The Colorado Dream

Music fans enjoy a sunset concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater. On the left side is large, tilted rock formation that is a rust-red color with green vegetation. Thousands of fans are seated on a downward slope facing the stage. The band performs on the stage in the lower right corner. There is a big green tree, the sky is blue and sun is setting behind a big cloud.

From jazz and pop to concerts: Colorado’s musical legacy ‘lives on’

Stephanie Daniel

Red Rocks Amphitheater is an iconic Colorado music venue. But the state’s musical legacy extends far beyond that. From the “Harlem of the West” to the first destination recording studio, the Centennial State has had a lasting impact on music heard around the world. This is episode five of The Colorado Dream: Happy Birthday podcast.

The Ludlow Massacre Memorial stands on the plains of southeastern Colorado in Ludlow on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. Nearly two dozen people were killed there on April 20, 1914, during one of the deadliest acts of violence in Colorado labor history.

The Colorado Dream

Colorado workers built the state. Their fight for safety, fairness and power continues.

Kyle McKinnon

Colorado’s workers helped build the state in mines, fields and factories, often through immense struggle and sacrifice. Their stories stretch from the Ludlow Massacre and northern Colorado’s sugar beet fields to labor debates still unfolding at the state Capitol.

A black and white photo of a three story brick building. The sign on top of the building reads 'Agriculturist and Stock Journal Office'. There is a sign that wraps around one corner of the first floor that reads 'First National Bank.' There are men standing on the sidewalk and horse-drawn wagons with men sitting in them.

In The NoCo

A new ‘Colorado Dream’ season explores defining moments from 150 years of state history

In The NoCo, Erin O'Toole, Stephanie Daniel, Brad Turner

Colorado celebrates its 150th birthday this year. But the journey to statehood was complicated. The new season of KUNC’s award-winning podcast The Colorado Dream examines important movements and moments in Colorado’s history — including what it took to become the Centennial State.

A young white man wearing a black baseball hat, sunglasses and a gray short sleeved shirt stands in a corn field. He's holding a leaf, looking for pests on it.

The Colorado Dream

A fourth generation is prepping to run a family farm on Colorado’s Eastern Plains. But will there be enough water to sustain a long future?

Stephanie Daniel

One day, a fourth generation of family members will run Lenz Farms in Yuma County on Colorado’s Eastern Plains. They plan to bring back innovative ideas and implement new things to help the farm continue to grow. But will these fresh ideas be enough to offset a shrinking water supply?