Denver has some colorful events lined up this weekend. Kick it off by celebrating the chill with a Pray For Snow party and end it by shopping till you drop at a Winter Solstice Market. Whatever you end up doing, make sure to take a look at this roundup of events happening in Denver.
Thursday, December 5
Pray For Snow
When: December 5, 5:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Where: REI Denver, 1416 Platte St., Denver
Cost: $20 get tickets here
The Lowdown: Summon the snow gods at a Pray For Snow party. The event, hosted by REI Denver presents a winter celebration to welcome the coming of snow. You can sip on libations while dancing to live music and win prizes in retro ski-wear fashion contest. You can also participate in burning a giant sculpture and purchase from some sick snow gear brands. All proceeds from the event will benefit Colorado Avalanche Information Center.
Krampus Nacht
When: December 5, 5 – 11 p.m.
Where: Denver Christkindl Market, 1515 Arapahoe St., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Denver Christkindl Market hosts Krampus Nacht. Throughout the evening Krampus – the mystical darker companion of St. Nikolaus will weed out naughty children who didn’t make the nice list and punish them. All in good jest of course.
Repeal Day 2019
When: December 5, 4:30 – 7 p.m.
Where: The Cruise Room, 1600 17th St., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Eighty-six years ago on December 5 Prohibition was repealed. The Cruise Room celebrates the historic occasion with throwback prices such as first cocktails at 1933 pricing ranging from $0.35 to $0.50. You can sip on your libations while dancing to live jazz and swim music in The Oxford Hotel lobby.
A Drag Queen Christmas
When: December 5, 7 p.m.
Where: Filmore Auditorium, 1510 Clarkson St., Denver
Cost: $24.25 – $54.25 get tickets here
The Lowdown: Dive into the holiday season with a wild twist at A Drag Queen Christmas – The Naughty Tour. You can watch performances from drag queens such as Willam, Alyssa Edwards and Farrah Moan. The night will be hosted by Nina West.
Friday, December 6
9News Parade of Lights
When: December 6, 8 – 9 p.m.
Where: Civic Center Park, 101 14th Ave., Denver
Cost: $16 – $19 tickets available here
The Lowdown: The 45th annual 9News Parade of Lights is back for the holiday season. The Parade of Lights, produced by the Downtown Denver Partnership and presented by American Furniture Warehouse and ENT Credit Union this year features ornate floats, marching bands, a special appearance from Santa and more to put you in a holiday mood. The parade starts at the City and County Building at 14th Avenue and Bannock Street and ends at 14th Street and Glenarm Place.
Alternation Turns 2
When: December 6 – 8
Where: Alternation Brewing Company, 1539 S. Broadway, Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Celebrate two years of business during Alternation Brewing Turns 2. The weekend-long celebration hosts a multitude of beer releases, tappings, live music, giveaways and more. You can also watch the creation of live art while raising a glass to two years.
Holiday Shop & Sip
When: December 6 – 8
Where: Highlands Square, W. 32nd Ave., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Snag some deals at the Holiday Shop & Sip. Local businesses within Highlands Square are participating in the three-day holiday venture with in-store events, special sips, snacks and more to keep your holiday shopping fueled. If you use the tags @visitdenverhighands and #holidayinthehighlands on your photos on socials while you shop you could win prizes from participating businesses.
Winterfest
When: December 6 – 7
Where: South Pearl Street, 1400 – 1500 blocks on South Pearl St., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Spread some holiday cheer at Winterfest. The festival features Box Elder Horse and wagon rides, a holiday market filled with gift and food vendors, photos with Olde World Santa and more. You can also imbibe in hot adult beverages while you shop and find the perfect tree from Pope Farms Produce & Gardens Center tree lot.
BookBar Bazaar
When: December 6, 6 – 9 p.m.
Where: BookBar, 4280 Tennyson St., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: BookBar is hosting a Holiday Bazaar this Friday. The event will feature shopping, complimentary wine, prizes and more. And if you are looking for a book recommendation there will be publishing reps and BookBar staff available all evening to point you in the right direction.
Love Actually in Concert
When: December 6, 7:30 – 10 p.m.
Where: Boettcher Concert Hall, 1000 14th St., Denver
Cost: $20 – $94 get tickets here
The Lowdown: Get a little spark in your holiday season during Love Actually in Concert. You can watch the romantic comedy with multiple twists and turns while the Colorado Symphony performs the film’s score live for a breathtaking viewing experience.
First Friday Art Walk
When: December 6, 5:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Where: Art District on Santa Fe, 525 Santa Fe Dr., Denver
Cost: Free and Open to the public
The Lowdown: Every first Friday of the month the Art District opens for a magical walk to take a look inside more than 100 participating businesses and galleries. This Friday you can stroll down the Santa Fe Art District during the First Friday Art Walk and explore all of the amazing art it holds.
READ: The Guide to Art Districts in Denver and The Artists and Places That Make Them
St. Nickolaus Day
When: December 6, 2 – 6 p.m.
Where: Denver Christkindl Market, 1515 Arapahoe St., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Get a little jolly during St. Nikolaus Day. Denver Christkindl Market brings a chance to meet Saint Nikolaus – the saint who brings a present to set under the pillows of good children and a twig or coal for the naughty ones.
Fetch Holiday Market
When: December 6 – 8
Where: Denver Sports Castle, 1000 Broadway, Denver
Cost: $5 – $10 get tickets here
The Lowdown: Shop until you drop at the Fetch Holiday Market. You can find holiday gifts galore from hundreds of vendors during the three-day market experience and even snag a Discover Dairy Block Passbook while supplies last.
Detour’s 5 Pointers
When: December 6, 6 – 10 p.m.
Where: Redline Contemporary Art Center, 2350 Arapahoe St.
Cost: $10 get tickets here
The Lowdown: This Friday will be the last time to check out the futuristic music performance inside an art installation by Denver street artist Thomas “Detour” Evans in Redline’s project space. With the collaboration of four local musicians, Evans imagined a future of Denver music (100 years in the future to be exact) along with a fantastical backstory for a band that defies boundaries.
READ: A New Exhibit Colors the Future of Denver with Black Excellence
Snow Day VIII: A Winter Sleigh Ride
When: December 6, 7 – 10 p.m.
Where: Denver’s Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St., Denver
Cost: $100 get tickets here
The Lowdown: Denver’s Union Station hosts Snow Day VIII: A Winter Sleigh Ride. You can celebrate the holiday season with live music from Spinphony, sips from an open bar and more. The event will benefit The Barth Hotel.
Saturday, December 7
Holiday Sweet William Market
When: December 7 – 8
Where: The Cube Stapleton, 8371 Northfield Blvd., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: The Cube Stapleton presents the 4th annual Holiday Sweet William Market. The two-day market features over 25 artisan vendors to shop from, live music to jam out to and more. You can shop till you drop and purchase all of your holiday items.
Snowflake Batch 22 Release
When: December 7, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Where: Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey, 200 S. Kalamath St., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Stranahan’s Colorado is back with the release of its Snowflake Whiskey series. You can snag a bottle of the 22nd batch of Snowflake Whiskey, dubbed Mount Bross, this Saturday while they last. This whiskey is the most mature Snowflake batch released, giving it a deeper flavor. You can get more information about the release here.
Snowcat Cat Convention
When: December 7 – 8
Where: The Cable Center, 2000 Buchtel Blvd S., Denver
Cost: $10 – $20 get tickets here
The Lowdown: Get ready for the purfect day out at Snowcats Cat Convention. The two-day festival is a celebration of all things feline with cat-centric vendors, a full bar of themed drinks, celebrity meetups and more. The best part? You can help raise funds for cat-dedicated nonprofits and help out some cute kitties in need.
Free Day at DAM
When: December 7, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Where: Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Art lovers of Denver rejoice as Free Day at DAM (Denver Art Museum) is back. You can explore the Shantell Martin: Words and Lines exhibition with bold black and white linework, see The Light Show, Treasures of British Art: The Berger Collection and more, all for free. Exhibitions such as Claude Monet: The Truth of Nature are ticketed.
READ: Expansive Claude Monet Exhibit at Denver Art Museum Tells an Environmental History
The FINAL Denver Santa Pub Crawl
When: December 7, 1:30 – 11:30 p.m.
Where: Blake St. Tavern, 2301 Blake St., Denver
Cost: $49 get tickets here
The Lowdown: The Santa Claus Pub Crawl-Denver returns for its final year this Saturday. The pub crawl is massively popular with over 1,000 people dressed as Santa strolling through the streets of the city to sip on drinks and finish with an ’80s dance party at Jackson’s to show off your moves.
Our Mutual Friend Turns Seven
When: December 7, 12 – 11:59 p.m.
Where: Our Mutual Friend Brewery, 2810 Larimer St., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Raise a glass in honor of Our Mutual Friend as they turn seven years old. The brewery is tapping more than 17 different brews, releasing bottles from the cellar and more in celebration of the anniversary. You can also imbibe on a special birthday beer called Year Seven Hazy Double IPA during the day.
MILE HIGH SOUL CLUB
When: December 7, 9 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Where: Broadway Roxy, 554 S Broadway, Denver
Cost: $5 get tickets here
The Lowdown: Get ready to party at MILE HIGH SOUL CLUB. You can shake your body to music from Steve Cervantes, Tyler Jacobson and DJ Phil-I-Am. You can get your ’60s dance on to the best soul, R&B and more on vinyl 45s.
MCA Penny Admission
When: December 7, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Where: Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, 1485 Delgany St., Denver
Cost: $0.01 at entry
The Lowdown: Grab that shiny penny you were holding onto for the MCA Penny Admission. You can peruse the current exhibitions of Teresa Hubbard / Alexander Birchler’s Flora, Francesca Woodman: Portrait of a Reputation and Stacey Steers’ Edge of Alchemy all for just one cent.
Bake Sale For Planned Parenthood
When: December 7, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Where: Safta Restaurant, 3330 Brighton Blvd. Ste 201, Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Help raise funds for a good cause during a Bake Sale For Planned Parenthood. Safta Restaurant hosts the bake sale with a myriad of holiday treats that you can purchase. All proceeds from the event will benefit Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.
READ: Safta Announces Planned Parenthood Bake Sale
6th Birthday Party and Bottle Release
When: December 7, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Where: Station 26 Brewing Co., 7045 E. 38th Ave., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Station 26 Brewing Co. celebrates six years of achievements during a 6th Birthday Party and Bottle Release. You can sip on two different beer releases in the taproom, jam out to live music from Something Vinyl Club and snack on bites from Basic Kneads Pizza throughout the day in honor of six years in business.
Eight Year Anniversary
When: December 7, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Where: Lone Tree Brewing Company, 8222 Park Meadows Dr., Lone Tree
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Lone Tree Brewing Company hosts its Eight Year Anniversary. You can take part in the celebrations with pours of beer tappings, live music from The One And Only Jon Ham and more. You can also raise funds for Buddy’s Builders by participating in a silent auction.
Sunday, December 8
Holiday Makers’ Market
When: December 8, 12 – 3 p.m.
Where: Blue Moon RiNo, 3750 Chestnut Pl., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: The Crafted Art Emporium teams up with Blue Moon RiNo for a Holiday Makers’ Market. You can check off boxes on your gift shopping lists, sip on brews and listen to The One and Only Jon Ham in the brewery.
Ho Ho Ho Slapdown
When: December 8, 1 – 4 p.m.
Where: Bierstadt Lagerhaus, 2875 Blake St., Denver
Cost: $25 get tickets here
The Lowdown: Bierstadt Lagerhaus presents the 4th Annual Ho Ho Ho Slapdown. You can watch and vote as seven Colorado brewers compete for the best seasonal beer. The ticket price includes a five-ounce sample of each brew and a vote for your favorite sip.
SCFD Free Day – Out at the Museum Day
When: December 8, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Where: Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Denver Museum of Nature & Science partners with the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) for an SCFD Free Day – Out at the Museum. The day celebrates the LGBTQ community with free admission, special performances, activities and more.
RiNo Holiday Bazaar
When: December 8, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Where: EXDO Event Center, 1399 35th St., Denver
Cost: Free – $35 tickets available here
The Lowdown: Denver Bazaar hosts the RiNo Holiday Bazaar to keep the festivities going. You can shop from more than 70 local vendors, sip on local beverages and more throughout the seasonal market. This Sunday you can imbibe in special holiday beer tastings as you munch on bites from food trucks and peruse the crafters.
Pizza Pop-Up
When: December 8, 7 – 9 p.m.
Where: Morin, 1600 15th St., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: Morin hosts a Pizza Pop-Up this Sunday with Steve Redzikowski. You can grab a hot slice of pie and wash it down with cocktails sponsored by Campari and Pepsi. When the pizza is gone the party will continue down the street at Brass Tacks.
The Craftsman’s Market
When: December 8, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Where: Salvage Design Center, 1200 W. Evans Ave., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: On the hunt for local vintage and unique goods for your gift-giving this season? The Craftsman’s Market hosts 15 local crafters presenting their handcrafted items and skills for a special holiday edition market. You can purchase wares, fractal wood burnings and more during the crafting central.
Winter Solstice Market
When: December 8, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Where: STEAM on the Platte, 1401 Zuni St., Denver
Cost: Free admission
The Lowdown: STEAM on the Platte presents a Winter Solstice Market. You can explore the market with vendors offering holistic and mystic goods, munch on food, sip on warm drinks and more. If you are one of the first 25 attendees you can receive a free gift bag. A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit Colorado Circles for Change.
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Mark Your Calendar
Nick Offerman – All Rise
When: December 12, 9:30 p.m.
Where: Paramount Denver, 1612 Glenarm Pl., Denver
Cost: $49.50 – $65 tickets available here
Hollywood Favorite: The Polar Express 3D
When: December 13 – 14
Where: Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver
Cost: $9.95 tickets available here
Denver Beer Festivus 2019
When: December 14, 3 – 6 p.m.
Where: Major Studios, 3881 Steele St., Denver
Cost: $45 – $60 get tickets here
2019 Holiday Fest
When: December 14, 1 – 4 p.m.
Where: Old South Gaylord Street, 1059 S. Gaylord St., Denver
Cost: Free admission