While most people will be craning their necks toward the skies this weekend, the folks at Warm Cookies of the Revolution are encouraging you to look around.
For the third year, Warm Cookies is hosting an In(ter)dependence Day celebration at Cheesman Park in Denver, an annual party that’s meant to help you meet your neighbors while you snack on Oaxacan food.
We’ve also got the premier of Andrea Gibson’s last performance screening at Red Rocks, Breckenridge’s first ever wildflower festival and First Friday art walks all over the state.
July 2-8
Interdependence Day. Warm Cookies of the Revolution began in 2012 as a fun way to introduce people to civic life. The organization hosted conversations about sports stadiums and infrastructure under the guise of a good time. Cookies were, of course, involved, and usually some kind of cultural club or activity. Their Tax Day Carnival, for instance, brought belly dancers, stilt walkers and lucha libre wrestling into a conversation about how tax dollars work.
Fourth of July is a natural fit for the group, a day that’s widely understood to be both about gathering (firework shows, barbecues, concerts in the park) and the grand civic institution called America.
This year’s annual In(ter)dependence Day at Cheesman Park starts with a botanical walk with herbalist Monticue Connally at 10 a.m. There will be henna, chalk art, poetry and plenty of music, along with an awards ceremony recognizing local heroes. If you’re in the Metro Denver area, take the opportunity to close out election week and celebrate civics by eating some fresh fruit, touching grass and remembering what it’s all about.
Free; 10 a.m., July 4; Cheesman Park Pavillion, 1900 E. 11th Ave., Denver
Other events to consider
- Love Letter from the Afterlife. A special multimedia evening anchored by the film premier of Andrea Gibson’s final performance, “Love Letter from the Afterlife.” The collaborative night combines poetry, storytelling and live music, featuring the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and singer Sara Bareilles. $50 and up; 7:30 p.m., July 5; Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway., Morrison
- Wildflower Week. Breckenridge’s first ever, 11-day festival dedicated to the columbine, the Parry’s primrose, the monkshood and the bluebells that bloom through the summer. Featuring free, guided hikes and bike rides, special botanical cocktails, flowery arts and crafts and live music all over town. Free; July 2-12; Various locations in Breckenridge
- First Fridays. July 3 isn’t just the start of a holiday weekend, but the first Friday of the month, which means arts districts all over the state are closing the streets, extending the hours, and offering arts, crafts and live music into the evening.
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.