Today-Monday. Downtown Denver will be extra delicious this holiday weekend as A Taste of Colorado takes over Civic Center Park. The four-day feast features chow from more than 50 Colorado restaurants, dishing up everything from tacos to falafel to fondue. The Taste is about more than food, though: Live entertainment, arts-and-crafts vendors and a special kids’ area make Taste of Colorado a general community celebration. “That’s what makes this festival so much fun, the diversity of what you’ll find day to day, hour to hour,” says Sarah Neumann, marketing and communications manager for the Downtown Denver Partnership. Musical headliners include Bret Michaels, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and The Four Tops, plus plenty of local talent. New this year is “Adventure Base 100,” a massive, interactive traveling exhibit from Boy Scouts of America – register to participate on-site or at adventurebase100.org. A final festival tip: Bring cash. The food and activities run on a ticket system — 8 tickets for $5 — but only cash is accepted when buying tickets. 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. today, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday. Civic Center Park, Colfax Avenue and Broadway. Admission is free. For a full entertainment schedule and more information, visit atasteofcolorado.com or call 303-295-6330.

Saturday through Nov. 28. Separate truth from myth at the Butterfly Pavilion’s new exhibit, “Legend of the Tarantula.” Often depicted at horrifying, hairy monsters, tarantulas come in many different varieties and have their own ways of life. Learn about the spiders’ anatomy, habitat, diet and behavior through interactive displays and up-close looks. Tarantula species on exhibit include the Chinese Golden Earth Tiger, the Kilimanjaro Baboon and the Chilean Rose-hair tarantula, known affectionately as “Rosie.” There’s a special area just for little kids, too, with climbing activities, a reading nook, puzzles and more. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. 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 age 2 to 12. Learn more at butterflies.org.

Saturday-Monday. Boulder’s summer festival season wraps up this weekend with the Boulder Creek Hometown Fair. This year’s fest features the very first Family, Fun and Fitness 5K, a walk up and down the Boulder Creek path on Monday. Other big events include The Great Zucchini Race, where kids race zucchini-styled vehicles, a pie-eating contest and the Big Wheel 500 race. Beer sales will likely be high after Monday’s Chili Inferno Cook-Off, and sweet vintage cars take center stage at Sunday’s Classic Car Show. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday. Downtown Boulder, along Canyon Boulevard between 10th and 13th Streets. Admission is free. Registration for the 5K is $15 for adults, $12 for kids age 4 to 12, or $40 for a family four-pack. Visit bceproductions.com for more information.

Saturday-Monday. Float down to Colorado Springs for the 34th annual Colorado Balloon Classic. More than 100 balloons will set up, inflate and ascend each morning, with added excitement from paragliding and parachute demonstrations. Then, in the evenings, the balloons inflate and light up from within for a “Balloon Glo,” accompanied by live music, food, mixing and mingling. 6-9:30 a.m. and 4-8 p.m. Saturday; 6-9:30 a.m. and 5-8 p.m. Sunday; 6-9:30 a.m. Sunday. Memorial Park, 1605 E. Pikes Peak Ave., Colorado Springs. Admission is free. Visit balloonclassic.com to learn more.