Bubbly good times
Opens Friday. If you’re over Meow Wolf and have already visited Denver’s Museum of Illusions once or twice, try this weekend’s Bubble Planet: An Immersive Experience. The family-friendly installation includes 10 rooms of “optical illusions, multi-sensory displays, and plenty of opportunities for play, laughter and photos and Instagrammable moments,” organizers wrote.
That includes virtual reality (for an extra fee) “and even a hot air balloon flight simulator.” OK, then! It takes place at Exhibition Hub Art Center Denver, 3900 Elati St. (formerly Former Lighthouse ArtSpace Denver). Tickets: $23.90-$31.90. Kids under 4 are free and 17-and-under requires a guardian. bubble-planet.com/denver
A free Party on the Plaza
Friday. It’s often hard to wrap one’s mind around the Biennial of the Americas, the cultural confab that has called Denver home for the last decade, and what it actually offers beyond arcane policy summits. But events help: this weekend, along with Black Cube Nomadic Art Museum, the Biennial brings free fun to 15th and Wewatta streets — not far from Union Station — with Party on the Plaza.
Show up from 4-9 p.m. on Friday, May 17, for a dedication of “Horizon Drift” by artist Rachel Hayes, followed by the free block party and live performances from Soldetropico, ArtistiCO and others; a Taste of the Americas with cuisine from Brazil, Mexico, Haiti, Guatemala and New Mexico; diverse local vendors; and art kits for kids and families.
Free and all-ages at 1550 Wewatta St. in downtown Denver. Visit biennialoftheamericas.org/events for more.
DeCAF is back, with plenty of kick
Saturday. The abbreviation for Denver Comics and Arts Festival, or DeCAF, is a misnomer when it comes to the swirl of energy and creativity on tap at the event, which returns for its second year on Saturday, May 18.
Hosted at the Town Hall Collaborative, and produced by the Colorado Comics Collective, it features 50 local and national artists and their various tables of independent and underground comics, art and printmaking. Even better? Entrance is free.
DeCAF takes place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 18, at 525 Santa Fe Dr. in Denver. coloradocomics.org
What’s so funny about Manitou Springs
Through Sunday. Colorado comedy festivals come in all sizes, from two-day stand-up showcases to week-long events that unite local and national headliners. Newer ones have popped up in Boulder, Trinidad and Vail, complementing long-running fests in Denver such as the High Plains Comedy Fest, and providing more options than ever.
The Thursday, May 16-Sunday, May 19, event known as Manitou Comedy Festival offers a cozy but substantive alternative to the A-room club and theater shows in metro Denver, with headliners Dave Stone, AJ Finney and Ben Roy leading 11 comedy shows, four open mics, and performances across 10 venues in Manitou Springs and the surrounding area, organizers said.
Some events are free, while others range from $5-10 per show, and $15 for Dave Stone’s Sunday headlining set. Get tickets to the 2nd annual event, and see the full schedule including locations, at manitoucomedy.com/festival.
