If you can’t find anything worthwhile this Labor Day weekend, don’t try. The Taste of Colorado returns to Civic Center Park while the Denver Chalk Art Festival moves to the Golden Triangle; These events top our list of top ten free things to do in the city. Tomorrow is also the first Friday, and there’s plenty of artistic parties included in our latest Art Attack.
Now read on for ten events that are worth the price of admission:
A weekend of psychotic women
Thursday 1 September to Sunday 4 September
You FilmCenter, 2510 East Colfax Avenue
The folks at Denver Film are so excited to have special guest Kier-La Janisse – the leading voice on the topic of wacky female characters unraveling on screen – that they programmed a four-day mini-fest around their visit. The more than six titles on display could all have been ripped from the pages of her definitive and personal book, House of Psychotic Women, which has been re-released, and not only will Janisse present each screening, including four secret films to be revealed in a session for the finale, but she will also be autographing copies of her book (while available). Horror hostess Theresa Mercado will provide additional fun. Tickets for the marathon range from $14.95 to $35 here.
ball ensemble, women work
Thursday, September 1, 7:30 p.m. Savoy Denver, 2700 Arapahoe Street
Friday, September 2, 7:30 p.m., Broomfield Auditorium, 3 Community Park Road, Broomfield
Celebrate with the Sphere Ensemble, a fourteen-piece string orchestra, whose program in September women work, touches a wide range of musical women – from Lizzo to the 20th century Polish composer Grazyna Bacewics. The show plays one night in Denver and one in Broomfield; Find tickets, $5 to $40, at Brown paper ticketswhere you can also find $20 tickets for a virtual streaming option.
midnight blue
Thursday, September 1, 8 p.m
Bluebird Theater, 3317 East Colfax Ave
Midnight.Blue, a Denver funk/neo-soul/R&B band led by Denver’s Jake “Jay.Greens” Leventhal, consists of Lyle Divinsky (vocals, formerly of The Motet), Eric Benny Bloom (trumpet, salat), Josh Fairman (Bass, Sunsquabi), Adam Deitch (Drums, Salat), Ian Gilley (Keys, Recess), Jay Greens (Guitar – Perception Records), Halle Tomlinson (Vocals, The Voice) and G. Finesse (Vocals, Black Eagle). Society), released his new album, To breathe, on August 18; This is the debut show. The members of the band are all known for their work in the jam scene and this is a decidedly different direction. get tickets here.
Nan Desu Kan
Friday 2 September to Sunday 4 September
Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, 6700 North Gaylord Rockies Boulevard, Aurora
Welcome to the Rocky Mountain region’s largest and longest-running anime and Japanese culture convention, celebrating its 25th anniversary. Here you will find cosplayers, gamers and shoppers as well as screenings of new and classic anime, workshops, competitions, an auction and many special guests. Tickets range from $35-45 for a single day to $65 for the weekend; find out more here.
Dance festival Sans Souci
Friday, September 2nd; Saturday, September 3; and Sunday, September 4; Every evening from 6:45 p.m. to 9:00 p.m
Museum of Boulder, 2205 Broadway
The Sans Souci Festival of Dance celebrates its nineteenth festival with an opening night at the Museum of Boulder, complete with a VIP red carpet photo area, virtual reality dance films and video installations. The main event begins at 7:30pm with a screening of the season’s top-grossing dance films from around the world. Check out the full schedule and get tickets for $30 a night. here.
circus foundry, Smoke & Mirrors
Friday, September 2, 7 p.m.; Saturday, September 3, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m
Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut Street, Boulder
The members of Circus Foundry have enough stage experience to spend a lifetime spinning, jumping, swinging, tumbling, juggling and, in the case of their new show, Smoke & Mirrors, the ability to blur the edges of reality with an intense dexterity of the senses and a trick of the light. Circus Foundry unleashes its special brand of magic over two days this weekend in Boulder; in two weeks, the troupe will perform repeat performances in Denver at Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, 119 Park Avenue West. Find Boulder tickets, $25 to $35, here; Denver tickets are available at the same prices Eventbrite.
Bonsai and suiseki exhibition for the 53rd anniversary of the RMBS
Saturday, September 3 and Sunday, September 4, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m
Denver Botanical Garden, 1007 York Street
The Rocky Mountain Bonsai Society hosts its 53rd Annual Bonsai and Suiseki Show with exhibits and live demonstrations; RMBS Artist of the Year Dan Wiederrech will also be there. Admission is free with admission to the Denver Botanic Gardens; get these details here.
Pixar putt
Saturday, September 3rd to November 27th; Monday to Friday, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m
Rally Hotel, McGregor Square, 1600 20th Street
A national sensation, Pixar Putt makes mini-golf that much more fun for families by dressing up the course with characters and scenes from a number of Pixar favorites, including the toy story Gear, The Incredibles, Find Nemo, coconut and more. No children? Still, enjoy it for over 18 hours of Pixar Putt After Dark on Saturdays, free from the pitter-patter of little feet. Putt-putt until the end of November at the McGregor Square Rally, and don’t worry about the weather – it’s indoors. Tickets are $31-$33 online only here.
Vail Valley Band
Saturday, September 3, 7 p.m
Tabor Opera House, Leadville
The acclaimed Vail Valley Band – featuring Don Watson, Beth Swearingen and Peter Fontanese – will perform in a special benefit concert at the historic Tabor Opera House. Tickets are $30; grabs her here.
Lumonics immersed First Anniversary
Saturday, September 3, 8:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m
Lumonics Light & Sound Gallery, 800 East 73rd Avenue, No. 11
Lumonics Studio, immersive before anyone knew what it was called, has been showing Dorothy and Mel Tanner’s light art in Denver for decades and since 2009. The crew that manages Lumonics, now that the Tanners are gone, has decided to start the Lumonics immersed Tour series that introduces the trippy visual feast to a whole new audience. Admission to the tour is $15 to $25 Eventbrite.
Do you know a great event in Denver? We will update this list over the weekend; Send information to [email protected]
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