Denver, CO
Free and cheap things to in August in Denver: 50-cent oysters, local fairs and more
Water World’s 45th anniversary celebration
Water World is making a big splash for its 45th anniversary by celebrating the milestone with a variety of fun activities throughout the park on Aug. 4. Whether you prefer the tranquility of the Lazy River or thrills of the water coaster Roaring Forks, there’s something fun for everyone. The park will be open for the day from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Activities include a meet-and-greet with mermaids, a free concert, appearances by their mascots Walliver and Winnie, free cookies and more. Plus, visitors will have the chance to win an Elite Season Pass for 2025. All of the fun is included with regular gate admission or a Season Pass. waterworldcolorado.com
Parker Honey Festival
Parker is all abuzz for the family-friendly Parker Honey Festival on Aug. 4 at the town’s O’Brien Park (10795 Victorian Drive). From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., learn about the importance of honey bees and how to support the health of bees and other pollinators. See hives up close, sample honey, make crafts, try on a beekeeper’s suit and pick up lots of bee booty, including honey sticks, dippers and recipes. Attendees will also find lots of health and beauty products made with honey and beeswax. New this year, all vendors will offer an interactive and educational activity. Also, enjoy a Kids’ Hive, music performances and artistic displays. Admission is free. Register to attend at parkerarts.org
Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar
Aw, shucks! Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar has shucked more than 7 million oysters since first opening in Boulder back in 1994. In honor of its 30th anniversary, Jax is throwing it back to 1994 to celebrate the milestone on Aug. 5. From 4 to 6 p.m., each Jax location will serve 700 Jax proprietary CrackerJax oysters on the half shell at their 1994 price of just 50 cents each. The oysters will be sold by the half dozen with a limit of one dozen per order. Customers can order more, once they have cleaned their plate. (Once all 700 oysters are sold, the price will revert back to the happy hour pricing of $2 each.) Jax has five locations in Colorado. jaxfishhouse.com
A&W Restaurants root beer float giveaway
Provided by A&W Restaurants
A&W root beer float. (Provided by A&W Restaurants)
Good deals always float to the top, especially on National Root Beer Float Day. A&W Restaurants started with a tiny root beer stand in 1919. To this day, the chain’s signature beverage is still made with real cane sugar and a proprietary blend of herbs, bark, spices and berries. To celebrate, the restaurant is giving customers a free small root beer float on Aug. 6 from 2 to 8 p.m. No purchase necessary. As a part of the celebration, the restaurant chain will also be collecting donations for Disabled American Veterans. awrestaurants.com/national-root-beer-float-day
Washington Park 125th Anniversary Jubilee
In 1899, Denver city landscape architect Reinhard Schuetze drew up the plans for Washington Park. Now, 125 years later, the urban forest is marking its birthday with a blow-out party, and everyone is welcome. The park’s 125th Anniversary Jubilee is Aug. 7 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is free. On the schedule are a variety of family-friendly activities, including a dog parade, scavenger hunt and visits with live animals. For those feeling active, there’s a yoga class, fishing, tennis clinics, croquet lessons, a climbing wall and more. Plus, enjoy live jazz music, history talks and food trucks. fanswashingtonpark.org/washington-park-celebrates-125th-anniversary
2024 Parade of Homes
The 2024 Parade of Homes features dozens of newly designed and custom homes across the greater metro area, all open to the public for free tours from Thursday to Sunday. The event runs Aug. 8-25 from noon to 5 p.m. No reservations are required. Homes range from luxury show homes to affordably-priced houses, from innovative to elegant, located in neighborhoods across the Front Range. Some people visit with an eye to buy, while others are simply looking for design inspiration for their own homes. If you prefer, virtual tours are also available online. Download a map for directions and to plan your route. paradeofhomesdenver.com
Military & Vets free admission to Colorado state parks
In a show of appreciation, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is inviting active duty, veterans and the National Guard to enjoy all state parks for free during the month of August. Military members and veterans, resident and nonresident, can pick up a complimentary August Military Pass at any Colorado State Park or CPW office by showing proof of service. All other park fees remain in effect, including camping reservations, boat and off-highway vehicle registrations, as well as hunting and fishing licenses. cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/MilitaryBenefits.aspx
Boulder County Fair
At 155 years of age, the Boulder County Fair is Colorado’s oldest. Rodeos, a colorful midway with all kinds of entertainment, a slew of kid’s activities, animal barns, a traditional carnival, music, crafts, food and more fill the fair calendar from Aug. 7 to 11. The event takes place at Boulder County Fairgrounds (9595 Nelson Road) in Longmont from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day. Parking and gate admission are both free, with most special events ranging from $10 to $20 for adults. An unlimited carnival rides wristband is $35 per day. Aug. 8 is Kids’ Day at the carnival from noon to 11 p.m. with unlimited rides for just $20. The discounted wristband is available between noon and 4 p.m. and can only be used that day. bouldercountyfair.org
Lafayette Peach Festival
The 25th annual Lafayette Peach Festival in Old Town turns the city’s main street into one sweet event on Aug. 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Morton’s Orchards, Tate Orchards, Green Barn Fruit Co. and Palisade Organic Peach Ranch truck in more than 30,000 pounds of certified organic peaches from Palisade for peach lovers to purchase. Plus, find hundreds of fresh peach pies and pans of peach cobbler at the Festival Plaza. Get there early because the peach treats always sell out quickly. The festival will also showcase crafters, antique dealers and artists from the Front Range and Western states. For kids, there’s free face painting and balloon sculpting from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Parking is available in the surrounding neighborhoods — just do not block driveways or park in restricted areas. lafayettecolorado.com/special-events
South by Southeast
Southeast Denver is home to a huge summer festival. This year’s South by Southeast is set for Aug. 17 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Bible Park. The free community festival features food trucks, a beer garden, live music, vendors and more. Family-friendly games and activities include corn hole, bubble tower, giant cup pong, kids’ play area, a Denver fire truck, Denver Mounted Patrol, photo booth and more. Parking is limited, so consider walking or biking to the event. They’re also looking for volunteers to assist with the festival. Get a free T-shirt and drink, if you do. denvergov.org
Arvada Days
Looking for some old-fashioned fun before summer ends? Look no further than Arvada Days on Aug. 24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Clear Creek Valley Park (3700 W. 58th Place). The event features food trucks, magic shows, train rides, live music, a beer garden, Nerf Zone, games and inflatables, community resources, crafts vendors and more. Admission is free. Adults can quench their thirst at the beer garden with proceeds benefiting Ralston House. There will also be a secure complimentary bike valet on site. arvadafestivals.com/arvada-days
Affordable Arts Festival
Provided by Affordable Arts Festival
The Affordable Arts Festival features jewelry and more for under $150.
The annual Affordable Arts Festival is unlike any arts fest you have attended because all of the art is priced at $150 or less. The event takes place outdoors on Aug. 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Arapahoe Community College (5900 S. Santa Fe Drive). This is the “Black Friday” of art sales, with more than 160 artists from around the country selling their works in a variety of mediums at bargain prices. Art lovers and enthusiasts will find paintings, mixed media, jewelry, glass, photography, sculptures and more – some of which were originally priced at thousands of dollars. Gates open at 9 a.m., but enthusiastic shoppers who line up early at 7 a.m. will enjoy a coffee cart selling java and pastries. Admission is $12 online or at the gate, with proceeds benefitting the Arapahoe Community College scholarship program. Use promo code CHEAP online for a $1 discount. Children 12 and under are admitted for free. affordableartsfestival.com
Art Students League of Denver’s Summer Art Market
More than 175 local artists will bring their wares to the public during the Arts League of Denver’s Summer Art Market (200 Grant St.) in Denver on Aug. 24 and 25. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Whether your home looks like a museum or you’re a novice collector, find lots of paintings, sculptures, ceramics, fiber art and mixed media at reasonable prices. All artists are students, faculty or members of the league. Tickets are $5 and valid for the entire weekend. Children 12 and under get in free. Purchase tickets online or at the door. Parking is limited, so organizers recommend carpooling, public transportation or biking/walking to the event. asld.org/show-details/summer-art-market
Send tips to info@milehighonthecheap.com 14 to 21 days in advance.
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Denver, CO
Prolonged ‘Welly weather,’ our first taste of winter and Lisa’s official first-snow prediction for Denver
Lisa Hidalgo and Ryan Warner were ready to bust out the rain boots for their September weather and climate chat.
Denver7’s chief meteorologist and the Colorado Public Radio host delved into a rare, days-long rainy stretch, our first taste of winter and the pair’s official first-snow-date prediction for Denver.
‘Welly weather’
“Two things happened this week that rarely happen in Colorado,” Warner said. “The first is that when I went to bed it was raining. I woke up and it was raining. And two, the rain meant I could wear my ‘Wellies,’ my Wellington boots.”
“These are rare events,” the green-rubber-boot-clad Warner quipped during the conversation.
Warner and Hidalgo held their conversation on the heels of an unusually rainy spell. In Colorado, rain storms often come and go quickly. This week’s rainfall, though, came during a slow-moving storm.
“It’s more the direction of it and where it camps out,” Hidalgo explained. “So as you get a low pressure system rolling through the state, and we get all this moisture that wraps around the back side of it, it jams up against the foothills. It’s called an upslope flow.”
In the winter, such a storm would’ve meant inches of snow in Denver. With September highs in the 50s, though, it came down as rain in town as it snowed in the high country.
First taste of winter
The National Weather Service in Boulder estimated Tuesday that “a widespread 5-10 inches” of snow fell at the highest elevations – above 10,500 to 11,000 feet – during the September 22-23 storm.
For the snow-lovers out there (keep scrolling if that’s not you)…
Some healthy snowfall over the past ~18 hrs for some of our higher elevations (mainly east of the Continental Divide above 10,500′).
Pictured: Dakota Hill (Gilpin Co; left); Killpecker (Larimer Co; right) #COwx pic.twitter.com/46surChItd
— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) September 24, 2025
Hidalgo noted things would quickly warm up after what was the area’s first winter weather advisory of the season.
“But this is just a hint of what’s to come,” she said. “And, obviously, we’re going to see a lot more alerts as we get into fall and into winter.”
When will Denver see its first measurable snow?
On average, the first snowfall in Denver happens on Oct. 18. The window has already passed for our earliest first snow, which happened on Sept. 3. The latest first snow in Denver is Dec. 10 – Lisa’s birthday.
With all of that in consideration, Hidalgo predicted this year’s first snow in Denver would fall on Oct. 24.
Warner’s guess? A potentially soggy evening of trick-or-treating after an Oct. 29 first snow.
More weather in-depth
Lisa and Ryan touched on studies on potential connections between both lightning and snowmelt on Colorado’s year-round fire season. They also discussed a study that suggests the eastern half of Colorado is drying out faster than the western half.
For more in-depth weather analysis, watch their full weather and climate chat in the video player below:
Denver, CO
Some Park Hill residents feel Denver is failing on minority outreach in golf course discussion
Saturday morning at Park Hill’s Hiawatha Davis Recreation Center, the City of Denver held a community open house to talk about its next big project: the city park and open space that was formerly the Park Hill Golf Course.
“It’s quite rare for a city to have this large of a park coming in. So it’s really important to us that that process is driven by the community,” said Sarah Showalter, director of planning and policy at the city’s Department of Community Planning and Development.
Residents got to see the plans for the park and the future the city has in store for the surrounding neighborhood.
“The voters clearly said that 155 acres should be a park, but the community is still looking for access to food and to affordable housing,” said Jolon Clark, executive director of Denver Parks and Recreation.
It seemed to be a good turnout, which the city likes, but two groups that appeared to be underrepresented were Black and Latino people, which is a problem, since Park Hill is a historically Black neighborhood.
Helen Bradshaw is a lifelong Park Hill resident. She and Vincent Owens, another long-time resident, came to the open house and said the problem is simple: the city isn’t meeting the neighbors of color where they are.
“The people who are just the average go to work, they might be at work or they have to work today or, you know, they couldn’t get a babysitter or something like that,” Owens said. “A lot of the elders on my block, they’re not going to come to something like this. So, you need to canvass and actually go get the voice of opinion, or they don’t know about it.”
Bradshaw and Owens say they want a neighborhood park and space for the neighbors by the neighbors. They also want a grocery store and opportunities for people who were part of the neighborhood long before it became a gem for development.
The city says that’s what they want as well, and that’s why they want everyone in Park Hill to give their input until the project is done.
“People can go to ParkHillPark.org and they can fully get involved and find out what the next engagement is, how to provide their input, you know, through an email, through a survey,” said Clark.
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