Casa Bonita
6715 West Colfax Avenue, Lakewood
303-232-5115
The pink eatertainment palace reopened this summer under new owners Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who made Casa Bonita famous via their show, South Park. With cliff divers, puppet shows and entertainers throughout, the restaurant is almost an immersive experience. And, of course, there's the magic show. As Westword Food Editor Molly Martin wrote after her first trip to Casa Bonita 2.0, "As the 'insanely mysterious Sorcero' entertained the audience with a totally kitschy, totally fun show, I could sense the kids around me forming core memories."
Sensatia is Quixotic's first show in Denver, but the company knows it won't be its last.
Courtesy of Quixotic
Through December
The Arch, 3001 Walnut Street
Kansas City performance collective Quixotic is finding a home in Denver with its Sensatia Cirque Cabaret, which it opened in June and extended through the end of the year, after having already extended its run once before. The show has become immensely popular, and once you go, you'll see why. Enter into an immersive, Art Deco-style bar that serves wickedly good cocktails before heading in to one of the best cabaret shows you'll see. From sensual burlesque acts to jaw-dropping aerial feats, fire dances and musical numbers, Sensatia is a show audiences will never forget — and will want to see more than once.
There will be a Dark Desires Halloween Ball at 8:30 p.m. on October 28, as well, with costume contests and a late-night dance party in addition to more tantalizing festivities. Tickets to the ball are $49; tickets for all other Sensatia productions are $39-$104.
Spookadelia
Closing date TBD
Spectra Art Space, 1836 South Broadway
Spectra Art Space is a pioneer of Denver's growing immersive art scene, and each year it mounts a psychedelic, ghostly experience in Spookadelia, which won a 2023 Best of Denver award for Best Seasonal Immersive. Make your way through a labyrinth of immersive installations and rooms, and follow along the narrative storyline, which works like a puzzle, with augmented reality and clues throughout the show. Because of its popularity, Spookadelia's run is inevitably extended each year; last year's show was up through this past March. Tickets are $12 to $30.
Meow Wolf's Convergence Station
1338 First Street
866-636-9969
Ever since the Santa Fe art collective opened its Denver location in September 2021, it's become one of Denver's biggest draws, immersive or not. The behemoth installation contains four worlds to roam, where you'll uncover many secret spots each time you go. As one of the spot's creative operators told us, "I have been working at Convergence Station since the day it opened, and I am still discovering new things literally every day." Before you go, read about some secret spots in Convergence Station here. Tickets to Meow Wolf are $40.
The Wizard's Chest
451 Broadway
303-321-4304
Since I was a child, the Wizard's Chest has been my ultimate destination, even when it was tiny and nestled in a Cherry Creek storefront. A few years ago, the shop moved, reopening on South Broadway. From the outside, it looks like a castle just waiting for young and old dreamers alike to enter and take in the wonder. The original store opened in 1983 and was modeled after J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth, straight from the The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The space has changed somewhat over the past three decades, but guests can still visit the Winchester Slatebeard and the robed wizard who oversees the shop. Peruse magic tricks, puzzles, toys, games, costumes and other items sure to boost the imagination.
Wizarding World Escape Room
8951 Harlan Street, Westminster
303-362-1286
You won't find any direct references to Harry Potter here, but fans of that magical world will still feel at home in this escape room. And don't worry: If, at the end of an hour, your group can't solve the puzzles and work out the mystery, the headmaster of the Wizarding Academy will still release you. Dress up in your finest magical attire and bring other magic-loving friends. Tickets run $30 per guest, and you must purchase at least four tickets; learn more at the website.
Candy Magic
The Inventing Room
4433 West 29th Avenue
303-960-6656
For years, Ian Kleinman has created magic through his Willy Wonka-themed candy shop. It's a place any lover of the mystical culinary arts should explore. Enjoy a $40 Gobble Box, which has an Everlasting Gobstopper lollipop, unicorn pop rocks, freeze-dried Skittles, no-melt ice cream and more. There's also a glow-in-the-dark version of that package, and Harry Potter-themed lollipops to try. To get a look into how Kleinman makes candy magic, book a ticket to his Tricks & Treats/Sugar Science Holiday Edition, which has been extended through November 12 because of popular demand. It's thirty minutes of sweet trickery, and while you'll see how things are made, expect to try his creations, too. This includes magic liquid nitrogen popcorn balls, glow-in-the-dark pumpkin cotton candy, caramel apple freeze-dried marshmallows and more.
This list was originally published September 10, 2021, and has been updated to reflect new spots.
Do you know of magical events and experiences to explore? Let us know what they are at [email protected].
