This weekend Denver kids can enjoy fairs and festivals, celebrate sharks and dinosaurs, watch outdoor movies, experience on-stage theater and musicals, enjoy live music and more!
WHAT TO DO WITH KIDS IN DENVER THIS WEEKEND JULY 21st – 23rd, 2017
TESORO CULTURAL CENTER’S LIVING HISTORY EXPERIENCE
Photograph courtesy of ©Tesoro Cultural Center
When: Friday, July 21st through Sunday, July 23rd, 2017
Where: The Fort Restaurant, 19192 CO-8, Morrison 80465
Time: 11am – 3pm
Cost: $5; Free for Children 12 & Under
Ages: All Ages
Tesoro Cultural Center’s Living History Experience will be hosted on the grounds of The Fort Restaurant and will feature engaging family-friendly activities, dynamic enrichment opportunities, and immersion into the past.
This week’s theme is Living History, and will include an introduction to Shinin’ Times narrated by Sam Arnold (as shown on PBS), mini exhibits on the cultural diversity of early Colorado, Bent’s Quarters Trade Room with its collection of medicinal herbs, beads, buttons, china, calico, tobacco twists, sugar cones, tea bricks, and more.
DENVER COUNTY FAIR
Photograph courtesy of ©Denver County Fair
When: Friday, July 21st through Sunday, July 23rd, 2017
Where: National Western Complex, 4655 Humboldt St, Denver, CO 80216
Time: Friday 12pm – 9pm; Saturday 10am – 9pm; Sunday 10am – 8pm
Cost: $10 Adults; $3 Children; Free for Children 2 & Under
Purchase Tickets Online
Ages: All Ages
The Denver County Fair is an urban fair, complete with carnival rides, beer festival, animals allowed in Denver, eating contests, a freak show and much more. Bring the family and enjoy the largest DCF carnival yet, with more than 20 amusement rides, pony rides, camel rides and unicorn rides. The indoor/outdoor fair will include over 12 unique pavilions, six stages with a variety of programming, local bands and talents, a ukulele contest, live contests that test your know-how and hot dog, pie and bug-eating contests.
Psst… Check out our featured article for this event!
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF DENVER AT MARSICO CAMPUS: JOY PARK FREE NIGHT
Photograph courtesy of ©Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus
When: Friday, July 21st, 2017
Where: Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus, 2121 Children’s Museum Dr, Denver, CO 80211
Time: 4pm – 8pm
Cost: Free
Ages: All Ages
Explore the Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus‘ 30,000 square feet of outdoor adventure space for free during their Joy Park Free Night, hanks to a collaboration with Denver Parks and Recreation.
GERMAN FEST DENVER
Photograph courtesy of ©German Fest
When: Friday, July 21st through Sunday, July 23rd, 2017
Where: Lakewood Heritage Center, 801 S Yarrow St, Lakewood, CO 80226
Time: Friday 4pm – 9pm; Saturday 10am – 9pm; Sunday 10am – 6pm
Cost: $7 Adults; $2 Children (3-9); Free for Children 2 & Under
Purchase Tickets Online
Ages: All Ages
German Fest Denver provides an experience of German culture and celebrates cultural diversity. The festival will include German food, a Beer Garden, a variety of vendors, a covered dance floor, live music, kids activities and more.
MOVIE ON THE GREEN: MOANA
Photograph courtesy of ©Disney
When: Friday, July 21st, 2017
Where: Founders Green Park, 29th Ave & Roslyn St, Denver, CO 80238
Time: Starting at Dusk
Cost: Free
Ages: Film Rated G
Join Stapleton MCA for their Movie on the Green Series. This Friday, they will be screening the film Moana. Movie will feature a concessions stand to benefit a local nonprofit organization. The concessions stand will sell freshly popped popcorn, candy, sodas and bottled water. Food trucks are often parked at these events, providing local goodies and food items.
OUTDOOR MOVIE IN THE PARK: FINDING DORY
Photograph courtesy of ©Disney Pixar
When: Friday, July 21st 2017
Where: Countryside Ballfields, 10510 Oak St, Westminster, CO 80021
Time: Starting from 7pm
Cost: Free
Ages: Film Rated G
City of Westminster will be hosting its Friday, Outdoor Movies In the Park event with a special screening of Finding Dory. Enjoy watching this family-friendly film on a 24′ screen under the stars. Food vendors and pre-movie activities begin at 7pm. Movies begin at dusk. Bring your blanket or lawn chairs!
ANNIE
Photograph courtesy of ©Phamaly Theatre Company
When: Friday, July 21st through Sunday, July 23rd, 2017
Where: Stage Theatre, 1400 Curtis Street, Denver, CO 80202
Time: Friday & Saturday 7:30pm; Sunday 2pm
Cost: Starting from $20
Purchase Tickets Online
Ages: Recommended for Children Ages 6 & Up
Phamaly’s 2017 musical tells the story of the energetic and optimistic Annie, an orphan living in Depression-era America. Based on Little Orphan Annie, Harold Gray’s popular 1920s comic strip, Annie is the epitome of resilience amidst struggle.
HAIRSPRAY: THE BROADWAY MUSICAL
Photograph courtesy of ©Inspire Creative
When: Friday, July 21st through Sunday, July 23rd, 2017
Where: Parker Arts, Culture & Events Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker, CO 80138
Time: Friday 7:30pm; Saturday 2pm & 7:30pm; Sunday 2pm
Cost: $22 – $27
Purchase Tickets Online
Ages: Recommended for Children Ages 6 & Up
Hairspray, presented by Parker Arts & Inspire Creative, is taking the stage at the PACE Center. It is 1962 in Baltimore, Maryland and plump, big-haired teenager Tracy Turnblad dreams of dancing on her favorite TV program The Corny Collins Show. When her wish comes true, she becomes a celebrity overnight and uses her new-found fame to advocate for racial integration on the show. This bright and energetic musical expresses a message of every human being’s equal rights.
ELITCH GARDENS DIVE-IN MOVIE: THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS
Photograph courtesy of ©Cammy
When: Friday, July 21st, 2017
Where: Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park, 2000 Elitch Cir, Denver, CO 80204
Time: 7:30pm
Cost: Park Admission or Season Pass
Ages: Film Rated G
Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park will screen the film The Secret Life of Pets, outdoors at its Island Kingdom Water Park pool. The Dive-In Movie can be viewed in the water or on lawn-chairs and cabanas outside the pool.
Psst… Check out ‘Where to Watch Outdoor Movies in Denver this Summer 2017‘ for the complete summer guide!
CLEO PARKER ROBINSON DANCE’S MILE HIGH DANCE FESTIVAL
Photo Credit: ©Stan Obert
When: Saturday, July 22nd, 2017
Where: Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, 119 Park Ave W, Denver, CO 80205
Time: 8:30am – 4pm
Cost: Free
Ages: All Ages
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance presents the Mile High Dance Festival, a culturally abundant day of dance in Denver. Experience more than 14 hours of global dance and music at the Mile High Dance Festival in the outdoor ampitheatre and On The Green of the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance (CPRD) Creative Campus in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood.
SHARK WEEKEND AT DOWNTOWN AQUARIUM DENVER
Photograph courtesy of ©Downtown Aquarium Denver
When: Saturday, July 22nd & Sunday, July 23rd, 2017
Where: Downtown Aquarium Denver, 700 Water St, Denver, CO 80211
Time: 10am – 4pm
Cost: General Admission
Ages: All Ages; Scuba Experiences for Children Ages 10 & Up
Downtown Aquarium Denver is hosting a special Shark Weekend this weekend. Activities include: conservation booths, sharks arts & crafts, prizes, tours, a scavenger hunt, a shark touch tank, and shark feeding & training.
Psst… Children 10 & up can sign up for a free scuba diving experience at the Downtown Aquarium’s plaza!
COLORADO RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL
Photo Credit: © Kendra Nicole Collett Petersen; Photograph courtesy of ©Colorado Renaissance Festival
When: Saturday, July 22nd & Sunday, July 23rd, 2017
Where: 650 W. Perry Park Ave., Larkspur, CO 80118
Time: 10am – 6:30pm
Cost: $9 – $19.95
Purchase Tickets Online
Ages: All Ages
The Colorado Renaissance Festival is a thematic recreation of a 16th Century village and marketplace set in the picturesque mountain venue of “Larkspurshire”, just south of Denver. Hundreds of colorfully costumed characters entertain continuously upon the village streets and on the Festivals 10 stages, performing 60 shows daily.
More than 200 period artisans sell their one-of-a-kind works and demonstrate their ancient craft along the shaded streets and pathways. Tantalizing medieval delicacies and the finest ales and beverages entice the palette and satisfy the heartiest of appetites.
WESTMINSTER LATINO FESTIVAL
Photograph courtesy of ©Wikimedia Commons
When: Saturday, July 22nd, 2017
Where: Westminster Public Library, 7392 Irving St, Westminster, CO 80030
Time: 12pm – 8pm
Cost: Free
Ages: All Ages
The 2nd annual Westminster Latino Festival will feature live bands, dancers, low riders, food trucks, wrestling, and more.
DENVER ZOO’S DINOS! PREHISTORIC PARTY
Photograph courtesy of ©Denver Zoo
When: Saturday, July 22nd, 2017
Where: Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St, Denver, CO 80205
Time: 6:30pm – 9pm
Cost: $11 – $17
Purchase Tickets Online
Ages: All Ages
Come celebrate the opening of the Denver Zoo‘s newest traveling exhibit, DINOS! Live, brought to you by your Hometown Toyota Stores at DINOS! Prehistoric Party, offered every Saturday night in July. Visit these 21 life-size animatronic dinosaurs after the sun goes down while enjoying additional family-friendly entertainment.
HEIRS OF HOGWARTS
Photo Credit: ©jtkays
When: Saturday, July 22nd, 2017
Where: Bovine Metropolis Theater, 1527 Champa St, Denver, CO 80202
Time: 8pm
Cost: $18 Online; $20 Door
Purchase Tickets Online
Ages: All Ages
Apparate over for a night of magic at the Bovine Metropolis Theater with their special show, Heirs of Hogwarts. Hogwarts has been rebuilt and the future generations of magical children are all excited for a year at Hogwarts. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has been destroyed, there surely is no evil left to threaten the Heirs of Hogwarts… or is there?
All the things you love about the Harry Potter universe will be displayed on stage: charms, Hogwarts houses, transfiguration, and magical creatures.
CITY PARK JAZZ
Photograph courtesy of ©City Park Jazz
When: Sunday, July 23rd, 2017
Where: City Park, 1700 York St, Denver, CO 80206
Time: 6pm – 8pm
Cost: Free
Ages: All Ages
City Park Jazz returns this Sunday with a special performance by Los Bohemios. This summer concert also features food trucks and family-friendly entertainment!
Psst… Check out our complete guide of ‘Free Outdoor Summer Concerts in Denver 2017‘!