History and culture - Mountains
Grand Lake's 1881 Boardwalk and Its Summer Musical Stage
Grand Lake pairs a wooden Old West boardwalk along Grand Avenue with a summer repertory theater that draws more than 1,200 actors to audition each year.
Published June 10, 2026 - Last verified June 15, 2026
Most people come to Grand Lake for the water and the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park. Stay into the evening and you find the older heart of town: a wooden boardwalk running down Grand Avenue, with storefronts that trace back to the town’s 1881 founding. Hitching posts still stand along the walk, and the shops, galleries, and ice cream counters are the kind you stroll rather than rush.
Tucked into that scene is the Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre at 800 Grand Avenue. It runs three big musicals in repertory across the summer, so the show changes night to night. The Colorado tourism office, quoting the Denver Post, calls it “Colorado’s Premier Summer Musical Company,” and notes that more than 1,200 performers audition for its company each year. Recent and upcoming seasons have included titles like Shrek, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and Urinetown.
The arts roots go deeper than one stage. In 2018 Colorado Creative Industries certified Grand Lake as a state Creative District, joining a small group of towns recognized for their cultural life. Between a 19th-century boardwalk and a theater company that draws actors from across the country, the town earns that label honestly.
For the current playbill, show times, and ticket details, check the Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre at rockymountainrep.com.