COLORADO, USA — Coloradans will honor those who have died in the service of our country with parades, ceremonies and remembrances across the state this Memorial Day weekend.
The holiday weekend also offers opportunities to head outside with street, food, and music festivals. The Denver Arts Festival, Boulder Creek Festival, Kickoff to Summer Memorial Weekend Festival, Colorado Springs' Territory Days, Taste of Creede, Craig's Grand Old West Days, and Estes Park Art Market all return this holiday weekend.
The Junior College Baseball World Series is back in Grand Junction, Colorado's water parks open for the season, and the Bolder Boulder invites runners from across the country.
Water World
FEDERAL HEIGHTS — One of America's largest waterparks is opening for a summer of fun. Water World has 52 attractions for kids of all ages including more family tube rides than any other park in America. Parking at the park is free, and Water World allows food and drinks to be carried in, so grab a picnic basket and let the family fun begin. Water World opens Saturday at 10 a.m. Tickets are available online at WaterWorldColorado.com.
Elitch Gardens Water Park
DENVER — The water park at Denver's Elitch Gardens also opens for the season on Saturday. The water park is free with theme park admission and is open through Labor Day weekend. The water park features thrill rides, as well as family rides for the little ones. Cabanas and tubes are available for rent. Single-day and season passes are available at ElitchGardens.com. A fireworks display will be held Sunday at park closing time.
Denver Arts Festival
DENVER — The Denver Arts Festival is celebrating its 24th anniversary this weekend at the Conservatory Green in the Northfield neighborhoods of Central Park. On Saturday and Sunday, the free festival features some of Colorado's and the nation's best artists and will have live music, food, wine and beer. Performances are scheduled from the Denver Concert Band, Wendy Woo and Wirewood Station. To see a music lineup or to download a festival map, visit DenverArtsFestival.com.
Kickoff to Summer Memorial Weekend Festival
DENVER — The annual Kickoff to Summer Festival Memorial Weekend Festival returns to South Gaylord Street in Denver. The festival kicks off summer with three days of family-friendly entertainment, rides, delicious food, vendors, and more. Live music begins Saturday with Hazel Miller Band, Cass Clayton Band, and Shuck Wagon scheduled at the festival.
Q BBQ Fest
DENVER — Some of the country's most award-winning pitmasters will be at Empower Field at Mile High for the newly renamed Q BBQ Fest Denver. The festival runs Saturday and Sunday with sessions from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Every pitmaster at the festival will be serving up multiple items (BBQ and sides) that you can sample as many times as you like. Tickets are required to enter the Q BBQ Fest with three-hour passes and a four-hour all-you-can-eat Q Pit Pass.
Bolder Boulder
BOULDER — The Bolder Boulder has grown since 1979 to be one of the largest community running events in the world. More than 40,000 people of all ability levels will participate in the event on Monday. The 43rd annual 10K race starts at 30th and Walnut streets and winds through Boulder neighborhoods with live music and entertainment at every corner. The finish line inside the University of Colorado's Folsom Field is the perfect setting for spectators to cheer on the participants. Register online for the Bolder Boulder at BolderBoulder.com.
Colorado Mammoth: NLL Finals
DENVER — The Colorado Mammoth are back in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) Finals, ready to defend their title. Colorado faces the Buffalo Bandits in the championship series in a rematch of last year's best-of-three Finals series. The series begins Saturday in Buffalo. Game 2 will take place Denver's Ball Arena at 2 p.m. Monday. Tickets for the Memorial Day afternoon game are on sale at Ticketmaster.com.
Boulder Creek Festival
BOULDER — The Boulder Creek Festival has been the unofficial kickoff to summer in Boulder for more than 30 years. The festival has vendors showcasing community arts and crafts, three music stages, carnival rides, and food and drinks vendors. The Boulder Creek Festival runs from Friday to Monday in downtown Boulder along the creek between Canyon Boulevard and Arapahoe Avenue. Check out the festival schedule at BoulderCreekFest.com.
Territory Days
COLORADO SPRINGS — The Old West returns to Old Colorado City in Colorado Springs for the 48th annual Territory Days celebration. Territory Days is a four-block street fair with live music on three stages, food, fun and entertainment for the family. The celebration includes one of the state's largest craft vendor fairs. There will be pony rides, gold panning, a petting zoo, toy train rides, mechanical bull, Native American dancers, live birds of prey, Old West gunfight reenactments, live blacksmithing, two beer gardens and much more. Territory Days runs from Saturday through Monday. Visit ShopOldColoradoCity.com to see a list of musical performers.
Grand Old West Days
CRAIG — For four days in Craig, the Old West comes alive. There will be rodeos, live music, delicious food and libations in the Grand Old West Days from Friday through Monday. Jared Rogerson will be performing live in concert Saturday night with special guest Joey Rowland. The Grand Old West Days Parade steps off at 3 p.m. Saturday in historic downtown Craig. For a complete festival schedule or to purchase tickets, visit GrandOldWestDays.com.
Estes Park Art Market
ESTES PARK — Estes Park will be bustling with events and activity over the three-day weekend. Bond Park in the center of downtown will have the 23rd annual Estes Park Art Market with local, Colorado and national artists presenting their talents in pottery, glasswork, painting, jewelry, sculpture, woodcrafts, metal crafts, fiber art and more. Live music and food will be available all weekend and Estes Park's shops and river-side patios will be ready for summer.
Colorado Run
FORT COLLINS — The Colorado Run, a Fort Collins Memorial Day tradition, celebrates its 44th anniversary on Saturday. The event offers a tough 10K Run/Walk/Ruck and a flat-and-fast 5K Run/Walk. The Colorado Run is part of the Veterans Plaza annual Memorial Day weekend celebration in Spring Canyon and Cottonwood Glen Park. Registration can be completed at ColoradoRun.com.
Memorial Day Parade
COMMERCE CITY — Colorado's largest Memorial Day Parade returns to Commerce City on Monday at 9:30 a.m. The Commerce City Memorial Day Parade brings thousands of community members together in the heart of Commerce City each year. Before the parade, the city will host a Memorial Day Ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park to honor those who have given their lives in service to our nation. After the parade at Veterans Memorial Park there will be live music from HomeSlice, food trucks, booths from veterans’ service organizations, city boards and commissions.
Colorado Remembers
AURORA — The Colorado Freedom Memorial’s 10th anniversary commemoration ceremony, “Colorado Remembers,” begins Saturday at 8 a.m. The ceremony will honor generations of Colorado’s fallen veterans as well as those still serving today. The ceremony begins at 8 a.m. with a free pancake breakfast, activities, ceremonies, military displays, and music. While donations will be accepted, the day’s events are free and open to the public. The Colorado Freedom Memorial is located at Aurora’s Springhill Park at 756 Telluride St.
Fort Logan Memorial Day Ceremony
DENVER — The Department of Veterans Affairs Fort Logan National Cemetery will host a solemn Memorial Day wreath laying ceremony, accompanied by speeches, a moment of silence, and the playing of Taps, rifle volley, patriotic music, and F-16 flyover. The ceremony begins Monday at 11 a.m. and will last approximately one hour.
Veterans Memorial Day Tribute
DENVER — Gold Star families, military groups, veterans and community members will gather to honor the sacrifice of fallen military heroes on Saturday. Held at Bethany Lutheran Church from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the 24th Veterans Memorial Day Tribute is a two-hour ceremony that includes images of fallen heroes, a wreath ceremony, stories, military officials, a reading of names, musical ensemble and more.
Memorial Day Commemoration
COLORADO SPRINGS — The Evergreen Cemetery Benevolent Society will hold its annual Evergreen Memorial Day Commemoration at Colorado Springs' Evergreen Cemetery on Monday. The event will start at 10 a.m. with historic displays. The 10th US Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers will be present in the Spanish American War section at 11 a.m. The event is free to the public.
Memorial Day Parade & Celebration
GRAND LAKE — The Grand Lake Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony honor those who served to protect and defend our country. The parade will begin Monday at 10 a.m. and traverse Grand Avenue with veterans, service groups, horses, and lots of patriotism. A ceremony will follow the parade with a special service honoring veterans in Grand Lake's Town Park.
Angel Run
COLORADO SPRINGS — The 5th annual Memorial Day Angel Run is Monday in support of local, veteran-owned nonprofit Angels of America’s Fallen and its mission of caring for the children of fallen service members and first responders through developmental activities such as sports, music, and arts. The event starts and concludes at 2323 Garden of the Gods Road in Colorado Springs. Registration for the family-friendly run/walk can be completed online.
Colorado Rockies vs. New York Mets
DENVER — The Colorado Rockies are home at Coors Field through Sunday. The Rockies begin a series with the New York Mets on Friday. Saturday's game is Rockies 90's Night and the first 15,000 guests to Sunday's game get a 30th anniversary baseball card set. For tickets, visit Rockies.com/tickets.
JUCO World Series
GRAND JUNCTION — The 65th annual National Junior College (JUCO) World Series returns to Grand Junction's Suplizio Field this Memorial Day weekend. The 2023 series begins Saturday and will run through Saturday, June 3. The first pitch this Saturday is scheduled for 9 a.m. A full bracket schedule is available at JUCOGJ.org.
Colorado National Speedway
DACONO — Colorado National Speedway welcomes summer with one of the biggest weekend events of the season. The two-day Memorial Day Spectacular begins Saturday night with Grand American Modifieds, Pro Trucks, Late Models, and Figure 8s while Sunday will see Super Late Models, Legends, Bandoleros, Pure Stock, and Trains. Fireworks are planned following both performances this weekend. Tickets are sold at ColoradoSpeedway.com.
Taste of Creede
CREEDE — Taste of Creede returns to Creede's Main Street for a 35th year. The weekend aims to delight visitors with inspired local art and amazing food. The festival kicks off Saturday and continues through Monday's Memorial Day service honoring veterans in Basham Park. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday there will be live music, entertainers, vendors, food tastings, children's activities, museum tours and more. Visit Creede.com for a complete schedule.
MeadowGrass Music Festival
COLORADO SPRINGS — The MeadowGrass Music Festival is celebrating its 14th anniversary this weekend. The festival brings national, regional and local artists to the Black Forest for a family-friendly weekend of entertainment. MeadowGrass opens Friday with live music starting on the main stage at 1:30 p.m. and continues through Sunday. Visit MeadowGrass.org for a complete schedule and to purchase tickets.
Denver Trolley
DENVER — The historic Denver Trolley has run along the South Platte River for more than 30 years. The trolley will begin summer operations Thursday at 10 a.m. This summer, the trolley will operate Thursdays through Mondays beginning at 10 a.m. with the last departure at 5 p.m. The Denver Trolley departs from the home platform at REI/Confluence Park every 30 minutes. Roundtrip rides last about 25 minutes and include a narration about the surrounding area.
Centennial Village Museum’s Centennial Celebration
GREELEY — Greeley’s Centennial Village Museum has preserved and interpreted American western heritage since 1976. The living history museum’s Centennial Celebration, set for Friday and Saturday, offers historical house tours, blacksmithing, print shop demonstrations, woodcarving, and more. Performances by the Buffalo Soldiers reenactors begin at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday. The eight-acre Centennial Village Museum is located just south of Island Grove Regional Park.
Memorial Weekend Encampment
FORT GARLAND — The annual living history military encampment at Fort Garland Museum is set for Saturday. The encampment portrays life at the fort with infantry, cavalry, artillery, blacksmith demonstrations, and more. Kids of all ages are welcome to the museum from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday to learn about 19th-century life on a frontier fort.
Paddlefest
BUENA VISTA — Paddlefest is back in Buena Vista from Friday to Monday. The weekend-long festival is all about water. There are kayaking competitions, gear swaps, street vendors, guest speakers, races, tournaments and lots of live music. To see a full schedule of all the events or to register, visit CKSPaddlefest.com.
Rocky Mountain Stamp Show
AURORA — The 72nd annual Rocky Mountain Stamp Show runs from Friday to Sunday at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds and admission is free. With more than 40 stamp and cover dealers from across the country, 400 frames of world-class exhibits, and a full day of philatelic seminars, the Rocky Mountain Stamp Show is the largest in the region. The 2023 show theme is "The Birds of Colorado."
Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring
DENVER — Principal Conductor Peter Oundjian will lead the Colorado Symphony and Chorus for an unforgettable sendoff to the 2022-2023 season with Stravinsky's masterpiece "The Rite of Spring." Performances are Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Boettcher Concert Hall. For tickets, visit ColoradoSymphony.org.
Red Rocks
DENVER — There is no better venue for live music in the country than Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The Red Rocks 2023 concert schedule (announced so far) is steadily growing.
- Thursday, May 25 - Two Friends
- Friday, May 26 - Funk on the Rocks: Chromeo, Hot Chip
- Saturday, May 27 - Old Dominion
- Sunday, May 28 - Old Dominion
- Monday, May 29 - LCD Soundsystem with M.I.A, Peaches
- Tuersday, May 30 - LCD Soundsystem with M.I.A, Peaches
- Wednesday, May 31 - Lord Huron
RELATED: Red Rocks 2023 concert schedule
Rocky Mountain Vibes
COLORADO SPRINGS — The Rocky Mountain Vibes have kicked the 2023 baseball season at UCHealth Park in Colorado Springs. The rookie-league minor league baseball team hosts the Northern Colorado Owlz on Saturday and Sunday. For tickets, visit VibesBaseball.com.
Longmont Summer Home Show
LONGMONT — The Longmont Home Show takes over the Boulder County Fairgrounds from Friday to Sunday. The home and garden event features vendors, expert advice, services, and demonstrations to help you get your home improvement project off the ground this summer. Admission and parking are free at this weekend’s show.
The North Pole: Santa's Workshop
CASCADE — Colorado's favorite Christmas-themed amusement park is open for the season. Home to Santa's village and the jolly old elf himself, The North Pole: Santa’s Workshop, located at 7,500 feet at the foot of Pikes Peak west of Colorado Springs, opened last weekend and will now remain open through Christmas. With vintage rides and sweet treats, the park as been spreading Christmas cheer since 1956.
City Park Farmers Market
DENVER — The City Park Farmers Market is back at Denver City Park every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. This year's market features an expanded lineup of more than 100 vendors, chef demos, weekly yoga, live music and a grassy community gathering space. City Park Farmers Market will be open Saturdays through Oct. 28 at East Colfax Avenue and Columbine Street.
Governor’s Art Show
LOVELAND — The 32nd annual Governor’s Art Show & Sale is open at the Loveland Museum with both in-person and online fine art sales. Recognized as one of the largest juried fine art shows to exclusively feature Colorado artists, this year 62 of the state’s most talented artists will be showcased, including two Legacy Artists. Find the perfect new piece for your art collection, add a statement piece to your home décor, or select a special gift for friends or family – all while supporting Colorado’s finest artists.
Miss Rhythm: The Legend of Ruth Brown
DENVER — "Miss Rhythm – The Legend of Ruth Brown" is the newest production at the Garner Galleria Theatre at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. This intimate cabaret experience explores the life and times of R&B legend Ruth Brown through story and song, accompanied by a five-piece jazz band. Before Etta James, Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner, there was Ruth Brown, a rhythm and blues singer known for her hits “Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean,” “Teardrops From My Eyes” and “5-10-15 Hours.” Her powerhouse voice and sassy squeal brought such success to Atlantic Records it was deemed "the house that Ruth built." The production will continue through Sunday, Oct. 15.
Old West Days
JACKSON, WY. — The Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce presents its 43rd annual Old West Days, a 10-day festival celebrating Jackson Hole’s western heritage, culture, and community through May 29. Old West Days signature events include: Elkfest Antler Auction, Teton Powwow celebration of indigenous communities, Mountain Man Rendezvous, High-Noon Chili Cookoff, Old West Brewfest, Jackson Hole Rodeo, Best of the West Parade, and Million Dollar Music Fest. Multi-platinum winning headliner Jon Pardi, headlines Million Dollar Music Fest on the Jackson Hole Town Square on Sunday.
Movies this weekend
The 10th installment of the “Fast and Furious” franchise was off to the races with “Fast X” knocking “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” out of first place last weekend.
This weekend several movies open including Disney's live-action "The Little Mermaid," Julia Louis-Dreyfus's "You Hurt My Feelings" and the comedy "About My Father" with Sebastian Maniscalco and Robert De Niro.
Opening this weekend
- The Little Mermaid
- About My Father
- You Hurt My Feelings
Last weekend's box office
- “Fast X,” $67.5 million.
- “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” $32 million.
- “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” $9.8 million.
- “Book Club: The Next Chapter,” $3 million.
- “Evil Dead Rise,” $2.4 million.
- “John Wick: Chapter 4,” $1.3 million.
- “Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.” $1.3 million.
- “Hypnotic,” $825,000.
- “MET Opera: Don Giovanni,” $701,025.
- “BlackBerry,” $525,000.
Do you know of a cool, fun Colorado festival, fair, expo, concert, or event you think we ought to mention in this week's 9Things or the future? Send it to alexander.kirk@9news.com.
Have a nice weekend!
Water World
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