Hundreds of Things to Do in Colorful Colorado This Fall

When autumn brings us indoors, Denver's cultural scene is ready with exciting events in theaters, museums, galleries, opera houses and lecture halls. In our jeans, we visit galleries during the day and put on fancy duds for a night out on the town. We go to authors' readings and stock up on books for the snowy days ahead, and crowd the concert halls for live performances to remember — and maybe we'll all buy the new Stones album and learn to believe in forever.

Where to go? What to do as the days grow shorter? Keep reading for hundreds of enriching, wicked and wonderful ways to love metro Denver this fall:
GALLERIES/ART MUSEUMS

Abend Gallery: Golden Triangle: Lindsey Kustusch, Kingdom of the Animals, December 2. 1261 Delaware Street, Suite 2, 303-355-0950. Cherry Creek North: Contemporary Figuration V, through November 25. 33rd Annual Holidays Miniatures Mini Show, December 9 through January 6. Cherry Creek North, 303 Detroit Street, 720-551-4044; abendgallery.com.

Art Gym Denver: Members Exhibition, and Colleen Hennessy in the Leyden Jar, through December 3. 1460 Leyden Street, 303-320-8347, artgymdenver.com.

Artworks Loveland: The Art of Disquiet: Unveiling the Magnificent and the Macabre, and Lore, an open-call exhibition, through December 23. 310 North Railroad Avenue, Loveland, artworksloveland.org.

Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities: 2023 Holiday Fine Art Market: November 30 through December 17. 6901 Wadsworth Boulevard, Arvada, 720-898-7200, arvadacenter.org.

Bell Projects: Claudia Borfiga, through November 26. 2822 East 17th Avenue, 720- 663-9099, bell-projects.com.

Bitfactory Gallery: Tadashi Hayakawa, Waku Waku II: Through November 9. Dan Drossman: November 17 through December 12. 851 Santa Fe Drive, 303-862-9367, bitfactory.net.

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art: Exhibitions: Amy Metier: Frame of Reference, through November 29. MediaLive: Technology as Healing, through January 14. Día de los Muertos Community Exhibition: Through October 28. Holiday Pop-Up Shop: November 21 through December 10. Satellite Shows: Lares Feliciano: Positively Aurora, through December 31, Aurora Central Library, 14949 East Alameda Parkway, Aurora. Olive Moya: Radiant Kindness, through December 31, Belmar Library, 555 South Allison Parkway, Lakewood; Lakewood Library, 10200 West 20th Avenue, Lakewood; and Standley Lake Library, 8485 Kipling Street, Arvada. Autumn T. Thomas: Virtue Is Near Thee, and With Gentle Hand, through December 31, Tallyn’s Reach Library, 23911 East Arapahoe Road, Aurora. BMoCA, 1750 13th Street, Boulder, 303-443-2122, bmoca.org.

Boulder Public Libraries: Canyon Gallery, Boulder Public Library: Take Flight! – A Celebration of Colorado Wildlife, through November 30. 1001 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder. Meadows Branch Library: What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? Celebrating the Life and Art of Steve Jenkins, through December 3. 4800 Baseline Road, Boulder, 303-441-3100, boulderlibrary.org.

Breck Create: Stephanie Mercado: The Seeds of Dreams, through November 26, Old Masonic Hall, 136 South Main Street, Breckenridge. Artist-In-Residence: Elisa Gomez, open studio events, through December 2, Robert Whyte House, 127 South Ridge Street. Breck Create, South Main Street, Breckenridge, 970-547-3100, breckcreate.org.

Center for the Arts Evergreen: Don Sahli – Colorful Friends, through December 2. CAE Member Show: December 7 through January 6. 31880 Rocky Village Drive, Evergreen, 303-674-0056, evergreenarts.org.

Center for Visual Art MSUD: Fall 2023 BFA Thesis Exhibition, through December 8. Pressing for Change, January 5 through March 23. 965 Santa Fe Drive, 303-615-0282, msudenver.edu/cva.

CHAC Gallery: Día de los Muertos at CHAC: Life, Death and Rebirth: Vida, Muerte y Renacimiento, through November 17. CHAC Gallery, 834 Santa Fe Drive, 720-662-4822, chacgallery.org.

Clyfford Still Museum: Spotlight: Inside Collections Care and Conservation, through May 5. One Painting at a Time: Bailey Placzek, Pam Skiles, and James Squires in conversation, Thursday, February 22, 1 p.m., free to $15, RSVP: clyffordstillmuseum.org. 1250 Bannock Street, 720-354-4880, clyffordstillmuseum.org.

Colorado Photographic Arts Center (CPAC): Rising and Falling: Kalen Goodluck, Alexandar Heilner, Martha Ketterer and H. Jennings Sheffield, through November 18. Tell Me a Story: The Role of Storytelling in Photography, November 30 through January 6. 1200 Lincoln Street, Suite 111, 303-837-1341, cpacphoto.org.

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center: Solo(s): Krista Franklin, through December 16. Contested Terrains, through December 20. Mi Gente: Manifestations of Community in the Southwest, through February 3. 30 West Dale Street, Colorado Springs, 719-634-5581, fac.coloradocollege.edu.

Core New Art Space: Fred Voigt Becker, Ambiguous Abstraction, and Sam Smith, 0% Juice, with artwork for sale by Core member artists in the Annex: Through 22. The Hub at 40 West, 6501 West Colfax Avenue, Lakewood, 303-297-8428, coreartspace.com.

CU Art Museum: Lush: Prolific Nature, through June 2024. Faculty Exhibition: 2023, opens September 7. 1085 18th Street, CU Boulder campus, 303-492-8300, colorado.edu/cuartmuseum.

CU Denver Experience Gallery: Narkita: I Found Myself in the Mountains, through January 13. Time and Spaces: The Life of Eddie Henderson, February 1 through May 12. Denver Performing Arts Complex (see map), cudenverexpgallery.org.

Curtis Center for the Arts: Women's Caucus for the Arts: Taking Up Space, through December 22. Of Chaos and Order - Edges and Transitions, January 6 through February 24. 2349 East Orchard Road, Greenwood Village, 303-797-1779, greenwoodvillage.com.

Dairy Arts Center:  2590 Walnut Street, Boulder. 303-444-7328, thedairy.org.

D’art Gallery: Main Gallery: Shell Ray, Wanderings; Eric Hagemann, Colorado Luminance; Judy Doherty, Morphed, through November 19. Holiday D’art Market, November 23 through December 17. Ashton Lacy Jones Solo Exhibition, through November 19. Cheri Vilona Solo Exhibition, November 23 through December 17. 900 Santa Fe Drive, 720-486-7735, dartgallery.org.

Denver Art Museum: Personal Geographies: Trent Davis Bailey ǀ Brian Adams, through February 11, 2024. Islands Beyond Blue: Niki Hastings-McFall and Treasures From the Oceania Collection, indefinite. The Russells in Denver, 1921, through through June 30. Amoako Boafo: Soul of Black Folks, through February 19. Gio Ponti: Designer of a Thousand Talents, through January 1. All Stars: American Artists From the Phillips Collection, through March 3. Korean Buncheong Ceramics, December 3 through December 7, 2024. 100 West 14th Avenue Parkway, 720-865-5000, denverartmuseum.org.

Denver Botanic Gardens: Golden Legacy: Original Art From 80 Years of Golden Books, through February 18. The Tropical Paintings of Manabu Saito, through February 11. Tanya Marcuse: Laws of Nature, November 19 through March 31. Freyer-Newman Center, 1007 York Street, 720-865-3500, botanicgardens.org/art-exhibits.

2023 Holiday Fine Art Market: November 30 through December 17 Edge Gallery: Faith Williams and Travis Vermilye, November 17 through December 3. Members Small Works Show, December 8 through 31. The Hub at 40 West, 6501 West Colfax Avenue, Lakewood, 303-477-7173, edgeart.org.

Emmanuel Gallery: Angel Ricardo Ricardo Rios, through February 29. 1205 10th Street Plaza, Auraria Campus, 303-315-7431, emmanuelgallery.org.

Firehouse Art Center:  667 4th Avenue, Longmont, 303-651-2787, firehouseart.org.

First Friday Art Walk: Every first Friday of the month, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Third Friday Collectors Night: Every third Friday of the month, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sundays on Santa Fe: Every last Sunday of the month, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Art District on Santa Fe, Santa Fe Drive between 13th and Alameda avenues, and Kalamath and Inca streets, denversartdistrict.org

Green Mountain Falls Skyspace: Artist James Turrell’s one-of-a-kind experiential art experience, which begins and concludes with an exhilarating hike through the Red Butte Recreational Area in Green Mountain Falls. Open to the public Thursdays through Sundays year-round, weather permitting. Currently taking reservations through November 30: tickets: $5; Skyspace is also available to visit without a ticket in its natural state, after sunrise and before sunset on days the Skyspace is open, unless the trail system is closed due to weather or maintenance. Access: Joyland/Pittman Trailhead: 10605 Ute Pass Avenue, Green Mountain Falls, or Lower Turrell Trailhead: 10392 El Paso Avenue, Green Mountain Falls, greenboxarts.org/skyspace.

K Contemporary: Angel Ricardo Ricardo Rios, December 16 through February 3. 1412 Wazee Street, 303-590-9800, kcontemporaryart.com.

Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art: 1201 Bannock Street, 303-832-8576, kirklandmuseum.org.

Lane Meyer Projects: 2528 Walnut Street, lanemeyerprojects.com.

Leon Gallery: Leon Gallery, 1112 East 17th Avenue, 303-832-1599, leongallery.org.

Littleton Fine Arts Guild: Holiday Boutique: Through December 30. 2069 West Powers Avenue, Littleton. Affordable Art III, through January 22. Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 West Main Street, Littleton, depotartgallery.org.

Littleton Museum: Taiko Chandler, Thoughtful Intuition: Through January 7. 6028 South Gallup Street, Littleton, 303-795-3950, www.museum.littletonco.gov/Exhibits/Inside-Exhibits/Art-Gallery.

Lone Tree Arts Center: 22nd Annual Lone Tree Art Expo, through January 7. 10075 Commons Street, Lone Tree, 720-509-1000, lonetreeartscenter.org.

Longmont Museum and Cultural Center: agriCULTURE: Art Inspired by the Land, through January 7. 400 Quail Road, Longmont, 303-651-8374, longmontcolorado.gov.

Marguerite Humeau, Orisons: An unprecedented 160-acre earthwork by artist Marguerite Humeau paying homage to Colorado’s San Luis Valley, the world’s largest alpine valley. Through June 30, 2025, by reservation only, via the online reservations system. Hooper, Colorado, more information here.

MCA Denver: Cowboy, 27 artists representing a wide range of perspectives including Asian American, Latinx and Native artists, through February 18. 1485 Delgany Street, 303-298-7554, mcadenver.org.

McNichols Building: Culture Cloth, and Community Cloth, through December 17. 144 West Colfax Avenue, 720-865-5570, mcnicholsbuilding.com.

Michael Warren Contemporary: We Are All Heroes, new paintings by Ann Marie Auricchio, and Sherry Wiggins, On Sappho, Helen and Aphrodite, through December 2. 760 Santa Fe Drive, 303-635-6255, michaelwarrencontemporary.com.

Museo de las Americas: Costa Rica: Long Live Peace and Labor, through January 28. Museo de las Americas, 861 Santa Fe Drive, 303-571-4401, museo.org.

Next Gallery: The Hub at 40 West, 6501 West Colfax Avenue, Lakewood, 303-433-4933, nextgallery.org.

931 Gallery: Denise Demby: Through November 19. 931 Santa Fe Drive, 303-432-8170, 931gallery.com.

Pirate: Contemporary Art: Walter Barton and Manda Remmen, November 17 through December 3. 7130 West 16th Avenue, Lakewood, 303-909-5748, pirateartonline.org.

PlatteForum: Resident Artist Paulus van Horne and Art Lab. 3575 Ringsby Court, 303-893-0791, platteforum.org.

Robischon Gallery: Kiki Smith, Kim Dickey, Stephen Batura: Through December 31. Robischon Gallery, 1740 Wazee Street, 303-298-7788, robischongallery.com.

RedLine Contemporary Art Center: Annual Reach Core Artist Exhibition: Curated by RedLine Resident Artists Scottie Burgess and Autumn T. Thomas, through December 3. Gonzo Retrospective: A lifetime of work by Reach program founder Gonzo, through December 31. 2350 Arapahoe Street, 303-246-4448, redlineart.org.

Rule Gallery: Jade Phillips, through December 23. 808 Santa Fe Drive, 303-800-6776, rulegallery.com.

Space Gallery: 400 Santa Fe Drive, 303-993-3321, spacegallery.org.

Spark Gallery: Joyce Coco and Kim Putnam, Madeleine Dodge and Fred Pichon in the North Gallery, November 9 through December 1. 900 Santa Fe Drive, 720-889-2200, sparkgallery.com.

Sync Gallery: Rocco Albano and Dagmar Nickerson, through December 10. 931 Santa Fe Drive, syncgallery.com.

Valkarie Gallery: Maria Valentina Sheets and Melinda Laz: Through December 10. 445 South Saulsbury Street, Belmar, Lakewood, 720-220-7587, valkariefineart.com.

Visions West Contemporary Art: Rachel Denny: Wild and Precious, through November 3. 2605 Walnut Street, 303-292-0909, visionswestcontemporary.com.

Walker Fine Art: New show, through January 6. 300 West 11th Aveneu, #A, 303-355-8955, walkerfineart.com.

William Havu Gallery: Wes Hempel and Jack Balas: Front Range, Back to Back, through December 3. 1040 Cherokee Street, 303-893-2360, williamhavugallery.com.
THEATER

Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities 2023-24 Season: Main Stage Theatre: Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, November 24 through December 31. A Year With Frog and Toad, January 23 through February 24. Black Box Theatre: The Laramie Project, through November 05.  Damn Yankees, March 17 through May 18. Tickets start at $47 (Black Box Theatre) and $56 (Mainstage). Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Boulevard, Arvada, 720-898-7200, arvadacenter.org.

Bas Bleu Theatre Company, 2023-24 Season: Act a Lady, November 24 through December 17. The Open House, February 16 through March 10. Tickets: $25 to $30; season tickets: $115 to $140. Bas Bleu Theatre, 401 Pine Street, Fort Collins, 970-498-8949, basbleu.org.

Benchmark Theatre 2023 Season: The Road to Lethe, December 2 through December 23. Tickets: $18 to $30. The Bench at 40 West, 1560 Teller Street, Lakewood, 303-519-9059, benchmarktheatre.com.

Buntport Theater 2022-23 Season: Happy Hour With Artemesia (and Nathan), fundraiser, live or via Zoom, Saturday, December 2, 7:30 p.m. All tickets name-your-own-price. Buntport Theater, 717 Lipan Street, 720-946-1388, buntport.com.

Butterfly Effect Theatre of Colorado (BETC) 2023-24 Season: Coal Country, through November 19. The Belle of Amherst, November 22 through 26. Holly, Alaska!, December 7 through 31. What the Constitution Means to Me, January 26 through February 11. Season tickets: $145 for four plays; single tickets TBA. Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut Street, Boulder; 303-351-2382, betc.org.

Candlelight Dinner Playhouse 2023-24 Season: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, November 24 through January 28. Crazy For You, February 8 through April 7. Tickets: $40 to $77.50. Candlelight Dinner Playhouse, 4747 Marketplace Drive, Johnstown, 970-744-3747, coloradocandlelight.com.

The Catamounts: FEED: Dry, January 25 through February 11, Dairy Arts Center. Impossible Things, May 24 through June 16, Marjorie Park, Greenwood Village. Fat Cat 2023/2024 season subscription: $225; single tickets TBA. 720-468-0487, thecatamounts.org.

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center Theatre Company 2023-24 Season: Balloonacy, through November 19. Elf the Musical, November 30 through December 31. Water by the Spoonful, February 15 through March 3. Tickets start at $26 (children’s shows start at $16). Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, 30 West Dale Street, Colorado Springs, 719-634-5581, fac.coloradocollege.edu.

Control Group Productions: Bitter Moon, a collaboration between Control Group Productions and Fort Collins-based dance company Alpine Artist Collective, December 2023; dates, times and tickets TBA. Breathing Healing Into the Banks of Sand Creek, an immersive performance series and healing process, May 2024, dates, times and tickets TBA, controlgroupproductions.org.

CU Presents 2023-24 Season: 9 to 5, The Musical, November 9 through 12, Music Theatre, Imig Music Building. University of Colorado, Boulder, 303-492-8008, cupresents.org.

Curious Theatre Company, 2023-24 Season: Letters of Suresh, through December 9. Truth Be Told, January 13 through February 10. Subscription tickets: $22.50 to $53.50; single tickets: $27.50 to $55.50; . Curious Theatre Company, 1080 Acoma Street, 303-623-0524, curioustheatre.org.

Denver Center for the Performing Arts Broadway 2023-24 Season, Buell Theatre: The Hip Hop Nutcracker, November 17 and 18. Annie, November 21 through 26. Six, December 5 through 24. Jesus Christ Superstar, January 23 through 28. Chicago, January 30 through February 4. Tickets: $35 to $125 unless noted. Denver Performing Arts Complex, 303-893-4100, denvercenter.org.

DCPA Theatre Company 2023-24: Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex: Clyde’s, through November 26, Kilstrom Theatre, $35 to $87. A Christmas Carol, November 17 through December 24, Wolf Theatre, $35 to $140. Cebollas, January 26 through March 10, Singleton Theatre, $35-$79. DCPA Theatre for Young Audiences: Little Red, tailored for pre-K to third-grade audiences, through December 23, weekly on Saturdays and daily December 19 through 23, times vary, $16 to $30, Randy Weeks Conservatory Theatre, 1101 13th Street. DCPA Off-Center: Camp Christmas, Denver’s campiest, quirkiest holiday adventure, through December 16, and daily, December 17 through 24, classic and VIP experiences available (prices vary), Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas Street, Aurora. Garner Galleria 2023-24: Yippee Ki Yay – The Die Hard Parody, December 6 through 23, Tuesdays through Sundays, through December 17, and daily, December 19 through 23, $46. Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets, 303-893-4100, denvercenter.org.

DU Department of Theatre: A Bright New Boise, November 9 through 12, daily shows, tickets TBA, Byron Theatre.
Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 East Iliff Avenue, 303-871-7720, newmancenter.evenue.net.

Firehouse Theater Company 2023-24 Season: The Couple, November 18 through December 17. The Nacirema Society Requests the Honor of Your Presence at a Celebration of Their First One Hundred Years, by Pearl Cleage, February 3 through March 2. Season tickets: $110 to $132; single tickets TBA. John Hand Theater, 7653 East First Place, 303-562-3232, firehousetheatercompany.com.

King Center: MSU Denver Theater 2023-24: Girls Like That, November 9 through 19, Studio Theatre. Footloose, February 22 through March 3, Courtyard Theatre, tickets TBA. MSU Denver Studio Theater and Eugenia Rawls Courtyard Theater, King Center, 855 Lawrence Way, Auraria Campus, 303-556-2296, ahec.universitytickets.com.

Local Theater Company 2023-24 Season: We the People: The Democracy Cycle, storytelling circles, ongoing dates TBD through summer 2024. Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut Street, Boulder. Acts of Faith, February 2 through 24, more info TBD. Season subscriptions: $35 to $175. localtheaterco.org.

Lone Tree Arts Center Theater 2023-24 Season: Home for the Holidays 2023, December 14 through 23 (sensory-friendly: Sunday, December 17, 7 p.m.), dates and times vary, $38 to $65. Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons Street, Lone Tree, 720-509-1000, lonetreeartscenter.org.

Miners Alley Playhouse 2023 Season: A Christmas Story 2023: November 21 through December 31, most Wednesdays through Sundays, tickets TBA (season tickets and flex packages available). Miners Alley Playhouse, 1224 Washington Avenue, Suite 200, Golden, 303-935-3044, minersalley.com.

Neustadt JAAMM Series Theater Events 2023-24: Cherry Creek Theatre. Sondheim on Sondheim, Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 p.m., and Sundays 2 p.m., through November 19, $26 to $42, Pluss Theatre. Wiesenthal: Thursday, January 18, 7 p.m., $58, Wolf Theatre. Mizel Arts and Culture Center, 350 South Dahlia Street, 303-800-6578, cherrycreektheatre.org.

Opera Colorado: $39 to $215 (subscriptions available). Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 303-468-2030, operacolorado.org.

PACE Center 2023-24: Murder for Two, through November 19: Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sundays 2 p.m.; starting at $32. School of Rock: Friday, January 19, through February 10, Fridays 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays 2 p.m.; and Thursday, February 8, 7:30 p.m.; starting at $39. PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker, 303-805-6800, parkerarts.org.

Performance Now Theatre Company 2023-24 Season: Newsies, Friday, January 5, through Sunday, January 21. Fridays 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays 2 and 7:30 p.m.; Sundays 2 p.m.; starting at $22. Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 South Allison Parkway, Lakewood, 303-987-7845, lakewood.showare.com.

Stories on Stage 2023-24 Season: Making Merry, Saturday, December 16, 2 p.m., Nomad Playhouse, and Sunday, December 17, 2 p.m., King Center. The Wind, world premiere of David Nehls's new musical with Emily Van Fleet, Sunday, January 14, 2 p.m., Su Teatro. Tickets: $26. Performances at Su Teatro Cultural and Performing Arts Center, 721 Santa Fe Drive; Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut Street, Boulder; King Center, Auraria Campus, 855 Lawrence Way; or Nomad Playhouse, 1410 Quincy Avenue, Boulder, 303-494-0523, storiesonstage.org.

Su Teatro Cultural and Performing Arts Center: The Miracle at Tepeyac, November 30 through December 17, $17 to $20. Su Teatro Cultural and Performing Arts Center, 721 Santa Fe Drive, 303-296-0219, suteatro.org.

Theatre SilCo 2023 Season: Haul Out the Holly, December 9 through 30, $20 to $55, Silverthorne Performing Arts Center, 460 Blue River Parkway, Silverthorne, 970-513-9386, thesilco.org.

Town Hall Arts Center 2023-2024 Season: Matilda, November 30 through December 17; Thursdays through Sundays, times vary, $36 to $54. Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 West Main Street, Littleton, 303-794-2787, ext. 5, townhallartscenter.org.

Upstart Crow Theatre Company 2023-24 Season: The Tempest, September 7 through 17. The Rivals: February 29 through March 10. All shows Thursday through Saturday 7:30 p.m., and Sunday 2 p.m., $24 to $28 (name-your-price on Thursdays); four-show season tickets: $80. Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut Street, 303-444-7328, theupstartcrow.org.

Vintage Theatre 2023-24 Season: Cadillac Crew, through November 26. Black Nativity, November 20 through December 30. Fun Home, January 12 through February 18. Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 p.m., and Sundays 2:30 p.m. Tickets: $20 to $38; five-pack flex pass: @139; season subscription: $199. Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton Street, Aurora, 303-856-7830, vintagetheatre.com.
DANCE

Boulder Ballet 2023-24 Season: The Nutcracker, with the Boulder Philharmonic: Friday, November 24, 2 p.m.; Saturday, November 25, 2 and 6:30 p.m.; Sunday, November 26, 2 p.m.; $25 to $104, Macky Auditorium, 1595 Pleasant Street, #104/285 UCB, Boulder, 303-443-0028, boulderballet.org.

Colorado Ballet 2023-24 Season: Swan Lake, through 15; Fridays, 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 2 and 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m., $40 to $175. The Nutcracker, November 25 through December 24, $40 to $175. Ellie Caulkins Opera House, 14th and Curtis streets, 720-865-4220, coloradoballet.org.

CU Presents 2023-24 Season: Charlotte York Irey Theatre, University Theatre Building, 261 University of Colorado, Boulder (unless noted), 303-492-8008, cupresents.org.

Dairy Center for the Arts 2023-24 Season: Sans Souci Festival of Dance Cinema: Documenting Our Times, November 27 through December 17, Boedecker Theater, sanssoucifestival.org. Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut Street, Boulder, 303-444-7328, thedairy.org.

Lakewood Cultural Center 2023-24 Season: Dance Conservatory of Denver: The Children's Nutcracker, Saturday, November 25, and Sunday, November 26, shows at noon and 4 p.m. both days, tickets TBA. Ballet Ariel: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Friday, December 8, 7 p.m.; Saturday, December 9, 2 and 7 p.m.; Sunday, December 10, 2 p.m.; $30 to $40. Ballet Melange, The Nutcracker, November 18 through 20: Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 2 and 7 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.; $35. Dance Conservatory of Denver: The Children's Nutcracker, Saturday, November 26, 4 p.m.; Sunday, November 27, noon; $30. Ballet Ariel, The Nutcracker, December 10 through December 23; dates and times vary; $35 to $40. Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 South Allison Parkway, Lakewood, 303-987-7845, lakewood.showare.com.

Lone Tree Arts Center 2023-24 Season: Ballet Ariel: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Wednesday, November 29, 7 p.m., $26 to $41. Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons Street, Lone Tree, 720-509-1000, lonetreeartscenter.org.

Newman Center Presents/Dance Series: Artistico: Fiestas Navideñas, Wednesday, December 6, and Thursday, December 7, 7:30 p.m., $19 to $47. Compaigne Herve Koubi: Tuesday, January 23, 7:30 p.m., $26 to $79. Gates Concert Hall, Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 East Iliff Avenue, 303-871-7720, newmancenter.evenue.net.

Wonderbound 2023-24 Season: Icy Haught: December 7 through 17. Awakening Beauty: February 2 through March 3. Sam & Delilah: May 2 through 12. All shows: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 p.m., and Sundays 2 p.m. Season subscriptions: $236; single tickets: $65. Wonderbound Studios, 3824 Dahlia Street, 303-292-4700, wonderbound.com.

FILM FESTIVALS/EVENTS

Neustadt JAAMM Festival: 20th Annual Fred & Audrey F. Marcus Lecture: Where Is Anne Frank? virtual screening and talkback with Academy Award-nominated director Ari Folman; through November 17, 11:45 p.m., $18. Mizel Arts and Culture Center, 350 South Dahlia Street, 303-316-6360, jaamm23-24.eventive.org.

Vail Film Festival: Celebrating female filmmakers with film screenings, filmmaker panels, masterclasses and filmmaker Q&As. Hosted by the Colorado Film Institute, December 7 through December 10, details TBA. 970-306-6843, vailfilmfestival.com.

LITERARY FESTIVALS/EVENTS

JAAMM Fest Literary Events 2023-24: The return of the beloved Jewish Bookstore, with a series of in-person and virtual author visits focusing on books with Judaic themes. JCC Denver, Mizel Arts and Culture Center, 350 South Dahlia Street, 303-316-6360, jaamm23-24.eventive.org.

LECTURES

Rosenberry Lecture Series: History for the Curious: Jason Hanson, "Changing of the Guard: Colorado’s Toppled Civil War Monument," Wednesday, January 17. Lectures monthly between September through May, on third Wednesdays, 1 and 7 p.m. Admission: $5 to $15; season tickets, $70 to $100. History Colorado Center, 1200 Broadway, 303-447-8679, historycolorado.org/history-colorado-center.

Bold Women. Change History. Speaker Series: Women’s History Symposium: Saturday, November 18, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., $30 to $35. History Colorado Center, 1200 North Broadway, 303-620-4933, historycolorado.org.
MUSEUMS/ATTRACTIONS

Chatfield Farms: Trail of Lights: November 24 through January 1; admission: $10 to $16 (two and under free). Chatfield Farms, 8500 West Deer Creek Canyon Road, Littleton, 720-865-3500, botanicgardens.org/chatfield-farms.

Colorado Railroad Museum: Special Events: POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride: Tickets on sale now for performances through December 23 at 5, 6:30 and 8 p.m. Standard seating: $80 to $100 (lap riders under age 2 free), first class: $475/table of four (plus up to two lap riders under age 2 free)Museum admission: $5 to $10 (under two, free), train rides: $2 to $4 (under two, free). Colorado Railroad Museum, 17155 West 44th Avenue, Golden, 800-365-6263, coloradorailroadmuseum.org.

Convergence Station @ Meow Wolf: Meow Wolf’s permanent installation in Denver, with four stories of immersive, mind-bending exhibitions created by more than 300 local and national artists.Tickets: General admission starts at $40; Colorado residents start at $30; Time Warp flex tickets start at $45. 1338 First Street, 720-792-1200, meowwolf.com/visit/denver.

Denver Botanic Gardens: Special Events: Yo Soy Arte: Calacas y Catrinas: Calacas (skeletons) on view at Denver Botanic Gardens (included with admission) and catrinas (elegant skeletons) on view at Aurora Public Libraries. Blossoms of Light: November 17 through January 6 (closed November 23 and December 25), 4:30 to 9 p.m., tickets: $18 to $25. Plant Society Shows: Ikebana International Denver Chapter 66 Show, November 9-11. Gate admission: Free to $15. Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York Street, 720-865-3500, botanicgardens.org.

Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys: A collection of over 20,000 objects, ranging from vintage Star Wars toys to artisan dollhouses and exquisite antique dolls to well-loved toy soldiers. Museum admission: $4 to $5 (three and under free). Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys, 830 Kipling Street, Lakewood, 303-322-1053, dmmdt.org.

Denver Museum of Nature & Science: Exhibits: After the Asteroid: Earth's Comeback Story. Planetarium Shows: Dark Universe; Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity; Cosmic Journey: A Solar System Adventure; One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Big Adventure; Destination Solar System.

Denver Zoo: One of Colorado’s most vital cultural cornerstones, the Denver Zoo is dedicated to providing an intimate, inspiring and informative firsthand encounter with the wonders of nature. Open daily at 10 a.m. (8:30 a.m. members). Gate admission: Free to $24. 2900 East 23rd Avenue, denverzoo.org.

Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park: Luminova Holidays: November 24 through December 31: Fridays, Saturdays and select Sunday and weekday dates, 5 to 9 p.m., tickets TBA. Elitch Gardens, 2000 Elitch Circle, 303-595-4386, elitchgardens.com.

Four Mile Historic Park: A portal to Denver’s Western heritage, with historically accurate replicas, a working farm and the site of Denver’s oldest standing structure. Regular park admission: $6 to $8 (members and children six and under admitted free, Four Mile Historic Park, 715 South Forest Street, 720-865-0800, fourmilepark.org.

Georgetown Loop Railroad: Santa’s Rocky Mountain Adventure: Through December 24, $29.95 per person, to $189.95, table for four. Santa’s Lighted Forest: Through December 24. Tickets: Starting at $24.95. Georgetown Loop Railroad, Devil’s Gate Depot: 646 Loop Drive, Georgetown; Silver Plume Depot: 825 Railroad Avenue, Silver Plume; 888-456-6777, georgetownlooprr.com.

History Colorado Center: A museum designed for multi-generational audiences, with more than fifteen exhibits spanning four floors, all capturing the spirit of Colorado. Exhibits: Virgil Ortiz, Revolt 1680/2180: Runners + Gliders; The Sand Creek Massacre: The Betrayal that Changed Cheyenne and Arapaho People Forever; Borderlands of Southern Colorado; Colorado Stories; Denver A to Z; Living West; Destination Colorado; Written on the Land: Ute Voices, Ute History; Forty Years on the ’Fax: Colfax Avenue, 1926–1966; Liberated: America Fights for Democracy in World War II; Queer Capitol Hill. Admission: Members and kids 18 and under free, $15 adults. History Colorado Center, 1200 Broadway, 303-447-8679, historycolorado.org.

Lumonics Immersed: A multi-sensory experience that merges light, music, sculptures and visual effects to create an unforgettable and one-of-a-kind immersive journey. Saturdays, select dates, 8:15 to 10 p.m., $15 to $25. Lumonics Light & Sound Gallery, 800 East 73rd Avenue, #11, lumonics.net.

Molly Brown House Museum: Historic Denver’s Molly Brown House Museum is committed to enhancing the city’s unique identity by telling the story of Margaret “Molly” Brown’s activism and philanthropy. Molly Brown House Museum, 1340 Pennsylvania Street, 303-832-4092, mollybrown.org.

Verse Immersive: Unreal Garden: Through February 29, tickets starting at $29.99. Southwest Plaza, 8501 West Bowles Avenue, Littleton, versedenver.com.

Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum: More than 182,000 square feet of hangar space full of iconic aircraft, space vehicles, artifacts, military uniforms and much more. Special Exhibits: Pioneers – Pacesetters – Possibilities | Colorado on the Aerospace Frontier; Bell UH-1 Iroquois “Huey”; Star Wars™ Incom T-65 X-Wing Fighter. Museum admission: $1 to $18.95. Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, 7711 East Academy Boulevard, 303-360-5360, wingsmuseum.org.

Wings Over the Rockies Exploration of Flight Museum: 15-acre campus of future-focused, hands-on aviation and space experiences. Events: Breakfast Fly-ins: On the first Saturday of every month, enjoy breakfast from a local food truck, watch aircraft fly in and explore interactive exhibits and simulators: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Museum admission: $1 to $12. 13005 Wings Way, Englewood, 303-360-5360, ext. 160, explorationofflight.org.

SPORTS

Barr Lake State Park: Offering recreational programs in archery, biking, birding, boating safety, conservation, fishing, hiking, nature, winter activities and more. Barr Lake Nature Center, 13401 Picadilly Road, Brighton, cpw.state.co.us. Event registration: cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/pages/calendar.aspx

Bluff Lake Nature Center: Offering free, downloadable self-guided tour itineraries and scavenger hunts, bird walks, guided Forest Bathing and Qigong and Mindfulness Walks, after-school programs and summer camps, nature play stations and more. Open from sunrise to sunset, 365 days a year. Bikes and dogs not allowed. 11255 East Martin Luther King Boulevard, blufflake.org.

Colorado Avalanche: November 22: Vancouver Canucks, 8 p.m.; November 25: Calgary Flames, 8 p.m.; November 27: Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m. Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, 303-405-1100, nhl.com/avalanche, tickets: ticketmaster.com.

Denver Nuggets: November 26: San Antonio Spurs, 6 p.m.; November 29: Houston Rockets, 7 p.m. Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, 303-405-1100, nba.com/nuggets, tickets: ticketmaster.com.

MARKETS

Colorado Fresh Markets: Get fresh products, browse local finds, enjoy tasty food trucks, meet up with neighbors and listen to music in a friendly and charming open-air market setting. Cherry Creek Fresh Market and Makers Markets: Saturdays through November 4. Cherry Creek Shopping Center, First Avenue and University Boulevard, coloradofreshmarkets.com.

Boulder County Farmers’ Markets: Farmer-run nonprofit markets featuring more than 150 local vendors to host the longest market season in Colorado. Boulder: Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., through November 17, 13th Street between Arapahoe Avenue and Canyon Boulevard, Boulder. Longmont: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., through November 18; Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road, Longmont. bcfm.org/markets. Also offering Curbside Pickup Online Markets year-round in Boulder, Longmont, Lafayette and Denver, bcfm.localfoodmarketplace.com/Index.

Centennial Outdoor Market: 12835 East Arapahoe Road, Centennial, facebook.com/people/Centennial-Outdoor-Market.

City Park Farmers Market: City Park Esplanade, 2551 East Colfax Avenue, cityparkfarmersmarket.com/saturdaymarket.

Denver Makers’ Markets: Local handmade artisans, crafters, farmers and vendors to browse both indoors and out. Arapahoe Community College: Fourth Saturdays through November 18, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 5900 South Santa Fe Drive. denvermakersmarket.com/events.

Firefly Handmade Market: A trip to a Firefly Handmade leads you to the intersection of craft, local and small batch.   2023 Holiday Market Denver: Saturday, December 9, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and December 10, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 1000 Blockof South Gaylord Street (between Tennessee & Mississippi). fireflyhandmade.com.

Hobnob Events Farmers Markets: Local vendors provide Colorado-grown produce, tasty baked goods, specialty meats, gourmet food items and more. 1400-1500 blocks of South Pearl Street, between Iowa and Arkansas avenues. jarmanandcoevents.com.

Metro Denver Farmers Markets: denverfarmersmarket.com.

The information in this guide was all submitted by September 1. For updates, catch our weekly Things to Do lists.