Denver, CO
Things to do in Denver this weekend, Feb. 23-25
By Cassidy Ritter, Special to Denverite
Ludacris is in town on Friday at the Fillmore Auditorium and the Colorado Rapids play their first match of the regular season on Saturday. There’s also a Winterfest in Arvada, a Onesie 5K and an immersive art experience at Spectra Art Space. And on Sunday, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science has free admission.
Whatever you get up to, make it a great weekend!
Notes: Events with an * are taking place virtually or outdoors.
Friday, Feb. 23
Kids and family
After Hours Teen Laser Tag. Sheridan Library, 3425 W. Oxford Ave. 5-6:30 p.m. Free. Advanced registration required. Ages 11-18.
Comedy and theater
Actual Serious Actors. Chaos Bloom Theater, 70 S. Broadway. 7-8 p.m. $5.
Beth Stelling. Comedy Works Downtown, 1226 15th St. 9:45 p.m. $32.
Arts, culture and media
Nomadic Daydreams. Walker Fine Art, 300 W. 11th Ave., Unit A. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.
Dragon Painting Class with Artist Kim Pham. Far East Center, 333 S. Federal Blvd. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Donation-based entry fee. Advanced registration required.
Music and nightlife
Ludacris. Fillmore Auditorium, 1510 Clarkson St. 7 p.m. Starting at $90.
90s Country Party Featuring Double Wide. The Grizzly Rose, 5450 Linconl St. 8 p.m. $20.
Sports and fitness
New York Riptide vs. Colorado Mammoth. Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle. Watch on ESPN+. 7 p.m. Starting at $35.
*Denver Nuggets vs. Portland Trail Blazers. Watch on Altitude or listen at 92.5 FM. 8 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 24
Just for fun
2024 Colorado Garden & Home Show. Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th St. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. $12 (seniors), $15 (adults).
*Arvada Winterfest. McIlvoy Park, 5750 Upham St., Arvada. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free.
Meditation in Motion: Experience the Joyful Art & Science of TaiChi/QiGong. Far East Center, 333 S. Federal Blvd. 2-3:30 p.m. Donation-based entry fee. Advanced registration required.
Couples Gamenight. Parkside Eatery + Bar, 14515 E. Alameda Ave., Aurora. 6-8 p.m. $50 (for team of two).
Kids and family
FamilyFest. Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th St. Noon-6 p.m. Free (children 13 and under), $12 (attendees 14 and older).
Movies at APL: “Detective Pikachu.” Tallyn’s Reach Library, 23911 E. ARapahor Road, Aurora. 2-4 p.m. Free.
Pixar Theme Quiz. Max Taps Centennial, 11405 E. Briarwood Ave., Suite 100, Centennial. 7-9 p.m. No cover. Family friendly.
Comedy and theater
Beth Stelling. Comedy Works Downtown, 1226 15th St. 9:45 p.m. $32.
Art, culture and media
Nomadic Daydreams. Walker Fine Art, 300 W. 11th Ave., Unit A. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.
Lumonics Immersed. Lumonics Light & Sound Gallery, 800 E. 73rd Ave., Unit 11. 8-10 p.m. $15-$25.
Eat and drink
Beer, Bacon and Coffee Fest. All five Denver Beer Co. locations. 8:30-11 a.m. $30 (designated driver, ages 18 and up), $60 (full price event ticket, ages 21 and up). Advanced registration required.
Hook & Halligan Fire Fighter Collab Event and Fundraiser. WestFax Brewing Co., 6733 W. Colfax Ave., Lakewood. Noon-8 p.m. No cover.
2024 Mile High Beer Festival. Stockyards Event Center, 5004 National Western Drive. 12:30-8 p.m. Starting at $59.99.
Learn to Cook Series: 2 Day Weekend Workshop. Stir Cooking School, 3215 Zuni St. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. $299 (for Saturday and Sunday). Advanced registration required.
Wine School: What’s An Orange Wine? Noble Riot, 1336 27th St. 3:30-4:30 p.m. $49. Advanced registration required.
Music and nightlife
Jazz Roots – Musician Interviews. Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library, 2401 Welton St. 2-4 p.m. Free.
Denver Celtic Night. Mercury Cafe, 2199 California St. 6-9 p.m. $15.
DRAMA. Summit, 1902 Blake St. 8 p.m. Starting at $119.
Eddie 9V. Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax Ave. 9 p.m. $20.
Sports and fitness
Rainforest Yoga. Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster. 7:45-8:45 a.m. $10 (members), $12 (non-members). Advanced registration required.
Indoor Goat Yoga. Aspen Grove, 7301 S. Santa Fe Dr., Suite 450, Littleton. 10-11 a.m. and noon-1 p.m. $30.
*The Onesie 5K. Starting at Cheluna Brewing Co., 2501 Dallas St., Suite 148, Aurora. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. $35 (includes free beer, pint glass and door prizes), $55 (includes free beer, pint glass, door prizes and T-shirt).
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Colorado Avalanche. Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle. Watch on ESPN+. 5 p.m. Prices vary.
*Portland Timbers vs. Colorado Rapids. Watch on Apple TV. 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 25
Just for fun
2024 Colorado Garden & Home Show. Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th St. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $12 (seniors), $15 (adults).
BarkGarage – Professional Pet Photos. Station 26 Brewing Co., 7045 E. 38th Ave. 1-4 p.m. $35.
Dating in the Dark. Zeppelin Station, 3501 Wazee St., Suite 100. 6-7 p.m. $15.
Comedy and theater
Tomás and the Library Lady. Elaine Wolf Theatre, 350 S. Dahlia St. 10-11 a.m. $11.50.
Ralph Barbosa. Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village. 4:30 p.m. $35-$45.
Beth Stelling. Comedy Works Downtown, 1226 15th St. 9:45 p.m. $32.
Art, culture and media
Free Days. Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.
Sundays on Santa Fe. Art District on Santa Fe, 858 Santa Fe Drive. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. No cover.
Eat and drink
Beer, Bacon and Coffee Fest. All five Denver Beer Co. locations. 8:30-11 a.m. $30 (designated driver, ages 18 and up), $60 (full price event ticket, ages 21 and up). Advanced registration required.
Pajama Brunch. Launch Pad Brewery, 884 S. Buckley Road, Aurora. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. No cover.
Wine School: Chocolate + Wine Pairing Noble Riot, 1336 27th St. 3:30-4:30 p.m. $59. Advanced registration required.
Music and nightlife
Sunday Night Jitterbug featuring Reid Poole and the Night Owls. Mercury Cafe, 2199 California St. 8-11:30 p.m. $15 (music), $18 (dance class and music).
Sports and fitness
*Denver Nuggets vs. Golden State Warriors. Watch on Altitude or ESPN, or listen at 92.5 FM. 5 p.m.
All Weekend
Art, culture and media
Black History Month Public Art Tour. Locations vary across the Denver metro. Anytime. Free.
Space Explorers – The Infinite. Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas St., Aurora. 2-7 p.m. (Friday), 11 a.m.-7 p.m. (Saturday) and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. (Sunday). Prices vary. Advanced registration required for timed entry.
Pages of the Past: Aurora’s Library System. Aurora History Museum, 15051 E. Alameda Parkway, Aurora. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (Friday) and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday). Free.
Wild Color. Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (members, children ages 2 and under), $19.95 (guests ages 3-18), $21.95 (seniors ages 65 and older), $24.95 (adults). All ages. Advanced registration recommended.
All Stars. Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (guests ages 5 and under), $5 (members, guests ages 6-18), $23 (Colorado resident), $27 (non-resident).
Blaxplanation. History Colorado Center, 1200 N. Broadway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (members and children 18 and under), $15 (adults).
Have a Seat. Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (guests ages 5 and under), $5 (members, guests ages 6-18), $23 (Colorado resident), $27 (non-resident).
Museum of Illusions Denver. 951 16th Street Mall. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (Friday and Saturday) and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (Sunday). $20 (children ages 5-12), $22 (seniors and active military), $24 (adults). Advanced registration required for timed entry.
The Museum for Black Girls. 500 16th Street Mall. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. $30. (Read more about the museum and its creator here.)
Little Bit of Love Art Show. Spectra Art Space, 1836 S. Broadway. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (Friday and Saturday) and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (Sunday). Free.
Spookadelia: Doubt’s Echo. Spectra Art Space, 1836 S. Broadway. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (Friday and Saturday) and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (Sunday). $12 (children 10 and under), $20 (ages 11 and older, timed entry), $30 (priority tickets and swag).
Eat and drink
Beer & Girl Scout Cookie Pairing. Fiction Beer Co., 7101 E. Colfax Ave. Starting Friday at 2 p.m. and continuing through Sunday, while supplies last. $16 (includes four cookies and 4 beer samples).
Worth the Drive
All weekend
*Subaru WinterFest. Cooper Mountain, 230 Ten Mile Circle, Frisco. All day. No cover.
Colorado Environmental Film Festival. Green Center, 924 16th St., Golden. Times vary. Starting at $12.
Rocky Mountain sandhill cranes battle warmer conditions due to drought
Wildlife biologist Jenny Nehring and farmer Rob Jones talk about Sandhill cranes and their impact on the San Luis Valley.
DENVER — Zoos are of necessity big gulpers of water, a fact that has some zookeepers in the drying American West working to rapidly upgrade efficiency and reduce unnecessary irrigation or leaks.
Denver Zoo, formally known as the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, has rapidly reduced its demands on threatened and declining water sources, including the Colorado River.
Among the upgrades is a sea lion water filtration system that allows most of the water to be cleaned and reused each time the pool is drained. That’s saving more than 8 million gallons a year, zoo sustainability director Blair Neelands said. “You can get in there, scrub it with a toothbrush and refill it with the same water,” she said.
Similar upgrades to an African penguin showcase reduced its water use by 95% by largely eliminating what’s sent down the drain. (Like a backyard swimming pool, though, these tanks sometimes still need to be drained and refreshed with new water to reduce mineral buildup.)
“The biggest thing for us is swapping from dump-and-fill pools to life-support systems,” Neeland said.
Another biggie is replacement of a 50-year-old water main with funding of about $3 million from the city. There’s no way of knowing how much that pipe had leaked over the years, but Neeland suspected it was more than a million gallons a year. The savings should become apparent as the zoo tracks its water use over the next few years.
Creating hippo-sized water savings
When The Arizona Republic visited in 2025, the zoo was on the cusp of eclipsing a goal to reduce its water use by half of what it had been in 2018. The zoo had used 80 million gallons in 2024, or about 219,000 a day, a 45% reduction in just a handful of years. Much of the savings had come in the form of smarter irrigation practices and use of drought-tolerant native plants where possible. The landscaping also pivoted to recycled “purple pipe” water from the city, which owns the zoo’s land, restricting potable water to areas where animals really need it.
“When people hear ‘recycled water,’ they get worried about cleanliness and hygiene,” zoo spokesman Jake Kubié said. “But it’s safe for the animals, and it’s not their drinking water.”
Getting past the water conservation goal would mean draining the pool where Mahali the hippo spent most hours lurking with just his eyes, ears and snout visible to visitors. Because he spent so much time in the pool, the water needed daily changes. It amounted to 21 million gallons a year, not to mention water heater bills that drove the cost to $200,000 a year, according to zoo officials. They estimated that Mahali used as much water as 350,000 four-person households.
“This facility is outdated,” Kubié said. “Some day this will become a huge saver of water.”
That day came before year’s end, and it indeed brought a tremendous savings. The zoo shipped Mahali to a new home (and a potential mate) at a wildlife preserve in Texas and drained the pool one last time. Ending the daily change-outs shaved more than a quarter of the zoo’s entire water usage from the previous year. It put the zoo significantly beyond its goal.
Denver Zoo’s water savings are part of a broader waste- and pollution-prevention effort aimed at being a good neighbor in uncertain times, Neeland said.
“Water savings and drought is top of mind for anyone who lives in the Western United States,” she said.
In Phoenix, a different mix of animals
That’s true of the Phoenix Zoo, as well, where zookeepers must maintain landscaping and animal exhibits in a city that baked under 100-degree-plus high temperatures for a third of the days last year. The zoo creates a “respite in the desert,” spokeswoman Linda Hardwick said, but has no hippos, penguins, grizzly bears or many of the other species that would require big water investments for outdoor swimming or cooling.
“We really specialize in animals that will thrive in the temperatures here,” Hardwick said.
The Phoenix Zoo uses most of its water on landscaping. After a consultant’s 2023 irrigation assessment, the staff centralized irrigation scheduling under a single trained technician and employed technologies including weather-based controllers and smart meters. Salt River Project awarded $70,000 in grant funds for the upgrades and several thousand more for training.
The zoo uses about 189,000 gallons a day, she said. That represents a 17% reduction from 2023, or 20% when adjusted for the year’s particular weather and evapotranspiration demand.
Brandon Loomis covers environmental and climate issues for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Reach him at brandon.loomis@arizonarepublic.com.
Environmental coverage on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.
Follow The Republic environmental reporting team at environment.azcentral.com and @azcenvironment on Facebook and Instagram.
Watch CBS News
A Frontier Airlines plane has hit and killed a person at Denver’s international airport, prompting the evacuation of passengers. Authorities say the man jumped a perimeter fence and ran in front of the plane as it was taking off to Los Angeles.
Published On 10 May 2026
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