Do you feel bonita?
Friday-March 3. The color pink has been on the minds and palettes of plenty of artists over the past few weeks as they prepared works for NEXT Gallery‘s 7th annual Casa Bonita Art Show, which opens Friday, Feb. 16. This year, there will be more than 70 pieces — paintings, drawings, ceramics, embroidery, sculpture and more — from artists across the country.
The theme of the quirky show this time around is “How do you like me now?” NEXT asked artists “to create work that reflects their opinion about the newly reopened Casa Bonita,” according to a statement from the gallery. The show runs for three weeks at NEXT, which is conveniently located inside the 40 West ArtHub, 6501 W. Colfax Ave., in the same parking lot as Casa Bonita itself in Lakewood. An opening reception takes place Feb. 16 from 5 to 10 p.m.
Beer bashes
Saturday. Two local breweries will celebrate anniversaries today, on either end of the age spectrum. River North Brewery, which helped kick off the era of craft beer in RiNo in 2012, notches its 12th anniversary with parties at both locations, 3400 Blake St. and 6021 Washington St. It will also release a whopping 22.1% ABV stout that is a blend of multiple beers that were aged repeatedly in Colorado bourbon, Kentucky bourbon, honey barrel-finished whiskey, tequila barrel-finished whiskey, sherry barrel-finished whiskey, Colorado rye whiskey, and Colorado single malt whiskey barrels.
Meanwhile, Second Dawn Brewing, which opened a year ago at 2302 Dayton St. in Aurora, hosts its first-anniversary party from noon to 9 p.m. Founded by one of the former top brewers at New Belgium Brewing, Second Dawn will release two beers, a triple hazy IPA and a s’mores stout.
There will be music by DJ Steez, food from Laziz Ya Lebanese and more.
Jazz it up
Saturday: Experience the history of jazz in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood at the second annual Jazz Roots series, taking place from 1 to 6 p.m. on both Saturday, Feb. 17 and Saturday, Feb. 24. Live jazz performances, as well as spoken word, dance and more will take place at several different venues, including Spangalang Brewing, 2736 Welton St., and Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library, 2401 Welton St.
Once known as the “Harlem of the West,” Five Points hosted many great jazz musicians of the 1930s-50s, and “we aim to honor the neighborhood’s long-standing history of jazz and black culture as it relates to American history at large,” said the neighborhood business improvement district, which planned the series. Get more information at fivepointsbid.com/jazzroots.
Rough and ready
Saturday. Rocky Mountain Roller Derby is celebrating the 20th anniversary of bringing the hard-skating sport of Women’s Flat Track Roller Derby to Denver. To celebrate, the nonprofit will introduce its new home teams in a Valentine’s Day-themed doubleheader featuring the Paindeer vs. the Slayyy Bells and the Sapphire Sirens vs. the Amethyst Assassins.
The COVID-19 pandemic hit the sport hard, so Rocky Mountain Roller Derby is also celebrating its comeback. Doors to the Rollerdome, 2375 S. Delaware St., open at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17, with the first game at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance or $18 at the door.
