The days are getting shorter, but this weekend is still long on free entertainment. In Denver, you can visit the new ArtPark; if you're in the mood to hit the road, you can head to Central City for the annual Plein Air Festival or experience Trinidad in a new way.
Keep reading for six of the best free things to do in and around Denver this weekend:
ArtPark Grand Opening
Sunday, September 26, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
ArtPark, 35th and Arkins streets
Explore the intersection of nature, recreation and culture at the grand opening of ArtPark, a creative hub in the Five Points neighborhood designed to spark innovation and bring people together. RiNo Art District, the City of Denver, Denver Parks and Recreation, Denver Public Library, RedLine Contemporary Art Center and Focus Points Family Resource Center have partnered on opening festivities that include a family celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Get all the details here.
Central City Plein Air Festival
Sunday, September 26,10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Central City
Head for the hills this weekend! The aspen around Central City are glowing gold, but the action during the fourth annual Plein Air Festival is solid gold, too. More than twenty artists will be painting the scenery around the Opera House at 124 Eureka Street through the weekend, with activities all over town. There will be free tours of historic buildings from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by a chance to catch the artists at work starting at 1, a concert at 3, and a public exhibition, sale and awards reception at 4. Find out more here.
Trails to Trinidad
Sunday, September 26, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Trinidad
You've heard the buzz about Trinidad, and how many Colorado creatives are congregating there. See the action for yourself at this daylong celebration designed to help support Trinidad’s historic 1908 Fox West Theatre and Fishers Peak State Park. Start with a tour of Temple Aaron, a historic synagogue built in 1889, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ($10 includes bagels, lox and the tour), then join a free public gathering in the Miner’s Museum Courtyard from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., where you can enjoy live music, Trinidad's own Art Cars and activities for kids. From 5 to 8 p.m., a telethon broadcast from the Fox West Theatre and Upswing Gallery will feature more musical acts and entertainment; Jay Gillespie, host of Trinidad’s Cougar Nights, will emcee the event, which will be livestreamed across multiple media platforms. Find out more about Trails to Trinidad here.
Titwrench Workshop: Power Whatever! A beginner's guide to small and medium solar setups
Sunday, September 26, 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Alamo Placita Park, 201 South Ogden Street
Interesting situations come up when a group like Titwrench decides to hold an outdoor concert and needs to power up the stage using alternative methods. Titwrench figured it out, and you can learn how at the Power Whatever! workshop with sound engineers and musicians Kate Warner and Shannon Webber. No experience or supplies are needed, and the instructors will offer hands-on practice on a small sample setup. Because space is limited, a $5 donation is requested to secure your spot, but email [email protected] if you’re unable to afford the fee; see details here.
Ongoing:
The days are getting shorter, so the lights will go on earlier on the Clocktower on Tuesday.
Denver Night Lights
Through September 30, online
The Supernova Digital Animation Festival: Re-Generation is back with online programming through September 30. But you can also see digital animation in person, with an amazing new array of Denver Night Lights projections on the Clocktower Building downtown from dusk to midnight Tuesdays through Sundays. And once the fest ends, Denver Digerati will remain on display with a special exhibit inside Meow Wolf for the year. Get all the details here.
Project Hopscotch
Through October 15
Old Town Lafayette, Public Road corridor between Baseline and South Boulder roads, Lafayette
The Old Town Lafayette Association came up with a free and delightful way to introduce the small businesses, attractions and eateries along Public Road: It hired artists to create ten hopscotch courses around the Old Town district, giving visitors and townies alike a month to hunt them down, take a hop and discover what else there is to see and do around each location. Each artful hopscotch course sports a QR code; for every scan, $1 will be donated by the Lafayette Urban Renewal Authority to a scholarship fund for young artists. Find a map here, and info here.
and a plan-ahead bonus:
Doors Open Denver
Monday, September 27, through October 17
All over Denver and online
Doors Open Denver returns, with some great new in-person tours (tickets required) as well as free online, on-demand tours. New virtual tours include 200 Block South Lincoln Street Historic District, Daniels & Fisher Tower, Loretto Heights: Pancratia Hall and NCAR Mesa Laboratory; there will also be twelve archived virtual tours from 2020. Get all the details here.
Do you know of a great free event in town? We'll be updating this list through the week; send information to [email protected].
