When in Colorado, groups often relish mouthwatering barbecue and host a picnic as the sun sets. For planners, such culinary experiences are impactful ways to feed a group and also easy to arrange with experienced ranches, outfitters, and caterers ready to assist.
Colorado Meetings + Events has rounded up four options that come with entertainment and activities as part of the mix. Groups will love chuckwagon dinners in Colorado Springs and Durango complemented by a range of activities and Western shows that is sure to get people tapping their toes, while options in Frisco and Snowmass involve horseback rides, mule-pulled wagon outings, and sleigh tours.
If groups simply want a standout barbecue meal or scenic picnic at a location of their choosing, there are a host of caterers that specialize in both. Read on to hear about two standout companies to get visions of tastiness dancing in your head.
Located below the beautiful red cliffs north of Durango, Bar D Chuckwagon has presented an Old West cowboy entertainment show and a chuckwagon supper since 1969. From Memorial Day weekend through the last Saturday in September, groups can book a night at Bar D and dig into roast beef, chicken, and all sorts of side dishes, paired with lemonade and cowboy coffee. There also is a train, wagon rides, horseshoes, gold panning, a shooting gallery, blacksmith demonstrations, and shops to enjoy alongside entertainment provided by Bar D Wranglers.
La Plata County 4-H’s Youth Development Program held a fundraiser for about 400 people at Bar D last year. “Our guests had an amazing time enjoying delicious food, top-notch entertainment, and a welcoming atmosphere that made the night unforgettable,” says Angela Fountain, La Plata County 4-H youth development specialist. “Bar D Chuckwagon offers a one-of-a-kind experience that delights people of all ages. Its friendly and accommodating staff made us feel right at home, and the whole evening was filled with laughter, music, and great company.”
The 1,450-acre Flying W Ranch in Colorado Springs can host groups of up to 2,000 for a chuckwagon meal paired with the award-winning Flying W Wranglers, one of the oldest Western performance bands in the world, initially formed in 1953. Envision a classic tin plate heaped with smoked brisket, chicken, Dutch-oven biscuits, baked beans, baked potatoes, and applesauce topped off with a piece of old-fashioned spice cake. Add-on activities planners might arrange include horse and carriage rides, ax throwing, archery, rodeos, and Native American drumming and dances, all available from the end of May through mid-October. Flying W Ranch also offers Cowboy Christmas Jubilee chuckwagon suppers in December.
Planners with crews that embrace a wagon, sleigh, or horseback ride in addition to their picnic grub have great options in Frisco and Snowmass. Two Below Zero offers both summer and winter options from Frisco, with barbecue dinner rides featuring a buckboard wagon pulled by mules to a summer campsite for games like cornhole, horseshoes, and roping before dinner and a Wild West show. In winter, a 20-minute sleigh ride delivers participants to a backcountry camp for a three-course dinner and live music in a heated tent. Apple pie and ice cream and hot cocoa with a shot of peppermint schnapps wrap up the feast. Two Below Zero can accommodate 100 to 120 guests during winter and as many as 160 during summer.
Snowmass Creek Outfitters’ dinner rides accommodate groups of 10 to 28. The package price includes a 90- to 120-minute horseback ride, dinner, nonalcoholic drinks, lawn games, and s’mores by the fire. Groups can choose from four different menus that feature various combinations of chicken, pork, steak, lamb, trout, and seafood that are paired with sides and desserts like fruit cobbler, bread pudding, and strawberry creme brulee. “We work with corporate groups for ranch rides followed by lunch or dinner—a great option for team building or client entertainment,” says Snowmass Creek Out-fitters co-owner Amy Groom.
Last June, Ranch Co. hired Snowmass Creek Outfitters to assist with a company retreat for 40 that had two main objectives: strengthening the team’s bond and capturing imagery of its real estate and ranch brokers in a beautiful natural landscape. In this case, a barbecue dinner was catered by Aspen-based Hickory House, Snowmass Creek Outfitters set up picnic tables and provided a horseback tour, and a campfire and live music provided a sweet backdrop. “The response of attendees was 100% positive,” says Ranch Co. Marketing Director Ren Sutherland. “Everyone had a great time and was impressed with the venue and activities.”
Denver-based Catering by Design specializes in creating custom experiences for corporate picnics and barbecues that go beyond the expected. “We provide a litany of offerings from interactive grilling stations and gourmet picnic cuisine to a casual backyard feel, [as well as] design menus that celebrate the flavors of the season while embracing Colorado’s natural beauty,” says Catering by Design Creative and Marketing Director Allie Piazza. “The beauty of hosting a picnic is that you can really host these types of events anywhere,” she continues. “Outdoor spaces like local parks or venues can offer stunning open spaces with a scenic foothills backdrop or urban spaces where guests can enjoy views of downtown Denver and the Rocky Mountains. For a more private retreat, ranches and mountain lodges in Aspen, Vail, and beyond provide a truly immersive Colorado experience.”
Buffalo Gals Grilling and Catering in Colorado Springs specializes in Santa Maria-style barbecue techniques and serves groups as intimate as 15 people and as large as 750 throughout the Front Range and southern Colorado. Santa Maria is a regional culinary tradition from the Santa Maria Valley in California, where red oak is used in an open fire to cook meats and vegetables to perfection.
At a recent private event held at Spruce Mountain Ranch in Larkspur, Buffalo Gals Grilling and Catering served four different appetizers along with a dinner featuring Caesar salad, grilled seasonal veggies, garlic mashed potatoes, grilled tri-tip sirloin, and grilled chicken with mango salsa. Tara Ames, owner of Spruce Mountain Ranch, shares, “Dinner was served family-style. Platters of food were brought to the tables so guests could serve up what they wanted. It was a perfect blend of a buffet and a plated dinner at just the right price.”
bardchuckwagon.com
cateringbd.com
dinnersleighrides.com
flyingw.com
pbcatering.com
snowmasscreekoutfitters.com
