As part of Black History Month celebrations around the state, numerous venues are hosting performances of “2024 Black History Live: Meet Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr.”
The 15th annual Colorado Humanities Black History Live program reveals the struggles, achievements, and contributions of the heroes, visionaries, and trailblazers who have contributed to Black legacy. This year the statewide tour features nationally acclaimed scholars Becky Stone and Marvin Jefferson, performing living-history portrayals of Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 10 different Colorado communities along the Front Range and Western Slope.
The scholars perform in what’s known as a Chautauqua format: a first-person dramatization of historical figures. After a 40-minute monologue, the scholar/performer will answer questions, both in character and out of character, for 20 minutes.
The full schedule of these free events is posted online. On Feb. 9 at 6 p.m., the Aurora Public Library Central Branch will host a special event featuring both interpretations.
Saturday, Feb. 10
Denver Women's Chorus is on the road with its 40th anniversary concert HerStory, Our Future.
Clelyn Chapin, the chorus’s artistic director, said the anniversary concert includes exciting surprises. “We are celebrating our history and acknowledging our founder, Carol White. We're bringing back some of our greatest hits, like the ‘lesbian second date moving service,’ that you really have to see to understand… It's a very high-energy celebratory show.”
DWC will also honor former artistic directors at some performances.
Upcoming performances of “HerStory, Our Future” include 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10 at Parsons Theatre in Northglenn (with the Denver Children's Choir); Feb. 17 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at Central Presbyterian Church in Denver; and Feb. 18 at 3 p.m. at Broomfield Auditorium.
Valentine's season hits its peak in Loveland this weekend.
The 78th annual Sweetheart City celebration includes the country’s largest Valentine Re-Mailing Program. The deadline has passed to mail them your Valentine to get it stamped with a romantic verse and sent onward, but you can still drop them off at locations around Loveland through Sunday. That’s also a chance to take in Loveland's annual Sweetheart Festival on Saturday, with music, ice sculpting and a steel owl that stands nearly 25 feet tall and will shoot flames above Foundry Plaza.
The owl is the creation of local sculptor, Ent-tao Hsu, known as Torchmouth.
His wife, fire performer Monica Hsu, said her husband draws from his cultural background for his work.
“Growing up he's really bullied over being Chinese and being an immigrant. So now that he's a successful artist, he wanted to use it as a shout out to his people to just be a beacon of hope for them. And just artists in general,” said Hsu.
The city also has a number of other Valentines themed events, including the Loveland Sweetheart Classic 4-mile race, scheduled throughout February.
The 6th annual Sweetheart Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday along 4th St. in Loveland and at various venues around the downtown.
This Saturday, the Chicano Humanities and Arts Council steps outside its gallery for "Milagros del Corazón" — Miracles of the Heart — 2024. This annual fundraiser features an auction of hand-crafted “art hearts” by more than 70 CHAC artists and community members.
Milagros del Corazón auction runs from 1 to 4:00 p.m. at VFW Post 501 in Denver.
Sunday, Feb. 11
The Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra presents renowned cellist David Requiro performing Tchaikovsky's "Variations on a Rococo Theme" as part of its "The Best of Boulder" showcase at Boulder's Macky Auditorium Sunday. The Boulder Phil also presents an encore of Mozart's "Jupiter Symphony" and other classics on Monday, featuring Misa Stanton, the first-place winner of the Young Artist Concerto Competition.
“The Best of Boulder” concert, Sunday is 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11 at Macky Auditorium in Boulder. Mozart’s “Jupiter Symphony” and other Classics is 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12, at the Parsons Theatre in the Northglenn Recreation Center.
All Weekend
In Colorado Springs, a new play by Eliana Pipes called “Dream Hou$e” follows two Latina sisters as they compete on a reality show in the vein of HGTV. The Theatreworks production is directed by multi-hyphenate Colorado theatre artist GerRee Hinshaw and boasts an all-Colorado cast.
“Dream Hou$e” runs Thursdays through Sundays, through Feb. 18 at Ent Center for the Arts at UCCS.
Other arts and culture events around Colorado
- Where to celebrate Lunar New Year in Colorado — and its holiday traditions explained
- Denverite Things to do in Denver this weekend
- KRCC community calendar for Southern Colorado
- CPR Classical Concert calendar
- Indie 102.3 calendar
How we pick our events: CO Arts Spotlight highlights events around the state to give readers a sense of the breadth of Colorado’s arts and cultural happenings, it is not — and can not possibly be — a comprehensive list of all weekly events. Entries are not endorsements or reviews. Each week’s list is published on Thursday and is not updated. Some groups that appear on the list may also be financial sponsors of CPR but have no input into our editorial choices.
Some groups mentioned in the Spotlight may be financial supporters of CPR News. Financial supporters have no editorial influence.
