9 Things to do in Denver and Colorado this weekend: Aug. 25

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COLORADO, USA — Our state's largest summer fair is here!

The Colorado State Fair opens Friday for 11 days of family-friendly fun, free attractions, carnivals, rodeos, concerts and entertainment.

Other annual events underway this August weekend include Loveland's Corn Roast Festival, the Polish Food Festival and Summer Art Market in Denver, and the Broncos' only preseason game in the Mile High City. Colorado will also be home to beer, car, art, music, taco and rugby festivals. Finally, rubber duck races are scheduled in Boulder and Loveland.

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PUEBLO — The largest summer event in Colorado is here. The Colorado State Fair opens Friday in Pueblo with a carnival, 4-H exhibits, agricultural competitions, tractor pulls, live music performances, rodeos, bake offs and amazing food. The State Fair Parade steps off at 10 a.m. Saturday in downtown Pueblo.

This weekend’s scheduled performers include Ian Munsick, Chase Rice, and Sawyer Brown. The Colorado State Fair runs through Monday, Sept. 4, with concerts from Ned LeDoux, Lady A, Gabriel Iglesias, Lil Jon, Chingy, Pat Benatar, and Neil Giraldo, plus monster trucks and a demolition derby. Check out the full fair schedule at ColoradoStateFair.com.

LOVELAND — Loveland's oldest festival returns this weekend. The 127th annual Loveland Corn Roast Festival includes corn-shucking competitions, live music, kids zone, vendors, cornhole, beer garden and Colorado-grown corn. The corn roast parade is scheduled for Saturday at 9:30 a.m. The festival takes place Friday and Saturday at the Fairgrounds Park.

DENVER — The Polish Food Festival features numerous food options including Polish pierogi, hunter's stew, potato pancakes, kiełbas, kaszanka and more, plus Polish beer and pastries. There will also be music, entertainment, and children's activities. The Polish Food Festival runs Saturday and Sunday at Saint Joseph Polish Roman Catholic Parish at 517 E. 46th Ave.

LONGMONT — Longmont's final festival of the summer season is a family-friendly evening of entertainment, music, food, drink, debate, and connection. The celebration will take place Friday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Kimbark Street and 4th Avenue in downtown Longmont. The event will music, a climbing wall, putt putt, musical performances, and mobile arcade.

DENVER — After back-to-back road games to open the preseason, the Denver Broncos make their home debut at Empower Field at Mile High this weekend. The Broncos host the Los Angeles Rams at 7 p.m. Saturday in the preseason finale for both teams. Affordable tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com.

Broadcast coverage of the Broncos and Rams begins at 6 p.m. on 9NEWS, NBC, 9NEWS.com, and the 9NEWS+ streaming app for those in 9NEWS' viewing area. Steve Levy returns as play-by-play commentator and is joined in the booth by color analyst Ryan Harris. 9NEWS sports reporter Arielle Orsuto is the sideline reporter on the broadcasts.

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CASTLE ROCK — Inclusivity takes center stage at the Douglas County PrideFest on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. The full-day festival invites everyone to come as they are, embrace their true selves, and feel the love and acceptance that they deserve. There will be fun for the whole family and, when the sun goes down, there is the 21-and-older PrideFest afterparty where tickets are required.

DENVER — The Art Students League of Denver hosts the 30th Summer Art Market on Saturday and Sunday. This year's market will be held in the West Washington Park neighborhood between 1st Avenue and 4th Avenue and between Logan Street and Sherman Street. There will be more than 125 visual art booths, artist demonstrations, kids programming, live music as well as food and beverage vendors. The market offers a wide range of media including ceramics, fiber arts, mixed media, book arts, painting, drawing, photography, printmaking and sculpture. Tickets are $5 and kids 12 and under are free.

EVERGREEN — The 57th annual Evergreen Fine Arts Festival runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The juried fine art show at Buchanan Fields has children’s activities, local music, food, drink and free shuttle service from Bergen Meadow Elementary School and Evergreen Middle School.

LITTLETON — The annual Affordable Arts Festival takes place Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the campus of Arapahoe Community College. All of the art, from more than 160 Colorado and national artists, is priced for $150 or less. Tickets are $12 with proceeds going to the Arapahoe Community College College Foundation.

PARKER — An annual Parker tradition, Art in the Park opens at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday at O'Brien Park in downtown Parker. Artisans will be exhibiting their original work for sale in painting, photography, woodwork, metalwork, jewelry, pottery and more.

ESTES PARK — The 16th annual Handmade in Colorado Expo features original handcrafted goods from metals, paper, glass, fibers, food, fabricated objects, clay, paint, wax, gems and more. This event has free admission and live music. The event runs Friday through Sunday at Bond Park on MacGregor Ave and Elkhorn Avenue in downtown Estes Park.

DENVER — Artisans will return to Denver’s historic South Gaylord Street on Saturday and Sunday for the annual Firefly Handmade’s Summer Market. The market in the Washington Park neighborhood will feature new and returning artisans, cocktails, beer, wine and live music. Vendors will be showcasing their handmade goods, jewelry, skincare, ceramics, art, artisanal food, pet goods and more.

GREENWOOD VILLAGE — The 40th annual All Colorado Art Show ends Saturday at 4 p.m. The exhibit at the Curtis Center for the Arts features Colorado artists in a variety of styles and mediums. The All Colorado Juror's Talk with Dariya Bryant has been rescheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m.

GREELEY — The Family Fest & Bears Bash runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the UNC practice fields next to Nottingham Field. The family-friendly event features food trucks, local businesses and members of the University of Northern Colorado sports teams. The public is invited to meet students from the band, cheerleading team, soccer team, football team and jump in the bounce houses.

DENVER — Meow Wolf has partnered with Live Nation for its second year of the Vortex festival at The JunkYard. The offbeat arts and entertainment company will transform the space into a halcyon multi-stage dreamland. Headliners at this weekend's festival include GRiZ and Remi Wolf. Vortex is an all-ages, rain or shine event. A limited number of tickets are available for purchase at Vortex.MeowWolf.com.

GLENDALE — Infinity Park hosts the 11th annual RugbyTown Sevens Tournament from Friday through Sunday. There will be food trucks, arcade games and 20 rugby teams from across the world, competing for a prize of $10,000. This weekend has teams from Germany, Abu Dhabi, Israel, United States, United Kingdom and Canada, plus teams from five military branches.

BRIGHTON — The City of Brighton is bringing out the heavy machinery for the 5th annual Touch-A-Truck event at the Brighton City Hall parking lot. Kids of all ages will be able to get behind the wheel, climb and explore vehicles of all sizes including police cars, fire trucks, tractors, snow plows, loaders and more. Touch-A-Truck will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

COLORADO SPRINGS — The annual Colorado Springs Comic Con runs Friday to Sunday at Broadmoor World Arena. Fans can meet celebrities, buy art, shop the vendors and make friends with other pop culture fans. Among this weekend's celebrity lineup: William Shatner, Bruce Campbell, Cary Elwes, Cassandra Peterson, Billy West, John DiMaggio, Jim Cummings and Dante Basco.

BOULDER — Scott Carpenter Pool's Lazy River hosts the annual Great Boulder Duck Race on Sunday. The event is free and open to the public. Donations will help fund Boulder Parks and Recreation’s programming for low-income families and people with disabilities. You can adopt a rubber duck or join a team. The more ducks you adopt, the more chances you have to win prizes from local businesses.

LOVELAND — The annual Loveland Rubber Duck Race is set for 4 p.m. Saturday at Fairgrounds Park in Loveland. The race is a fundraiser for the Loveland Rotary Club which benefits students in Thompson School District. The winners will be announced at the Rotary Duck Race booth shortly after the race concludes and you don’t have to be present to win.

BRECKENRIDGE — "Bacon is the most loved food in the universe and the route to all things swine and divine," said organizers of the Breckenridge Hogfest. "Add in the quintessential American liquor, bourbon; mind blown. These indulgences come together for Breckenridge Hogfest." This three-day festival at Main Street Station & The Village in Breckenridge offers pork samples, whiskeys, single malt scotches and barrel-aged spirits with live music. Tickets for Breckenridge Hogfest, which runs Friday to Sunday are available online.

BOULDER — The Boulder Taco Fest will welcome 5,000 taco fans to Boulder's downtown library and civic area on Saturday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Local restaurants and taco trucks will serve everything from Mexican-style tacos, creative tacos, to vegetarian tacos. Featured vendors include Mojos, Los Dos Bros, Bellota, Gringo's Tacos, Tacos Los Charros, McDevitt Taco Supply and more. In between tacos, attendees will enjoy five lucha libre wrestling matches and live bands.

WINTER PARK — The second annual Tacos + Margs in the Mountains is Saturday at Winter Park Resort. Admission includes a variety of margarita samples from blanco to reposado to something spicy and a variety of flavors in between, plus unlimited street tacos and mountain views.

DENVER — The 2023 Denver Plane Pull will be at Denver International Airport on Saturday. Teams will fundraise for a chance to be the fastest team to pull a United Airlines plane across the tarmac while supporting Special Olympics Colorado. This is a Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) event with involvement from agencies across the Denver area. All participants will receive a Plane Pull t-shirt, access to the festival with vendors, small bites, giveaways, and activities for the whole family.

ENGLEWOOD — The 20th annual Morgan Adams Concours d’Elegance returns Saturday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Centennial Airport. The event brings together vintage and modern aircraft, automobiles and motorcycles to benefit the Morgan Adams Foundation, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to making sure children diagnosed with cancer have access to the best possible research and therapeutic options. For tickets, visit MorganAdamsConcours.org.

LONE TREE — The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck is continuing its tour across the U.S. with its all-pink cafe on wheels carrying exclusive treats and collectibles celebrating all things Hello Kitty. The truck will be at Park Meadows at the Vistas near Loft on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

GRAND JUNCTION — The 31st annual Evening Under The Stars is a free outdoor concert at beautiful Las Colonias Amphitheater. The Grand Junction Centennial Band and the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra will be performing the show featuring patriotic, pops and classical music. Music begins at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.

DURANGO — The San Juan Brewfest is back for a 24th year at Buckley Park in downtown Durango. Brewfest features 35 breweries and dozens of beers and live music. Friday is VIP Day from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday is general admission day from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets for San Juan Brewest can be purchased at SanJuanBrewfest.com.

NEDERLAND — The Nederland Jazz & Wine Festival is back for its second year, where nearly 1,000 people gather to celebrate Colorado jazz artists and wineries. This year, the festival has expanded its unlimited tasting booths to include distilleries, breweries, and non-alcoholic makers. There will be nine food booths, including three food trucks, and 12 artist booths. The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Chipeta Park.

ERIE — FACE Vocal Band will headline Erie's free Concert in the Park on Saturday at Coal Creek Park. The group takes the stage at 6:45 p.m. There will be food trucks, a beer garden, kids' activities, bounce houses and face painting.

BROOMFIELD — On Saturday, runners of all ages will gather at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport to raise funds for Angel Flight West (AFW). The 6th annual Run for the Angels 5K fundraiser includes a 5K for kids and adults and a fun run for the organization’s youngest supporters. Last year, the 5K raised enough funds to arrange more than 50 flights for people in need. The event begins at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport.

DENVER — Festival of Life: AIDS Walk & Run will be held at Denver's Cheesman Park on Saturday. The festival brings together people from across the state to raise money for HIV/AIDS service organizations throughout Colorado. After the walk, a festival will have a refreshment garden, panels from the Memorial Quilt, volleyball, vendors and more. Walk and run registration is available online.

DENVER — OCA Colorado presents the 3rd annual 5K Panda Run at Denver's Great Lawn Park. Saturday's Panda Run is a race to benefit the youth in our Asian Pacific American communities in Colorado. Snacks and drinks will be provided after the race.

BOULDER — Scenic and flat courses are set for the Boulder Sunset 5K and 10K runs at Boulder Reservoir. The event opens at 8 a.m. on Saturday. Register now at bbscendurance.com.

FORT CARSON — The Fort Carson Color Fest will take place Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Iron Horse Park. The annual event will consist of a 5k color run, food and beverages for purchase, family friendly activities, vendors, and entertainment. Activity wristbands for bounce houses will be $10 per person. The run will begin at 8:30 a.m. and registration is free. The event is open to anyone who can access the installation.

DENVER — A community of Susan G. Komen fundraisers and advocates will travel from across the country to take on a three-day and up to 60-mile journey in and around Denver to end breast cancer. Since 2003, walkers have raised more than $889 million to save lives, support community programs, increase access to care, and make huge strides in breast cancer research, therapies, and cures. Join as a walker or volunteer for the 3-Day Pink Bubble.

MONTROSE & STERLING — Held annually in towns across the country, the Alzheimer's Association's Walk to End Alzheimer's aims to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer's care, support and research.

Rotary Park in Montrose will be home to a walk on Saturday. On-site registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. with the walk shortly after. You can register online at Act.Alz.org.

Another walk will be held at the Logan County Courthouse Square in Sterling on Saturday. Registration opens at 8 a.m. and the walk is at 9 a.m. Registration can be completed at Act.Alz.org.

FORT COLLINS — Fort Collins Comic Con is happening this weekend with two days of panels, classes, hands-on demos, open forums, lectures and screenings about movies, television, comics and books. Artists, writers, creators and vendors will be on hand. Fort Collins Comic Con will be held Saturday and Sunday at Northside Aztlan Community Center. Tickets are on sale at FocoComicCon.com.

BROOMFIELD — Saturday's Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival will let attendees mingle with cigar manufacturers and cigar celebrities from around the world. The festival, held at Omni Interlocken Hotel, offers the latest in cigars, brews, spirits and wine. Each ticket purchase comes with a festival bag with over 40 cigars samples, cutter, lighter, festival glass, t-shirt and drink tickets.

DENVER — Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is hosting a free pop-up event in downtown Denver on Friday and Saturday at the location of the former Falling Rock Tap House featuring the brewery’s Pale Ale beer. Attendees will enjoy 90’s arcade games, vinyl DJ spinning era-defining hits, TVs showing classic sitcoms, and a menu stacked with Sierra Nevada beers and non-alcoholic Hop Splash for purchase for adults 21+.

DENVER — The West Denver Bike Loop is back on Saturday at Odell Brewing Company in Sloan's Lake with a "Superheroes" theme. The West Denver Bike Loop includes neighboring breweries WestFax Brewing Company, Hogshead Brewing, Odell Brewing (Sloan’s Lake) and Joyride Brewing Company who have teamed up to celebrate the joy of biking from brewery to brewery.

LOVELAND — Overland Expo Mountain West is returning to The Ranch in Loveland from Friday to Sunday. The expo for do-it-yourself outdoor enthusiasts features hands-on training, classes and roundtable discussions. There will be gear venders, raffles, camping outfitters and more than 300 session-hours of education.

DENVER — Market Station will hold its August Party in the Paseo as part of Denver's Final Fridays. There will be outdoor-focused retailers, cocktails from Cocktail Caravan, live music by Sweet Pork Band and Kat King, and Korean Fusion from Mukja Food Truck, winner of the Food Network's "Food Truck Prize Fight." Party in the Paseo begins Friday at 4 p.m. at 1661 Market St.

DENVER — The new musical based on Alanis Morissette’s music is now open at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. "Jagged Little Pill" features "joy, love, heartache, strength, wisdom, catharsis, LIFE — everything we’ve been waiting to see in a Broadway show." Fresh from Broadway, the hit musical plays the Buell Theatre in Denver through Sunday. For tickets and showtimes, visit DenverCenter.org.

CREEDE — The annual Headwaters Music Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday at the Ball Field in Creede. Saturday's lineup includes Rivertown Folk, McLeod Nine, Buffalo and the Heard, Chuck Jones, and Pam Rose. Mito DeSoto, Rally Round, Dave Becker Band, and Mariachi Plata are scheduled for Sunday. Single or two day tickets can be found at HeadwatersMusicFestival.com.

DENVER — The Denver Museum of Nature & Science will host its “Bugs” exhibit until this Sunday. This interactive exhibition takes you into the incredible world of insects as you learn how to think, work and use your superpowers like nature’s true geniuses. "Bugs" is created by Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand and Weta Workshop, the creative studio behind the "Lord of the Rings" films.

DENVER — The Denver Parade of Homes runs through Sunday. The largest showcase of the latest in architecture and home design along the Front Range features 55 newly designed model, custom homes by 24 area residential builders located in neighborhoods throughout the greater Denver area. Attendees can see unique homes and floor plans, beautiful communities, the latest in interior design trends and home technology, exterior finishes and outdoor living, and landscaping that will inspire. Denver Parade of Homes is free and open to the public.

Tour when and where you want with options for on-demand virtual tours or in-person tours Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. during the Parade. Download directions to participating homes at ParadeOfHomesDenver.com or download a print map here.

FEDERAL HEIGHTS — There are just two weekends left to visit the largest water park in Colorado. Water World is open this weekend and Labor Day weekend. Water World opens at 10 a.m. each day this weekend.

DENVER — There is no better venue for live music in the country than Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre and although summer is flying by, but there's still time to catch a show at one of the world's best venues.

Concerts at Red Rocks are scheduled through Friday, Nov. 12, when Of the Trees with Barclay Crenshaw, Yheti, kLL sMTH, and The Librarian close out the 2023 season.

RELATED: Here's the remaining concert schedule at Red Rocks

GREENWOOD VILLAGE —

https://www.fiddlersgreenamp.com/events

The superhero film “Blue Beetle” led last weekend's box office with $25.4 million opening, dethroning “Barbie” from the top spot after a record-setting run for a month. The “Barbie” phenomenon is far from over. The film is up to $567.3 million in North America and a massive $1.28 billion globally.

Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” stands at $717.8 million globally.

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