Things to do in Denver this weekend, July 7

Apr 12, 2024

First Friday Art Walks, the Colorado Black Arts Festival and more!

By Cassidy Ritter, Special to Denverite

Happy weekend, Denver!

Kick off the weekend with various First Friday Art Walks or spend a night at the circus as Cirque Du Soleil is in town until August 13. Other happenings include outdoor live music, the Colorado Whiskey Fest and CROSSCURRENTS.

The Colorado Black Arts Festival is also going on all weekend long at Denver’s City Park.

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

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

Just for fun

*Friday Night BAZAAR: RiNo. 2424 Larimer St. 5-9 p.m. No cover (general admission), $20 (bottomless Aperol Spritz from 5-6 p.m.).

Petals & Punches – Floral Arrangements & Refreshing Summer Cocktails. Stir Cooking School at the Ice House, 1801 Wynkoop St. 6-8 p.m. $120.

Colorado Burlesque Festival. ReelWorks Denver, 1399 35th St. 7-11 p.m. $20-$30 (general admission), $60-$75 (3-day pass from Thursday to Saturday).

Kids and family

Game Club. Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales Branch Library, 1498 N. Irving St. 3-5:30 p.m. Free. Ideal for ages 5-17.

Magic the Gathering Club. Park Hill Branch Library, 4705 Montview Blvd. 4:30-5:30 p.m. Free. Ideal for ages 12-18.

Comedy and theater

Leah Rudick. Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village. 7:15 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. $25.

Rotating Tap Comedy. River North Brewery – Blake Street Taproom, 3400 Blake St. 7:30-9:30 p.m. Free.

Arts, culture and media

Coalescing Connections. Walker Fine Arts, 300 W. 11th Ave., Unit A. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.

First Friday Painting in the Park. Smiley Branch Library, 4501 W. 46th Ave. 4-5:30 p.m. Free.

*First Friday Art Walks. Dairy Block Alley, 1800 Wazee St. 5-9 p.m. Free.

First Friday Art Walks. Santa Fe Art District, from 13th to Alameda avenues and Kalamath to Inca streets. 5:30-9:30 p.m. Free.

4th Annual – US. Bitfactory Gallery, 851 Santa Fe Drive. 6-9 p.m. (First Friday Art Walk). No cover.

JUS’ SAYIN’ – Idioms In Glass Art Show. 40 West Arts Gallery in The Hub, 6501 W. Colfax Ave., Lakewood. 6 p.m. Free.

RiNo Art First Friday Pop-up Art Gallery. The Source Hotel + Market Hall, 3330 Brighton Blvd. 6-9 p.m. Free.

Live Art Series. Federales Tequila & Tacos, 2901 Larimer St. 6:30-8:30 p.m. No cover.

Eat and drink

*Food Truck Fridays. Butterfly Park, 6280 N Galena Way. 5-7:30 p.m. No cover.

Music and nightlife

4th Birthday Soul Line Dancing & Saucy’s Southern Barbecue. Little Man Ice Cream Factory, 4411 W. Colfax Ave. 5-7 p.m. Free.

*Live Music in the Alley: Conal Rosanbalm. Dairy Block Alley, 1800 Wazee St. 6-8 p.m. Free.

*Wailing Souls. Levitt Pavilion, 1380 W. Florida Ave. 6-10 p.m. Free. Advanced registration required.

B-Side Music Fridays: Julian Street Nightmare & Ritmo Cascabel. MCA Denver, 1485 Delgany St. 7 p.m. $25-$30.

Havok & Toxic Holocaust. Summit, 1902 Blake St. 6 p.m. $25.

*The Avett Brothers. Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway. 7:30 p.m. Prices vary.

38 Special. Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Place. 8 p.m. Starting at $50.

Fitness and sports

*Library Corn Hole Tournament. Montbello Branch Library, 1295 Albrook Dr. 4-5:30 p.m. Free.

First Friday Art Walk Kick Off. Movement Baker, 1155 W. 5th Ave. 4-7 p.m. Free.

*Colorado Rockies vs. San Francisco Giants. Watch on ATT SportsNet-RM, or listen at 94.1 FM. 8:15 p.m.

Just for fun

*Troutfest Colorado. Coors Field, 2001 Blake St. Noon-6 p.m. Free (advanced registration required.

*Saturday Night BAZAAR: Sloan’s Lake. 1610 Raleigh St. 4-8 p.m. Free (admission), $20 (bottomless Aperol Spritz from 4-5 p.m.).

Colorado Burlesque Festival. ReelWorks Denver, 1399 35th St. 7-11 p.m. $25-$35 (general admission), $60-$75 (3-day pass from Thursday to Saturday).

Kids and family

Forging Youth Resilience & Montbello CrossFit Program. Montbello Branch Library, 12955 Albrook Dr. 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Ideal for ages 12-18 (families welcome).

Family Yoga. Ross-Barnum Branch Library, 3570 W. 1st Ave. 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Ideal for ages 5 and up.

Summer of Adventure Family Zine Workshop. Bob Ragland Branch Library, 1900 35th St., Suite A. 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free. Ideal for ages 5 and up.

Comedy and theater

Leah Rudick. Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village. 7:15 p.m. and 9 p.m. $25.

Nicole Byer. Comedy Works Downtown, 1226 15th St. 9:45 p.m. $35.

Art, culture and media

4th Annual – US. Bitfactory Gallery, 851 Santa Fe Drive. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. No cover.

Coalescing Connections. Walker Fine Arts, 300 W. 11th Ave., Unit A. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.

First Friday Paint and Sit. John “Thunderbird Man” Emhoolah Jr. Branch Library, 675 Santa Fe Dr. 6:30-9 p.m. Free. Advanced registration required.

Lumonics Immersed. Lumonics Light & Sound Gallery, 800 E. 73 Ave., Unit 11. 8-10:30 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.

*Southlands Farmer’s Market. Southlands, 6155 S. Main St., Aurora. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. No cover.

Ana’s Norwegian Bakeri 2-Year Anniversary. 6770 S. Yosemite St., Centennial. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. No cover.

*Boulder County Farmers Market. Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road, Longmont. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. No cover.

*Southwest Plaza Farmers Market. Southwest Plaza, 8501 W. Bowles Ave., Littleton. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. No cover.

*Union Station Farmers Market. Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. No cover.

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

*Colorado Whiskey Fest. Douglas County Fairgrounds, 500 Fairgrounds Road, Castle Rock. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. $35-$75.

Music and nightlife

*CROSSCURRENTS. Confluence Park, 2250 15th St. 2-10 p.m. Free.

*Second Saturdays Summer Concert Series and Street Festival. Olde Town Arvada, 7307 Grandview Ave., Arvada. 5-10 p.m. Free.

*A Midsummer’s Night Jam. Levitt Pavilion, 1380 W. Florida Ave. 6-10 p.m. Free. Advanced registration required.

*Fall Out Boy. Fiddler’s Green, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd., Greenwood Village. 6:30 p.m. Prices vary.

*The Avett Brothers. Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway. 7:30 p.m. Prices vary.

Moon Room. Summit, 1902 Blake St. 7 p.m. $12.

Fitness and sports

*Yoga on the Rocks. Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway. 7 a.m. $45.

*Colorado Rockies vs. San Francisco Giants. Watch on ATT SportsNet-RM, or listen at 94.1 FM. 2:05 p.m.

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

Just for fun

*¡Viva! Streets. Downtown Denver on Broadway from Alameda to 20th streets, and on Welton Street from 20th Street to Five Points. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Free.

Stanley Summer Series. Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas St., Aurora. 1-6 p.m. Free.

Summer Maker’s Markets. Beyond the Mountain Brewing Co., 6035 Longbow Drive, Unit 109, Boulder. 2-5 p.m. Free.

*Summer Sunday Festival. Brunner Farmhouse & Gardens, 640 Main St., Broomfield. 4-8 p.m. Free.

Art, culture and media

Lowrider Show and Shine. Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free.

Community Free Day. Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free.

Eat and drink

*Highlands Farmers Market. Highlands Square, W. 32nd Avenue and Lowell Boulevard. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. No cover.

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

*Orchard Farmers Market. Macy’s parking lot, 14535 Delaware St., Westminster. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. No cover.

*People + Produce. Belleview Station, Newport Street and Chenango Avenue. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. No cover.

Farmers Market. The Source Hotel + Market Hall, 3330 Brighton Blvd. 4-7 p.m. No cover.

*Highlands Ranch Farmers Market. Highlands Ranch Town Center, 9288 Dorchester St., Highlands Ranch. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. No cover.

Drag Queen Bingo Brunch. Milk Market, 1800 Wazee St., Suite 100. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. No cover.

Music and nightlife

*Denver Municipal Band. Levitt Pavilion, 1380 W. Florida Ave. 4-8 p.m. Free. Advanced registration required.

*The Avett Brothers. Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway. 6:30 p.m. Prices vary.

*City Park Jazz: Chris Daniels and the Kings with Freddi Gowdy. City Park, 1600 City Park Esplanade. 6-8 p.m. Free.

Sports and fitness

*bRUNch club Scavenger Hunt. Blackbird Public House, 305 S. Downing St. 9:15 a.m. Free.

*Colorado Rockies vs. San Francisco Giants. Watch on ATT SportsNet-RM, or listen at 94.1 FM. 2:05 p.m.

All Weekend

Just for fun

*Broomfield Summer Carnival. 1 W. Flatiron Crossing Drive, Broomfield. 6-11 p.m. (Friday), 3 p.m.-midnight (Saturday) and 3-10 p.m. (Sunday). $27 (unlimited rides).

Cirque Du Soleil Kooza. Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle. 7:30 p.m. (Friday), 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. (Saturday), and 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Sunday). Starting at $51.

Konbini: An Immersive Convenience Store. 1825 Blake St., Suite 110. Noon-8 p.m. (Friday and Saturday) and noon-5 p.m. (Sunday). No cover.

Kids and family

Disney Animation Immersive Experience. Lighthouse Artspace, 3900 Elati St. 10:15 a.m.-8:15 p.m. Starting at $36. Advanced registration required for timed entry. All ages.

After the Asteroid: Earth’s Comeback Story. Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (members, children 2 and under), $17.95 (youth ages 3-18), $19.95 (seniors 65 and older), $22.95 (adult, non-members). Advanced registration recommended. All ages.

Art, culture and media

Ansel Adams: Early Works. Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St. 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Free (members and children 2 and under), $11 (children ages 3-15 and students), $11.50 (seniors 65 and older and military members), $15 (adults).

Anna Tsouhlarakis: Indigenous Absurdities. MCA Denver, 1485 Delgany St. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (children 18 and under), $7 (college students, teachers, military, seniors), $10 (adults and members).

Arts of Africa Gallery. Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (members and children ages 18 and younger), $12-$19.

Islands Beyond Blue. Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (members and children ages 18 and younger), $12-$19.

Tomashi Jackson: Across the Universe. MCA Denver, 1485 Delgany St. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (children 18 and under), $7 (college students, teachers, military, seniors), $10 (adults and members).

*Denver Public Art Self-Guided and Virtual Tours. Various locations and online. Anytime. Free. All ages.

*Pre-recorded Art Classes. Canvas and Cocktails, online. Anytime. $20 (materials sold separately). All ages.

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