Technically, summer slides into September. But we still think of August as the unofficial end to the summer season. Let’s make the most out of it with this roundup of events and opportunities we find to be In Good Taste for the month. Oh, and Happy 146th birthday, Colorado! You’re looking pretty fabulous. A special “thank you” our August roundup sponsor, Mulay’s Sausage, a Colorado company we love to support and rely on for our every craving of sausage deliciousness. Find out why we’re such big fans, below.
Congratulations to Mulay’s Sausage for being the only sausage company certified free of all “Big 9” food allergens (wheat, milk, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, and sesame), and for being Paleo and Keto certified. Mulay’s products adhere to the Paleo Foundation’s highest quality standards with no sugar, nitrates, preservatives, grains, legumes, or fillers. They are also antibiotic free – specifically No Antibiotics Ever (NAE) were given to their heritage hogs. The products are also gluten free, as certified by the National Celiac Association. To top it off, Mulay’s Sausage is a woman-owned and family-run business, headed by Loree Mulay Weisman. Explore all of the products on their website plus get recipes for enjoying Mulay’s Sausage throughout the year.
Ongoing Events In Good Taste in August
AETHER Apparel, the outerwear brand, is partnering with Corrida for an AETHERstream experience in Boulder. The opening party is Aug. 18, then shop and enjoy a happy hour daily through Aug. 28 (except Aug. 23).
Barcelona Wine Bar has launched Happy Hour with drink and food specials that highlight new items not found on the regular menu. Deals include half price on all bottles of sparkling wine, specialty martinis, Crispy Eggplant, Piquillo Peppers, NY Beef Tartare, deviled eggs and Mini Churros with dulce de leche.
Breck Peach Pod is a partnership between Breckenridge Brewery and Talbott Farms for a glamping getaway at the orchard where the Brewery’s Palisade Peach Wheat Ale comes from. Tour the orchard, hike, and camp. Bookings are available this month.
Cantina Loca, Dana Rodriguez’s LoHi spot serves a Tuesday special of a Cantina Loca margarita and two tacos for $10 from 4pm to close. Additional drink specials include Mexican beers for $3 and a well tequila shot for $4.
Civic Center EATS and Civic Center MOVES run through Sept. 1. So go now and go often throughout August to enjoy EATS every Thursday with a variety of food trucks and MOVES for workouts three times/week.
Cook Street Culinary School has a variety of classes this month, some of which are one-time and others that are part of a series. Examples include Sushi, Tapas, and Art of Baking & Pastry. Check out their calendar for details.
Denver Days runs through Aug. 7 with daily events including Denver Trivia Night, Pop Up Block Party, Nonprofit Community Resource Fair, yoga, crafts, music and more.
Denver Makers Markets let you shop local vendors, crafters, and artisans. Plus there are always food trucks at their events so you don’t drop while you shop. Visit their website for dates and locations.
Douglas County Fair & Rodeo runs through Aug. 7 with a marketplace, petting zoo, carnival, concerts, BBQ competition, and more.
FlyteCo Brewery is opening their 20,000-square-foot FlyteCo Tower brewpub in early- to mid-August. There’ll be bowling and mini golf with aviation-focused features like exhibits from the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. The menu draws on iconic restaurants and upscale twists on traditional bar food. In addition to beer, there will be a wine and spirits list all under the FlyteCo name.
Free AEG Concert Tickets for a Year can be had, thanks to Breckenridge Brewery, known for hosting concerts. To celebrate their Juice Drop IPA Lineup, they have the Juice Drop Ticket Drop where one winner gets 4 tickets to 2 concerts/month for a year at Mission Ballroom, The Ogden, Gothic, and The Bluebird, and more. Enter now through Sept. 30.
Hickabee, Colorado’s own bluegrass-inspired Americana band will be performing two free concerts as Dairy Block’s Artists on the Rise series for August. They’ll perform Aug. 14 and Aug. 28.
Kitchen Takeover Series at Fuel & Iron features Meta Asian Kitchen on Aug. 8 and Chef Jose Avila of La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal on Aug. 22. The goal is to showcase a combination of up-and-coming restaurateurs who are soon to open their first brick-and-mortar locations along with established chefs trying new concepts.
Live Music @ Denver Central Market has live DJs every Friday (August 5, 12, 19, 26), 7 – 10pm. Get drinks, entrée, and desserts from the Market’s various vendors to enjoy with the music.
Modern Women/Modern Vision: Works from the Bank of America Collection, runs through Aug. 28 at the Denver Art Museum. It celebrates the bold and dynamic contributions of women to photography in the 20th century.
Monday Night Movies at Edgewater Public Market include outdoors, family-friendly and adult classics as suggested by the Edgewater community. They run through Sept. 26, starting at sundown.
Monday Night Special at Osaka Ramen celebrates Summer ’22 with a ramen bowl and cocktail for $20.22, available through Sept. 30.
My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish & I’m in Therapy!, plays at the Lakewood Cultural Center, Aug. 3-21. It’s described as “one part lasagna, one part kreplach, and two parts Prozac.”
Night Bazaars happen every Saturday night at Sloan’s Lake with vendors, bands, street food and cocktails. They run through Sept. 24.
Noisette, a French restaurant owned by husband-and-wife team, Tim and Lillian Lu, begins taking dinner reservations Aug. 5 via Tock. They will be open Wed.-Sun., starting at 5pm. The emphasis will be on “cuisine bourgeoise,” characterized by the type of home cooking of middle-class French families.
NuRange Coffee, Colorado makers of ethically-sourced, canned, cold-brew coffee drinks, is now available in King Soopers, City Market, Whole Foods Market, Leevers Locavore, the Broadmoor Hotel, The Art Hotel, Omni Interlocken Hotel, Jacquard Hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, select Walmarts, and more.
People + Produce is a weekly Farmers Market series running every Saturday through Oct. 2. Shop locally- and sustainably-grown produce, baked goods, artisanal products and more plus food trucks and fashion trucks, a beer garden, and live music.
PIXAR PUTT, a pop-up, open air mini-golf experience coming to Denver in September, is selling tickets as of Aug. 8. Staged at McGregor Square’s Rally Hotel, Sept. 3-Nov. 27, play 18 family-friendly, interactive holds inspired by the stories, characters and icons of some of Disney and Pixar’s most popular films.
Pretty Woman: The Musical, runs Aug. 2-14 at the Buell Theatre. After a successful run on Broadway, the Audience Choice Award-winner comes to Denver, and is based on the popular movie.
Right Cream has partnered with For[a]ged to bring unique ice cream flavors to a to-go window facing Blake’s Passage in the Dairy Block Alley. Right Cream serves handcrafted ice cream paired with homemade mix-ins, including cookies, toffees, brownies, caramels, sauces and more – many made with Colorado products like Palisade peaches and cherries.
Slopper Slider Eating Challenge at Fuel & Iron Bar runs through Aug. 14. Enter to win a $200 grand prize eating six slopper sliders (Pueblo’s iconic green-chili-covered burger) within five minutes. The top ten completion times will make it to the final round in August. Stop in and request to take the challenge for an entry fee of $35 for the six slopper sliders.
Street Food Social is a monthly pop-up at Oneida Park and Downtown Lakewood with live tunes, food from multiple street food vendors and food trucks, drinks, and more.
Sushi-Rama BINGO is back. For every item you order off the card, get a stamp. Blackout the entire card over multiple visits and receive a $25 gift card. Fill out the back of the Bingo card for a chance to win free sushi for a year. Happy Hour playing is not included. Winner will be announced Sept. 30.
Telluride Mushroom Festival, Aug. 17-21, celebrates all things mycological including a wild foods dinner demo and news of the latest advancements in mushroom science.
The Rocky Horror Show, presented by disability-affirmative Phamaly Theatre Company, runs Aug. 12-Sept. 4. There are interactive and non-interactive performances available.
Theater of the Mind runs through Dec. 18. The immersive journey helps us take a look at how we see and create our worlds. Co-created by Academy, Grammy, and Tony Award-winning artist David Byrne and writer Mala Gaonkar, the show uses stories from their own lives to shape a narrative you’ll see, feel, taste and hear.
Tiny Rock Concerts Series returns to the Colorado Music Festival, through Aug. 7. These are free, ten-minute, pop-up performances that happen at Boulder’s Chatauqua Park trailhead, with the flatirons in the background. Check the schedule to see who is playing, when.
You Select: A Community-Curated Exhibition opens at Clyfford Still Museum, Aug. 19, running through Fe. 12, 2023. Art loves from the Denver area voted on their favorite museum works and this exhibit represents those selections, presented in a unique way.
Dated events that are In Good Taste in August
August 1 – Colorado Day
Colorado Day Bake-a-Palooza features bite-sized treats from a dozen local spots, including authentic French croissants and pastries from Trompeau Bakery. That’s the same bakery that supplies breads, bagels and desserts to Denver-staple Zaidy’s Deli. The event is held at the State Capitol and is free to attend.
History Colorado celebrates with a free, day-long festival at the museum. More than 20 attractions come together for the free event that includes gold panning, chalk art, an alpaca petting zoo, sports team mascots, life music, dance performances, and much more. RSVP here.
Film on the Rocks features Summer of Soul from Academy Award-winning filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, who takes us back to the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival that not nearly enough people knew the impact of, until now. Hear The Reminders musical duo perform, live.
August 2
Floral Jewelry Class by Rowdy Poppy at Infinite Monkey Theorem shows you how to make a floral cuff bracelet along with either a ring or a pair of earrings! Ticket includes all materials, hands-on instruction and a glass of wine.
August 3
Celebrate Colorado Week at Number Thirty Eight, Aug. 3-7. There’ll be drag parties, silent discos, drinks and food from Split Lip an Eat Place.
Jovanina’s Broken Italian serves chilled raw oysters ($3.95) featuring a pomegranate mignonette or wood oven-roasted oysters ($3.95), with baked with prosciutto-herb butter for a golden-brown topping.
Roadhouse Brewing Co is taking over Denver newcomer Ephemeral Rotating Taproom. There’ll be a range of Roadhouse’s exclusive brews that are coming to this market. Enjoy special beer flights and beer cocktails at this recently opened beer bar, located in an historic building in Denver’s Skyland neighborhood, just northwest of the City Park Golf Course.
Urban Farmer offers freshly shucked East and West coast mollusks served with lemon and mignonette ($4.50 each).
Water Grill offers first-of-season seafood and a broad selection of finfish, lobsters, crabs, oysters and shellfish including Kumamotos and Wellfleets, lesser-seen options such as Taber Points, Oishis, and Blue Pools as well as unique selections including the Honeymoon Oyster ($13), which consists of freshly shucked oysters served with uni roe, tobiko, ikura and quail egg.
August 4
Black Angus Steakhouse will be hosting a three-course Tequila Dinner experience at all of its locations. Each course will be paired with a top-shelf tequila.
Breckenridge August Art Festival, running Aug. 4-6, is a nationally-ranked festival featuring artists in 13 fine art categories. Admission is free.
Dancing in the Park, presented by the Vail Dance Festival, is a one-of-a-kind, participatory performance that is free. It includes break-dance, ballroom, and other styles.
Denver Burger Battle, benefitting Firefly Autism, has area restaurants competing to determine who has the best burger in town – something they’ll tout throughout the next 12 months, and beyond.
August 5 – National Oyster Day
Beat the Heat BBQ & Brews happens in Alamosa, Aug. 5-6. Professional BBQ teams from all over the country compete for $15,000 in cash prizes. There’s also a Corn Hole Tournament, Hogwaller Mud Run, live music, and Craft Beer Tasting.
Blue Island Oyster Bar celebrates National Oyster Day Aug. 5-7 by serving up their wide variety of East and West Coast oysters, shipped in almost daily. Reservations are recommended.
Leadville Boom Days, Aug. 5-7, is a three-day celebration of the mining town’s 1880s silver rush heritage. The festival celebrates the Old West with burro races, contests of mining skill, a parade, car show, and a street fair with food and craft booths.
Root Beer Float Day, hosted for the 4th year by Sheraton Denver Downtown, benefits Children’s Hospital Colorado. The floats will use Rocky Mountain Soda Co. Root Beer and Sweet Action Ice Cream.
Tammen’s Fish Market celebrates National Oyster Day by heading to its sister restaurant, Il Posto, to celebrate with all-you-can-eat oysters, welcome champagne, one-on-one shucking instruction and a cocktail, all for a $50 ticket. A portion of the proceeds will support Project Angel Heart.
VORTEX, is an outdoor festival experience with three days of food and drink trucks, experiential art, offbeat performers, wild costumes, and more, running Aug. 5-7. This is a MeowWolf event but happens at The Junk Yard.
August 6
Bluegrass and Brews at Belleview Station is TheBigWonderful’s event with live music, a mini-beer fest, food from area food trucks, lawn games and more.
Boulder Taco Fest brings you a lucha libre wrestling match to watch, live music to jam out to, many tacos to eat and tequila and beer to wash it down with.
Colfax Art Jams are every first Saturday of the month in Fletcher Plaza. Enjoy free concerts and performances plus artisans and makers. Taste authentic foods from the local food truck community.
Keystone’s 25th Annual Bluegrass and Beer Festival runs Aug. 6-7 with three stages of live music, more than 25 breweries giving unlimited samples. There’s also loads of food from area vendors and activities for families.
Moffat County Balloon Festival includes a 5K Color Run/Walk, Duck Race, live music, Cardboard Regatta, and other activities.
Olathe Sweet Corn Festival kicks off with a parade and includes live music, loads of corn to eat, and food from other vendors.
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream opens in Boulder with $1 scoops for the day. The made-from-scratch French and vegan ice creams is made with double the amount of egg yolks of standard ice cream.
August 7
Parker Honey Festival is a free event promoting education about the benefits of honeybees. See hives and how bees make honey, sample honey, learn about bee-friendly plants, enjoy storytimes, and exhibitors.
Renditions Dinner Series at Nocturne combines gastronomy and music. Enjoy a five-course menu that plays off of the music selections of the night.
August 8
Plein Air Art Festival in Snowmass Village, is Aug. 8-14. Eighteen Colorado artists will spend four days painting the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape. On the 13th and 14th, view the artwork and purchase favorite pieces.
August 10
Tails & Ales is a dog party raising money at Number Thirty Eight for local shelters. There’ll be a Bone Bar and Pup Pool Party plus dogs for adoption. All proceeds from the August event will benefit MAMCO Rescue which specializes in finding homes for pregnant and nursing dogs.
August 11
DIY Terrariums will be the craft of the night at Infinite Monkey Theorem. Make a Modern Wall Terrarium and enjoy one glass of wine included in your ticket price.
Winemaker Hang – Flight & Bites with Tom Caruso of Pray Tell, enables you to combine conversation with the Willamette Valley winemaker with paired bites, at Noble Riot.
Vail Wine Classic, Aug. 11-13, brings wine enthusiasts together with winemakers. Sample from hundreds of high end wines and spirits, plus food. There are also wine dinners, educational seminars, and Grand Tastings.
August 12
Freedom Street Social, Arvada’s new food hall, hosts its inaugural Supper Club Dinners on the 12th and 13th. The 5-course dinner is created by Resident Chef Tracy Rogers and Chef Tajahi Cooke. It includes Potato Latkes, Five Spiced Chicken, and Sticky Toffee Pudding.
Peach Week, running Aug. 8-14, features a three-course, beer-paired, Palisade Peach Wheat Beer Dinner on Aug. 12 along with a peach-centric Harvest Market of peach products, brought to you by Breckenridge Brwery.
August 13
Peach Peelin’ Party is happening for the 3rd year at LUKI Brewery. Help the brewery prep pounds and pounds of Palisade peaches for the return of their “That’s Just Peachy” brew. As a thank you, LUKI will provide a coupon for 10% off your tab and free crowler of the beer when it’s ready in September. Sign up as space is limited. (PIC)
RiNo Beer Fest, with a 90’s theme, includes a dance party, food trucks, costume contest, and more than 30 breweries.
The Red Barber and Catbird Celebrate One-Year Anniversary and raise money for No Kid Hungry through entertainment including magicians, fire dancers, tarot card readers, and live music. Tito’s Homemade Vodka will bring their blender bike to encourage healthy competition amongst local celebrities who will race to blend the fastest cocktails and raise the most money for charity. The event is free to attend, but RSVPs are encouraged here.
Vail Brew’au is a Brew Fest + Luau with unlimited samples of craft brews, live music, hula performance, kids’ activities, lawn games, water lanterns, and food trucks.
August 17
Cherry Creek Al Fresco – A Food & Wine Event, running Aug. 17-20, celebrates the diverse and sophisticated tastes of the neighborhood’s eclectic dining scene and benefits Food for Thought Denver, a nonprofit organization striving to eliminate weekend hunger for children. Enjoy classes, parties, seminars, and other events.
August 18
Rare: A Steak Championship brings the area’s top restaurants together so they can show off the creative and delicious ways they have with steak, each paired with a cocktail or wine of their choosing plus live entertainment.
Riverfront Park Summer Session concerts continue with an evening of live music, food and drink, and shopping. Admission is free.
August 19
RugbyTown Sevens Tournament, running through Aug. 21, features rugby matches with teams from countries all over the world plus five military branches. There’ll also be a free arcade and food trucks.
August 20
Blue Spruce Brewing Company in Littleton offers up darts, corn hole, ladder ball, foosball and beersbee so that teams of two can compete in a bracket of bar game fun to benefit Firefly Autism.
Cidermass features hard cider and distillery tastings from 25 vendors who come from all over the country, to gather in Snowmass.
Distilled: Tequila and Tacos features Maestro Dobel tequila samples paired with tacos from local favorite, La Perla. Enjoy a complimentary drink, three different tequila samples, and three street tacos while experiencing local music, on the Warren Station patio in Keystone.
Next Level Burger (NLB) celebrates its grand opening in the Denver University neighborhood. As America’s first 100 percent plant-based burger chain, they are fighting climate change by serving burgers for a better world, made with all-organic veggies and non-GMO ingredients. They also offer Crispy Chik’n sandwiches and tenders baskets plus loaded fries, hand-spun shakes, and more.
SOCO Libation Fest, in Florence, has live music, food trucks, craft beer plus cider, spirits, and wine.
Under the Stars Dinner Series, by Citizen Rail, is back with dinners in August, and September, featuring three courses around one seasonal ingredient. Enjoy the meal, family-style, on the patio. There will be a welcome drink and optional wine pairing add-on. August’s meal is based on tomatoes. The Sept. 10 meal is based on Palisade Peaches.
August 21
La Bouche Sip & Script provides an introduction to modern calligraphy (hello, crafters and brides-to-be), plus a beginner’s calligraphy kit and all materials. Arrive early to get your seat and purchase cocktails.
Stanley Marketplace Film on the Field “Grease” Costume Party happens just after the death of dear Olivia Newton-John, co-star of the film, giving us even more reason to go. Wear your best 50’s costumes and enter to win some great prizes.
August 24
ReelAbilities Film Festival Denver, Aug. 24-28, hosted by JCC Mizel Arts and Culture Center, promotes awareness and appreciation of the lives, stories, and artistic expressions of people with disabilities. The festival includes nine films showing in-person and 13 films that can be accessed virtually along with supplemental programming and Q&As.
August 25
International Bacon Day (Sept. 3) is celebrated at Snooze A.M. Eatery Aug. 25-Sept. 7. There’ll be pork specials including the Graceland Pancake with banana, peanut butter, and bacon and a savory Bacon and Eggs pancake with bacon inside and an egg on top. 100 percent of the proceeds from these specials will go to No Kid Hungry and their mission to end childhood hunger.
Osaka Ramen’s August Pop-Up benefitting AAPI Civic Engagement Fund (receiving a portion of all proceeds) gets you a set late-night menu featuring off-the-menu specials like a Tonkatsu Sandwich, Fried Takoyaki (Yaki sauce, Kewpie Mayo, green onion and bonito, edamame & shredded carrots), 3 pieces of housemade Green Gyoza and 2 drinks (choose between Nihon Sakari Junmai sake, Sho Chiku Bai Nigori sake, or Osaka’s Signature Tivoli beer).
The Vegan Harvest Dinner has returned to Jill’s Restaurant. This is the first of a three-part series of community-seated, three-course, vegan dinners held on the lawn of the St. Julien hotel in Boulder. Ingredients come from the on-site garden and local partners.
August 26
Breckenridge Hogfest, aka Bacon & Bourbon, runs Aug. 26-28 with a Bourbon Pairing Dinner, Grand Tasting, Sunday Brunch, many samples of pork, whiskeys, scotches, and spirits plus live music.
Fuel & Iron Food Hall has a concession stand at the Colorado State Fair, through Sept. 5. Until the Food Hall officially opens later this fall, get a taste from the tenants who’ll be there including Steel Crescent Kitchen, Mosh Romen, and more, who’ll be preparing Shimp Po’Boys to quesabirria tacos on a rotating schedule.
August 27
29th Summer Art Market, hosted by the Art Students League of Denver, showcases work from more than 120 local artists, from emerging artists to seasoned ones. There will be shopping, art-making demonstrations, kids’ activities, and food/drink vendors.
Another Year Around the Block is the celebration of Larimer Square’s birthday. There’ll be tunes by the Something Vinyl Club and Brothers of Brass, plus free historic walking tours of the block by Tell Me More Tours. Captain Crepes will serve savory crepes with the first 250 being free for attendees. There’ll be family-friendly crafts, shopping specials, and a major chalk art piece by local artist Jennifer Mosquera.
Factory Fashion hosts Paella Night with Chef Jose Manuel Marquez and music by Miguel Espinoza Fusion. Watch Chef prepare Paella before your eyes, then enjoy the feast, while enjoying live music. We’ve attended one of these events and it’s wonderful!
RiNo Showcase at Number Thirty Eight supports local artists by enabling them to keep 100% of their sales at the event. Musical guests include Neon the Bishop and artisan vendors like Leaf and Marrow Jewelry. See who else will be there on the website.
Rooted in the Blues – A Double Header, in Leadville, features Native American musician Cary Morin and Ghost Dog and jazz/R&B/blues legend, Hazel Miller and the Collective.
Saturday Serve brings a special drag brunch series to The Original, with resident host queen Laura Menorah. Enjoy performances at 12:30 and 2pm and favorite food and drink. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Shine Music Festival 2022, at Civic Center Park, presents live, local music from 11 bands, on two stages, with a variety of food and vendors. Admission is free.
Snowmass Rendezvous brings unlimited wine, beer, and spirit tastings, outdoor gear activations, live music, and games. End the evening with a free concert on Fanny Hill, presented by Two Parts.
West Denver Brewery Bike Loop starts at Odell Brewing Company – Sloan’s Lake. The series gets bikers riding a loop of four neighborhood breweries. Get $1 off a full pour of choice at each brewery and earn a free beer at the last stop. This ride’s theme is “I love the 90s.”
August 28
Denver BrunchFest lets you sample brunch items from a variety of local restaurants plus a full bottomless brunch bar with mimosas and bloody marys.
Plan ahead for What’s In Good Taste in September:
Sept. 1 – Rebel Bread begins its first virtual course, Sourdough at Home, through its new Camp Bread platform.
Sept. 1-4 – Yampa Valley Crane Festival enables you to witness the great crane migration through Colorado.
Sept. 2-3 – Circus Foundry, a circus company out of Denver presents their original production, “Smoke & Mirrors” at Dairy Arts Center.
Sept. 3-5 – A Taste of Colorado means concerts from local and national performers, loads of food vendors, shopping, and carnival.
Denver Chalk Art Festival brings artists from around the world to create their artistry on the streets.
Sept. 6-10 – Denver Food + Wine Festival – Grand Tasting. The multi-day event showcases dozens of restaurants and hundreds of wines and spirits.
Sept. 8 – Denver Urban Gardens’ annual gala, “Gather ‘Round” celebrates the gardens’ bounty. This year’s event is co-hosted by Denver food legends, Pete Turner, Dana Rodriguez, and Brad Reubendale. Enjoy plant-based food and live music.
Sept. 15-17 – Breckenridge Wine Classic invites you to sip on the best selection of wines from around the world while enjoying small bites and concerts.
Sept. 23-25 – Pueblo Chile & Frijoles Festival celebrates the tasty, spicy pepper in all its glory with vendors and competitions.
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