Though the crisp morning air and cooler evenings are signaling fall’s arrival, the Greeley area offers plenty of chances to soak up some sun this weekend.

Here are three options — two outdoors, one indoors — for this week’s Best of the Week.

Hops for Hunger

While there will be plenty of festivals to sample a few craft brews this weekend, only one supports a nonprofit that feeds some of Weld County’s most vulnerable.

Hops for Hunger is scheduled to run from 5:30-9 p.m. Friday at Windsor Boardwalk Park, 100 N. 5th St.

“Whether you’re a craft beer enthusiast or simply looking for a great night out with friends, Hops for Hunger is a chance to enjoy some of northern Colorado’s favorite breweries while making a meaningful difference in our community,” an event description reads.

The festival supports the Weld Food Bank, which distributed 14.5 million pounds of food to the county last year, according to the nonprofit’s website.

Tickets include unlimited craft beer tastings and food. Ten Cent Prophet, a cover band specializing in classic rock, ’90s throwbacks and dance tunes, will provide the soundtrack for the evening.

Nine local breweries will be in attendance: Horse & Dragon, Odell, Peculier Ales, Salt Road, Timnath Beerwerks, Mash Lab, TightKnit, WeldWerks and Yetters.

Tickets cost $45 and are available at WeldFoodBank.org/Hops,

The Great Aardvark Embark Hot Air Balloon Launch

Hot air balloons will fill the sky bright and early Saturday morning high above the Aims Community College campus in Greeley.

Parking opens at 6 a.m. Saturday at Aims Community College, 5401 W. 20th St. Balloons are expected to launch from 7-7:30 a.m. for the ninth year of the event.

Before balloons take off, professional balloon pilots will give attendees an up-close look at the inflation process. Attendees will not be allowed to get in the balloons before they take off, and rides in the balloons will not be given.

Breakfast burritos and coffee will be available to purchase, and a limited number of Aims frisbees will be given away.

For more information, go to events.aims.edu. To request accommodations, call 970-339-6565 or email accommodations@aims.edu.

Giovannie and the Hired Guns

Country, rock, Americana, punk and more will mesh Sunday in downtown Greeley as Giovannie and the Hired Guns and Ronnie and the Redwoods roll through northern Colorado.

Doors to the show open at 7 p.m. at the Moxi Theater, 802 9th St., and the show starts at 8 p.m.

“With a sound that blends alt-metal, Red Dirt country, Latin pop and Americana, the band draws a diverse audience of cowboys, metalheads and skate punks,” an event description reads.

Since forming in 2015, Giovannie and the Hired Guns has released four studio albums and one live album, as well as 10 singles.

“Ramon Ayala” reached No. 1 on the Billboard U.S. Rock Airplay chart in 2021. “Overrated” in 2022 and “Quitter” in 2025 have also reached the top 25 of various Billboard charts.

The group also won the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Award for Best New Artist in Alternative and Rock.

Opening for Giovannie and the Hired Guns will be Ronnie and the Redwoods, a west Texas Americana rock band that brings “deep and emotional lyrics together with music rooted in the blues, folk and country of the high plains.”

Tickets to Sunday’s show start at $30 and are available at MoxiTheater.com.