Nine Things to Do for Free in Denver Today

Yeehaw! The National Western Stock Show has returned to Denver, bringing with it more than a century of traditions. But this old dogie has some new tricks, too, including the CSU Spur complex that’s now complete and will offer free activities through the Stock Show…and beyond.

Keep reading for eight of the best free events in Denver today:

Snap! Crackle! Poetry!
Sunday, January 8, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Mutiny Information Cafe, 2 South Broadway
Poetry magnet Brice Maiurro’s low-key, monthly open-mic brunch Snap! Crackle! Poetry! starts up for a new year on Sunday at Mutiny, where the coffee pot is always steaming and a crunchy selection of breakfast cereals and other snacks will be for sale. It’s possibly the mellowest open mic reading you’ll ever encounter in Denver: Poets are invited to arrive at 9 a.m. for some quiet time with pen and paper, sign-up follows at 10 a.m., and readers will start slinging words (with a five-minute or two-poem limit) at 10:15 a.m. Raise a spoon for the last poet standing. It’s free; RSVP at Eventbrite.

Frequent Flyers Open House
Sunday, January 8, 1 to 4 p.m.
Frequent Flyers Aerial Dance Studios, 3022 East Sterling Circle, #150, Boulder
Frequent Flyers is hosting an open house when you can try the apparatus for free to see if aerial classes are right for you. If you sign up for classes, you’ll get a discount. Find out more here.

Bison Days
Sunday, January 8, 5 to 9 p.m.
Number Thirty Eight, 3560 Chestnut Street
Bison Days have returned to Number Thirty Eight, with more than two weeks of national and local acts. Many of the shows are free, including those tonight. At 5 p.m., it’s the Poudre Valley Playboys, a collaboration of Colorado guitar phenomenon Josh Long and upright bass aficionado Mark Verschoor that offers classic country-rockabilly-surf music. At 7:30 p.m., listen to Extra Gold, a country-music mix that’s equal parts golden-era country revival, folk, and rock. Get the details here.

A Night of Readings
Sunday, January 8, 7:30 p.m.
Enigma Bazaar, 4923 West 38th Avenue
Denver’s Gold Tooth Collective, a band of creatives that specializes in immersive entertainment, gets literary this weekend, gathering a diverse group of writers and friends (who happen to be musicians, fashion designers, professionals, filmmakers and performers) for a reading at Enigma Bazaar. Prepare to be surprised: You never know what you’ll get. It’s free, but bring a nonperishable good or two to donate to Food Bank of the Rockies.

ongoing:

45+, Robischon Gallery’s 45th Anniversary Celebration Exhibition, Part One
Extended through January 28
Robischon Gallery, 1740 Wazee Street
It would be a shame to miss the visual riches of Robischon Gallery’s 45+, one of Denver’s primary shows of fall 2022, a breathtaking 25-artist overview of the deep talent that the gallery has represented over the past four and a half decades. Happily, the show’s been extended for another month, and Part Two, now opening on Thursday, February 23, is still on the horizon. Learn more here.

Light the Lights
Daily through January 22, 5 to 10:45 p.m.
Denver City and County Building
City Hall is now lit every night through the Stock Show. There are special eight-minute shows at 5:45 and 6:45 p.m., with static shows in between. Find out more here.

Snow Much Fun Virtual (AR) Experiences
Daily through January 31
Pearl Street Mall, Boulder
Boulder has a new holiday attraction: Snow Much Fun Virtual (AR) Experiences, a self-guided tour along the Pearl Street Mall that has you encountering Boulder’s own mascot, Freezie the Snowman, as well as other characters along the way. It’s free; find out more here.

Downtown Denver Rink
Daily through February 14
Skyline Park, 1601 Arapahoe Street
The Downtown Denver Rink is one of the best winter attractions in the city, a space right off the mall to engage in fun and games and celebrate the city. Admission to the rink is always free; bring your own skates to add to the savings, or rent skates on-site ($11 for adults and $9 for children twelve and under). The rink is open daily, but hours are changing; get all the details here.

Do you know of a great free event in Denver? We’ll be updating this list through the week; send information to editorial@westword.com.