CAN'T-MISS EVENTS
A TASTE OF COLORADO
WHEN: Aug. 31–Sept. 2, 2019
WHERE: Civic Center Park
A Taste of Colorado stands proud as the end-of-summer celebration of community pride and spirit in the Denver region. Over 500,000 people make the three-day festival their Labor Day Weekend celebration, enjoying the offerings of more 50 area restaurants, 275 marketplace artisans and vendors, six stages and educational programs promoting the diverse cultural and Western heritage of the region.
POLO FEST
WHEN: Aug. 31
WHERE: Denver Polo Club
Denver Polo Fest returns to Denver with Kygo and Sofi Tukker performing along with other amazing artists! Enjoy a fun-filled day with a variety of activities, food vendor and bars.
BREWS & VIEWS
WHEN: Aug. 31, 2019
WHERE: Hudson Gardens & Events Center
Now in its fifth year, taste craft beers from more than 30 Colorado breweries and dishes from premier food trucks, plus music, games and more!
LABOR DAY WEEKEND FIREWORKS AT ELITCH GARDENS THEME & WATER PARK
WHEN: Sept. 1, 2019
WHERE: Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park
Spend the day riding the roller coasters and the water slides at Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park, Denver's downtown amusement park, then watch a brilliant fireworks display light up the night sky, starting at dusk.
CRUSH WALLS
WHEN: Sept. 2–8, 2019
WHERE: River North (RiNo) Art District
Denver’s foremost urban art festival is unlike any other: seven days and dozens of art happenings celebrating graffiti and street art with local and international artists, plus "off-the-wall" events for all.
DENVER FOOD + WINE FESTIVAL
WHEN: Sept. 3–8, 2019
WHERE: Throughout Denver
The Denver Food + Wine Festival is a multi-day extravaganza of food, wine and spirits education, promotion and tastings. Through a series of events, the festival aims to highlight industry impact, promote workforce development and celebrate Denver as a culinary destination.
MUSIC & PERFORMING ARTS
PHISH
WHEN: Aug. 30–Sept. 1, 2019
WHERE: Dick's Sporting Goods Park
Phish returns to Denver for their annual Labor Day series. If you haven’t been able to catch Trey Anastasio and the gang at one of their most beloved performances, you’re missing out.
WHEN: Aug. 30–Sept. 2, 2019
WHERE: Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre
Celebrate Labor Day Weekend at Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre! Start off with two nights of GRiZ (Aug. 30–31, 2019), followed by the KIDZ BOP World Tour 2019 (Sept. 1, 2019) and ending with an evening with Amos Lee (Sept. 2, 2019).
WHEN: Aug. 30–Sept. 2, 2019
WHERE: Levitt Pavilion
Head to Levitt Pavilion for a weekend of free concerts! Dessa with MONAKR kicks things off (Aug. 30, 2019), followed by Authority Zero with No Bueno! (Aug. 31, 2019). Wrap up the weekend with Grupo Fantasma (Sept. 1, 2019).
'INDECENT'
WHEN: Aug. 30–Oct. 6, 2019
WHERE: Space Theatre
When Sholem Asch's groundbreaking play, "The God of Vengeance," was deemed "indecent" because of its portrayal of a same-sex romance, the playwright refused to be silenced. This is a play about that play, and the lengths to which Asch went to make it happen.
HEART
WHEN: Aug. 31, 2019
WHERE: Pepsi Center
Head to the Pepsi Center and rock out to Heart with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and Elle King.
'THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL'
WHEN: Aug. 9-Aug. 31
WHERE: The Bug Theatre
There's a new tenant at Armadillo Acres and she's wreaking havoc all over Florida's most exclusive trailer park!
MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS
THE INCUBATION EFFECT
WHEN: Nov. 8, 2018–Sept. 9, 2019
WHERE: Denver Art Museum
Stroll through an insect nursery full of larger-than-life cocoons and larva sewn by Denver artist Nicole Anona Banowetz. Children and adults alike can also contribute to the life cycle of the nursery by designing their own creature to add to this ever-evolving exhibit.
WHEN: Dec. 8, 2018–Aug. 2, 2021
WHERE: History Colorado Center
The Ute are Colorado's longest continuous residents. In Written on the Land, you'll journey to the places they call home and hear their stories, told in their own voices through art, photography and video.
WHEN: Jan. 11–Sept. 29, 2019
WHERE: Museum of Outdoor Arts
Step into a surrealist, dreamlike forest made up of art, sculpture and digital technologies created by more than 30 Colorado artists.
WHEN: Jan. 25–Dec. 31, 2019
WHERE: Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art
The Bauhaus school of art and design in Weimar, Germany, was only open for a few years before the Nazis forced it to close. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of this influential art style, the Kirkland Museum is highlighting Bauhaus pieces from its permanent collection, including many not usually on display.
WHEN: Jan. 28, 2019–Jan. 5, 2020
WHERE: Colorado Railroad Museum
One of the foremost photographers to photograph the great American West, William Henry Jackson's images had an immense influence on the public's perception of the American West. A portion of those images were captured here in Colorado as Jackson traveled throughout the west by rail.
WHEN: Mar. 2, 2019–Jan. 5, 2020
WHERE: Denver Art Museum
Treasures of British Art: The Berger Collection features more than 60 paintings by masters such as Anthony van Dyck, Adriaen van Diest, John Singer Sargent and Thomas Hudson, gifted to the Denver Art Museum by the Berger Collection Educational Trust.
EYES ON: ERIKA HARRSCH
WHEN: Mar. 10–Nov. 17, 2019
WHERE: Denver Art Museum
This multi-media installation by Mexican-American artist Erika Harrsch is comprised of imagery, music, text and furnishings that reference the circumstances faced by immigrants and refugees subject to the United States DREAM Act.
WITHOUT BORDERS: ART SÍN FRONTERAS
WHEN: Apr. 14–Sept. 2, 2019
WHERE: History Colorado Center
This powerful and timely exhibit explores the concepts of home and borders and features artists from southern Colorado, northern New Mexico and beyond.
HUMAN | NATURE: FIGURES FROM THE CRAIG PONZIO SCULPTURE COLLECTION
WHEN: Apr. 19–Sept. 15, 2019
WHERE: Denver Botanic Gardens
Human | Nature's 18 sculptures depict the expressive capacity of the human form against the backdrop of Denver Botanic Gardens' lush botanical environments. The collection includes both classical and abstract pieces from sculptors across the globe.
WHEN: Apr. 27–Dec. 30, 2019
WHERE: Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms
Artist Patrick Dougherty weaves flexible, sustainably harvested saplings into complex and whimsical architectural forms with the help of staff and volunteers. The stickwork installations remain on view until they naturally fall apart, some lasting for years!
EYES ON: JONATHAN SAIZ
WHEN: May 12–Nov. 17, 2019
WHERE: Denver Art Museum
Artist Jonathan Saiz uses social media to spark conversation about our society's ability to embody a modern utopia: "an imagined community or society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect qualities for its citizens." His installation #WhatisUtopia is a column covered with 10,000 minuscule drawings, paintings and sculptures, all created to be given away after the end of the exhibition. Follow along on Instagram via @utopia_is_free or using the hashtags #WhatisUtopia or #JonathanSaizatDAM.
WHEN: May 18, 2019–Aug. 1, 2020
WHERE: History Colorado Center
Whether you're an avid homebrewer or just someone who loves to cheers over a cold beer, you won't want to miss History Colorado's newest exhibit. Explore Colorado's hoppy history, from gold rush saloons, to Prohibition, to today's craft-beer craze.
WHEN: June 2, 2019–May 3, 2020
WHERE: Denver Art Museum
Let there be light! This brilliant exhibition features around 250 pieces pulled from the Denver Art Museum's nine curatorial departments and explores humanity's drive to understand both physical light and metaphorical, spiritual and divine light.
CLARK RICHERT IN HYPERSPACE
WHEN: June 7–Sept. 1, 2019
WHERE: MCA DENVER — Museum of Contemporary Art Denver
Clark Richert is one of Colorado's most important artists. This retrospective at MCA DENVER — Museum of Contemporary Art Denver explores his decades-long interest in dimensionality.
WILDFLOWERS, WILD PLACES
WHEN: June 8–Sept. 2, 2019
WHERE: History Colorado Center
Explore a pop-up installation with larger-than-life sculptures of Colorado flowers. Then, collect pollen to pollinate the flowers for wildflower honey. Kids will especially love getting a 3-D photo of themselves riding a giant bumblebee.
SPORTS
COLORADO ROCKIES VS. PITTSBURGH PIRATES
WHEN: Aug. 29–31, 2019
WHERE: Coors Field
Cheer on the Colorado Rockies as they take on the Pittsburgh Pirates in a three-day series this Labor Day Weekend.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN SHOWDOWN
WHEN: Aug. 30, 2019
WHERE: Empower Field at Mile High
This annual football game between the University of Colorado Buffaloes and the Colorado State University Rams is the perfect start to your holiday weekend.
DENVER OUTLAWS VS. BOSTON CANNONS
WHEN: Aug. 31, 2019
WHERE: Empower Field at Mile High
Don't miss the thrill and excitement of Major League Lacrosse this weekend as the Denver Outlaws battle it out against the Boston Cannons.
