AROUND TOWN
Brew Birthdays 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. April 23 at Comrade Brewing Co., 7667 E. Iliff Ave., Denver. April 20 through April 24 at Copper Kettle Brewing Co., 1338 S. Valentia St., Denver. Hours vary. Visit the respective establishment’s Facebook pages for more information.
Two breweries located just a short jaunt over the Aurora line are celebrating their birthdays this week. At Comrade Brewing Co., brewers and their fans are celebrating two years in business with a party Saturday at the outfit near East Iliff Avenue and South Quebec Street. The beer makers there have plenty of special brews planned, but the big ones are barrel-aged versions of their Quit Stalin Russian Imperial Stout. One was aged in a Bourbon barrel from Kentucky, the other in a straight Colorado whiskey barrel. Founder David Lin said he can’t say which distilleries the barrels are from, but he’s plenty confident the brewery’s fans will be thrilled when they take a sip. At Copper Kettle Brewing Co., the brewery on South Valentia Street near Parker Road is ringing in it’s fifth year in business with five days of celebrations — and 12 different beers. To put that in perspective, the brewery usually has between 10 and 14 brews on tap, total. For details, visit copperkettledenver.com.
Antique Appraisal Fair 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 23, Aurora Central Library, 14949 E. Alameda Pkwy. A reservation time is required and can be made by calling 303-739-6705. Walk-ins are not accepted and the cost of appraisal is $5 per item.
Congratulations, “Antique Roadshow” enthusiasts — your time in the sun is finally here. Have you ever wondered what that baseball card you have irrationally held onto since 1968 is actually worth? What about that autographed “Bonanza” poster? And that porcelain heirloom you’ve just had to keep around? Whatever the item — within reason, nothing that bites or breaks upon touching it, please — a slew of experts will let you know what kind of coin you could get for it this weekend. Just because spring cleaning tends to trump reorganizing in the fall, doesn’t mean thumbing through some old stuff is prohibited come September — and this could be a pretty solid excuse to go through a few things in an attempt to find that dusty holy grail. Oh, and all benefits go to the Aurora History Museum, so, that’s kind of what they call, how do you say, a win-win.
African Culture Night 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. April 23, Afrikmall, 10180 E. Colfax Ave. Suggested $10 donation. Visit the Afrikmall Facebook page for more information.
It took a bit longer than expected, but Aurora’s Afrikmall is finally humming with activity. For the past several months, food vendors and select retailers have been selling their wares inside the massive cultural bazaar on East Colfax Avenue, and this weekend, the backers of the much-anticipated project are celebrating the opening of the mall’s first nonprofit resident, the African Cultural and Educational Center. Afrikmall organizers are not holding back in the grand opening festivities, with a full docket of family friendly events slated to run from 5 p.m. until 2 a.m. on Saturday night. Activities include free drumming lessons by Rolando Howard of the Northern Colorado Djembefola’s and a cultural performance compliments of Mokomba Ensemble Live. Dancing shoes (and a $10 donation) are encouraged. Alcohol will be served.
ONSTAGE
Casa Valentina Opens April 22 at The Edge Theatre, 1560 Teller St., Suite 200, Lakewood. Free parking. www.theedgetheater.com or 303-232-0363.
About two years removed from its opening on Broadway, Harvey Fierstein’s 1960s tale of a resort in the Catskills catering to heterosexual men seeking a place in indulge in cross-dressing makes its way to Lakewood. Directed by Josh Hartwell. Scott McLean stars as George/Valentina.
The Stonemason’s Wish: A Chinese Tale Curtains at noon, with a second performance at 2 p.m. April 23-24, at The BiTSY Stage, 1137 S. Huron St., Denver. Free, but donations accepted. Reservations required – patti@BitsyStage.com or 720-328-5294. For details, visit www.bitsystage.com.
Supposedly, all of your wildest dreams coming true isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Regardless, the folks at The BiTSY Stage are exploring consequences of fulfilled wishes in “The Stonemason’s Wish,” the classic Chinese folk story. Samantha McDermott directs.