Cinco de Mayo at Civic Center
Saturday-Sunday. As the unofficial kickoff of summer events at downtown’s sprawling Civic Center, Cinco de Mayo Denver returns May 4-5, with a festival that celebrates the historic Mexican holiday as well as Colorado’s centuries-old Latino culture.
It kicks off with a community parade from 11 a.m. to noon on May 4, followed by the wildly popular chihuahua races (noon) and two full days of live entertainment, vendors, food and drink, and more. Be sure to check out the children’s area (both days, on Broadway, south of 14th Avenue), the low-rider car show (both days) and the taco-eating contest (May 5).
The festival takes place 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Free admission. Civic Center is at 101 14th Ave. in Denver. cincodemayodenver.com/home — John Wenzel
Sashay into the weekend
Friday. On the first Friday of every month, The Block Distilling Co. hosts a drag show called The Blossom Party, and it’s a can’t-miss event. Emcee Wyatt Kent, a.k.a. Potted Plant a.k.a. the Comedy Queen of Colorado Springs, provides a stage for up-and-coming artists, many of whom are transgender and BIPOC performers.
The 1,000-square-foot distillery’s tasting room provides an intimate and safe space for performers, and that last point is paramount. Kent is a survivor of the 2022 Club Q shooting and Blossom Party is the stage where LGBTQ+ resilience takes the spotlight.
The party starts at 7 p.m. at The Block Distilling, 2990 Larimer St., Denver. Free to attend; RSVP encouraged via Eventbrite. — Tiney Ricciardi
May the Fourth be with you
Saturday. Hey, Star Wars nerds — and that includes a lot of us these days — we’re getting our own celebration again on Saturday, May 4 (as in, “May the Fourth be with you”) as activities and specials kick into hyperdrive around the metro area. Check out themed events at Fiction Beer Company (a theatrical parody, bar trivia, etc.; fictionbeerdenver.com), a Star Wars “Baby Rave” at The Mercury Cafe (mercurycafe.com), a Star Wars-themed Rocky Mountain Rollergirls match (eventbrite.com), and kid-friendly treats, stories, games and costumed characters at Edgewater Library (jeffcolibrary.org/locations/ED), just to name a few on Saturday.
Costumed characters will be on-site at Lafayette’s Bounce Empire (bounceempire.com), which has its own Star Wars-themed inflatable attraction. They’re even coming to Denver International Airport (flydenver.com), roaming from 9 a.m. to noon as part of its Star Wars Day. Track them down for a free photo (or four) and keep an eye out for the costumed canine therapy squad.
Visit denverpost.com/event-calendar for more Saturday events. — John Wenzel
Teenage Fanclub’s timeless songs
Thursday. It feels odd to call a band of 40- and 50-somethings “teenage” for any reason, but like alt-rock/noise godparents Sonic Youth, Teenage Fanclub’s name has become an agreeable misnomer that’s synonymous with timeless songwriting.
The beloved, influential Scottish rock band will play Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox on Thursday, May 8, as part of a short spring tour. The title of the 2023 album its touring behind, “Nothing Lasts Forever,” feels especially appropriate here. Catch the group if you can, because it doesn’t visit Colorado often. The show begins at 8 p.m. at 1215 20th St. in Denver. Tickets: $27.50-$44.50 via opheliasdenver.com — John Wenzel
