By Lucy Haggard, for Denverite

Happy weekend! It’s going to be a toasty one, with some possible storms — in other words, some typical Colorado summer days. Don’t worry though, there are plenty of exciting things to keep you busy and help beat the heat, including a pool party at Zeppelin Station.

If swimming isn’t your thing, the 33rd Colorado Black Arts Festival will be at City Park Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If you need a laugh, Colfax Comedy Fest continues from earlier this week with multiple shows this weekend. Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” has begun a run at the DCPA, with a whopping five shows this weekend.

And if you just need something absurd, you could try sanctioned ax throwing… ? Or go see a midnight showing of “Blazing Saddles” instead. Whatever floats your boat, Denver!

Friday

Festivals, markets and fairs

Colorado Black Arts Festival. City Park, 1600 City Park Esplanade. Noon to 8 p.m. Free.

Friday Night RiNo Bazaar. Ironton Distillery, 3636 Chestnut Pl. 5-10 p.m. Free (food and beverage packages available).

Just for fun

RTD’s 50th Anniversary Celebration. Union Station Plaza, 17th St. and Wynkoop. 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Free.

Opening Weekend Celebration. Axe Whooping, 437 Broadway. 4 p.m. onwards. $20.

Art, culture and media

B-Side Music Fridays with Big Juan + Danae Simone. Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, 1485 Delgany St. 5 p.m. $5.

Seven Days Too Long opening night. Mirus Gallery, 1144 Broadway. 7 p.m. Free.

Comedy and theater

The Amazing Acrocats. Bug Theatre, 3654 Navajo St. 7 p.m. $22.

Building The Wall (with guided discussion afterwards). Curious Theatre, 1080 Acoma St. 7:30 p.m. $30.

Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Buell Theatre, 1350 Curtis St. 7:30 p.m. $45 upwards.

Antigone. The Bakery Arts Warehouse, 2132 Market St. 7:30 p.m. $18.

Ben Bryant (part of Colfax Comedy Fest). Irish Snug, 1201 E. Colfax Ave. 8 p.m. $6-10.

Drunk History Showcase (part of Colfax Comedy Fest). Irish Snug, 1201 E. Colfax Ave. 10 p.m. $10.

Midnight Madness showing of “Blazing Saddles.” Esquire Theatre, 590 Downing St. 11:59 p.m. $9.50.

Music and nightlife

Compost Heap Fest IV. Seventh Circle Music Collective, 2935 W. 7th Ave. 4 p.m. $15-50.

The Motet & Galactic. Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Pkwy. 7 p.m. $39.95-47.95.

Flosstradamus b2b 4B. Summit, 1902 Blake St. (formerly at Fillmore Auditorium). 7 p.m. $25.

Bury Mia. Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St. 7 p.m. $10-12.

The Huntertones. Dazzle, 1512 Curtis St. 7 p.m. $20.

Brubeck Brothers Quartet with Venus Cruz. Levitt Pavilion, 1380 W. Florida Ave. 7 p.m. Free.

Khalid Free Spirit World Tour. Pepsi Center, 1000 Chopper Cir. 7:30 p.m. $39 upwards.

Tab Benoit. Ogden Theatre, 935 E. Colfax Ave. 8 p.m. $25-30.

The Mailboxes. Walnut Room, 3131 Walnut St. 8 p.m. $12-18.

Kottonmouth Kings. Oriental Theater, 4335 W. 44th Ave. 8 p.m. $22.

Mark Redito. Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St. 9 p.m. $10-12.

Travers Brothership (2 sets). Cervantes’ Other Side, 2637 Welton St. 9 p.m. $12-15.

This Must Be The Band and No Touch. Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom, 2637 Welton St. 9 p.m. $20-25 (proceeds go to Doctors Without Borders to aid crisis response in Yemen).

Copper Leaf (album release). Lost Lake, 3602 E. Colfax Ave. 9 p.m. $10-12.

The Blasters and more. Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax Ave. 9 p.m. $25.75-27.

Froth. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St. 9 p.m. $15.

Hi-Dive Hug Down. Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway. 9 p.m. $10.

The Pierce Murphy Trio. Dazzle, 1512 Curtis St. 9:30 p.m. $7.

Sports and sports

Colorado Rockies vs. Cincinnati Reds. Coors Field, 2001 Blake St. 6:40 p.m. $18 upwards.

Saturday

Festivals, markets and fairs

Colorado Black Arts Festival. City Park, 1600 City Park Esplanade. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Free.

Just for fun

Sand Creek Half Marathon and more. Starts at Central Park, 8801 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. 6 a.m. for 5K and 1 mile; 7 a.m. for half marathon, 10-mile and 10K. $40-75.

2019 OCA 5K Panta Walk/Run, with picnic and fair to follow. Great Lawn Park, 8581 E. Lowry Blvd. 8 a.m. $35.

Yoga with the sharks. Downtown Aquarium, 700 Water St. 8 a.m. $15.

Permaculture Action Day w/ Moon Hooch. Seeds of Power Unity Farm, 3551 Humboldt St. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free.

Pool Party in hyperspace. TAXI Community, 3457 Ringsby Ct. 4 p.m. $30-35.

Queer/Trans Speed Dating (fundraiser for Sky Coast Queer Film Festival). Hooked on Colfax, 3213 E. Colfax Ave. 5:30 p.m. $5-20.

Learn a thing, make a thing

Reunion Bread Co.’s Baked Workshop Series: Pasteis de Nata. Reunion Bread Co., 3550 Brighton Blvd. Noon. $30.

Made in Mexico City: Licorería Limantour Master Cocktail Class. Big Trouble, 3501 Wazee St. 4 p.m. (cocktail hour to follow at 6 p.m.). $10.

Science and nature

Discover the Fascinating World of Beetles. Denver Museum of Nature and Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. 11 a.m. $22.

Art, culture and media

Midcentury Design: A Closer Look. Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy. 2:30 p.m. $25.

Denver Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Series: Travis Heermann and J.L. Forrest. BookBar, 4280 Tennyson St. 7 p.m. Free.

Lawrence and Larimer’s “Betty Rose” Style Showcase. The Galleria at the DCPA, 1400 Curtis St. 7 p.m. Free (VIP tickets available).

Comedy and theater

The Phantom Circus. Seawell Ballroom at DCPA, 1350 Arapahoe St. Shows at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. $35.

Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Buell Theatre, 1350 Curtis St. 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. $45 upwards.

The Amazing Acrocats. Bug Theatre, 3654 Navajo St. 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. $22.

Building The Wall (with guided discussion afterwards). Curious Theatre, 1080 Acoma St. 7:30 p.m. $30.

You Know Me. Mercury Cafe, 2199 California St. 7:30 p.m. $8.

Antigone. The Bakery Arts Warehouse, 2132 Market St. 7:30 p.m. $18.

Showing of “Return to Nuke ‘Em High” with appearance by director Lloyd Kaufman. Oriental Theater, 4335 W. 44th Ave. 8 p.m. $20-50.

Kids From The Block feat. AJ Finney (headline for Colfax Comedy Fest). Streets Denver, 1501 E. Colfax Ave. 8 p.m. $11-25.

Midnight Madness showing of “Blazing Saddles.” Esquire Theatre, 590 Downing St. 11:59 p.m. $9.50.

Eats and drinks

Dining al Fresco. Larimer Square, between 14th St. and 15th St. 5-11 p.m. (time-specific reservation required). $70 per person.

2019 Catwalk: Tails and Ales. Denver Dumb Friends League, 2080 S. Quebec St. 7-9 p.m. $25 ($10 if designated driver).

Music and nightlife

Compost Heap Fest IV. Seventh Circle Music Collective, 2935 W. 7th Ave. 3-11 p.m. $15-50.

Streetlight Manifesto. Fillmore Auditorium, 1510 Clarkson St. 6:30 p.m. $27.50.

The Aristocrats. Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St. 7 p.m. $25-30.

Inspector with Vic N’ The Narwhals. Levitt Pavilion, 1380 W. Florida Ave. 7 p.m. Free.

Esmé Patterson. Dazzle, 1512 Curtis St. 7 p.m. $15-30.

An Evening with Michael Bublé. Pepsi Center, 1000 Chopper Cir. 8 p.m. $45 upwards.

Sulfur (tribute to Slipknot). Gothic Theatre, 3263 S. Broadway. 8 p.m. $10-15.

Cas Haley, Chase Makai. Walnut Room, 3131 Walnut St. 8 p.m. $15-50.

Made in Música: Mylko. Zeppelin Station, 3501 Wazee St. 8 p.m. No cover.

Earthkry. Cervantes’ Other Side, 2637 Welton St. 9 p.m. $12-15.

The Blasters and more. Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St. 9 p.m. $25-27.

Robert Ellis. Lost Lake, 3602 E. Colfax Ave. 9 p.m. $15-18.

Hackensaw Boys. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St. 9 p.m. $13-15.

Extra Gold. Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway. 9 p.m. $10.

Frog Legs: The Bastille Day Soirée. Bar Standard, 1037 Broadway. 9 p.m. $5.

Sports and stuff

Colorado Rockies vs. Cincinnati Reds. Coors Field, 2001 Blake St. 6:10 p.m. $18 upwards.

Drums Along The Rockies. Broncos Stadium, 1701 Bryant St. 6:30 p.m. $22 upwards.

Sunday

Festivals, markets and fairs

Colorado Black Arts Festival. City Park, 1600 City Park Esplanade. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Free.

Just for fun

STILLness: Meditation in the Galleries. Clyfford Still Museum, 1250 Bannock St. 8:45 a.m. Free (registration required).

DC Wonder Woman 5K or 10K. Civic Center Park, 101 14th Ave. 7:30 a.m. $59-79.

Learn a thing, make a thing

Made in Mexico City: Fortuna Mole Workshop. Zeppelin Station, 3501 Wazee St. 12 p.m. $15.

Art, culture and media

Dragutante. Gothic Theatre, 3263 S. Broadway. 6:30 p.m. $20.

Comedy and theater

Building The Wall (with guided discussion afterwards). Curious Theatre, 1080 Acoma St. 2 p.m. $30.

The Amazing Acrocats. Bug Theatre, 3654 Navajo St. 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. $22.

Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Buell Theatre, 1350 Curtis St. 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. $45 upwards.

Podcast and Comedy Show (part of Colfax Comedy Fest). Tandem Bar, 1300 E. 17th Ave. 4 p.m. $5.

Esther Povitsky. Comedy Works, 1226 15th St. 7 p.m. $22.

Music and nightlife

Disrupt Fest Battle of the Bands. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St. 2 p.m. $10-12.

Compost Heap Fest IV. Seventh Circle Music Collective, 2935 W. 7th Ave. 3-11 p.m. $15-50.

Sounds Like Summer (multiple features). Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom, 2637 Welton St. 5 p.m. $10.

Orgone with Cosmic Joe. Levitt Pavilion, 1380 W. Florida Ave. 5 p.m. Free.

The Common Ground Company. Ophelia’s, 1215 20th St. 6 p.m. No cover.

City Park Jazz: Conjunto Colores. City Park Pavilion, 1700 N. York St. 6 p.m. Free.

Pink Martini and Mary Chapin Carpenter with the Colorado Symphony. Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Pkwy. 7 p.m. $46 upwards.

POUYA. Summit, 1902 Blake St. 7 p.m. $29.50-32.

Intocable Percepcion Tour. Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Pl. 8 p.m. $45-85.

Punk Rock Burlesque. Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St. 8 p.m. $10-12.

Joseph Huber. Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway. 8 p.m. $10-12.

LPeez. Lost Lake, 3602 E. Colfax Ave. 9 p.m. $12-15.

Sports and sports

Colorado Rockies vs. Cincinnati Reds. Coors Field, 2001 Blake St. 1:10 p.m. $10 upwards.

Didn’t find what you’re looking for? Here’s a link to Meetups near Denver. Or you might try MileHighOnTheCheap.com’s calendar.

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Lucy Haggard is a student journalist at University of Colorado Boulder. She’s News Director at Radio 1190 KVCU, the student radio station, and was previously Editor-In-Chief for CU Independent, the student news site. When she’s not ditching class to report the news, she’s probably geeking out over a map. Follow her on Twitter @lucy_haggard.