DENVER — Every weekend, Denver7 compiles a list of some fun events you might enjoy. Here are our picks for the 7 best things to do in the Denver metro area and beyond this weekend. Have a fun event you’d like to showcase? Send an email to thingstodo@denver7.com.
1. A music festival for Denver’s very own demon horse? Sign me up!
The inaugural Blucifer’s First Rodeo Music Festival is taking over South Broadway (UMS who?!) with around 170 local bands over the course of three days. This new music fest is hoping to fill the void left by the UMS over one of Denver’s most important corridors for music and DYI culture. Bluebook, Cheap Perfume, Horse B—c, Honey Blazer, Los Mocochetes and more. Tickets and more info. can be found here.
2. Art lovers, you’ll want to head to Cheesman Park this weekend for a one-of-kind fest
The 13th annual Cheesman Park Art Fest will have over 150 artists and craftsmen from across the U.S. showcase their work. There will also be live music and food both Saturday and Sunday. The event is free of charge. More info. here.
3. Bless this mess, it’s the UMS (at its new location in RiNo)
The Underground Music Showcase – one of the most anticipated music festivals of the summer – is moving to its new home in Denver’s RiNo Arts District. Over 200 musical performances across multiple outdoor stages and over a dozen indoor music venues will take over RiNo for the inaugural UMS party in their new location. Headliners include 54 Ultra, Slenderbodies, Goldie Boutilier, Angélica Garcia, Fear of Satori, Fountain of Youth. Tickets and more info. here.
4. Celebrate 108 years of fun for the whole family at the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo
Whether you come for the parade, the animals, the vintage cars, the rodeo, the food, or the shopping – the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo will be the place to be this weekend. This year's highlights include The Marketplace, walk-around entertainment, mutton bustin’, 4-H/FFA exhibits including livestock, general projects and the Jr. Livestock Sale. Tickets and more info. here.
5. Love fairs? How about a fair in the mountains?
The 54th annual Carbondale Mountain Fair starts Friday and goes through Sunday this weekend. Returning this year with an expanded format through downtown, events will center in Sopris Park. There will be music, art, pie-baking, wood splitting, fly-casting, belly-dancing, and much more. More info., including tickets, can be found here.
6. Want to check it out some art on Sunday? Then head to Sundays on Santa Fe
What used to be a once-in-blue-moon type of thing is now a year-round affair. Head to the Santa Fe Arts District for a free gallery crawl happening on the last Sunday of each month. Sundays on Santa Fe happen from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is free of charge. More info. here.
7. The Denver Outlaws are having their homecoming weekend
Alright, sports fans! If you’re looking to get into a new sports, go check out the homecoming weekend of the Denver Outlaws as the Premier Lacross League (PLL) returns to Denver. Fans can watch top-tier lacrosse athletes compete in this exciting two-day sporting event at Denver University. Tickets and more info. here.
BONUS —
Check out an exhibition of “Colorado Currents” at the MCA Denver
The exhibition Colorado Currents brings together recent artworks by twenty-eight artists with ties to Colorado, in the spirit of exploring how Colorado is experienced today. Their artworks address a wide range of topics including Colorado’s indigenous communities; histories of mining, labor, and more. The exhibit starts this Friday and runs through Nov. 1. Tickets and more info. here.
The RockyGrass Festival
The 54th annual RockyGrass Festival is a celebration of traditional bluegrass and roots music held along the banks of the St. Vrain River at the Planet Bluegrass ranch. The festival offers an array of outdoor recreation activities along with the music, and camping is available at the festival, at Meadow Park, or at Olson Campground. It’s happening all weekend long. Tickets and more info. here.
77th Burro Days celebration
Experience one of Colorado's most unique and beloved traditions at the 77th Burro Days Celebration in Fairplay. This multi-day event celebrates Fairplay's rich mining history with a packed lineup of quirky races, live entertainment, and family-friendly activities. It happens Friday through Saturday. More info. here.