Everything Fun to Do in Denver This Weekend, from a Dog Festival to Yoga on the Rocks
Your guide to all of Denver's must-hit food and music festivals, events, movies, markets, deals, and concerts.
Denver may be best-known for its outdoorsiness, but the Mile High City is so much more than just a gateway to the Rockies. (Although the Rockies are pretty great.) There are loads of cool restaurants, bars, and breweries, not to mention museums, thrift stores, and farmers markets. And yes, of course we have stunning hikes, bike trails, and lakes to dive into. And if all that’s not enough, new events are popping up every single weekend. These are the best ways to spend your hard-earned days off in and around Denver.
Food & Drink Events in Denver
August 12, 1:30 - 4:30 pm
Tivoli Quad, Tickets: $69.99
Denver is a town that loves it some brunch, so it’s only logical that there’s a festival devoted to the mid-day meal. Denver Brunch Fest gives you bottomless eggs, pancakes, bacon, mimosas, Bloodys, and all-around Sunday brunching vibes.
August 12, 10 am - 12 pm
Infinite Monkey Theorem, Free
Want baked goods and to tell the Supreme Court to shove it? Protest while eating cupcakes at the Pro Roe Bake Sale for Planned Parenthood Saturday, featuring incredible treats from top bakers, like goodies from Cake Crumbs, Hearth Bakery, Tavernetta, and Noisette. Stock up.
August 12, 1 - 4 pm
Denver Aquarium, Tickets: $75
Sip 75 wines (just maybe not all 75) at the Denver Aquarium’s 11th annual Wine Fest. Besides all the vino in the garden, you’ll also get food, live music, some animal interactions, and the chance to stomp grapes yourself and turn your legs all purple.
Arts & Entertainment Events near Denver
August 11, 8 pm
South Broadway, Tickets: $25
Take a break from everything going on in the world with a secret comedy show. Except it’s not really that secret because we’re telling you about it. But the location and comedians are a secret, so we guess it still counts as a secret comedy show. You’ll find out where to go on the day of.
August 12
Dairy Block, Free
While every month is national dog month in our hearts, August makes it official, and Dairy Block is celebrating our favorite four-legged friends with Bark Around the Block. It kicks off Saturday at 9 am with puppy yoga, featuring pups for adoption from Lifeline Puppy Rescue, and continues with a Pup Crawl brunch, games, and free dog caricatures at The Maven.
August 12, 3 - 9 pm & August 13, 11 am - 5 pm
Union Station, Free
Need a little extra motivation to ditch Amazon and shop locally? How about local creatives setting up shop outside Union Station, so you can browse clothes, jewelry, antiques, furniture, and other treasures that you absolutely must have. Stop in at noon for live music.
Outdoor Events near Denver
August 12, 7 am
Morrison, $31
Could there be a better place to Mountain Pose than at the edge of the Rocky Mountains? Join your fellow yogis at Red Rocks for Yoga on the Rocks, a truly spectacular place at which to pose and stretch. The views make the early wake-up time worth it, and this is the last weekend for the popular, stretchy series.
August 12, 6 - 10 am
Pikes Peak, $70
A lot of people hike 14ers, but how many can pedal up a 14,115-foot mountain? Race up Pikes Peak in this USA Cycling-sanctioned hill climb (to put it mildly), where you’ll enjoy incredible views the entire way up, but especially when you get to stop pedaling at the top.
Allyson Reedy is a Thrillist contributor.