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.
Want to submit a thing? Do it at our Google form!
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.
