Things to do in Denver this weekend: Fourth of July edition!

No plans for July 4 yet? That’s OK. It’s Independence Day. Do whatever you want! (Within reason!)
4 min. read
(Angela N./Flickr)

(Angela N./Flickr)

No plans for July 4 yet? That's OK. It's Independence Day. Do whatever you want! (Within reason!)

Below, we make some humble suggestions for where and when to be free.

Where to drink

Copper Kettle Brewing Company, 1338 S. Valentia St., is tapping a patriotic beer on Friday in honor of Independence Day: The Freedom Kolsch.

Kolsch is German, of course, but never mind that. Taste the bright pale ale and Colorado State Fair gold medal-winner and enjoy a meal from The Savory Life from noon to 10 p.m.

Baere Brewing, 320 Broadway, is celebrating its second anniversary Saturday with a “Jorts in July” party. Wiggle into your Daisy Dukes and cruise over to Baere for the brewery’s first bottle release -- a mixed culture, barrel fermented sour brown aged on raspberries and bottle condition. They’ll also be tapping anniversary brews -- two a dry-hopped barrel-aged sours -- and more. Sweet Action Ice Cream will be on handing doling out scoops of ice cream made with Baere beer. It all starts at noon, and the party rages on ‘til 11 p.m.

Where to eat (a lot)

Fourth of July eating competitions don’t have to involve hot dogs. This is America, and we can competitive eat whatever we damn well please.

At Lola Coastal Mexican, 1575 Boulder St., test your gut at a taco eating contest. It starts at 2 p.m. and it’s part of a larger party, so if you’d rather eat four tacos than 20 tacos, you can still get down. There will be barbecue, $2 chicken tacos, $5 blanco coins and live music from Robby Peoples. Doors open at noon.

Where to dance

As is tradition, Blues Traveler will play Red Rocks on July 4. It starts at 6 p.m. and tickets are $38.50-$44.75. The lineup also includes Sugar Ray, Smash Mouth and Uncle Kracker, plus a skyline full of fireworks.

Meanwhile, at Fiddler’s Green, “Independence Day Strikes Back.” The Colorado Symphony will play music from the “Star Wars” movies, plus and “other U.S. favorites” and patriotic standards. It starts at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $17-$35.

Where to nerd

It’s an Indiana Jones extravaganza this weekend. First: You can see a double feature of “Raiders: The Adaptation” and “Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made” at the Alamo Drafthouse, 7301 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. (The former is a fan film made by three kids from Mississippi in 1981; the latter is a documentary about the making of the fan film.) Filmmakers Eric Zala and Chris Strompolos will be in attendance. It starts at 7:45 p.m. and tickets are $11.25.

The documentary officially opens at the Sie Film Center, 2510 E Colfax Ave., at 7 p.m. Saturday and will be followed by a screening of “Raiders: The Adaptation” at 9:30 p.m. Zala and Stompolos will also be at this screening.

The Sie will screen the original “Raiders of the Lost Ark” at 2 p.m Sunday.

Where to see LGBT choirs from around the world

Denver is hosting the 2016 GALA Choruses Festival, which means you can catch performances by GLBT choirs from around the world at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, today through Wednesday.

GALA (Gay and Lesbian Association) Choruses was incorporated in the summer of 1983 and now has more than 180 GLBT and GLBT-allied member choruses throughout North America, South America, Africa, Australia and Europe.

Here is the full schedule of events. Things kick off tonight with a welcome happy hour, a theater open house and a benefit concert.

Don't forget the fireworks

We've got your guide to explosions in the sky right here.

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