Aaron Vega helped launch Colfax Canvas back in 2020 because he was tired of hearing the word “blight.” The mural festival is back for its sixth iteration this weekend.
We’ve also got the 53rd Telluride Film Festival, a car show in Westcliffe and your last chance to check out the Colorado State Fair.
Sept. 3-9
Colfax Canvas. “We kept hearing this word ‘blight,’” Vega told The Sun in 2024. “The truth is, the neighborhood didn’t look slick, but there were lots of immigrant communities, and small businesses and shops that were doing fine. This (festival) was an attempt to spruce up what we did have so that we could stop hearing that word.”
The yearly mural festival has added 37 fresh coats of paint to the walls along the East Colfax corridor around the creative district’s unofficial HQ, The People’s Building.
Throughout the week muralists Aiko Szymczak, Phillip Bernal, Zurdo and Gus Rey will be working on two new walls to unveil this Friday during Aurora Cultural Arts District’s first Friday art walk. Come peep the new public works while enjoying food and drinks, gallery openings and live music at eight venues, starting at 5 p.m.
Free; 5 p.m., Friday; E. Colfax Avenue, between Dayton and Florence streets in Aurora
Other events to consider
- Telluride Film Festival. The 53rd edition of the state’s original high-profile film festival happens this weekend in Telluride. While all-access passes are sold out, you can still drop into free public screenings, attend the “Conversations in the Courthouse” series or pick up individual tickets after passholders have been seated. Free; Friday-Monday; Various locations around Telluride
- Colorado State Fair. Last call for the Colorado State Fair this weekend before the carnival packs up and the pet rocks head home. In the meantime, check out our feature on county fairs in the northeastern corner of the state. $15; Aug. 28-Sept. 7; Colorado State Fairgrounds, 1001 Beulah Ave., Pueblo
- High Altitude Horsepower. The annual Labor Day cruise in Custer County,. Antiques, hot rods and classic cars make their way down Main Street in Westcliffe with food, music and entertainment throughout the day. Proceeds from the car show benefit the West Custer County Library. Free; 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday; Westcliffe
Note: This is a curated list by the reporter to give readers a sense of arts and culture events happening across Colorado that they may not have otherwise known about. This is not meant to be an exhaustive account of things to do.