BLOCKBUSTER EXHIBITIONS
WHEN: Thru Sept. 6, 2021
WHERE: Denver Museum of Nature & Science
After centuries of speculation, experts are finally starting to understand the mysteries of Stonehenge, thanks to archaeological excavations and advances in scientific techniques. Explore where, when, why, and perhaps most intriguing, how Stonehenge was built.
WHEN: July 9–Sept. 26, 2021
WHERE: Stanley Marketplace, Aurora
Don't just admire Van Gogh's paintings — immerse yourself in them at the most visited multi-sensory experience in the world! This large-scale, multi-sensory digital art experience gives visitors the unique opportunity to immerse themselves into Van Gogh's artistry and truly venture into his world. From start to finish, visitors are surrounded by a vibrant symphony of light, color, sound and fragrance that has been called an 'unforgettable' multi-sensory experience. Van Gogh's masterpieces come to life, giving visitors the sensation of walking right into his paintings.
CAN'T-MISS EVENTS
WHEN: Aug. 27–Sept. 6, 2021
WHERE: Colorado State Fairgrounds, Pueblo
Get ready for nonstop fun during one of the largest pro rodeos and state fairs in the country. Highlights include a livestock and horse show, parades, live music, an arts exhibition, a fiesta weekend, rides and an electrifying carnival at the Pueblo Fairgrounds!
WHEN: Sept. 2–5, 2021
WHERE: Colorado Convention Center
The Denver Auto Show is the premier showcase of the newest model year import and domestic vehicles: cars, vans, crossovers, hybrids, light trucks, sport utilities, and more. It's also the perfect place to see the latest examples of fuel-efficient technologies and aftermarket accessories. It's great entertainment for serious shoppers, car buffs and the entire family!
WHEN: Sept. 4, 2021
WHERE: Bruz Beers
With four food trucks, two bands and more than 10 local breweries, you won't want to miss this celebration of Belgian brewing. Bruz Beers only invites a select few breweries that best represent true Belgian-style beers, including Thirsty Monk Brewery, Woods Boss Brewing Company and more.
WHEN: Sept. 4–6, 2021
WHERE: Cherry Creek North
The 30th anniversary Cherry Creek Arts Festival will transform the streets of Cherry Creek North into an innovative outdoor fine art show. Enjoy free parking and admission to see 265 national juried artists selling incredible original artworks. And don't miss a full block of family-friendly activities on "ARTivity Avenue," live music and more.
MUSIC & PERFORMING ARTS
WHEN: Sept. 2–3, 2021
WHERE: Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre
Dance into Labor Day weekend with Canadian DJ and record producer Isabelle Rezazadeh, better known by her stage name Rezz.
WHEN: Sept. 3, 2021
WHERE: AEG Presents - The Mission Ballroom
American multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and record producer Ty Segall brings his unique sound to The Mission Ballroom, along with OM.
WHEN: Sept. 3–5, 2021
WHERE: Dick's Sporting Goods Park
Jam band darlings Phish return to Dick's Sporting Goods Park for their annual three-day Labor Day weekend concert.
WHEN: Sept. 5, 2021
WHERE: Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre
Pack up the kiddos and head to Red Rocks for a family-friendly evening they'll never forget!
WHEN: Thru Dec. 25, 2021
WHERE: Colorado Sake Co.
The Denver Comedy Lounge features the best local and national comedians! Shows are indoors in the back of Colorado Sake Co. Enjoy full-service dining from Denver Sushi House and Colorado Sake!
WHEN: Thru Apr. 6, 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.
Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre
OUTDOOR FUN
Head to the only downtown theme and water park in the country for roller coasters, water slides, family entertainment and much more! It's opening on May 1 for the 2021 season.
Beat the heat, relax in the park's beautifully landscaped 64 acres — and ride some serious waterslides. Water World opens on May 29 for the 2021 season!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
URBAN ADVENTURE
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.
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 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.
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS
WHEN: Sept. 2–5, 2021
WHERE: Coors Field - Home of the Colorado Rockies
Spend Labor Day weekend cheering on the Colorado Rockies as they take on the Atlanta Braves.
WHEN: Sept. 6–8, 2021
WHERE: Coors Field - Home of the Colorado Rockies
Wrap up Labor Day weekend cheering on the Colorado Rockies as they take on the San Francisco Giants.
MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS
WHEN: June 13–Sept. 12, 2021
WHERE: Denver Art Museum
A genre first conceptualized in Latin America, magical realism infuses reality with elements of the fantastical. In the first U.S. solo museum exhibition for South African contemporary artist Simphiwe Ndzube, Oracles of the Pink Universe presents seven new immersive works exploring the interplay between magical realism and history.
WHEN: Thru Sept. 15, 2021
WHERE: Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum
Drift deep into space and experience the majesty and wonder of our universe purely through images in this contemplative, aesthetic and introspective exhibition.
WHEN: Thru Sept. 19, 2021
WHERE: Molly Brown House Museum
Celebrate Historic Denver's 50th anniversary! Looking Forward/Looking Back relives the early days as Historic Denver began restoring the home of the "Unsinkable" Molly Brown and the beginnings of the Molly Brown House Museum, which for the first time allowed the public to enter Brown's Denver residence and learn about the mark she left on the world.
WHEN: June 4–Sept. 19, 2021
WHERE: Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS)
This immersive experience is hardly by the numbers. It beautifully illustrates how patterns surround us in nature, from the veins in a leaf, to the spiral of a nautilus, to the spots on a giraffe. Enjoy, fun hands-on activities to spot patterns in music, art, architecture and even your own body.
WHEN: Thru Sept. 30, 2021
WHERE: Virtual/Online
The artist-curated C.A.R.S. Online series features past participants in the long-running Critic & Artist Residency Series at Colorado State University. In this virtual exhibition, Jess T. Dugan explores issues of identity through photographic portraiture.
WHEN: Thru Oct. 10, 2021
WHERE: Clyfford Still Museum
This exhibition digs deep into the vaults to present the collection in two complementary but alternate ways as a means to understand how artworks and their meaning can change based upon curatorial strategy. It begins with a new chronological presentation in the first five galleries. In the remaining four rooms, the artworks are grouped into specific thematic categories regardless of their chronology.
WHEN: Thru Oct. 15, 2021
WHERE: History Colorado Center
This monument stood in front of Colorado's State Capitol until it was toppled in June 2020 during protests for Black lives. Installed in 1909 to memorialize Colorado’s role in the Civil War, the monument holds multiple meanings for viewers today: a tribute to those who’ve served and sacrificed in the nation’s armed forces, a reminder of atrocities committed against Indigenous peoples, a symbol of white supremacy and injustice, a casualty of destructive lawlessness, and more. Lonnie Bunch, the first African American and first historian to serve as Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, said, "what you really want to do is use the statues as teachable moments. Some of these need to go. But others need to be taken into a park, into a museum, into a warehouse, and interpreted for people, because they're part of our history."
WHEN: July 24–Nov. 28, 2021
WHERE: Denver Botanic Gardens
Yoshitomo Saito's cast-bronze works capture and celebrate the elegant lines and subtle details of nature. From smaller seed pods to the arch of a branch, his compositions reinterpret organic forms to encourage contemplation.
WHEN: Apr. 17–Dec. 19, 2021
WHERE: Prismajic
Shiki Dreams is the latest immersive adventure from the creators of 2019’s smash hit Natura Obscura. The multi-sensory immersive experience leads guests on a fun and mystical journey of exploration and discovery that combines art and technology in beautiful and amazing ways.
WHEN: Thru Dec. 31, 2021
WHERE: History Colorado Center
Take a nostalgic ride down Colfax, with stops at the quirky and memorable places that gave the street its worldwide reputation.
WHEN: Thru Mar. 5, 2022
WHERE: History Colorado Center
Narkita Gold is a Denver-based artist who's been honing her skills in digital photography since 2009. Her exhibition Black in Denver is a portrait and interview series that takes delves into Black life in Denver.
WHEN: Thru Apr. 30, 2022
WHERE: History Colorado Center
This exhibit explores the rich contributions of History Colorado's State Historical Fund. Through the preservation of the built environment, the SHF has enhanced vibrant communities across the state for more than three decades.
WHEN: July 4–Mar. 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.
WHEN: Permanent installation
WHERE: Daniels & Fisher Tower
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.
