Things to do in Denver this weekend, May 10-12

By Cassidy Ritter, Special to Denverite

It’s the weekend! Enjoy time with family and friends at one of several festivals this weekend, including the Golden Hours Music Festival, the Colorado Chocolate Festival and the Nightmares 2024 Horror Expo and Film Festival.

Don’t forget Sunday is Mother’s Day, so celebrate a loved one by participating in the Mother’s Day 5K bRUNch Club, the paint, plant and promenade event at the Butterfly Pavilion or a wine mixology class at Blanchard Family Wines.

Whatever you get up to, make it a great weekend!

Notes: Events with an * are taking place virtually or outdoors.

Friday, May 10

Just for fun

Dia De Las Madres: Terrarios de copas de vino y bolsas de tela. Hadley Branch Library, 1890 S. Grove St. 2-3:30 p.m. Free.

Comedy and theater

Amos Gill. Comedy Works Downtown, 1226 15th St. 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. $26.

Russell Peters. Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village. 9:45 p.m. $45.

Arts, culture, and media

Stripped. Walker Fine Art, 300 W. 11th Ave., Unit A. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.

Eat and drink

Colorado Chocolate Festival. Crowne Plaza Denver Airport Convention Center, 15500 E. 40th Ave. Aurora. 4-9 p.m. $10 (admission).

Music and nightlife

*Alley Soundscapes: Racyne Parker. Dairy Block, 1800 Wazee St. 5-7 p.m. Free.

*Turnpike Troubadours. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. 6:30 p.m. Prices vary.

Josh Teed. Meow Wolf, 1338 1st St. 8:30 p.m. $22.

Sports and fitness

Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves. Watch on ESPN. 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 11

Just for fun

Spring Horseshoe Market. Regis University, 3333 Regis Blvd. Starting at 10 a.m. No cover.

Spring Market. The Source Hotel, 3330 Brighton Blvd. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. No cover.

Sloan’s Lake Spring BAZAAR. Sloan’s Lake, 1611 Raleigh St. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. No cover, $20 (bottomless mimosas for two hours), $35 (drink token package).

*RiNo Farmers and Makers Market. Denver Central Market lot, 2631 Larimer St. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. No cover.

Vinyl Swap. Ross-University Hills Branch Library, 4310 E. Amherst Ave. 1-3 p.m. Free.

Denver Fashion Week Spring ‘24 Opening Day: SUSTAINABLE. The Brighton, 3403 Brighton Blvd. 7-11 p.m. Prices vary.

Kids and family

Mini Matriarchs: Exploring the Marvels of Invertebrate Motherhood Talk. Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster. 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $30 (members,) $35 (non-members).

The Learning Lab: The Buzz About Bees. Ross-Broadway Branch Library, 33 E. Bayaud Ave. 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Ideal for ages 6 and under, when accompanied by an adult.

Family Spring Storytime and Craft. Woodbury Branch Library, 3265 Federal Blvd. 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Ideal for ages 3 and up, when accompanied by an adult.

AA.NH/PI Heritage Month: Javanese Gamelan Traditional Music and Dance with ARCINDA. Sam Gary Branch Library, 2961 Roslyn St. 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free. All ages.

Cooks & Books with Sticky Fingers Cooking. Ross-Barnum Branch Library, 3570 W. 1st Ave. 2-3 p.m. Free. Ideal for ages 5-12.

Comedy and theater

*Shakespeare in the Parking Lot. 1900 35th St. 2 p.m. Free. (Read more about the performance and what to expect here.)

Pinky Patel. The Newman Center, 2344 Iliff Ave. 7:30 p.m. Prices vary.

Amos Gill. Comedy Works Downtown, 1226 15th St. 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. $26.

Shane Gillis. Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Place. 9:30 p.m. Prices vary.

Russell Peters. Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village. 9:45 p.m. $45.

Art, culture, and media

Stripped. Walker Fine Art, 300 W. 11th Ave., Unit A. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.

Lumonics Immersed. Lumonics Light & Sound Gallery, 800 E. 73rd Ave., Unit 11. 8-10 p.m. $15-$25.

Eat and drink

*City Park Farmers Market. City Park Esplanade, East Colfax Avenue and Columbine Street. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. No cover.

*University Hills Farmers Market Opening Weekend. University Hills Plaza, 2500 S. Colorado Blvd. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. No cover. (Read more about the market and others in the area here.)

*Cherry Creek Fresh Market. Cherry Creek Shopping Center, 1st Avenue and Univesity Boulevard. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. No cover.

Colorado Chocolate Festival. Crowne Plaza Denver Airport Convention Center, 15500 E. 40th Ave. Aurora. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $10 (admission).

Mother’s Day Wine Mixology Class. Blanchard Family Wines, 1855 Blake St., Suite 120. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. $85.

American Regional Cooking: Southern. Cook Street, 43 W. 9th Ave. 6 p.m. $132. Advanced registration is required.

Music and nightlife

Golden Hours Music Festival. Riverfront Park, 701 14th St. 2-8 p.m.

*Black Coffee. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. 6 p.m. Prices vary.

*Alley Soundscapes: Chris Elliot. Dairy Block, 1800 Wazee St. 6-8 p.m. Free.

Sports and fitness

Spring Into Wellness. The Fit Phoenix at The Maven, 1850 Wazee St. 9:30-10:30 a.m. Free.

*Colorado Rapids vs. San Jose Earthquakes. Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, 6000 Victory Way, Commerce City. Watch on Apple TV. 7:30 p.m. Prices vary.

Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche. Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle. 8 p.m. Prices vary.

Sunday, May 12

Just for fun

Mother’s Day Paint, Plant and Promenade. Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster. 10-11:30 a.m. Free (children 1 and under), $18-$20 (kids), $30-$35 (adults).

Sloan’s Lake Spring BAZAAR. Sloan’s Lake, 1611 Raleigh St. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. No cover, $20 (bottomless mimosas for two hours), $35 (drink token package).

Second Sundays with Artisan Markets. Centennial Promenade, 9425 E. County Line Road, Englewood. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. No cover.

Denver Fashion Week Spring ‘24 Day #2: ALL-INCLUSIVE. The Brighton, 3403 Brighton Blvd. 3-6 p.m. Prices vary.

Comedy and theater

Geoff Tice. Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village. 3 p.m. $12-$20.

Doug Benson. Comedy Works Downtown, 1226 15th St. 4:20 p.m. $22.

Eat and drink

*South Pearl Street Farmers Market. 1400 and 1500 blocks of Old South Pearl Street between Arkansas Avenue and Iowa Avenue. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. No cover.

Mother’s Day Brunch. Cook Street, 43 W. 9th Ave. 10 a.m. $105. Advanced registration is required.

Mother’s Day Photos & Mimosas. Junction Food Hall, 2000 S. Colorado Blvd. Noon-3 p.m. Free (attendance), $10 (family portrait).

Date Night: Ciao, Sicily. Stir Cooking School, 3215 Zuni St. 5-8 p.m. $220 (per couple).

Music and nightlife

*Backyard Sessions. Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas St. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free.

*Sleep Token. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. 7:50 p.m. Prices vary.

Fitness and sports

Mother’s Day 5K bRUNch Club. Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas St., Aurora. 9:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. No entry fee, brunch additional fee.

Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves. Watch on TNT. 6 p.m.

All Weekend

Just for fun

Origins: Building Life. Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (members and children under two), $10.95 (children ages two-12), $13.95 (seniors ages 65+), and $15.95 (adults). Advanced registration is recommended for timed entry.

Disney, Alice in Wonderland Art & Cosplay Expo. Embassy Suites by Hilton Denver Downtown Convention Center, 1420 Stout St. 6-9 p.m. (Friday) and Noon-6 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday). Free.

Kids and family

Orcas: Our Shared Future. Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Prices vary, this requires a timed ticket and museum admission. All ages. Advanced registration is recommended.

Comedy and theater

Nightmares 2024 Horror Expo and Film Festival. Grand Hyatt Denver, 1750 Welton St. 5-10 p.m. (Friday), 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (Saturday) and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. (Sunday). Prices vary.

Art, culture, and media

Mile High Magic. History Colorado Center, 1200 N. Broadway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (members and children 18 and under), $15 (adults).

Museum of Illusions Denver. 951 16th Street Mall. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (Friday and Saturday) and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (Sunday). $20 (children ages five-12), $22 (seniors and active military), and $24 (adults). Advanced registration is required for timed entry.

The Lost Paradise. MCA Denver, 1485 Delgany St. Noon- 7 p.m. (Friday) and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday). Free (members and children 18 and under), $9 (college students, teachers, seniors, and active military members), and $12 (adults).