Events & What’s Happening
One of the largest Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the US, held at Civic Center Park with live music, food, and cultural performances.
💡Arrive early Saturday morning for shorter lines at food vendors and easier access to the kids' activity area.
Annual LGBTQ+ pride celebration at Civic Center Park featuring a parade, live entertainment, and family-friendly activities.
💡The Sunday parade is a huge hit with kids — stake out a spot on Colfax early for a good view.
Larimer Square fills with professional and amateur chalk artists creating stunning sidewalk murals over a weekend in early June.
💡Kids are welcome to try chalk art in the designated youth area — bring sunscreen as there is little shade on Larimer Square.
A quirky, urban county fair at the National Western Complex featuring rides, livestock, local art, and fair food with a Denver twist.
💡Buy tickets online in advance to save money and skip the gate lines; the petting zoo is a must for young kids.
Labor Day weekend festival at Civic Center Park celebrating Colorado cuisine, local restaurants, live music, and artisan vendors.
💡The kids' entertainment stage runs all weekend and admission is free, making it an easy and affordable family outing.
One of the most prestigious beer festivals in the country, held at the Colorado Convention Center with thousands of craft beers from across the US.
💡The festival itself is 21+, but the surrounding RiNo and downtown neighborhood events during the same weekend are great for family exploration.
The Denver Zoo transforms into a winter wonderland with millions of lights, animal displays, seasonal treats, and holiday entertainment.
💡Go on a weeknight in early December for shorter wait times; dress in layers as temperatures drop quickly after sunset.
One of Denver's largest farmers markets featuring fresh local produce, artisan goods, prepared foods, and live music at Civic Center Park.
💡Arrive before 9am for the best selection and cooler temperatures; kids enjoy the prepared food vendors and the open park space to run around.
Free weekly storytime sessions for young children at Denver Public Library branches citywide, featuring books, songs, and crafts.
💡Check the DPL website for your nearest branch schedule as times and days vary by location; no registration required at most branches.
Beloved neighborhood farmers market in Cherry Creek North with local farms, specialty foods, flowers, and artisan vendors.
💡The market is stroller-friendly and the surrounding Cherry Creek North area has great coffee shops to start your morning before browsing.
The Denver Museum of Nature and Science offers periodic free admission days for Colorado residents, making world-class exhibits accessible to all families.
💡Free days are scheduled monthly — check the DMNS website calendar in advance and arrive right at opening to avoid peak crowd times.
Free outdoor Sunday evening jazz concerts in Denver's City Park, drawing thousands of families with blankets and picnics each summer.
💡Bring a blanket and a picnic dinner; arrive by 5:30pm to secure a good spot on the lawn as it fills up quickly on nice evenings.
Planning Your Visit
Neighborhoods & Areas
Local Tips for Families
- 💡The Denver Museum of Nature and Science offers free admission every first Saturday of the month for Colorado residents, but even out-of-state families can save significantly by visiting on those days when discounted community tickets are made available — check dmns.org the week before your visit.
- 💡Colorado Rockies games at Coors Field are one of the best family value plays in Denver — the Rockpile section in dead centerfield sells tickets for $4 each (cash only, day of game at the Coors Field box office), and kids under 12 get into the Rockpile free on select Family Sundays announced on the Rockies' official schedule.
- 💡Red Rocks Amphitheatre is free to visit any time there is no ticketed evening concert — the best family window is 8am–11am when hikers use the park and kids can climb the famous sandstone formations, explore the trading post, and visit the on-site Colorado Music Hall of Fame museum for free.
- 💡City Park Jazz runs every Sunday evening June through August from 6–8pm in City Park near the boathouse — it's completely free, families bring blankets and picnics from nearby Postino Cherry Creek or Illegal Pete's on Colfax, and the crowd is entirely family-friendly with space for kids to run.
- 💡The Children's Museum of Denver on Water Street offers a 'pay what you can' rate on the first Friday evening of each month from 4–8pm, making it one of Denver's best budget moves for families with children under 8 — it's also significantly less crowded than weekend mornings.
- 💡Denver's South Platte River Trail and the Confluence Park junction at REI's flagship store in LoDo is the best free outdoor family spot in the city — kids can wade in the river at the designated swim area in summer, and REI's outdoor demo area occasionally offers free gear try-outs on weekends.
- 💡If you're driving toward Rocky Mountain National Park via I-70, stop at Idaho Springs (45 minutes west of Denver) rather than paying resort-town prices — Beau Jo's Colorado Style Pizza has been a mountain-town institution since 1973 and serves the signature honey-drizzled mountain pie that kids love, at half the price of comparable Estes Park restaurants.
- 💡The 16th Street Mall MallRide shuttle is free and runs every few minutes between Union Station and Civic Center Station — it's stroller-accessible and lets families skip parking stress entirely when visiting downtown museums, Larimer Square, and Coors Field on the same day.