Top 5 Reasons to Visit Denver This Summer

Seeing a concert at Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre is a high point of any summer. More than 70 events have been announced already, including Black Coffee, Sleep Token, Maggie Rogers, All Time Low, Parcels, Nas with the Colorado Symphony, Dr. Dog, the Revivalists + Spoon and many more. In addition, the surrounding park offers gorgeous hiking around sandstone monoliths. Plus, you can practice morning yoga at Yoga on the Rocks, take in the fresh air on a yoga hike with Zen Out Yoga or catch a movie under the stars during the Film on the Rocks series. 

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Summer is festival season where The Mile High City celebrates many cultures! In May, the Denver Cinco de Mayo Festival (May 4–5, 2024) is a weekend filled with food, fun and culture. The Denver BBQ Festival  (TBA for 2024) brings together top pitmasters from Denver and around the country to serve award-winning barbecue.

In June, the Outside Festival (June 1–2, 2024) is a new event covering all things outdoors, featuring music, films, speakers and gear. The festival is designed for beginners and experts alike, with experiences and inspiration for climbers, hikers, cyclists, skiers and everyday recreationists. The Five Points Jazz Festival (June 8, 2024) features a diverse lineup of music, from Latin to blues to funk and many other styles of jazz. The Juneteenth Music Festival (June 15-16, 2024) offers a parade, live performances, art, vendors and fun for the entire family. The two-day 50th Annual Denver PrideFest (June 22–23, 2024) draws visitors from throughout the state of Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. 

In July, the free Cherry Creek Arts Festival (July 5–7, 2024) will transform the streets of Cherry Creek North into an innovative outdoor fine art show. The Colorado Black Arts Festival (July 12–14, 2024) celebrates African American art and culture. The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival (July 27–28, 2024) showcases The Mile High City's Asian and Asian American heritage with the biggest dragon boat festival in the country! For music, head to South Broadway for three days of tunes at more than a dozen music venues from more than 100 live bands at the Underground Music Showcase (July 26–28, 2024). 

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There’s no better way to soak up summer and experience the thriving culinary scene than on one of The Mile High City’s splendid restaurant patios. From skyward rooftop terraces to lushly landscaped gardens, these are the ultimate spots to eat and drink alfresco in Denver.

Blow your mind with this sampling of blockbuster museum exhibitions.

Transport yourself to the year 2180 at History Colorado Center's new multi-sensory exhibition, Revolt 1680/2180: Runners + Gliders (Thru July 14, 2024). Created in partnership with world-renowned artist Virgil Ortiz, a visionary hailing from Cochiti Pueblo, this unprecedented experience brings Indigenous Futurism to The Mile High City through a combination of history, science fiction, art, fashion and fantasy.

Learn about contemporary lithographic printmaking through artworks exploring the beauty of nature. Featuring color lithographs and process works from the University of Colorado Art Museum’s Sharkive, Process Makes Perfect: Printmakers Explore the Natural World (Thru July 28, 2024) presents works by Don Ed Hardy, Hung Liu, Emmi Whitehorse and Red Grooms. See it at Denver Botanic Gardens. 

Denver Art Museums's Fazal Sheikh: Thirst | Exposure | In Place (Thru Oct. 20, 2024) exhibition was created from three projects photographer Fazal Sheikh made on the Colorado Plateau from 2017 to early 2023. Sheikh’s portraits and landscapes of displaced communities and marginalized people shed light on the far-reaching consequences of extractive industry and climate change. Through this beautiful and sometimes frightening new work, Sheikh encourages viewers to witness the consequences of the past and imagine the shape of the future.

Trace the evolution of our beliefs about orcas, from fear to admiration and awe, as we discover their stunning intelligence and complex social structures. Meet a life-sized replica of an orca family as you listen to their soothing harmonies in an immersive underwater environment at Denver Museum of Nature & Science's Orcas: Our Shared Future (Thru Nov. 15, 2024).

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Denver and the neighboring Rocky Mountains are overflowing with outdoor activities like cycling, running, white water rafting, kayaking, rock climbing and more. You can play in the mountains and stay in the city. Let Basecamp Denver be your one-stop shop for outdoor fun with links to nearby adventures, day trips, outdoor tips, only-in-Denver experiences and unique hotels.