With the mountains on your doorstep, sticking around Denver can be hard. But before you pack your bags, delve further into activities that you can’t experience anywhere but Denver this fall. The Mile High City is packed with events, attractions and festivals that will promise not to break the bank and keep you busy all season long.
One of Denver’s longest-running festivals honors German tradition and heritage through authentic drinks and cuisine, music, dancing and even an accordion concert. Oktoberfest runs through Sept. 21 and then again Oct. 26 – Oct. 28 in the Ballpark Neighborhood. This is a family-friendly event featuring keg bowling, a bratwurst eating contest and even a weiner dog race.
With Halloween a month away, you can expect to receive your fair share of scares, and for those who like to get their blood pumping, the Denver Zombie Crawl will surely do it.
On Oct. 18, the tradition continues for the ninth year in a row. Over 16,000 of Denver’s living dead will limp their way over to the 16th Street Mall for the nation’s largest zombie gathering, and this year they are hoping to once again break their current Guinness World Record.
Events take place throughout the day, so come dressed to scare, and prepare to be horrified, entertained and disgusted. Be there early—the Organ Trail 5K starts at 9a.m.
If the Organ Trail 5k seems a little too disturbing for your taste, try the Run Gorilla, Run! This 5k takes place a week after the Zombie Crawl on Nov. 2, and more than 3,000 people in gorilla suits are expected to make an appearance. Once again come to help reset a Denver Guinness World Record. The race costs $99 (which includes a gorilla suit), and proceeds help benefit mountain gorillas of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Running doesn’t appeal to everyone, and, if that’s the case for you, Denver’s thriving art community has a plethora of events to satisfy the art lover in you. The Denver Art Museum offers free days on both Oct. 4 and Nov. 1, and there you can view works by many different artists that celebrate both Colorado and American Indian Culture.
In addition to the Denver Art Museum’s free days, Denver Arts Week runs Nov. 7 through Nov. 15; over 20 museums and 100 galleries will open their doors for performances, art walks, concerts, films and more. Arts Week even includes Night at the Museums, where several of the greatest museums in Denver offer free admission.
Beginning during Arts Week is the Starz Denver Film Festival at the Sie Film Center. Over 200 films from around the world will be screened Nov. 12 through Nov. 23. The Starz festival was recently named one of the top 50 film festivals in the world by moviemaker.com. The full schedule of films and screenings will be released in October.
Finally, if you weren’t around this summer to experience Dale Chihuly’s installation at the Denver Botanic Gardens, fear not; it runs through Nov. 30. Come to see artist’s work in all its grandeur. Breathtaking glass-blown sculptures are spread throughout all 24 acres of the gardens. Be sure to stop by at night to watch the colors come alive beneath the stars. Starting Oct. 3 the garden’s nightly hours are 5:30 p.m. through 8 p.m.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a foodie, an athlete or your everyday art connoisseur; whether you want to be scared, active or amazed, Denver offers it all this fall. Being stuck in the city doesn’t mean you have to be bored. Denver is an amazing place to live, so be sure to immerse yourself in all that it has to offer.
