Free art walks, Rockies opener festivities and more to do in Denver this weekend: April 5-7

Brooke Williams
·5 min read

DENVER (KDVR) — The first weekend of April will be windy and cool, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of things to do around Denver.

Farmers markets are opening, baseball season is underway and there are lots of first Friday events happening downtown.

FOX31 Weather: View the latest Denver forecasts, maps and radar

Plan around weather

Temperatures have finally reached the 70s in Denver, and more mild weather with sunny skies is in the forecast. Friday will be breezy, but the Pinpoint Weather team expects clear skies with highs in the mid-70s in the metro area.

While it will be snowy in the mountains on Saturday, the metro could get a quick rain shower in the morning. Saturday is a Pinpoint Weather Alert Day due to potentially dangerous winds, so be sure to secure your belongings.

High temperatures on Saturday will be below average in the low 50s, then Sunday will be partly cloudy with highs in the mid-50s.

With the weather in mind, here are some things to do in the Denver area this weekend.

First Friday events

The first Friday of the month brings many free culture and art events and festivities across the metro area.

Denver Community Media hosts First Friday Films, showcasing short films, documentaries and experimental works from local filmmakers. The family-friendly free event is happening from 6-8 p.m. at 2101 Arapahoe St. Unit 1.

List: Free days at Denver museums, zoo and more in 2024

Museo De Las Americas is celebrating Dia del Niño, or Day of the Child, recognizing the importance of children in society while featuring Latin American art. Poet Corrina Espinosa will bring her poem machine and create poems with the community.

The children’s art installation is from 5-7 p.m. and the poetry workshop is from 6-8 p.m. at the museum, located at 861 Santa Fe Dr.

First Friday art walks

Denver’s art districts become open-door art exhibits on the first Friday of every month. You’ll find musicians performing live, open doors to galleries and art installations lining the streets of the River North Art District and Santa Fe Art District.

Photos: Students create immersive stairwell mural at Children’s Hospital Colorado

Rockies home opener

The Colorado Rockies are playing the first home game of the season at Coors Field on Friday. The home opener comes with plenty of events and celebrations.

Rockies guide: Everything you need to know for the home opener

Home opener festivities begin at McGregor Square at 9 a.m., featuring games and activities for all ages.

Union Station has festivities for opening day, with a live DJ, stilt walkers and a themed photo booth at the Terminal Bar patio.

Many distilleries, breweries and bars near Coors Field are having additional festivities and promotions for opening day.

The Dairy Block in lower downtown is celebrating the opening day with live music, pop-up bars and art including two new chalk murals and the Rockies Living Floral Wall. There will be a T-shirt pop-up with custom, locally-made opening day shirts.

Los Chingones, a Mexican restaurant near Coors Field, is throwing its annual rooftop party for the home opener. There will be special drinks fit for the occasion, as well as some deals and $5 beers in purple Solo cups.

Farmers markets are starting to open

A few farmers markets are opening for the season on Saturday:

Front Range farmers market 2024 opening dates

The markets often feature locally grown produce, products and vendors, and sometimes feature local arts and crafts.

Denver Auto Show

The Denver Auto Show is happening all weekend at the Colorado Convention Center. The event showcases brand-new cars and trucks, and the convention center describes it as “like seeing dozens of dealership showrooms all in one place.”

The show isn’t limited to vehicles and includes things from one-wheelers and scooters to electric semi trucks.

The event starts Thursday afternoon and runs Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Kids 5 years old and under get in free, admission for kids 6-12 is $8 and tickets for those 13 years old and older are $16. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the door.

Rocky Mountain Train Show

Denver boasts the Rocky Mountain Train Show as the largest model train show west of the Mississippi River.

The show features three acres worth of toy trains of all scales and more than 30 operating train layouts, including three LEGO displays.

There will be free, hands-on activities for kids, as well as vendors and manufacturers at the event.

The train show is happening from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at the National Western Complex, located at 4655 Humboldt St. Kids 12 and under get in free and tickets are $14 for adults and can be purchased online or at the door.

Bonus: Science of eclipses at Fiske Planetarium in Boulder

A total solar eclipse is happening for the first time in six years on Monday. Coloradans will be able to see a partial eclipse.

How much of the solar eclipse will Colorado see?

On Saturday and Sunday, there will be a special live talk at the Fiske Planetarium. Experts will discuss the geometry that makes lunar and solar eclipses possible and what makes them a special phenomenon.

The educational opportunity is happening Saturday at 2:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. and again on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at the Fiske Planetarium, located at 2414 Regent Drive in Boulder. Tickets range from $10 to $14.

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