76 upcoming · updated daily
Art, outside the gallery.
Major arts festivals, outdoor film, and cultural events across the Denver Metro.
Art in Denver spills out of the gallery and into the park, the parking lot, and the side of a sandstone cliff. This page tracks the major arts and culture events across the Metro: the Cherry Creek Arts Festival and its 260 juried artists, the Colorado Black Arts Festival in City Park West, the Golden Fine Arts Festival, and outdoor film nights like Film on the Rocks at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
We focus on the large, public, mostly outdoor events, the ones thousands of people show up for, rather than single openings or class schedules. Dates, footprint, and price floor are on every page so you can plan a full afternoon around one.
Rooms on this page: Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Larimer Square.
Apr 18 - Sep 7 · Denver Botanic Gardens
Jaume Plensa: A New Humanism at Denver Botanic Gardens
Jaume Plensa: A New Humanism, the Spanish sculptor’s first U.S. retrospective, runs at Denver Botanic Gardens through September 7, 2026.
Jun 4 - Aug 23 · Arvada Center for the Arts & Humanities
Tilting West at the Arvada Center
The Arvada Center’s gallery exhibition Tilting West is in its final weeks, closing August 23, 2026 in the north metro.
Jun 6 - Aug 9 · Meow Wolf Denver
Phenomenomaly: Live Performances at Meow Wolf Denver
Meow Wolf Denver's Phenomenomaly adds live, costumed performances inside Convergence Station, running through August 9, 2026.
Jun 11 - Sep 7 · Saint John's Cathedral
Celestia: Immersive Light and Music at Saint John's Cathedral
A 360-degree projection-mapping show set inside the Gothic Revival Saint John's Cathedral, running nightly June 11 through September 7, 2026, with a live eight-voice vocal ensemble on weekends.
Jun 12 - Jan 3 · Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Changing Landscapes: Inside Venice, Mesa Verde and Rapa Nui at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Changing Landscapes, an immersive exhibition on climate change at three World Heritage sites, runs at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science from June 12, 2026, through January 3, 2027.
Jun 22 - Aug 10 · Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Film on the Rocks at Red Rocks
Movies under the monoliths: Sinners, Little Miss Sunshine, Bridesmaids, and Jurassic Park, each with live pre-shows.
Jun 29 - Jul 27 · Denver Botanic Gardens
Evenings al Fresco at Denver Botanic Gardens
Denver Botanic Gardens stays open into the evening for Evenings al Fresco, a summer series with live local music on five dates from June 29 through July 27, 2026.
Jul 3 - Sep 4 · Clocktower Cabaret
Drag Decades with Shirley Delta Blow at Clocktower Cabaret
An 11-year-running monthly drag cabaret tracing queer history through the decades, with first-Friday dates July 3, August 7, and September 4, 2026 at Clocktower Cabaret.
Jul 10 - Jul 31 · Clocktower Cabaret
Showgirls! All That Glitters at Clocktower Cabaret
A high-glam burlesque and aerial revue running multiple Fridays and Saturdays in July 2026 at Clocktower Cabaret in the basement of the D&F Tower.
Jul 29 - Aug 2 · Buell Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex
The Sound of Music at the Buell Theatre
A touring production of The Sound of Music, the final Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, plays the Buell Theatre at the Denver Performing Arts Complex July 29 through August 2, 2026.
Thu, Jul 30 · McGregor Square
Movies at McGregor Square: A League of Their Own
McGregor Square screens A League of Their Own for free on its 66-foot LED wall in LoDo on July 30, 2026.
Thu, Jul 30 · Museo de las Americas
ConnectArte: Living Stories of Denver's Chicano Movement
Museo de las Americas hosts ConnectArte, an evening of living oral history from Denver's Chicano movement, on July 30, 2026 at 6 PM on Santa Fe Drive.
Fri, Jul 31 · The Bug Theatre
Chris Andrade en Espanol at the Bug Theatre
Comedian Chris Andrade performs a Spanish-language stand-up set at the Bug Theatre in Denver's Highlands on Friday, July 31, 2026 at 7:30 PM.
Jul 31 - Aug 9 · The People’s Building
The Scarlet Pimpernel: An Old Time Radio Production
The People’s Building stages The Scarlet Pimpernel as a live old-time radio production in Aurora, running July 31 through August 9, 2026.
Sat, Aug 1 · Clocktower Cabaret
Alice in Wonderland Burlesque at Clocktower Cabaret
An adults-only Alice in Wonderland burlesque reimagining runs at Clocktower Cabaret through August 2026, opening August 1.
Sat, Aug 1 · Oriental Theater
Carnivale De Sensuale: What A Fool Believes at the Oriental Theater
Carnivale De Sensuale returns to the Oriental Theater on August 1, 2026, with headliners Kitten N Lou and an evening of burlesque, magic, and aerial.
Sat, Aug 1 · Cleo Parker Robinson Dance
Mile High 2026 at Cleo Parker Robinson Dance
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance presents the free performance Mile High 2026 at its Five Points theater on August 1, 2026 at 6:30 PM.
Sat, Aug 1 · Denver Art Museum
Denver Art Museum Colorado Day Art Market and Free Day
The Denver Art Museum offers free general admission on Colorado Day, August 1, 2026, with Colorado artists selling work on its plazas.
Aug 1 - Aug 2 · East 8th Place, Cherry Creek
The Denver Street Fairs: Midsummer Arts Festival
The Midsummer Arts Festival closes East 8th Place near Colorado Boulevard on August 1 and 2, 2026, for a free open-air arts street fair on the edge of Cherry Creek.
Sat, Aug 1 · History Colorado Center
History Colorado Center Colorado Day Free Admission
The History Colorado Center offers free admission on Colorado Day, August 1, 2026, the state's 150th birthday.
Sat, Aug 1 · MCA Denver
First Saturday Penny Admission at MCA Denver
MCA Denver charges Colorado residents one cent for admission on the first Saturday of each month, with the next dates landing July 4 and August 1, 2026.
Sun, Aug 2 · Tattered Cover Colfax
Kristin Harmel at Tattered Cover Colfax
New York Times bestselling novelist Kristin Harmel reads and signs at Tattered Cover's Colfax store on August 2, 2026.
Aug 4 - Aug 9 · Buell Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex
Beetlejuice the Musical at the Buell Theatre
Beetlejuice the Musical, based on the Tim Burton film, runs at the Buell Theatre at the Denver Performing Arts Complex August 4 through 9, 2026.
Aug 5 - Aug 9 · Meow Wolf Denver Convergence Station
Phenomenomaly: Emerald Zombie at Meow Wolf Denver
Meow Wolf's rotating live-performance series Phenomenomaly features artist Emerald Zombie for a run of Wednesday-through-Sunday shows Aug. 5-9, 2026.
Aug 6 - Aug 23 · Kilstrom Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex
504: The Musical World Premiere at the Kilstrom Theatre
504: The Musical, a world premiere about the 1977 disability-rights sit-in, runs at the Kilstrom Theatre in the Denver Performing Arts Complex August 6 through 23, 2026.
Thu, Aug 6 · Belmar Plaza
Silent Disco on the Belmar Plaza
Belmar hosts a free silent disco on its plaza in downtown Lakewood on August 6, 2026 at 8 PM, where everyone dances to headphones under the lights.
Aug 6 - Aug 9 · The Bug Theatre
The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals at the Bug Theatre
A local staging of StarKid's cult horror-comedy musical The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals runs August 6 to 9, 2026 at the Bug Theatre in Denver's Highlands.
Fri, Aug 7 · Arvada Center for the Arts & Humanities
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance presents A Summer Dance
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance performs A Summer Dance at the Arvada Center on August 7, 2026.
Fri, Aug 7 · Clyfford Still Museum
Clyfford Still Museum First Friday Pay-What-You-Wish
The Clyfford Still Museum lets visitors set their own admission price, as low as one cent, on First Fridays August 7 and September 4, 2026.
Sat, Aug 8 · Stanley Marketplace
Drag Storytime & Bingo at Stanley Marketplace
Drag performer Alice Glamoure hosts a family-friendly Drag Storytime and Drag Bingo in the Stanley Marketplace common area in Aurora on August 8, 2026, from 3:30 to 5:30 PM.
Sat, Aug 8 · Olde Town Arvada
Second Saturdays in Olde Town Arvada
Olde Town Arvada's free Second Saturdays street event returns August 8, 2026 from 5 to 9 PM with art, live music, and open shops across the historic district.
Sun, Aug 9 · Onyx Room, Brown Palace Hotel
Goth Brunch: Onyx Room Special Edition
Goth Brunch stages a special edition in the historic Onyx Room at the Brown Palace Hotel on Sunday, August 9, 2026, with Denver drag performers and a gothic theme.
Aug 11 - Aug 23 · Buell Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex
Spamalot at the Buell Theatre
Spamalot, the Monty Python musical, plays the Buell Theatre at the Denver Performing Arts Complex August 11 through 23, 2026.
Wed, Aug 12 · MCA Denver at the Holiday Theater
Mixed Taste: Chinatown & Breakdancing
MCA Denver's long-running Mixed Taste series pairs a talk on Denver's Chinatown history with one on breakdancing, August 12, 2026 at the Holiday Theater.
Thu, Aug 13 · The Bug Theatre
Kellen Erskine at the Bug Theatre
Touring comedian Kellen Erskine, seen on Conan and America's Got Talent, plays the Bug Theatre in Denver's Highlands on Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 7:30 PM.
Fri, Aug 14 · Clocktower Cabaret
UNLEASHED Aerial and Burlesque at the Clocktower Cabaret
UNLEASHED, an aerial and burlesque show from Denver Dance, plays the Clocktower Cabaret on August 14 and 21, 2026.
Aug 15 - Aug 16 · Parfet Park
Golden Fine Arts Festival
A 30-year juried art show in downtown Golden, with Clear Creek a block away.
Sun, Aug 16 · Cave of the Winds Mountain Park
Temple of Echoes: Sound Ceremony in the Cave of the Winds
Temple of Echoes stages an immersive sound ceremony inside the Cave of the Winds near Manitou Springs on August 16, 2026.
Sun, Aug 16 · Wax Trax Records, Stanley Marketplace
Weezer Album Listening Party at Wax Trax
Wax Trax Records hosts a first-listen Weezer album party at its Stanley Marketplace shop in Aurora on Sunday, August 16, 2026, from 2 to 4 PM.
Tue, Aug 18 · Sculpture Park, Denver Performing Arts Complex
Sunset Cinema: Shaun of the Dead at Sculpture Park
The free Sunset Cinema series screens the zombie comedy Shaun of the Dead outdoors at Sculpture Park downtown on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, with a special-effects pre-show.
Wed, Aug 19 · Holiday Theater
Mixed Taste: Blucifer and Rocky Flats at MCA Denver
MCA Denver's Mixed Taste pairs two lecturers on wildly unrelated topics, Blucifer and Rocky Flats, at the Holiday Theater on August 19, 2026, with no crossover allowed until the Q and A.
Thu, Aug 20 · Lakeside Amusement Park
Denver Film Summer Scream at Lakeside Amusement Park
Denver Film takes over the historic Lakeside Amusement Park for one night, Thursday, August 20, 2026, for Summer Scream, its biggest fundraiser of the year.
Fri, Aug 21 · The People’s Building
Cinco Cortos: Five Short Spanish-Language Films
Cinco Cortos screens five short Spanish-language films at The People’s Building in Aurora on August 21, 2026.
Sat, Aug 22 · Museo de las Americas
Museo de las Americas 35th Anniversary Celebration
Museo de las Americas marks 35 years on Santa Fe Drive with a concert and cultural celebration on August 22, 2026 at 3 PM.
Sun, Aug 23 · The People’s Building
Mile High YoYo Contest
The Mile High YoYo Contest brings competitive yo-yo players to The People’s Building in Aurora on August 23, 2026.
Mon, Aug 24 · Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Free Day at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science
The Denver Museum of Nature & Science holds a free general-admission day on August 24, 2026, excluding the IMAX theater and planetarium.
Aug 28 - Aug 29 · The People’s Building
Mi Cristo Roto at The People’s Building
The Spanish-language play Mi Cristo Roto runs at The People’s Building in Aurora on August 28 and 29, 2026.
Aug 29 - Sep 4 · Aurora Cultural Arts District, East Colfax
Colfax Canvas Mural Festival 2026
Colfax Canvas Mural Festival paints East Colfax in Aurora from August 29 to September 4, 2026, a free public mural event in the Aurora Cultural Arts District.
Sat, Aug 29 · Green Center, Bunker Auditorium
Denver Taiko's 50th Anniversary Concert: Keio Kairai
Denver Taiko marks 50 years as a company with a free anniversary concert at the Colorado School of Mines' Bunker Auditorium on August 29, 2026.
Sat, Aug 29 · ReelWorks Denver
Rooster ArtFest 2026
Rooster ArtFest brings a juried art market and live-painting event to ReelWorks Denver Aug. 29, 2026.
Sep 3 - Sep 13 · The People’s Building
Brindlewood at The People’s Building
The People’s Building in Aurora stages the play Brindlewood, running September 3 through 13, 2026.
Sep 4 - Oct 11 · Arvada Center for the Arts & Humanities
Misery at the Arvada Center
The Arvada Center stages the stage thriller Misery, adapted from the Stephen King novel, September 4 through October 11, 2026.
Fri, Sep 4 · Denver Turnverein
Tango on the Rocks at Denver Turnverein
Denver's Argentine tango community gathers at the historic Denver Turnverein hall for Tango on the Rocks Sept. 4, 2026.
Sat, Sep 5 · Clocktower Cabaret
Spectra: Blacklight Burlesque at Clocktower Cabaret
Spectra, a blacklight and LED burlesque show, runs every Saturday in September at Clocktower Cabaret, starting September 5, 2026.
Tue, Sep 8 · Paramount Theatre
Comedy Bang! Bang! Ground Beefing Tour at the Paramount Theatre
Scott Aukerman brings the Comedy Bang! Bang! Ground Beefing Tour to the Paramount Theatre on September 8, 2026.
Sep 8 - Sep 27 · Buell Theatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex
The Outsiders at the Buell Theatre
The national tour of The Outsiders, winner of four 2024 Tony Awards including Best Musical, plays the Buell Theatre at the Denver Performing Arts Complex September 8 to 27, 2026.
Fri, Sep 11 · Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center
An Evening with Liane Moriarty
Bestselling novelist Liane Moriarty, author of "Big Little Lies" and "Nine Perfect Strangers," appears for a ticketed evening talk at the Hyatt Regency DTC Sept. 11, 2026.
Fri, Sep 11 · Denver Improv
Marlon Wayans at the Denver Improv
Marlon Wayans headlines the Denver Improv on September 11, 2026, with multiple shows.
Sat, Sep 12 · Denver Art Museum
SCFD Free Day at the Denver Art Museum
The Denver Art Museum gives free general admission on September 12, 2026, one of its SCFD community free days.
Sat, Sep 12 · MCA Denver
MCA Denver Fall Exhibition Opening: Roni Horn and Deborah Jack
MCA Denver opens its fall season September 12, 2026 with an evening celebration for new exhibitions by Roni Horn and Deborah Jack, both running into February 2027.
Fri, Sep 18 · Clocktower Cabaret
Drag-Stravaganza: HalloQween at Clocktower Cabaret
A Halloween-themed drag cabaret, Drag-Stravaganza: HalloQween, plays Clocktower Cabaret on September 18, 2026.
Sat, Sep 19 · Clyfford Still Museum
Clyfford Still Museum 15th Anniversary and SCFD Free Day
The Clyfford Still Museum marks its 15th anniversary with a free SCFD day on September 19, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., including drop-in mini-tours and activities.
Mon, Sep 21 · The People’s Building
SLANTED: Film Screening at The People’s Building
The People’s Building in Aurora screens the film SLANTED on September 21, 2026.
Sep 24 - Sep 27 · Downtown Denver (multiple sites)
Doors Open Denver: Destination Downtown
Doors Open Denver runs September 24 to 27, 2026, offering free behind-the-scenes access to dozens of downtown buildings during the state's 150th year.
Thu, Sep 24 · Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Hasan Minhaj and Ronny Chieng at Red Rocks
Comedians Hasan Minhaj and Ronny Chieng share a Red Rocks stand-up bill on September 24, 2026 at 7:30 PM.
Sep 24 - Oct 4 · The People’s Building
Machinal at The People’s Building
Sophie Treadwell’s expressionist drama Machinal runs at The People’s Building in Aurora from September 24 through October 4, 2026.
Sep 25 - Nov 1 · Arvada Center for the Arts & Humanities
Barefoot in the Park at the Arvada Center
Neil Simon’s comedy Barefoot in the Park runs at the Arvada Center from September 25 through November 1, 2026.
Sat, Sep 26 · The Church Nightclub
Bed By 10 at The Church Nightclub
The early-evening dance party Bed By 10 returns to The Church Nightclub on September 26, 2026, a full club night that wraps before most nightlife starts.
Sat, Sep 26 · Denver Central Library
Booklovers Ball
The Denver Public Library Friends Foundation holds its black-tie Booklovers Ball at the Central Library on September 26, 2026.
Fri, Oct 2 · Buntport Theater
The Vampire of Lafayette at Buntport Theater
Buntport Theater opens The Vampire of Lafayette on October 2, 2026, an original show timed to Halloween season and built on a piece of real Colorado folklore.
Fri, Oct 2 · Aurora Fox Arts Center
Feeding Beatrice at the Aurora Fox Arts Center
The Aurora Fox stages the regional premiere of Feeding Beatrice, a gothic horror comedy, opening Friday, October 2, 2026 and running through early November.
Oct 8 - Oct 18 · The People’s Building
Tiny Beautiful Things at The People’s Building
The stage adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s Tiny Beautiful Things runs at The People’s Building in Aurora from October 8 through 18, 2026.
Tue, Oct 13 · Denver Art Museum
Denver Art Museum Free Day (October)
The Denver Art Museum's monthly SCFD free day falls Oct. 13, 2026.
Oct 22 - Nov 1 · Sie FilmCenter
Denver Film Festival, 49th Edition
The 49th Denver Film Festival opens Thursday, October 22, 2026 and runs through November 1, screening more than 140 films across Sie FilmCenter and downtown venues.
Fri, Nov 6 · Multiple art venues
Denver Arts Week First Friday Art Walk
Denver Arts Week's flagship First Friday Art Walk, Nov. 6, 2026, coordinates gallery openings and studio access across the city's art districts, more expansive than a typical monthly walk.
Sat, Nov 7 · Denver Art Museum
Denver Art Museum Free Day (November)
The Denver Art Museum's monthly SCFD free day falls Nov. 7, 2026.