Things to do in Denver this weekend, Nov. 21-23

By Cassidy Ritter, Special to Denverite

‘Tis the season to enjoy holiday festivities, including Denver Botanic Gardens’ Trail of Lights and Blossoms of Light and the Mile High Holidays Drone Show, all of which kick off the 2025 season this weekend. The Mile High Tree will also be lit this weekend on the Tivoli Quad at the Auraria Campus.

If you’re not quite ready to partake in holiday festivities, MGK (formerly known as Machine Gun Kelly) will perform at Ball Arena. WWE Friday Night SmackDown and the Denver Nuggets will also take over Ball Arena on Friday and Saturday nights, respectively.

Other weekend happenings include Disney’s Frozen at the Arvada Center and the Kick the Keg, Support the Guild event at Call to Arms Brewing.

Whatever you do, make it a great weekend!

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

Worth the Trip

Saturday: *8th Annual Beacon Bash. Loveland Ski Area, I-70 at Exit 216, Loveland Valley. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Prices vary.

Friday, Nov. 21

Just for fun

Camp Christmas Takeover. Stanley Marketplace, 2501 N. Dallas St., Aurora. 7 a.m.-10 p.m. No cover.

Denver Christmas Show. National Western Complex, 4655 N. Humboldt St. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Free (children ages 13 and under), $16 (when purchased online), $17 (at the door).

*Clock Tower Self-Guided Tours. Denver Clocktower, 1601 Arapahoe St. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free (children ages 5 and under), $8 (Historic Denver and Molly Brown House Museum members), $10 (general public).

L’Esprit de Noël Holiday Home Tour. Throughout Denver’s Hilltop neighborhood, starting at 371 Dahlia St. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $50.

*Cherry Creek Holiday Market. Cherry Creek North, along Fillmore Street between First and Second avenues. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. No cover.

*Denver Christkindlmarket. Tivoli Quad on the Auraria Campus, 1000 Larimer St. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. No cover.

Harambee Annual Holiday Market. New Hope Baptist Church, 3701 Colorado Blvd. Noon-8 p.m. No cover.

Swirly, Twirly Market. Denver BAZAAR, 2620 Walnut St. 4-9 p.m. No cover.

*Blossom of Lights. Denver Botanic Gardens - York Street, 1007 York St. 4:30-9 p.m. Free (children ages 2 and under), $18-$29 (members), $22-$33 (non-members).

*Trail of Lights. Denver Botanic Gardens - Chatfield Farms, 8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Road. 5-8:30 p.m. Free (children ages 2 and under), $10-$12 (children ages 3-15), $16-$18 (ages 65 and older), $18-$20 (adults).

*Christmas in Color. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. 5-9:30 p.m. $34.99.

*The Mile High Tree - First Lighting. Tivoli Quad at the Auraria Campus, 1000 Larimer St. 5-10 p.m. Free.

*Mile High Holidays Drone Show. Seen throughout Denver with the best places to watch at Tivoli Quad on the Auraria Campus, Sculpture Park at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, the rooftop of Le Méridien Denver Downtown and Peaks Lounge. Starting at 7 p.m. Free. (Learn more about the second annual show here.)

Keep the Cookies, Ya Filthy Animal: Home Alone Trivia & Cookie Decorating. MCA Denver, 1485 Delgany St. 6-9 p.m. $27.53.

Kids and family

The Secret World of Elephants. Denver Museum of Nature and Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (guests ages 2 and under and members), $20.95 (guests ages 3-18), $22.95 (guests ages 65 and older), $25.95 (adults). (Read more about the exhibit here.)

Brick Planet: A Magical Journey Made with LEGO Bricks Opening. Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (guests ages 2 and under and members), $20.95 (guests ages 3-18), $22.95 (guests ages 65 and older), $25.95 (adults).

Dance Party. Decker Branch Library, 1501 S. Logan St. 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Ideal for ages 5 and under, when accompanied by an adult.

Little University: Bilingual Music and Movement. Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales Branch Library, 1498 Irving St. 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Ideal for ages 5 and under, when accompanied by an adult.

*Light the Lights 2025. Denver City and County Building, 1437 Bannock St. Watch on Denver 8 TV or Denver’s Facebook page. 5-5:15 p.m. Free. All ages.

Disney’s Frozen. Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada. 7 p.m. Starting at $62. Ideal for ages 4 and older.

Comedy and theater

Steve Treviño. Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village. 6:15 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. $35-$45.

A Christmas Carol. Wolf Theatre, 1350 Arapahoe St. 7 p.m. Prices vary.

Maria Bamford. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder. 7:30 p.m. Prices vary.

Laughlocked. Landlocked Ales, 3225 S. Wadsworth Blvd. 8-10 p.m. Free.

Chad Daniels. Comedy Works Downtown, 1226 15th St. 9:45 p.m. $35-$45.

Art, culture, and media

Xochimilco: Works by Eduardo Robledo Romero. Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Free (children ages 2 and under and members), $11.75 (children ages 3-15 and students), $12.25 (seniors ages 65 and older, military members), $16 (adults).

Big Dreams in Denver’s Little Saigon. History Colorado, 1200 Broadway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (children ages 18 and under), $15 (adults).

Tell Clyfford I Said ‘Hi' : An Exhibition Curated by Children of the Colville Confederated Tribes. Clyfford Still Museum, 1250 Bannock St. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (visitors ages 17 and under), $10 (student, teacher or military member), $13-$15 (seniors), $15-18 (adults).

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

Holiday Open House. D’Art Gallery, 900 Santa Fe Drive. 6-9 p.m. Free.

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

Eat and drink

Food Hall Food Drive for Food Banks. Avanti Food & Beverage, 3200 N. Pecos St.; Denver Central Market, 2669 Larimer St.; Edgewater Public Market, 5505 W. 20th Ave., Edgewater; Freedom Street Social, 15177 Candelas Parkway, Arvada; The Golden Mill, 1012 Ford St., Golden; Stanley Marketplace, 2501 N. Dallas St., Aurora. Hours vary by location. Acceptable donations vary by location.

*Hope for All — Fill the Truck. Walmart Super Center, 6675 Business Center Drive, Highlands Ranch. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Donation-based.

Ski Jorts City. Lady Justice Brewing Co., 3242 S. Acoma St., Englewood. Noon-10 p.m. No cover.

*Kick the Keg, Support the Guild. Call to Arms Brewing’s outdoor tent, 4526 Tennyson St. 2-4 p.m. $40 (in advance, includes unlimited tastings), $50 (day of, if tickets are available, includes unlimited tastings).

Genki Bar Pop Up. Death & Co. Denver, 1280 25th St. 5-11 p.m. No cover.

Sushi 101. Stir Cooking School, 3215 Zuni St. 6:30-9:30 p.m. $120.

Winter Lodge at Peaks Lounge. Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center, 650 15th St. Times vary. No cover or reservations.

Music and nightlife

Lost Lake x Cerebral Concert – 10 Year Anniversary. Lost Lake Lounge, 3602 E. Colfax Ave. Starting at 8 p.m. $24.80 (in advance, for guests ages 21 and older), $29.80 (in advance, for guests ages 20 and under).

Want more live music? Check out the Indie 102.3 concert calendar.

Fitness and sports

WWE Friday Night SmackDown. Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle. 5:30 p.m. Prices vary.

*Denver Nuggets at Houston Rockets. Watch on Prime Video, or listen at 92.5 FM. 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 22

Just for fun

Camp Christmas Takeover. Stanley Marketplace, 2501 N. Dallas St., Aurora. 7 a.m.-10 p.m. No cover.

*Sloan's Lake Park Foundation Clean Up. South side of Sloan’s Lake by playground, 4379 W. 17th Ave. 9-10:30 a.m. Free.

Legacy Lightning Band Craft Fair. Legacy High School, 2701 W. 136th Ave., Broomfield. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. No cover.

Denver Christmas Show. National Western Complex, 4655 N. Humboldt St. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Free (children ages 13 and under), $16 (when purchased online), $17 (at the door).

Feed the Block: Shop, Sell & Trade for a Cause. Stanley Marketplace, 2501 N. Dallas St., Aurora. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. No cover.

L’Esprit de Noël Holiday Home Tour. Throughout Denver’s Hilltop neighborhood, starting at 371 Dahlia St. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $50.

Harambee Annual Holiday Market. New Hope Baptist Church, 3701 Colorado Blvd. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. No cover.

Grand Opening of the Lena Archuleta Branch Library. Lena Archuleta Branch Library, 3300 W. Nevada Place, Unit 2. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free.

Dog Days Pawtery Ornaments. The Local Drive at Stanley Marketplace, 2501 N. Dallas St., Aurora. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. $50 (per dog). Advanced registration required.

*Urban Holiday Market. Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. No cover.

Swirly, Twirly Market. Denver BAZAAR, 2620 Walnut St. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. No cover.

*Cherry Creek Holiday Market. Cherry Creek North, along Fillmore Street between First and Second avenues. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. No cover.

*Denver Christkindlmarket. Tivoli Quad on the Auraria Campus, 1000 Larimer St. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. No cover.

Makers Market + Live Music. Lady Justice Brewing Co., 3242 S. Acoma St., Englewood. Noon-4 p.m. No cover.

*Blossom of Lights. Denver Botanic Gardens - York Street, 1007 York St. 4:30-9 p.m. Free (children ages 2 and under), $18-$29 (members), $22-$33 (non-members).

*Christmas in Color. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. 5-9:30 p.m. $34.99.

Kids and family

Disney’s Frozen. Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada. 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Starting at $62. Ideal for ages 4 and older.

Goodnight Moon. Randy Weeks Conservatory Theatre, 1101 13th St. 1:30 p.m. Prices vary. All ages.

Dinovember Family Party. Park Hill Branch Library, 4705 Montview Blvd. 2-2:40 p.m. Free. Ideal for ages 12 and under, when accompanied by an adult.

Author Talk: Teens in Conversation with Mahogany Browne and Idris Goodwin. Denver Central Library, 10 W. 14th Ave. 6-7:30 p.m. Free. Ideal for ages 13 and older. Advanced registration required.

Comedy and theater

Steve Treviño. Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village. 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. $35-$45.

A Christmas Carol. Wolf Theatre, 1350 Arapahoe St. 7 p.m. Prices vary.

Rotating Tap Comedy. Comrade Brewing, 7667 E. Illif Ave. 7:30-9:30 p.m. Free.

Friends of Friends. Rise Comedy, 1260 22nd St. 9 p.m. Free (Rise Comedy members), $17 (non-member, in advance), $20 (non-members, at the door).

Chad Daniels. Comedy Works Downtown, 1226 15th St. 9:45 p.m. $35-$45.

Art, culture, and media

Andrea Carlson: A Constant Sky. Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (members and children age 18 and younger), $22-$27 (students, teachers, active military members, veterans, seniors ages 65 and older), $25-$30 (adults).

Big Dreams in Denver’s Little Saigon. History Colorado, 1200 Broadway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (children ages 18 and under), $15 (adults).

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

Softer, Louder Opening Reception. Spark Gallery, 1200 Acoma St., Suite 100. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free.

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

Eat and drink

Autumn Tea. Molly Brown House Museum, 1340 Pennsylvania St. 10:20 a.m. and 1:20 p.m. $45 (member), $50 (non-member).

Ski Jorts City. Lady Justice Brewing Co., 3242 S. Acoma St., Englewood. Noon-10 p.m. No cover.

Genki Bar Pop Up. Death & Co. Denver, 1280 25th St. 5-11 p.m. No cover.

All The Sides Thanksgiving Feast. Cook Street, 43 W. 9th Ave. 5:30-9:30 p.m. $140 (per person).

Spanish Tapas & Paella Party. Stir Cooking School, 3215 Zuni St. 6:30-9:30 p.m. $120.

Winter Lodge at Peaks Lounge. Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center, 650 15th St. Times vary. No cover or reservations.

Music and nightlife

Fluidity: Denver Young Artists Orchestra Performance. MCA Denver, 1485 Delgany St. 1-3:30 p.m. Free with museum admission.

The Dirty Turkeys w/ Five Minutes Out + Maws. Lost Lake Lounge, 3602 E. Colfax Ave. Starting at 8 p.m. $24.80 (in advance, for guests ages 21 and older), $29.80 (in advance, for guests ages 20 and under).

Mantra Sounds. Meow Wolf, 1338 First St. 9 p.m. $31.75.

Pink Fuzz. Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax Ave. 9 p.m. $32.54.

Want more live music? Check out the Indie 102.3 concert calendar.

Sports and fitness

Rainforest Yoga. Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster. 7:45 a.m. $15 (member), $18 (non-member). Advance registration required.

*Colorado Avalanche at Nashville Predators. Watch on ATL2. 6 p.m.

*Sacramento Kings at Denver Nuggets. Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle. Watch on Altitude, or listen at 92.5 FM. 8 p.m. Prices vary.

Sunday, Nov. 23

Just for fun

Camp Christmas Takeover. Stanley Marketplace, 2501 N. Dallas St., Aurora. 7 a.m.-9 p.m. No cover.

Feed the Block: Shop, Sell & Trade for a Cause. Stanley Marketplace, 2501 N. Dallas St., Aurora. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. No cover.

*Clock Tower Self-Guided Tours. Denver Clocktower, 1601 Arapahoe St. 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Free (children ages 5 and under), $8 (Historic Denver and Molly Brown House Museum members), $10 (general public).

Denver Christmas Show. National Western Complex, 4655 N. Humboldt St. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (children ages 13 and under), $16 (when purchased online), $17 (at the door).

*Light Up the Holidays: Downtown Cookie Crawl and Switch on the Holidays. Downtown Boulder, locations vary. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (cookie crawl) and 2-7 p.m. (switch on the holidays). Free.

Swirly, Twirly Market. Denver BAZAAR, 2620 Walnut St. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. No cover.

*Urban Holiday Market. Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. No cover.

*Denver Christkindlmarket. Tivoli Quad on the Auraria Campus, 1000 Larimer St. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. No cover.

*Cherry Creek Holiday Market. Cherry Creek North, along Fillmore Street between First and Second avenues. Noon-7 p.m. No cover.

*Blossom of Lights. Denver Botanic Gardens - York Street, 1007 York St. 4:30-9 p.m. Free (children ages 2 and under), $18-$29 (members), $22-$33 (non-members).

*Christmas in Color. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. 5-9:30 p.m. $34.99.

Kids and family

Disney’s Frozen. Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada. 1 p.m. Starting at $62. Ideal for ages 4 and older.

Comedy and theater

A Christmas Carol. Wolf Theatre, 1350 Arapahoe St. 1:30 p.m. Prices vary.

LuLu's Giggle Factory. Meow Wolf, 1338 First St. 5 p.m. $29.75.

Steve Treviño. Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village. 5 p.m. $25-$35.

Chad Daniels. Comedy Works Downtown, 1226 15th St. 9:45 p.m. $35-$45.

Art, culture, and media

Big Dreams in Denver’s Little Saigon. History Colorado, 1200 Broadway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (children ages 18 and under), $15 (adults).

The Honest Eye: Camille Pissarro’s Impressionism. Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (members and children age 18 and younger), $22-$27 (students, teachers, active military members, veterans, seniors ages 65 and older), $25-$30 (adults).

Softer, Louder. Spark Gallery, 1200 Acoma St., Suite 100. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Free.

Eat and drink

Autumn Tea. Molly Brown House Museum, 1340 Pennsylvania St. 10:20 a.m. and 1:20 p.m. $45 (member), $50 (non-member).

Ski Jorts City. Lady Justice Brewing Co., 3242 S. Acoma St., Englewood. Noon-8 p.m. No cover.

Denver Beer Co. Pie Pairing. All five Denver Beer Co. taprooms. 1-4 p.m. $25 (includes flight of handheld pies and paired five-ounce beer pours). Advanced registration recommended.

Genki Bar Pop Up. Death & Co. Denver, 1280 25th St. 5-10 p.m. No cover.

Winter Lodge at Peaks Lounge. Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center, 650 15th St. Times vary. No cover or reservations.

Music and nightlife

Jawa w/ Quyl + Frankly. Lost Lake Lounge, 3602 E. Colfax Ave. Starting at 5 p.m. $24.80 (in advance, for guests ages 21 and older), $29.80 (in advance, for guests ages 20 and under).

MGK. Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle. 8 p.m. Prices vary.

Want more live music? Check out the Indie 102.3 concert calendar.

Sports and fitness

Rainforest Yoga. Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster. 7:45 a.m. $15 (member), $18 (non-member). Advance registration required.

*Colorado Avalanche at Chicago Blackhawks. Watch on ATL or NHLN. 5 p.m.