20 Aug 2021

Cherry Creek Arts Festival: 8 activities Denver kids will love

It’s one of Denver’s most beloved Labor Day traditions!

The 2021 Cherry Creek Arts Festival takes place Sept. 4 (10 a.m. to 8 p.m.), Sept. 5 (10 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and Sept. 6 (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.), creekside at CCSC, featuring 220 national and international artists, 16 performing artists, Creation Station with children’s activities, food and interactive experiences.

The event begins on Sept. 2 with a ticketed 30^th Anniversary Kickoff event featuring a pop-up preview of select artists from the juried festival, live entertainment, passed hors d’oeuvres and drinks in a relaxed outdoor setting. Festival Nights take place Sept. 4 and 5 at the CherryArts stage in the Beer Garden from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Here is the family fun you can expect to see at the Cherry Creek art festival.

Chalkart. CherryArts and the Denver Chalk Art Festival will collaborate at the 2021 Cherry Creek Arts Festival, where more than 100 artists will create temporary chalk artworks on Sunday, Sept. 5 and Monday, Sept. 6 at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center (CCSC) in the northwest parking lot near University Boulevard and 1st Avenue.
Imagination Mural, Presented by UC Health. Visit Creation Station to add your artistic touch to the large imagination collaboration mural all weekend.
Ojo de Dios, Presented by Museo de las Americas. Saturday, Sept. 4 and Sunday, Sept. 5. Participants will be invited to use yarn and craft sticks to create Ojo de Dios, a traditional votive made and seen in many Mexican and Mexican American communities. Museo de las Americas is the premier Latin American art museum located in the Rocky Mountain West. They are dedicated to educating our community through collecting, preserving, interpreting and exhibiting the diverse arts and cultures of Latin America, from ancient to contemporary, through innovative exhibitions and programs.
Watercolor Coffee Filter Flowers, Presented by Denver Preschool Program. Saturday, Sept. 4 and Sunday, Sept. 5. Participants will create colorful flowers that will always be in bloom with a watercolor coffee filter flower with the Denver Preschool Program (DPP). In addition to serving as a liaison between parents and preschools, DPP works to improve preschool quality, studies how preschool affects kindergarten readiness, and is a national advocate for excellence in early childhood education.
Create-Your-Own-Opera-Aria, Presented by Central City Opera. Sunday, Sept. 5. Participants will choose 3 to 5 cards with emotions and musical terms and put them together in an order of their choosing. The cards can be layered (for example, a sad fast song) or consecutive. Then, the participant will create a topic from a predetermined list, choosing a noun, a verb, and a place. The Central City Opera singer will then improvise and sing an opera aria using the chosen cards. The participant can choose to improvise the music and/or have the CCO singer sing.
Create Your Own Charity Box, Presented by Chabad Cherry Creek. Sunday, Sept. Participants will create their own charity box and think about how their money can affect change in their community. Chabad Cherry Creek is a nonprofit organization focused on improving the lives of all Jewish people in the Denver area through synagogue services, educational programs and community outreach.
Art Activities. Visit Creation Station and set your imagination free. Create your own trapeze artist, jester hat, lion mask, chalk art or explore the open art studio table.
Creation Station Art Kit. Want to create artwork at home instead? Grab a Creation Station Art Kit to go and get creative at home. The Art Kits include several art project ideas and materials to foster creativity at home. Each project contains a printed and online “At Home With Art” tutorial option to keep kids engaged. Explore all of CherryArts At Home art tutorials https://cherryarts.org/athome.