THURSDAY-SATURDAY

The always highly anticipated Banff Mountain Film Festival opens all around the state and this is Denver’s weekend at Paramount Theater, 1621 Glenarm Place. 7 p.m., tickets $24.50. tinyurl.com/37efndbm

THURSDAY-SUNDAY

Yes, he’s the creator of “Hamilton,” but this was Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s first Tony-winning musical, from 2008, and “In the Heights” is staged starting this weekend through April 2 at Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, 30 W. Dale St. Visit his early neighborhood and its people, the Latino community of Washington Heights in Upper Manhattan. Previews Thursday and Friday, opening night Saturday. Actors from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Mexico. Tickets starting at $20, fac.coloradocollege.edu, 719-634-5583.

THURSDAY-SUNDAY

Days and evenings for film lovers, the Boulder International Film Festival runs all weekend. An extensive schedule to choose from. Headquarters: BIFF, 1426 Pearl St., Suite 20, Boulder. biff1.com

FRIDAY-SUNDAY

Two of the Colorado mountain special celebrations are this weekend: Winter WonderGrass and its huge lineup of bluegrass greats in Steamboat Springs, winterwondergrass.com/steamboat. Leadville has its Ski Joring & Crystal Carnival with horses and riders pulling skiers through a competition course, facebook.com/LeadvlleSkiJoring.

FRIDAY-MARCH 12

Get ready to savor delicious multi-course meals and try out a whole variety of different top places during Denver Restaurant Week. The offerings are wonderful, $25, $35, $45 per person. A perfect time for all things culinary, all around the area, and there are dine-in, to-go and delivery options. Special dessert stops, too. Enjoy and support local businesses: denver.org/denver-restaurant-week

FRIDAY

That extra-special interactive time for girls and their families, the 2023 Girls & Science free kick-off event, 5-9 p.m. at Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. The perfect time to learn all about STEM and even possible someday careers. Register at mns.org/girlsandscience The hostess is well-known CBS TV Meteorologist Lauren Whitney and there’s a full month of activities, with a special $35 Girls & Science kit at girlsincdenver.org/programs/outsidethebox, available at a sliding scale fee for all from Girls, Inc.

FRIDAY

A Mardi Gras-season theme night at the Colfax Art Crawl, 6 to 9 p.m., complete with celebration beads, a brass band, new art exhibits and food. Join the street party, 40 West Arts District, 6501 W. Colfax Ave., Lakewood. 40westarts.org/#!map

SATURDAY-SUNDAY

The Lost Birds: An Extinction Elegy by Grammy-winning composer Christopher Tin presents a touching “musical memorial to bird species driven to extinction by humankind” and set to words by famous female poets including Emily Dickinson, Christina Rossetti, and Sara Teasdale. “Preserve that which is beautiful while it still exists,” he says. Wellshire Presbyterian Church Saturday and First Plymouth Congregational Church Sunday. $20-25, kantorei.org/the-lost-birds

SUNDAY

Time for The Best Dam Run, considered Denver’s longest running run series with a half-marathon 13.1, 10k and 5k at Cherry Creek Dam Road and South Dayton Street, Greenwood Village. “Come conquer THAT DAM,” is the invitation. 8 a.m. to noon, $35-$75 for adults, $30-$75 for kids and seniors. Runners get official That Dam Run knit hats. Parking on Cherry Creek Schools campus. rundenverseries.com/that-dam-run-13-1-10k-5k

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