It’s the Colorado Irish Festival! The Colorado Black Arts Festival! The Phantom Circus! The Colorado Renaissance Festival! See our event calendar for full listings and don’t miss our Denver summer activity guide with 150+ ideas.
Denver Outlaws vs. Atlanta Blaza at Broncos Stadium at Mile High
July 11, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Don’t miss the thrill and excitement of Major League Lacrosse at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Family-friendly and affordable, the non-stop action will have you on the edge of your seat!
Family Program: To the Moon and Back: Denver Museum of Nature & Science
July 11, 6:00 – 9:00 pm
Come fly with us as we celebrate one of man kind’s greatest achievements, landing on the moon! At this out of this world event we will have dinner in the Museum, learn about the moon with interactive activities, take a look at our biggest satellite with high power telescopes (weather permitting), and enjoy Moon-themed Planetarium shows.
Free Movie at the Park: Incredibles 2 at Zuni Park
July 11, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Come and watch a FREE movie with the family. There will be prizes and lots of fun. Party starts at 7pm, movie starts at dusk.
Colorado Black Arts Festival at City Park
July 12– 14
Come celebrate the 32nd annual Colorado Black Art Festival showcasing the rich and creative talents of local, regional, and national African Americans in art and culture. The three day event will feature three performing stages filled with dance, jazz, blues, soul, reggae, gospel, traditional African drum and dance. This is a family friendly event with programming and activities for the entire family.
Colorado Irish Festival at Clement Park
July 12 – 14
Held in the heather of Clement Park in Littleton, with a backdrop of the Rocky Mountain Highlands, the Colorado Irish Festival celebrates all that is Green. This eclectic gathering of tens of thousands is known throughout the west for its outrageous display of kilts and bagpipes and Irish step dancing; and the best Irish rock and classic music this side of the Emerald Isle. The 2019 line up promises to be a memorable weekend of great entertainment.
Free Day at Four Mile Historic Park
July 12, 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Discover this tranquil, 12-acre historic oasis and the site of Denver’s oldest house. Tour the museum, stroll the gardens and grounds, pan for “gold”, and visit our farm animals. Exhibits, demonstrations, and special programming compliment cultural and natural history to enrich your park experience.
Colorado Rocks vs. Cinncinnati Reds at Coors Field – Home of the Colorado Rockies
July 12 – 14
Enjoy exciting major league baseball and come out to this series between the Colorado Rockies and the Cinncinnati Reds
Hi-Five Family Night at Hi-Five Sports Zone Southwest Plaza
July 12, 5:30 – 7:30 pm
Hi-Five is hosting a family night full of supervised sports activities where kids can win prizes, enjoy live entertainment, and meet new friends. In lieu of an admission fee, Hi-Five is asking attendees to donate to Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Dive-in Movie: Ralph Breaks the Internet at Elitch Gardens
July 12, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Dive-In Movies are shown in Island Kingdom Water Park every Friday night June 28 – August 2. The Water Park closes at 6pm with the exception of the Wave Pool, movies beginning around 7:30 pm.
Colorado Renaissance Festival at Colorado Renaissance Festival
July 13, 10:00 am – Jul 14 @ 6:30 pm
Flashback to the 16th Century and journey through a medieval city. Enjoy full-armor jousting, tasty turkey legs, music and a marketplace featuring more than 200 artisans.
Free Day at Longmont Museum
July 13, 10:00 am – 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.
Phantom Circus at Seawell Ballroom
July 13, 2:00 pm – 10:00 pm
The Phantom Circus is back for thier first full length Denver performance in over a year. On July 13th you can see them perform at the Seawell Ballroom in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. The Denver-based professional super troupe ups the stakes in a two act variety format showcasing some of the best circus talent Colorado has to offer, including aerialists, acrobats, hoopers, handbalancers, and bellydancers. Showtimes! 2:00pm Matinee and 8:00pm
Second Saturdays in Olde Town Arvada at Historic Olde Town Arvada
July 13, 4:30 – 8:30 pm
Second Saturdays are back! The signature Olde Town Arvada summer concert series is hitting the streets again on the second Saturday of every month. Every Saturday of the summer will feature a different theme, and we start the party this year by bringing the funk with a Colorado favorite – Funkiphino.
Water Lantern Festival Colorado Springs @ Prospect Lake at Memorial Park
July 13, 6:00 – 10:00 pm
Water Lantern Festival was Voted #1 Best Cultural Festival by USA TODAY. Water Lantern Festival is a floating lantern event that is all about connections. Magical nights in cities across the U.S. include food, games, activities, vendors, music and the beauty of thousands of lanterns adorned with letters of love, hope and dreams reflect upon the water.
Drums Along the Rockies at Broncos Stadium at Mile High
July 13, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Drums Along The Rockies, Colorado’s premier marching music event, is annually one of the best and most popular events of its kind in the world. Held for years at Mile High Stadium, and now at beautiful Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Drums Along The Rockies has become a Denver institution and a thrilling summer event for families across Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region.
The Amazing Acro-Cats Dance Into Denver at Bug Theatre Company
July 13 – 14
Denver dances with the Amazing Acro-cats! The Amazing Acro-cats Featuring Tuna and the Rock Cats are a troupe of touring performing house cats. This one-of-a-kind, two hour long purrformance features talented domesticated house cats roll on balls, ride skateboards, jump through hoops, and more.
Johnny Orlando & Mackenzie Ziegler at Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park
July 13, 8:00 – 10:30 pm
Johnny Orlando & Mackenzie Ziegler live at Elitch Gardens!
Sensory Friendly Playtime at WOW! Children’s Museum
July 14, 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
July 14, 8:30 am – 9:45 am
For our guests that prefer a calmer and more sensory-friendly environment join us for a special morning. We will open early at 8:30am, turn up the lights and turn down the ambient sounds in the exhibits.
Colorado Rockies vs. San Francisco Giants at Coors Field – Home of the Colorado Rockies
July 15 – 17
Enjoy exciting major league baseball and come out to this series between the Colorado Rockies and the San Francisco Giants.
Ongoing General Events
Summer@DEN Series
May 24-Sept. 2
Denver International Airport is brimming with free family-friendly activities all summer. DEN Park on the Plaza will include gardens featuring native Colorado trees and plants, live music, lunchtime fitness classes and family activities. Each Wednesday, join a free, weekly lunchtime workout. Fitness classes include yoga, Pilates, Krav Maga, Zumba and more! Each Friday, enjoy a variety of free, fun, cultural and family-friendly activities and performance and from June 14-July 14 you’ll find free 18-hole mini golf course! Test your putting skills while you wait for your flight or simply as a fun outing. www.flydenver.com/events
Summer of Play
June 21 – August 2
On Friday, June 21, the Art Students League of Denver will launch “Summer of Play,” an invitational exhibition featuring a commissioned piece by the Ladies Fancywork Society, displayed alongside artworks by ASLD’s KidART Camp and Teen Studio instructors. The exhibition, which will r27un through August 2, is focused on playfulness and interactivity.
Moon Month
July
Neil Armstrong said the famous words, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” on July 20, 1969. In honor of this achievement, get your space suits on and come celebrate the 50th anniversary of the lunar landing at Fort Collins Museum of Discovery this July. The #MoonMonth at FCMoD celebrations continue with programs and events all month long! fcmod.org/
Colorado Shakespeare Festival: Twelfth Night at Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre
June 7 – August 11, 2019
Ring in the summer season with an uproarious comedy about thorny love triangles, mistaken identities … and a pair of twins lost at sea. When Viola finds herself shipwrecked and her brother drowned (or so she thinks!), she begins to dress as a man named Cesario. Since 1958, the Colorado Shakespeare Festival has delighted audiences with professional theatre on the CU Boulder campus. Complete your Colorado summer with Shakespeare under the stars in the historic Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre—complimentary seatbacks included. cupresents.org
Butterflies at Chatfield Farms
May 25 – September 2
$4, $2 Gardens or Butterfly Pavilion member, free for children 2 and under
This seasonal habitat is home to hundreds of native butterflies such as swallowtails, monarchs, mourning cloaks and painted ladies. The plants in this house are used as a nectar source for butterfly food and designed to create a whimsical atmosphere for visitors of all ages to enjoy. Learn what types of plants you can add to your garden to attract butterflies and other pollinators. Presented with Butterfly Pavilion.
Serious Play: Design in Midcentury America at the Denver Art Museum
May 5 –August 25
Serious Play: Design in Midcentury America presents the concept of playfulness in postwar American design as a catalyst for creativity and innovation. This exhibition explores how employing playfulness allowed designers to bring fresh ideas to the American home, children’s toys and play spaces, and corporate identities. The cost is included in general admission which is free for kids 18 and under every day.
Our Senses: Creating Your Reality at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science
April 12 – August 4
When it comes to our senses, hasn’t the number five had enough time in the spotlight? Now other sensory heroes get some overdue attention in Our Senses: Creating Your Reality, a new exhibition at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science for the whole family where you play with color, patterns, sounds, scents, and textures to discover there’s so much more to human senses than just the famous five. www.dmns.org
Denver Art Museum
Visit the Denver Art Museum this summer where kids receive FREE general admission every day! There is plenty to do during #SummerofPlay2019 at the DAM including family-friendly artmaking in the galleries and in the Paint Studio (opening June 1). Step into the shining world of the new First Light Family Space (opening June 1) and try hands-on activities inspired by the exhibition The Light Show. Don’t miss this summer’s main exhibition, Serious Play: Design in Midcentury America, opening May 5, where children are invited to play in the Free Play Zone at the end of the exhibition where they can try on bold masks and bring them to life in a colorful theater, climb on a wavy playscape by sculptor Isamu Noguchi and creatively combine the pieces of the Tyng Toy.
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.
Marine Biologist for a Day at the Downtown Aquarium
Jan 1- Dec 31, 2019
See if you have what it takes to become a Marine Biologist! Spend a day behind the scenes where all the scientific action happens. Experience close encounters with exotic species from the deep sea to shallow reef and everywhere in between. You’ll even get to dissect a squid! Program includes guided tour, biologist dive show, squid dissection, animal feedings and much more! T-shirts & lunch included.
Friday Night Bazaar
June 7- September 27
Celebrate the return of Friday Night Bazaar as they open on June 7th and pop-up weekly in RiNo, River North Art District all summer long from 5-10 p.m. for your shopping & sipping needs! Weekly features include 25+ Local Makers, Food & Fashion Trucks, live DJ and more. denverbazaar/fridaynightbazaar
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.
