Community Values

Small Towns. Big Adventures.

Values are what people care about most in their community. They are the customs and characteristics that create a destination’s unique sense of place.

COME FOR THE OUTDOORS, STAY FOR THE COMMUNITY

More Than Just A Ski Town

Talk to Gunnison Valley residents about why they live here and, time and time again, you’ll hear variations on the phrase, “I came for the mountains, but I stay here for the community and the people.” The feeling is something you have to experience for yourself. Consider attending one of our upcoming community events to get the full experience.

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Community Values in Action

Gunnison Crested Butte is the kind of place where people value their community and work hard for it. Volunteering is part of the culture here. From trail work days to events like the Alley Loop or the Gunnison Growler, so much of what we accomplish here is truly a labor of love often powered by volunteers.

Residents, both year-round and part-time, contribute their time and resources to support dozens of non-profit organizations in the Valley. The local public school system is a top-ranked district staffed by caring, engaged teachers. Locals engage with governments at all levels and, especially locally, collaboration and pragmatism tend to be the name of the game.

Arts & Heritage

The Gunnison Valley is teeming with arts and culture. The Gunnison Arts Center and the Center for the Arts Crested Butte are the homes of performing and visual arts scenes in the Valley. There are also private venues, intimate indoor ones to large outdoor venues, throughout the Valley that offer places for acts of all sizes to perform. Museums to visit, music festivals, concerts and an independent film festival every fall round out the arts and culture scene in the Gunnison Valley.

Residents in the Gunnison Valley can enjoy music throughout the year at numerous venues in Gunnison, Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte. The music scene really kicks off in summer. In August, the town boasts numerous art galleries and open-air sculptures and is the host of the nationally recognized Crested Butte Arts Festival each August.

Browse Art Galleries

Restaurants, Bars and Eateries

The Gunnison Valley is home to some of the best food per capita of any place in Colorado. Restaurants run the gamut from fine Italian dining to farm-to-table food trucks and pretty much anything else you want to sink your teeth into.

Each of our four mountain towns have something unique to bring to the able.