It’s hard to believe it’s nearly the end of July. But summer activities are still in full swing. So get out there and enjoy the warm weather and festivities while they last!
Thursday, July 24
- Artikal Sound System in Ridgway — A free, outdoor show at Hartwell Park, starting at 6 p.m. Food, beer, wine and margaritas are available for purchase.
- “Guys & Dolls” in Grand Lake — On stage at the Rocky Mountain Repertory Theater. Tickets range from $38-$48.
Friday, July 25
- Manitou Chamber Music Festival Gala — The concert, put on by the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony Association, features students and faculty playing Beethoven, Brahms, and Copland. The show is at 7:30 p.m. at the Broadmoor Community Church. Tickets start at $20.94.
- Unsent “Love” Show in Denver — A live storytelling event where speakers get on stage to share stories about the theme, “Love,” that they’ve never shared before. The event takes place at Town Hall Collaborative in Denver’s Santa Fe Arts District. Tickets are $17.85.
- Friday Night Flicks: “Bridesmaids” in Glendale — Infinity Park hosts a free, outdoor screening of Bridesmaids. Picnics, blankets and lawn chairs welcome. Food trucks will also be on site.
- Indigo Girls and Melissa Etheridge at Red Rocks, 7 p.m.
- “The 39 Steps” in Creede — Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python, and you have “The 39 Steps.” On stage at the Ruth Humphreys Brown Theatre. Tickets start at $38 for adults and $20 for children.
Saturday, July 26
- Colorado Book Awards in Denver — An evening to celebrate Colorado’s authors and support Colorado Humanities, with keynote speaker and host of CPR’s Colorado Matters, Ryan Warner. The event begins at 4 p.m. for VIP, 6:30 p.m. for general admission. Tickets start at $37.50.
- RiNo Summer Art Market in Denver — A monthly market featuring 50+ unique RiNo artists and small businesses, plus a variety of family-friendly performances and activities. Free and open to the public from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Bronc Day Festival in Green Mountain Falls — A celebration of history, western heritage, and small-town charm. Free and open to the public from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Day of the Cowboy Celebration in Westcliffe — An afternoon of live performances from cowboy poets and cowboy musicians at the Historic Jones Theater, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $20.
- “Music for Butterfly Lovers” at the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster — Learn why composers have been fascinated by invertebrates, and how they have tried to capture them in their music. The show begins at 8 a.m. A second show will be held on Saturday, Aug. 16. Tickets are $12.
Sunday, July 27
- Free Day at the Denver Art Museum — Enjoy all of the museum’s exhibitions, free of charge, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- City Park Jazz in Denver — Featuring Dzirae Gold from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Free and open to the public.
- Beck with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra at Red Rocks, 7:30 p.m.
All weekend
- Underground Music Showcase in Denver — The 25th and final year of the three-day, multi-venue South Broadway music festival. July 25-27. Weekend passes are $130, day passes are $75.
- Chicano Music Festival & Auction in Denver — July 23-29 at Su Teatro in the Sante Fe Arts District. Festival passes are $40.
- Cheesman Park Art Fest in Denver — The Cheesman Park Art Fest returns with live music, food trucks and work from 150+ juried artists.
- Evergreen Jazz Festival — Fourteen musicians/bands play five intimate venues throughout the weekend, from Friday, July 25, to Sunday, July 27. Tickets are available for the full weekend, single days, and “Dance Nights.”
- “The Bridges of Madison County” in Brighton — Based on the best-selling novel, “The Bridges of Madison County” is a sweeping romantic musical with a breathtaking score by Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown. Set in 1965, the story follows Francesca Johnson, an Italian woman living on an Iowa farm, whose brief but profound encounter with National Geographic photographer Robert Kincaid changes her life forever. The play is on stage July 25-26 and July 31-Aug. 3. Tickets start at $23.
Ongoing events
- “Month of Video” in Denver — An entirely free lineup of video exhibitions and screening events showcasing video-based art. Programming includes projection art, video games, live video performance and experimental work. View the full lineup of events and exhibitions.
- “Dixie’s Tupperware Party” in Denver — A laugh-out-loud tale about Dixie Longate, a fast-talking, gum-chewing, ginger-haired Alabama gal who is bringing grandma’s Tupperware party into the 21st century. On stage July 24 through Aug. 17 at the Garner Galleria Theatre in the DCPA. Tickets start at $56.64.
- Vail Dance Festival — Internationally renowned dancers and companies unite for 14 performances and over 40 special events throughout the Vail Valley, July 25 through Aug. 5.
- Bright Nights at the Historic Four Mile Park in Denver — An evening lantern festival featuring whimsical flora and fauna, a surreal Chinese Dreamland and an interactive zone full of surprises. Open Wednesday through Sunday, 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Tickets start at $15.
- “Flyin’ West” at the Ent Center for the Arts in Colorado Springs — A play bringing to life the untold stories of the women who built their own futures on the plains of Kansas. On stage July 10-27 with tickets starting at $20.75.
- “Young Frankenstein” in Breckenridge — The comedy genius, Mel Brooks, has adapted his beloved comedy film for the stage. At the Breckenridge Backstage Theatre from June 25 through Aug. 10. Tickets range from $35 to $50.
- “The Future is Present, The Harbinger is Home” at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver — The exhibition features over sixty works spanning sculpture, painting, drawing, video, and large-scale installations that explore the role of New Orleans and other climate-vulnerable regions of the world. On view through Aug. 24. Museum admission ranges from free to $14.
- Colorado Shakespeare Festival in Boulder — “The Tempest” and “Richard II” are on stage at the Roe Green Theatre through Aug. 10. Tickets start at $36.
More things to do in Colorado this weekend
Some other groups mentioned in the Colorado Arts Spotlight may also be financial supporters of CPR News. Financial supporters have no editorial influence.
How we pick our events: The Colorado 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.
Have suggestions for next week’s Spotlight? Email Lauren Antonoff Hart at [email protected].
