Five Free Things to Do This Weekend

Get out and see the sights this weekend. We've recommended the Mile High Tree before, but it's now in its final week; you won't want to miss the light show coupled with music from Colorado bands. And for the first time, Roxborough Park will be open late, so that you can see the stars. Keep reading for five of the best free events in and around town over the next few days, as well as a bonus on Monday.

Trail of Lights
Starting Friday, January 24
Roxborough State Park, 4751 East Roxborough Drive, Littleton
Let there be lights! On January 24, Roxborough State Park will debut its new Trail of Lights, a seasonal display that gives visitors a chance to be in the park after sunset and catch the night sky on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Through January, the park will keep the Fountain Valley Trail open to 7 p.m. on those nights; in February, the Fountain Valley Trail will be open until 8 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. There's no charge to follow the Trail of Lights...but all vehicles entering the park must have an $8 daily pass or display an annual state parks pass. But you already have one of those, don't you? For more information, call 303-973-3959.

Lunar New Year
Saturday, January 25, through February 8
Outlets at Castle Rock, 5050 Factory Outlets Boulevard, Castle Rock
The shopping complex is celebrating the Chinese New Year with a number of specials, including the Red Envelope Giveway, distributing traditional Chinese red envelopes stuffed with gift cards and shopping coupons, and lantern decorating for kids. Learn more here.

Town Hall: Democratic Candidates for U.S. Senate
Sunday, January 26, 2 to 4:30 p.m.
Longmont Museum, 400 Quail Road, Longmont
All nine Democrats who want to defeat Cory Gardner will join in a community conversation at the Longmont Museum on January 26; the candidates will cover issues important to the Latinx community. Scheduled to appear: Englewood psychologist and climate activist Diana Bray; activist and nonprofit leader Lorena Garcia; University of Denver professor David Goldfischer; former Governor John Hickenlooper; former Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff; pastor and women’s studies professor Stephany Rose Spaulding; multimedia tech entrepreneur and former gubernatorial candidate Erik Underwood; nonprofit director and immigrant-rights activist Michelle Ferrigno Warren; and scientist and educator Trish Zornio. The event will be moderated by Nick Lopez. Admission is free; doors open at 1 p.m. Find out more here.

Metropolitan Opera Rocky Mountain Regional Auditions
Sunday, January 26, 1:30 p.m.
June Swaner Gates Concert Hall, University of Denver
The auditions for the Met are the biggest and most intensely competitive singing contests in the world, and candidates will be competing on January 26 at the June Swaner Gates Concert Hall in the Robert and Judi Newman Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Denver. The winner from this regional meet will go on to New York to compete at the Met with the Met Opera Orchestra on March 1. There's no admission, but a donation of $10 is requested. Find out more here.

Overground Railroad: An Evening With Candacy Taylor
Monday, January 27, 5:30 p.m.
Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library, 2401 Welton Street
Soul food scholar Adrian Miller will host an evening with award-winning author, photographer and cultural documentarian Candacy Taylor, whose recently published Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America celebrates the stories of those who stood up against segregation in America to put their names in the “Green Book." Copies of the book will be offered for sale at a discounted price; proceeds will benefit Colorado Humanities’ 2020 Black History Live program.

And a bonus:

Immerse in Access
Monday, January 27, 6 p.m.
Newman Center for Theatre Education, 1101 13th Street
Denver's obsession with the immersive arts shows no signs of abating in 2020. In fact, the new year is off to a strong start with Immerse in Access, an evening of insights for immersive creators on building accessibility into the design process. Presenters include Lydia Garcia, DCPA executive director of equity and organization culture; Carol Krueger, DCPA theater services manager; and Regan Linton, artistic director of Phamaly. The program starts at 6 p.m. Monday, January 27, in the Orange Studio on the second floor of the Newman Center for Theatre Education, 1101 13th Street; admission is free, but RSVPs are required here.

For many more events, see our 21 Best Things to Do list. Know of a great free event? We'll be updating this list; send information to [email protected].