AURORA | A sprung spring opens up a wide range of reasons to get out of the house and into the fun, starting with the s’mores on the local shores.
Families and friends can kick off summer weather with music, sand, and treats as S’mores on the Shore returns to the Aurora Reservoir.
The event invites guests to relax on the beach with their own personal fire pit, complete with s’mores supplies and beach chairs for up to six people. Two evening sessions will be offered — from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Each time slot available costs $15 per fire pit. Guests seeking an extended stay can book both sessions for a full three-hour experience.
Alongside s’mores, attendees can enjoy music and beach-side vibes while taking in sunset views along the reservoir’s shoreline.
Registered guests should follow signs to the upper parking lot near the swim beach. Entry to the reservoir will be free for participants on the event day.
IF YOU GO:
Where: Aurora Reservoir, 5800 S. Powhaton Road
When: May 16, either 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. or both.
Click here for details and registration
But wait, there’s more.
Roll with it: ‘Ride the Cyclone’
A thrilling blend of dark comedy and catchy tunes arrives in Aurora with the regional premiere of ‘Ride the Cyclone,’ a musical that promises to entertain and provoke. The production takes the stage at the Nickelson Auditorium at the Vintage, under the direction of Jennifer Schmitz.
Written by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, ‘Cyclone’ follows six Canadian teens whose lives are tragically cut short in a bizarre roller coaster accident. But death is only the beginning. In a surreal twist, the teens awaken in limbo, where a mechanical fortune teller offers each a once-in-a-lifetime — or afterlifetime — opportunity: Tell their story for a chance to come back to life.
With a script praised for its wit and emotional depth, and music that spans a variety of genres, the musical has become a cult favorite in the U.S. and Canada. NOTE: Ride the Cyclone contains mature themes and language. Even though these characters are in high school, this “mischievous musical” is intended for mature audiences.
IF YOU GO:
Where: Nickelson Auditorium at the Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St.
When: Through June 8. Curtains vary.
Tickets: $20-$39
Details and sales: www.vintagetheatre.org/ or 303 856-7830
‘First Date’
Coal Creek Theater of Louisville will present “First Date,” the Broadway musical comedy beginning this week.
Directed by Heather Frost, “First Date” features a book by Austin Winsberg and music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner. The story follows blind-date newbie Aaron and serial-dater Casey as a casual drink at a busy New York restaurant spirals into a lively, high-stakes dinner. Their inner critics come alive, with fellow restaurant patrons morphing into friends, exes and family members who sing and dance them through the evening’s emotional pitfalls.
Described by The Hollywood Reporter as “a winning crowd-pleaser delivered with comic verve and charm,” First Date has also been praised as “sassy, madcap fun” by the Associated Press.
IF YOU GO:
Tickets: $33 – $35, with Opening Night on May 2 designated as a “Pay what you will” event, with a $10 minimum.
Dates: Through May 17. Fridays, Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.
Details: www.cctlouisville.org or 303-665-0955
Venue: Louisville Center for the Arts, 801 Grant Ave.
Really, Really Rembrandt arrives at the Denver Art Museum: Masterpieces from National Gallery
Metro residents a rare opportunity to experience the work of one of history’s greatest painters up close. As part of a nationwide initiative marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, the Denver Art Museum is holding two Rembrandt-related masterpieces on loan from the National Gallery of Art.
The featured works — “A Woman Holding a Pink” and “Portrait of Rembrandt,” likely painted by his workshop —w ill be on display in the museum’s European Art Before 1800 galleries through Feb. 6, 2027. The exhibit is part of the National Gallery’s “Across the Nation” program, which brings significant pieces from the national collection to museums across the U.S.
“We are honored to be among the first museums in the country to participate in this initiative,” said Christoph Heinrich, DAM’s director. “It is an incredible moment to carry the talents of Rembrandt at the DAM and offer our visitors the opportunity to interact with his brilliance.”
The exhibition places the Dutch master’s portraits alongside works by Mary Beale, Peter Lely, and Anthony van Dyck, highlighting Rembrandt’s lasting influence on European art.
IF YOU GO
When: Through 2025
Tickets: General admission includes access to the exhibit, and youth under 18 can visit for free.
Details: www.denverartmuseum.org or call 720-865-5000.
Place: Denver Art Museum, 100 West 14th Avenue Parkway
The Life and Art of Tokio Ueyama
The Life and Art of Tokio Ueyama features more than 40 paintings loaned to the museum by the Japanese American National Museum and Ueyama’s family, whose combined efforts to preserve his work have allowed the story of this accomplished and cosmopolitan artist to be told at the Denver Art Museum for the first time.
Born in Japan, Tokio Ueyama moved to the United States in 1908 at age 18, where he made a home until his death in 1954. This exhibition tells the story of Ueyama’s life, including his early days as an art student in San Francisco, Southern California, and Philadelphia; his travels abroad in Europe and Mexico; his role as artist and community member in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles; and his unconstitutional incarceration during World War II at the Granada Relocation Center, now the Amache National Historic Site, in southeast Colorado.
IF YOU GO
Through June 1
Where: Denver Art Museum, 100 W 14th Ave Parkway Tickets: Included in general admission, which is free for members and for all visitors 18 and under.
Details: www.denverartmuseum.org
Down the road.
World War II commemoration anniversary with Colorado Remembers
The Colorado Freedom Memorial in Aurora will host its annual Colorado Remembers event marking the anniversary of the end of World War II with a day of remembrance and history.
The free event the memorial site will feature a range of activities including a pancake breakfast, military displays, and a formal remembrance ceremony.
From 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., visitors can enjoy a “free-will donation” pancake breakfast, accompanied by live music from the All-American Big Band. Proceeds benefit the Colorado Freedom Memorial Foundation.
A remembrance ceremony is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., followed by tours of the memorial and a static display of military vehicles and artifacts from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Highlights include the Honor Bell and a steel beam from the USS Arizona, as well as a curated collection of military artifacts.
World War II veterans are especially encouraged to attend and will be honored during the event. Organizers are asking veterans or their families to contact the memorial for more information on how to participate in the recognition.
IF YOU GO:
Where: Colorado Freedom Memorial, 756 Telluride St.
When: May 24, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Details: ColoradoFreedomMemorial.com
Blues Heritage at Smoky Hill Library
Music lovers are invited to explore the deep roots of American music during a special presentation hosted by the Colorado Blues Society.
The free event, “Discover the Roots of American Music” will offer live blues performance from a professional musician and gain insight from a blues expert on how the genre helped shape the sound of American music throughout the 20th Century.
The presentation will trace the influence of blues on legendary artists such as Elvis Presley, Duke Ellington, B.B. King, Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, and the Allman Brothers Band.
IF YOU GO:
Where: Smoky Hill Library, 5430 S. Biscay Circle
When: 2 p.m. May 21
Details and tickets: https://buff.ly/tFCGc1R or 303-542-7279
Prairie Pup Adventures offers Preschool Fun at Plains Conservation Center
Preschoolers can explore nature, science and history through hands-on activities at Prairie Pup Adventures, held at the Plains Conservation Center in southeast Aurora. Programs run from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and are designed for children ages 3–6 with a caregiver.
Upcoming topics include:
• Cheyenne Native Americans on May 27: Venture to the tipis to learn about the Cheyenne tribe and how they lived for centuries off the natural resources of the prairie. Examine artifacts, listen to Native American stories, play traditional games and taste dried berries and bison jerky to explore the amazing culture and history of the Cheyenne people.
• Campfire Safety on June 10: Learn about the science of fire, how to build a safe campfire and how to cook on one. We will work together to assemble the layers of a successful campfire and make edible campfire snacks to munch on while we watch the fire burn, then we’ll roast smores and learn how to prevent wild fires.
•Flower Power on June 24: Flowers are beautiful and serve an important role for the plants they grow on. Join us on the prairie to learn all about flowers from their parts to their pollinators through science and art.
Activities at all events include crafts, games, story time, and outdoor exploration.
IF YOU GO:
Tickets: The fee is $8 per child; one adult per child is free. Additional adults and non-participating siblings over age 6 are $5. Infants under 18 months attend free.
Details: botanicgardens.org
Venue: Plains Conservation Center 21901 E. Hampden Ave