Telluride will see an influx of documentary filmmakers and moviegoers during Memorial Day weekend, all descending on the small town for the annual MountainFilm festival. Surrounded by the stately peaks of the Rockies, the festival offers over 100 short and feature-length films, including 70 premieres, as well as guest lectures and panels. Speakers from past MountainFilm festivals include the late Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to summit Mount Everest, and author Cheryl Strayed, who returns again this year. If you don’t want to commit to buying a weekend pass, never fear, in the days leading up the festival there will be four nights of free films at an outdoor theater in town. The free events continue during the weekend, with a gallery walk on Friday, an ice cream social on Saturday, and several coffee chats with filmmakers, along with a whole host of outdoor activities that allow participants to take advantage of the stunning surroundings. —Paulina Prosnitz