Open up your horizons to some wild events in Denver. Kick off your weekend by digging into the best burgers at Denver Burger Battle and end it by playing cornhole for charity at The Throwdown. Whatever you end up doing make sure to check out this roundup of events happening in Denver.
Thursday, August 2
Denver Burger Battle
When: August 2, 5 – 9:30 p.m.
Where: Tivoli Quad, 1363 East 9th Ave., Denver
Cost: $69 – $125 tickets available here
The Lowdown: Take a day to taste the best burgers in Colorado at the Denver Burger Battle. You can sample bites from restaurants around the state and vote on which burger you feel deserves the Denver Burger Battle title. The ticket price includes unlimited burger samples, cocktail tastings, live music and more.
READ: Our 7 Favorite Bites From Denver Burger Battle
Thursday Night Bazaar
When: August 2, 5 – 9:30 p.m.
Where: Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas St., Aurora
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Explore Stanley Marketplace during a Thursday Night Bazaar. The event hosted by DenverBazaar features more than 45 local vendors presenting their goods. You can grab a glass of wine or beer from a cash bar and shop all of the amazing fashion, art and more.
18th Annual Comedy Night
When: August 2, 6 – 10 p.m.
Where: Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St., Denver
Cost: $50 get tickets here
The Lowdown: Denver Zoo presents the 18th Annual Comedy Night. The event features a performance from comedian Al Goodwin surrounded by adorable zoo animals. You can indulge in a dinner buffet, sip on drinks and participate in a live auction throughout the night. The net proceeds from the event will benefit local and national zookeepers.
Free Concert Series
When: August 2, 6 – 10 p.m.
Where: Levitt Pavilion Denver, 1280 W Florida Ave., Denver
Cost: Free – $30 get tickets here
The Lowdown: Levitt Pavilion Denver hosts a Free Concert Series. The series continues with live music from King Cardinal, a band that mixes country music and folk with a twist of cosmic energy. Thunder and Rain — a local bluegrass group with hints of pop — and Bison Bone — an Americana Rock band from Denver — will join King Cardinal for the event.
Friday, August 3
Queenz of Hip-Hop
When: August 3 – 5
Where: Emmanuel Gallery, 1205 W 10th Ave., Denver
Cost: Free – $20
The Lowdown: Fill your weekend with dance and music during Queenz of Hip-Hop. The three-day event starts with a screening of All The Ladies Say followed by a discussion with the creator Ana “Rokafella” Garcia and performance from local artists. On Saturday you can watch dance battles at the McNichols Building and on Sunday you can participate in workshops at the School of Breaking.
Truck Stop
When: August 3, 4 – 10 p.m.
Where: Art District on Santa Fe, Santa Fe Dr., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Truck Stop is back. The food truck rally has traveled around Denver with food-centric block parties. The event features a day of food from tons of different food trucks, craft brews and wines, live music and more. You can grab a bite from the rally and explore the Art District on Santa Fe as part of the First Friday Art Walk.
That BIG ’80s Party
When: August 3 – 4, 9 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Where: The Black Box, 314 E 13th St., Denver
Cost: $10 – $15 get tickets here
The Lowdown: Pull out your leg warmers to dance all night at That BIG ’80s Party. The event features bangin’ ’80s hits blaring from DJ Dave Paul, the best ’80s costumes and more. You can embrace all that comes with the bright ’80s era.
Vintage Market Days
When: August 3 – 5
Where: National Western Complex, 4655 Humboldt St., Denver
Cost: $5 – $10 tickets available here
The Lowdown: Shop for the best vintage, handmade and more at Vintage Market Days. The event features an indoor shopping event with vendors from all around the United States presenting their best goods. You can dive into food and drink while you shop for the perfect items.
FERAL First Friday Film Series
When: August 3, 8 – 10 p.m.
Where: Feral Mountain Co., 4320 Tennyson St., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Feral Mountain Co. presents a FERAL First Friday Film Series. The event features a screening of Hunting Giants, a film that explores a Canadian logging community and Breaking 60, a documentary film about four runners trying their hand at extreme running.
First Friday Art Walk
When: August 3, 5:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Where: Art District on Santa Fe, Santa Fe Dr., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: The first Friday of every month marks the First Friday Art Walk. You can venture down the Art District on Santa Fe to experience all of the amazing galleries and creative businesses. The walk features 30 participating locations on Santa Fe and a ton of food trucks to fuel your art adventures. You can see sculptures, prints and more at the participating businesses.
READ: The Definitive Guide to Denver Art Galleries
Dive-In Movie
When: August 3, 7:30 – 10 p.m.
Where: Elitch Gardens, 2000 Elitch Cir., Denver
Cost: $29.99 get tickets here
The Lowdown: Elitch Gardens hosts a Dive-In Movie. You can cool off from the summer heat and wade into the Elitch Gardens’ water park for a screening of the new Jumanji. The film follows four high schoolers as the land themselves in the game of Jumanji and are forced to find their way out without getting killed.
B-Side Music
When: August 3, 5 – 10 p.m.
Where: Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, 1485 Delgany St., Denver
Cost: $5 at entry
The Lowdown: Jam out to some up-and-coming local musicians at B-Side Music. The Museum of Contemporary Art presents a night to showcase performances from Champagne Stallion — a local producer and songwriter that uses his multi-instrumentalist talents — and Nuancer.
Batsu Japanese Film Festival
When: August 3 – 5
Where: Alamo Drafthouse Denver, 4255 W Colfax Ave., Denver
Cost: $10 – $80 get tickets here
The Lowdown: Immerse yourself in Japanese art at the Batsu Japanese Film Festival. The festival features more than 10 films throughout the weekend. You can choose from seeing Tremble All You Want, Emi-Abi, Rage and more throughout the three-day festival.
Guilty Pleasures
When: August 3 – 4, 10 p.m. – 1:45 a.m.
Where: Hi-Dive Denver, 7 S Broadway, Denver
Cost: $5 get tickets here
The Lowdown: Let your freak flag fly at Guilty Pleasures. The event features a night of dancing, ’90s beats fillin’ the air and more. You can get your nostalgia on and don your best ’90s gear to dance the night away.
Saturday, August 4
Aurora Gay Pride
When: August 4, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Where: Aurora Municipal Center, 15151 E Alameda Pkwy., Aurora
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Celebrate the LGBTQ+ Community at Aurora Gay Pride. The event features a Pride fair with food trucks, drinks and more. You can also see performances from Tatianna, Kimora Blac and Jiggly Caliente Brooks to give you life and snatch your wigs.
Wine on the Rocks
When: August 4, 12 – 5 p.m.
Where: T.E.V. Edelweiss Club, 18022 Hwy 8, Morrison
Cost: $25 – $300 get tickets here
The Lowdown: This Saturday you can sample from 180 wines at Wine on the Rocks. T.E.V. Edelweiss Club hosts a day of wine, music, food and more. You can sip on delights while overlooking the amazing natural phenomenon of Red Rocks Park. More than 30 Colorado wineries present their bounties for your enjoyment.
Taste of Ethiopia Festival
When: August 4, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Where: 15555 E 53rd Ave., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Fill your weekend with culture and flavor at the Taste of Ethiopia Festival. You can sample foods from all over Ethiopia, dance to live music, peruse arts and more at the gathering. Be ready to spice up your weekend.
Hula Lesson & Happy Hour
When: August 4, 4 – 5 p.m.
Where: Adrift, 218 S Broadway, Denver
Cost: $10 – $40 get tickets here
The Lowdown: Shake your hips at a Hula Lesson & Happy Hour. The event features a hula lesson from the Kalama Polynesian Dancers on the patio and later you can sip on a free cocktail. You can also snack on happy hour plates and drink happy hour priced tiki cocktails.
International Food Truck Festival
When: August 4, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Where: Denver’s Civic Center Park, Colfax and Bannock St., Denver
Cost: Free and open to the public
The Lowdown: Explore a myriad of flavors at the International Food Truck Festival. You can sample from more than 15 food trucks, sip from a bar of international drinks and more. And, as you peruse over 40 vendors you can listen to three live bands.
IPArade
When: August 4, 12 – 8 p.m.
Where: Factotum Brewhouse, 3845 Lipan St., Denver
Cost: $23 get tickets here
The Lowdown: Factotum Brewhouse presents an IPArade. The event features an IPA tap takeover with 10 different IPAs. You can munch on bites from Be Food Truck and jam out to beats from Zero Day Exploits while you sip. The ticket price includes a five-ounce tasting of each brew with a commemorative glass.
Denver bRUNch
When: August 4, 9:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Where: Quality Italian, 241 Columbine St., Denver
Cost: $40 get tickets here
The Lowdown: Get ready to sweat at Denver bRUNch. You can run in a 5k or 10k race and end with a delightful brunch from Quality Italian. The race will commence on the Cherry Creek Trail and lead you to the end location. These events sell out fast so make sure to grab your ticket soon.
MCA Penny Admission
When: August 4, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Where: Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, 1485 Delgany St., Denver
Cost: $0.01 at entry
The Lowdown: Museum of Contemporary Art Denver (MCA) presents MCA Penny Admission. Once in a while the museum opens it’s doors for only one cent. You can peruse the current exhibitions from Derrick Adams, Kristen Hatgi Sink, Patrice Renee Washington and Lisa Oppenheim throughout the day.
Sunday, August 5
Yoga Rocks the Park
When: August 5, 8 – 11:30 a.m.
Where: Sunken Gardens Park, 401 W 9th Ave., Denver
Cost: Free register here
The Lowdown: Bend and pose at Yoga Rocks the Park. The event features a special day of yoga and dogs as you can bring your dog to yoga. You can break a sweat in a yoga session led by Shelly Swanke and calm your mind with a meditation guided by Kevin Lockwood after. Dogs must be leashed and have good behavior.
Back in The Day Brunch
When: August 5, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Where: Monkey Barrel, 4401 Tejon St., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Monkey Barrel presents a Back in The Day Brunch. The event features a theme of ’90s hip-hop with beats from DJ Notch playing as you dine. You can sip on mimosas and bloodies and jam out to the classics throughout the day.
The Throwdown
When: August 5, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Where: Denver’s Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St., Denver
Cost: $150 register here
The Lowdown: Make a team of two and join in The Throwdown. The event features a cornhole tournament to raise funds for the Cottonwood Institute. You can play cornhole, win prizes, sip on beer from Great Divide Brewing Company, snack on food and more.
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Mark Your Calendars
Midnight Madness
When: August 10 – 12
Where: Landmark’s Esquire Theatre, 590 Downing St., Denver
Cost: $9.50 tickets available here
303 Magazine Pool Party Series
When: August 12, 2 – 7 p.m.
Where: Halycon, a hotel in Cherry Creek, 245 Columbine St., Denver
Cost: $20 – $150 get tickets here
CheesmanBark’s Dog Portrait Benefit
When: August 16, 7 – 9 p.m.
Where: Ratio Beerworks, 2920 Larimer St., Denver
Cost: $35 schedule here