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Summer festivals return: 9Things to do in Colorado this weekend

Festivals welcome summer in Lakewood, Brighton, Greeley and Elizabeth, plus the newest exhibit opens at DMNS.

COLORADO, USA — Summer festivals are back in Colorado!

Celebrations of family, friends and music are happening this weekend in Lakewood, Brighton, Greeley and Elizabeth. The U.S. men's national team will face off against soccer powerhouses Mexico, Costa Rica and Honduras at the inaugural Concacaf Nations League at Empower Field at Mile High. Grab your fishing rod and a cooler of soda, you can fish anywhere in Colorado this weekend — no license required.

Colorado is known for terrific festivals, concerts, sporting events and the arts. Celebrate the season this weekend by experiencing the unique culture, food and geography that makes our state so special.

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Credit: City of Lakewood

Rockin’ Block Party 

LAKEWOOD — Lakewood will kick off the summer season by traveling back in time to the 1990s. This weekend’s Rockin’ Block Party will feature a 90s theme during the evening of live music from local musicians followed by an outdoor screening of "Jurassic Park" at 9 p.m.

The party runs from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, June 4 at the Lakewood Heritage Center. Denver-based No Doubt tribute band Just a Girl will take the stage at 5:45 p.m. followed by Ninety Percent 90s at 7 p.m. Food trucks will be on site and Foothills Credit Union will be popping free popcorn. Reservations are required at Lakewood.org.

Credit: Greeley Blues Jam

Greeley Blues Jam

GREELEY — The Greeley Blues Jam is back! The two-night family-oriented blues experience features great food, drinks and merchandise vendors. The music starts at 5 p.m. Friday, June 4 in downtown Greeley at the Ninth Street Plaza and at over 15 venues. The 2021 Friday Fest featured artist is Johnny Sansone.

The Greeley Blues Jam continues Saturday, June 5 at the Island Grove Arena from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Bring your lawn chair or blanket and enjoy food, beverages, shopping and blues music. Tickets to Saturday’s event can be purchased at GreeleyBluesJam.org.

Credit: Brent Hofacker - stock.adobe.com

Summerfest

BRIGHTON — Brighton’s largest community festival returns to Carmichael Park on Saturday, June 5. Summerfest will feature live music, vendors and children's activities from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ElizaBash Street Fair

ELIZABETH — The annual ElizaBash Street Fair is Saturday, June 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Elizabeth’s historic Main Street. There will be over 100 food, arts, and crafts vendors showcasing local and homemade goodies.

Credit: Brent Hall - stock.adobe.com

Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo

ELIZABETH — A classic Colorado rodeo also returns to Elizabeth this weekend. The Elizabeth Stampede kicks off Thursday, June 3 with a concert from Dillon Carmichael, Lainey Wilson and Kameron Marlowe. Friday night will see Xtreme Bulls take to the rodeo arena at Casey Jones Park. There will be PRCA rodeo performances at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are available online at ElizabethStampede.com.

Credit: stock.adobe.com

Tesoro Indian Market

MORRISON — Join the Tesoro Cultural Center’s 20th annual Indian Market and Ceremonial Dance on Saturday, June 5 and Sunday, June 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Award-winning Native American artists sell their wares, demonstrate their crafts in a juried show and share their artistic traditions throughout the day in impromptu and scheduled demonstrations.

There will be no powwow contest this year, however, dancers and drum groups will share their heritage with Traditional, Shawl, Fancy, Grass and Jingle dance performances.

This event was first published by MileHighontheCheap.comFor more local deals and discounts go to MileHighontheCheap.com.

Credit: AP Photo/David Zalubowski

Concacaf Nations League

DENVER — The Concacaf Nations League Finals are in Denver this weekend! North American soccer national team powerhouses Mexico, the U.S., Costa Rica and Honduras will meet at Empower Field at Mile High for a doubleheader on Thursday, June 3 and Saturday, June 6.

Honduras and the United States kick off at 5:30 p.m. Thursday followed by Mexico vs. Costa Rica at 8 p.m. Championship and Third Place matches will begin at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are sold at Ticketmaster.com.

RELATED: Concacaf soccer returns to Empower Field in June

Credit: Ryan Kloch

Rockies vs. Athletics

DENVER — The Colorado Rockies are back on Blake Street for a beautiful weekend of Major League Baseball in the Mile High City. The Rockies end a series with the Texas Rangers at 1:10 p.m. Thursday before starting a new three-games series against the Oakland Athletics on Friday, June 4. 

First pitch between the Rockies and A's is at 6:40 p.m. Friday, 7:10 p.m. Saturday and 1:10 p.m. Sunday. The first 7,500 fans on Saturday and Sunday can snag a Rockies picnic blanket.

The Rockies increased capacity at Coors Field to 70% starting June 1, meaning 35,000 fans can now attend games. Coors Field will open to full capacity on Monday, June 28. Check out Rockies.com/Tickets to find your perfect seat.

RELATED: The Rockies will celebrate full capacity at Coors Field with another opening day

RELATED: $100M lawsuit filed against MLB over decision to pull All-Star Game from Georgia

Credit: Denver Museum of Nature & Science

Numbers in Nature: A Mirror Maze

DENVER — Have you ever wondered why a sunflower’s seeds are in nested spirals? Patterns and numbers hiding all around us and are featured in the new exhibition “Numbers in Nature: A Mirror Maze,” opening Friday, June 4 at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS).

The exhibition lets guests create, manipulate and experience patterns as they explore the ways nature organizes itself and inspires human designs from the Parthenon in Greece to Denver's “Big Blue Bear.” The centerpiece of the exhibition is a mirror maze where guests can lose themselves in a seemingly infinite repeating pattern of mirrors. “Numbers in Nature: A Mirror Maze” will be at DMNS through Sunday, Sept. 19.

Credit: dobok - stock.adobe.com

Free Fishing Weekend

COLORADO — Colorado's annual Free Fishing Weekend on Saturday, June 5 and Sunday, June 6 is a wonderful time to learn to fish or simply get outside to drop a line. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) invites anglers of all ages, from beginners to experts, to explore Colorado's lakes, ponds, streams, rivers and reservoirs. Grab your family and friends, because no permit is needed anywhere in the state this weekend. For maps, resources on where to go and fishing tips, visit CPW's website and app.

Credit: pavel1964 - stock.adobe.com

Flamingo Day 5K Run/Walk

DENVER — The weather in Denver on Sunday could not be more perfect for a 5K run or walk. Flamingo Day 5K is a terrific reason to get outside for some sunshine and fresh air at Denver's Sloan Lake Park. Waves of runners and walkers will launch every 30 minutes from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 6. Register at ColoradoRunnerEvents.com.

RELATED: In-person races are back in Colorado: Here's where to register

Credit: 9NEWS

Telluride Balloon Festival

TELLURIDE — Dozens of hot air balloons will rise through the Rocky Mountain air this weekend at the Telluride Balloon Festival. Mass ascensions will take place on Saturday, June 5 and Sunday, June 6 at 6 a.m. from Telluride Town Park. The Telluride Balloon Festival is a free event and don't forget your camera!

Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing

Thunder Valley National

LAKEWOOD — The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship makes its annual visit to the Denver area on Saturday, June 5. The 16th annual Toyota Thunder National begins at 8 a.m. with qualifying and practice. Opening Ceremonies are set for 12:30 p.m.

The event takes place at Lakewood's Thunder Valley Motocross Park, widely considered to be one of the best motocross tracks in the world. The event will celebrate the return of full spectator capacity on Saturday, June 5. Tickets for the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship are available at ProMotocross.com.

Credit: RINo Art District

Park Hill Art Festival

DENVER — Art festivals are back in Denver starting this weekend. The 8th annual Park Hill Art Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 5 and Sunday, June 6. The arts festival will have 80 Colorado and national artists showcasing and selling their paintings, jewelry, ceramics, metalwork, woodwork, fiber, sculpture and more.

First Friday Art Walk

DENVER — Rhino Week 2021 is here! A First Friday Art Walk begins Friday, June 5 at 5 p.m. in Denver's River North (RiNo) neighborhood. Temporary art installations featuring the five species of rhino will be scattered throughout the district. During this art walk, conservation experts will be posted up in the five installation locations, ready to talk rhinos. Collect a stamp at three of the installations and get entered into a raffle to win some amazing prizes! This art walk, and the installations are family friendly.

Plein Air Festival

LOVELAND — Loveland plays host to a Plein Art Festival and auction on Saturday, June 5. See Colorado artists as they masterfully paint works of art open air and on location throughout downtown Loveland and River’s Edge Natural Area, providing a unique opportunity to experience each piece as it is created. Artists work on paintings from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

There will be live entertainment from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Loveland’s downtown Foundry Plaza. At 4 p.m., the paintings will be auctioned off at Foundry Plaza. Proceeds benefit Rotary-sponsored charitable projects.

This event was first published by MileHighontheCheap.comFor more local deals and discounts go to MileHighontheCheap.com.

Credit: Dias.Studio - stock.adobe.com

Rhino Stampede Bar Crawl

DENVER — You can spend Sunday afternoon walking around west RiNo while trying drinks from local bars and breweries. The Rhino Stampede Bar Crawl begins at 12 p.m. Sunday, June 6. Tickets are $30 and get participants a drink at 6 venues: Mockery Brewing, Number 38, Lekker Coffee, Left Hand Brewing, Ironton and Great Divide. Fifty percent of the proceeds go toward rhinoceros conservation.

Wellington Brewfest

WELLINGTON — Wellington's first and only Brewfest is back! The Wellington Brewfest begins at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 5 at Centennial Park. Each ticket includes unlimited beer samples from 9 Northern Colorado breweries.

Credit: Carola Schubbel - stock.adobe.com

Four Mile House Museum

DENVER — After more than a year of COVID-related closures, Denver’s destination for western storytelling is reopening. Four Mile Historic Park's Four Mile House Museum reopens to the public on Wednesday, June 2, for self-guided tours. The 162-year-old house, Denver’s oldest standing structure, is the heartbeat of Four Mile Historic Park, a working farm with horses, goats, chickens and pigs. Entrance to the Museum is free with a general admission ticket.

Credit: AP

JUCO World Series

GRAND JUNCTION — The 64th annual JUCO World Series concludes this weekend at Grand Junction's Suplizio Field. The NJCAA’s Division I Junior College Baseball World Series was canceled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year's 10-team, double-elimination tournament, which began May 29, featured San Jacinto College (Texas), Florence-Darlington (S.C.), Miami-Dade (Florida), Shelton State (Alabama), Walters State (Tennessee), Indian Hills CC (Iowa), Cowley College (Kansas), Crowder College (Missouri); McLennan CC (Texas) and 2019 defending-champion Central Arizona. The tournament ends Saturday, June 5.

RELATED: JUCO World Series is back in its panoramic Colorado home

Credit: STORM INSIDE PHOTO - stock.adobe.com

Red Rocks Amphitheatre

The Motet

MORRISON — Denver-based soul and funk group The Motet heads Red Rocks for a sixth year on Friday, June 4. 

The band is made up by drummer Dave Watts, keyboardist Joey Porter, bassist Garrett Sayers, guitarist Ryan Jalbert along with keyboardist and saxophonist Drew Sayers. Joining the band will be guest guitarist and co-founder of Lettuce and Soulive Eric Krasno, guest percussionist Jason Hann and guest singers Antwaun Stanley, Jennifer Hartswick, and Natalie Cressman.

Red Rocks reopened in April with a capacity of 2,500 people and increased capacity to 6,300 on Saturday, May 22. Concerts and events happening after June 21 will be sold at full capacity, which is 9,545 people.

RELATED: Motet announces Red Rocks concert

Michael Franti & Spearhead

MORRISON — Michael Franti & Spearhead will reunite with the soulrocker community at four shows in Colorado this weekend. Last year was the first in 33 years in which Franti wasn’t able to go on tour.

Franti's "Good Day For A Good Day Weekend" begins with a Friday, June 4 performance at Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Vail.

The band will then play Saturday, June 5 and Sunday, June 6 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre with two shows scheduled back-to-back on June 6. All shows feature support by Satsang.

RELATED: Michael Franti & Spearhead announce 4 Colorado concerts

RELATED: Here's the 2021 Red Rocks schedule




Would you like to see your favorite Colorado festival, fair, expo, concert, drama, musical, ballet, run or event listed in 9Things? Send it to alexander.kirk@9news.com. 




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