Captain Kirk, Concerts, and the Cherry Blossom Festival!
June 21, 2018
Celebrity sightings in Denver this weekend may include Star Trek’s Captain Kirk and Michael Che of SNL fame—both are making an appearance at the Paramount! If you’d rather embrace the great outdoors, try your luck paddle-boarding at Denver’s Riverfest or spend a day transported to Japan at the Cherry Blossom Festival. Free outdoor concerts are abundant and range in style from R&B to 80s-style rock to the Denver Concert Band! And not to be missed: High Speed Daredevil Chihuahua Races at the Denver Taco Festival!
TODAY/TONIGHT, Thursday, June 21
FREE R&B CONCERT WITH THE SAMMY MAYFIELD BAND!
The MoJaBlu Concert Series presents an evening with Denver bluesman, Sammy Mayfield! Mayfield made a name for himself in New York, Los Angeles and Europe as the musical director for legendary soul and gospel singer Solomon Burke, but his rhythm and blues vocals and guitar strumming is legendary in its own right!
Come out to this FREE summer concert and enjoy the tastes of the best of Denver’s food trucks, including Funnels, Em’s Ice Cream, Peak Pops, Corner of Gourmet, Dos Gringos, California Wrap Runner, Dude Bro Taco and OG Burger!
Conservatory Green, 49th Pl. and Valentia St., Denver
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
Phone: 303-388-0724
ASK CAPTAIN KIRK!
Trekkies, take note! Your captain is in town! William Shatner, the original “Captain James T. Kirk” in the Star Trek television series and movies, will take the stage after a screening of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan to share behind-the-scenes stories!
You won’t want to miss seeing this bigger-than-life figure in person as he shares humorous and fascinating tales of all things Star Trek! Fans will also have a chance to ask Shatner their questions during the audience-led Q&A!
Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Pl., Denver
7:30pm
Tickets: $49.50 – $99
Phone: 303-623-0106
EIGHTIES MUSIC FREE CONCERT!
If you are a fan of Foreigner, Loverboy, Bon Jovi, The Police, U2, Whitesnake, Journey, Toto, Poison—and know there’s nothing like that GREAT music these days—you won’t want to miss the Steve Thomas Band in a FREE concert at Southlands! STB is an 80s cover band that strives to make the music sound exactly the way you remember it, so head on over for a blast of the best summer throwback tunes!
Southlands, 6155 S. Main St., Aurora
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
Phone: 303-627-5000
Thursday-Saturday, June 21-23
THE BRILLIANT IDIOT – ANDREW SCHULZ
It’s not easy being brilliant—or an idiot—but Andrew Schulz excels at both. As a native New Yorker and internationally touring stand-up, Schulz is known for his hilarious and unapologetic comedy. His sharp New York tone may sting, but it’s always hysterical as he challenges conventional wisdom.
Schulz is best known as co-host on the wildly popular The Brilliant Idiots podcast (with nationally-syndicated radio and television personality Charlamagne tha God) and he recently starred in the sitcom Benders. He can also be seen in Amazon’s Sneaky Pete and the new season of HBO’s Crashing, as well as co-staring in the new Hulu dramedy There’s Johnny. During his stint at MTV, Schulz starred in numerous shows for the network including Guy Code, Girl Code, and Uncommon Sense.
Comedy Works-Downtown, 1226 15th St., Denver
Thurs., 8:00 p.m.; Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.
Tickets: $18-$26
Phone: 303-595-3637
Thursday-Sunday, June 21-24
BOOK OF MORMON – NOT FOR THE EASILY OFFENDED!
If you are wondering what all the hype is about (it’s been called “the funniest musical of all time” by Entertainment Weekly), don’t miss your chance to see this outrageous musical comedy by the creators of South Park! Starting with a premise that a musical about Mormons would certainly be funny (and only going south from there), the show is a buddy story about a couple of mismatched missionaries and their adventures in Uganda as they strive to convert the natives. With lyrics that would offend most sentient beings, the production manages to pull off upbeat tunes that are reminiscent of Broadway’s best.
Ellie Caulkins Opera House/DCPA, 1385 Curtis St., Denver
Thurs./Fri./Sat./Sun., 7:30 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $35-$145
Phone: 800-641-1222
Saturday, June 23
RIVERFEST!
When you think about getting out and enjoying Colorado’s amazing outdoor attractions, you don’t need to drive far from the city! Riverfest is Denver’s premier urban river festival! Activities include stand-up paddle board demos, a variety of riverside recreational activities, a kids’ zone, live music, beer, food vendors, water-sport vendors, and more! Last summer more than 15,000 attended, with over 1,800 participating in water events!
This event benefits the Greenway Foundation’s mission to advance the South Platte River and its watershed as a unique environmental, recreational, cultural, scientific and historical amenity that uniquely links our community’s past with its future.
Confluence Park, 2250 15th St., Denver
11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE
FREE CONCERT – DENVER CONCERT BAND
Fans of the highly-accomplished Denver Concert Band know they are in for a unique treat with each concert, and when the venue is a beautiful FREE outdoor setting, it just doesn’t get any better!
The Denver Concert Band is a group of 90 musicians whose love of instrumental music is contagious. You might catch a Sinatra tune, a Mozart concerto, a rousing march, a vocal soloist, or even a bluegrass ensemble at their concert—the only way to know is to come out and enjoy them all!
Levitt Pavilion, 1380 W. Florida Ave., Denver
7:00-10:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
Phone: 800-745-3000
MICHAEL CHE AT THE PARAMOUNT
Saturday Night Live fans know him as one of the co-anchors of “Weekend Update,” and Rolling Stone has named him one of their “50 Funniest People.” As a native of lower Manhattan, Michael Che combines street-smart humor with a laid-back stage presence that gives him plenty of room to reflect on humanity in his comedy.
Prior to joining SNL, he was a correspondent for “The Best F*&#ing News Team Ever!” on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Che has performed stand-up on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers and on CBS’s Late Show with David Letterman. Don’t miss your chance to see this media icon live on stage!
Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Pl., Denver
8:00pm
Tickets: $29.50-$39.50
Phone: 303-623-0106
Saturday-Sunday, June 23-24
CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL
If you have never attended a Japanese “Sakura Matsuri” (Cherry Blossom Festival), you are in for a beautiful surprise! Your entire family will enjoy this celebration of Japanese-American heritage and culture through live entertainment, food, arts and crafts, and informative exhibits and demonstrations.
You will feel like you have been transported to another land as you move inside the walls of the Temple and find exhibits of Ikebana (flower arrangement), Bonsai (the art of growing small ornamental trees or shrubs), Shodo (Japanese calligraphy) and informative lectures on Buddhism. The festival also features a Kids’ Craft Area where kids can make Japanese crafts. Among the entertainment on the outdoor live stage will be Denver Taiko, with rousing drum performances, as well as performances of Japanese dance, music, and martial arts.
Sakura Square, 1255 19th St., Denver
Sat., 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Sun., 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE
DENVER TACO FESTIVAL
Live music. Dancing. Margaritas. And TACOS. What more could you ask for? As if this wasn’t enough, the Denver Taco Festival also features Lucha Libre Wrestling, High Speed Daredevil Chihuahua Racing, Live Game Shows, and Tequila Tastings!
Come on out for a full day of fun in the sun at a festival designed to showcase tacos!
725 W 39th Ave, Denver
Sat., 12:00-9:00 p.m.; Sun., 12:00-8:00 p.m.
Cost: $5-$20
Sunday, June 24
SCHOOL OF ROCK SHOWCASE
If you’ve seen the movie or stage show, you know School of Rock is all about young students coming together to form their own rock band! This is a real-life version of that idea, featuring real Denver students who have learned to rock their worlds!
This FREE outdoor concert is a showcase of students of the Denver School of Rock who are killing it on guitar, bass, drums, piano, or vocals, and sharing their epic jam sessions with you!
Levitt Pavilion, 1380 W. Florida Ave., Denver
4:00-8:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
Phone: 800-745-3000
CITY PARK JAZZ WITH PAA KOW
Blending elements of jazz, funk and African pop to create his unique Afro-Fusion sound, Ghana-born drummer Paa Kow will take you on a journey that explores the music of the African Diaspora. Dubbed “Ghana’s most artistic drummer” (Modern Ghana), he is widely recognized as one of the most remarkable drum set players to tour in Africa, Europe and America.
Paa Kow’s deep groove and prodigious talent reveal a unique ability to speak to listeners with his drums. His songs are captivating and danceable and incorporate lyrics in his native language, Fante, as well as English. Paa Kow’s vision is to spread the music and culture of his homeland by touring the world with his Afro-Fusion orchestra.
City Park Denver, 1600 City Park, Denver
6:00-8:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE
Revel in the Outdoors at Southshore
The master-planned community of Southshore is minutes from the outdoor recreational wonderland of the Aurora Reservoir – where you can take your pick of beach and water sports. Stop in to see the sales teams at Toll Brothers, Century Communities and Richmond American Homes and find your new home! Ranch and two-story models in the amenity-rich community are priced from the upper $300s to the $700s.