National Hispanic Heritage Month
WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Various venues throughout town
Each year, Denverites observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. It's a month-long celebration of the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
The Denver BBQ Festival
WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Empower Field at Mile High
BBQ is back! Don't miss this chance to grab an ice-cold brew and sample pure smoked bliss from award-winning pitmasters from across the country. Admission is free with BBQ, drinks and more available to purchase, or get an all-you-can-eat-drink Q Pit Pass.
Denver Arts Festival
WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Central Park's Conservatory Green Neighborhood
This free fine art and fine crafts festival supports Colorado artists while showcasing a select group of national artists.
Jackalope Arts India Artisan Fair
WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Olde Town Arvada
Enjoy a weekend of shopping featuring more than 100 hand-selected artisans in the heart of Olde Town Arvada to find trendsetting indie goods, including original fashion and jewelry, paper goods, innovative home decor and housewares, art, photography, food, plus much more. Admission is free!
Colorado Mountain Fest
WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Parfet Park, Golden
Colorado’s premier mountain festival features a fun-filled, family-friendly weekend of multi-sport adventuring, educational programming and celebration of all things Mountain! The free festival will feature a variety of clinics, competitions, gear demos, swag, entertainment and local food and libations.
Autumn Bazaar at Belleview Station
WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Belleview Station
Denver BAZAAR's signature makers marketplace returns just in time for fall shopping and sipping. Spanning three blocks, the free Autumn BAZAAR at Belleview Station brings a shopping party to the streets to support local small businesses!
Cheesman Park Art Festival
WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Cheesman Park
More than 130 artists and craftsmen from across the country will showcase their work at the 2021 Cheesman Park Art Fest. This is a juried event, and the festival organizers take pride in the curated selection of hand-made, American-made work sold directly by the artists.
Denver Arts Week
WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Throughout Denver
Denver Arts Week is a celebration of all things art in The Mile High City, featuring events at a wide variety of art galleries, museums, theaters and concert halls.
Free Museum Days
WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Explore the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, a maze filled with treasures of the earth: dinosaurs, dioramas, space exhibits, science experiments, a digital planetarium, an IMAX theatre and touring shows.
Denver Art Museum Free Days
WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Denver Art Museum
Explore the Denver Art Museum's galleries showcasing a world-famous Indigenous art collection, as well as traditional and contemporary art from around the world. And admission is ALWAYS free for youth ages 18 and under, ever day.
WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Clyfford Still Museum
Enjoy nine beautiful galleries of Clyfford Still’s art, historic photos and letters from the Clyfford Still Archives, an interactive timeline, dozens of videos and books and a pair of tranquil outdoor terraces.
WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: History Colorado Center
History Colorado Center showcases powerful stories, honoring Colorado’s treasured memories and vibrant communities through exhibitions and programs. The center is also home to the State Historic Preservation Office and Stephen H. Hart Research Center — the portal to History Colorado’s more than 200,000 artifacts.
WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Four Mile Historic Park
Take a trip back in time to Denver's pioneer past at Four Mile Historic Park, nestled on the bank of Cherry Creek. Stop by for a free afternoon of tours, historic demonstrations and more on the second Friday of each month.
WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Denver Botanic Gardens
Denver Botanic Gardens is a 24-acre oasis in the middle of the city, with 45 different gardens (some 33,000 plants), as well as one of the nation's top 10 conservatories. Relax in the Japanese Garden, climb through the Rock Alpine Garden and explore the Mordecai Children's Garden.
WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms, Littleton
Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms is a picturesque nature preserve among the grasslands, ponds and cottonwood banks of Deer Creek. Facilities include nature trails, a wildlife observation area, display gardens, educational exhibits, a historical farm, a 19th-century one-room schoolhouse, working beehives and picnic areas.
WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Plains Conservation Center, Aurora
The Plains Conservation Center helps students and adults grow their knowledge and appreciation of the prairie ecosystem and the cultural history of Colorado through a variety of educational programs managed by Denver Botanic Gardens in cooperation with the City of Aurora .
WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: MCA Denver
Okay, so it's not technically free. But every first Saturday of the month, Colorado residents can explore MCA Denver for just $0.01.
WHEN: TBA 2021
WHERE: Museo de las Americas
Museo de las Americas is dedicated to educating people about the arts and cultures of Latinidad in the Americas and is the premier Latin American art museum in the region.
WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Denver Zoo
Say hello to the animals for free this season. Denver Zoo, located in City Park , spans over 75 acres and is home to more than 4,000 animals, including rare amur leopards, okapi, black rhinoceros, elephants, vampire bats, orangutan, Komodo dragons and more!
WHEN: TBA 2022
WHERE: Colorado Railroad Museum
Travel back in time at this 15-acre railyard and museum in nearby Golden. The Colorado Railroad Museum feature over 100 engines, cabooses and coaches, a garden railway and a library and roundhouse restoration facility with working turntable.
MORE FREE ATTRACTIONS AND TOURS
WHEN: Every First Friday
WHERE: Denver's Art Districts
Discover Denver's thriving creative community during a First Friday celebration, held every first Friday of the month. Galleries in Denver's creative art districts stay open late.
Ski Factory Tours
WHEN: Thru April, Tuesdays–Saturdays
WHERE: Meier Skis
Meier Skis offers two free tour options to learn about how trees are turned into skis. Grab a seat at the bar, made from ski core wood with windows looking onto the factory floor. Enjoy a complimentary locally brewed beer while a friendly skitender explains the ski-building process. Or reserve a 5 p.m. happy hour tour and go behind the scenes and learn about each step in the ski-making process.
Night Lights Denver features rotating content designed by local artists and the community and projected on the Arapahoe Street side of the Daniels & Fisher Tower every Thursday through Saturday evening.
Denver Arts & Venues invites art and architecture lovers to participate in free public art tours on foot, bike and scooter. These free guided tours focus on small segments of the city’s public art collection and give citizens and visitors the opportunity to venture inside venues such as the Ellie Caulkins Opera House and Colorado Convention Center to view works and hear the intimate details of their creation and installation.
Ever wonder about the stories of the places you pass? On Denver Story Trek you'll explore the stories behind Denver's historic landscapes and landmarks on an interactive, self-guided tour of the city. It's simple to use and free!
Get a behind-the-scenes look at Denver's craft beer world on a free tour at the Great Divide Brewery downtown or the Great Divide Barrel Bar in RiNo. Tours at both locations take place at 3 p.m., 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., Mon.–Fri. and each hour from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Housed in Empower Field at Mile High (home of the Denver Broncos ), the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Museum honors the legacies of The Mile High City's greatest sports heroes and features the Gallery of Legends, a "Great Moments in Colorado Sports" exhibit and a section celebrating the achievements of girls and women in Colorado Sports.
The expansive Denver Skatepark — one of the most renowned skate parks in the country — is filled with bowls for all levels of skating skill. Admission is free. Helmets are required.
The Denver Beer Trail provides a sampling of Denver’s top microbreweries. Follow the suggested routes or pick and choose from the list of featured breweries.
Browse the racks and enjoy the free museum at Lower Downtown's historic Rockmount Ranch Wear, the originator of the western snap-button shirt. The walls are adorned with photos of the many celebs who have worn Rockmount shirts, including Eric Clapton, Robert Redford and Elvis Presley.
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.
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.
