DENVER'S FALL FESTIVALS & EVENTS
When the summer cools off, things in Denver start to heat up. The upcoming fall months are filled with some of the Mile High City’s greatest events, from local chefs showing off their stuff, to the biggest beer festival in the country. You’ll have the chance to check out a host of diverse cultures, as well as experience Denver’s vibrant arts scene. It’s about time you fell for fall in the Mile High City.
Festival Italiano Sept. 7-8
BelmarCenter, Lakewood
www.belmarcolorado.com/sub/event/festival_italiano/index.html Mamma Mia! The annual Festival Italiano Food & Wine Festival at Belmar Center is a fun-filled celebration of all things Italian. The event will feature over 70 of the finest Italian food, wine and artisan vendors from the area who will sell ceramics, gelato, sausage, baked goods, pasta, flowers, herbs, sculpture, antique maps, produce, pizza and much more. What should you expect? Throwers from Florence, regional Italian wine tastings for adults, chef demonstrations, live Italian music and dancing, Italian movies, Balistreri vineyard's children's grape stomp, a bocce ball tournament – it’ll all be happening this weekend. Come get a taste of la dolce vita in Belmar.
Oktoberfest Sept. 27-29 & Oct. 4-6
In the Ballpark Neighborhood (between 20th and 22nd Sts. on Larimer St.)
www.thedenveroktoberfest.com Oktoberfest lives on in the Mile High City! Modeled after Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, this family friendly fest commemorates this world-famous and time-honored tradition of German heritage. Enjoy German attractions including music from national touring groups, performances by international dancers, children's activities, and heritage booths selling German goods, splendid decor, an accordion concert and authentic drinks and cuisine.
Great American Beer Festival / Denver Beer Fest Oct. 10-12 (GABF) & Oct. 4-12 (Denver Beer Fest)
Colorado Convention Center, Denver & Various Locations Throughout the City
www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com,
www.denverbeerfest.com For beer aficionados, there’s no bigger event all year. More than 46,000 beer enthusiasts from Colorado, the United States, and around the world will attend this year’s Great American Beer Festival (GABF). The GABF is a gargantuan event, covering 188,000 square feet of the Colorado Convention Center. GABF is all about sampling. Visitors enjoy one-ounce beer samples from the festival's breweries, which come from all over the country, giving beer lovers a walking tour of the nation’s beer-blessed landscape. The brewers themselves staff many of the booths. If you love beer, don’t miss this event. Tying in nicely with GABF is Denver Beer Fest, a citywide celebration of all things beer in the Mile High City. More than 200 tastings, tours, beer-food dinner pairings, brewery talks and more took place last year, and the event promises to be even bigger than before.
Fright Fest Weekends Throughout October
Elitch Gardens Theme Park
www.elitchgardens.com Things get spooky around this time of year – especially at Denver’s famed downtown theme park, Elitch Gardens. This enormous fun zone transforms from theme park to "scream" park all month long during Fright Fest. From haunted houses to a free Trick-or-Treat Trail, there's something for the whole family to enjoy.
Pumpkin Fest October 11-13
Denver Botanic Garden at Chatfield
www.botanicgardens.org/content/pumpkin-fest Come search for the perfect jack o' lantern or pumpkin pie gourd for all your Halloween and fall festivities! Thousands of pumpkins will be ripe for the picking from the Denver Botanic Garden at Chatfield’s pumpkin patch. The gardens will be filled with exciting children's activities and vendors selling handcrafted gifts. Explore the myriad of animals at the working farm, tour the historical ranch, and enjoy the carnival rides!
Boo at the Zoo October 26-27
Denver Zoo
www.denverzoo.org Discover "spooktacular" Halloween fun at the Denver Zoo. Enjoy trick-or-treating stations while supporting Denver Zoo’s mission to provided exceptional care to our resident animals. Space is limited so buy tickets early!
Denver Arts Week November 1-9
Various galleries, museums and theaters throughout Denver
www.denverartsweek.com The Mile High City celebrates its vibrant creative community each year with Denver Arts Week. In 2013, this unique citywide happening returns with a lineup of innovative, inspiring and fun activities and events. Denver Arts Week takes place at seven neighborhood art districts, 20 museums and 100 art galleries, and includes the wildly popular Night At The Museums, where several of the city's greatest museums are FREE. The event is organized by VISIT DENVER to help draw local and national attention to the cultural renaissance that Denver is experiencing – a renaissance that led Sunset Magazine to proclaim: “The Mile High City is remaking itself as a world capital of art and architecture.” Keep your eye on
DenverArtsWeek.com for a schedule of events and ticket information.
Denver International Wine Festival November 6-9
Grand Hyatt Denver
www.denverwinefest.com Join fellow oenophiles in the Mile High City for the sixth Annual Denver International Wine Festival. More than 400 wines will be presented by proprietors and winemakers from around the world. Take educational seminars, sample delicious gourmet food samplings and meet travel experts from top international destinations.
Starz Denver Film Festival November 6-17
Starz FilmCenter
www.denverfilm.org A feast for lovers of adventurous and independent cinema, the Starz Denver Film Festival feature more than 200 films from around the world. Indiewire recently named this event one of the top 50 film festivals in the world. The full schedule will be announced in September. Stay tuned!