This week’s Colorado Arts Spotlight includes film, plenty of music, and even a bit of science. It is that final deep breath before the holiday season, and some events are already beginning.
Friday, Nov. 17
The JCC Mizel Arts and Culture Center in Denver hosts the third annual ReelAbilities Film Festival Denver, running through Sunday. The festival celebrates the lives, stories, and art of people with disabilities. The festival features 13 films and shorts, as well as panel discussions around inclusion in the fashion industry and the fight for mental health reforms in the criminal system, and resource tables from local non-profit programs.
ReelAbilities Film Festival Denver’s first screening is Friday at 6 p.m. at the Mizel Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., Denver, CO 80246. Programming wraps up Sunday evening.
The 23rd annual Denver Christkindlmarket starts Friday in Civic Center Park. This true German-style winter market is open to the public with local and European crafts, European food and drinks, and free holiday entertainment.
Christkindlmarket opens daily at 11 a.m. in Civic Center Park and will run from Friday, Nov. 17 through Saturday, Dec. 23.
Kevin J. Beaty/DenveriteSaturday, Nov. 18
Grand Junction kicks off its holiday celebrations with Downtown Tree Lighting. Santa lights the tree at 4th and Main and — and illuminates Main Street — with a wave and a sprinkle of magic dust from the rooftop of the Wells Fargo building. Santa will also sit down with the youngsters before returning to the North Pole. The CMU ensemble Mesa Out Loud! will also be on hand to play holiday music before and after the tree lighting.
Saturday, November 18, from 5-7 p.m., the 4th + Main Plaza will host the 2023 Downtown Tree Lighting.
The Colorado chapter of Opera on Tap takes the stage at Luki Brewery in Arvada for Merci BeaucOOT! The group brings opera and classical music out of the concert hall to nontraditional venues and helps young artists grow through new performance opportunities. Luki has “German brewery” style seating, which means you never know who you could end up sitting next to, and will also have a food truck on hand for dinner.
Merci BeaucOOT! Nov 18, 6 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 19
Downtown Longmont’s the Miracle on 4th local gift market is expanding this year to 4th Avenue and Kimbark St. The event includes over 80 local merchants, a live DJ, food trucks, an inaugural gingerbread contest and visits with Santa Claus.
The market is open Nov. 19th, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Families can dance, sing, and learn with Blippi and special guest Meekah when Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour comes to Denver. Shake those wiggles out and OJ Twist your way through this brand-new musical party!
The show comes to the Paramount Theatre in Denver Nov 19. at 2 p.m.
The winner of the Colorado Blues Society’s challenge gets a proper send off party at the Buffalo Rose in Golden. Vince Converse & Big Brother are preparing for their trip to Beale St.to represent the Colorado Blues Society at the 2024 International Blues Challenge in Memphis.
The show is at 2 p.m., doors at 1 p.m.
The Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra presents Holiday Hits from Stage & Screen on Sunday at the Lakewood Cultural Center. The concert features popular songs like “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (did you know it was Judy Garland’s musical debut?), and even the 1965’s A Charlie Brown Christmas hit “Christmas Time is Here.”
The concert is at 3 p.m. at the Lakewood Cultural Center.
Michelle KuoAll weekend
Denver Zoo is debuts its new home for its American and Chilean flamingos this weekend. The zoo says the Andean Highlands-inspired habitat will improve its flamingos’ health and the guest experience with indoor and outdoor living spaces, several wading pools, nesting islands, and multiple observation locations.
The new flamingo habitat is on the east side of the zoo, near the Tropical Discovery building. Denver Zoo is located at 2300 Steele St. and open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“Wild Color,” a temporary exhibition created by Chicago’s Field Museum, opens at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science this weekend. The immersive exhibition highlights nature’s whole range of colors. Explore the boldest, brightest and most eye-catching colors the natural world has dreamed up. Discover some of nature’s mysteries like critters that change color, strange glowing animals, an shades that stretch far beyond human eyesight.
Wild Color opens Friday, Nov. 17 at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., and is free with museum admission. The exhibit will be in town through Sunday, Apr. 7.
Other arts and culture events around Colorado
How we pick our events: Colorado Arts Spotlight highlights events around the state to give readers a sense of the breadth of Colorado’s arts and cultural happenings, it is not — and can not possibly be — a comprehensive list of all weekly events. Entries are not endorsements or reviews. Each week’s list is published on Thursday and is not updated. Some groups that appear on the list may also be financial sponsors of CPR, but have no input into our editorial choices.
