This weekend, there are plenty of unique things to do in Denver to get you thinking out-of-the-box and having a great time. If you like your drinks, head to the Save the Ales Beer Festival, Country Bar Crawl or Denver Beer Co.’s sixth anniversary. Are you more of a foodie? Check out a moveable feast or the Cherry Creek North Food and Wine Festival. Feel like dancing? Don’t miss the Kanye only DJ set, a silent disco or the return of the country’s longest running indie dance party. Find a thing or two that interests you and make it a great weekend.
Thursday, August 10
Save the Ales Beer Festival
When: August 10, 6 – 10:30 p.m.
Where: Mile High Station – 2027 W. Colfax Ave., Denver
Cost: $15 – $65. Get tickets here.
The Lowdown: This beer festival is raising funds to protect and conserve clean water for Coloradans by educating citizens and collaborating with lawmakers. Taste beers from all over the state while supporting a cause.
Fixate Artists Showcase
When: August 10, 7 – 11 p.m.
Where: The Church Nightclub – 1160 Lincoln St., Denver
Cost: $22 in advance, $30 at the door. Get tickets here.
The Lowdown: Celebrate over 50 local artists while they show their work in various forms of art. The showcase will feature visual art, fashion, music, photography, film and performance art. Dress in cocktail attire and enjoy a glamorous night.
Friday, August 11
Colorado Classic and Velorama Music Festival
When: August 11 – 13, 4 – 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday
Where: RiNo Art District – 2901 Blake St., Denver
Cost: $45 – $90. Get tickets here.
The Lowdown: This event will combine a bike race, music festival and giant flea market, complete with plenty of food and beverage vendors. See the professional bike racers race through and around the city, get in on the street party that will span a 12-block-radius and browse through the 200 vendors stands that will be present. Bands Wilco and Death Cab for Cutie will perform.
Bassnectar Yoga Flow
Photo courtesy of RiNo Yoga Social on Facebook.
When: August 11, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Where: RiNo Yoga Social – 3101 Walnut St., Denver
Cost: $5
The Lowdown: Get your heart pumping mid-day with a yoga class to a Bassnectar playlist. Led by Leah of Spoonful of Yoga, this class is sure to lift you up. Bonus: you’ll get a Thai massage during savasana.
Lipgloss at Milk Bar
When: August 11, 9 p.m. 2 a.m.
Where: Milk Bar— Alley Entrance Behind 1037 Broadway, Denver
Cost: Free before 10 p.m., $5 after
The Lowdown: The country’s longest running indie-rock dance party is back. Fresh off its 16th anniversary party, Lipgloss returns with a whole new batch of fresh and vintage indie tunes from DJ Boyhollow and DJ Tower, along with special guest DJ Avalon. As a bonus, Milk Bar is giving away covetable concert tickets to Arcade Fire, Pixies, Future Island, Andrew W.K. and more. The bar also has a brand new arcade that only adds to its eccentric atmosphere. So grab some quarters and your dancing shoes and get ready to dance the night away.
READ: The LipGloss Anniversary Party was Poppin’ at Bar Standard
Silent Disco
When: August 11, 9 p.m. – 12 a.m.
Where: Ratio Beerworks — 2920 Larimer St., Denver
Cost: Free
The Lowdown: If a dance party of the silent variety is more up your alley head to Ratio Beerworks this Friday. Slated as a kick-off to Velorama, the free event will provide headphones so dancers can groove to dueling DJs. Each will churn out tunes from three different genres, giving you the opportunity to select the perfect vibe. Headphones are first-come, first-serve so head there early to guarantee a spot.
Saturday, August 12
Colfax Street Party: Art-i-fax
Photo courtesy of Art-i-fax on Facebook.
When: August 12, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Where: Colfax and Park Ave., Denver
Cost: Free. RSVP here.
The Lowdown: This block party is celebrating the community culture of Colfax with street and performing arts and live music by FaceMan, Foxxes, Gun Street Ghost and Electric Thinking Machine. Artist Mythica will be decorating the floor with chalk during the event. Feeling ambitious? Try out one of the fitness activities or games. There will also be food as well as beer by Great Divide Brewing Co.
Yoga, Wine and Puppies
When: August 12, 1 – 2 p.m.
Where: The Infinite Monkey Theorem – 3200 Larimer St., Denver
Cost: Donation based
The Lowdown: At CorePower’s last class of the summer at The Infinite Monkey Theorem, puppies are being thrown into the mix. After the hour long pop-up class led by a CorePower instructor, there will be $5 tap wines, cans, slushies and mimosas and Paws Co. will bring in some of their adoptable rescue puppies. Donations from the event will go towards Paws Co.
Country Bar Crawl
When: August 12, 2 – 10 p.m.
Where: LoDo Area Bars, see participating bars here.
Cost: $16 – $30. Get tickets here.
The Lowdown: Country music lovers unite! Dig out your favorite cowboy boots and flannel and head to local spots like Lodo’s Bar & Grill, Sports Column and View House Bar, Eatery and Rooftop with a crowd of people who also love Luke Bryan and Miranda Lambert. The bars you are headed to will have food and drink specials and no cover charge.
Denver Beer Co.’s Sixth Anniversary
When: August 12, 11 a.m. – midnight
Where: Denver Beer Company – 1695 Platte St., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Join one of Denver’s most popular breweries for a special anniversary celebration. Denver Beer Co. will shut down the block for a day filled with food trucks, live music, games, photo booth fun and much more. Beer will be flowing all day long, so stop by and grab a pint to celebrate.
Moveable Feast
When: August 12, 5:30 – 7 p.m.
Where: RedLine Art Gallery – 2350 Arapahoe St., Denver
Cost: Free
The Lowdown: This is the Fourth Feast of the Moveable Feast series, where artists are paired with community hosts to create five sculptural tables at five different locations and in five points. This week, artists Mario Zoots and Amber Cobbwith will be working their magic with a performance by Molina Speaks. There will also be a drum-line procession before the feast from 26th Street and Welton Street to RedLine. The performances, art and of course, food, will continue throughout the evening.
Skyline Festival
When: August 12, 10:30 a.m.
Where: Zuni Park – 5100 N Zuni St., Denver
Cost: Free
The Lowdown: Join in on this community event for a day of live music, food and games. Musicians range from reggae, to rock, to bluegrass and include the Mono Verde Collective, The Ghost of Joseph Buck, That Damn Sasquatch Blues, Yo Mamas & Papas and Nathan Cahoone. There will be yoga and zumba classes and a potluck, so bring your best family recipe to the table.
West Colfax MuralFest
When: August 12, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Where: 6501 W. Colfax Ave., Lakewood
Cost: Free
The Lowdown: Head to West Colfax this weekend for a free one-day event featuring live music, a pop-up series of performances and of course, live mural paintings. These new murals, painted by nationally renowned artists, will become a new part of the gallery of outdoor art. Also see live music, poet Ruthie Jordan, opera singer Eve Orenstein with Opera On Tap, improv artist Erin Rafaels, choreographer Lindsay Pierce and many more. There will also be food trucks, a beer garden, art vendors, art-making activities for kids & families and even a free trolley tour of the new murals.
Editor’s note: This description for the MuralFest was updated for clarity and accuracy.
Cherry Creek North Food & Wine
Photo courtesy of Cherry Creek North on Facebook.
When: Saturday, August 12, 6 – 9 p.m.
Where: Fillmore Plaza — Fillmore St. between 1st and 2nd Ave.
Cost: $45 – $105 — tickets here
The Lowdown: The Cherry Creek North Food and Wine festival is back for another year, this time with 17 participating restaurants. The best of Cherry Creek North will compete to earn bragging rights as Best of Show, Best Dessert and People’s Choice. Get your friends together for a day of sampling delicious food.
National Poetry Slam Finals
When: August 12, 7 – 10 p.m.
Where: Paramount Denver – 1621 Glenarm Pl., Denver
Cost: $30. Get tickets here.
The Lowdown: The week of the National Poetry Slam has built up to the finals. Catch the most exciting round of the competition and hear everything slam poetry has to offer from inspirational to comical.
READ: 6 Teams You Don’t Want To Miss At the National Poetry Slam
A Night of Pablo: All Kanye DJ Set
When: August 12, 9 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Where: Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox – 1215 20th St, Denver,
Cost: $15 – 27 – get tickets here.
The Lowdown: If you love Kanye or just his music, you’ll want to head to Ophelia’s on Saturday night. The DJs that brought the all Drake DJ set are back for another night dedicated to an iconic rapper. DJ Big Styles, DJ E-Trane, DJ Amen and KDJ Above will spin wherever their dark twisted fantasies lead them — as long as it’s all Kanye, all night. There will also be a “Flashing Lights” photo booth and plenty of like minded music fans.
Sunday, August 13
Sunday Funday
When: August 13, 2 – 6 p.m.
Where: ViewHouse Eatery, Bar and Rooftop – 2015 Market St., Denver
Cost: Free. Reserve a cabana by sending an email to kari@viewhouse.com.
The Lowdown: This day party will be made up of everything you’d want on a relaxed, day-drinking Sunday. This includes volleyball and cornhole tournaments and games, beer tastings, live MCs and a dunk tank. Eat brunch on the roof or in the courtyard from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., enjoy all-day drink specials featuring Don Julio Tequila, Captain Morgan, Bulleit and Ketel One cocktails and get in on giveaways.
Lisa Lampanelli
When: August 13, 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Where: 5345 Landmark Pl., Greenwood Village
Cost: $32
The Lowdown: This “queen of mean” is making a special event appearance in Denver and bringing her best insults for the general population. Her no-holding-back style of comedy will make keep you gasping, laughing – and being afraid to laugh. Watch her stand-up special, Back to the Drawing Board, to see what Lisa’s all about.
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Mark Your Calendar
Denver Colorfest
When: August 19 – 20, 2 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Where: EXDO Event Center – 1399 35th St., Denver
Cost: $15 – $50
Tickets: Available here.
Yoga Day Hosted by The Rockies
When: August 19, 8:30 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Where: Coors Field – 2001 Blake St., Denver
Cost: $30 – $70
Tickets: Available here.