Get Ready for Elitch’s!

June 11, 2020

It won’t be long until Denver’s favorite summer park will be open—with new guidelines and safety measures in place. Be ready for opening day by signing up for FREE Pre-K passes for your youngest family members, and deeply-discounted season passes for the rest! Other activities in Denver this weekend are a mix of virtual happenings and in-person re-openings.

ELITCH PASSES NOW AVAILABLE
Elitch’s will be opening soon—meanwhile, make sure you’ve registered for FREE and deeply discounted passes so you are ready to go on opening day! The family favorite Pre-K Pass is back. It’s FREE for kids three to five years old and includes unlimited visits to both the theme and water park for the entire 2020 season! Don’t wait—they’re only available while supplies last. 

To get the free Pre-K Pass, register your child online by June 21, 2020. Other season passes are also available this summer at a discounted rate—in less than two visits, you’ve paid for it! Includes great perks like FREE Parking, FREE Friend Tickets, FREE concerts, FREE Dive-In Movies and more!

Elitch Gardens, 2000 Elitch Circle, Denver
Season Pass Tickets: Starting at $69

TODAY/TONIGHT, June 11

GET TO KNOW BEN FRANKLIN
Chances are you’ve heard one or two of his famous quotes, like “Haste makes Waste” and “A true Friend is the best Possession.” In the pages of his newspaper, Poor Richard’s Almanac, Benjamin Franklin helped to shape the culture of our young country. Tune in for this colorful and vastly interesting presentation about one of the most influential Founding Fathers. As politician, publisher, inventor and diplomat, Franklin left his mark on all he touched.

Active Minds Online
1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Register: FREE

DO THE RIGHT THING DISCUSSION
The current national discussion that’s happening has inspired an event that is both timely and relevant. MCA Stapleton is launching a Zoom discussion about Spike Lee’s film, Do The Right Thing. This film is about race tensions in New York in 1989 and has many parallels to what is happening today. Dr. Vincent Piturro will lead what should be a productive and engaging conversation about racism in America. 

Do The Right Thing is available to rent from a number of streaming services, including Amazon Prime, YouTube, and iTunes. Please watch the film before joining the discussion. The Zoom code for this event will be sent out on June 11 to all participants who sign up on the Sign-Up Genius.

MCA Stapleton Zoom Discussion
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Register: FREE

Thursday-Friday, June 11-12

TOUR A CANDY FACTORY!
Here’s a sweet new activity for summer vacation! Take the kids on a FREE tour of a classic candy factory! You’ll be feeling like Charlie entering Willie Wonka’s Chocolate Factory as you find out how lollipops, candy canes, and other sweet treats are made.

The factory has large video screens installed throughout the premises, so you’ll get an “up close and personal” look at how candy-makingn is done. Plus, you’ll hear fun tidbits about the nostalgic candy you know and love. You’ll even get a tasty sweet treat, fresh from the factory!

Hammond’s Candy Factory, 5735 Washington St., Denver
9:15 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Register: FREE
Phone: 303-333-5588, ext. 110

DAY CAMP WITH WINGS OVER THE ROCKIES!
Your 8-to-13-year-old will be immersed in a week-long themed aerospace experience. Some take place in the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, while others are offered as virtual camps. Take a trip to Mars, fly drones, learn about deep space travel and a WHOLE lot more!

Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver
Weekdays, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: Starting at $299/person/week
Phone: 303-360-5360

Thursday-Sunday, June 11-14

BEYOND MONET
In case you missed the magnificent Monet exhibit at the Denver Art Museum earlier this year, you can still enjoy the beauty of these stunning paintings. You can view the show with a multi-part educational audio guide on YouTube! 

Denver Art Museum via YouTube
Connect: FREE

SCIENCE FICTION OR FACT?
If you have been pondering questions such as when are we getting flying cars? Why can’t we play with real laser swords? How can I teleport to New Zealand? Who is building a robot that dispenses witty retorts? And do we actually want any of these things?

You will definitely want to tune in for Virtual Lunch with Educator/Performers at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science online!

Denver Museum of Nature & Science Online
Connect: FREE

BOTANIC GARDENS – BOOK A WEEK OUT
Turns out the phased re-opening of the Denver Botanic Gardens is wildly popular! Since a limited number of visitors are admitted in 30-minute blocks to cap the number of visitors at all times, tickets have been selling out more than a week in advance. No time slots are open this weekend, but get online now to reserve your space for next weekend!

Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St., Denver
Various times – Advance Sign Up Required
Cost: $11-$15
Phone: 720-865-3500

Friday, June 12

DRIVE IN MOVIE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Stapleton’s MCA neighborhood is sponsoring a weekly Drive-In Movie! Don’t miss the fun when aliens meet up with NBA players in Space Jam, and Michael Jordan shares the screen with Bugs Bunny in a high-stakes basketball game against the aliens!

Stapleton MCA Neighborhood, 29th Ave. & Roslyn St., Denver
8:35 – 10:35 p.m.
Details
Phone: 303-388-0724

Friday – Sunday, June 12-14

TOUR THE AIR & SPACE MUSEUM
Your favorite Denver museum is booking private, behind-the-scenes tours for groups of up to 10 people! You’ll get an exclusive inside-look at all of the exhibits and aircraft on display in your own private 90-minute tour. And because group sizes are limited to the 10 people in your own group, you’ll feel safer, too.

Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver
10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., or 2:00 p.m.
Reservations: $300 per group
Phone: 303-360-5360

Saturday, June 13

SOUTHLANDS FARMER’S MARKET IS BACK!
Local Aurora farmers, vendors, and artisans bring their wares to the neighborhood in everyone’s favorite Saturday morning event! You can shop locally grown produce, unique foods, baked goods, and handmade crafts—and even order online in advance for curbside pickup!

If you choose to browse the booths, make sure to maintain social distancing and wear a face covering!

Southlands, 6155 S. Main St., Aurora
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE
Phone: 303-627-5000

Sunday, June 14

FARMER’S MARKET AT STAPLETON
More local produce will be filling the booths at Stapleton’s Farmer’s Market! Fresh greens and early fruit are available, along with home-baked goodies, organic beverages, specialty meats, gourmet food items and more! Get your fill of Colorado-grown produce while enjoying a morning in the fresh air!

Stapleton Farmer’s Market
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Information: FREE

Pristine and Serene, Southshore!

We hear it all the time from residents – it’s so clean here! It’s also away from it all, but close to everything you could need or want, the lakeside community of Southshore, offering access to plenty 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 Taylor Morrison, Richmond American Homes and Toll Brothers and arrange for tours or online virtual visits. Available in ranch and two-story designs, Southshore homes are priced between the upper $400s to the $700s.