Chocolate Festival, Cabaret and Mother’s Day 5K!
May 9, 2019
Whatever Mom loves doing, there’s an event for it this weekend! Gardening? She’ll love the big EarthLinks Plant and Garden Sale! Chocolate? Conveniently timed to coincide with Mother’s Day weekend is the Colorado Chocolate Festival! A night of comedy? That would be the outrageous Pump and Dump Show! A Broadway sensation? Wicked is opening at the DCPA this weekend! Running a 5K race—in high heels? Yes, this Mother’s Day weekend, there’s even that!
Thursday-Saturday, May 9-11
YOUNG AND FUNNY TAYLOR TOMLINSON
Taylor Tomlinson started doing stand-up at just 16 years old and made her late-night debut on Conan at 24! One of the country’s youngest touring headliners, Tomlinson is a star on the rise, commanding the stage with the confidence and capability of comedians with far more experience. She has a “real person” likability that endears her to audiences wherever she goes. Her self-deprecating charm and conversational wit emphasize how wildly normal she can be in a wildly bizarre world.
Tomlinson co-hosts The Self-Helpless Podcast and can currently be seen on the first season of Netflix’s stand-up series The Lineup. She was a top ten finalist on Season 9 of NBC’s Last Comic Standing and was featured on the Comedy Central series Adam Devine’s House Party. As a “New Face” at the prestigious Montreal Comedy Festival, she “undoubtedly had the set of the night…with a rock-n-roll attitude” (Interrobang).
Comedy Works-Downtown, 1226 15th St., Denver
Thurs., 8:00 p.m.; /Fri./Sat., 7:30 and 9:45 p.m.
Tickets: $17-$25
Phone: 303-595-3637
Thursday-Sunday, May 9-12
WICKED, THE BROADWAY MUSICAL
The imaginative, moving story of the Witches of Oz will have you mesmerized by its wildly inventive story. This is the Broadway blockbuster that gives you the backstory to the two witches featured in the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Once upon a time, long before Dorothy arrived, an extraordinary young woman with emerald skin and special talents met a popular bubbly blonde, and the two became unlikely friends. That is, until the world decided to call one “good” and the other “wicked.”
A special Talkback with the Company will be held after the May 9 matinee performance, where you may stay and meet with members of the company! The 15-minute talkback will start after the actors are out of costume.
Buell Theatre/DCPA, Speer Blvd. & Arapahoe St., Denver
Thurs./Sat./Sun., 2:00 p.m.; Thurs./Fri./Sat./Sun.,7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $49-$219
Phone: 800-641-1222
Friday-Saturday, May 10-11
EARTHLINKS’ PLANT & GARDEN SALE
Mom will love shopping for organically grown flowers, herbs, and vegetable seedlings, locally grown to thrive in our climate! You’ll feel good knowing EarthLinks benefits people experiencing homelessness. Beautiful flowers and other plants for your garden will be available, all grown by participants and volunteers of the EarthLinks Workshop Program.
The EarthLinks’ store also has hand-crafted gifts made in our Workshop Program which includes cards, candles, vases, skin care products, honey, bee boxes and much more. Get your unique Mother’s Day gift from EarthLinks, or bring Mom to the store to pick out her own!
EarthLinks, 2746 W. 13th Ave., Denver
Fri., 12:00 – 6:00 p.m.; Sat., 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Information: FREE
Phone: 303-389-0085
COLORADO CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL
Looking for the perfect way to celebrate Mother’s Day? EVERYONE in the family will enjoy the Colorado Chocolate Festival! With special “Mom-centric” events, including a free craft booth where kids can make Mother’s Day cards!
There will be over 80 Vendors from across the U.S. and 30,000 square feet of Chocolate Heaven! Featuring chocolate candy, chocolate fountains, cakes, cookies, truffles, fudge, brownies, toffees, coffees and pretty much anything you can think of that has to do with chocolate! Also on hand will be non-chocolate Mother’s Day gifts like jewelry, clothes, imports, crafts, and more. There will be cooking demos, contests, live music, and a generally festive time for all!
Denver Mart, 451 E. 58th Ave., Denver
Fri., 4:00 – 9:00 p.m.; Sat., 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Tickets: $5-$50
Phone: 303-347-8252
THIS IS ME CABARET
Local diva Jalyn Courtenay Webb appears in this one-woman cabaret show that you won’t want to miss! A favorite performer in Colorado for the past 25 years, Webb has most recently starred in My Way, the music of Frank Sinatra.
She won a Henry Award for best leading actress in a musical in 2018 for her role as Louise in Always Patsy Cline at Midtown Arts Center, where she has also appeared in numerous musicals including Les Miserables, South Pacific, Sweeney Todd, and Rock of Ages.
Aurora Fox Arts Center, 9900 E. Colfax, Aurora
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $22
Phone: 303-739-1970
Friday-Sunday, May 10-12
FROM THEN TO NOW SYMPHONY
In this Colorado Symphony performance that highlights three exciting composers from three time periods, the bombastic Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz is one of the first symphonies that tells a story. Based on his own courtship of the Shakespearean actress who would become his wife, Berlioz used a recurrent melodic theme to tie the five movements together. Fast forward to Ravel’s Piano Concerto, a lively work infused with American jazz and inspired by Gershwin. On to present day, and Missy Mazzoli’s Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres), which contains elements of Ravel’s impressionistic style.
Boettcher Concert Hall/DCPA, Speer Blvd. & Arapahoe St., Denver
Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15-$89
Phone: 303-623-7876
Saturday, May 11
MOTHER’S DAY GIFT-MAKING
What every mother loves the most—a homemade gift from her child! This special workshop is designed to give children ages 5 and up the opportunity to make three wrapped gifts to take home for their mothers.
You may stay or drop off your child for the duration of the class. Snacks will be provided!
Moon Dance Botanicals, 601 Corona St., Denver
10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Registration: $25
Phone: 303-263-7275
COCKPIT DEMO DAY
Kids aren’t the only ones who dream of what it would be like to be a pilot, so treat yourself to this awesome opportunity to sit behind the instruments and controls of a plane! Kids and adults alike can climb aboard select aircraft and get a pilot’s perspective of what it feels like to control one of these amazing and complex machines. From a furious F-111 Aardvark to a late 20th century DC-10, you’re sure to walk away with an appreciation for those who fly!
Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $8.50-$15
Phone: 303-360-5360
MOTHER’S DAY EVE – FOR MOMS ONLY!
Tomorrow your family can take you out to brunch, but this evening is a fun night out for moms only! This adult-themed comedy show and dance party with The Pump and Dump Show has become a Denver tradition and epic yearly event for moms across Colorado.
Featuring an after-show DJ dance party, comedy and musical guest, a photo booth and awesome prizes, the content is the ultimate celebration of motherhood, with hilarious, original music and straight-talk about the real-life joys of parenting.
Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Pl., Denver
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $29.50 – $45
Phone: 802-255-1826
GET YOUR EARS SWOLL
Don’t miss the latest installment of Get Your Ears Swoll, the neighborhood’s live music showcase! This week’s show features Gort vs. Goom, How To Think, Lady of Sorrows, and Full Bleed. It will be a great evening of neighborhood camaraderie, community spirit, and the best live music around!
The People’s Building, 9995 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora
8:30 – 11:00 p.m.
Tickets: $10 Cover
Phone: 729-819-6680
Sunday, May 12
MOTHER’S DAY 5K AND HIGH HEEL DASH
If your idea of a fun time is a 5K run, followed by a High Heel Dash, you won’t want to miss this special Mother’s Day run to benefit the Denver Public Schools Foundation! Bring the whole family! Kids will have a one-mile timed race to compete in, too!
After the serious running is over, moms who choose to can compete in a 50 meter spring in heels that are at least 3 inches high. The Denver Mother’s Day 5K and High Heel Dash—it’s what Colorado moms do!
City Park, 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver
8:30 – 11:00 a.m.
Registration: $10-$35
MOTHER’S DAY BUFFET AT THE AQUARIUM
A festive and sumptuous buffet for the entire family, with half-price admission tickets to visit the exhibits in the Denver Aquarium when you’re done with your meal! Mom will enjoy specialty seafood, savory meat selections, and a wide assortment of delectable desserts! Then check out all of the fascinating and beautiful underwater creatures for a full day of fun!
Downtown Aquarium, 700 Water St., Denver
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Tickets: Buffet: $19.99-$42.99; 1/2 price admission tickets: $8.50-$12.50
Phone: 303-561-4450
PAINTING WITH MOM
DIY families will love spending the day helping mom make a fun project. Choose among several crafts to take home. The artist facilitators will help you create your chosen project, step by step. No experience is necessary to make an impressive project you’ll be proud of!
There will be muffins and mimosas served, as well as non-alcoholic beverages.
The Paint Cellar at Southlands, 24291 E. Orchard Rd, Aurora
10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Registration: $35-$50
Plenty to Do Near Southshore!
Away from it all, but close to everything, the lakeside community of Southshore is near a variety of things to do every weekend! If you’re new to Life at the Lake, drive around and check out the beautiful model homes from Century Communities, Richmond American Homes and Toll Brothers. Available in ranch and two-story designs, Southshore homes are priced between the upper $400s and the $700s.