Labor Day Weekend
August 31, 2017
Labor Day is upon us! Enjoy A Taste of Colorado, the monthly Food Truck Rodeo, Dinos at the Zoo and a variety of comedy acts and stage plays! It’s three or four days of fun, food and more to see and do than usual, so don’t miss out on an action-packed holiday weekend!
TODAY/TONIGHT, Thursday, August 31
PLAY DOUGH DELIGHTS
There’s the commercial clay-like substance you can buy, but if you join other sculptors at the library, you’ll make your own and have a compound to play with that offers endless non-toxic possibilities.
Hoffman PC Center, 1298 Peoria St., Aurora
4:00 p.m.
Phone: 303-739-1572
Thursday-Wednesday, August 31-September 6
FROZEN: THE MUSICAL
On this hot Labor Day weekend, don’t miss this new Broadway-bound musical, Frozen, which has even more songs to love than Disney movie. Enjoy the enduring tale of two sisters, pulled apart by an upsetting secret. The musical will the New York stage in 2018, but you can see it here, first. Inspired by the hit film, Frozen, this stunning new production comes alive through beautiful stagecraft and broadens the beloved story you know and love.
Buell Theatre, DCPA, Champa and 13th Streets, Denver
7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $25-$105
MYSTERIES OF CHINA
Through the lens of one of the great archaeological events—the discovery of the iconic terracotta warriors and the first emperor’s tomb – Mysteries of China 3D reveals the underlying story of how this world superpower came to be. From modern China to ancient times and back again, experience a visual adventure with beautiful aerial photography and cutting-edge time-lapse footage that reveal majesty, tragedy, and splendor in a nation that has endured for millennia.
Denver Museum of Nature and Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver
Daily, 11:30 a.m. & 3:00 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 6:00 p.m.
Tickets: $6-$7 + General Admission
Phone: 303-370-6000
DINOS AT THE ZOO!
Find out how dinosaurs measure up to the zoo’s resident animals during DINOS! Live at Denver Zoo, brought to you by Your Hometown Toyota Stores. DINOS! features 21 dinosaurs installed around the Zoo. This exhibit is perfect for all ages and offers the chance to see these prehistoric creatures brought to life among the Zoo’s animals.
Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St., Denver
9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Tickets: $12-$17
Phone: 720-337-1400
Friday, September 1
FOOD TRUCK RODEO
Take a break from bagged lunches and order something extraordinary at the Food Truck Rodeo! The line-up includes an assortment of comfort food and world cuisine: Freddy’s Cuisine – Columbian/Latin Cuisine (MENU); California Wrap Runner – SoCal Salad Wraps (MENU); Chibby Wibbitz – Gourmet Sliders and Tacos (MENU); Comforts of Home – Comfort Food (MENU); Pavy’s Sandwiches – Hot Sandwiches and Tots (MENU); Mac Shack – Mac N Cheese (MENU); Funnels – Gourmet Funnel Cakes (MENU); and Happy Cones – New Zealand Inspired Real Fruit Soft Serve Ice Cream.
Aurora Municipal Center Great Lawn, 15151 E. Alameda Pkwy, Aurora
11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
FALCON FRENZY!
Come learn about the “fighter jets” of the bird world: fast-flying falcons. Falcons have specialized features that help them to catch other birds and fly very quickly. Learn about the falcons from the wildlife program Nature’s Educators by discovering their personal stories, habitats, anatomy, diets, and importance in the ecosystem. Four of the Nature’s Educators’ falcons will be on site to examine.
Hoffman PC Center, 1298 Peoria St., Aurora
4:00 p.m.
Register Here
JA RULE AND ASHANTI
There’s a Labor Day Weekend concert brewing between Ja Rule and Ashanti, two R&B artists who like to collaborate. Ja Rule was born Jeffrey Atkins and started his career in 1993 when he joined the band Cash Money Click. His 2000 album Rule 3:36 debuted at the top spot of Billboard 200, selling 276,000 copies in the first week. It eventually earned a Grammy®nomination and was certified triple platinum. His other triple-platinum blockbuster, Pain is Love, featured the leading single Livin’ it Up and a remix of Jennifer Lopez’s I’m Real.
Two of the biggest R&B/pop crossovers in 2002 came from Ashanti: her collaborations on What’s Luv’? with Fat Joe and Always on Time with Ja Rule. Ja Rule declared Ashanti “the new princess of hip hop and R&B,” and she signed with Murder Inc. Records after being spotted by label boss Irv Gotti. Her self-titled debut record was a huge success, selling six million copies worldwide and spawning hit singles including Foolish and Happy.
Ogden Theatre, 935 E. Colfax Ave., Denver
6:00 p.m.
Tickets: $49
Phone: 303-832-1874
KIDS’ NIGHT OUT: HARRY POTTER!
Bring the kids to the Southshore Lakehouse for dinner and a movie while you enjoy a night out or a night in to yourselves! This week we’re showing Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the Warner Brothers’ 2001 adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s blockbuster series. Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his stodgy aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!
Kids will have games and crafts with food provided, and then watch a movie in our movie theater. Parents can relax with the night off for $15 for the first child, and $10 for additional children.
The Southshore Lakehouse, 27151 E. Lakeview Dr., Aurora
6:00-10:00 p.m.
Cost: $10-$15
Phone: 720-870-2221
Friday-Sunday, September 1-3
AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
Labor Day Weekend kicks off a stage play premiere with a look at the lives of the strong-willed women of the Weston family. The Weston females’ paths have diverged until a family crisis brings them back to the Oklahoma house they grew up in, and to the dysfunctional woman who raised them. The family patriarch unexpectedly disappears, and the reunion is an explosion of repressed truths and unsettling secrets. It’s a black comedy that unflinchingly exposes the dark side of the American family in this Pulitzer-Prize winning play.
Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora
Fri./Sat., 7:30 p.m.; Sun., 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $30
Phone: 303-856-7830
NOAH GARDENSWARTZ LIVE!
Always relaxed on stage with a wide range of material and a unique perspective on life, Noah Gardenswartz is a comedian you should discover if you haven’t already. Recently, Noah had his own half-hour special on Comedy Central, and released his debut comedy album, Blunt, on Comedy Central Records. He has appeared on Conan, Adam Devine’s House Party, and in 2015 he was a semi-finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing. Noah has also written for truTV’s Comedy Knockout, and regularly appears as a panelist on the show. Before turning to stand-up full time, Gardenswartz worked as a journalist, hedge fund day trader, elementary school teacher and gardener, though obviously not all at once.
Comedy Works-Downtown, 1226 15th St., Denver
Thurs., 8:00 p.m.; Fri./Sat., 7:30 & 9:45 p.m.; Sun., 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $14-$22
Phone: 303-595-3637
Friday-Monday, September 1-4
A TASTE OF COLORADO
The 34th annual A Taste of Colorado festival is a four-day, free admission, music, food, shopping and family-fun event. More than 500,000 visitors will celebrate Labor Day weekend at the region’s largest free music festival, while enjoying cuisine from over 50 restaurants and food establishments, diverse musical acts performing on six stages, and shopping at nearly 300 different artisan booths. Attendees of all ages will have no shortage of activities and flavors to enjoy. Food and beverage tickets come in 15-ticket strips for $10. A Taste of Colorado is the ultimate end-of-summer opportunity for residents and visitors to experience the sounds, tastes, and sights of Colorado’s diverse cultural traditions and Western heritage.
Civic Center Park, 101 W. 14th Ave., Denver
Fri., 11:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m.; Sat./Sun., 10:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m.; Mon., 10:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
COLORADO STATE FAIR
The closing weekend for the Colorado State Fair is Labor Day Weekend this year, so if you missed the Arapahoe County Fair – you still have a chance to take in all the sights, sounds, tastes and excitement. The Colorado State Fair is one of the largest professional rodeos in the country, complete with a livestock and horse show, parades, live music, arts and crafts, a carnival, entertainers and so much more. Live music includes ZZ Top and tribute bands Mirage, (Fleetwood Mac) The Long Run (Eagles) and Los Chicos del 512 (Selena). Prices for each event vary, so you’ll want to check out the website ahead of time to plan ahead.
Colorado State Fair, 1001 Beulah Ave., Pueblo
Schedule of Events
Sunday, September 2
SWEET WILLIAM MARKET
The Sweet William Market is a vintage and lifestyle market featuring the uncommon treasures like high quality retro finds and antiques, handbags, apparel, home and garden accessories, and more. Enjoy live music and variety of food from the many food trucks, plus hand-crafted items by artisans, hard-to-find items from collectors and a variety of entrepreneurs and non-profit organizations.
Founders Green, 7601 E. 29th Ave., Denver
9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Sunday-Monday, September 2-3
DAVINCI AND MICHELANGELO
Mark Rodgers, the renowned creator and host of the famously interactive, multi-media performance, is also the curator of the DaVinci Machines and Michelangelo Exhibitions from the permanent Museum of Leonardo DaVinci in Florence, Italy.
Rogers will take audiences on an awe-inspiring journey through the Italian Renaissance as seen through the eyes of these two monumental geniuses, who were not only contemporaries, but also fierce competitors. This one-of-a-kind, multi-media performance includes movies, 3-D animations, and images of DaVinci and Michelangelo’s inventions, machines, codices, artwork, paintings and sculptures and can be seen one weekend only.
Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver
6:00 p.m.
Tickets: $20-$25
Phone: 303-360-5360
Tuesday, September 5
NEW TALENT NIGHT
This is where it all begins for wanna-be — an open-mic event at New Talent Night.
The weekly showcase of Denver’s best up-and-coming performers features a hilarious mix of professionals working on new material, amateur comedians working on their chops, and first-timers being thrown in the deep-end. You never know who you might see before they break into the big time!
Comedy Works-Downtown, 1226 15th St., Denver
8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $12
Phone: 303-595-3637
Tuesday-Sunday, September 5-10
FOOD AND WINE
As Labor Day Weekend ends, the Denver Food and Wine Festival begins, this Tuesday and continues for six days. The first event is a Culinary Cinema Series featuring a screening of the movie Barbecue (2017) complete with wine, cocktails and barbecued culinary delights from local chefs. The movie is showing at 7:00 p.m. at the SIE Film Center. On Wednesday, enjoy Dinner Under the Stars at the Coohills Outdoor Pedestrian Bridge featuring a curated six-course dinner hosted outside at night with a view of the inspiring Colorado skyline.
Various Locations
Tickets: $40-$195
Wednesday, September 6
COMEDIAN TYLER WILSON
Tyler Wilson’s widely acclaimed one-man show, Lies Wide Open is a modern, intelligent show with more laughs than you can twerk a stick at. It’s been designed as a fully immersive magical experience that combines the humor of stand-up comedy, the drama and raw captivation of theater, with the genuine interaction of improv—all wrapped into a deeply engaging event.
Lower Level Gallery at Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St., Denver
8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $50-$75
Visit Southshore This Labor Day Weekend!
The lakeside community of Southshore is close to learning, entertainment and recreation and a short ride from downtown Denver. Over the Labor Day weekend, tour the beautiful new models from Richmond American Homes, and the latest designs from Century Communities in The Hills at the amenity-rich, master-planned community of Southshore. It’s life at the lake priced from the upper $300s to the $700s.