Juneteenth Music Fest, parade
Saturday-Sunday. The free Juneteenth Music Festival — celebrating the June 19 federal holiday marking the end of slavery in the U.S. — returns for two days of rich cultural offerings, from local vendors to stage performances and group activities, Saturday, June 15, and Sunday, June 16.
The event, anchored at 2701 Welton St. in the historic Five Points neighborhood, is hosting a whopping 200 vendors and a headlining show from rapper-actor Bow Wow, along with wellness, homebuying, and kids-focused “block parties.” At 6 p.m. Sunday, organizers will honor Denver Nuggets legend Chauncey Billups with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Events are free and all-ages, with VIP tickets available for $50-$75. Noon-8 p.m. both days. There’s also the Juneteenth Parade, starting at 11 a.m. Saturday and winding from 26th Avenue on Williams Street to 26th Avenue on Welton. See more at juneteenthmusicfestival.com.
Denver’s “poisoned” museum
Opens Friday. Poison is on the mind as the Denver Museum of Nature & Science opens the new traveling exhibition, “The Power of Poison,” on June 14. Along with a re-created Colombian forest and interactive dioramas, as well as a “live performance” showing the power of poison, the exhibit traces the secrets of the plants and animals that use toxins for defense and survival.
Free with museum admission, $20-$25. Open every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. most Fridays, at 2001 Colorado Blvd. 303-370-6000 or dmns.org
Elitch Theatre hosts drag-movie fest
Saturday. The always sold-out queer film series Rainbow Cult is taking over the Historic Elitch Theatre on June 15, to benefit LGBTQ advocacy nonprofit One Colorado. The event, dubbed the To Wong Foo Movie Festival, takes its name from the 1995 drag classic “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar.”
Starting at 2 p.m., it will offer “an all-day glittery gala of drag and cinema at Denver’s oldest theater,” wrote founder and CU film professor Andy Scahill. (Late film star Julie Newmar, he added, actually performed at the Elitch back in the day). The fest runs until 6 p.m. on the Elitch lawn, then moves indoors for live drag shows, the interactive “To Wong Foo” screening, and more.
Includes 40 vendors, food trucks, and entertainment by DJ Buddy Bravo. Lawn events are free; the rest costs $20 per person. 4600 W. 37th Place in Denver. The event takes place alongside Tennyson St. Pride and its 4 p.m., all-ages parade. rainbowcult.org
Shakespeare in the Sangres
Friday-July 7. The success of Shakespeare’s plays in wildly different spaces — from outdoors to intimate theaters — shows the centuries-long sturdiness of the Bard’s work. That’s evident at the annual Shakespeare in the Sangres series, which offers shows at Westcliffe’s Historic Jones and Rialto theaters, beginning Friday, June 14, and running through July 7.
“In a rural community of less than 5,000 county residents, Westcliffe, Colorado boasts a robust schedule of cultural and artistic performances presented by a dedicated group of professional actors,” organizers wrote. “Visitors from throughout the United States are welcomed for the theater season each year.” This year’s production is “As You Like It,” with tickets at $20 for adults, $15 for students and active military, and $5 for kids 12 and under. 719-783-3004 or jonestheater.com.
Originally Published: June 13, 2024 at 6:00 a.m.
