Weekend things to do around Denver and beyond
THURSDAY-SUNDAY
Nightly through Halloween, learn the history of, and visit the site of, the Cheesman Park Ghost with Denver Like A Local Tours, 7-8:30 p.m. This beautiful area was Denver’s first cemetery and the ghosts, or at least their stories, remain. $20-$25, denverlikealocaltours.com/tours
FRIDAY-SATURDAY
Halloween fun at the Denver Zoo this weekend and next: Wild Fall: Trick or Treat Trail, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The 84 acres have nine candy stops, a silent disco party, photo ops, spooky cocktails and special food for purchase. $20, free for little ones ages up to 2. Timed, ticketed admission. denverzoo.org/events/wildfall
FRIDAY-SUNDAY
Two weekends for Boo at the Zoo at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo on the side of Cheyenne Mountain. And on Halloween, too. Advance, timed tickets. Trick-or-treat through the zoo at 25 candy stations and go through the lighted pumpkin patch, a haunted house, Ghoulish Graveyard and Pirates Cove. No full-face costume masks or costume weapons for those ages 12 and above. Also, no balloons, even on costumes, for the safety of the animals. For more, and tickets: cmzoo.org.
FRIDAY
A Friday slumber party and a whole night in the museum are a Halloween-time treat, Bones, Bats, Boo! Family Overnight, at Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. Starting at 5 p.m. kids and their adults can wear costumes and enjoy a show in Gates Planetarium, story time, hands-on science projects and crafts. Pizza for supper and sleepy time among the museum animals. Then a hot breakfast in the morning and time to go home at 9 a.m. $90-$100 for nonmembers, dmns.org/bones-bats-boo-family-overnight
SATURDAY
All about the cheese you love, and the beer to go with it, at the Grilled Cheese & Mac Festival by local chefs and restaurants on Auraria Campus, Tivoli Quad, 1000 Larimer St. 12:30-4:30 p.m., $69.99+. Vote for your favorites. eventbrite.com/e/2023-grilled-cheese-mac-festival-tickets
SATURDAY
Funky and family friendly, the Broadway Halloween Parade, 5th to Alameda on Broadway, 6-8 p.m. Funny floats, costumes, bands and marching folks. thebroadwayhalloweenparade.com
SATURDAY
A special memory for the final day of the season Saturday for historic WWII fly days, with SBD Dauntless and the “Cactus Air Force” at the National Museum of WWII Aviation. 1942-43 air power. Open at 8 a.m., presentation at 9 a.m., followed by the flight of the Dauntless. Museum admission, free parking, 775 Aviation Way, Colorado Springs.
SATURDAY
A gamer’s delight, the Virtual Game Expo 2023, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. For “gamers, game developers, tabletop, VR developers, artists, and others from around the world.” Play games during the online event and “buy, sell, demo, trade games and hardware.” Admission at indiegamesexpo.com. Denver Indie Games Expo is Nov. 25.
SATURDAY
There are “Hauntings in the Hangar” and airplanes, too, at Wings over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Trick or treat candy stations, magic shows, activities like sticker planes, haunted helicopters, spooky star and Franken-planes, a Black Hole Listening Station and open cockpits to visit. $18.95 for adults, $11.95 for children at wingsmuseum.org or at the door.
SUNDAY
Little creatures and big ones, too, take over City Park for the Ghosts & Goblins 5K at 9 a.m. Sunday. A timed course with medals followed by vendors, food and drinks. Family friendly. Registration $36: coloradorunnerevents.com/halloween
SUNDAY
Wear your most comfy flannel or a Halloween costume and come to the Dairy Block and Denver Milk Market Fall Flannel Festival Sunday from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Free fun in the alley includes trick or treating, music, kids’ craft stations, face painting, a balloon artist, Paw Patrol characters and reptiles from the Denver Aquarium. Food and drink specials at area restaurants. 1800 Wazee. dairyblock.com/events/fall-flannel-fest-4.