Spring is a wonderful time of year, but it’s a lot less wonderful with an empty bank account and a hundred missed calls from Mom or Dad. In the final weeks of this academic year, students try to do everything they can to conserve cash, and these five free festivals and events are the perfect way to do that while still having fun. Whether it will be a concert, a festival or an art show, any of these will turn a fun-free weekend into a free and fun one.
Five Points Jazz Fest
Saturday, May 17, 11 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Every year on the third Saturday of May, Denver’s clear skies are filled with the beautiful sound of free jazz music in Five Points. This wonderful occasion is known as The Five Points Jazz Fest, which falls on May 17 this year for its 10th anniversary. 23 bands will perform on seven different stages, all taking place in the famous streets where jazz music once thrived in the Mile High City. Food vendors will also convoy these tunes to fuel that funky dancing, so go on and get get down at this groovy event.
Denver Day of Rock
Saturday, May 24, 2:30 – 9:30 p.m.
It’s hard to beat a free concert that also supports charity. On May 24, the Denver Day of Rock is going down on 16th Street Mall to raise money and awareness for local children in a multitude of ways. Through the program, Concerts for Kids, donations will be accepted to go towards all types of local charities that support Denver’s youth such as Food Bank of the Rockies and Love Hope Strength, a bone marrow-matching organization that has found two life-saving matches in the event’s past. These donations aren’t mandatory, but 25 bands will be playing on five different stages for free, so chipping in a couple bucks would be a couple bucks well spent. This is also a great way to celebrate Memorial Day weekend in a meaningful way.
Denver Chalk Art Festival
Saturday, May 31, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Sunday, June 1, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
From May 31 to June 1, a frenzy of talent will cover four blocks of Larimer Square in chalk. This prominent area will serve as a canvas for over 200 artists to express their creativity under the spring sun amongst live music that will be played all weekend by local Colorado bands. All of this tucked between some of the best places to eat and drink in LoDo makes for a terrific event on all fronts.
Downtown Denver Arts Festival
Friday, May 23, 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday, May 24, 11 a.m – 8 p.m.
Sunday, May 25, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
For the more visually-oriented students, head to the Performing Arts Complex and celebrate Memorial Weekend at the Downtown Denver Arts Festival. A large and diverse group of Colorado artists will showcase their best work from May 23-25 alongside several handpicked national artists, totaling over 140 booths. More than 150,000 people are expected to attend this colossal event according to the city of Denver’s official website, making it clear this will be a magnificent explosion of creativity, to say the least.
Life is expensive, especially when living in the city and attempting to take advantage of a wealth of cultural events. Yet thanks to the many people that live in our lively and budding city, these May events are free and have the potential to be fun for all. So put off life for a little bit, enjoy the last couple weeks of spring quarter and remind yourself that these events are dateworthy options—and for once there won’t be any negative repercussions if you ‘accidentally’ leave your wallet at home.
