Outdoor Concerts Are Back!
May 13, 2021
This weekend marks the return of one of the biggest and best outdoor concert series in Denver—the Levitt Pavilion Free Concert Series! Meanwhile, Denver Center for Performing Arts has set up a way to watch cabaret-style shows outdoors, and smaller community organizations are beginning to bring back concerts in local parks. Make sure to get tickets early! They’re sure to go fast!
TODAY/TONIGHT, May 13
SECRETS OF BEES
It’s no secret that the future of bees is in crisis. These essential pollinators are an important link in the food chain of humans, so what we do to help them will make a difference not only in their survival but also our own.
This fascinating online presentation covers the reasons for the decrease in bumblebee population by almost 90% in recent years! You’ll also learn about a malady called Colony Collapse Disorder that has afflicted honeybee populations. Dive into the world of bees and examine the factors that are affecting these important species. No registration required—just use this link to join the webinar!
Active Minds Online
1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Information: FREE
Friday, May 14
DOWNTOWN FRIDAY NIGHTS
Celebrate all things spring with a festive outdoor Friday Night gathering in the RiNo Art District! Spend a carefree evening of shopping, sipping, eating, and mingling with friends and family. There will be more than 40 local vendors on site, including food trucks, craft cocktails and beer, and live music!
2424 Larimer St., Denver
4:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
Phone: 720-432-8125
TRIVIA MURDER MYSTERY PARTY
Completely virtual, completely safe and convenient! This mash-up of who-done-it and who-knows-it is an interactive online game with three different sessions for three different age groups!
Teens in grades 6-12 make up the first session, where they can be themselves! The second session is for families and people of ages, while the third session is reserved for adults only. Register for the session of your choice and enjoy an online evening of fun!
Aurora Libraries Online
Session One: 4:30-5:30 p.m.; Session Two: 6:00-7:00 p.m.; Session Three: 8:00-9:00 p.m.
Information: FREE
LEVITT FREE CONCERT COMEBACK!
This weekend marks the much-anticipated return of the Free Concert Series at Levitt Pavilion! Starting tonight and nearly every weekend this summer, you’ll have a chance to watch a wide assortment of musical talent, ranging from acclaimed, emerging talent to seasoned, award-winning artists in every musical genre imaginable. While admission is free, you are required to register in advance. With the venue operating at half-capacity, don’t wait to sign up—even though they’re free, shows are sure to “sell out.”
Tonight’s show features the funk band, Pimps of Joytime with Kellindo! You’ll be sporting a wide smile as you groove to the fresh funk anthems of this band that combines Brooklyn’s indie music scene with New Orleans funk and San Francisco soul. Kellindo has performed all over the world, opening for legends such as Prince, Stevie Wonder, and Bruno Mars among many others.
Levitt Pavilion, Ruby Hill Park, 1380 W. Florida Ave., Denver
5:30 – 10:00 p.m.
Reserve: FREE
Phone: 303-561-4450
Saturday, May 15
SOUTHLANDS FARMERS’ MARKET
Stock up on the freshest of local produce at Southlands Farmers’ Market! Browse the booths of tasty greens and tempting fruits where you’ll be inspired to make healthy and delicious spring feasts for your family.
There will also be homemade baked items, jams, cookies and more!
Southlands, 6155 S. Main Street, Aurora
8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE
ROCK DE MAYO FESTIVAL
It’s an all-day festival for music lovers! Best of all—it’s FREE! Levitt Pavilion’s Concert Series continues with a culturally-diverse lineup of musicians in the 8th edition of Rock de Mayo! There will also be DJs, food trucks, community partners and entertainment that goes ALL DAY LONG!
Featuring iZCALLi, Los Reyes Del Huepa, El Cro, The Trujillo Company, Mono Verde Collective, Wes Watkins, 2MX2, Verena, Danilo Santoy, and special guest Mariachi Sangre Mexicana!
Levitt Pavilion, Ruby Hill Park, 1380 W. Florida Ave., Denver
2:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Reserve: FREE
Phone: 303-561-4450
VIRTUAL YOUNG ARTISTS CONCERT
Closing out their most unusual online season, the Denver Young Artists Orchestra will present an evening of beautiful music featuring the String Ensemble and the Conservatory Orchestra of DYAO, with a special appearance by the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Youth Ensemble. You can catch this FREE virtual concert on their Facebook page or YouTube channel.
The program features music by Howard Hanson, Franz Joseph Haydn, Antonio Vivaldi, and Jeremy Woolstenhulme, as well as the world-premiere of To Bloom Again, by Jherrard M. Hardeman. As a bonus, the concert features the winner of the 2020 String Ensemble Concerto Competition, violinist Akshaye Sankholkar, and the winner of the 2020 Conservatory Orchestra Concerto Competition, flutist Corvina Graham!
DYAO Online
7:00 p.m.
Information: FREE
Saturday-Sunday, May 15-16
CHALK LINES AND VINES
This premier festival combines the whimsey of chalk art with the flavor of wine tasting! The fully outdoor show takes you on a wine-tasting tour of Colorado’s best wines, with chalk muralists and live musicians providing the entertainment. You’ll be supporting Arapahoe County Open Spaces at the same time.
Ticket price includes a souvenir wine glass and tote, wine tastings from more than ten Colorado wineries, and chalk artists creating murals live for guests. Live music includes the bands Partially Stable and Tara Rose & the Real Deal on Saturday, and Soul Sacrifice and Steve Manshel on Sunday.
Arapahoe County Fairgrounds on the Central Green, 25690 E. Quincy Ave., Aurora
11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Tickets: $35
OUTDOOR CABARET CONCERTS
While the Denver Center for Performing Arts isn’t quite ready to invite large audiences back, they have come up with a series of open-air, outdoor cabaret concerts under the glass at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Each concert will feature a unique blend of music and entertainment in a safe, socially-distanced setting. There will be a bar and limited grab-and-go snacks available for purchase and pick up within the lobby of Boettcher Concert Hall.
Tickets will be sold by the table with the option of 2, 3 or 4 seats per table. A limited number of individual tickets will also be available. This weekend’s Broadway musical review has already sold out—but there may be last-minute availability, so check back often and you might get lucky! Or you can buy your tickets now for the next concert on June 5 which is sure to sell out as well!
DCPA, Outdoors under the glass cover of the Arts Complex, 14th & Curtis, Denver
6:00 p.m.
Tickets: $50-$100
Phone: 303-893-4100
BEST OF BROADWAY ONLINE
Nothing puts you in better spirits than the energizing music of Broadway! Join the Aurora Singers as they bring the Best of Broadway to you! This FREE virtual extravaganza of songs from the greatest theatre district on earth will have you singing along—and since you’re at home, no one will mind!
You’ll hear classics from Grease and Footloose, as well as selections from the iconic A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and the modern-day Evan Hansen, with something special from Newsies tucked in between. And no tribute to Broadway would be complete without a little Sondheim!
Aurora Singers Online
Sat., 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.; Sun., 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Tickets: FREE
Phone: 303-669-6463
CARMEN SUITE BALLET
The tragic, melodramatic opera Carmen has been reimagined into a ballet! Opera and dance fans alike will appreciate the masterful adaptation by Ballet Ariel in their original ballet Carmen Suite, set in 1930s Spain. Also on the program is the lovely, romantic Pas de Quatre.
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, 119 Park Ave. West, Denver
Sat., 7:30 – 8:30 p.m.; Sun., 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15-$20
Phone: 303-945-4388
Sunday, May 16
CONCERT ON THE GREEN
Pack a picnic or pick up some food and drinks from your favorite Stanley restaurant, then enjoy an outdoor student concert on the lawn! The concert is FREE to watch, but please RSVP in advance.
Stanley Marketplace, 2501 N. Dallas St., Aurora
3:00 – 4:15 p.m.
RSVP: FREE to watch; $15 for students to participate
CLASS OF 2021 PARADE
Here’s a community way to honor this year’s graduates! A Car Parade will be held in the Stapleton area to celebrate the Class of 2021. All graduating seniors (high school and college) are welcome to take part in the parade.
Community members, family, friends and faculty will line up along the parade route to show support for the Class of 2021 by cheering as the cars drive by. Please provide a driver who is not a graduate. This is to ensure the safety of parade participants but also to allow graduates to enjoy the event and truly participate in the parade experience.
Northfield Mall Parking Lot, E. 47th Ave. and Willow St., Denver
4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Register: $1 to participate, FREE to watch
The Arts, Music and More Near Southshore!
Enjoy Life at the Lake in the master-planned community of Southshore—and find culture and entertainment within easy reach! Looking for a new home you can add your signature style to? With beautiful model homes from Toll Brothers, Taylor Morrison, and Richmond American Homes, it’s easy to picture yourself in your own new home, priced from the upper $400s to the $700s.