SENTINEL MUSE: Cars, dogs, coffee, scary, musical, artsy and way more this weekend
AURORA | No way you’re staying home this weekend. Start your day off tomorrow with a cup of joe, and eyeful of amazing cars and take Scruffy along for the fun. It’s the close-out event at Winged Melody Park in the Aurora Highlands, all Halloweened up and ready to go. More? Endless choices for plays and musicals new and old, dance art and more are all on tap for the weekend and beyond. Scroll down.
The Aurora Highlands hosting Halloween-themed Cars and Coffee event— for dogs, too
Classic cars, costumes and adoptable dogs will be part of a Halloween-themed “Cars and Coffee” event Saturday at The Aurora Highlands.
The event is slated 9 a.m. to noon at Winged Melody Park, ending the summer event season for the community’s Cars and Coffee series.
Families and dogs are encouraged to attend in costume.
The morning will feature classic cars on display, special prizes, free carousel rides and Halloween-themed food and drinks from vendors.
Streets Paw, an organization that connects animal rescues with the car community, will bring adoptable dogs to the event for guests to meet.
The event is open to families and dog owners looking to celebrate Halloween while enjoying a morning of classic cars and community activities.
IF YOU GO:
DATE: Oct. 24, 9 a.m. – noon
PLACE: Wing Melody Park in the Aurora Highlands, 23578 E. 38th Place
TICKETS: Free
Details: theaurorahighlands.com/cars-coffee/
Southlands turns 20 with events and giveaways
Southlands is celebrate its 20th anniversary through Oct. 24 with a week of entertainment, family activities, giveaways and charitable events at the Aurora shopping center.
Events still on tap include a screening of “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory” on Oct. 22; live music from Spinphony on Oct. 23; and the annual Fall-O-Ween festival Oct. 24, featuring trick-or-treating and family activities.
Throughout the week, 20 golden envelopes hidden around Southlands will offer prizes ranging from $25 gift cards to a $1,000 shopping spree. Visitors also may receive surprise $20 gift cards. Shoppers who spend at least $50 at participating retailers can receive a limited-edition anniversary tote bag while supplies last.
Southlands opened in October 2006 and is touted as the largest open-air shopping center in Colorado. T
IF YOU GO:
Date: Oct. 24, times vary
Place: Various venues across the shopping center at E-470 and Smoky Hill Road.
Tickets: Most events are free.
Information: shopsouthlands.com
“The Tempest” at Denver Center for the Performing Arts
William Shakespeare’s classic tale of enchantment, betrayal, and reconciliation comes to life in a vivid new production directed by Chris Coleman. Stranded on a remote island after a forced exile, the sorceress Prospera uses magical arts to conjure a storm that shipwrecks her former enemies. As revenge turns toward reflection, the story navigates themes of forgiveness, illusion, and human nature through staging, soundscapes, and theatrical craft.
IF YOU GO:
Date: Through Nov. 1
Place: Kilstrom Theatre in the Denver Center Complex at 14th and Curtis Streets
Tickets: $35–$95
Information: denvercenter.org or 303-893-4100
“DIVA” at Denver Art Museum
The Denver Art Museum launches its landmark exhibition “DIVA” is an exhibition that traces the history and influence of iconic performers across music, theater, and cinema through high-fashion costumes, photography, original stage designs, and historic archival media.
IF YOU GO:
Date: Exhibit runs through Jan. 31, 2027.
Place: Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway
Tickets: Special Event Ticketing $150–$300 for the gala. Tickets for the exhibit during the run are $5-$39.
Information: denverartmuseum.org or 720-865-5000
“Always… Patsy Cline” at Lone Tree Arts Center
Ted Swindley’s musical play recounts the true friendship between country music legend Patsy Cline and her devoted fan Louise Seger. Featuring a live backing band, the production includes 27 classic hits including “Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces,” and “Walking After Midnight,” combining heart, vocal performances, and comedic storytelling.
IF YOU GO:
Date: Runs through Oct. 25
Place: Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree, CO 80124
Tickets: $38–$65
Information: lonetreeartscenter.org or 720-509-1000
“Feeding Beatrice” at Aurora Fox Arts Center
Playwright Kirsten Greenidge’s chilling horror-drama makes its Colorado premiere in this haunting, thought-provoking narrative. The story centers on June and Marcus, a Black couple who buy a sprawling suburban home with dreams of settling down, only to encounter Beatrice — an eerie, ravenous ghost living in their house who demands to be fed. What begins as an unsettling domestic disturbance quickly deepens into a rich allegory about gentrification, systemic race relations, social obligations, and the historical debt owed to previous generations. Blending spine-tingling suspense with sharp social commentary, the production challenges the audience to consider what price must be paid to achieve the American Dream.
IF YOU GO:
Date: Runs through Nov. 1
Place: Aurora Fox Arts Center, 9900 E. Colfax Ave.
Tickets: $17–$45
Information: www.aurorafoxartscenter.or or 303-739-1970
”Almost Heaven: Songs of John Denver” at Town Hall Arts Center
This musical revue celebrates the life and music of American singer-songwriter John Denver. Featuring a live band and an ensemble of performers, the show weaves together over two dozen of Denver’s iconic tunes—including “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” “Rocky Mountain High,” and “Sunshine on My Shoulders”—interwoven with personal letters and historical context.
IF YOU GO:
Date: Through Oct. 24, 2026
Place: Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 West Main St.
Tickets: $41–$59
Information: townhallartscenter.org or 303-794-2787
“The Firebird” with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance at Boettcher Concert Hall
The Colorado Symphony partners with Denver’s renowned Cleo Parker Robinson Dance company for a multi-disciplinary performing arts event. Dancers bring Igor Stravinsky’s classic ballet score “The Firebird” to life on stage alongside live symphonic accompaniment. The evening’s program also includes a performance of John Williams’ “Horn Concerto”, highlighting the classical virtuosity of the orchestra’s brass section.
IF YOU GO:
Date: Oct. 23–Oct. 25; Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 1 p.m.
Place: Boettcher Concert Hall, 1000 14th St., Denver
Tickets: $15–$105
Information: coloradosymphony.org or 303-623-7876
“Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde” at Vintage Theatre
Vintage Theatre presents Jeffrey Hatcher’s eerie, atmospheric stage adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic gothic tale. Set in Victorian London, respectable scientist Dr. Henry Jekyll creates a chemical potion to isolate human evil, unleashing his monstrous alter ego, Edward Hyde. In this theatrical concept, four different actors embody the role of Mr. Hyde to reflect his shifting, unpredictable personality. The production combines dark suspense, moral dilemmas, and intense psychological drama.
IF YOU GO:
Date: Opens Oct. 24; performances through Nov. 22 (Fridays–Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m.)
Place: Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora
Tickets: $20–$38
Information: vintagetheatre.org or 303-856-7830
Día de los Muertos Celebration at Boettcher Concert Hall
Presented by AARP Colorado, the Colorado Symphony hosts its annual community celebration honoring the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos. Designed for audiences of all ages, this afternoon concert features traditional Latin American symphonic works, vibrant vocal performances, and bilingual story narration that explores how families remember and honor deceased loved ones through music and art.
IF YOU GO:
Date: Nov. 1; 2:30 p.m.
Place: Boettcher Concert Hall, 1000 14th St.
Tickets: $10–$27
Information: coloradosymphony.org or 303-623-7876
“Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The Musical!”
Mo Willems adapts his beloved, award-winning children’s book into a lively musical for families. When a bus driver takes a short break, a persistent and vocal pigeon tries every tactic imaginable to sit in the driver’s seat and take the wheel. Featuring catchy original music, interactive audience moments, and colorful puppetry, the show delivers a humorous exploration of boundaries, desire, and determination designed for young theatergoers.
IF YOU GO:
Date: Oct. 23 through Dec. 20
Place: Weeks Conservatory Theatre at DCPA, 1101 13th St.
Tickets: $20–$35
Information: www.denvercenter.org or 303-893-4100
“Barefoot in the Park”
Neil Simon’s classic romantic comedy follows newlyweds Corie and Paul Bratter as they adjust to married life in a top-floor Manhattan walk-up apartment. Corie is a free-spirited optimist, while Paul is a conservative, straight-laced lawyer. Their distinct personalities clash over broken skylights, eccentric neighbors, and a surprise dinner setup involving Corie’s mother and an adventurous upstairs neighbor.
IF YOU GO:
Date: Through Nov. 1
Place: Arvada Center Main Stage, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd.
Tickets: $25–$58
Information: arvadacenter.org or 720-898-7200
“Unsettling Tales of Edgar Allan Poe” at Arvada Center
A dramatic, spoken-word performance event devoted to the psychological terror and gothic prose of Edgar Allan Poe. Taking place in the Arvada Center’s Front Room, local dramatic actors present live readings of Poe’s iconic literary short stories and poetry—including *The Tell-Tale Heart*, *The Pit and the Pendulum*, and *The Raven*—complete with sound design and spooky staging.
IF YOU GO:
Date: Oct. 24, 7 PM
Place: Arvada Center Front Room, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd.
Tickets: $20–$30
Information: arvadacenter.org or 720-898-7200
Disney Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” in Concert at Boettcher Concert Hall
The Colorado Symphony presents a seasonal film-concert event featuring Tim Burton’s 1993 animated stop-motion classic. As Jack Skellington’s discovery of Christmas Town plays on full-size screens inside the hall, the orchestra performs Danny Elfman’s score and musical numbers live to picture. Costumes are encouraged for attendees.
IF YOU GO:
Date: Oct. 29 through Oct. 31
Place: Boettcher Concert Hall, 1000 14th St.
Tickets: $25–$115
Information: coloradosymphony.org or 303-623-7876
Mozart Requiem with Gemma New at Boettcher Concert Hall
Guest conductor Gemma New leads the Colorado Symphony and Colorado Symphony Chorus in a classical vocal and symphonic showcase. The centerpiece of the concert is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s *Requiem in D minor*, his final, unfinished masterpiece. The program opens with Salina Fisher’s modern composition *Kintsugi for Orchestra* and Maurice Ravel’s *Le Tombeau de Couperin*.
IF YOU GO:
Date: Nov. 6 through Nov. 8
Place: Boettcher Concert Hall, 1000 14th St.
Tickets: $18–$108
Information: coloradosymphony.org or 303-623-7876
FDR’s Very Happy Hour at Ellie Caulkins Opera House
An immersive comedic theater piece produced by the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Set in an intimate cocktail lounge setting, the play transports audiences to the 1930s, where President Franklin D. Roosevelt hosts an evening of music, political wit, secret history, and period-appropriate drinks.
IF YOU GO:
Date: Runs through Nov. 1
Place: The Studio Loft at Ellie Caulkins Opera House, 1400 Curtis St.
Tickets: $45–$60
Information: denvercenter.org or 303-893-4100
“Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” at Buell Theatre
The beloved animated fairy tale comes to life in an updated theatrical production presented by the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. The classic story follows Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, a young prince trapped under an enchantress’s spell. To break the curse before time runs out, the Beast must learn to love and be loved. Featuring music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, the production showcases lavish costumes, ornate sets, and stage magic.
IF YOU GO:
Date: Runs through Nov. 7
Place: Buell Theatre, 1400 Curtis St.
Tickets: $40–$180
Information: denvercenter.org or 303-893-4100
“Storytellers: The Blackfeet Nation and Charles M. Russell” at Denver Art Museum
This major visual arts exhibition examines the creative interactions and artistic dialogue between Western painter Charles M. Russell and members of the Blackfeet Nation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The gallery combines Russell’s paintings with historic and contemporary Blackfeet beadwork, quillwork, and paintings to present a multi-voiced look at cultural storytelling and artistic influence.
IF YOU GO:
Date: Through Jan. 24, 2027
Place: Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway
Tickets: $15–$22 (Free for museum members and youth 18 & under)
Information: denverartmuseum.org or call 720-865-5000
“Live Music at The Local Drive’ at Stanley Marketplace
This ongoing live music series transforms the Stanley Marketplace hangar into a vibrant performance space featuring local and regional musicians. The programming spans genres—from indie and folk to jazz and rock—creating an eclectic soundtrack for Aurora’s creative community.
IF YOU GO:
Date: Fridays and Saturdays after 5 p.m.
Place: Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas St.
Tickets: Free admission
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