus theater and dance.
Established in 1917, Eagle Plume's, 9853 S. Colo. 7, Allenspark (tel. 303/747-2861; www.eagleplume.com), is a one-of-a-kind museum/gallery that hocks a few souvenirs, but focuses on fine art. Plenty of contemporary Native American arts, crafts, and jewelry are on display.
The Art Center of Estes Park in the Stanley Village Shopping Center, 517 Big Thompson Ave. (tel. 970/586-5882; www.artcenterofestes.com), is a community visual arts center that features changing exhibits of a wide variety of local and regional art, including paintings, sculpture, photography, textiles, glass work, and wood carvings. Works are for sale, and the center also presents workshops and classes on subjects such as oil painting, sketching, stained glass, and jewelry-making. Cost is usually in the $50 to $100 range, including materials. The Art Center is a bit hard to find; once you get to the shopping center, go up the stairs behind the fountain.
