Father's Day is Sunday, June 16, 2024, which means it's time to start planning a special day for your dad in The Mile High City! Here are a few ideas to get you started, plus great hotel deals if you're traveling to Denver to spend time with dad.
Father's Day Events & Activities
Dad & Me Epoxy Coaster Workshop
WHEN: June 15, 2024
WHERE: Rockler Woodworking and Hardware
This is a unique opportunity for fathers and children to bond while creating personalized epoxy coasters and a coaster holder together. During this hands-on workshop, participants will learn the art of epoxy resin crafting under the guidance of our skilled instructors. Each ticket grants admission for one father and one child (ages 6 and up) to the workshop, where they'll work together to create two epoxy coasters and a custom coaster holder that can hold up to four coasters. Spaces are limited, so reserve your spot today and celebrate Father's Day at Rockler! Price includes all materials, safety equipment and one Rockler silicone coaster mold.
Happiness & Sweets Father's Day Pop Up
WHEN: June 15, 2024
WHERE: Park Meadows Makers Market, Lone Tree
You're in for a real treat with Happiness & Sweets at the Park Meadows Makers Market. Come by any time from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a sweet Father's Day Pop Up featuring brigaderios: delicious, bite-size chocolate confectionaries popular in Brazil! While you're there, shop 60+ great local vendors offering clothing, jewelry, art, Colorado food items, gift items and home décor!
Local's Only Father's Day Market
WHEN: June 15–16, 2024
WHERE: Ratio Beerworks
Join Ratio Beerworks for a Father's Day weekend extravaganza featuring local vendors and makers, flash tattoos, tarot reading, and all the vibes. Grab your dad, come have a beer and do some shopping!
Daddy/Daughter Father's Day Afternoon Tea
WHEN: June 16, 2024
WHERE: The Brown Palace Hotel & Spa by Marriott
Commemorate Father’s Day this year with tea fit for royalty at The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa! Enjoy an afternoon filled with an array of delightful sweet treats, finger sandwiches, and live music. Daughters can live out their fairytale dreams with homemade pastries, scones and tea with Devonshire cream shipped directly from England. Create cherished memories that will last a lifetime together this Father’s Day! Reserve your table at brownplace.com for $65 per person ($30 for children ages six and under).
Father's Day Cigar Rolling
WHEN: June 16, 2024
WHERE: The Brown Palace Hotel & Spa by Marriott
Celebrate Father’s Day at a special cigar-rolling event at The Brown Palace Hotel’s Churchill Bar, featuring live cigar rolling and expertly crafted specialty cocktails. Enjoy an evening of live cigar-rolling demonstrations perfect for aficionados and newcomers alike. Capture the moment with a photo booth and savor the flavors of Old Forester, the featured whiskey for the night. Each ticket ($130) includes two premium cigars, two delicious drinks, light bites of food and a special Father's Day goodie bag.
Dad’s Free Day At Wings Over the Rockies
WHEN: June 16, 2024
WHERE: Wings Over the Rockies
Celebrate Father’s Day at Wings Over the Rockies! All dads will receive FREE admission at both Wings locations on Father’s Day. Bring the whole family and explore captivating exhibits, see iconic aircraft, immersive displays and more. Create lasting memories with Dad as you explore the wonders of aviation and space! Family members are welcome to pre-purchase their tickets online. Dad’s free admission ticket will be available at check in.
Father's Day Brunch at Los Chingones
WHEN: June 16, 2024
WHERE: Los Chingones (RiNo and DTC locations)
Los Chingones understands that Dads love brunch too. This Father’s Day, Denver’s Dads can savor a Mexican twist on beloved brunch classics from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., complemented by an enticing cocktail selection. The menu features crowd-pleasers like the El Jefe Burrito, Red Chile Chilaquiles, Huevos Rancheros, Breakfast Tacos, Chingon Fried Rice and more. The newly introduced brunch cocktail menu offers bottomless mimosas for $20, a Breakfast Margarita with bacon-infused mezcal and maple syrup, a Spicy Bloody Maria, pitchers of margaritas with flavors like Blueberry Lavender and Passionfruit Chili, perfect for treating Dad to a badass brunch experience.
Father's Day Brunch at Flight Club
WHEN: June 16, 2024 (11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with last seating at 1:30 p.m.)
WHERE: Flight Club Denver
Guests can choose $39 bottomless flatbreads or $49 bottomless mimosas or combine bottomless flatbreads and mimosas for $59 per person. Any of the options include competitive games. The flatbreads offered are smoked salmon, four cheese, breakfast and garden vegetable. The á la carte menu features a fresh-cut fruit plate, breakfast sliders, avocado toast and Flight Club’s famous churros. Mimosas are served in a festive tower with elegant coupe glasses.
The Dad Games!
WHEN: June 16, 2024
WHERE: Dave & Buster's (Denver and Westminster locations)
Do you think you have what it takes to lead your family to victory? Find out this Father’s Day at Dave & Buster’s Denver! Grab the fam & battle for fatherly glory in the first-ever Dad Games. Champion your team as you compete against other families in an epic arcade showdown. Team colors, matching t-shirts, or themed-family outfits encouraged! Win the Grand Prize: Bragging rights + Free game play for a year at D&B! Your ticket includes entry to The Dad Games arcade competition, access to a mouthwatering appetizer banquet, unlimited soft drinks and $20 Power Card® DAD BONUS: Unlimited Video Games ALL DAY!
Father's Day Celebration
WHEN: June 16, 2024
WHERE: BARBOX at Aspen Grove Center, Littleton
Celebrate Dad with mini golf, axe throwing, crafting, live music, bingo, fly fishing tutorials and more! Tickets are $20/per person ($15 for youth) and include a $10 food credit and a drink ticket for one beer, wine, canned cocktail, or non-alcoholic beverage (additional drinks available for purchase). Bring your chairs or blankets!
Father's Day Lunch & Dinner
WHEN: June 16, 2024
WHERE: Table Mountain Grill & Cantina, Golden
Make your reservations for Father's Day lunch or dinner at Golden's Table Mountain Grill & Cantina. Enjoy a special Green Chili Philly with marinated flank steak, house-made green chili queso, green chili relish and pickled Anaheim, served on a warm baguette with choice of side for $19. Add a Boulder Social Draft Beer for just $5!
Father's Day Bottle Bingo
WHEN: June 16, 2024
WHERE: WestFax Brewing Co., Lakewood
Celebrate Father’s Day at WestFax Brewing Co. in Lakewood! Bingo goes from 2 to 4 p.m. with John Davis as your host. Enjoy hilarious comedy while competing for seven different Bourbon and Whiskey Bottles! Bonus prize is a $100.00 gift card to AJ’s Pit BBQ! Hungry? Grab eats from the Big Dub Sliders food truck.
Exclusive Whiskey Class & Tasting
WHEN: June 28, 2024
WHERE: Talnua Distillery, Arvada
Looking for the perfect Father's Day gift? Treat Dad to an unforgettable whiskey class and tasting led by Talnua's head distiller, Patrick Miller, and production manager, Kevin Heinz. Whether he's a seasoned whiskey connoisseur or just beginning to explore spirits, this event promises something special for every dad.
More Events & Festivals
Hangin' N Slangin' Markets
WHEN: June 16, 30, 2024
WHERE: EDENS
Hangin' N Slangin' vintage thrift markets will be in RiNo, in the Lot on Larimer, on the second Saturday (11 a.m. to 6 p.m.), third Sunday (12 p.m. to 7 p.m.) and last Sunday (12 p.m. to 7 p.m.) of every month from March to November right next to the Denver Central Market! Events are always free to attend, and there's always a great group of vendors, food and music.
The Denver Ska Fest
WHEN: June 15, 2024
WHERE: Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA)
The Denver Ska Fest will feature Goldfinger, Less Than Jake & Five Iron Frenzy with The Planet Smashers, The Potato Pirates, Kill Lincoln, Joystick! and Sorry Sweatheart live at Sculpture Park at Denver Performing Arts Complex.
Juneteenth Music Festival
WHEN: June 15–16, 2024
WHERE: Five Points
Juneteenth Music Festival is the nation's signature Juneteenth event. The Historic Five Points Neighborhood hosts the celebration, which has expanded immensely, from a very little-known piece of American history to a nationally celebrated holiday.
Civic Center EATS
WHEN: Thru Oct. 16, 2024; Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
WHERE: Civic Center Park
Every Thursday From May through October, Civic Center EATS transforms Civic Center Park into a lunchtime extravaganza with Denver's best food and fashion trucks and live music. It's your chance to savor a variety of cuisines while supporting our city's small local business scene and the Civic Center Conservancy's mission to restore and enhance Civic Center Park, Denver's only National Historic Landmark.
Second Saturdays At The Shops At Northfield
WHEN: May–October 2024; Second Saturday of the month
WHERE: The Shops At Northfield
Welcome to Second Saturdays at The Shops At Northfield! A handmade-only event consisting of 70+ artisans, crafters and food experts from around Colorado. This art festival occurs every Second Saturday of the month, May through October. Bring the whole family to find incredible gifts, clothing and food for everyone to to enjoy! Parking is always free, and Artisan Markets' events are pup- and kid-friendly.
Second Sundays at Centennial Promenade with Artisan Markets
WHEN: May–October 2024; Second Sunday of the month
WHERE: Centennial Promenade, Centennial
Welcome to Second Sundays at Centennial Promenade! A handmade-only event consisting of 70+ artisans, crafters and food experts from around Colorado. This art festival occurs every Second Sunday of the month, May through October. Bring the whole family to find incredible gifts, clothing and food for everyone to to enjoy! Parking is always free, and Artisan Markets' events are pup- and kid-friendly.
Fitness & Professional Sports
Colorado Rockies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
WHEN: June 14–16, 2024
WHERE: Coors Field - Home of the Colorado Rockies
Grab Dad and come cheer on the Rockies as they take on the Pittsburgh Pirates in a three-game home series.
Colorado Rapids vs. Austin FC
WHEN: June 15, 2024
WHERE: Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City
Is Dad a soccer fan? Then head to Dick's Sporting Goods Park this Father's Day weekend to watch the Colorado Rapids take on Austin FC.
Spa Treatments
Oakwell Beer Spa
Give your dad the gift of relaxation with a spa treatment experience at this unique wellness spot that combines a day spa with a craft beer bar. He'll receive complimentary drinks, gourmet chocolates, a private spa suite and a full-body massage.
Music, Film & Performing Arts
'Cullud Wattah'
WHEN: Thru June 15, 2024
WHERE: Curious Theatre Company
This time-bending play takes on the Flint Water Crisis and dives deep into the poisonous choices of the outside world, the contamination within, and how we make the best decisions for our families’ futures when there are no real, present options. This Regional Premiere features an intergenerational cast of all Black Women joined in song, in reckoning and in ritual.
'Prom'
WHEN: Thru June 23, 2024
WHERE: Littleton Town Hall Arts Center, Littleton
Big-city stars set themselves on a collision course with small-town PTA politicians in this sequin-covered musical comedy. Fresh off a humiliating and high-profile flop, four of Broadway’s brassiest, sassiest stars decide to put themselves back in the spotlight by finding a noble cause to champion. As luck (and social media) would have it, a high school in Indiana has gotten itself into some controversy surrounding its prom. A sweet, courageous young woman wants to take her girlfriend to the dance. But the conservative faculty members and self-righteous parents in the community will stop at nothing to deny the same-sex couple their spin around the dance floor. Enter the quirky Broadway quartet on the rescue, inviting the students to be the kick-ball-change they want to see in the world!
'The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical'
WHEN: Thru June 23, 2024
WHERE: Aurora Fox Mainstage, Aurora
Percy Jackson has 10 days to find Zeus’s stolen lightning bolt and bring peace to the warring gods of modern-day Mount Olympus. To succeed in his quest, Percy and his Camp Half-Blood sidekicks will have to do more than seize the true thief. He must come to terms with the father who abandoned him, solve the riddle of the Oracle and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves. With over 180 million copies sold, “The Lightning Thief” is based on Rick Riordan’s best-selling fantasy novels, sprung to life with dazzling special effects and a riveting pop-rock score.
'Blue Whales: Return of the Giants 3D'
WHEN: Thru March 3, 2025
WHERE: Infinity Theater
Take part in a breathtaking journey with “Blue Whales: Return of the Giants 3D.” In this giant screen film narrated by English actor Andy Serkis, you will explore the world of the magnificent blue whale, a species rebounding from the brink of extinction. Following two scientific expeditions — one to find a missing population of blue whales off the exotic Seychelles Islands, the other to chronicle whale families in Mexico’s stunning Gulf of California — this inspirational story transforms our understanding of the largest animal ever to have lived.
'Cities of the Future'
WHEN: Thru March 3, 2025
WHERE: Infinity Theater
“Cities of the Future” invites you to step into an exciting new world of innovation and exploration to address the challenges of a rapidly changing planet. Discover the thrilling technological breakthroughs — electric autonomous vehicles and aerial highways, solar energy beamed down from space to power entire cities and smart buildings and greener infrastructure to keep us cool — that engineers are working on right now and meet a team of middle school students competing in the Future City Competition. Narrated by actor John Krasinski, this film will energize kids and adults of all ages to think about engineering as a meaningful way to help others and leave a positive mark on the world.
'Broadway’s Next Hit Musical'
WHEN: June 12–30, 2024
WHERE: Garner Galleria Theatre & Bar
Every song is fresh. Every scene is new. Every night is different. It’s all improvised and it’s all funny. "Broadway’s Next Hit Musical" is the only unscripted theatrical awards show. Have you heard of the TONY Awards? Well, "Broadway’s Next Hit Musical" is…The PHONY Awards! Audience members write down made-up song titles and our master improvisers gather these suggestions and present them as “nominated songs” for this coveted award, creating spontaneous scenes and songs filled with dancing, catchy melodies, and tons of laughter. The audience votes for their favorite song and watches as the cast turns that song into a full-blown improvised musical – complete with memorable characters, witty dialogue and plot twists galore.
Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre Concerts
No summer in Denver is complete without at least one — or two, or five — trips to the awe-inspiring Red Rocks Amphitheatre, just 15 miles from downtown Denver. More than 70 million years in the making, the 9,450-seat venue is flanked by enormous 300-foot red sandstone rock formations and always boasts a star-studded musical schedule.
- June 13, 2024: Whiskey Myers with Anderson East and Vincent Neil Emerson
- June 14, 2024: Steve Martin and Martin Short: The Dukes of Funnytown!
- June 15, 2024: Umphrey's McGee with Cory Wong & Daniel Donato's Cosmic Country
- June 16, 2024: KALEO with Matt Maeson
- June 17, 2024: Parcels
Empower Field at Mile High Concerts
In town during the summer but still want to get a peek at the Denver Broncos' famed home stadium? A concert at Empower Field at Mile High might be just the ticket. Big-name acts take to the open-air stage as music carries on the Colorado breeze above the storied gridiron for a concert experience you won't forget.
- June 14–15, 2024: Zach Bryan's The Quittin Time Tour with special guests Sierra Ferrell and Levi Turner
City Park Jazz
The City Park Bandstand and Pavilion turns into a swinging, open-air jazz club on Sundays from June to August from 6–8 p.m., as music lovers of all ages congregate for City Park Jazz. Bring a blanket or folding chair — but be prepared to spend plenty of time on your feet, too. City Park Jazz encourages dancing. Best of all, these concerts are free.
- June 9, 2024: Stafford Hunter & Jazz Explorations
- June 16, 2024: Mistura Fina
Levitt Pavilion Concerts
The Levitt Pavilion is a state-of-the-art amphitheater in Ruby Hill Park that was created as a gift to the community. This outdoor venue hosts a slew of free concerts every summer, and a few ticketed events, too. Bring a blanket and a picnic, kick back on the lawn and enjoy artists from a wide range of genres.
- June 13, 2024: Buffalo Nichols (Free)
- June 14, 2024: Caifanes with Café Tacvba (Ticketed)
- June 15, 2024: Cool Vibes Reggae Fest 2024 Presents The Movement with Special Guests The Elovaters, The Expendables and Aurorawave (Ticketed)
- June 16, 2024: Central City Opera with Grande Orquesta Navarre (Free)
Museum Exhibitions
Good Vibrations
WHEN: Thru June 14, 2024
WHERE: Museum of Outdoor Arts, Greenwood Village
Nine emerging artist interns came together over the summer through MOA's annual Design and Build Summer Internship Program to collaboratively create several unique, site-specific installations for Marjorie Park.
Clarence Shivers: Experimenting with Form
WHEN: Thru July 6, 2024
WHERE: Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, Colorado Springs
Over the course of his career, Clarence Shivers demonstrated a commitment to artistic experimentation, working across different media—both two- and three-dimensional—and cultivating a range of stylistic approaches. A Tuskegee Airman—and career military person—one of Shivers’ most celebrated works is his statue dedicated to these pilots and their legacies, located at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Shivers often returned to forms of portraiture, whether images of friends, families, musicians, civil rights leaders or others, and he represented his subjects with poignant and expressive insight. Shivers also created abstract works that demonstrate his ongoing exploration into geometric form, color and movement. This exhibition presents more than 30 works, paintings, prints and sculptures that offer an expansive view of the artist’s prolific career.
Coalescing Connections
WHEN: Thru July 6, 2024
WHERE: Walker Fine Art
As a species, we are constantly evolving, but we never retract from our instinctive need for nature. These fascinations with nature stem from an innate biologically driven need to interact with other forms of life, such as animals and plants. This group exhibition features seven artists (Julie Anderson, Mark Penner Howell, Sara Sanderson, Brian Comber, Cara Enteles, Sharon Strasburg, and Norman Epp) who work with unique combinations of mediums to explore and project their deep connections to the natural world around us. Utilizing watercolor, ceramic, oil, wood, silkscreen and more, Coalescing Connections showcases collaborative efforts between artistic styles, mediums and, of course, nature.
Espiritu Hermosx/Beautiful Spirit
WHEN: Thru July 14, 2024
WHERE: Museo de las Americas
Museo de las Americas is honored to present this innovative exploration into contemporary LGBTQ+ Latinx artists' diverse experiences. Through novel and traditional practices, 10 artists highlight the breadth and possibility of identity stemming from their experiences of double marginalization as Latinx and queer individuals.
Revolt 1680/2180: Runners + Gliders
WHEN: Thru July 14, 2024
WHERE: History Colorado Center
Transport yourself to the year 2180 at History Colorado Center's new multi-sensory exhibition. Created in partnership with world-renowned artist Virgil Ortiz, a visionary hailing from Cochiti Pueblo, this unprecedented experience brings Indigenous Futurism to The Mile High City through a combination of history, science fiction, art, fashion and fantasy.
Gio Ponti: Designer of a Thousand Talents
WHEN: Thru July 19, 2024
WHERE: Denver Art Museum
Gio Ponti was one of the most inventive Italian architects and designers of his time. For more than 60 years, Ponti’s exuberant approach found expression in public and private commissions from buildings, interiors and furniture to glass, ceramics and flatware, influencing international design for more than 50 years.
Sandra Vásquez de la Horra: The Awake Volcanoes
WHEN: Thru July 21, 2024
WHERE: Denver Art Museum
Vásquez de la Horra was born in 1967 in Viña Del Mar, Chile, growing up during Augusto Pinochet’s 17-year military regime and leaving her home nation to study in Germany in the 1990s. Her drawings often include symbols from different cultures, and her female figures perform contrasting roles in narratives that deal with freedom, spirituality and nature. Her works frequently show female bodies melding with surrealistic landscapes, and her practice is known for its poetic and artistic experimentation that weaves the absurd with the affirmation of affection and pleasure. The Awake Volcanoes highlights paintings, drawings and prints by Vásquez de la Horra, exploring notions of fantasy, desire, fear and pleasure to explore the relationship between the human body and the world around it.
Process Makes Perfect: Printmakers Explore the Natural World
WHEN: Thru July 28, 2024
WHERE: Denver Botanic Gardens
Learn about contemporary lithographic printmaking through artworks exploring the beauty of nature. Featuring color lithographs and process works from the University of Colorado Art Museum’s Sharkive, Process Makes Perfect presents works by Don Ed Hardy, Hung Liu, Emmi Whitehorse and Red Grooms. Through drawings, preparatory materials and test proofs displayed alongside the completed artworks, experience prints inspired by the natural world, and the unique artistic practices that went into creating them.
Biophilia
WHEN: Thru Aug. 11, 2024
WHERE: Denver Art Museum
Biophilia: Nature Reimagined brings together more than 70 imaginative works, including architectural models and photographs, objects, fashion, digital installations, and immersive art experiences that collectively highlight the transformative power of nature. "Biophilia" is a term popularized by American biologist and author Edward O. Wilson to describe his theory that, as humans have evolved as a species, they have been intricately intertwined with the natural world. Organized by Darrin Alfred, Curator of Architecture and Design, Biophilia provides a space for leading architects, artists, and designers to re-examine and reanimate our intrinsic bond with the natural world.
Mile High Magic
WHEN: Thru Aug. 15, 2024
WHERE: History Colorado Center
Focusing on the history of the Denver Broncos, this exhibition uses game-worn memorabilia from more than 60 years of Broncos history to explore fairytale seasons, epic comebacks, legendary players, and the heated rivalries of Colorado’s only National Football League franchise.
Hand in Nature
WHEN: Thru Sept. 1, 2024
WHERE: MCA DENVER — Museum of Contemporary Art Denver
Gala Porras-Kim is a multi-disciplinary artist whose work questions how knowledge is acquired and tests the potential for artworks and objects to function as meaning-makers outside of traditional museum contexts. For this exhibition, Porras-Kim extends lines of questioning into conservation, preservation and care within institutional contexts to the broader natural world and lived environment. The artworks on view distill natural processes into sculptures, paintings and drawings that will grow, evolve or degrade throughout the span of the exhibition. From sculptures rendered with salt-saturated concrete or copal resin wetted with local rainwater to paintings created from slow drips of water drawing from the museum’s humidity and projections from light refractions off of brass panels, Porras-Kim’s work imagines what might be possible if natural forces and phenomenon had the agency to self-determine.
Fazal Sheikh: Thirst | Exposure | In Place
WHEN: Thru Oct. 20, 2024
WHERE: Denver Art Museum
This exhibition was created from three projects photographer Fazal Sheikh made on the Colorado Plateau from 2017 to early 2023. Sheikh’s portraits and landscapes of displaced communities and marginalized people shed light on the far-reaching consequences of extractive industry and climate change. Through this beautiful and sometimes frightening new work, Sheikh encourages viewers to witness the consequences of the past and imagine the shape of the future.
Have a Seat: Mexican Chair Design Today
WHEN: Thru Nov. 3, 2024
WHERE: Denver Art Museum
Have a Seat: Mexican Chair Design Today is an interactive exhibition featuring three historical artworks, 17 contemporary seats designed by 22 Mexican artists, and a site-specific art installation. Through their pioneering designs, the artists embark on a journey through history and traditions, exploring the enduring legacy of the cross-cultural world that emerged in Mexico following the Spanish conquest, which incorporated elements of Indigenous, Asian, African and European cultures and continues to inspire new types of objects and furniture for the 21st century. Have a Seat showcases furniture by contemporary Mexican designers represented in the museum’s permanent collection, including Andrés Lhima, Cecilia León de la Barra, Daniel Valero, Bárbara Sánchez-Kane, Jorge Diego Etienne and many more.
Winter Warriors: The 10th Mountain Division in World War II
WHEN: Thru Nov. 12, 2024
WHERE: History Colorado Center
Using photos, video and first-hand personal accounts from the troops themselves, Winter Warriors: The 10th Mountain Division in World War II explores the history of the U.S. Army's first winter warfare division from its training at Camp Hale in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains through their crucial breakthrough against the Nazi German Army in the mountains of Italy. This exhibition introduces a new generation of Coloradans to this incredible story of ingenuity, perseverance, heroism and sacrifice in a deeply personal way through hundreds of photos, accounts, videos and objects from the soldiers themselves.
Orcas: Our Shared Future
WHEN: Thru Nov. 15, 2024
WHERE: Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Trace the evolution of our beliefs about orcas, from fear to admiration and awe, as we discover their stunning intelligence and complex social structures. Meet a life-sized replica of an orca family as you listen to their soothing harmonies in an immersive underwater environment. Deepen your appreciation for the art of the Indigenous peoples of North America’s Northwest Coast. Discover stories that reveal a profound respect for orcas, highlighting the deep connection between humans and these powerful beings. Examine the global movement to protect our ocean ecosystems, reflect on the consequences of captivity and celebrate the future we share with the fascinating and awe-inspiring orca.
Get Involved: Civic Engagement in Lakewood
WHEN: Thru Dec. 1, 2024
WHERE: Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park, Lakewood
How do you interact with your community? Historic Lakewood residents got involved with their local schools, agricultural organizations, outdoor youth movements and many other special interest groups. Discover how making a difference in the quality of life in our city has evolved over the past century.
Lumonics Immersed
WHEN: Thru Dec. 28, 2024
WHERE: Lumonics Light & Sound Gallery
“Entering a performance at Lumonics Light & Sound Gallery is like stepping through a looking glass and into a sci-fi wonderland. The gallery’s Lumonics Immersed installation was originally created by the late Dorothy and Mel Tanner, pioneering light artists whose singular style fuses elements of light, music and sculptures to produce captivating experiences for the audience.” – Denver Westword
Weaving a Foundation: Cornerstones of the Textile Arts Collection
WHEN: Thru Dec. 31, 2024
WHERE: Denver Art Museum
This new exhibition features 60 objects from the museum’s permanent collection, two-thirds of which have never been shown. Throughout the museum’s history, textile arts have played a fundamental role in the development of its collecting philosophies and exhibition programs. The first textile entered the museum almost 100 years ago, and since that time, textile arts have been regular additions to the collection. Among the handful of early patrons, the Douglas Family of Evergreen, Colorado, emerged as the most steadfast donors of textiles. This exhibition highlights a selection of the family’s donations that demonstrates their celebration of traditional and living cultures and the value of exhibiting them together.
Museum of Illusions
WHEN: Thru Dec. 31, 2024
WHERE: Museum of Illusions
Discover a brilliant collection of perspective-changing rooms, enthralling installations, and spellbinding images. The mesmerizing exhibits will teach you that nothing is ever quite as it seems, especially in the Museum of Illusions Denver.
Danielle SeeWalker: But We Have Something to Say
WHEN: Thru Dec. 31, 2024
WHERE: History Colorado Center
Danielle SeeWalker is a Húŋkpapȟa Lakȟóta citizen from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. She is an artist, writer, activist and boy mom of two, based in Denver. This exhibition uses storytelling to explore a variety of issues important to Indigenous peoples and communities. Striking nineteenth-century hair ornaments, beaded spoons and moccasins are paired with SeeWalker’s art in ways that illuminate censored and erased histories.
By Design: Stories and Ideas Behind Objects
WHEN: Thru Jan. 1, 2025
WHERE: Denver Art Museum
Design is all around us. Whether it takes the form of objects and spaces, images and interactions, or systems and processes, design shapes our lives in fundamental ways. But what shapes design? A series of thematic installations drawn primarily from the architecture and design collection, By Design: Stories and Ideas Behind Objects illustrates the abundance and versatility of approaches to design.
Dialogue and Defiance: Clyfford Still and the Abstract Expressionists
WHEN: Thru Jan. 12, 2025
WHERE: Clyfford Still Museum
Clyfford Still withdrew his paintings from the Betty Parsons Gallery in 1951, refusing to participate in a market prioritizing the fame of an artist and the price of their artworks. The following year, he surprised many by agreeing to participate in a group show at the Museum of Modern Art. His rationale for doing so was because the curator, Dorothy Miller, agreed to show Still’s works together in their own gallery. As Still saw it, his work could be viewed on its own terms and not in direct comparison to other artists—but visitors could still see the scope of American painting in the mid-century. Even with his turn away from the art world, Still saw himself participating in something larger and remained in dialogue with his contemporaries. This exhibition considers the nuanced ways in which Clyfford Still was part of an artists’ community in the late 1940s and early 1950s, despite his protestations to the contrary, and how his paintings, through their scale and composition, promote ideas of community.
Vanity & Vice: American Art Deco
WHEN: Thru Jan. 12, 2025
WHERE: Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art
Vanity & Vice: American Art Deco explores the dynamic designs that emerged during the rebellious years of 1920–1933. American women were enjoying more independence inside and outside the home. Cutting hair into a chic bob, wearing rouge on lips and cheeks, hosting cocktail parties, and publicly consuming alcohol and tobacco all reinforced what it meant to be a modern woman. American designers and manufacturers responded to these societal changes with fashionable perfume atomizers and vanity sets and drinking and smoking accessories in the latest styles. This exhibition invites visitors into two distinct spaces occupied by a progressive Prohibition-era woman: her boudoir and a speakeasy. Explore the Art Deco objects that filled these rooms and how they reflect a time of freedom and change.
Flow: On the River with John Fielder
WHEN: Thru Jan. 27, 2025
WHERE: History Colorado Center
This exhibition focuses on the many uses and importance of the Colorado River, taking visitors inside majestic canyons and atop the most awe-inspiring vistas along the Yampa, Gunnison and Dolores Rivers as they flow toward their confluence with the Colorado. Flow: On the River with John Fielder features a number of iconic large-format Fielder prints, as well as quotes from the renowned landscape photographer gathered carefully from his publications and interviews over the years.
Rumors of Bloomers
WHEN: Thru March 30, 2025
WHERE: Center for Colorado Women's History
Rumors of Bloomers explores women’s experiences as expressed through undergarments. Using rarely displayed objects – such as corsets, bloomers, swimming costumes, petticoats and Mother Hubbard gowns – the exhibition highlights the ways “unmentionables” have given form and shape to bodies, while also expressing identity, autonomy, agency, and protest.
Outdoor Fun
Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park
Head to the only downtown theme and water park in the country for roller coasters, water slides, family entertainment and much more!
Water World
Beat the heat, relax in the park's beautifully landscaped 64 acres — and ride some serious waterslides. Water World is opening just in time for Memorial Day weekend fun!
Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre
Carved from towering red rock monuments, Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre in Morrison is one of the world's most renowned concert venues. The surrounding park has hiking trails that weave in, around and over the colorful red rocks.
Farmers' Markets
The Mile High City's more than 20 farmers' markets aren't just about locally grown produce, delicious baked goods and prepared foods — though you'll find those in abundance! Each market is a festive, weekly street fair, many with live entertainment and family-friendly activities.
Denver Zoo
With over 3,500 animals on 84 gorgeous acres, Denver Zoo is an amazing experience year-round. Your donation helps to provide world-class care for the lions, giraffes and elephants, as well as other wild animals and wild places, from the Rockies to Mongolia.
Denver Botanic Gardens
One of the top five botanic gardens in the nation, Denver Botanic Gardens is an oasis in the city, offering year-round events, a children’s garden, lifelong-learning opportunities and research to preserve Colorado’s precious natural resources. Meanwhile, Chatfield Farms, located in nearby Littleton, takes pride in its exemplary nature preserve and gardens. Located on 750 acres, this picturesque site includes display gardens and a historical farm with a rustic barn.
Hudson Gardens
Enjoy thirty acres of natural beauty offering recreational, educational, and social opportunities for all ages.
Museum of Outdoor Arts
Despite the name, MOA's Englewood collection includes both outdoor sculptures as well as indoor exhibits, including the always-popular Cabinet of Curiosities.
Outdoor Movies
Catch everything from classic drive-in flicks to blockbuster movies in the park or even films at iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre!
City Parks
No matter where you find yourself in The Mile High City, you’re likely only a few steps away from a lush and relaxing green space. Memorial Day weekend is the perfect time to explore Denver's more than 5,000 acres of traditional parks and parkways, as well as an additional 14,000 acres of spectacular mountain parks in neighboring counties that are maintained by the City and County of Denver.
Lesser-Known, Hidden-Gem Parks
If you’re looking for a quiet spot to have a picnic, take in great views or experience a different side of the city, check out these lesser-known Denver parks.
How to Explore the South Platte River by Bike
Take a two-wheeled tour through the heart of the city along this beautiful river. You'll cruise by some of the city's biggest attractions.
Denver's Best Urban Hikes
Denver is a city with boundless outdoor fun and has an ideal location next to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. While The Mile High City is conveniently close to major peaks for hiking, there's actually no need to head into the mountains when Denver's regional trail system encompasses hundreds of miles for all ages and abilities to explore.
How to Explore the Colorado Trail in Waterton Canyon
Many people think that Denver’s prettiest, closest and most accessible bit of mountain scenery is Waterton Canyon. This is the start of the famous Colorado Trail, one of the great long-distance hikes (or mountain bike rides) of the Rocky Mountains.
Pet-Friendly Denver
Denver is home to dozens of pet-friendly activities and destinations, including dog-friendly hotels and dog parks. Find the best on-leash and off-leash fun for your best friend.
Street Art
Denver street artists have been busy brightening (and enlightening) the urban landscape for decades by making canvases of the city’s alleyways, building exteriors, warehouses, garage doors and storefronts. Grab your camera and take a stroll past some of the city's favorite murals.
Outdoor and Patio Dining
There’s no better way to soak up summer than on one of The Mile High City’s splendid patios. From skyward rooftop terraces to lushly landscaped gardens, these are the ultimate spots to eat and drink alfresco in Denver.
Denver Beer Trail
Denver is a mecca for craft beer. But with 100 brewpubs, breweries and tap rooms in the metro area, where do you begin? Let the Denver Beer Trail be your guide with this sampling and interactive map.