With what may have been the warmest winter — and one of the worst ski seasons — behind us, the excitement of spring and its many activities is imminent. Spring in Denver is absolutely beautiful and deserves to be enjoyed. Sometimes we forget all that Denver and the state of Colorado has to offer, especially in warmer weather. Here are spring activities to liven up your last quarter.
The RiNo (River North) art district is basically a free art gallery consisting of murals, graffiti and creative installations for the public. It is a beautiful place to wander with friends, take pictures or get inspiration for your next art project. This district was built from historic buildings and factories that are now home to studios, galleries, jazz bars, distilleries and food halls.
It is essentially an outdoor museum and as you dive deeper into the alleyways and warehouses you become lost in the murals that consume the walls. The RiNo art park often holds music and community events that are centered around art and immerse you in the creative neighborhood.
Looking to get out of the city for a bit? Colorado has some of the best places to see wildflowers and spring is the perfect time to go hunting for them. There are plenty of trails that are not too far from Denver where you can see landscapes blooming with color.
About 30 minutes from Denver, Mount Galbraith in Golden has a moderate hiking trail known for its orange paintbrush, bluebells, and wildflowers giving you plenty of variety and time outdoors.
If you spend a day in Boulder and are looking for a sunset hike, Betasso Preserve at the base of the foothills has beautiful views and meadows speckled with wildflowers.
Finally, only 20 minutes from downtown Denver, the Red Rocks Trail, Cherry Gulch Loop is one of the closest to Denver. It has fantastic early season blooms because of the amount of sun exposure and is a moderate hike at lower elevation.
Starting May 3 the Pearl Street farmers market will begin running all the way through October. On 1500 Pearl Street, with almost 200 vendors and live music, this has become one of Denver’s most famous farmers markets. It is the perfect Sunday morning activity and only a mile walk from the University of Denver campus.
From amazing food and fresh produce, to vintage and hand made clothing and fresh flowers you could wander this farmers market for hours.
In the spring, Denver hosts free spring festivals which can be a fun friends and family activity. Every April, Denver holds a city wide jazz festival with dozens of shows for free. This year it will be going on from April 7-12 with iconic performers at the Newman Center, JCC’s Wolf Theater and Dazzle. There are free shows on April 18 at the DPAC Studio Loft.
One of the largest Cinco de Mayo celebrations is here in Denver at Civic Center Park. Drawing more than 400,000 people last year, this festival is free admission. There are three stages of live music, a massive parade on May 2 at 11 a.m., hundreds of vendors, lowrider car shows, chihuahua race and a taco eating contest. This runs from May 2-3 in the park and has been a Denver tradition since the 70s (Denver Cinco de Mayo Celebrations).
When Red Rocks is not holding an event or concert it is free for the public to hike, walk around or have a picnic. Red Rocks offers amazing views and is a great hike with trails for beginners or for those who want more difficulty. It is also a beautiful spot to sit and have a picnic with friends and watch the sunset, sunrise or lunch. Red Rocks also has beautiful art in the gift shop if you are looking to decorate your home or send a post card back to your loved ones.
As the weather warms up, Civic Center Conservancy hosts free outdoor yoga classes for the community. This is a free class taught by The River Yoga instructors with classes starting during the last week of April, normally on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. for one hour on the Parks Great Lawn. It is known for the large crowd it brings in, the music, sunshine and downtown skyline. Afterwards people bring dogs, picnics, and friends, coming together in what is a fun community event.
Only a mile away from DU’s campus is Washington Park which offers way more than you would expect. Grab your friends and walk, bike, drive, skateboard or scooter over. This time of year the gardens are beginning to bloom again and the grass gets greener allowing for the North and South gardens of the park to be their most colorful. Wash Park has two lakes with paddle boat rentals as it begins to get warmer, fishing access and bird watching.
There is a two mile inner paved loop for biking, roller blading, or walking with friends as well as a 2.6 mile outer dirt trail loop for running. There are two play grounds and massive fields for picnics, games, sun bathing, reading or spots to hang out.
Wash Park also holds multiple free spring time events. Yoga at Wash Park is happening April 16 and is free. There is the Donut Dash 5K that is also free and is known as “running for the average joe.”
There is a huge dog charity walk in the park on May 2 that is also free and is a perfect opportunity to pet some furry friends. There are multiple markets, book signings and community gatherings that happen at the park that offer a lively festival vibe.
As winter fades and the city begins to open up again, spring invites connection through nature, friends, creativity, food and new people. These activities are not just ways to fill your time but hopefully explore something new and create new memories. Spring is a great chance to get outside or even rediscover the beauty that lies within your life.
