Denver, CO
At Vine Street Pub, nothing is different — but everything has changed
Places matter. Spaces matter. That’s never been more clear than it was when the Vine Street Pub & Brewery reopened its doors this month, four years after closing them for the pandemic.
“People have been so kind, sharing memories and telling stories, said Kevin Daly, who founded the Mountain Sun Pub and brewery group in Boulder in 1993 and opened Vine Street in 2008.
“It feels great. I’ve always felt like I had a mission-based job that creates community, that offers that third place for people to go. I think we will do well,” he added.
The brewpub, at 1700 Vine St., officially reopened last weekend and will maintain hours Thursdays through Sundays for now before expanding them down the road.
In many ways, not much has changed on the inside over those four years. The homey interior looks much the way it did in early 2020, and the menu still offers wings, burgers, sandwiches and classic Vine Street beers like Colorado Kind, F.Y.I.P.A and Megatron Imperial Stout. There is also an old ATM in the corner, although Vine Street finally accepts credit cards now.
And yet, everything is different on the outside, Daly said. People don’t go out as often as they did before the pandemic, restaurant prices have skyrocketed, hospitality workers have moved on, and commuters who used to come into the city to their jobs now work from home. That means it’s harder than ever to run a restaurant and make a profit, he pointed out.
But the problems didn’t show on Thursday as employees smiled ear to ear, carrying dishes from the kitchen to excited tables full of old regulars and curious newcomers.
Steve McConnell, who lives across the street from the pub remembers watching people from his porch on the day the business first opened in 2008. He also recalls his first visit when he showed up without any cash — as many people did — to the cash- and check-only restaurant and was told to just come back the next day to pay. He did, and he kept coming for years.
“Monday burger-and-beer night was my favorite,” he said, joking that he wanted to install a rope connecting his house to the pub so that he could find it in case of a blizzard.
Other changes at Vine Street include:
— The kitchen was gutted and remodeled to make it more efficient.
— The Buffalo wings are sadly smaller and come without the breading that made them stand out in the old days — a victim of rising food costs — but they still taste delicious.
— Some old menu items are missing, but new chef Lincoln Humphrey plans to bring some back as weekly specials. He’ll also add pizza and dishes of his own creation. “We don’t want to change too much because of the culture here, but we’ll change them just enough,” he said.
— The beer list has been updated with more modern selections, like the delicious Tank Top hazy IPA, and there is now a house-brewed hard seltzer (currently pineapple passion fruit).
It took Daly four years to reopen Vine Street, in part, because he also runs four other pubs, Mountain Sun, Southern Sun and Under the Sun, all in Boulder, and Longs Peak Pub & Taphouse in Longmont — and Vine Street was the furthest from his home. He also wanted to take his time finding the right group of people to run it, he said.
The company, which owns the building, has continued to use the brewing facility in back over the past few years. Three of those restaurants reopened in 2021, while the fourth returned in 2022.
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The Fourth of July weekend is one of the biggest celebrations of the summer, and Denver is delivering a packed lineup of events for every kind of adventurer. Whether you’re looking to watch fireworks light up the Colorado sky, catch a live concert at Red Rocks, enjoy rooftop parties, indulge in seasonal food and drinks or explore the city’s thriving arts and culture scene, there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate Independence Day.
Here’s your guide to the best music, food, fireworks, nightlife, arts, and cultural events happening across Denver this Fourth of July weekend.
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Read: Best Rooftops to Watch 4th of July Fireworks + Sip Cocktails in Denver
Read: The Ultimate 4th of July Outdoor Colorado Music Guide
FASHION EVENTS
Denver Fashion Week Fall 2026 Second Model Auditions
Where: TBA
Cost: $10+
The Lowdown:
Following overwhelming demand from aspiring models across Colorado, Denver Fashion Week (DFW) has announced a second round of model auditions for its upcoming Fall/Winter 2026 runway season.
MUSIC EVENTS
Read: The Ultimate 4th of July Outdoor Colorado Music Guide
Gillian Grogan and EMMA ROSE
Where: Skylark Lounge – 140 S. Broadway
Cost: $18+
The Lowdown:
Zeds Dead with Sippy, Baauer, Holly, HYDRAULIX & LUMBERJVCK
Where: Red Rocks Amphitheatre – 18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison
Cost: $205+
The Lowdown:
Flobots
Where: Levitt Pavilion Denver – 1380 W Florida Ave
Cost: $0+
The Lowdown:
Don Toliver with SahBabii, SoFaygo, Chase B
Where: Ball Arena – 1000 Chopper Cir
Cost: $105+
The Lowdown:
FOOD EVENTS
Read: Best Rooftops to Watch 4th of July Fireworks + Sip Cocktails in Denver
Dumpling Love: Dim Sum Party
Where: Stir Cooking School Highlands – 3215 Zuni St.
Cost: $120 per person
The Lowdown:
Join the dumpling party and learn how to make pork bao buns, shrimp shumai, pan-fried gyoza, and crab cheese rangoons. All classes include a full bar with beer, wine, and house-curated cocktails for purchase.
Stars, Stripes, and Deck Nights
Where: Woodie Fisher Kitchen & Bar – 1999 Chestnut Pl.
Cost: Free
The Lowdown:
Celebrate America’s 250th with our festive Bomb Pop Drinks, featuring real Bomb Pops and High Noon buckets!
4th of July Rooftop Fiesta at Cimera
Where: The Source Hotel – 3330 Brighton Blvd.
Cost: $60+
The Lowdown:
The experience is an open rooftop gathering featuring live-fire cooking, craft cocktails, and skyline views throughout the evening. Guests will enjoy Peruvian street skewers, duck & chorizo paella, and ceviche prepared live on-site.
Farmers Market Central Park
Where: Central Park – 29th Ave & Roslyn
Cost: Free
The Lowdown:
Local vendors provide Colorado-grown produce, tasty baked goods, specialty meats, gourmet food items and more!
LIFESTYLE EVENTS
Mystic Magnolias; A Southern Gothic Cabaret
Where: Colorado Sake Co – 3559 Larimer St
Cost: $25+
The Lowdown:
Saunter yourself out to The Mystic Magnolias, a Burlesque AND Drag Show with chilling charm and dripping in Southern Gothic atmosphere.
America 250 | Colorado 150 Drone Show presented by Visit Denver
Where: DPAC/Denver Performing Arts Complex – 1400 Curtis St.
Cost: Free
The Lowdown:
Following Sunset Cinema’s showing of National Treasure on July 3rd at Sculpture Park, stay to enjoy the 4th of July Drone Show! This special event will be brought to you by Visit Denver, celebrating American 250 | Colorado 150, including an appearance by Mayor Mike Johnston.
Beat The Bomb Summer Mission: America250 Edition
Where: Beat The Bomb – 3863 Steele St, Unit 1273
Cost: $39+
The Lowdown:
Beat The Bomb announces the limited-time-only Summer Mission: America250 Edition – celebrating America’s 250th with five new games, a collectible beach towel, and a red, white, and blue Paint Blast!
Independence Day Concert with Denver Municipal Band (Cheesman Park)
Where: Cheesman Park – 1900 E. 11th Ave.
Cost: Free
The Lowdown:
Price:Free
Join the Denver Municipal Band’s Concert Band for an Independence Day concert at Cheesman Park Pavilion with special guest Denver District 10 City Councilmember Chris Hinds narrating Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait.
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Whether you’re dancing at a concert, enjoying a garden dinner, cheering on your favorite soccer team or exploring a new exhibition, Denver offers plenty of ways to fill your 4th of July weekend calendar. Gather your friends, support local businesses, and discover something new around the city.
After an extended wait of no activity from the Denver Nuggets in this year’s free agency period, the team has finally made its first new signing.
That signing just so happens to be the No. 2 pick from the 2018 NBA Draft, Marvin Bagley III.
According to ESPN‘s Shams Charania, the Nuggets and Bagley have agreed to a one-year, veteran minimum deal for the 2026-27 season, effectively providing some solid depth in the frontcourt.
Free agent center Marvin Bagley III has agreed to a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets, sources tell ESPN. A critical frontcourt addition for the Nuggets. pic.twitter.com/enHBVxgfYl
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2026
With Denver’s first free agency signing now officially in the books, here’s what the move to bring in Bagley might mean for the Nuggets moving forward into free agency and this offseason, as well as entering next season.
Marvin Bagley Brings Frontcourt Depth to Denver’s Lineup
Bagley split his time between the Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks this past season to put together one of his better years of production in recent memory.
In the 60 combined games he played, Watson averaged 10.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists while shooting a career-high 61.8% from the field and 46.2% from three on a little less than one attempt per game.
Bagley’s a big who’s game centers more around his offensive skillset. He spent most of his time shooting last season at the rim or in the mid-range, shooting a stout 64.1% on two-pointers last season that can bring a bit of an interior presence into Denver’s frontcourt.
Defensively, he leaves a little bit more to be desired. And he’s still not quite the most impressive three-point shooter, even coming off his most efficient season from deep.
But for the cost of a veteran minimum contract, he acts as a nice budget-friendly addition who can shoulder some of the load offensively, and has shown value as an offensive rebounder as well. It’s tough to find much better for the price Denver’s paying.
While entering the league slotted in primarily as a power forward, it’s been in the past few seasons that Bagley’s settled in more as a full-time five; having spent 95% of his minutes during the 2025-26 campaign playing at the five.
That might give you a bit of a hint as to how the Nuggets plan to use him this next season, though they might also have some stretches where he’s placed alongside Nikola Jokic at the four for a bit of a larger frontcourt lineup.
The Writing’s On the Wall for Jonas Valanciunas
Looking at what Bagley’s addition might mean for the Nuggets’ current roster, no one in the picture gets more impacted by Jonas Valanciunas.
Valanciunas was Denver’s primary backup behind Jokic at the five last season following his trade from the Sacramento Kings, and entered this offseason with an uncertain future because of his contract situation.
The veteran big man has an expiring $10 million contract heading into the 2026-27 season, but one that’s not fully guaranteed, giving the Nuggets the opportunity to release him and save $8 million, while incurring a dead cap hit of $2 million that can be stretched over multiple years.
Such a move can give the Nuggets further cap flexibility that they’ll need this offseason to re-sign key pieces like Peyton Watson and Spencer Jones, which to this point haven’t been done, but becomes a bit easier now that Denver can take that next step in pivoting off of Valanciunas.
Perhaps Denver might also look deeper into a trade involving Zeke Nnaji, now that they’ve got a cheaper option in Bagley that might even sit ahead of him on the initial depth chart. However, it remains to be seen if the Nuggets have any takers on the two years remaining on his contract. To this point, they haven’t found anyone to bite.
When factoring in Valanciunas and Nnaji though, Bagley’s addition now brings the Nuggets to a total of 10 players signed onto traditional contracts for the 2026-27 season.
That leaves them with four open spots left to utilize in the days and weeks ahead. How they decide to use that space remains to be seen, but at the very least, the Nuggets’ long-awaited first offseason signing has now officially come to light.
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See social media react to LeBron James leaving the Lakers
After eight seasons in Los Angeles, LeBron James will return for his 24th season, but not with the Lakers.
The King and the Joker together?
Is it possible that LeBron James could join the Denver Nuggets?
The 41-year-old James plans to play in 2026-27 for his 24th NBA season, but he’s informed the Lakers it will be with another team.
It seems like the Nuggets may be at least somewhat interested in pairing James with star Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets have reached out to James, the Denver Post reported on July 1.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN said he has “long believed” the Nuggets could be an “outlier” team in part because of James’ admiration for Jokic.
The Nuggets recruited James when he was a free agent in 2018 before he signed with the Lakers.
LeBron James next team betting odds
Where do the sports books think James is going? Sports betting company DraftKings Sports does not have the Nuggets high on the list.
There are 10 teams that DraftKings believes are most likely to land James in free agency after he turned down the Lakers.
DraftKings believes James will choose to sign with one of the following teams at some point this summer: Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers.
DraftKings Sports odds: LeBron James landing spots
Here are the full odds for the top 10 landing spots this free agency period for James, a four-time champion, Finals MVP and league MVP:
- Golden State Warriors: -250
- Cleveland Cavaliers: +170
- Miami Heat: +800
- San Antonio Spurs: +3000
- Detroit Pistons: +3000
- Dallas Mavericks: +3000
- Milwaukee Bucks: +4000
- Brooklyn Nets: +4000
- Washington Wizards: +5000
- Philadelphia 76ers: +5000
Sports reporter Kevin Lytle can be found on social media on X, Instagram and Threads @Kevin_Lytle and on Bluesky.
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