Jewel, Lobster Bake and Rom-Coms!

August 15, 2019

The Wellness Your Way Festival is a three-day exploration of the latest in fitness, food, lifestyle and more! With a star-studded concert featuring festival co-founder Jewel, wellness also includes having a good time! Benefits are another way to enjoy summer events while contributing to a good cause: a fancy Lobster Bake contributes to local scholarships, and a local Taste of the Community aids a challenged  Ugandan community.

TODAY/TONIGHT, August 15

IMMERSIVE RETRO-SPECTACLE
Everyone’s talking about the surge of interactive art in Denver—and this is your chance to get caught up on the latest! For a year-in-review of major local immersive productions in theatre and dance, art and installations, attractions and events, and everything in between, don’t miss this one night mini-summit!

Keynote speaker Jaako Stenros, a Finnish game researcher, will address the role of live action role-playing (LARP) in a variety of themes and structures. Then a panel of Denver artists, puzzle room designers, and other immersive creatives will reflect on ways they can build these experimental worlds into their own up-and-coming installations! This event is for ages 18 and over. Special pricing for students!

Seawell Ballroom, 1350 Arapahoe St., Denver
7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Tickets: $10-$25
Phone: 303-893-4100

Thursday-Saturday, August 15-17

THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH ON STAGE
Stapleton’s Theatre on the Green is back with an exciting new production of the classic children’s book, The Phantom Tollbooth! This fun and FREE family-friendly theatre event is a perfect way to top off the summer! Head out to the park with a blanket or lawn chairs, sit back, and enjoy the show! Food trucks will be available for a picnic dinner or refreshments!

When a bored young boy named Milo finds a magic tollbooth, he’s transported to the Kingdom of Wisdom where he must weigh in on a pressing intellectual question: which reigns supreme—math or reading? Two kings are in a fierce battle to win, and it’s up to Milo to rescue the two exiled princesses, Rhyme and Reason, in order to restore balance to the kingdom.

Conservatory Green, 49th & Valentia, Denver
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Cost: FREE
Phone: 303-388-0724

Thursday-Sunday, August 15-18

MOUNTAINS MADE FOR US
A contemporary romantic comedy set in Colorado, Mountains Made For Us is a light-hearted play about two young people from very different backgrounds who (like Romeo and Juliet) fall in love. 

When an aspiring young dancer from India relocates to Colorado to pursue her dreams, the last thing she expects to do is to fall for a local boy. This dazzling production is filled with Bollywood dancing and a story that’s all about finding one’s higher ground.

Vintage Theatre Productions, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora
Thurs./Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $10-$15
Phone: 303-856-7830

FINAL WEEKEND FOR ANASTASIA
When the title character of Anastasia flees her home in the Soviet Union and finds a warm welcome in the excitement of 1920s Paris, you’ll be swept up in the glamour and romance of her story. Based on the film by the same name, Anastasia is a delightful stage adaptation of the epic adventure, with music that will inspire you!

Buell Theatre/DCPA, Speer Blvd. & Arapahoe St., Denver
Thurs./Fri./Sat./Sun., 7:30 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $45-$149
Phone: 303-893-4100

IT’S NOT YOU, IT’S ME
Love is a many-splendored thing…and sometimes a much-dreaded thing! Second City, the famous Chicago comedy company, pokes fun at all things romantic in this hilarious improvisational comedy show that spares nothing—and no one—in its bold look at love.

This rom-com takes shots at heartbreak, missed connections and the mire of human relationships. Your friends, your parents, even your blind date will find something achingly familiar to laugh at, thanks to comedy’s newest generation of writers and performers…who all fit squarely into the “it’s complicated” category!

Garner Galleria Theatre/DCPA, 1101 13th St., Denver
Thurs./Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $42-$46
Phone: 303-893-4100

SPECIAL PERFORMANCE OF CHICAGO
The longest running show in Broadway history is on stage in Denver! Chicago is the steamy story of 1920s speakeasies, gangsters, torrid love affairs, murder, celebrity, sensationalized press—and of course, Fosse’s iconic choreography. This production is by the Phamaly Theatre Company, who only casts actors with disabilities in their shows. Support artists of all kinds and get your tickets today!

The Studio Loft/DCPA, 980 14th St., Denver
Thurs./Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:00 p.m.
Tickets: $25-$80
Phone: 303-893-4100

Friday, August 16

LOBSTER BAKE BENEFIT
Attend this delicious and elegant outdoor soiree—and make a contribution to a most worthy cause! Once again, the annual Lobster Bake will take place at The Hangar at Stanley, with everyone’s favorite live band, Wash Park! Enjoy mouthwatering lobster and all the fixings along with an open bar—and the company of friends and neighbors!

Best of all, this event benefits ACE Scholarships, which provide low-income students with access to a quality education through partial tuition scholarships. Make it an evening to remember while making a contribution to your community!

The Hangar at Stanley, 2501 Dallas St., Aurora
6:00 – 11:00 p.m.
Tickets: Starting at $200
Phone: 303-407-0614

Friday-Sunday, August 16-18

WELLNESS YOUR WAY
This three-day festival focuses on all things healthy! Co-founded by Grammy-nominated singer Jewel, the Wellness Your Way Festival can help you kick-start your journey to a healthy lifestyle. Attend panels and lectures from passionate health professionals in the areas of fitness, food, lifestyle and more! Work out with celebrity fitness experts, pick up cooking tips from world-renowned chefs and find out what wellness means for you.

Festival tickets range from one-day passes for the festival only to all-inclusive tickets that include a concert at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Kids under 12 are free (for the festival only).

Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th St., Denver
11:00 a.m.
Tickets: $10-$75; Kids under 12: FREE (concert excluded)

FINAL WEEKEND FOR EMMA!
Based on the classic Jane Austen novel with the same name, this stage adaptation is a romantic comedy that captures the wit and charm of the original story! Join Emma Woodhouse, the self-proclaimed matchmaker, as she helps her friends and acquaintances with their romantic endeavors. That is, until the unthinkable happens: though she’s sworn not to, Emma falls in love herself!

Vintage Theatre Productions, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora
Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $32
Phone: 303-856-7830

Saturday, August 17

THE PEAK OF THE SEASON
Don’t miss the peak of the Colorado growing season—farm-fresh corn, peaches, berries, tomatoes, and much more, straight from the farm to your table! Bring the whole family down to Southlands to pick their favorites from the wide variety of local produce, breads, pastas, sauces, flowers and more! Don’t forget to bring plenty of shopping bags—the market will be overflowing with Colorado’s bountiful offerings!

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

JOURNEY TO JAPAN
Take a trip through history and across the world at the Japanese stroll garden at Denver Botanic Gardens! This informative class will explore the symbolism and culture that shaped the design of the beautiful Shofu-en (Garden of Pine and Wind), designed by Koichi Kawana and built in 1979. You’ll learn how the garden was also inspired by the climate and plants of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains and features 130 character pines transplanted from the foothill region. 

Discover how the Japanese tea ceremony evolved, and how it informs traditional Japanese arts and cultural values in the modern world. Tea and sweets are served as part of the gathering!

Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St., Denver
10:00 a.m.
Register: $30 – $35
Phone: 720-865-3500

TASTE TO TRANSFORM LIVES
In a world of plenty, it’s hard to imagine that so many people have little. This very special Taste of the Community celebration is set up to enjoy the local food and drinks that we’re so fortunate to have, while helping others who have much less. This is a chance to get dressed up in cocktail attire and enjoy a summer evening with your friends and neighbors—while benefiting a worthy cause. Tickets include a variety of inspired cuisine, an open bar, and live entertainment.

This fundraiser will support the Musana Community Development Organization as they tackle poverty in Uganda through an integrated holistic approach that transforms the community. 

The Hangar at Stanley, 2501 N. Dallas St., Aurora
6:00 – 10:30 p.m.
Tickets: Starting at $100
Phone: 303-604-3798

JEWEL & FRIENDS IN CONCERT
As part of the Wellness Your Way Festival, multi-platinum singer-songwriter, Jewel will be performing in concert with special appearances by rising pop-songstress Josie Dunne and chart-topping singer-songwriter, Rachel Platten, best-known for her empowering anthem, Fight Song, and follow-up single, Stand By You. Your concert ticket also includes a 3-day pass to the Wellness Your Way Festival.

Ellie Caulkins Opera House, 1385 Curtis St., Denver
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $60-$75 (includes 3-day pass to Wellness Festival)

Family-friendly Southshore!

There’s always something to do near the family-friendly community of Southshore! Enjoy Life at the Lake with plenty of cultural and entertainment activities in the surrounding area! Check out the beautiful model homes from Richmond American Homes, Toll Brothers, and Century Communities, and picture yourself in your very own dream house! With ranch and two-story models available, new homes are priced from the upper $400s to the $700s.