The Local newsletter is your free, daily guide to life in Colorado. For locals, by locals.
Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns
If you’ve been waiting all year to adorn your porch with pumpkins, the time is nearly here. Get some carving inspiration at Hudson Gardens this weekend, when it will light up for the first time this season with more than 10,000 hand-carved jack-o’-lanterns. Roam the grounds to watch the pumpkins glow in a synchronized light show, roast a s’more over the fire, and capture the perfect fall family photo with one of the 70 over-the-top displays as your backdrop. Sept. 18–Nov. 1; time slots vary; starting at $25
Children’s Museum of Denver: Color Outside the Lines
This will be the rare occasion that you book a babysitter and head to the Children’s Museum of Denver sans little ones. For the institution’s annual fundraiser—held in tandem with its 53rd birthday—adults can enjoy delicious bites (raclette, custom fried rice, steak frites), craft cocktails, music, and a silent auction. Sept. 18; 6–10:30 p.m.; $175
International Observe the Moon Night
It’s notoriously difficult to score tickets to Chamberlin Observatory’s weekly Astronomy Nights (they’re all sold out through November). But this special event will give locals a chance to look through the observatory’s iconic 26-foot-long Alvan Clark-Saegmuller refractor telescope—no ticket required. Peer through the lens and see if you can spot some of the moon’s many mountains or craters. The Denver Astronomical Society will also have additional telescopes set up on the south lawn for more celestial gazing opportunities, or, bring your own and the society’s members can show you how to use it. Sept. 19; 5 p.m.; free, RSVP here
Earlybirds Club
Your days of raving until 3 a.m. might be over—but that doesn’t mean you have to stop dancing. At Boulder Theater, this early evening dance party for women and gender-expansive people starts at 6 p.m. and ends at 10 p.m., so you can vibe to tunes from the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s and still get eight hours of shut-eye. Sept. 19; 6–10 p.m.; $34–$39
Movement: Baker to RiNo 5K
Climbers serious about their cross-training should sign up for this 5K jog from one Movement climbing gym to another. Start at the Baker location and run to the RiNo outpost—where a cold Improper City beer, post-run stretch, and live DJ will await you. Sept. 19; 10 a.m.–1 p.m.; $15–$20
Festival Del Sol
Everything about this festival at Boulder’s Chautauqua celebrates Latino culture, from dance lessons (samba, bachata, and salsa) to the food offerings (Pupusas Familia, Los Dos Bros) to the live music lineup (Chimbangle, Mariachi Las Dahlias, Elisa Garcia Quartet). Enjoy the free activities, and make sure you sign up for the hike to Royal Arch guided by Latino Outdoors Colorado. Sept. 20; noon–5 p.m.; free
