5 Best Events in Denver, CO

Denver is a city that loves to celebrate. From food and film to art and live music, its calendar is packed with events that reflect the city’s creative heartbeat. Each season brings something new — a fresh reason to gather, explore, and experience the best of the Mile High City. Whether you’re searching for annual traditions, cultural festivals, or something that simply captures Denver’s unique energy, these five events deserve a spot on your list.

1. The Great American Beer Festival

Every fall, the Colorado Convention Center transforms into a paradise for beer lovers. The Great American Beer Festival is one of the largest and most anticipated events in Denver CO, drawing more than 60,000 attendees and hundreds of breweries from across the country.

The atmosphere is electric. You’ll find everything from crisp mountain lagers to experimental sours and hazy IPAs poured by passionate brewers. It’s not just about sampling — it’s about discovering creativity in every pint. Denver has long been a craft beer capital, and this festival is the heartbeat of that scene. Between the laughter, clinking glasses, and the aroma of malt and hops, it’s a sensory experience unlike any other.

For anyone who appreciates craftsmanship — or wants to capture the energy of people coming together around a shared love — it’s a dream event. The color, the movement, the pure joy on every face create endless opportunities for storytelling through imagery, making it a highlight for any Denver event photographer who thrives on documenting the city’s culture in motion.

2. Denver Arts Week

Each November, Denver transforms into one giant gallery during Denver Arts Week. The event celebrates every form of creativity the city has to offer — from fine art and street murals to live performances and immersive installations. For nine days, art spills out of studios, museums, and public spaces, connecting artists with audiences in unexpected ways.

You can explore everything from First Friday Art Walks in the Santa Fe Arts District to film screenings, ballet performances, and open-studio nights across the city. The energy is contagious. Galleries stay open late, neighborhoods light up with murals and projections, and local businesses get in on the fun with art-inspired menus and pop-up shows.

Denver Arts Week also makes the arts more accessible, with discounted museum admission and free events designed to encourage discovery. It’s a true reflection of how creativity and community intersect here. Whether you’re a lifelong collector or just someone who loves to explore, the event offers countless moments that remind you why Denver’s creative scene is one of the strongest in the country.

3. Cinco de Mayo Festival

Each spring, Civic Center Park bursts to life with color, sound, and the irresistible scent of street food during Denver’s annual Cinco de Mayo Festival. It’s one of the largest cultural celebrations in the city, attracting more than 400,000 visitors each year.

The festival honors Mexican heritage through music, dance, and food. You’ll find mariachi bands playing in the park, Aztec dancers performing traditional routines, and food vendors serving up everything from tacos and tamales to roasted corn and churros. The event has grown into a beloved city tradition that’s as much about community as it is about celebration.

Families, artists, and visitors of all backgrounds come together to share the experience. Between the bright costumes, the laughter, and the rhythm of live music echoing through downtown, it’s a feast for every sense. The energy feels both joyful and deeply rooted — a tribute to the diverse cultures that shape Denver’s identity.

4. Underground Music Showcase

When summer hits, South Broadway becomes the center of Denver’s live music universe. The Underground Music Showcase, known simply as UMS, is one of the city’s most exciting and eclectic festivals. Over three days, the neighborhood transforms into a bustling corridor of sound, with more than 200 local and national artists performing across multiple stages, bars, and pop-up venues.

There’s something incredibly authentic about UMS. You might discover your next favorite band playing a small dive bar, then step outside to hear a headliner lighting up the street stage. The energy shifts from laid-back afternoons to packed late-night sets that spill out onto the sidewalks. It’s chaotic, creative, and completely Denver.

The event highlights the strength of the city’s independent music scene and the sense of connection that comes with it. Fans, artists, and business owners come together to create a weekend that feels more like a community celebration than a commercial production. It’s also one of the most visually dynamic events of the year — colorful lights, crowds in motion, instruments gleaming under neon signs — offering endless inspiration for anyone who loves to capture authentic moments of local life.

5. Denver Film Festival

In the fall, the Denver Film Festival takes over theaters across the city, showcasing storytelling at its finest. It’s the largest film festival in the Rocky Mountain region and one of the most respected in the country. Over nearly two weeks, you can see everything from world premieres to indie gems and documentaries that stay with you long after the credits roll.

What makes the Denver Film Festival special is its intimacy. Screenings often feature Q&A sessions with directors, actors, and producers, giving audiences a direct connection to the creative process. The city’s theaters, from the Sie FilmCenter to the historic Paramount, provide the perfect backdrop — elegant yet comfortable, with an atmosphere that invites conversation and reflection.

Beyond the screenings, the festival hosts panels, workshops, and red-carpet events that highlight Denver’s growing influence in the world of film. It’s a celebration of stories in all their forms and proof that the city’s artistic reach extends far beyond the mountains.

Final Thoughts

Denver isn’t just a place with great events — it’s a place that knows how to celebrate what matters. The city’s gatherings are about connection: between art and audience, performer and fan, tradition and innovation. Each festival or showcase offers a different glimpse into what makes Denver special, from its craft beer roots to its artistic heart.

For visitors, these events are the perfect way to experience the spirit of the Mile High City. For locals, they’re annual reminders of how much creativity and community live right outside their door. And for anyone behind a camera — whether documenting joy at a parade, energy at a concert, or stillness between moments — Denver offers endless inspiration. There’s no shortage of stories waiting to be told by a skilled Denver event photographer who knows how to find beauty in every frame.