MUSIC
Aurora Summer Concerts – FourEver Fab 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., July 23, Meadowood Park, 3054 S. Laredo St. Free. Call 303-344-1500 for more information.
The moptops are back, baby. Though the screams at Aurora’s Meadowood Park won’t exactly match those of the original foursome’s Ed Sullivan appearance, the tunes of FourEver Fab are pretty darn on point. You’ve got the violin bass, the matching haircuts (see: toupees) and the all-important endearing charm, which, honestly, is really all you need in this case. Alright, maybe blurring the vision with a few glasses of Merlot wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Maybe that might make this set of local Abbey Road cruisers a tad more convincing, at the very least in the looks department. Last time we checked, 20-something-year-old Sir Paul didn’t exactly have a beer gut. Hopefully, with all the hands in the air during the obligatory “Shout,” you won’t really be getting a great glimpse of the stage anyway.
Underground Music Showcase – Anyone who’s ever tuned into the mystical airwaves tethered to 102.3 FM knows the Denver music scene is robust. And good. And only getting better. If you’re a non-believer the Denver Post’s 15th Annual Underground Music Showcase will change your mind fast than you can change the dial. Our pick to check out at UMS? Strawberry Runners (seen above). Tickets start at $50. Visit 1 for details.
AROUND TOWN
Cheesman Park Art Fest 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. July 25, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. July 26, Cheesman Park, 1599 E. 8th Ave., Denver. Free.
If the recent Aurora Arts Festival didn’t satiate your oil paint-stained druthers, it’d probably behoove you to head west of Yosemite Street this weekend to check out the third annual Cheesman Park Art Fest. Sure, there may be some eye rolling from the Aurora diehards out there (do those exist?), but with a balmy forecast dipping into the 90s, it’s going to be one helluva 48-hour span to check out some art and artisanal goodies. And unwanted notoriety aside, Cheesman is the jewel of the Denver Park’s crown these days, with over 80 acres of green. Combine that with over 100 artists, food trucks and demonstrations and you’re fully shaking the ol’ Etch A Sketch, whatever that means.
Denver Summer Beer Festival 7 – 10 p.m., July 24 & 25, Mile High Station 2027 W. Lower Colfax Ave., Denver. Tickets are $35 in advance, $45 day of the event. Visit denverbrewfest.com for more information.
There’s going to be beer here. That’s probably all you really need and/or want to know in regard to deciding how you’re going to spend any given weekend, but, for hahas, let’s dig a little further. It may be shocking, but there’s more to life than oat soda. For example, there’s music. Friday will feature Mr. Josh Blackburn for the festival’s VIP event — which can be accessed with a $45 advance ticket or $55 at the door and offers Jagged Mountain beer pairings with MouCo cheese — and the Rapidgrass Quintet for the lowly general admission folks. The festival’s second day will see Westgate Revival take the VIP stage and flannel toting youngins Dragon Deer swooning on the regular stage. See? You probably already forgot that there is, in fact, going to be beer here. Well, probably not, but we tried — kinda. Pour your hearts out, kids.
Free Mulch Loader Day 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., July 25, 14201 E. Hampden Ave. Free. Call 303-739-7177 for details.
Alright, we admit that a giant mound of dirt isn’t exactly sexy or exciting. But getting a few cubic feet of mulch from Home Depot can lead to forking up a hefty stack of green backs, and let’s face it, nobody likes paying for dirt. So, dig into Aurora’s free mulch pile this Saturday morning and turn that backyard palace into a certifiable Garden of Eden this fall – without having to live off of hot pockets and the dollar menu to get you back in the black. Bring your truck or trailer and load up on as much of the good stuff as you need to turn your suburban plot into a Better Homes & Gardens cover. Or, you know, pretty close.