The big news this week is the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo is kicking off! Also, don’t miss the Denver International Sportsmen’s Exposition, free days and the Lafayette Oatmeal Festival. See our event calendar for more information.
Free Day at the Denver Zoo
Jan 10, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Gates open 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Grounds close at 5 p.m.
Denver International Sportsmen’s Exposition at the Colorado Convention Center
Jan 10 –13
Colorado offers an unprecedented number of outdoor pursuits and matching consumer participants. This is why ISE’s longest-running expo continues to expand—product offerings, destinations, activities, number of attendees. Hunting and fishing remain core. Several generations of outdoor enthusiasts from Colorado and the seven bordering states attend, while the expo’s Youth Fair, hosted by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, educates and inspires thousands of future outdoor enthusiasts. See website for time and pricing.
Four Mile Free Day at Four Mile Historic Park
Jan 11, 12:00 – 4:00 pm
Travel back to 1859… for free! Enjoy historic demonstrations, take a tour of the Four Mile House Museum—a Denver landmark!—and meet our many farm animals. We will also offer our Hay Bales & Tall Tales story time from noon to 1 pm.
23rd Annual Lafayette Oatmeal Festival at Pioneer Elementary School
Jan 12, 7:30 am – 12:00 pm
23rd Annual Lafayette Oatmeal Festival is a popular family event focusing on healthy lifestyle. A unique festival including an Oatmeal Breakfast and 5K Walk/Run. Tickets can be purchase in advance at the Lafayette Chamber (starting in November) or at the door .
Cost: Adults $8, Youth 3-12/Senior 60+ $6, Under 2 Free
7th annual Preschool Showcase at the Denver Zoo – Norgren Hall
Jan 12, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
The Showcase is a valuable opportunity for families to FIND and compare quality preschool options for their child, DISCOVER the dollar amount they can get in tuition support from DPP and APPLY for tuition support. Spanish translators will also be on-site to help communicate these benefits.
FAC Museum Free Day at Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
Jan 12, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
The goal of Museum Free Days is to provide access to the FAC’s general admission offerings to the widest possible audiences in the Pikes Peak region. Museum Free Days, as a part of the FAC’s other free and reduced-fee programs (such as scholarship programs at Bemis, and special military discounts through the Blue Star Theatres and Blue Star Museums programs), make an important impact in our community.
Family Discovery Series: Big Bubble Circus at The Schoolhouse Theater
Jan 12, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Mr. Guffaw (Jim Jackson) stars in this very funny family-friendly circus of silliness featuring bubbles of all sizes and shapes. Some so big, in fact, children from the audience may find themselves inside them!
Museum Takeover: Germs at Fort Collins Museum of Discovery
Jan 12, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Alert! Alert! Germs are taking over the museum! Okay, not real germs we hope, just lessons about them. With fun learning stations all over the gallery, you can better understand what germs are, how they spread, and why they make us sick. Brave the January cold (season) and learn all about these pesky microbes. Museum Takeover is a monthly series where we deep dive into a particular subject with fun and educational activity stations in the exhibit gallery. Activities are open to all ages, but recommended for children 5 and older.
National Western Stock Show & Rodeo at the National Western Complex
Jan 12 – 27
Bulls and broncs, cowboys and cowgirls – rodeo’s biggest superstars perform amazing feats of athleticism during each performance of this professional rodeo. Showcasing the elegance and athleticism of the world’s top reining horses, the hard-hitting competition of Denver Professional Bull Riders Chute-Out and the Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza, this event has something for everyone.
Free Day at Longmont Museum
Jan 12, 1:00 – 5:00 pm
The Longmont Museum, housed in a distinctive contemporary building, features changing exhibits in history, art, and science, as well as the award-winning Front Range Rising, a long-term exhibit on the history and culture of this region. The Museum recently opened an expansion, featuring the 250-seat Stewart Auditorium and Cone-Shortall stage, the Swan Atrium, and the Kaiser Permanente Education Center.
Colorado Mammoth vs. Toronto Rock at the Pepsi Center
Jan 12, 7:00 – 10:00 pm
The Mammoth are back in black! Partnering with KOOL 105, the Mammoth will turn back the clock to the greatest decade of all-time, celebrating the 1980s with the radio station’s favorite hits, a live cover band and other bits of nostalgia that will have fans remembering the era of AC/DC, Metallica and more.
Sensory Friendly Playtime at WOW! Children’s Museum
Jan 13, 8:00 am – 10:00 am
Sensory Friendly Playtime is a low sensory event for children with autism spectrum or sensory processing disorders. WOW! will limit admission to 20 families, turn down sounds and lights, and provide adaptive equipment to offer a safe and fun experience for all!
Low Sensory Morning at Downtown Aquarium
Jan 13, 8:30 am – 10:00 am
For our guests that prefer a calmer and more sensory-friendly environment join us for a special morning. We will open early at 8:30 am, turn up the lights and turn down the ambient sounds in the exhibits. Stay as long as you would like.
Denver Nuggets vs. Portland Trail Blazers at Pepsi Center
Jan 13, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Denver Nuggets face off against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Jeff & Paige at the Rayback Collective
Jan 13, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Enjoy an indoor, hour-long, science and nature-focused kids’ concert at Boulder’s hippest hub for food, community and music. Expect live, original, nature-inspired music for kids, educational/hilarious skits, quick costume changes and tons of audience participation. Show appropriate for kids ages 3-8.
Save-the-Date (and book now!)
Mountaineering Weekend at YMCA of the Rockies Estes Park
February 15-19, 2019
Mountaineering Weekend at YMCA of the Rockies features guided snowshoe hikes & winter ecology explorations in Rocky Mountain National Park, backcountry ski meet-ups, ice climbing lessons, winter survival and avalanche awareness presentations, and demos by popular mountaineering equipment brands. Whether it’s your first time out or your family has camped many times, this special weekend has activities and excursions for every level and all ages. Children will enjoy story times, kid-lead hikes and fun snow activities, in addition to ongoing YMCA of the Rockies activities such as roller-skating, ice skating, arts & crafts, etc. https://ymcarockies.org/mountaineeringweekend/
Ongoing General Events
Ice Castles in Dillon, Colorado
December 21, 2018 – February 2, 2019
Each year, Ice Castles brings fairy tales to life for hundreds of thousands of families across North America. Since 2011, Ice Castles has been dedicated to creating an experience that will live on long after the ice melts. https://icecastles.com/dillon/
The Crystal Ice Festival at the Museum of Outdoor Arts
Dec. 15, 2018 – March 15, 2019
Deep in the winter covered forest atop a high mountain is the magical Crystal Ice Castle. Where winter wishes are sent to be considered by the Frost Queen Andorra. Your wish may be granted by the Frost Queen, but those that are not are buried deep within the ice of the castle for future consideration. A found object installation of old glass, cut crystal and acrylic. Including objects such as vases, candlesticks, goblets, bowls and more. Embellished with crystals, beads, rhinestones and silver filigree. http://moaonline.org/winter2018diorama/
Wonderspace Exhibition
Nov. 2, 2018 – Jan. 31, 2019
This free exhibition by architects, designers and engineers on places and spaces, ideas and notions that have inspired wonder in their work. https://www.denver.org/event/wonderspace-exhibition/62473/
Above and Beyond at Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum
Sept. 29 – Jan 13, 2019
ABOVE AND BEYOND celebrates the power of innovation to make dreams take flight. This traveling aerospace exhibition features: immersive simulations, interactive design challenges, iconic historical touchstones, visionary concepts for the future, and inspiring stories from game-changing innovators, past and present. https://wingsmuseum.org/portfolio/beyond/
Big Bird’s Adventure + Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science
Nov. 9, 2018 – Dec. 12, 2019
In this Museum-produced show, zip through other-worldly wormholes, experience the creation of the Milky Way Galaxy, and witness the violent death of a star and subsequent birth of a black hole. Mathematical equations, cutting-edge science, and Einstein’s theories fill in holes along the way, providing the most complete picture yet on this mysterious phenomenon. Also, One World, One Sky is a brilliant spectacle of light and color that follows Sesame Street’s Big Bird and Elmo as they explore the night sky with Hu Hu Zhu, a new friend from China. http://www.dmns.org
Downtown Denver Rink at Skyline Park
Nov. 20, 2018 – Feb. 2, 2019
The Downtown Denver Rink at Skyline Park is the place for fun this holiday season. The Downtown Denver Partnership invites you and your family to join us for a winter full of skating at Skyline Park, located at 16th & Arapahoe in Downtown Denver. https://www.downtowndenver.com/experience-downtown/downtown-denver-ice-rink/
Hidden Universe 3D at CU South Denver
Oct. 27, 2018 – Jan. 25, 2019
Hidden Universe 3D takes audiences on a breathtaking tour of deep space in the cinematic medium that does it best. Our universe is brought to life on the Giant Screen with unprecedented clarity through mesmerizing, real images captured by Hubble and the world’s most powerful telescopes. In an age where space tourism has become reality, the film offers an inspiring story of human endeavor from a prime seat with a magnificent point-of-view. https://southdenver.cu.edu/visit-us/3d-movies/
Denver Art Museum
There are several family-friendly exhibits at the DAM including Stampede: Animals in Art on view at the museum through May 19, 2019. A Walk in the Woods is still on view, which coincides with Stampede, and includes animal-themed artmaking activities and after their summer break, Foxy & Shmoxy: Art Detectives, are back. Children have been really loving the gallery games and book in the exhibition Ganesha: The Playful Protector. Their Learning & Engagment department created a children’s book specially to be used while visiting this exhibition with children, and don’t miss the fun new interactive installation by local artist Nicole Banowetz, The Incubation Effect. Go to https://denverartmuseum.org/ for more information.
Images from the Tracks at the Colorado Railroad Museum
January 28, 2019 – January 5, 2020
One of the foremost photographers to photograph the great American West, William Henry Jackson’s images had an immense influence on the public’s perception of the American West. A portion of those images were captured here in Colorado as Jackson traveled throughout the west by rail. This exhibit not only showcases the Museum’s collection of Jackson photographs but provides visitors with the opportunity to visit the rail car he traveled and lived in – the Denver & Rio Grande Western business car – the Rico.
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.
