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Denver Fun / Events

34 top things to do in Denver this week

34 top things to do in Denver this week

It’s opening day at Elitch Gardens and SIX Denver-area museums are free this weekend for Dia del Nino (Day of the Child). See our event calendar for additional information.

Opening Day at Elitch Gardens
April 28, 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Today. We Play.

Spring Clean Sale at the DFS Denver Boutique
April 27, 9:00 am – Apr 29, 5:00 pm
Designer clothes, shoes and accessories for 75% to 90% off? Sign us up! Dress for Success Denver hosts a huge Spring Clean Sale April 27-29 with new and donated clothes, shoes and accessories from some of the city’s top boutiques and designers. See website for times.

Petite Musique: The Ugly Duckling (Englewood)
April 27, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
This specially designed program introduces the instruments of the orchestra to very young children in venues throughout the metro area. Our 16 piece orchestra and narrator perform an interactive program which incorporates storytelling, singing, and movement with music. This year’s program, The Ugly Duckling, will delight young children, teachers, and parents.

Early Release Day Adventure at Colorado Adventure Point
April 27, 12:00 – 4:00 pm
Throughout the year our various schools have several early release days. Colorado Adventure Point is available to make these days off more exciting by offering half day classes in various fun skills. Some of these classes include archery, rock climbing, art, cooking and robotics. Each day will cover two separate classes, please refer to our website for more details!

Les Petits Penseurs
April 27, 4:30 – 6:00 pm
This month’s theme will be on La Gentillesse (Kindness).
Les Petits Penseurs is a friendly and fun venue for children to discuss the philosophical questions of their daily lives such as anger, love, fear, truth and friendship. Children will learn to think about their world, to express their ideas, and to develop and maintain their French language skills. A story and a game will be followed by a discussion around the selected topic. Light refreshments will be served. Led by Anne Timmerman in French.

Cars and Coffee
April 28, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Cruise in to Gateway Classic Cars every last Saturday of the month for Cars & Coffee with 250+ classic & exotic cars. Enjoy delicious donuts, coffee and all of our sweet rides.  No admission fee and everyone is welcome.

Sink or Swim
April 28, 9:30 am – 10:30 am
Join Professor Mathias Weber for a dive into Archimedes Principle to better understand why icebergs float and bubbles always travel up. For over 30 years, CU Wizards free STEAM shows have welcomed kids of all ages to attend college for a Saturday morning to learn more about scientific wonders of our world.

Nature Walk & Talk
April 28, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Share your knowledge, experiences and enthusiasm with other Barr Lake visitors and volunteers as we discover and rediscover the park’s hidden treasures. No RSVP required. Meet at the Nature Center, dress for the weather.

Rocky Mountain Bead Society’s Annual Bead Bazaar
April 28 – 29
Please join us this year’s 26th Annual RMBS Bead Bazaar. The Rocky Mountain Bead Society hosts this 2 day event to celebrate everything Beady! This year we have more than 40 classes being taught by national instructors, in everything from bead stitching, to wire wrapping, and even metal smithing and soldering. With nearly 70 vendors from around the country, you are guaranteed to find a fabulous variety of beads, components, and supplies.

Peace Day at The Conflict Center
April 28, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Let’s celebrate community together! Reading for Peace Day celebrates the power of community and how books can bind us together to promote nonviolence. Join us for the grand opening of our Little Free Library with a family-fun afternoon of activities, book giveaways and reading for peace circles. This day will empower children and families to actively engage in the lifelong learning process of problem solving, peacemaking and community building.

Boone Family Mountain Center at the Estes Park Center
April 28, 3:35 – 8:00 pm

The new Boone Family Mountain Center will have its Grand Opening from 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. on April 28, 2018. The center provides a base camp for nature, environmental and high-adventure activities at YMCA of the Rockies, as well as a hands-on educational nature center and two-story climbing wall. It’s a gorgeous building and tons of great activities will be based from there.

Appalachian Spring and Ballerinas by Degas
April 28 – 29
Ballet Ariel’s original ballet set to Aaron Copland’s iconic Appalachian Spring is the perfect end to a season of perfection. Paired with the debut of another Ballet Ariel original, Ballerinas by Degas, this season finale epitomizes the grace and elegance of classical, narrative ballet.

Free Day Día del Niño at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science
April 29, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Free day at DMNS! A fee still applies to IMAX films, Planetarium shows, and temporary exhibitions. Reservations and amenities (lunchroom, coat and lunch storage, bus drop off, etc.) for school groups are not available on SCFD Community Free Days.

Día del Niño at the History Colorado Center
April 29, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Día del Niño (Day of the Childen) festival is celebrated on April 29, 2018. Enjoy free admission, family-friendly programming, and live music and dances that celebrate children from around the world. The day’s events include: Danza Matachina Guadalupana0, Montbello Drumline (10 minutes, )Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Folklorico and Free Range Marimba.

Family Day: Día del Niño 2018 at the Clyfford Still Museum
April 29, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
 Join us to celebrate children around the world during Día del Niño (Day of the Child), in partnership with the Denver Art Museum and other cultural organizations in the Civic Center Cultural Complex. Participate in art-making activities and enjoy live performances in the Museum’s forecourt and explore the Museum’s galleries. All ages welcome.

Free Day Día del Niño at tje Denver Art Museum
April 29. 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Día del Niño (Day of the Child) festival is celebrated at the Denver Art Museum on April 29, 2018, with free general admission and a variety of artmaking activities and performances for the whole family. This event at the DAM is part of a weekend-long celebration hosted by multiple organizations in Denver and Boulder. Enjoy free admission, family-friendly programming, and live music and dances that celebrates children from around the world at the Denver Art Museum.

Dia del Nino Celebration at the WOW! Children’s Museum
April 29, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Our 1st Día del Niño (Day of the Child) celebration will include stories, dances, and activities that honor the Mexican origins of this special holiday including a dance performance by El Latir de Mexico, Share Your Dreams craft activity and Children’s Stories in Spanish with Boulder Valley Family Literacy Program.

Taste of Pearl at Pearl Street Mall
April 29, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Taste of Pearl marks a unique collaboration between downtown Boulder boutiques & galleries, some of Boulder’s most celebrated chefs and the state’s thriving wine and spirits industries.  The event features a delectable array of offerings from 15 local restaurants paired with 15 Colorado wineries or distilleries. On Sunday, April 29 attendees will stroll along Pearl Street – in and out of well-known businesses that will serve as host stops for this one-of-a-kind event between 2 – 5 p.m.   Taste of Pearl is designed to accommodate 550 attendees to ensure an intimate experience with restaurateurs and wine & spirit makers.

Appalachian Spring and Ballerinas by Degas
April 29, 7:30 – 9:30 pm
Ballet Ariel’s original ballet set to Aaron Copland’s iconic Appalachian Spring is the perfect end to a season of perfection. Paired with the debut of another Ballet Ariel original, Ballerinas by Degas, this season finale epitomizes the grace and elegance of classical, narrative ballet.

Dia de los Libros at the Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus
April 30, 9:00 am – 11:00 am
  Día de los Libros is a celebration of children, families, culture and literacy. Join us for a day full of bilingual StoryTimes and crafts inspired by books and our diverse world.

Free Target Tuesday Nights at the Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus
May 1, 4:00 – 8:00 pm

Target is committed to giving back to the communities where their guests and team members live and work. Through their generous sponsorship of the Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus, families can play for FREE the first Tuesday of each month from 4 – 8 pm.

Ongoing Events and Exhibits

Play Ball! at the History Colorado Center
April 7-September 30, 2018
See classic baseball artifacts—from Babe Ruth to the Blake Street Bombers. Treasured memorabilia and iconic photographs bring the past to life through stories that begin on the ball field and echo through American history. Size up your hand against Babe Ruth’s. Find the nails Ty Cobb used to hold his favorite bat together, and admire the glove flashed by Willie Mays to make some of the game’s most memorable catches. See the uniform Joe DiMaggio wore in his final World Series and a receipt for roses he sent to Marilyn Monroe.  historycolorado.org/exhibit/play-ball

Robonology at Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum
May 1 – September 9, 2018
From a robotic arm on the International Space Station to a Mars Rover Challenge, Robonology presents a fascinating and challenging look into the world of robotics. Beginning Tuesday, May 1st, explore the fantastic reality of robotic technology as it applies to space exploration, ocean exploration, planetary exploration, industrial applications and more. An exhibition that is as visually stunning as it is educationally relevant, Robonology showcases real technological devices that are fully interactive and usable by the public. An exhibition that speaks powerfully to all ages, Robonology is a fun and challenging experience that tests visitors skills, while inspiring and encouraging a new generation of innovators.  https://wingsmuseum.org/portfolio/robonology/

Dead Sea Scrolls at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science
March 16-Sept. 3
Dead Sea Scrolls is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see authentic Dead Sea Scrolls, ancient manuscripts that include the oldest known biblical documents dating back over 2,000 years. The scrolls will be dramatically presented within a massive exhibit case featuring carefully regulated individual chambers, along with the full English translation. dmns.org/dead-sea-scrolls

Becoming Butterflies at CU South Denver
Now through June 2, 2018, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Location: CU South Denver
Becoming Butterflies is a fascinating look at some of the world’s most captivating insects throughout their entire life cycle. A successful journey means overcoming natural enemies, evading predators and transforming from a tiny egg to creeping caterpillar to delicate winged flyer. Learn how butterflies impact our lives and the role we play in their survival. http://southdenver.cu.edu/events/event/becoming-butterflies/

Denver Puzzling Adventure at Civic Center Park
Puzzling Adventures™ are a cross between a scavenger hunt, an informative self-guided tour, and The Amazing Race®. Each adventure consists of a series of locations that you are guided to where you are required to answer questions or solve puzzles to receive your next instruction. http://puzzlingadventures.com

Eyes On at Denver Art Museum
December 3, 2017 – July 8, 2018, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Xiaoze Xie has a lifelong passion for books. In his worldview, books are conveyers of prestige and signifiers of collective cultural knowledge: repositories of historical meaning, cultural conflict, and political strife. For Eyes On: Xiaoze Xie, the artist has created still-life paintings of books, videos, and installations based on banned and forbidden books in China. http://denverartmuseum.org/exhibitions/eyes-on-xiaoze-xie

Past the Tangled Present at the Denver Art Museum
November 14, 2017 – October 28, 2018, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
This interactive and immersive installation by Denver artist Jaime Molina was born of imagination and the joy of discovery. Step into a different world where the paintings on the wall flow into 3-D objects that Molina created for the space. Sit on boxes painted with faces and play in a garden of fabricated cacti. http://denverartmuseum.org/exhibitions/past-tangled-present

Creatures of Light at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science 
February 23- June 10, 2018
They light up our lives, but have you ever wondered how? Delve into the world of living things that blink, glow, flash, and flicker, from tiny fireflies to strange creatures in the ocean depths. The new exhibition Creatures of Light explores the mysterious world of bioluminescence and biofluorescence, visible light emitted by living things. This enlightening experience features larger-than-life models, engaging immersive environments, fun activities, and real animals, fungi, and minerals that get their glow on. http://www.dmns.org

Colors of East Africa
Jan. 20-May 19, 2018
Colors of East Africa, an exceptional showcase of eight countries along the Great Rift Valley, continues through May 19 at the Global Village Museum of Arts and Cultures. The exhibit features art and artifacts on loan from over 40 collectors and international travelers in Northern Colorado. Many items reflect the intersection between the wildlife and the indigenous cultures, such as a loin cloth fashioned from fish vertebrae and a Maasai shield & weaponry. http://globalvillagemuseum.org/upcoming-main-gallery/

Animals in Art
 Sept. 10, 2017–May 19, 2019
Whether depicted as faithful companions or threatening adversaries, animals have been the subjects of human art for centuries. Stampede at the Denver Art Museum allows visitors to consider the roles animals play in our lives and in our art through more than 300 paintings, sculptures and more. https://denverartmuseum.org/exhibitions/stampede

AI Weiwei: Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads
Oct. 18, 2017–Oct. 17, 2018
The 12 bronze heads of Ai Weiwei’s Circle of Animals represent the 12 animals of the traditional Chinese zodiac. See it for free at Civic Center Park! https://www.denver.org

Zoom In: The Centennial State in 100 Objects
Nov. 21, 2017–Dec. 31, 2018
History Colorado created a brand-new space, the Tim Schultz Gallery, to house this 3,700-square-foot exhibit of 100 objects, each of which had a role in shaping the history and culture of Colorado. https://www.historycolorado.org/venue/history-colorado-center

Pixelated: Sculpture by Mike Whiting
April 28–Sept. 23, 2018
Mike Whiting’s geometric sculptures at the Denver Botanic Gardens also represent the intersection of two distinct visual styles: 8-bit pixel graphics—which have enjoyed a recent resurgence in games like Minecraft—and minimalist sculpture. Technological limitations in early video games like Pac-Man and Space Invaders reduced the graphics to simplified shapes, while the minimalist art movement created artworks that purposely lacked detail. Pixelated investigates the opposite intents of these two artistic approaches that result in a strikingly similar visual outcome. https://www.botanicgardens.org/exhibits/pixelated-sculpture-mike-whiting

Amber Johnson
Author: Amber Johnson

Amber is the founder and editor of Mile High Mamas, travel writer and former columnist for The Denver Post. She is a passionate community builder and loves the outdoors. She has two awesome teens and is happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin.

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Amber is the founder and editor of Mile High Mamas, travel writer and former columnist for The Denver Post. She is a passionate community builder and loves the outdoors. She has two awesome teens and is happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin.

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