By Linda Navarro

linda.navarro@gazettedev.gazette.com

Each Thursday, explore Denver’s essential weekend events curated by The Denver Gazette. Dive into cultural experiences and entertainment delights across the city. Whether you enjoy bouncy amusement parks, mariachi music, or viewing and creating art, there’s something for everyone in Denver’s vibrant cultural scene. To submit an event for consideration, email listings@gazettedev.gazette.com.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY

Works by almost 150 artists and craftsmen will draw thousands to the 25th Denver Arts Festival in Conservatory Green, Central Park’s Northfield neighborhoods, 8304 E. 49th Place. Art, jewelry and even furniture, food trucks, a Kids’ Zone for their take-home art, beer garden and live music. denverartsfestival.com

FRIDAY-MONDAY

Always a big holiday event, the creek side Boulder Creek Festival runs all weekend. Lots of everything starting with 200 vendors for shopping, 32 food trucks, performances by more than 30 musicians on three stages, kids’ activities and a Beer Fest by the water in 2-hour sessions each day. It’s free and set along Boulder Creek, 9th to 14th Streets between Canyon Boulevard and Arapahoe Avenue. bouldercreekfest.com

THURSDAY-MONDAY

Whitewater season opens with the Paddlefest 2024 holiday weekend in the Arkansas River Valley at Buena Vista. There are competitions or just paddling and floating in the river, kayak rodeos and free clinics by pros. Plenty of celebration time and music and a gear swap and sale with experts to help out. facebook.com/ckspaddlefest

FRIDAY

Free ice cream, music and Victorian-time activities from 5-8 p.m. Friday on Denver City Park Day at the Pavilion. Free. cpfan.org/2024/04/city-park-day-is-coming

MONDAY

Commerce City honors those who have served with a full day starting with a tribute to the fallen in Veterans Memorial Park at 8:45 a.m., a full Memorial Day Parade at 9:30 a.m. and a concert. The parade, considered one of the largest in the country, has 100 units including bands, military marching units, classic cars, horses and floats. commercecitynorth.com/cc-events/memorial-day-parade

FRIDAY-MONDAY

If you’re heading down Colorado Springs direction during the holiday, there are two large traditional events. MeadowGrass Music Festival at La Foret in Black Forest spotlights local and regional music, camping, children’s activities, yoga, slackline and ropes courses, workshops and nighttime shows. tinyurl.com/msj2h6bt Old Colorado City streets will be packed during the holiday for the 45th annual Territory Days street fair, 23rd through 27th Streets on West Colorado Avenue. Music on three stages, shopping, lots of food, Native American dancers, Cowboy Church, beer gardens and bunches more. Parking in downtown garage and free shuttle to the event. tinyurl.com/3f8mw6nc

FRIDAY-SUNDAY

Stamp collectors and philatelists, Rocky Mountain Stamp Show time is here, Friday-Sunday at Arapahoe County Fairgrounds, Aurora. Stamp theme “Celebrating the Native Plants of Colorado” and there’s a What’s in Your Attic? booth. rockymountainstampshow.com

SATURDAY-MONDAY

Historic South Gaylord Street at Wash Park between Mississippi and Tennessee Avenues hosts its Kickoff to Summer Memorial Weekend Festival, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s packed with locally owned shops and restaurants and this weekend adds a street fair with musicians, vendors, things for the kids and a play area for the dogs. oldsouthgaylord.com

MONDAY

The Williams Carillon Memorial Day Bells will ring for a program on DU’s Ritchie Center Lawn, 5-6 p.m. Featured is Joey Brink, resident carillons at the university. Families invited to bring lawn chairs and picnics. It’s free and after the concert the audience can climb the 95 steps of the bell tower for a spectacular view of the city. Concert address is 2240 Buchtel Blvd. South. liberalarts.du.edu/node/37293

SATURDAY-MONDAY

Taste of Creede Festival takes over the town’s Main Street for the 36th annual holiday event. Artists will be working street side and the festival includes live music, National Small Prints Show, food, and a Creede Repertory Theatre production of “Baskerville.” creede.com/taste-of-creede

SATURDAY

The Buffalo Soldiers of the American West will join the annual Centennial Celebration at Greeley’s Centennial Village Museum. Western heritage tours and demonstrations 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. greeleymuseums.com/locations/centennial-village.

SUNDAY

Fireworks Sunday night, 7 to 10 p.m., at Denver’s Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park, 2000 Elitch Circle. General admission for the park and all its rides and attractions. elitchgardens.com

SATURDAY

Launch party afternoon for a teaming of Bonnie Brae Ice Cream and John Elway’s 7Cellars Wine, 799 S. University Blvd., 1-3 p.m. A unique sampling during National Wine Day Saturday. Discover special limited ice cream named Cabernet Nutella Bliss, Blueberry Noir Indulgence and Chardonnay Apricot Dream. bonniebraeicecream.com

SUNDAY

The latest Mobile Studio Music Festival spotlights Denver youth artists learning music production and audio engineering, Levitt Pavilion, 1380 W. Florida Ave. It’s free and from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday. mobile-studio-inc.org

SUNDAY

A special Memorial Day weekend tribute, the Riverside Cemetery Civil War Veterans Tour, 430 S.Quebec St., 10-11:30 a.m. Free but donations accepted for Fairmount Heritage Foundation. eventbrite.com

FRIDAY-SUNDAY

Beaver Creek is the site of a three-day music-filled Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival at the base of Beaver Creek Mountain, 26 Avondale Lane. beavercreekresortcompany.ticketspice.com/2024-blues-brews-bbq.

STARTING MONDAY

Free admission all summer at Colorado Central Plains’ museums, all the way to Labor Day. Eleven museums and attractions: Arriba Museum, Bailey Saddleland Museum in Simla, Cheyenne Wells Old Jail Museum, Elbert County Museum in Kiowa, Flagler Hospital Museum, Second Central School Museum in Flagler, Kit Carson Museum in Burlington, Limon Heritage Museum and Railroad Park, Lincoln County Museum in Hugo, Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Museum in Cheyenne Wells. Information at ourjourney.info.