First Friday Festivities This Weekend!
August 5, 2021
From Art Walk to Jazz Hop, you’ve got a choice when it comes celebrating this First Friday! The Santa Fe Art District is always a great way to spend a summer evening, but on the first Friday of the month, it turns into a real fiesta! Over in Five Points, the Jazz Hop is another walkabout—but in this case, it’s from one local jazz performance to another, for a total of five concerts in the neighborhood!
TODAY/TONIGHT, Thursday, August 5
HAZEL MILLER AT SOUTHLANDS
Sounds of Southlands continues this week with the renowned and ever-popular Hazel Miller. This powerful singer leads her own band in an eclectic repertoire of jazz, R&B, blues and funk, in performances that are designed to excite and engage the audience!
Southlands, 6155 S. Main St., Aurora
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $5 (for 1 to 4 tickets)
Phone: 303-627-5000
HOT LUNCH BAND
Get grooving with the Hot Lunch Band! This Denver-based R&B band known as “the funk specialists” was the local winner in the Fifth Annual Budweiser Showdown that showcases the best original, urban contemporary music talent. Their soulful, instrumental sound, complex harmonies, and high energy choreography make for a performance not to be missed!
North Green, 49th Ave. & Valentia, Denver
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
Thursday – Saturday, August 5-7
FINAL CHANCE TO SEE PLAYHOUSES
The kids can explore these adorable playhouses on display at Stanley Marketplace, and you can purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win one of them! All proceeds benefit Junior Achievement programs, and you don’t need to be present to win. But there’s not much time left! The drawing is on Saturday, August 7.
Stanley Marketplace, Southeast Plaza, 2501 N. Dallas St., Aurora
Tickets: FREE to view; Raffle tickets starting at $10 for 10 tickets
Phone: 303-260-6295
HORSE RACING NEAR SOUTHSHORE
Mile High Racing — “where horses come first” — brings the best in world class horse racing to gaming patrons in Colorado and all over the nation. Through simulcast television at Mile High Racing’s 4 tracks and Off Track Betting locations customers are able to wager on races from different tracks across the country.
Arapahoe Park, 26000 East Quincy Ave., Aurora
General Information
Phone: 303-690-2400
Friday, August 6
PARENTS NIGHT OUT
Plan for a parents’ night out while the kids are having their own evening of fun at Southlands YMCA’s Kids Night Out. You’ll be able to relax, knowing your kids ages 3-12 will be having a good time watching a kids’ movie, playing games, and doing some crafts.
Pack a dinner or snacks—no food will be served.
Southlands YMCA, 6155 S. Main St. #220, Aurora
5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Register: $15
FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK
This festive street party celebrates art and community! The First Friday Art Walk in Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe is your chance to visit galleries and studios for FREE art tours, talks, and entertainment.
View art from hundreds of artists in galleries, studios, co-ops, upstairs, downstairs, in alleys, on the street—everywhere! You’ll also find street vendors selling all sorts of wares and, of course, food trucks to satisfy every taste.
Santa Fe Art District, 801 Kalamath St., Denver
5:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Information: FREE
FIRST FRIDAY JAZZ HOP
It’s a jazz concert times five! To celebrate First Friday and jazz music, the Five Points neighborhood hosts local jazz musicians on five stages all within walking distance. All you need to do is “hop” on over to the next show! All shows are FREE and open to the public.
Tonight’s lineup starts at Charles Cousins Plaza with Pan Jumbies, then hops over to Agave Shore where Ron Ivory will take the stage, then to the 715 Club with Lion Souljahs, then to Goed Zuur with Don Prorak on solo steel pan, and finally to the AfterSet at Agave Shore with Joseph Norford. This is the “Caribbean Edition,” honoring Jamaican Independence Day.
Charles Cousins Plaza, 2401 Welton St., Denver
5:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Agave Shore, 2736 Welton St., Denver
7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
715 Club, 715 E. 26th Ave., Denver
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Goed Zuur, 2801 Welton St., Denver
8:00 – 10:00 p.m.
The AfterSet at Agave Shore, 2736 Welton St., Denver
10:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m. (next day)
Information: FREE
GLOBAL FEST FASHION SHOW
This international fashion show has a local twist—Global Fest is a multicultural celebration that recognizes the diverse cultures and communities that make their home in Aurora.
Over 150 participants from 28 different nationalities will be modeling the fashions.
Town Center at Aurora, 14200 E Alameda Ave., Aurora
6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
MOVIE ON THE GREEN
Raya and the Last Dragon is the recently-released animated Disney movie about a girl warrior in the fantasy world of Kumandra who must find a banished dragon in order to save her people. Watch it on a huge outdoor screen in the park in the Stapleton neighborhood!
South Green, 29th Ave. & Roslyn, Denver
8:30 – 10:30 p.m.
Information: FREE
Friday-Saturday, August 6-7
BRONCOS TRAINING CAMP
Get an inside look at what kind of warm-ups the Broncos do in their pre-season Training Camp! Register to come by one of their practices—it’s FREE to attend, but no autographs will be permitted this year due to league COVID-19 protocols. It’s a rare opportunity to see our beloved Broncs getting tuned up for the NFL season – from the stands!
UCHealth Training Center, 13403 Broncos Pkwy., Englewood
9:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Register: FREE
Saturday, August 7
SOUTHLANDS FARMERS MARKET
The harvests are pouring in! With all the recent rain, local crops are bigger and better than ever! Southlands Farmers’ Market offers a great great selection of fresh local produce, fruit from the Western Slope, as well as homemade jams, salsas, fresh-baked bread, and more!
Southlands, 6155 S Main St., Aurora
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Information: FREE
MORNING MUSIC
Relax and enjoy some live local music at Jubilee, a popular neighborhood coffee house.
Every Saturday morning, catch a live performance of a local music act as you enjoy a cuppa Joe and hang out with friends!
Jubilee Roasting Company, 1452 Kenton St., Aurora
10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Cost: FREE
BACK TO SCHOOL BASH
Get ready for the new school year with a Back-to-School Party! Stop by the Town Center next to the food court for a celebration with crafts, games, and other activities. Students and families that attend K-12 in the Aurora School District can also attend the Back-to-School Kick-Off in the same location.
Town Center at Aurora, 14200 E Alameda Ave., Aurora
10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Register: FREE
PUT SOME ZUMBA IN YOUR LIFE
You won’t believe this is an exercise class—it’s so fun! You’ll be out in the fresh air, learning some sizzling Latin dance moves, and afterwards, half-priced beer and beverages at Cheluna Brewing Company. What could be better!
Stanley Marketplace, 2501 N. Dallas St., Aurora
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Register: $6
MUSIC ON THE PATIO
Here’s one not to miss—Robby Peoples on the West Patio at Stanley, where you can enjoy a great selection of food and drinks while you enjoy the concert. Robby Peoples’ sandpaper voice and gritty Southern persona invoke the feel of classic country rock— perfect music for a hot summer day!
Stanley Marketplace, 2501 N. Dallas St., Aurora
4:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Information: FREE
Sunday, August 8
CAST IRON QUEENS IN THE PARK
This iconoclastic band promises, “If being moved is your goal, the Cast Iron Queens are your vehicle!” The quintet of talented women who make up the band bring an exciting range of musical backgrounds with them, resulting in a melting pot of Jazz, Soul, Blues and Country that merges into a joyful expression of American Music.
City Park, 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
Life on the Lake…That’s Southshore!
There’s no shortage of things to do near the master-planned community of Southshore, including all kinds of recreational activities at Aurora Reservoir, just minutes away! You get the tranquility of lakeside living with easy access to your favorite urban activities. Stop by and see for yourself how great Life at the Lake can be! Tour the beautiful model homes from Richmond American Homes, Toll Brothers, and Taylor Morrison. Available in ranch and two-story designs, Southshore homes are priced between the upper $400s and the $700s.