Free Summer Activities in the Denver Area
MAY
May 20 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Highlands Ranch Music Arts Festival Civic Green Amphitheater Highlands Ranch
May 20 2pm Armed Forces Day Concert Aurora Central High School Auditorium
May 25-28 Downtown Denver Arts Festival
http://www.downtowndenverartsfestival.com/
Throughout Memorial Day Weekend at the Denver Pavilions mix and mingle with 150,000 art lovers at this free fest, featuring more than 125 of Colorado’s best artists.
Friday, May 25 6:30 – 8 p.m. HRCA Culture on the Green:
International Youth Ballet Civic Green Amphitheater Highlands Ranch
May 26 Denver Day of Rock
http://www.denverdayofrock.com/
For the third year in a row, the 16th Street pedestrian mall will be transformed into a massive block party with twenty free rock concerts throughout the day, performing on five stages, for the annual Denver Day of Rock. ‘80’s rock giants TOTO are headlining this year, in addition to such favorites as Toad the Wet Sprocket, The Samples and Fishbone. Some of the Mile High City’s most talented performers will also take to the stage, including John Common, Something Underground and Air Dubai.
JUNE
June 1 Free Day Chatfield Botanic Gardens
June 1 Southlands Sounds of Summer Aurora 6pm Firefall
June 2-3 Denver Chalk Art Festival
http://www.larimerarts.org/
Larimer Square’s Italian street-painting festival is a two-day pavement painting in Downtown Denver. More than 200 artists come down to turn the streets of the Mile High City’s oldest street into a virtual museum of chalk art.
June 2-3 Capitol Hill People’s Fair
http://www.peoplesfair.com/
The largest of Denver’s summer festivals, this fun and funky event in Civic Center Park features live music, one-of-a-kind arts and crafts, and a food bazaar with Colorado cuisine.
June 2- Free Day Denver Art Museum
June 3, 2012 – The Adam Bodine Trio- City Park 6pm
June 5, Children’s Museum Free Night 4-8pm
June 8 Southlands Sounds of Summer Aurora 6pm Heartbeat
June 10, 2012 – Los Bohemios- City Park 6pm
June 14 6:30pm Englewood City Amphitheater Homeslice Jazz Funk
June 15 Southlands Sounds of Summer Aurora 6pm That 80’s Band
June 15 Free Day Hudson Gardens with Hannah Kahn Dance Co. performance at 10am
June 16-17 Denver PrideFest
http://www.denverpridefest.org/
One of the ten biggest PrideFests in the U.S., this free weekend event in Civic Center Park features a parade, live music, food, and dance, all celebrating the local gay and lesbian community.
Saturday, June 16 6:30 p.m. Highlands Ranch Concert Band Civic Green Amphitheater Highlands Ranch
June 17- Free Day Denver Museum of Nature and Science
June 17 Ballet In the Park 1pm
Broomfield Amphitheater
June 17, 2012 – Salsa Con Jazz- City Park 6pm-Often featured on KUVO 89.3, Salsa Con Jazz is a premiere 11-piece ensemble based in Denver, Colorado. This diverse group of unique, highly accomplished players are dedicated to exploring and composing salsa and Latin jazz.
June 21, 6:30pm Bicentennial Park – Dean Bushnell Orchestra – Big Band and Swing
June 21 6:30pm Englewood City Amphitheater Margarita Brothers
June 22 Southlands Sounds of Summer Aurora 6pm Tunisia
June 23-24 Cherry Blossom Festival
http://www.tsdbt.org/cherryblossom
A celebration of Japanese-American culture, food, music and dance, Downtown Denver’s Cherry Blossom Festival offers a taste of the Far East in the Mile High City.
June 23 Ballet in the Park 7pm
Civic Green Amphitheater, Highlands Ranch
June 23 Lone Tree Summer Concert Series Sweetwater Park 6pm
June 24 Ballet in the Park 7pm
Central Park Bandshell, Boulder
June 24, 2012 – Tribute to Charlie Burrell Featuring Purnell Steen and Le Jazz Machine-City Park 6pm
June 28, Bicentennial Park – Hazel Miller – Blues, Jazz, R&B 6:30pm
June 28 6:30pm Englewood City Amphitheater Sweet Radish Blues
June 29 Southlands Sounds of Summer Aurora 6pm Under the Radar
June 30 Skyline Park Dusk Forrest Gump: PG-13
JULY
July 1 Noon-1:15pm Skyline Park Summer Lunch Series Concert
July 1, 2012 – Lionel Young City Park- 6pm Denver-based Lionel Young and his band have earned a reputation in the music industry for their original perspective of blues classics.
July 2- Free Day Denver Museum of Nature and Science
July 3- Children’s Museum Free Night 4-8pm
July 5, Red Tailed Hawk Park – Phat Daddy – High energy R&B, Rock and Contemporary Hits 6:30pm
July 5th- Denver Municipal Band- Confluence Park 6:30
July 6-8 Cherry Creek Arts Festival
http://www.cherryarts.org/
Over Fourth of July Weekend, 350,000 visitors enjoy the visual, culinary and performing arts and interactive activities for the whole family. Meet and talk with international visual artists, sample fine cuisine, and enjoy live musical performances and artist demonstrations.
July 6 Free Day Chatfield Botanic Gardens
July 6 Southlands Sounds of Summer Aurora 6pm Margarita Brothers Band
July 7 Free Day Denver Art Museum
July 7 Skyline Park Dusk Moneyball PG-13
July 8 Noon- 1:15pm Skyline Park Mirai Daiko
July 8, 2012 – Jakarta- City Park 6pm
July 11 6 – 9 p.m. Highlands Ranch Metro District/
Littleton Fire Rescue Ice Cream Social Civic Green Amphitheater Highlands Ranch
July 13 Southlands Sounds of Summer Aurora 6pm Dr. Kool and the Disco Fever Divas
July 14-15 Colorado Black Arts Festival
http://www.colbaf.org
Boasting three stages filled with jazz, rhythm and blues, gospel, reggae, and hip hop, this free festival in Denver City Park celebrates African American heritage with a parade, special exhibits, a marketplace, children’s arts programming, and socio-civic organizations.
July 12, Utah Park – Buckstein – Country Rock 6:30pm
July 12th- Mary Louise Lee- Ruby Hill
July 14 Skyline Park Dusk ‘Grease’ PG-13
July 15 Noon-1:15pm Skyline Park Salsa Con Jazz
July 15, 2012 – Jeff Jenkins- City Park 6pm Jazz
July 19, Utah Park – Hot Tomatoes – Big Band Swing 6:30pm
July 19th- The Johnny O. Band - Confluence Park
July 20- Southlands Sounds of Summer Aurora 6pm Dotsero
July 21 Skyline Park Dusk ‘The Incredibles’ PG
July 21 Lone Tree Summer Concert Series 6pm Sweetwater Park
July 22 Noon-1:15pm Skyline Park Tito Malaga Band
July 22, 2012 – Carmen Sandim- City Park 6pm Brazilian jazz pianist
July 26 Free Day Denver Botanic Gardens
July 26, Utah Park – Daddio with the 17th Ave Allstars – 50s Rock & Roll 6:30pm
July 26th- Quemando Salsa- TAXI/RINO
July 27 Southlands Sounds of Summer Aurora 6pm Chase n’ the Dream
July 28-29 Colorado Dragon Boat Festival
http://www.cdbf.org/
Set sail for summer fun at Sloan’s Lake Park, where vibrantly decorated dragon boats race in an exciting pan-Asian sport. This weekend-long event also features music, cultural exhibits, and delicious Asian cuisine.
July 28 Skyline Park Dusk ‘Pirates of the Carribean The Curse of the Black Pearl’ PG-13
July 29 Noon-1:15pm Skyline Park Haldon Wofford & Hi Beams
July 29, 2012 – Eric Gunnicson’s Wake Up Call City Park 6pm
AUGUST
August 2, Meadowood – Park Deja Blu – Variety/Classic Rock 6:30pm
August 3 Free Day Chatfield Botanic Gardens
August 3 Southlands Sounds of Summer Aurora 6pm Forever Fab
Friday, Aug. 3 Dusk HRCA Film in the Park: Happy Feet 2 Civic Green Amphitheater
August 4 Free Day Denver Art Museum
August 5 Noon-1:15pm Skyline Park Jake Schepps & Expedition Quartet
August 5, 2012 – Chris Daniels and the Kings City Park 6pm
August 7 Children’s Museum Free Night 4-8pm
August 9, Meadowood Park – Chis Daniels & the Kings – Roots Rock & Roll with horns 6:30pm
August 10- Southlands Sounds of Summer Aurora 6pm Message in a Bottle
Friday, Aug. 10 Dusk HRCA Film in the Park: King Fu Panda 2 Civic Green Amphitheater Highlands Ranch
August 11 Skyline Park Dusk ‘Marry Poppins’ PG
August 12- Free Day Denver Museum of Nature and Science
August 12 Noon- 1:15pm Skyline Park Dave Tamkin & Friends
August 17-18 Wheatridge Carnation Festival and Zoppe Circus Anderson Park Wheatridge
August 17 Southlands Sounds of Summer Aurora 6pm Kory Brunson Band
Friday, Aug. 17 Dusk HRCA Film in the Park: Despicable Me Civic Green Amphitheater Highlands Ranch
August 18 Skyline Park Dusk ‘Hugo’ PG
Saturday, Aug. 18 6:30 p.m. Highlands Ranch Concert Band Civic Green Amphitheater Highlands Ranch
August 18-19 Golden Fine Arts Festival
http://www.goldenfineartsfestival.org/
Browse a variety of beautiful art at Colorado’s most accessible arts festival, the 20th annual Golden Fine Arts Festival. The juried festival is an open-air art gallery in a gorgeous foothills setting adjacent to the Clear Creek.
August 19 Noon-1:15pm Skyline Park The Congress
August 20 Free Day Denver Museum of Nature and Science
August 24 Southlands Sounds of Summer Aurora 6pm Under a Blood Red Sky
Friday, Aug. 24 6:30 p.m. HRCA Culture on the Green:
Mile Hi Banjo Society Civic Green Amphitheater Highlands Ranch
August 25 Skyline Park Dusk ‘American Flyers’ PG-13
August 28- Free Day Denver Botanic Gardens
Aug. 31 – Sept. 3 A Taste of Colorado
http://www.atasteofcolorado.com/
Held every year over Labor Day Weekend in Civic Center Park, A Taste of Colorado puts the spotlight on the diversity of Colorado cuisine. Delight your taste buds with creations from the state’s favorite restaurant and food establishments.
Free things to do in Denver. Free Kid Activities. Denver Community Events. Denver Free kids.
