23 family fun events this weekend
posted by: Amber Johnson
Don’t miss Denver Restaurant Week, Sloth Weekend, Colorado Garden & Home Show, the Bumblebee Jamboree and more. See our event calendar for full updates.
Sloth Weekend at the Downtown Denver Aquarium
Feb. 22-23, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
W-A-L-K, don’t run to the Downtown Denver Aquarium for their annual Sloth Weekend. For two days, the Aquarium will be dedicated to all-things sloth–from private meet-and-greets to viewings to conversation panels. Because the sloths are, well, slothful, they won’t be constantly on display so you need to snag a spot.
Ales, Apps & Barrels of Fun at Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus
Feb 20, 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Release your inner child at the Children’s Museum during our adults-only extravaganza! Taste craft beers from local breweries, snack on light bites from top caterers and play in the Museum’s world-class exhibits.
Denver Restaurant Week at Denver Metro
Feb 21 – Feb 29
The 16th annual Denver Restaurant Week takes place Feb. 21 – March 1, 2020. Hundreds of Denver’s top restaurants will offer multi-course dinners for three tasty prices: $25, $35 or $45.
From Broadway to Bourbon Street at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church
Feb 21, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Mardi Gras and street-party traditions come alive in this musical tribute to the cities where bold brass shines brighter than the lights on Broadway! Join the Denver Brass5 as we celebrate the cultural fusions that make up our American Soundscape – from the birth of blues and gospel to the fusion of classical and jazz. The Denver Brass5 will parade you from the Big Apple to the French Quarter, where blues, Dixieland, ragtime and all manner of jazz fusion and American folk traditions rule to this day!
35th Anniversary screening of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure at Paramount Theatre
Feb 21, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
A special 35th Anniversary screening of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, followed by amazing stories about the making of the movie told by Paul Reubens.
Wild Kingdom at Aspen Academy
Feb 22, 9:30 am – 11:30 am
For the second year in a row the Greenwood Village Cultural Arts program has partnered with the Arapahoe Philharmonic to present a family-friendly concert. This year “Wild Kingdom” will feature music about your favorite animals. The concert will also feature a special appearance from Dr. Noize, an award-winning children’s performer. The fun will begin with mask making and an instrument petting zoo at 9:30 followed by the concert at 10 am.
Colorado Garden & Home Show at Colorado Convention Center
Feb 22 – March 1
Discover the Rocky Mountain region’s oldest, largest and most prestigious garden and home show – a nine-day spectacular event – where you can find inspiration from the latest ideas and trends in landscaping, gardening and home improvement. Enjoy the multitude of fragrances as you stroll through more than an acre of professionally landscaped gardens – 11 in all. Talk to representatives from more than 650 companies from 25 states and Canada. Visit with the region’s gardening gurus and home improvement experts about the best ways to move your home and garden projects forward.
Bumblebee Jamboree at Denver Botanic Gardens
Feb 22, 10:30 am – 11:30 am
Get ready for a unique musical experience! Children can dress as a favorite pollinator and join a special musical guest for indoor live performance. This unique musical experience is perfect for children up to age 12 and their parents or caregivers. Children are invited to dress as a favorite pollinator such as a bee, butterfly or bird and dance and sing along with the musical guests.
2nd annual Dairy Block Petite Parade at Dairy Block
Feb 22, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Celebrate Mardi Gras in Mile High style this February at Dairy Block, which is hosting the 2nd annual Dairy Block Petite Parade. Everyone is invited to “laissez les bons temps rouler” by building a creative float starting with a shoebox base. Each float must be no larger than 2 feet long by 2 feet wide and shorter than 3 feet tall. It also must be able to be pulled on wheels. The Petite Parade will start at 11 a.m. and travel around Dairy Block led by a Denver brass band.
2020 Denver FamilyFest at National Western Complex
Feb 22, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Welcome to FamilyFest! Wholesome fun for the entire Family! For Parents, it’s a great festival to find family products and services, attend fun & educational stage presentations and register for great prizes. Kiddos are FREE and all Vendors kids activities are FREE also! Kids are FREE with a paid Adult Admission. Adult Admission is $10 online and $15 at the door.
Denver FamilyFest at National Western Complex
Feb 22, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
All Kid’s Activities, Entertainment and Stage Presentations Are Included With A Paid Adult Ticket. Every Vendor Is Encouraged To Have a Kids Activity, Plus There Will Be Bouncies, Stage Presentations, Interactive Activities, Creative Stations and Much More!
CU Wizards “The Chemistry of Cooking” at University of Colorado
Feb 22, 9:30 pm – 10:30 pm
Join CU Wizards Professor David Nesbitt for “The Chemistry of Cooking & Art of Making Fine Cheese!” You’ll learn secrets for a perfect pie crust how to cook scrambled eggs without heat, make yummy homemade cheese or how to reverse the entropy in your hot cocoa!
Sensory-friendly Playtime at WOW! Children’s Museum
Feb 23, 8:00 am – 10:00 am
Sensory Friendly Playtime is a low sensory event for children with autism spectrum or sensory processing disorders to explore the Museum without the noise, crowds, and stimulation of a typical day. 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!
Free Day at Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS)
Feb 23, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
The Scientific & Cultural Facilities District is a voter-approved special district in the seven-county metro area that provides a stable source of supplemental funding to more than 300 scientific and cultural organizations inside the district’s boundaries. The SCFD collects a one-tenth of 1 percent sales-and-use tax (or one penny on every $10 spent), providing approximately $40 million each year to area cultural attractions both small and large.
Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves at Pepsi Center
Feb 23, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Minnesota Timberwolves vs Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. Family Night w/ Purchase of Promotional Offer.
Inside the Orchestra’s Tiny Tots Concerts at Boettcher Concert Hall in the Denver Performing Arts Complex
Feb 24, 9:30 – 10:45 am
Tiny Tots gets children truly inside the orchestra by seating the audience on the floor and surrounding them with a 30+ piece orchestra. Designed for children six and under, this 45-minute program gives young ones the chance to interact with the music and learn about the instruments in the process.
ONGOING EVENTS
Hansel and Gretel at the Miners Alley Playhouse
Feb. 1 – 29
Oooey gooey gumdrops! Join us for a modern spin on this deliciously classic tale: two siblings wind up lost in the woods, leading to unexpected adventures, mysterious creatures, and a witch’s candy house. Children of all ages will appreciate this lively story about gratitude, love, art, the power of family…. and, of course, CANDY! minersalley.com
The Science Behind Pixar at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science
Oct. 11 – April 5, 2020
Enjoy a unique look into the Pixar process, and explore the science and technology behind some of the most beloved animated films and their characters with The Science Behind Pixar. This interactive exhibition showcases the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts used by the artists and computer scientists who help bring Pixar’s award-winning films to the big screen. dmns.org
VR Arcade
Oct. 26 – March 8, 2020
Come on in, jump on board, and have some fun in VR Arcade. The pop-up experience uses virtual reality technology that lets you explore wherever your curiosity leads. VR Arcade features a four-person Virtual Reality Transporter ride, an individual Birdly flight, and six bays for individual VR opportunities.
The Velveteen Rabbit at the Arvada Center for the Arts & Humanities
Jan. 30 – May 20, 2020
When a rocking horse tells an old-fashioned velveteen rabbit that toys become real when they are truly loved, the stuffed animal jumps at the opportunity to be the favorite playmate of a young boy. But when the boy gets sick, their friendship is tested and both learn a lesson in loyalty and what being “real” truly means. This musical adaptation of Margery Williams’ 1922 classic The Velveteen Rabbit presents an updated version of one of the most celebrated children’s tales of our time. Filled with longing and the companionship that fulfills it, the story presents an appreciation for a childhood that is sincere and filled with fun and magic. This timeless tale shows the transformative power of love, and will touch anyone who has ever had a beloved childhood toy.
Night Lights Denver at Daniels & Fisher Tower
Now through Dec. 21, 2020
The Denver Theatre District’s ongoing, year-round projection mapping installation will be projected on the Arapahoe Street side of the Daniels & Fisher Tower every Thursday through Saturday evening. Night Lights Denver will include rotating content, designed by artists and the community, featuring a wide range of art. nightlightsdenver.com
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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