10 Things to Do for $10 in Denver This Weekend (7 Free!), July 3-5

It's the Fourth of July weekend, which means you can go camping, smoke some weed or do whatever it is that makes you feel free — as long as you're not infringing on the freedoms of others. Pepper in some fireworks, movies and cultural events, and you can let freedom ring all over town. Drop us a comment if you know of anything else to do on the cheap.

Cherry Creek Arts Festival at Cherry Creek North (10 a.m Friday-Sunday, free)
A Denver staple for 25 years, the festival attracts thousands of humans to browse art, interact with it and drink booze of course. It's well worth a walk-through at least once over the next few days. Click on the Cherry Creek Arts Festival website to find out when the parties are going down.

B-Side Music Fridays with Automatic Iris and The Take at MCA Denver (6 p.m. Friday, $5)
Hang out on that rad patio (rad-io?) on top of the MCA with libations flowing through your belly while rock music flows through your cranium. The Take can jam and riff and Automatic Iris lays down the melodies for a good time, because that's what you're going to get. Also you get to walk around the museum, which is nice, because it's air conditioned. 

Ridge at 38 Friday Night Live at Ridge at 38 (6 p.m. Friday, free)
Wheat Ridge is a cute little town, but they sure can party big. Join them tonight out there on West 38th Avenue for an evening of jams, a showcase of food in the area, flag painting, chalk art and, once the sun goes down, an outdoor showing of The Goonies. See what Wheat Ridge is made of tonight once they go live. 

PUSH/POP/KICK at Dona Laurita Gallery (6 p.m. Friday, free)
The most important thing about skateboarding is style. How you look when riding a skateboard is the paramount quality — and it's what separates the legends from the rest of us. Art is the same way, so the two cultures come together quite often through a DIY spirit to create amazing work. PUSH/POP/KICK exhibits art from the skateboard culture from local and international artists, like the highly recognizable Jimbo Phillips and up-and-coming deck artist Jeff Kubasak. Check out the opening reception for the second installment of this series tonight. It doesn't get much freer than skateboarding and art. 

Ethiopian Cultural Festival at Hinkley High School (7 p.m. Friday, free)
Aurora was chosen this year to host this year's All Ethiopian Sports Association One soccer tournament and cultural festival. The tournament has been going on all week, but you can catch a slice of the Ethiopian lifestyle tonight with live music, dancing and hopefully plenty of gomen and kitfo to snack on. Experience something completely new — that's what this freedom weekend is all about.

Independence Eve at Civic Center Park (8 p.m. Friday, free)
Christmas gets an eve, New Year's gets one too, so lets let freedom have an eve as well. Celebrate the night before July 4 with a concert from Funkiphino and the 101st Army Concert Band and plenty of fireworks to make you oh and ah. Bring the family, bring the friends and watch the majestic explosions in the sky. 

DKBC All Star Party at Hi-dive (9 p.m. Friday, $10)
The Denver Kickball Coalition (DKBC), is the rough and tough squad of the childhood past time. It's not beer in hand, playing in the grass, but playing on hard dirt and shit talking. Check out their All-Star party at the Hi-dive tonight and see these people party just as hard as they play. Champion, Modern Crime, Brother Sister Hex, Lines, Blink 90210 and DJ Sprinkle Wizards will provide the musical entertainment, while the people watching should be pretty prime too. 

No Holds Bar at El Charrito (7 p.m. Saturday, free)
People probably like to defend themselves with the First Amendment more than any other, even if it's kind of out of context. Celebrate that free speech by bringing a team down to El Charrito and playing rounds of that game where you say terrible things after a prompt card. This is a Uncalled Four event, so you know it's going to be terrible, in the best way possible. Following the game is karaoke night, so sing some Boss, for America.  

Jurassic Park at Skyline Park (7:30 p.m. Saturday, free)
Hold on to your butts, because Saturday night's film is going to show you what can go wrong when you have too much freedom. This movie is so much fun and is even better under the stars on a lawn chair with a beer in your hand, so before the late night Fourth of July celebrations come check out this classic. 

Paris, Texas at Sie FilmCenter (1 p.m. Sunday, $1)
Once a month, the Tattered Cover hosts a classic movie at the Sie FilmCenter, and this month's feature is a good one. Paris, Texas stars Harry Dean Stanton playing an amnesiac father on a quest to reunite his family by way of a journey through the southwest part of America. It's a powerful film, and the perfect way to spend an afternoon nursing that independence hangover.

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