Halloween may have gone the way of the rotted pumpkin, but there are still plenty of ways to scare up a good time in the days ahead. Heedless of the changing seasons, Denver's creative community remains steadfast in its dedication to entertaining fellow citizens with music, comedy, fine art, and a rare opportunity to join a tweed-clad bike brigade. Furthermore, readers can have a blast without breaking the bank at any one of the ten events listed below. Keep reading for the best free and cheap events in Denver this weekend.
Queen City Companion
Thursday, November 1, 8 to 10 p.m.
Mutiny Information Cafe
Free
Uncouth untruths abound at Queen City Companion, an entirely fabricated storytelling show co-hosted by Jen Kolic and Brian Flynn. November's cavalcade of falsified foolishness includes fabulists Kenny White, Caito Foster, Stephanie Zayatz, Emily Coffee, and the monocle-droppingly scintillating second chapter of Lord Humphrey Sliptickle's Victorian erotica. The proceedings may be recorded for posterity on the Mutiny Transmissions podcast network, but earbuds don't do justice to the wacky wonders of the live experience. Admission is free, though goodwill donations are graciously appreciated. Learn more on the Queen City Companion Facebook events page.
CU Presents: Venice Baroque Orchestra With Anna Fusek
Friday, November 2
Macky Auditorium, Boulder
$10 to $65
While the shorelines of the perennially romantic city of Venice may be irreversibly endangered, the sounds of the great waterbound civilization endure as the University of Colorado presents a one-of-a-kind collaboration between the Venice Baroque Orchestra and Berlin-based recordist Anna Fusek. Buy tickets, $10 to $65, and discover more at cupresents.org.
45s Against 45! Resistance Dance Party
Friday, November 2, 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Syntax Physic Opera
$7
Boogie down in opposition to the powers that be at the 45s Against 45! Resistance Dance Party, a Best of Denver award-winning club night that returns just in time for the midterm elections. Shake your booty while doing your civic duty at an evening of hits from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s provided by author/ DJ Jason Heller. Bring the resistance onto the dance floor before taking it to the ballot box at a dance party that doubles as a benefit for America Votes, a nonprofit organization leading the vanguard of voting rights. Admission is $7 at the door; find out more on the 45s Against 45! Facebook events page.
Bad Apple Comedy Show
Friday, November 2, 9:30 p.m.
Stem Ciders
$5
Enjoy an evening of charitable chuckles at the punnily titled Bad Apple Comedy Show, which debuts at Stem Ciders tomorrow night. The inaugural lineup puts some of Denver's funniest women into the spotlight, starting with emcee Carey Lieberman, followed by Jenny Allison, Olivia Schyling, Rebecca Robinson, Natalia Kvalem, Sara Hake and headliner Allison Rose. Proceeds from the $5 admission fee (collected at the door) benefit the Denver Rescue Mission, a nonprofit that provides shelter and support for people experiencing homelessness. Visit the Bad Apple Comedy Show Facebook events page for more details.
Saint Martin's Chamber Choir: The Eleventh Hour
November 2 to 4
Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 7:30 p.m.
Saint Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, 7:30 p.m.
Saint Paul Lutheran & Roman Catholic Community of Faith, 3 p.m.
$10 to $35
Colorado offers no shortage of worthy ways to honor the centenary of Armistice Day with classical music, but the Saint Martin's Chamber Choir presents something truly rare all weekend long with The Eleventh Hour, a concert series remembering the First World War, with Giovanni Francesco Anerio’s stirring yet seldom-performed Requiem. An oratorio innovator from the Roman School of composers who forged a sonic bridge between the late Renaissance and early Baroque musical eras, Anerio composed a beautifully solemn mass for the dead whose impact hasn't diminished one bit over the ensuing centuries. The trio of concerts kicks off at 7:30 p.m. at Holy Cross Lutheran Church on Friday, November 2, and continues at the same time on Saturday, November 3, at Saint Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church before concluding with a 3 p.m. matinee at Denver's Saint Paul Lutheran & Roman Catholic Community of Faith. Buy tickets, $10 to $35, and learn more on the Saint Martin's Chamber Choir events calendar.
Penny Admission for Colorado Residents
Saturday, November 3, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
MCA Denver
One Penny
To paraphrase (and mangle) a common axiom, readers can be in for a penny and in for a powerful artistic experience when Denver's Museum of Contemporary Art offers locals a chance to experience Tara Donovan's mind-bending Fieldwork exhibit in exchange for nothing more than a shiny copper Lincoln. One red cent grants guests access to Donovan's museum-dominating organic sculptures, leaving attendees with even more extra money to put toward sampling the highlights of the cocktail menu at the MCA's rooftop bar. Only Colorado residents are eligible for the deal, so pay up, tourists. Learn more at the MCA Denver Facebook events page.
Tweed Ride Denver
Saturday, November 3, 4 to 11 p.m.
RiNo VELO
Free
Indulge in the need for the tweediest sort of speed as fancy lads and ladies don their finest Edwardian attire and take to the streets of the River North Arts District on two wheels at the Tweed Ride, a recent but delightful addition to Denver's fall festival calendar. Join a gaggle of suited, skirted and scarfed cyclists for an elegantly attired tour through downtown Denver during the waning days of an unexpectedly temperate autumn. The event convenes at the RiNo VELO Bike Shop. Potential pedalers enjoy free admission, and they can find out more on Tweed Ride Denver's Facebook events page.
Free Night at the Denver Art Museum
Saturday, November 3, 5 to 10 p.m.
Denver Art Museum
Free
Even amid a series of campus-reshaping renovations, the Denver Art Museum gives free rein to artsy locals during Denver Arts Week by opening its doors after hours. Wander through the museum's current exhibitions, which include Claes Oldenburg drawings, Rembrandt prints and artifacts of Hinduism's "playful protector" deity, Ganesha. Participating Arts Week venues also include the Denver Botanic Gardens and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Visit the Denver Arts Week events calendar for more details.
Designated Drunkard: A Comedy Drinking Game
Saturday, November 3, 7 to 9 p.m.
Comedy RoomRoom
$5
Denver comedy's third-favorite comedy drinking game returns for another shot-pounding round of standup with Portland-based punchline purveyor Andie Main in the headlining spot. Adapted from an appropriately boozy format that originated in New Orleans, co-hosts Caitie Hannan and yours truly turn comedic peccadilloes into a gauntlet of rib-tickling tipples. Join us, along with local mirth merchants Patrick Richardson, Jeremiah, Elliot Broder and Jenny Allison for a bout of pre-karaoke revelry in El Charrito's Comedy RoomRoom. Find tickets, $5, and more information on Designated Drunkard's Nightout page.
Boulder Comedy Show With Jim Tews
Sunday, November 4, 7 and 9:15 p.m.
Bohemian Biergarten
$5
The Boulder Comedy Show has been bringing the funny to the Flatirons week after week since 2013, even after original host Brent Gill relocated to Los Angeles. Brats, brews and belly laughs abound at the Westword award-winning comedy show, which returns for a pair of performances on Sunday, November 4, with headliner Jim Tews (Last Comic Standing). The remainder of the lineup is rounded out with some of the finest and funniest, including Joe Gray, Dick Black, Andie Main (again) and Gill's last local appearance of the calendar year. Find tickets, $5, and more details on the Boulder Comedy Show's Eventbrite page.
Have an event you want included on this list? Send the details to [email protected].