North Fork Valley Creative Coalition

05/29/2026

That monthly magic has come back around! We’ll see you at FINAL FRIDAY Art Walk in Paonia TONIGHT! ✨

Come out to meet new friends, see fresh new artworks, and enjoy the cool summer evenings in small town Colorado. There’s something for everyone!

05/21/2026

🧭 Have you ever hiked Big Dominguez Canyon⁉️

This little known area of the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness, packs a strong desert punch complete with red rocks and petroglyphs dating back to the Ancient Pueblo.

5280 Magazine writer, Maren Horjus, says of the trek, “We hiked deeper into the canyon on a faint piece of singletrack, the orange sandstone contrasting against cobalt sky. After another mile, the canyon swallowed us whole, its sheer walls stretching 400 feet above us. The trail undulated above Big Dominguez Creek on a wide shelf, offering up an embarrassment of arches, rock art, and sandstone fins like small aeries. As the oh-wow moments piled up, my skepticism burned off with the February frost.”

📍And it turns out, The North Fork Valley makes the perfect base camp for the adventurous souls that take the journey! Local wineries and tons of live music will make the perfect bookends to your time off-grid.

📣 EXPLORERS’ BEWARE—this hike is not for the unskilled! Reports vary from 35-50 miles round trip and water sources are sparse. Desert weather can change rapidly.

Read the article at the 🔗 below to learn more about this unique landscape a little less than an hour from Hotchkiss.

https://5280.com/backpacking-big-dominguez-canyon-colorado/

📸 by Jessica Giles & Maren Horjus

05/19/2026

🗳️ Support the Creative Coalition by joining our team to collect donations at Big B's Delicious Orchards’ Friday Night Live!

Two chances to get out and give back…

🎉 Friday, May 22 — 4:45 - 8pm
🎉 Friday, July 17 — 5:45 - 8pm

Sign up at the 🔗 below for a two or three hour shift and take home a thank you gift of a 2025 Mountain Harvest Fest t-shirt or hat.

✨ Want to take your volunteer work to the next level?! Join our Events Core Working Group to contribute to all the magic of Pickin in the Park, Mountain Harvest Festival, and Paonia Holiday Art Festival by emailing [email protected].

https://northforkcreative.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ba79e8f6badbe1f1c17007042&id=678ee15bae&e=ec420f3e53

📸 by Luna Anna Archey

05/18/2026

📣 A PSA to all our followers!

A core element of our mission is the creativity and connection that only sentience can comprehend. In an effort to protect and preserve such a precious thing, we are committed to never using AI generated content on this account. Please consider your use of AI and the greater implications to the things we hold dear.

Artwork by Franki Zinke,

05/16/2026

🎟️ The June events calendar is STACKED! We wanted to highlight *ticketed events* that could (will!) sell out so you can make plans and don’t miss a thing.

June is officially summer in the North Fork so in addition to all these great events there’s so much to do! Kebler Pass will be open for hiking and SUPing, river rafting on the North Fork of the Gunnison, canyon exploring in Dominguez or Black Canyon, or check out a farm stand and kick back with a glass of local wine from one of our talented vintners.

Come experience the other side of Colorado! 🏔️

05/15/2026

05/14/2026

Chase light and color across some of Colorado’s most iconic vistas this June in Delta County! 🗻🎨

The inaugural North Fork Plein Air Festival is taking shape and we invite you to be part of all the creativity. From wineries and orchards to snowcapped peaks and record-breaking canyons, the inspiration of the North Fork is unlimited!

📆 June 10-12th

🎨 We are still looking for artists! Registration stay open through June 8th.

🔍 Observers can join us at The Creamery Arts Center on June 12th to observe the Quick Draw competition, vote for Peoples’ Choice, the opening reception, and to purchase original artworks.

Exhibition runs through June 29th. 🖼️

05/11/2026

Something special is coming to Delta County, Colorado! 🎨

Join us June 10–12, 2026, in Colorado’s stunning North Fork Valley for the inaugural North Fork Plein Air Festival, hosted by the Creamery Arts Center and the North Fork Valley Creative Coalition.

Nestled between the Grand Mesa and West Elk Mountains, this vibrant region—home to orchards, ranches, wineries, and the North Rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison—offers endless inspiration for plein air painters. Artists will paint on location anywhere within Delta County, with all work created outdoors on stamped surfaces during the event dates.

The event includes a Quick Draw, judged competition with juror Scott Ruthven, awards presentation, and a public exhibit and sale running June 12–29th at The Creamery Arts Center.

Over $1,000 in cash and prizes! Artist registration is open through June 8th!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSefy4dYH42dXz3CYBq8AeksTWvHWQQpBBa0EUFXe7-W7ayi5g/viewform