DENVER — From kite festivals and button shows to expos and polar plunges, there's lots to do, see and explore in Denver and Colorado this April weekend.
Colorado Ballet is wrapping up its season at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Arvada has a festival for kites, Palisade celebrates the honeybee, and the Conference of World Affairs is holding its 76th event in Boulder.
Check out one of these fun events across Colorado this weekend and don't forget to share your photos with the Near Me feature on the 9NEWS app.
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Arvada Kite Festival
ARVADA — Let's go fly a kite! The 19th annual Arvada Kite Festival is Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Stenger Sports Complex. The free event features kite flying (bring one or purchase one at the event), kids zone with inflatables and face painting and kite demonstrations by professional flyers. There will be more than 70 vendors and food trucks as well the Denver Museum of Nature and Science Curiosity Cruiser. Free parking is available on site first come, first served with gates opening at 9:45 a.m.
MJ
DENVER — Michael Jackson's unparalleled artistry comes to Denver as this weekend as "MJ" opens at the Buell Theatre. The new Tony Award-winning musical is centered around the making of the 1992 "Dangerous World Tour." Created by Tony Award-winning director/choreographer Christopher Wheeldon and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, "MJ" offers a look at the creative mind and collaborative spirit that catapulted Michael Jackson into legendary status. "MJ" is startin’ somethin' as it makes its Colorado premiere through Sunday, April 28.
Ballet MasterWorks
DENVER — Colorado Ballet concludes its 63rd season with "Ballet MasterWorks." This program features the return of George Balanchine’s "Rubies" choreographed to the music of Igor Stravinsky and Yoshihisa Arai’s "Boléro, set to the score by Maurice Ravel. The 2023-2024 season's repertory production will also feature a new commission choreographed by Lauren Lovette, former principal dancer with New York City Ballet. "Ballet MasterWorks" opens Friday at Ellie Caulkins Opera House and runs for seven performances through Sunday, April 21. For tickets and showtimes, visit ColoradoBallet.org.
Ballet Ariel
DENVER — Ballet Ariel rounds out its Silver Anniversary celebration season with a performance featuring “An American in Paris,” “Appalachian Spring,” and “Dances from Le Corsaire.” Ballet Ariel will complete its 25th season with three ballets at venues in Denver and Lakewood. Ballet Ariel will perform Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Cleo Parker Robinson Theatre in Denver. Additional performances will take place April 27 and April 28 at the Lakewood Cultural Center.
Emma
DENVER — The Denver Center for the Performing Arts has opened its new Theatre Company production "Emma" at the Wolf Theatre. The production is a new and unconventional adaption of Jane Austen's classic comedy. A bit zany and refreshingly contemporary, playwright Kate Hamill infuses the language and perspectives of today into Austen’s beloved characters. "Emma" will be performed at the Denver Performing Arts Complex through Sunday, May 5.
Fireflies
EVERGREEN — Evergreen Players opens its new production of "Fireflies" on Friday at the Evergreen Players Black Box Theatre. "Fireflies" is a romantic comedy that tells the story of retired schoolteacher, Eleanor. Eleanor lives a quiet life in a tiny Texas town, set in her routines and secure in her position as the town’s most respected woman — until a hole in her roof draws the attention of a smooth-talking drifter intent on renovating Eleanor’s house and possibly her life. "Fireflies" runs through Sunday, April 28.
Toughest Monster Truck Tour
LOVELAND — The Toughest Monster Truck Tour is at Loveland's Blue Arena at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Pit Passes allow fans early entry to walk on the dirt track, see the trucks up close, get autographs from the drivers and take photos.
“This year’s event will include the return of Dirt Crew and 2023 Tour Champion Tailgator, plus several others, including at least one never seen before at Blue Arena,” said event promoter Kelly Hess Goldman. “This is the premier monster truck event that always includes lots of big dirt jumps, old-school crush cars and racing that is just as exciting as the monster truck freestyle.”
Windsor Polar Plunge and 5K Run
WINDSOR — The Windsor Police Department is teaming up with Special Olympics Colorado to host the annual Windsor Polar Plunge & 5K on Saturday at Windsor Lake. Participants are encouraged to dress in costumes, coordinate themes and bring other creative ideas. Spectators are welcome to attend. The Polar Plunge is a cold-weather fundraiser aimed at raising $726,000 statewide to provide critical funding for more than 21,000 athletes.
Conference on World Affairs
BOULDER — The 76th annual Conference on World Affairs will be held at the University of Colorado at Boulder this week. The event brings together leaders and experts across different fields to spark conversations on today's top issues. Key speakers at this year's conference include founding editor of "The Onion" Scott Dikkers, Colorado Buffaloes head football coach Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders, CU men's basketball coach Tad Boyle and many more. Featuring more than 70 panels, the Conference of World Affairs is free to attend in person at CU Boulder or via livestream.
Palisade International Honeybee Festival
PALISADE — The annual International Honeybee Festival is back in beautiful Palisade for a 15th year. The festival celebrates Palisade's agricultural roots and brings attention to the threatened honeybee population. Held at the Town Plaza in downtown Palisade, the festival opens at 10 a.m. Saturday. There will be music, live demonstrations, food vendors and kids’ activities. For more information and a complete schedule, visit PalisadeHoneybeeFest.org.
National Hockey Card Day
AURORA — Mike’s Stadium Sportscards is participating in the 15th annual National Hockey Card Day (NHCD) on Saturday alongside trading card company Upper Deck. Collectors and hockey fans can visit their local hobby shop and open free NHL trading card packs at participating NHCD locations. Avalanche fans will get a chance to open Patrick Roy found in random packs and receive a special Connor Bedard Rookie Moments card with a $10 Upper Deck purchase.
Colorado State Button Society Show & Sale
DENVER — Button enthusiasts, rejoice. The Colorado State Button Society presents the annual Spring Show & Sale. Thousands of vintage, antique and contemporary buttons with be on view and for sale to the public Saturday and Sunday at the Embassy Suites by Hilton at Denver Central Park. Admission to the Colorado State Button Society Show is free. Learn more at ColoradoButtons.com.
Paranormal Investigation at Four Mile Historic Park
DENVER — Paranormal Communications will return on Saturday at 8 p.m. for a night of paranormal investigation on the twelve acres at Four Mile Historic Park. Under the veil of night and utilizing the professional tools and expertise of XX Paranormal Communications, participants will be able to explore Denver’s earliest surviving structure, the Four Mile House built in 1859, and learn the secrets of those who resided within its walls. Attendees will also have the opportunity to walk the grounds of the Park and enter the historic Bee House to meet the spirits that linger.
Philadelphia Wings vs. Colorado Mammoth
DENVER — As the National Lacrosse League prepares for the postseason, the Colorado Mammoth are in the hunt despite the team’s 5-10 record. The Mammoth are back at the Loud House, Ball Arena, at 7 p.m. Friday. Tickets start at $32 at Ticketmaster.com.
Winnipeg Jets vs. Colorado Avalanche
DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche have just a few games left in the regular season. The Avs will host the Winnipeg Jets at 2 p.m. Saturday at Ball Arena in Denver. The Avalanche have clinched a spot in the playoffs.
Red Rocks
DENVER — There is no better venue for live music in the country than Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Owned and operated by the City of Denver, the concert venue at Red Rocks Park has been home to some of the most iconic concerts in history, from artists such as The Beatles, U2, and Sting.
- Thursday, April 11 - Alesso
- Friday, April 12 - Elderbrook
- Saturday, April 13 - Liquid Stranger
- Sunday, April 14 - Daybreaker Peace Tour
Noises Off
ARVADA — The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities' final production of the season is the comedy "Noises Off." Get ready for barely-controlled chaos and flying sardines in this play that takes a trip behind-the-scenes of a flop of a play and shows what happens when everything that can go wrong does. "Noises Off" plays the Main Stage Theatre through May 5.
The Improvised Shakespeare Company
DENVER — The Improvised Shakespeare Company is back at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts' Garner Galleria Theatre. Each night, the company will create a fully improvised Shakespearean masterpiece right before the audience's eyes. The evening of hilarious off-the-cuff comedy uses the language and themes of William Shakespeare, but with no planning, rehearsal or script. Will the play turn out to be a tragedy, comedy or history? Even the actors aren't sure. Tickets for the company's engagement, which runs through Sunday, April 28, are sold at DenverCenter.org.
Georgetown Loop Railroad
GEORGETOWN — A Colorado staple has opened for the season. The Georgetown Loop Railroad offers spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains. The railroad's website says the train transports riders back to a "time where the railroad ruled, mining was a way of life and outlaws littered the land." You can purchase tickets online at GeorgetownLoopRR.com.
Orcas: Our Shared Future
DENVER — The Denver Museum of Nature & Science has opened its newest temporary exhibition: "Orcas: Our Share Future." The exhibition traces the evolution of our beliefs about orcas, from fear to admiration and awe, as we discover their intelligence and complex social structures. At the exhibition, visitors will see a life-sized replica of an orca family, inviting guests to witness their harmonies in an immersive underwater environment. Guests will also learn about the Indigenous peoples of North America’s Northwest Coast, whose respect for orcas is reflected in their art and traditions.
Movies this weekend
“Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” was the top movie at the box office for a second weekend in a row. The Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures release has outperformed the studio’s recent monster films except for 2014’s “Godzilla.”
“Dune: Part Two” continues to perform strongly with an additional $7.2 million in its sixth week, to bring its domestic total to $264 million.
Opening this weekend
- Civil War
- The Greatest Hits
- Sting
- Arcadian
Last weekend's box office
- "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire," $31.7 million.
- “Monkey Man,” $10.1 million.
- “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” $9 million.
- “The First Omen,” $8.4 million.
- “Kung Fu Panda 4,” $7.9 million.
- “Dune: Part Two,” $7.2 million.
- “Someone Like You,” $3 million.
- “Wicked Little Letters,” $1.6 million.
- “Arthur the King,” $1.5 million.
- “Immaculate,” $1.4 million.
> Would you like to see your favorite Colorado festival, fair, expo, concert, drama, musical, ballet, run or event listed in 9Things? Send it to alexander.kirk@9news.com.
Have an monumental weekend!
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