Things to do: The ‘Goonies’ at sunset; Denver lantern festival returns
Bright Nights at Four Mile
Through Oct. 5: The Bright Nights lantern festival is back at Four Mile Historic Park with weekly dates through Oct. 5. This year’s themes showcase “whimsical Farmhouse Flora and Fauna,” where you can “step into a surreal Chinese Dreamland, and dive into an expanded interactive zone full of surprises,” organizers said.
In other words: a walkable, kid-friendly experience with plenty of photo ops, all taking place under 40 or so larger-than-life sculptures. On-site food and treats will be available, and kids can play on swings, try their hands at a panda whack-a-mole and make “a video call with the Cleveland Asian Lantern Festival.” (There are also 21-and-up nights on Aug. 27 and Sept. 17.)
Tickets: $21-$48, with food upgrades available; kids 3 and under free. General park admission is 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and costs $6-$8 (kids 6 and under free). 715 S. Forest St. in Denver. Call 720-865-0800 or visit fourmilepark.org/brightnights for details.
Kirkland Museum goes kid-friendly
Friday: The littlest kids likely don’t appreciate the design brilliance at the Golden Triangle’s Kirkland Museum, but then again, they’ve never really had the chance. The 13-and-up policy was removed in June, however, and on Friday, Aug. 1, Kirkland will host Art Crawl: A Tour for Infants and Their Caregivers to The Kirkland.
Now a part of the Denver Art Museum, the Kirkland joined with DAM and the nearby Clyfford Still Museum to give little kids and their parents a guided tour of the salon-style exhibitions and colorful pieces, which celebrate late artist Vance Kirkland and his Technicolor milieu. The free tour runs 10:30-11:15 a.m. Friday and meets in front of the Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway in Denver. Sign up at denverartmuseum.org/en/calendar/art-crawl-kirkland.
Free ‘Goonies’ at Sunset
Tuesday: The ongoing Sunset Cinema Series at the Denver Performing Arts Complex this week turns toward the 1985 coming-of-age comedy/adventure “The Goonies.” Whether you’ve seen it 50 times or not at all, the free event in downtown’s iconic Sculpture Park offers more than just the outdoor screening, with local food trucks, pre-show entertainment from DJ Cyn, movie snacks and drinks (including craft cocktails), and selfie and photo ops.
Doors open at 6 p.m., with the pre-show at 6:30. The film begins at 7:30 p.m., and you should plan to bring your own chairs and blankets. All ages. Register at eventbrite.com and visit artscomplex.com/summer for more details.
‘Moulin Rouge’ at the Buell
Wednesday-Aug. 17: The jukebox musical “Moulin Rouge,” based on the 2001 fantasy-romance by Baz Luhrmann, conjures high-minded ideals while serving up plenty of steamy dialogue and choreography. The touring Broadway version, which triumphed in Denver during its initial visit in April 2025, is a must-see for Broadway fans looking for a visual and auditory feast, as well as some lovely escapism.
The show runs Wednesday, Aug. 6, through Aug. 17 at the Buell Theatre in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Tickets are available from Denver Center for the Performing Arts for $53.10-$159.30 via denvercenter.org/tickets-events. It takes place at 1350 Curtis St. in downtown Denver.
