Colorado's third Annual Troutfest casts into Coors Field, highlights need for water conservation

Something fishy was going on Saturday at the home of the Rockies.

That's because Colorado Trout Unlimited — a local non-profit dedicated to protecting and conserving cold-water fisheries and watersheds — and the Colorado Wildlife Council were hosting their third-annual Troutfest Colorado.

The festival looked to blend information about conservation and fly fishing -- two communities directly linked by their need for clean water.

"Whether you're an angler or any other recreationalist that enjoys the rivers in Colorado, we have to also protect them," Barbara Luneau, president of the board of directors for the state council of Trout Unlimited, said.

"A lot of the angling in Colorado is trout. Trout require clean, cold water. This is where people who care about clean water come together with people that care about sport."

The event included around 65 exhibitors, from local artists and fishing-related crafters to local non-profits sharing information about local conservation. Live music, food, casting demonstrations and other connected information clinics were also held throughout the festival.

The idea began in 2022 with the first festival at Coors Field. Around 500 people showed up, according to Colorado Trout Unlimited. By its second year, around 3,000 people attended the free event.

The non-profit received around 4,000 reservations for this year's fest.

According to Luneau, the organization has seen a plethora of different people with different interests attend — from fishermen to people just finding something to do on a summer afternoon.

Amalgamation is the whole point, she said, bringing people together to share how important water conservation truly is to the state.

"People have an opportunity to see something from a different perspective than they've considered it before," Luneau said. "If they learn something about water management in Colorado, that's another family that starts to understand its history and the complexity and what it takes for people to come together to protect these resources."