Memorial Day (May 26-29, 2023) is the long-awaited start to summer and Denver has an excellent lineup of family-friendly fun! From memorials to live music to family events to outdoor activities to blockbuster museum exhibits, don’t miss some of our favorite finds! If you want to instill the true meaning of Memorial Day, check out Don’t Forget, God Bless Our Troops by First Lady Jill Biden and A Day for Rememberin’: Inspired by the True Events of the First Memorial Day.
Memorial Day Family Fun in Denver 2023
Denver Festivals and Events
Boulder Creek Festival
WHEN: May 26–29, 2023
WHERE: Boulder Central Park and Civic Center, Boulder
Enjoy live music at the bandshell, a marketplace full of local vendors, delicious food trucks, refreshing bar stands and the Creekside Beer Fest. This summer bash brings the community together with three days and nights of fun festivities. Located between Arapahoe and Canyon Road, this anticipated occasion is free for all ages to attend and enjoy.
Denver Arts Festival
WHEN: May 27–28, 2023
WHERE: Central Park’s Conservatory Green
The Denver Arts Festival is a free festival featuring fine art and fine crafts from primarily Colorado artists, while also showcasing a select group of national artists. Make a day of it with plenty of art to see, wine tasting from La Crema Winery, food trucks, adult beverages, and free live music both days. There will also be a Kids Art Zone where kids can create their own paintings to take home with them. Come see why this festival is one of the top-ranked art shows in the country!
The Denver BBQ Festival
WHEN: May 27–28, 2023
WHERE: Empower Field at Mile High
The Denver BBQ Festival returns to Empower Field at Mile High! Top pitmasters from Denver and around the country will be smoking more than 30,000 pounds of meat, so be sure to grab your 3- or 4-hour Pit Pass tickets, which include all-you-can-eat and drink! There will also be live music, cold drinks, BBQ demos, a Rib Rumble where BBQ lovers can compete to see who can eat the most rib meat in a 5-minute heat, and a Run for the Ribs 5k race. Admission is free; guests pay for food and drinks.
2023 Fort Logan National Cemetery
WHEN: May 29, 11 a.m.-noon
WHERE: Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver
Honor our veterans at this special ceremony at the Fort Logan National Cemetery with FLower on Every Grave.
Memorial Day Car Show
WHEN: May 29, 9 a.m.
WHERE: Applebee’s Grill + Bar, 10624 W Colfax Ave., Lakewood
Check out the Applebee’s on West Colfax for the best Memorial Day Car Show, with over 1,000 cars on display!
Bolder Boulder 10K
WHEN: May 29, noon
WHERE: 4820 63rd Street Ste 10, Boulder
Come run the Bolder BOULDER 10K race in Boulder this May.
High School Drags
WHEN: May 29, 9 a.m.
WHEN: Bandimere Speedway
Represent your school in Memorial Day racing! The fun includes a Horsepower Car Show, School Spirit Race, Kids FreePrizes and more. Gates open at 8 am.
Art & Museum Exhibitions
Disney Animation: Immersive Experience
WHEN: Thru August 13, 2023
WHERE: 3900 Elati St.
This innovative celebration takes you inside the greatest films of Walt Disney Animation Studios, from their very earliest, groundbreaking features to the beloved hit movies of today. Imagine stepping into the Casita with Mirabel from “Encanto,” or being at Pride Rock as Rafiki presents Simba. Imagine hopping on a train with Judy Hopps and going into “Zootopia,” or taking a magic carpet ride with Aladdin and Jasmine. Now you can! Step into the art and legacy of Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Bugs
WHEN: Thru Aug. 27, 2023
WHERE: Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS)
Precision flight, swarm intelligence, mind control … enter the world of bugs! This exhibition, created by Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand and Weta Workshop (the creative studio behind the Lord of the Rings films’ fantastical sets), reveals the secrets of insects and arthropods in delightful, dazzling ways. From immersive activities that get you thinking to hands-on games that get you moving, Bugs inspires us to be curious about the tiny-but-mighty creatures among us, appreciative of the vital role they play in the natural world, and energized to help them thrive.
Confection Perfection: Jolly Rancher Company
WHEN: Thru Dec. 30, 2023
WHERE: Golden History Museum & Park, Golden
Seeking additional income for her family, homemaker-turned-entrepreneur Dorothy Harmsen heard about people making a fortune in Florida selling ice cream from newly invented soft serve machines. In 1949, Harmsen rented a store in downtown Golden and made a down payment on a new machine. Within a few years, she and her husband, Bill, built one of the most iconic confectionery companies in the world.
Tamara Kostianovsky: Renewal
WHEN: Thru June 18, 2023
WHERE: Denver Botanic Gardens
Textile sculptor Tamara Kostianovsky presents 13 large-scale sculptures of tropical birds, flora and tree stumps. The works draw inspiration from her childhood home in Argentina and seek to envision a utopian future restored from past and present exploitation. Repurposing clothing from her own wardrobe as well as clothes, linens, upholstery and towels from family and friends, Kostianovsky forges connections to loved ones and childhood memories.
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Author: Mile High Mamas
