Ten Things to Do in Denver for $10 and Under (Four Free)

While scraping overnight snowfall off your windshield and braving the icy hazards of the streets may make the prospect of a homebound weekend especially appealing, hibernators will miss out on a glut of entertainment in the Queen City. Concerts, comedy shows and local business milestones carry on despite the inclement weather, and you're likely to pay more for rideshare surge fees than tickets to any of the events listed below. Keep reading for the ten ways to have a grand time for less than ten American dollars in Denver this weekend.

Crafts and Drafts
Thursday, February 7, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.
3 Kings Tavern
Free
A treasure trove of handcrafted Valentine's gifts awaits when Crafts and Drafts returns to 3 Kings Tavern after a month-long hiatus to kick off 2019 with a dash of romance and rock and roll. Peruse collections of artwork, jewelry, handmade goods, vintage wares and more from a wide range of local vendors at a shopping opportunity replete with one-of-a-kind creations. Sweetheart shoppers can also sway along to live performances from Wild Lives, Bad Year and A Lot of Lip. Admission is free; find more details on the 3 Kings Tavern Facebook events page. 

Giggles: The Comedy Drag Show
Friday, February 8, 9:30 p.m.
Pride & Swagger
Free
Sass and shade pervade throughout Giggles, a drag comedy show that returns to Pride and Swagger for another round of weekly wackiness hosted by Jessica Rabbid. Presiding over a comedic cavalcade of queens, Rabbid welcomes Anita Johnson and a series of surprise guests for this week's edition. Visit Pride & Swagger's Facebook events page for more information.

The King of Beats: A Tribute to J Dilla by Brant Williams
Friday, February 8, 9:30 p.m.
Dazzle
$5
Origin stories don't get much humbler than J Dilla's, who passed away in 2006. After an inauspicious debut making beats on a store-bought tape deck with Detroit-based trio Slum Village, Dilla (born James Dewitt Yancey and also known as Jay Dee and Dilla Dawg) became a highly influential producer, and his innovations can still be heard in today's hip-hop. Pay homage to the genre-blending King of Beats with a live ensemble consisting of guitarist Brant Williams, keyboardist Eric Luba, bassist Kirwan Brown and drummer Kowan Turner for an evening of music that highlights Dilla's reverence for jazz, at one of the city's best-suited venues. Find tickets, $5, and learn more on Dazzle's box-office page.

Ratio Beerworks Four-Year Anniversary Weekend
February 8 to 10, noon
Ratio Beerworks
Free
Raise your frosty glasses and say "Cheers!" to four years of Ratio Beerworks at the brewery's quadrennial anniversary, which kicks off a weekend of keg-draining delight at noon on Friday, February 8. In addition to the inaugural tapping of Genius Wizard Grand Cru and the anticipated return of the Wild in the Streets saison, the festivities include piping-hot vittles from Adobo Food Truck and performances from the Gamits' Chris Fogal and Cameron Hawk, JSR, the Corner Girls, Spanish Love Songs and Joey Cape of Lagwagon. Find out more on the Ratio Beerworks Facebook events page.


Lost Walks Documentary Screening
Friday, February 8, 6:30 p.m.
LFX Filmworks
Free
Howl at the screen and support some of the state's most endangered wildlife at LFX Filmworks' screening of the documentary Lost Walks: Into the Wilderness, which chronicles the story of Lost Walks, the Denver band that has devoted itself to saving wolves. While the group won't be performing, the film itself is a marvel, admission is free, and proceeds from the evening's DVD sales benefit the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project. Learn more on the LFX Filmworks Facebook events page.

Valentine's Follies
February 8, 14 and 15, 7:30 p.m.
Mercury Cafe
$10
Romantically tinged theatrics return to the Mercury Cafe with this year's edition of Valentine's Follies, a stage-bound sendup of the lovers' holiday. Though the show premieres this weekend, on Friday, February 8, you can also find your fill of follies at reprise performances February 14 and 15. Hit up an ATM before enjoying an evening out at one of Denver's most revered venues; The Mercury remains a cash-based establishment. Admission is $10 at the door; dial 303-294-9258 to make reservations, and find out more on the Mercury Cafe Facebook events page.

ICONS, A Tribute to African Americans in Art
Saturday, February 9, 7:30 to 10 p.m.
Aurora Cultural Arts District
$10
America's cultural landscape would look duller and altogether different without the creative contributions of artist-activists such as Nancy Wilson, Kathryn Dunham, Nikki Giovanni, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee and Nina Simone, yet the immense influence of these cultural pioneers is too often overlooked. The 5280 Artist Co-op and the Aurora Cultural Arts District join forces to issue a vibrant rebuttal to this historical erasure with ICONS, A Tribute to African Americans in Art, a paean to the unsung heroes of Black History Month, including performances from Dwayne Carrington, Rajdulari, Aubree Fullwood, Kenya Fashaw, Stephanie Hancock and Adrienne Martin Fullwood, followed by a tribute to Simone. Admission is $10 at the door; find more details on the 5280 Artist Co-op Facebook events page.

Alphabeat Soup
Saturday, February 9, 8 p.m.
Thought//Forms Gallery
$7 to $10
Stir up a pot of of free-flowing verse and hard-pumping bass when Alphabeat Soup returns to Thought//Forms Gallery with a hot, hot cauldron of freshness ready to heat up your frigid February. Dishing out a hearty stew of a lineup including Dashwoo, Furbie Cakes, Yung Lurch and headliner Felix Fast4ward, Alphabeat Soup is a head-nodding feast for your ears. Tickets are $7 to $10 at the door; visit the Thought//Forms Gallery Facebook events page to learn more.

Silly Saturdays
Saturday, February 9, 8 p.m.
The Kasbah Nightclub
$10
Get ready to wild out on the weekends with another edition of the Silly Saturdays comedy show at Aurora's Kasbah Nightclub. Hosted and curated by Monie Jonezy, February's lineup welcomes openers Brandon Comedy, Dick Black and Rosa Mariposa to set the stage for headliner Lil G (BET's Comicview). With Mi Twice on the ones and twos, the beats, laughs and catfish feasts will continue all night long at one of the most perpetually slept-upon gems of the Colorado comedy calendar. Dial 720-767-5741 or visit the Kasbah Nightclub's Facebook events page to buy tickets, $10, and find out more.

Black Market Translation
Sunday, February 10, 8:30 p.m.
Lion's Lair
$6
Slam and sway to the sounds of psychedelic junk-wavers Black Market Translation, headliners of a head-banging triple bill at the Lion's Lair. Supplemented with opening performances from the Viewfinders and A. Krym, the Sunday night show provides a perfectly weird way to end your weekend. Admission is $6 at the door; find out everything else you need to know on the Lion's Lair's Facebook events page.

Do you have an event you want included on this list? Send the details to [email protected].