Weekly Event Round-up: The Butterfly Pavilion’s Insectival, Crested Butte’s Wildflower Festival & More!
Friday-Sunday. Break out the bodhrans: The Colorado Irish Festival is here. The festival celebrates all things Irish with lots of music, dancing, food and fun. As always, live music is everywhere — three stages will be running throughout the fest. Featured acts include Natalie MacMaster, Ennis, Pogey, The Elders and more. Plenty of bagpipers and pipe bands will be in attendance, as well. Take a cruise through the Cultural Village and learn about Irish culture and customs, and shop from nearly 50 vendors. There’s even two fields’ worth of Gaelic sports like hurling and Gaelic football. 5-10 p.m. tonight, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Clement Park, 7306 W. Bowles Ave., Littleton. Admission is $5 tonight, $12 Saturday and Sunday. Visit coloradoirishfestival.org for more information.
Friday-Sunday. City Park will be awash in art at the 24th annual Colorado Black Arts Festival. African-American visual and performing artists will showcase their talents all weekend long, starting today. Saturday kicks off with a parade through the park featuring marching bands, drill teams and colorful floats, followed by a full afternoon of eclectic music. The Air Force Academy Marching Band is slated to perform, with zydeco and blues musicians also on the schedule. Sunday’s entertainment begins the day in reggae and ends with a tribute to Denver dance legend Cleo Parker Robinson. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today through Sunday. City Park, 17th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard. Admission is a $2 donation per person. Learn more at denbaf.org.
Saturday-Sunday. What’s creepy, crawly and two days long? Insectival at the Butterfly Pavilion, a circus-like salute to the quirky critters. The Pavilion will be transformed into a carnival midway with lots of bug-themed games and prizes: test your strength against an ant’s, try a round of “Dragonfly Darts” and more. There’s also movies, crafts, ladybug releases and cockroach races with (ick) real Madagascar hissing cockroaches. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. The Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster; 303-469-5441. Admission is $8.50 for adults, $6.50 for seniors age 65 and older, $5.50 for kids ages 2 to 12. Learn more at butterflies.org.
Thursday. Settle in for a movie and a night under the stars at the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield on July 15. Part of the Gardens’ monthly film series, Thursday’s showing is “The Goonies.” The 1985 kids’ flick follows a group of young misfits on a crazy quest for pirate treasure. Bring a picnic and get comfortable in the Gardens’ grassy, outdoor amphitheater. Next month’s show, on August 12, is “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” 7 p.m. Thursday. Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield, 8500 Deer Creek Canyon Road, Littleton; 303-973-3705. Admission is $4 for Gardens members, $5 for nonmembers. For more information and advance tickets, visit botanicgardens.org.
Monday through July 18. Crested Butte is in bloom for the 24th annual Wildflower Festival. Over the course of seven days, the festival hosts more than 200 classes, hikes and workshops for flower fans. This year marks the first time that special kids-only classes are on the schedule — youngsters can go on hikes, learn about wildflowers and make art while the grownups have adventures of their own. In the evening, learn how to cook with wildflowers, have some ice cream and listen to stories and poetry. Times, days and prices vary; schedules and registration information are available online at crestedbuttewildflowerfestival.com. Crested Butte Nordic Center, 620 2nd Street, Crested Butte; 970-349-2571.
-Kathleen St. John
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