AURORA | The heat is on for fiery fun around Aurora this weekend.
Aurora’s own pride fest hits the beach on Saturday. There
An art-centric brew-pub grand opening is on tap, and there’s free music at Southlands.
Here’s a short list of unusual ways to spend the weekend and beyond in and near Aurora.
The pride of the pridefests, Aurora Pride
Live and in person, and open to all, Aurora Pride 2024 hits Aurora’s best beach Aug. 3.
The seventh annual event offers a day of sun, beers, sand, water fun, bands, booths, food and more, providing what planners say is a Colorado pride event with something for everyone and every age.
“Every year we raise money to produce our event series and to support scholarships for LGBTQIA students at higher education institutions in Aurora,” Aurora Pride creator Jerry Cunningham said last year.
The pride celebration has grown to become one of the region’s premier LGBTQIA-support events, this one catering to the entire family.
The price to get in? Nothing, until the day of the event.
Advance admission is free, but a ticket, available online, is required. The pride celebration offers a bevy of packages that include parking and beer passes. Paddleboards and aquatic rentals are extra. But the fun, bands and entertainment are all free.
The celebration moved from Aurora city hall to the Aurora Reservoir complex in 2019 and was an immediate success, said event organizer Zander Oklar.
The festival is for everyone in the metro area, organizers say.
IF YOU GO:
Noon to 7p.m. Aug. 3
Free online tickets for admission, $10 admission the day of the event an at the gates. Online early access tickets are available to Aurora Reservoir as early as 9 a.m.
Aurora Reservior 5800 S Powhaton Road
Tickets and details: AuroraPride.com
Sounds of Southlands: Phat Daddy
Phat Daddy is coming. Bring your chairs and dancin’ shoes.
Sounds of Southlands is a every-Thursday outdoor concert event for the entire family.
Southlands Is a Common Consumption Area during concerts. Guests 21+ may purchase alcohol from our participating restaurants to enjoy the outdoors, but no outside alcohol or coolers are permitted. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets and join us for this free, family-friendly concert in Town Square.
IF YOU GO:
6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Aug. 8
The Town Square of Southlands
6155 S. Main St.
Free
/www.visitaurora.com/events/sounds-of-southlands/
Grand Opening Party – Cerebral Brewing Aurora Arts
Join Aurora’s arts-and-people conscious brewery for our Grand Opening Party at our new Aurora Arts taproom next week. The event includes live music, glass giveaways, brewery tours and more.
Come help us celebrate our new space! 🍻
IF YOU GO:
Aug. 3 beginning at 11 a.m.
Free
Cerebral Brewing – Aurora Arts
9990 E. Colfax Ave
www.cerebralbrewing.com
Second Chance Comedy: Haha, addiction can be funny
Get ready to laugh for a cause at Second Chance Comedy, a unique stand-up comedy show that puts a humorous spin on the serious topic of addiction recovery. Featuring comedians like Tara Check, Jay Donaldson, Chet Tilly, and headliner Von Sprecken, this alcohol-free event promises an evening of insightful and hilarious performances. Hosted by Joe Huisman, the show highlights the raw, real, and funny side of overcoming addiction.
Second Chance Comedy isn’t just a comedy show, organizers say, it’s a trailblazing celebration of resilience, recovery, and the universal healing power of laughter. No one else is doing a show like this — bringing the raw realities of addiction into the light with humor and honesty. They say they’re breaking the stigma of addiction together —o ne joke at a time.
IF YOU GO:
Doors open at 6:30 PM, show starts at 7:00 PM Aug. 2
The People’s Building, 9995 E Colfax Ave
Tickets: $25 (20% of sales support Sobriety House) Go to: www.onthestage.tickets/show/the-peoples-building/
‘4000 Miles’ at the Vintage Theatre
Insight Colab Theatre company presents ‘4000 Miles’ by Amy Herzog through Aug. 4 at the Vintage Theatre.
After suffering a major loss while on a cross-country bike trip, a 21-year-old grandson seeks solace from his feisty 91-year-old grandmother in his West Village apartment. Over the course of a single month, these unlikely roommates infuriate, bewilder, and ultimately reach each other. 4000 Miles looks at how two outsiders find their way in today’s world.
Amy Herzog’s 4000 Miles won the 2012 Obie Award for Best New American Play and was a finalist for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Insight Colab Theatre features plays with non-traditional, diverse casting while creating acting workshops to train the new generation of diverse actors along with a writers’ series to explore identity, race and privilege.
IF YOU GO
Through Aug 4
Opens July 25 @ 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.
Tickets: $25-$35. Student discount available.
Info: www.insightcolab.org or 303-437-8917.
Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St.
Anthony Quinn: What am I? ¿Qué soy?
Museo de las Americas is set to debut “Anthony Quinn: What am I? ¿Qué soy?”Aug.2 on the top of their season. This pop-up exhibition, curated by Yolanda Fauvet, explores the life and artistry of Anthony Quinn, the first Mexican-American to win an Academy Award and a prolific visual artist.
The exhibition’s title refers to a pivotal moment in Quinn’s childhood when he questioned his identity, sparking a lifelong dialogue about his dual heritage. Curator Fauvet noted, “Quinn had an ongoing dialogue with the labels being given to him as compared to his own relationship to his dual nationalities.” Fauvet finds this exploration relevant today, inspiring more inclusive conversations about identity.
Born in Chihuahua, Mexico, Quinn’s heritage is a recurring theme in his work. The exhibition features self-portraits and pieces from Quinn’s Tribal Series, reflecting influences from Plains Indian cultures. Museo’s Executive Director, Claudia Moran, highlighted Quinn’s ability to navigate both acting and visual arts, stating, “The artistic wealth of Anthony Quinn invites us to reflect on the adaptations we constantly undergo to fit into predetermined social models.”
“Anthony Quinn: What am I? ¿Qué soy?” showcases the artist’s skill in various mediums, from paint to sculpture, emphasizing his storytelling prowess and deep exploration of identity. The exhibition touts profound insights into Quinn’s dynamic relationship with his heritage and his art.
IF YOU GO:
Aug 2-Sept 22
Opening reception: 6:30 p.m.-9:00 pm, Aug. 2
Museo de las Americas, 861 Santa Fe Drive
Museum hours: Tuesday-Friday, Noon-6 pm; Weekends noon-5 pm