Spread Your Wings This Weekend!
January 7, 2021
Start the New Year by getting outside your normal routine! Spread your wings and glimpse the bald eagles and bison at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Nature Refuge or take a walk back in time at the Four Mile Historic Park! Drive a little further and immerse yourself in the wonder of trains at the Colorado Railroad Museum or join in any number of adventurous online webinars and classes.
TODAY/TONIGHT, January 7
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT GERMANY?
The most populous country in the European Union is also an economic and technological leader in the world. Politics and cultural changes—as well as the impact of the coronavirus pandemic—are putting Germany at a crossroads.
With long-time Chancellor Angela Merkel not seeking re-election and a resurgent German far-right movement growing, Germany is in one of the most uncertain places of its tumultuous history. This in-depth FREE webinar will explore the past, present, and future of this influential country.
Active Minds Webinar Zoom Link
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE
Phone: 720-440-8200
Thursday-Sunday, January 7-10
BALD EAGLES AND BISON
Where the deer and the buffalo roam—that’s the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Nature Refuge, a FREE wildlife preserve where you might even spot a bald eagle! It’s a short drive from Aurora, and you’ve got options when you arrive. There’s a self-guided Wildlife Drive auto tour where you can observe more than 330 species of wildlife!
Or start the new year with some new trails! The Refuge has just opened an additional eight miles of trails with expanded visitor activities including hiking, biking, and Class 1 e-bikes! The new trail system also includes three perimeter parking lots for easy trail access.
Rocky Mountain Arsenal, 6550 Gateway Rd., Commerce City
Sunrise to Sunset
Information: FREE
Phone: 303-289-0930
TRAIN TRIVIA PURSUIT
There’s something about trains that brings out the child in all of us! Treat yourself and your family to a day at the nearby Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, where you can spend leisurely hours strolling the museum’s 15-acre rail yard with over 100 locomotives, passenger and freight cars, cabooses and even a G-scale garden railway.
In the roundhouse restoration facility, you can watch Colorado railroad history brought back to life with a working, hand-operated turntable. Visit the 1880s-replica Depot Museum with an operating model that’s historically accurate. Don’t forget to visit the Depot Store where you can buy a souvenir of your fun day of train trivia!
Colorado Railroad Museum, 17155 W. 44th Ave., Golden
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Tickets: $5 – $10
Phone: 303-279-4591
GLIDE AROUND THE POND
Nothing beats the feeling of gliding effortlessly on ice! This old-fashioned pastime will become a new family favorite event when you bring the kids to the ice rink. Meet up with friends or make new ones in this socially-distanced activity!
The Pond at Southlands, 6155 S. Main St., Aurora
Thurs., 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Fri./Sat./Sun., 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Tickets: $12
Phone: 303-627-5000
AWARD-WINNING VIRTUAL REALITY
Carne y Arena was the first virtual reality project to appear at the Cannes Film Festival and was awarded a special Oscar® in 2017, recognized by the Academy as an exceptional storytelling experience. This important work explores the human condition of immigrants and refugees, and the experience is magnified by the immersive technology.
You’ll walk alongside refugees in their journeys, blurring the line between subject and bystander. The virtual reality sequence is a multi-narrative space with human characters, based on true accounts.
Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas St., Aurora
12:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Tickets: $35-$55
Friday, January 8
BITE-SIZED RECIPES
Tune in for this FREE creative cooking virtual workshop, where you’ll get all kinds of ideas for bite-sized recipes!Aurora Public Library’s Made in a Mug has just what you’re craving, whether it’s a sweet treat or a savory mouthful!
Aurora Library Facebook
1:00 p.m.
Information: FREE
ROOTS OF ROCK-N-ROLL
You won’t want to miss this exciting webinar that takes you back to the very beginning of the American music scene in the 1950s! Rock-n-roll has been continually evolving ever since, but the roots of the sound came from such musical geniuses as Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and Little Richard. Tune in as this lively presentation traces its history and cultural impact through the years.
Active Minds Webinar Zoom Link
2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: FREE
Phone: 720-440-8200
Friday-Sunday, January 8-10
FLEA MARKET
Whether you’re in the mood to buy or just browse, you’re sure to be entertained by the Mile High Flea Market! And as an outdoor venue, it’s a better way to social distance and be safe. Bring the whole family out to the largest flea market in Denver—there’s sure to be something for everyone!
Mile High Flea Market, I-76 & 88th Ave., Denver
7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Tickets: $2-$3
Phone: 303-289-4656
STROLL BACK IN TIME
Who doesn’t wish to return to a kinder, gentler time period? Four Mile Historic Park has re-opened so that you can take a step back in time!
As Denver’s oldest standing structure, the history park is a 12-acre sanctuary where you can meet the horses, goats, and chickens, and learn about the craftsmanship of the historic barns and outbuildings. There’s even an ice-skating rink with limited capacity, operating on a first come, first serve basis!
Four Mile Historic Park, 715 S. Forest St., Denver
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Timed Tickets: $3 – $5
Phone: 720-865-0800
Saturday, January 9
BOOK CLUB FOR ADULTS
Books @ The Bar is a lively Zoom discussion about popular and contemporary literature that you can enjoy with the beverage of your choice in hand. After you register, you’ll receive the title of the next book via email. This event is for adults 21 and over.
Aurora Library Online via Zoom
1:00 p.m.
Register: FREE
Out and About Near Southshore!
There’s no shortage of things to do near the master-planned community of Southshore! You get the tranquility of lakeside living (which offers recreation – even in the winter!) plus easy access to your favorite urban activities. Stop by and see for yourself how great Life at the Lake can be! 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.