Denver City and County Building during the holidays

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Thanksgiving Weekend in Denver

Thanksgiving in Denver returns with fun (and free) events, blockbuster museum exhibitions, lights displays and plenty of family-friendly activities. Don't miss out on great hotel deals. For a delicious deep dive into Denver's culinary scene, check out these Thanksgiving meals for takeout.

We strive to post the most current and accurate event information, but changes and cancellations do occur, so please check the official event website to confirm all details before attending.

Holiday Shopping | Family-Friendly Events | Food & Drink | Music & Performing Arts | Sporting Events | Museum & Gallery Exhibitions

Holiday Shopping Kicks Off

The holiday shopping season kicks off after Thanksgiving! There will be free parking on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday in the Denver Pavilions underground garage while Cherry Creek North is celebrating Small Business Weekend

 

Family-Friendly Events & Activities

Pixar Putt

WHEN: Thru Nov. 27, 2022
WHERE: McGregor Square
Pixar Putt is the ultimate pop-up, indoor mini-golf experience made up of 18 fun and interactive holes inspired by the stories, characters and icons from some of Pixar's most beloved films, including "Toy Story," "The Incredibles," "Monsters, Inc.," "Finding Nemo," "Coco," "A Bug's Life," "Wall-E" and "Inside Out." Pixar Putt is set to take guests to infinity… and beyond!

Butterfly Pavilion's Monarch Magic

WHEN: Nov. 1–30, 2022
WHERE: Butterfly Pavilion, Westminster
By supporting native monarch populations, we’re not only keeping an important pollinator population healthy but also helping preserve unique cultural traditions. These butterflies hold an especially significant spot as one of the essential symbols in the Mexican tradition of Día de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Butterfly Pavilion celebrates this cultural tradition by opening their doors and providing a unique, unforgettable and enchanting experience for all.

The Polar ExpressTM Train Ride

WHEN: Nov. 11–Dec. 23, 2022
WHERE: Colorado Railroad Museum, Golden
The story of The Polar ExpressTM is theatrically re-created and combined with a magical train ride at the Colorado Railroad Museum. Children get to meet Santa and experience all the sights and sounds of this classic tale as if happening all around them. This year, a whole host of carefully crafted updates have been made in order to ensure the health and safety of guests, cast and crew, so put on your pajamas and your most fashionable mask and bring the family to enjoy sharing hot cocoa and cookies together as the "Hot, Hot, Hot—Chocolate" song and dance unfolds before your eyes. 

16th Street Mall Holiday Festival

WHEN: Nov. 12–13, Nov. 19–20, Nov. 26–27 and Dec. 10, 2022
WHERE: 16th Street Mall - Pedestrian Mall
This highly attended annual curated marketplace features an awesome selection of one of-a-kind seasonal items, high-quality handcrafted goods, fabulous holiday gift ideas, delicious specialty foods, home décor and unique holiday gifts. While you shop, enjoy Christmas carolers, live entertainers and appearances by Santa!

Cherry Creek Holiday Market

WHEN: Nov. 17–Dec. 24, 2022
WHERE: Cherry Creek North
The free Cherry Creek North Holiday Market at Fillmore Plaza features 30 local artisan vendors, live music, and festive drinks and decor.

Denver Christkindlmarket

WHEN: Nov. 18–Dec. 23, 2022
WHERE: Civic Center Park

This outdoor event brings the most beloved elements of an authentic German holiday experience to The Mile High City. Stroll through a European village decorated for the holiday season as you shop for finely crafted artisan gifts and treats at charming wooden huts. Fuel your shopping with authentic Glühwein (mulled spiced wine), German Biers and hot chocolate, and nosh on Bavarian-style pretzels, fresh smoked salmon, Knödel, Goulasch, Nürnberger Sausages, pastries, caramels and European chocolates. 

Downtown Denver Rink

WHEN: Nov. 21, 2022–Feb. 14, 2023
WHERE: Skyline Park
Bundle up for some free ice skating in the heart of downtown and enjoy special events. 

Avista Adventist Hospital Louisville Turkey Trot 5K

WHEN: Nov. 24, 2022
WHERE: Front Street, Downtown Louisville
Join your neighbors and friends on Thanksgiving morning for the 2022 Avista Adventist Hospital Louisville Turkey Trot. Your entry and any other food donations go to support Community Food Share, whose mission is to eliminate hunger in Boulder and Broomfield Counties through engagement, collaboration and leadership.

Après Ski Holiday Market

WHEN: Nov. 25–Dec. 18, 2022 (weekends)
WHERE: Dairy Block
Paying homage to the quaint European holiday festivals, the Aprés Ski-themed weekend festival takes place in the heated alleyway between all the Daily Block shops and restaurants. Running every weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the Aprés Holiday Market gives consumers the opportunity to engage with unique, independently owned and high-quality brands to shop while enjoying a beverage and embracing their inner ski vibes.

Rocky Mountain Train Show - Holiday Edition

WHEN: Nov. 26–27, 2022
WHERE: The Ranch Events Complex, Loveland
The Rocky Mountain Train Show steams into Loveland on Thanksgiving Weekend! The show is appropriate for all ages, with story time, trains that kids can run, face painting and picture with Santa for the kids, and more than 60 vendors selling trains in scales ranging from N to G for hobbyists.

Santa at McGregor Square

WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Milepost Zero Food Hall

Santa will be available for photos on the following dates/times:

A Storybook Holiday in Evergreen

WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Evergreen

See classic Christmas stories depicted in ice! The mountain community of Evergreen is “hiding” ice sculptures around town and Santa is flying in from the North Pole to do some special readings. 

Santa's Flight Academy

WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Cherry Creek Shopping Center
Your little ones can step inside a 22-foot-tall sleigh and experience the magical snowfall. They can also have their photos taken with Santa. Reservations are recommended. 

Food & Drink

Tinseltown: Where Everyday Is Christmas 

WHEN: Nov. 10–30, 2022
WHERE: Zeppelin Station

Tinseltown is coming, just in time for winter! The all-encompassing Christmas-themed pop-up will be fulfilling all your festive wishes. Expect Santa, elves, presents, tinsel, festive tunes and lots of winter warmer drinks, including a fabulous Christmas cocktail menu. The halls are more than fully decked with baubles, bows, hanging trees, wreaths and just about every festive goodie ever! Tickets include entry to the themed bar and a themed drink on arrival.

Champagne Cascade  

WHEN: Nov. 13, 2022
WHERE: Brown Palace Hotel & Spa by Marriott 

Begin your holiday celebrations by experiencing the 34th Annual Champagne Cascade in the picturesque atrium lobby. This iconic event features master swordsmen using Napoleonic sabers to sever the bottlenecks of Moet & Chandon Champagne. The Champagne is then poured into the uppermost glass of a two-story high, 5,000-plus glass pyramid. As the Champagne is poured, it cascades into the glasses below, creating a stunning display of bubbly liquid as it is cheered on by live holiday tunes and the crowd lining all levels of the holiday-adorned atrium. 

Thanksgiving Buffet

WHEN: Nov. 24, 2022
WHERE: Downtown Aquarium

The aquarium's buffet will feature traditional Thanksgiving favorites, including carved turkey, cornbread stuffing and house-made cranberry sauce, along with a kid’s buffet and exhibit discounts at the Aquarium! Reservations required.

 

Music & Performing Arts

'The Addams Family'

WHEN: Thru Nov. 27, 2022
WHERE: Parker

This comical feast embraces the wackiness in every family. Featuring an original story, it’s every father’s nightmare: Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family — a man her parents have never met. And if that wasn’t upsetting enough, Wednesday confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez must do something he’s never done before: keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents.

Momma McCracken: A Comedy Variety Show

WHEN: Thru Dec. 17, 2022
WHERE: RISE Comedy

Every third Saturday of the month, Momma McCracken cooks up a batch of hilarity in her closet comedy variety show at Denver's RISE Comedy! The outlandish comedy show takes place in her closet. The secret sauce to her comedy? Momma processes outlandish life stories, converses with the audience and offers unconventional candid wisdom. And she packs the show with the talents of a variety of guest comedians. Sketch, Standup, Improv and unique comedy acts are regulars in the closet. Music and comedy by Colin Tilleman is always performed in the closet to give the show an edgy sound.

'Little Red'

WHEN: Thru Dec. 18​, 2022
WHERE: Weeks Conservatory Theatre

This charming, song-infused retelling of 'Little Red Riding Hood' finds Little Red at the center of new adventures and new ways of seeing familiar characters. With a wandering wolf, a gardening grandma, a forest at risk, and characters from other tales joining in, Little Red discovers her own power as a vital doer in her community. Joyous and inspiring, the musical captures the warmth of Little Red and her family of smart, engaged females while also welcoming a new friendship between Red and Wolf.

'Theater of the Mind'

WHEN: Thru Dec. 18, 2022
WHERE: York Street Yards

"Theater of the Mind" from Denver Center for Performing Arts will take audience members through an immersive journey in a 15,000-square-foot historic warehouse within the adaptive reuse campus of  York Street Yards in the Clayton neighborhood. Audiences will explore how they perceive the world through sensory experiments that reveal the inner mysteries of the brain as they are led by a Guide whose stories are inspired by the creators' lives. It's a journey of self-reflection, discovery and imagination, inspired by and grounded in neuroscience, co-created by Talking Heads frontman David Byrne and writer Mala Gaonkar.

'Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story'

WHEN: Thru Jan. 28​, 2023
WHERE: 
Boulder's Dinner Theatre, Boulder
In just three short years, Buddy Holly set the music world on fire and forever changed the face and sound of rock and roll. Armed with a Fender Stratocaster guitar, his signature specs and a charismatic blend of rockabilly swagger, Buddy explodes onto the stage in this jukebox musical fully loaded with classics “Peggy Sue,” “Oh Boy,” “That’ll Be the Day,” “Well…All Right,” “Not Fade Away” and many more with an encore that will have you on your feet and dancing in the aisles.

Top Secret Comedy Show at Denver Comedy Underground

WHEN: Thru March 25, 2023
WHERE: 
Denver Comedy Underground
Denver's best comedy club brings you the best comedy, stand up and hilarious events every weekend, including special secret guests. These lineups are so good we legally can't tell you who they are!

'Until the Flood'

WHEN: Thru Aug. 11, 2023
WHERE: Virtual/Online

After the death of Michael Brown, The Ferguson Unrest shook the nation to its core and put a spotlight on police brutality and discrimination. Using extensive interviews she conducted herself, Pulitzer Prize finalist and Obie Award winner Dael Orlandersmith created eight fictional characters to represent the broad spectrum of perspectives that continue to define and divide our country at large.

'Hit & Run: Musical Improv'

WHEN: Thru Aug. 25, 2023 (Fridays)
WHERE: RISE Comedy

Enjoy Colorado’s premier improvised musical comedy team and Denver’s longest-running improv comedy show! Hit and Run: Musical Improv® creates an hour-long, fully improvised, Broadway-style musical with live musical accompaniment, based on suggestions from the audience. You’ll see a brand new musical every week!

'The Queen's Ball - A Bridgerton Experience'

WHEN: Nov. 2–27, 2022
WHERE: Buell Theatre in the Denver Performing Arts Complex

The Queen herself invites you to a once-in-a-lifetime evening of music and dance complete with acrobatic performances, interactive experiences, a stunning dance show and plenty of surprises. As guests at this delightful soirée, you will be transported to 1813 London to take part in the most coveted ball of the season. Prepare to mingle with other members of the Ton as you enjoy a beautiful ballroom decorated in the Regency-era style, interact with actors dressed in exquisite period costumes, savor delicious cocktails and listen to live music inspired by the iconic "Bridgerton" soundtrack.

'Modern Times'

WHEN: Nov. 6, 2022
WHERE: Su Teatro Cultural and Performing Arts Center

If you think the world is crazier than it’s ever been, you're not alone!This year Stories on Stage and Buntport Theater Company tackle the madness of “Modern Times” through a madcap montage of short pieces that paints a humorous view of the craziness of modern life. The in-person performance is Sunday, November 6 at 2:00 p.m. at Su Teatro Cultural and Performing Arts Center, located at 721 Santa Fe Drive, and on Thursday, November 10, the virtual performance begins at 7:00 p.m. and will be available for viewing any time thereafter. 

'My Fair Lady'

WHEN: Nov. 15–27, 2022
WHERE: Buell Theatre in the Denver Performing Arts Complex

"My Fair Lady" tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into his idea of a "proper lady." But who is really being transformed? This production boasts all the classic songs you love, including "I Could Have Danced All Night," "The Rain in Spain," "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" and "On the Street Where You Live." 

'Zotto'

WHEN: Nov. 18–Dec. 11, 2022
WHERE: Sakura Square

"Zotto" is an immersive and multi-sensory supernatural Japanese folktale and theatrical journey. Audiences explore three generations of Japanese American women and their relationship to Denver’s rich yet sordid history as they encounter yokai and obake (Japanese spirits and demons) and other unexpected characters, discover hidden secrets within forgotten spaces, and engage with interactive elements that ask them to consider the relationship between intention and impact.

'A Christmas Carol'

WHEN: Nov. 18–Dec. 24​, 2022
WHERE: Denver Center for the Performing Arts’ Wolf Theatre

Essential to the holiday season in Denver, "A Christmas Carol" is a joyous and opulent musical adaptation that traces money-hoarding curmudgeon Ebenezer Scrooge’s triumphant overnight journey to redemption.

'Newsies'

WHEN: Nov. 18–Dec. 30, 2022
WHERE: Town Hall Arts Center, Littleton

Jack Kelly and his newsboy pals dream of a better life than the hard streets of New York City, earning 26 cents a day for their grueling physical labor. Selling “papes” has been a challenge since the end of the Spanish-American War. When wealthy industrialists raise the price of paper bundles, cutting further into the Newsies’ meager profits, they decide to stand up for themselves; through song and dance, of course! This uplifting stage musical is based off the movie of the same name and is a fictionalized account of the real newsboy strike of 1899.

'Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberly'

WHEN: Nov. 19–Dec. 17, 2022
WHERE: The John Hand Theater

A sequel to Jane Austen’s "Pride and Prejudice" set two years after the novel ends, Miss Bennet continues the story, only this time with bookish middle-sister Mary as its unlikely heroine. Mary is growing tired of her role as a dutiful middle sister in the face of her siblings’ romantic escapades. When the family gathers for Christmas at Pemberley, an unexpected guest sparks Mary’s hopes for independence, an intellectual match and possibly even love.

Home for the Holidays (Larimer Square)

WHEN: Nov. 23 and Nov. 25–27, 2022
WHERE: Comedy Works Downtown in Larimer Square

Join us this holiday season to welcome 12 Denver-based national touring headliners on the Comedy Works stage. Sam Tallent had been described as “the absurd voice of a surreal generation.” Ben Roy, Adam Cayton-Holland, and Andrew Orvedahl of The Grawlix created, wrote and starred in "Those Who Can’t" on TruTV. David Gborie makes his Comedy Works headline debut. And DU Law grad Troy Walker returns home to Denver for the holiday. You don’t want to miss this killer line-up!

Home for the Holidays (South)

WHEN: Nov. 23 and Nov. 25–27, 2022
WHERE: Comedy Works South

Join us this holiday season to welcome 12 Denver-based national touring headliners on the Comedy Works South stage. See accomplished comedian, licensed teacher and published author Chris Voth. Derrick Stroup is an Alabama native who recently made his Dry Bar Comedy special. Brent Gill has been described as “A paragon of the Denver comedy scene.” Phil Palisoul steps off a cruise ship to join us in his hometown. Louis Johnson is a founding member of the critically acclaimed The S.E.L.L.O.U.T. Comedy Tour. And Mike Stanley brings his wry, witty, cunning, crass comedy to the stage.

'Home Alone' in Concert

WHEN: Nov. 25–26, 2022
WHERE: Boettcher Concert Hall in the Denver Performing Arts Complex

Celebrate this modern holiday classic featuring John Williams’ charming and delightful score performed live by your Colorado Symphony as the film is screened for your enjoyment! Hilarious and heartwarming, "Home Alone" is holiday fun for the entire family.

Belliston Ballet: 'The Nutcracker'

WHEN: Nov. 25–27, 2022
WHERE: Newman Center for the Performing Arts

Belliston’s "Nutcracker" has enthralled audiences with an impressive display of costuming, sets and dance for more than 30 years. While the show is visually entertaining for the entire family, the best part is that this production, above others, has a way of gently warming the heart while inspiring its audience to find the magic of the holiday season.

'The Jedi Handbook'

WHEN: Nov. 25–Dec. 18, 2022
WHERE: Aurora Fox Arts Center, Aurora

A not-so-long time ago, in this very galaxy, a certain sci-fi film rocked the world and changed both cinema and schoolyards forever. Join us this holiday season to experience the epic adventures of "Star Wars" anew, through the eyes of two young best friends facing something scarier than Darth Vader and uglier than Jabba the Hut: getting older!

'A Christmas Story'

WHEN: Nov. 25–Dec. 23, 2022
WHERE: Miners Alley Playhouse, Golden

All the elements from the beloved motion picture are here, including the family's temperamental exploding furnace; the boys' experiment with a wet tongue on a cold lamppost; the Little Orphan Annie decoder pin; Ralphie's father winning a lamp shaped like a woman's leg in a net stocking; Ralphie's fantasy scenarios and more. "A Christmas Story" is destined to become a theatrical holiday tradition!

'Disney’s Beauty and the Beast'

WHEN: Nov. 25–Dec. 31, 2022
WHERE: Arvada Center for the Arts & Humanities, Arvada

Be our guest this holiday season with a tale as old as time! When a prince is transformed into a Beast by a spell that can only be broken by true love, it’s up to the bookworm Belle to not only accept his love — but truly love him in return. Disney’s "Beauty and the Beast" brings together talking teapots, dancing candlesticks and beloved original songs from the movie classic for an enchanting night the whole family will enjoy.

'A Made for TV Holiday Homicide'

WHEN: Nov. 25, 2022–Jan. 7, 2023
WHERE: Adams Mystery Playhouse

Don your favorite ugly holiday sweater and join the Adams Mystery Playhouse crew for the filming of the made-for-TV movie "Let The Snow Fall Where It May." However, not everyone on the set is in a festive mood as tempers flare. Will the winter jubilee be ruined by a dastardly murder?

'Mystery in the Toy Shop'

WHEN: Nov. 26, 2022
WHERE: Adams Mystery Playhouse
Mr. Wilson and his daughter, Brooklyn, have put a rare doll, capable of granting three wishes, on display. After the Toy Shop is visited by Presto, a magic shop owner struggling to keep his shop open, and Oddstrom, a very strange collector, the rare and valuable doll goes missing! It's up to you to help Mr. Wilson and Brooklyn find this priceless family heirloom.

The Silhouettes

WHEN: Nov. 26, 2022
WHERE: PACE Center, Parker
Bringing light and love to the holiday season, The Silhouettes, America’s premiere shadow-dance company and finalist on "America’s Got Talent," use shadow, light, music and dance to enrapture audiences with powerful stories performed by the company’s talented cast of young dancers.

'Sisters in Law'

WHEN: Nov. 26–Dec. 11, 2022
WHERE: Newman Center for the Performing Arts

Based on the book of the same name by Linda Hirshman, this is the story of how two different women, Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, changed the world! "Sisters in Law" tells the true story of a friendship that transcended political party, religion, region and culture. Strengthened by each other’s presence, these ground-breaking Supreme Court Justices transformed the Constitution and America itself, making it a more equal place for all women. 

Colorado Ballet: 'The Nutcracker'

WHEN: Nov. 26–Dec. 24, 2022
WHERE: Ellie Caulkins Opera House

The beloved holiday favorite returns in a dazzling production like no one's ever seen, featuring all-new sets and costumes created especially for Colorado Ballet. A sellout every year, this magical tale of Clara, the Nutcracker and the Mouse King is going to be dreamier than ever.

The TEN Tenors — Home For The Holidays

WHEN: Nov. 27, 2022
WHERE: Boettcher Concert Hall in the Denver Performing Arts Complex
Enjoy a joyous night of music featuring hit Australian classical-crossover supergroup The TEN Tenors.

'Peppa Pig Live! Peppa Pig's Adventure'

WHEN: Nov. 27, 2022
WHERE: Bellco Theatre

"Peppa Pig Live!" is here with the all new, action-packed live show featuring your favorite characters as life-sized puppets and costumed characters in her new live show, "Peppa Pig’s Adventure!" Join Peppa on an exciting camping trip to the woods with George and her school friends, including Pedro Pony, Suzy Sheep and Gerald Giraffe. With lunchboxes packed and Daddy Pig driving the bus, Peppa and friends are excited about their outdoor adventure, full of singing, dancing, games and surprises!

'A Rocky Mountain Christmas'

WHEN: Nov. 27, 2022
WHERE: PACE Center, Parker
A family holiday tradition comes to life in “A Rocky Mountain Christmas” as Jim Curry performs music from John Denver’s many Christmas TV specials and albums, including holiday standards and John’s all-time hits like “Rocky Mountain High” and “Back Home Again.”

Cherish The Ladies: A Celtic Christmas

WHEN: Nov. 27, 2022
WHERE: Lone Tree Arts Center

One of the most engaging and successful ensembles in the history of Celtic music, Cherish The Ladies have shared timeless Irish traditions with audiences worldwide for more than 30 years. In their Celtic Christmas program, the Ladies put their signature mark on classic carols such as “O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Silent Night,” in arrangements that highlight the group’s unique Celtic instrumentation, beautiful harmonies and spectacular step dancing. Hailed by The New York Times as “passionate, tender and rambunctious,” Cherish The Ladies have released three critically acclaimed holiday albums, "On Christmas Night," "A Star In The East," and 2015’s "Christmas In Ireland."

 

Sporting Events

University of Denver vs. Omaha

WHEN: Nov. 25 and 26, 2022
WHERE: Magness Arena - University of Denver

Join the DU Pioneers hockey team as they take to the ice for two nights in a row during against Omaha! 

Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars

WHEN: Nov. 26, 2022; 7 p.m.
WHERE: Ball Arena

Cheer on the Stanley Cup winners as they take on Dallas.  

 

Museum & Gallery Exhibitions

Georgia O’Keeffe: Photographer

WHEN: Thru Nov. 6, 2022
WHERE: Denver Art Museum

Georgia O’Keeffe: Photographer brings a trove of newly identified photographs by the groundbreaking artist to Colorado in an exhibition organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) with the collaboration of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, Santa Fe. The presentation reveals a new aspect of the modernist artist’s career through nearly 100 photographs.

The Red Road Project

WHEN: Thru Nov. 18, 2022
WHERE: McNichols Civic Center Building, Denver Arts & Venues

This collaboration between photographer Carlotta Cardana and writer Danielle SeeWalker explores Native American identities, stories and experiences through a first-person narrative while depicting an accurate representation of American Indian people living in 21st century, post-colonial America. This ongoing project highlights often untold, positive stories of resilience within Indian Country. These stories cover vast topics and touchpoints from past to present, including a highlight on the Colorado Native community. This passion project is a decades-long body of work and includes photography, video and archival images and documents.

Butterfly Armoire

WHEN: Thru Nov. 26, 2022
WHERE: Leon Gallery

Leon Gallery is thrilled to welcome back bunny M for their second solo exhibition, Butterfly Armoire. The exhibition will feature 54 paintings celebrating the beauty of butterflies and their designation as symbols of the psyche. 50 of the paintings will have a corresponding 1/1 NFT. The physical paintings, as well as the NFTs, can be purchased independently but are offered at a discount when a bonded pair is kept together. 

A Wink Is Just A Wink

WHEN: Thru Nov. 30, 2022
WHERE: Meow Wolf Denver

Amber Cobb’s sculptures, paintings and drawings address the ambiguity within intimate experiences. Beginning with the body as a point of departure, she unpacks the physical and psychological responses to life’s complicated interactions through abjection, attraction and humor. Mattresses, furniture and domestic objects are abstracted through layering and subtracting. Familiar yet strange, these forms invite and confront a collection of emotions related to sensuality, the absurdity of gender roles and sexual innuendos.

Spookadelia: The Wakening | Immersive Art Experience

WHEN: Thru Nov. 30, 2022
WHERE: Spectra Art Space

This all-ages, narrative-driven, psychedelic, immersive, interactive art and theatrical experience investigates the human condition and our relationship with self while providing a fresh take on art consumption and the haunted experience. 

Design & Build: Curiosities

WHEN: Thru Dec. 15, 2022
WHERE: Marjorie Park, Greenwood Village

Eight emerging artist interns came together over the summer to collaboratively create several unique, site-specific installations with the theme "curiosities" for the Museum of Outdoor Art’s Marjorie Park in just eight weeks.

Margaret Kasahara: Notable

WHEN: Thru Dec. 18, 2022
WHERE: McNichols Civic Center Building, Denver Arts & Venues

This is an exhibition of interdisciplinary work inspired by everyday experiences and observations – from familiar routine to extraordinary events. The pieces were created in the spirit of sharing personal perspectives and seeing familiar objects in unexpected ways. This exhibition celebrates the beauty and symbolic strength of individual grains of rice, relaying thoughts on loss and healing through broken branches, and expressing our connected humanity and everyday wonder with humble pencil. The artist, Margaret Kasahara, is drawn to the relatability and honesty of commonplace things and delights in revealing their expressive potential. 

Nizhóní Way: New Works by Melanie Yazzie

WHEN: Thru Dec. 18, 2022
WHERE: McNichols Civic Center Building, Denver Arts & Venues

As a printmaker, painter and sculptor, Melanie Yazzie’s work draws upon her rich Diné (Navajo) cultural heritage. The exhibit title, Nizhóní, means beautiful in Navajo, but it also means living and existing in the world in a beautiful way. Nizhóní touches on being at peace and in balance with your surroundings. This exhibition is a collection of mixed media works with various levels of printmaking layered with painting and drawing.

The Center on Colfax Open Art Studio’s Exhibition

WHEN: Thru Dec. 24, 2022
WHERE: Denver Art Museum

The Center on Colfax opened in 1976 and has grown to become the largest LGBTQ community center in the Rocky Mountain region. The Open Art Studio launched in 2010, providing a safe space for individuals to come together to connect and create. This exhibit is a product of the Center's participants, talents, hopes, dreams, pain, tears, fears, love and more.

By Design: Stories and Ideas Behind Objects

WHEN: Thru Dec. 30, 2022
WHERE: Denver Art Museum

A series of thematic installations drawn primarily from the architecture and design collection, this exhibition illustrates the abundance and versatility of approaches to design. How does it come into being? Who creates it and for what purpose? What trends inspire it? And how does it serve society?

Fantastic Brush: Twentieth-Century Chinese Ink Art from the Robert and Lisa Kessler Collection

WHEN: Thru Dec. 30, 2022
WHERE: Denver Art Museum

The 23 ink paintings featured in this exhibit showcase some of the most important artists in twentieth-century China, including Zhang Daqian, Qi Baishi, Xu Beihong, Wu Changshuo and Wu Guanzhong. The collection includes examples by teachers and students, friends and colleagues. The artists come from very different backgrounds: some traveled to Europe to study Western art, some went to Japan to study Japanese art and Western art as filtered through Japanese experience, and others never went abroad. Nevertheless, all were well versed in traditional Chinese ink art.

At the Heart of The Flames

WHEN: Thru Dec. 31, 2022
WHERE: Denver Firefighters Museum

At the Heart of the Flames is made entirely of art created by active and retired Denver firefighters to showcase their creativity. 

Gio Ponti: Designer of a Thousand Talents

WHEN: Thru Jan. 1, 2023
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. 

Seeing Red: Botanical Art & Illustration

WHEN: Thru Jan. 1, 2023
WHERE: Denver Botanic Gardens

Featuring work by students and faculty of Denver Botanic Gardens’ School of Botanical Art & Illustration, Seeing Red spotlights the vibrant shades of red found in plants and fungi. From peppers to hibiscus and apples to poinsettias, red is found throughout the natural world. Works in a variety of media feature red flowers, foliage, fungi, fruits and vegetables.

Frank Lloyd Wright: Inside the Walls

WHEN: Thru Jan. 8, 2023
WHERE: Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art

The exhibition will explore the relationship between Wright’s architecture and decorative art. Wright believed in the concept of “a total work of art,” with the accessories and furnishings of a building complementing the architecture to create a unified whole.

Planet Pioneers

WHEN: Thru Jan. 8, 2023
WHERE: Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum

Composed of 17 hands-on exhibits, Planet Pioneers puts budding astronauts and space explorers to the test as they attempt to source their own food, shelter and solve problems in an unknown world. Colonizing the planet is no trivial task, and visitors should prepare for full-body challenges, including driving a 4-D Surface Exploration Vehicle, flying a virtual drone to solve environmental issues and experiencing G-Force in a spinning capsule.

Front Range Contemporary Quilters - Complements to the Chef

WHEN: Thru Jan. 14, 2023
WHERE: Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, Golden

Front Range Contemporary Quilters were invited to explore any food-related topic for this unique exhibition: food is grown, harvested, transported, purchased, prepared, cooked, served and eaten. Example include a backyard herb garden, a baby’s face after eating blueberries, a field of corn, a stunning supermarket display, a fancy restaurant setting, a family meal and a simple cup of tea.

Abundant Future: Cultivating Diversity in Garden, Farm and Field

WHEN: Thru Jan. 15, 2023
WHERE: Denver Botanic Gardens

Featuring 40 original botanical illustrations, this exhibition highlights the history and importance of biological diversity in cultivated plants grown for clothing, healing and — most of all — for food. The subjects of these works were discovered on international travels, picked up at the farmer’s market or harvested from the artists’ gardens. The works illustrate the artistry of plant breeding, the challenges of maintaining genetic diversity in domesticated crops, and the potential for rejuvenation found in heirloom and ancient plant revival.

Disruption

WHEN: Thru Jan. 23, 2023
WHERE: Denver Art Museum

Works from the Vicki and Kent Logan Collection presents about 50 artworks including paintings, sculptures, photographs, mixed-media works, and several artworks never before displayed at the museum. This outstanding collection features many works by noted North American and international contemporary artists including Kent Monkman, Yang Shaobin, Zhang Dali, Elmgreen and Dragset, Agustina Woodgate, Glenn Ligon, and Jenny Saville.

DALÍ ALIVE

WHEN: Thru Jan. 29, 2023
WHERE: Stanley Marketplace, Aurora

Experience DALÍ ALIVE, an immersive look into Salvador Dalí's life from Grande Experiences, world leaders in multi-sensory art and culture experiences, in cooperation with The Dalí Museum. The exhibit will further redefine the way audiences connect with art and culture, engaging and inspiring guests to explore the life, art and triumphant accomplishments of Salvador Dalí. A powerful and vibrant symphony of light, color, captivating imagery, stirring soundscapes and evocative aromas take you out of your world and immerse you inside the surreal visions synonymous with the renowned artist.

The Dirty South: Contemporary Art, Material Culture, and the Sonic Impulse

WHEN: Thru Feb. 5, 2023
WHERE: MCA DENVER — Museum of Contemporary Art Denver

This exhibition explores the aesthetic legacies and traditions of Black Culture in the African American South as seen through the lens of contemporary Black musical expression. Lauded by critics, it argues for the importance of the American South and Black culture as critical to our understanding of America’s past, present and future. 

You Select: A Community-Curated Exhibition

WHEN: Thru Feb. 12, 2023
WHERE: Clyfford Still Museum

In the culminating exhibition of the Clyfford Still Museum's tenth anniversary year, You Select: A Community-Curated Exhibition hands the curatorial reins to art lovers from the surrounding Denver community and beyond. This exhibit is designed to foster far-reaching engagement and appreciation of Clyfford Still’s art and artistic legacy.

Luis Barragán: A Legacy. New Works Undressing the Mexican Soul

WHEN: Thru Feb. 18, 2023
WHERE: Museo de las Americas

Museo de las Americas presents a new collective exhibition, Luis Barragán: a Legacy. New Works Undressing the Mexican Soul. Curated by Artemio García Uribe from Guadalajara, MX, this exhibition celebrates the legacy of one of the most iconic and well-known Mexican architects of the 20th century. With this exhibit, Museo de las Americas will explore how his influence has manifested in the work of five Mexican artists who will create a mosaic of interpretations of what Barragán and his works mean to them. 

Other People's Pictures

WHEN: Thru Feb. 26, 2023
WHERE: Denver Art Museum

This exhibition of more than 70 photographic works from a collection donated to the DAM in 2018 by Robert and Kerstin Adams explores the reciprocal relationships among artists and their creative exchange of objects. It also examines the themes of collecting, the pleasure of looking, and how diverse points of view interact to shape perspectives.

Memory Mirror

WHEN: Thru March 5, 2023
WHERE: Denver Art Museum

Lares Feliciano's Memory Mirror is an immersive installation that invites visitors to explore their relationship with memory through animation, dioramas and interactive storytelling. Designed to evoke the memory of a relative's living room, this exhibition will transform the museum's Precourt Family Discovery Hall into a surreal domestic den that is both familiar and fantastic.

Return of the Corn Mothers

WHEN: Thru Sept. 30, 2023
WHERE: History Colorado Center

Return of the Corn Mothers marks a three-year effort to honor 22 new Corn Mothers in 2022. What began in 2007 with a small grant from the Rocky Mountain Women’s Institute and eight local women has now expanded to include more than 70 women. Join in the rich tradition of honoring Southwest women through this revitalized exhibit.

All Hallows Art Show

WHEN: Nov. 1–30, 2022
WHERE: Bar Nun

Halloween may be over, but Sean P. Tracey's All Hallows Art Show is just beginning!

Darrell Anderson Mediums

WHEN: Nov. 4–26, 2022
WHERE: Magpie Arts Gallery on Larimer Square

Head to Denver’s historic Larimer Square to experience Darrell Anderson Mediums, the first solo show featuring internationally acclaimed local artist Darrell Anderson. A Denver native, Anderson’s work is rooted in his desire to unite the world through art. His diversity of experience — Anderson served as a U.S. Army race relations instructor during the Vietnam war and spent more than a decade as Frontier Airlines’ first male flight attendant — is reflected in the richness of his body of artwork. Celebrated works include a serigraph commissioned by the Colorado Rockies and major public art pieces at ​​Denver International Airport and the U.S. Custom House in Denver.

Collected Perspective

WHEN: Nov. 5–26, 2022
WHERE: PlatteForum

Jennifer explores map-making through a social justice lens Maravillas-Bell. She has been creating a map of the area around PlatteForum’s Annex Gallery,  walking the streets surrounding it, collecting debris from the street, and then impressing those found objects into concrete in the shape of each block. The result will be a large concrete map with each block creating a beautiful mosaic of the inhabitants of this area.

American Roulette

WHEN: Nov. 10–Dec. 22, 2022
WHERE: Hatton Gallery, Visual Arts Building, CSU, Fort Collins

American Roulette examines gun violence in the United States. The installation features the work of Michelle Graves, CJ Hungerman, Cesar Conde, Dominic Sansone, Anthony Guntren, Yousif Del Valle and Folleh Shar Francis Tamb and explores our current state of affairs, our gun-culture and our kneeling at the altar of hate and intolerance.

Fall 2022 MSU Denver BFA Thesis Exhibition

WHEN: Nov. 11–Dec. 9, 2022
WHERE: 
Metropolitan State University of Denver - Center for Visual Art
The Fall 2022 BFA Thesis Exhibition is the pinnacle of MSU Denver’s Studio Art and Communication Design students’ education. Graduating students will present their thesis in a gallery exhibition at Center for Visual Art – Metropolitan State University of Denver (CVA). Works include themes of exploration, communication, advocacy, identity, sexuality, autonomy, connection and hybridity. Visitors can expect to experience an evocative collection that incorporates installation, design, video, performance, drawing, painting, ceramics and sculpture.  

Her Brush: Japanese Women Artists from the Fong-Johnstone Collection

WHEN: Nov. 13, 2022–May 13, 2023
WHERE: Denver Art Museum

This exhibition takes a nuanced approach to questions of artistic voice, gender and agency through more than 100 works of painting, calligraphy and ceramics from 1600s to 1900s Japan. Many of these artworks will be on view for the first time to the public. 

Quintessence

WHEN: Nov. 17–Dec. 11, 2022
WHERE: SYNC Gallery

This exhibition is about how artists Lisa Calzavara and Joy Redstone explore different ways in which abstract work can depict the core essence of life and how we explore its beauty.

LAPS: A Journey Through Time

WHEN: Nov. 17–Dec. 24, 2022
WHERE: Cherry Creek North

In a world that seems to move at an increasingly rapid pace, this interactive art installation offers a moment to slow down and really enjoy the season. LAPS features six giant musical hourglasses that entice visitors to bend time and then sit back and watch as bursting light and dancing color fill the air.

Core Members Solo Exhibits

WHEN: Nov. 18–Dec. 4, 2022
WHERE: Lakewood

Explore exhibits by artists Michelle Lamb, Christine O'Dea and Chris Hudson. Re:Defined by assemblage artist Michelle Lamb uses re-purposed, re-used, re-assembled and re-animated found objects to deconstruct, modify and "recontextualize" her subjects. Transmute by Christine O’Dea demonstrates our ability to change wounds into our greatest gifts, pain into freedom, mistakes into magic, defeat into empowerment and loss into creation. And Mañana by Chris Hudson explores what the concept of "tomorrow" really means.

Mettle Martyr Volume 2

WHEN: Nov. 18–Dec. 8, 2022
WHERE: Bitfactory Gallery

Mettle Martyr Volume 2 is much more than an art exhibit. The goal of this show is to call attention to the existence and frequency of gender-based discrimination and abuse, educate about advocacy, and make a lasting impact on the viewer. The artwork features female models, some chosen for their survival stories, and some posed in ironic mid-century modern postures to reclaim their humor, beauty, mettle and most importantly, their sense of self. A portion of proceeds from the show will be donated to The PorchLight Family Justice Center.

Immersive Monet & The Impressionists

WHEN: Nov. 18, 2022–Jan. 2, 2023
WHERE: Lighthouse Art Space

From the creators and producers of the original Immersive Van Gogh exhibit, Immersive Monet & The Impressionists showcases more than 500 iconic paintings, brought to life! From Monet’s celebrated water lilies to Degas’s graceful dancers, step inside living art that strives to capture the transient nature of beauty and the timeless beauty of nature.

Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition

WHEN: Nov. 18, 2022–Jan. 15, 2023
WHERE: Cherry Creek Shopping Center

Rome comes to Denver! Skip the long lines at the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City and view the world-renowned work of Michelangelo close enough to touch God's finger in Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition. This special collection of the artist’s renowned ceiling frescoes is reproduced in a format that allows viewers to get face-to-face with the masterpieces through 34 artfully displayed reproductions paired with an audio narrative.

Sometimes I Think It's a Painting

WHEN: Nov. 19–Dec. 17, 2022
WHERE: Blue Tile Gallery, Englewood

Many artists relate to the fact that the creative process can be an isolating journey, so actively seeking meaningful connections and community is an important endeavor — one that artist Courtney Cotton found through taking classes and participating in group exhibits. She noticed the shared intuitive nature in the work of a particular group of artists she befriended and was inspired to curate an exhibit of their work. The result is the group show Sometimes I Think It’s a Painting, which features non-objective paintings by Cotton, and Boulder-based artists Jane Oniki, Tracey Russell, Alissa Davies and Alli Gerrish.

Immersive Nutcracker

WHEN: Nov. 19–Dec. 31, 2022
WHERE: Lighthouse Art Space

This festive season, treat your family to The Immersive Nutcracker: A Winter Miracle — an unforgettable holiday extravaganza! For nearly 130 years, "The Nutcracker" has enchanted children around the world. Now your family can experience the timeless holiday tale like never before, brought to life on a majestic scale! You will be enchanted by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s sweeping music, including iconic selections like “The March of the Toys” and “The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” as they are immersed in holiday wonder.

 

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