Free for All: The Five Best Free Events This Week

Rise and greet the ceaseless capitalist grind, for Monday morning is here yet again. The arrival of a new work week doesn't mean you must resign yourself to five days of toil and despair, however; workaday readers can make the most of their time off by engaging with Denver's creative community. And enjoying life in the Mile High needn't come at a premium price, either: Each of the events listed below has no cover charge. Keep reading for the five best free events in Denver this week.


Patio Screenings at Avanti: Rushmore
Tuesday, August 21, 9 p.m. to midnight
Avanti Food & Beverage
For a certain generation of swoony cinephiles, Wes Anderson's Rushmore was a seminal film-going experience, one that filled cineplexes with misunderstood weirdos brimming with unearned confidence. Revisit the movie that helped alleviate your adolescent loneliness when Alamo Drafthouse and Avanti Food & Beverage partner to bring you the comedy that launched Anderson's meticulously twee career; the film celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year, in case millennial mortality didn't seem imminent enough. The screening kicks off shortly after dusk at 9 p.m. on Avanti's famed patio, and guests can enjoy the full array of drinks and snacks available from Avanti's collective of vendors. Visit Alamo Drafthouse's box office page for more information.

Scoop of Jazz Wednesdays
Wednesday, August 22, 7 to 10 p.m.
Little Man Ice Cream
Sprinkle a little syncopation over your frosty treats at Little Man Ice Cream's Scoop of Jazz, a free weekly summer concert series set against one of Denver's most dramatic cityscape views. Featuring percussionist Alejandro Castaño and a rotating coterie of cool cats, a Scoop of Jazz is just the ticket for shaking off the midweek doldrums. And don't hesitate, because after this, there's just one more opportunity to indulge your sweet tooth and your eardrums beneath the LoHi sky. Learn more on Little Man Ice Cream's Facebook events page.

Nasty Bits / Joke and Tell
Wednesday, August 22, 7 and 9:30 p.m.
The Comedy RoomRoom
Get hyped for the upcoming High Plains Comedy Festival at the place where everybody knows your name (if you're a local comedian): El Charrito's Comedy RoomRoom, which presents a rare Wednesday night comedy show double feature this week. Philanthropic goofballs Joel Vernon and Aaron Wentz kick the evening off at 7 p.m. with an edition of their Nasty Bits showcase dedicated to raising funds for Kayvan Khalatbari's mayoral campaign. Then Steve Vanderploeg's Joke and Tell welcomes local and traveling standups to riff on objects of varying personal meaning; some comics bring their own belongings along, while others craft extemporaneous jokes about Vanderploeg's thrift-store discoveries. Prepare your brain for a weekend full of outstanding Denver comedy with a supplemental evening of Denver comedy. Visit the Comedy RoomRoom's Facebook events page to learn more.


Levitt Pavilion Summer Concert Series: Ripe and The Other Black
Thursday, August 23, 6 to 10 p.m.
Levitt Pavilion
A tuneful gift that keeps on giving to local music lovers, Levitt Pavilion's free summer concert series continues on Thursday, August 23, with another fine performance. With a double bill featuring the danceable rhythms of Ripe and the Other Black, the rain-or-shine concert is a great way to enjoy spacey sounds under the stars. Admission is free; VIP tickets are available for $30. Find out more and reserve a spot on Levitt Pavilion's Eventbrite page.

Hello? Denver? Are You Still There?
Thursday, August 23, 8 to 9:30 p.m.
Hope Tank
Much to the chagrin of longtime locals, Denver is being dramatically reshaped by forces that don't have residents' best interests in mind. Longtime Westword scribe and local activist Bree Davies hosts a monthly show, Hello? Denver? Are You Still There?, that delves into issues facing the Mile High with the assistance of knowledgable guests. August's episode of the muckraking Mutiny Transmissions podcast focuses on Overdose Awareness Day, an event dedicated to reframing the opioid crisis as a public health issue and giving addicts the resources necessary to avoid preventable overdose deaths. Join Davies along with this month's guests, Colorado House District 8 Representative and Caring4Denver ballot sponsor Leslie Herod and Lisa Raville, executive director of the Harm Reduction Action Center. Visit Mutiny Information Cafe's Facebook events page to learn more.

Know of an upcoming event that you think belongs on this list? Send information to [email protected].