Free Things to Do in Denver This Week, January 30-February 6

As the weather warms up, so does Colorado’s cultural calendar! This week is packed with free events ranging from two desegregation studies in Denver to the final of the International Snow Sculpture Championships in Breckenridge.

Read on for a dozen of the best free events in town (and beyond) this week:

Breckenridge International Snow Sculpture Championships
From now until Wednesday, February 1, 7 p.m
Riverwalk Center, Breckenridge
The 32nd Annual International Snow Sculpture Championships, presented by Toyota, returned to Breckenridge last week as twelve teams of sculptors from around the world worked for four full days to carve 12-foot-tall, 25-ton blocks of artificial snow into intricate shapes to carve works of art. The sculptures are still on display and are illuminated in an ever-changing play of light at dusk. Visit GoBreck.com/ISSC for more information.

Lost in the Game: The Jokic Files, a reading and discussion with author Thomas Beller and Mike Singer
Wednesday, February 1, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m
The Dikeou Collection, 1615 California Street, Suite 515
A stylish gallery in a downtown high-rise is the last place you’d expect a basketball discussion to take place, but think again. These two posh game-following guys — New York contributor and author Thomas Beller, whose latest book is Lost in the Game: A Book About Basketball, and basketball beat writer Mike Singer of the Denver Post — will be in the Dikeou Collection to provide an intellectual spin on Nikola Jokic’s career and other worldly topics. Admission is free; Find out more here.

Boulder Arts Commission Sampler: The Coming Year
Wednesday, February 1, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m
R Gallery + Wine Bar, 2027 Broadway, Boulder
Get a sense of the 2023 cultural events coming to town for Boulder Arts Week and beyond with the Boulder Arts Commission Sampler, a barrage of one-minute presentations from artists and organizations. Learn about upcoming theatre, music, art exhibitions, dance concerts and more in the casual spaces of the R Gallery + Wine Bar and start planning for Arts Week beginning April 7th. The event is free but places are limited; Register for a seat at [email protected]

George Lakey: Dancing With History
Wednesday 1 February at 6:30 p.m
Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl Street, Boulder
George Lakey has been described as a “civil rights legend” and is currently touring the country on the “Meeting our Challenges” tour. From his first arrest in the civil rights era to his final arrest while marching for climate justice at the age of 83, Lakey has dedicated his life to the mission of building a better world through movements for justice. In his new memoir, Dancing With History, Lakey pulls readers into the heart of historical events. There will be an informal meeting with Lakey in Denver on Saturday; Find out more here.

Click to enlarge Powered by Location: Keyes v School District 1, fifty years later
Wednesday, February 1, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., online
50 years ago, racial segregation in Denver public schools prompted a group of families led by Wilfred Keyes, a black father and chiropractor, to sue DPS. The case went to the US Supreme Court, and the fallout left its mark on generations of Denver schoolchildren and continues to influence decisions made to this day. Chalkbeat Senior Reporter Melanie Asmar will moderate a conversation exploring the historical case. Panelists include Michael Atkins, a DPS graduate and principal at Stedman Elementary School; Theresa Peña, a minor plaintiff in the Keyes case who later became President of the DPS Board of Education; and dr Tom Romero, who attended DPS as a child and is currently Associate Professor of Law and Director of the Interdisciplinary Research Institute for the Study of Inequality at the University of Denver. The virtual program is free; register here.
click to enlarge

Detour’s proposed piece.

Denver International Airport

Detour: “It’s not what you take, it’s what you bring back”
Thursday, February 2, 12 noon, online
Denver artist Thomas “Detour” Evans, who specializes in large-scale public art, murals and immersive spaces, will speak about the sculpture he is creating for Denver International Airport – which contains luggage donated by community members! The virtual program is free; sign up here

Roots Radical Book Club: Genocide of the Spirit: New Native American Writing
Thursday, February 2, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m
RedLine Center for Contemporary Art, 2350 Arapahoe Street
RedLine’s Roots Radical social justice theme will continue into late 2023, with events such as the Roots Radical Book Club series led by poet and educator Crisosto Apache. The series will span two two-part sessions through May, beginning with the Genocide of the Mind essay collection. Apache will give a preview talk on February 2nd; Participants then read the collection and return on March 14 for a group discussion. The schedule repeats itself with a second book beginning in April. You can find more information and register here.

Sacred Voices rhymes, beats and lattes
Friday, February 3, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m
Tonantzin Casa de Cafe, 910 Santa Fe Drive
Originally known as Cafe Cultura, Sacred Voices BIPOC+ supports youth and families with open mic events at various locations, as well as workshops and leadership training. The mic lands at the Tonantzin Casa de Cafe in Santa Fe’s Art District on Friday First for Rhymes, Beats and Lattes, a spirited, caffeine-fueled evening of writing and listening to poetry, music, comedy, storytelling and more. Find out more here and register to participate.

STEAM week kicks off: Tween Time with local illustrator/writer Jessica Lanan
Saturday, February 4, 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m
Teen Space, Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder
Science, technology, engineering, art and math are on the agenda at the Boulder Public Library’s main and sub-branches for a full week, beginning with a Saturday afternoon storyboarding workshop for children ages nine to eleven. Leading the way will be published Boulder author and illustrator Jessica Lanan, who has a number of children’s books under her belt. STEAM Week runs through February 11th and has something to do for everyone, from little ones to adults. LEGO building, robotic fun, a beeswax chemistry lesson, stargazing and electronics are just a few of the activities on offer. Find a schedule and register here.

A Dream of Justice: The Story of Denver’s Abandonment
Sunday, February 5, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m
Denver Women’s Press Club, 1325 Logan Street
Historian and author Pat Pascoe, former Colorado State Senator and former DWPC President, will be present for the book signing of her first-hand account of the school integration struggle in Denver from the 1960s to the present.A Dream of Justice: The Story of Keyes v . Denver Public Schools documents the protracted community-wide effort to overthrow the Denver public school system through school board elections, administrative politics, and court battles. Admission is free but you must RSVP.

Ice rink in downtown Denver
Daily until February 14th
Skyline Park, 1601 Arapahoe Street
Get out and skate in the middle of the city! It’s free if you bring your own skates, or you can rent them for $11 for adults and $9 for kids under 12. It is open Monday to Thursday from 12pm to 5pm, Friday and Saturday from 10am to 10pm and Sunday from 11am to 6pm. Find out more here.

and a bonus at any time:

“Retaking Denver’s Chinatown”
Online 24/7
In celebration of the Lunar New Year, the Denver Agency for Human Rights and Community Partnerships released the documentary #IAmDenver, Reclaiming Denver’s Chinatown, produced by the Denver Office of Storytelling. The documentary premiered to a packed house at the Denver Film Festival in November, and plans for community screenings and talkback events are in the works. In the meantime, check it out online.

Know of a great free event in Denver (and beyond)? We will update this list throughout the week; Send information to [email protected]