Rad Things to Do - July 2024

To quote the great hip-hop artist known as Nelly, “It’s getting hot in here.” Well, more like hot out here, but the point still stands, it’s flippin’ HOT outside. However, the July sun isn’t the only thing cookin’, as Denver’s music scene is whipping up an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord of concerts and music festivals. Throw in one of Denver’s largest art festivals and a pop culture convention that rivals the likes of San Diego and New York Comic Con, and Denverites are looking at a summer barbecue feast of rad things to do. Grab your fare, hop on board and check out what all is going on around the Denver metro area this month!

NOTE: Due to the ongoing impacts from the Downtown Rail Reconstruction Project, access to downtown via light rail is being provided via Union Station. Visit the Downtown Rail Reconstruction Project webpage for the latest updates.

Festivals, parades and holiday-themed events

July 4-7: Fan Expo Denver at the Colorado Convention Center

The largest pop culture expo between San Diego and New York City takes over the Colorado Convention Center July 4-7! The Fan Expo Denver brings together the best of television, movies, comics, gaming, anime and art for four days of pure nerdy bliss. Attendees can participate in celebrity Q&As, autograph sessions, photo ops, cosplays, panels, workshops and artist commissions. This year’s event brings some serious star power to the Mile High City, including Brie Larson (Captain Marvel, Room), Rosario Dawson (Star Wars: Ahsoka, Sin City), Ella Purnell (Fallout, Arcane), Jared Padalecki (Supernatural), Antony Starr (The Boys), Rainn Wilson (The Office), Andy Serkis (Star Wars, Planet of the Apes), and Susan Sarandon (Thelma & Louise, Dead Man Walking).

Attendees can catch any Union or Civic Center Station-bound bus or train and connect to the Free MallRide to 15th/17th and California streets.

July 5-7: Cherry Creek Arts Festival

Denver’s Cherry Creek neighborhood turns into the premier showcase for local and international artists at the Cherry Creek Arts Festival July 5-7. Over 250 artists from around the world bring their talents and paintings to the Cherry Creek neighborhood, where attendees can admire what has been created. The free festival also features live music, great food and shopping, creating unforgettable moments for attendees.

The festival is located on 2nd Avenue between Clayton and Adams streets, and between 2nd and 3rd avenues between Detroit and Adams streets, accessible via the route 3, 3L, 83D and 83L at 1st Avenue and Fillmore Plaza.

July 16: Sad Summer Music Festival 2024 at Mission Ballroom

Bust out the eyeliner, straighten those bangs and throw on the skinniest pair of black jeans possible and head to the Mission Ballroom July 16 to catch the largest touring emo and pop punk music festival around. The Sad Summer Music Festival brings together the genres’ most legendary acts and up-and-comers for a full day of great music and reminiscing about the good ol’ days of being a mall rat.

This year’s festival lineup includes Like Roses, Daisy Grenade, Diva Bleach, Hot Milk, The Summer Set, Knuckle Puck, Real Friends, We The Kings and The Wonder Years, co-headlined by The Maine and Mayday Parade.

Attendees can catch the A Line to 38th•Blake Station, where the festival grounds are a short 5-10 minute walk away.

July 20-21: Punk in Drublic Craft Beer and Music Festival at the Stockyards Events Center

One of the most prolific touring music festivals in the punk and ska music scenes returns to Denver! Head over to the Stockyards Event Center July 20-21 to mosh to the biggest and most influential punk and ska acts in history, including Teenage Bottlerocket, Comeback Kid, The Bronx, TSOL, Lagwagon, Suicidal Tendencies and MxPx. This year’s event also marks the final time punk pioneers NOFX will visit Denver as the band calls it quits after 40 years.

The festival can be accessed via the N Line at 48th & Brighton·National Western Center Station.

July 26-27: Global Dance Festival at the Stockyards Events Center

The largest electronic music festival in the Mountain West finds itself at a new home for the 2024 edition of Global Dance Festival. Global Dance Festival has been a staple of Denver’s electronic music scene for many years, showcasing why the city is one of the meccas for the genre. Previously located at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium, Global Dance Festival takes over the Stockyards Events Center this year, giving artists even more room to create unforgettable experiences for attendees.

As always, Global Dance Festival brings the best in electronic music to the Mile High City, and the 2024 lineup is no exception. Over 40 artists across the electronic music spectrum will perform at the festival, with notable acts this year including Kayzo, Said The Sky, Crankdat, Gryffin and The Chainsmokers.

The festival can be accessed via the N Line at 48th & Brighton·National Western Center Station.

Sports

It’s a pretty quiet month for sports. Rockies fans can enjoy four homestands at Coors Field, with the ever-popular fireworks game July 4 against the Milwaukee Brewers. UFC fans at the Ball Arena are in for a treat, as Fight Night comes to Denver, featuring a marquee fight between two of the meanest women mixed martial art (MMA) fighters around in a flyweight bout that is sure to be the talk of the MMA town for the days after.

Ball Arena (accessible via the E and W lines at Ball Arena·Elitch Gardens Station, as well as Routes 1, 15L and 20 at Auraria Parkway and 9th Street)

• July 13: UFC Fight Night: Barber vs. Namajunas
• July 27-28: Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live

Coors Field (accessible via any Union Station-bound bus or train)

Colorado Rockies (MLB):

• July 3-4: vs. Milwaukee Brewers
• July 5-7: vs. Kansas City Royals
• July 19-21: vs. San Francisco Giants
• July 22-24: vs. Boston Red Socks

Concerts

July’s concert slate is like a bag of Jolly Ranchers as there is quite literally a flavor for everyone. This month looks to be one of the most diverse concert lineups of the year, with nearly every genre represented by one of their top artists or bands. Notable performances this month include Kenny Chesney, Missy Elliott, Niall Horan, Hootie and the Blowfish, Slash, STS9 and As I Lay Dying.

In addition to standalone tours, three music festivals take place in July, bringing with them incredible artists from their respective genres.

Check out who all is performing just steps away from RTD stops and stations!

Not sure who to go see? Scroll down to the bottom of the page to check out music videos from some of the artists listed!

Empower Field at Mile High Stadium (accessible via the D, E, H and W lines at Empower Field at Mile High Station)

• July 27: Kenny Chesney and Zac Brown Band – “Sun Goes Down 2024 Tour”
  • Support: Megan Moroney and Uncle Cracker

Ball Arena (accessible via the D, E, H and W lines at Ball Arena·Elitch Gardens Station, as well as Routes 1, 15L and 20 at Auraria Parkway and 9th Street)

• July 10-11: Aventura – “Cerrando Ciclos”
• July 16: Missy Elliott – “Out of This World: The Experience”
  • Support: Ciara, Busta Rhymes and Timbaland
• July 18 and 20: AJR – “The Maybe Man Tour”
  • Support: mxmtoon
• July 19: Niall Horan – “’The Show’ Live On Tour 2024”
• Support: Del Water Gap
• July 23: Chris Brown – “The 11:11 Tour”
  • Support: Maeta and Muni Long
• July 30: Olivia Rodrigo – “Guts World Tour”
  • Support: PinkPantheress
• July 31: Alanis Morissette – “The Triple Moon Tour”
  • Support: Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, and Morgan Wade

Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre (accessible via the E and R lines at Arapahoe at Village Center Station)

• July 6: “Totally Tubular Festival” featuring Thomas Dolby, Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey, Modern English, Men Without Hats, The Tubes, Bow Wow Wow, Eddie Munoz of The Plimsouls and DJ Slavei
• July 10: Hootie and the Blowfish – “Summer Camp with Trucks Tour”
  • Support: Collective Soul and Edwin McCain
• July 17: “Barbie: The Movie in Concert” featuring Barbie Land and Sinfonietta
• July 27: Stick Figure, Sublime and Ziggy Marley – “Summer Greens 2024”
  • Support: Soja, Tribal Seeds, The Hip Abduction and Makua Rothman
• July 31: Neil Young and Crazy Horse – “Love Earth Tour”

Stockyards Event Center (accessible via the N Line at 48th & Brighton·National Western Center Station)

• July 20-21: Punk in Drublic Craft Beer and Music Festival
• July 26-27: Global Dance Festival

Mission Ballroom (accessible via the A Line at 38th·Blake Station)

• July 4: Zeds Dead
  • Support: Heyz and Lumasi
• July 12: Yelawolf and Prof
  • Support: Cowboy Killer and Grip
• July 16: The Sad Summer Festival featuring Mayday Parade, The Maine, The Wonder Years, We The Kings, Real Friends, Knuckle Puck, The Summer Set, Daisy Grenade and Like Roses
• July 17: Slash – “S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival”
  • Support: Keb’ Mo’, Samantha Fish and Jackie Venson
• July 18: YG – “Just Red Up”
  • Support: Doe Boy and DJ Vision
• July 19: Mike. – “Upside Down Tour”
• July 20: The Roots – “Hip-Hop is the Love of My Life 2024 Tour”
  • Support: Digable Planets
• July 23: The Decemberists
  • Support: Ratboys
• July 25: Wyatt Flores
  • Support: Noeline Hofmann
• July 26: The Gaslight Anthem – “History Books Tour”
  • Support: Joyce Manor and The Dirty Nil
• July 28: Streetlight Manifesto – “The Myth of Monsters Tour 2024”
  • Support: Rebuilder

Paramount Theatre (accessible via the Free MallRide at 17th Street and Glenarm Place)

• July 8: Ellen DeGeneres – “Ellen’s Last Stand… Up”
• July 12: Tyler Henry – “The Hollywood Medium”
• July 19: Il Divo – “XX: 20th Anniversary Tour”
• July 26: Craig Conover and Austen Kroll – “Pillows and Beer Live”
• July 28: Flow – “2024 Anime Shibari Tour”
• July 29: Rumors of Fleetwood Mac
• July 30: Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo

Fillmore Auditorium (accessible via Route 15 at Colfax Avenue and Emerson Street or Colfax Avenue and Clarkson Street)

• July 6: Drive-By Truckers – “Southern Rock Opera Revisited 2024”
• July 12: PartyNextDoor – “Sorry, I’m Outside Tour”
• July 31: Young Miko – “XOXO Tour 2024”

Ogden Theatre (accessible via Route 15 at Colfax Avenue and Emerson Street or Colfax Avenue and Clarkson Street)

• July 12: Blackberry Smoke – “Be Right Here Tour”
  • Support: Cousin Curtiss
• July 17: Lucky Dave – “The Algorithm Tour”
  • Support: Fana Hues
• July 19: STS9
• July 23: Ben Howard – “…is it? North America 2024”
  • Support: John Francis Flynn
• July 27: The Aquabats!
  • Support: The Aggrolites and Left Alone

Oriental Theater (accessible via Route 44 at West 44th Avenue and Tennyson Street)

• July 6: Necrot – “Lifeless Birth Tour”
  • Support: Phobophilic, Street Tombs and Axeslasher
• July 10: Wine & Crime Podcast Live
• July 18: 10 Years
  • Support: Inthewhale and As We Rise
• July 19: Sage Francis
  • Support: Metermaids, BlackLiq and Jivin’ Scientists
• July 23: Caspian and And So I Watch You From Afar

Bluebird Theater (accessible via Route 15 at Colfax Avenue and Cook Street)

• July 6: Blitzen Trapper
  • Support: Louisa Stancioff
• July 9: The dangerous Summer – “Come Back to Earth Tour”
  • Support: Bad Luck and roecoloredworld
• July 11: Whethan – “Life of a Wallflower Two”
  • Support: Chet Porter and Super Computer
• July 12: Genix – “You.Me.Now Album Tour
  • Support: Adam Stark and Ham
• July 18: Dave Barnes
  • Support: Steve Moakler
• July 19: Dead On A Sunday
  • Support: Deceits and Hex Cassette

HQ (accessible via Route 0 at South Broadway and West Bayaud Avenue)

• July 5: Glass Spells
  • Support: Hex Cassette and DJ Eli
• July 11: Sungrave
  • Support: Cruel Mourning and Make It So
• July 12: The Swashbuckling Doctors
• July 19: Tylor and the Train Robbers
  • Support: Thieves Cant
• July 21: The Soap Girls – “Wild at Heart World Tour”
  • Support: The Born Readies and Rubber Goddess
• July 25: Bleed Moxie – “‘Women’s Society’ Album Release Show”
  • Support: Audrey Riggs, LoPod and R3D1
• July 31: Smile Empty Soul
  • Support: Ram Savage and Concrete Feedback

Gothic Theatre (accessible via Route 0 at South Broadway and Eastman Avenue, or South Broadway and West Floyd Avenue)

• July 13: Pallbearer
  • Support: Inter Arma and The Keening
• July 17: Dr. Dog
• July 18: AB6IX
• July 22: Jxdn
  • Support: Gunnar and Lølø
• July 28: Sapphira Cristál

Summit Music Hall (accessible via Routes 0, 9, 15 and 20 at 18th and Blake streets, or via Route 52 at 20th and Blake streets)

• July 6: Zenith
• July 9: Standards
  • Support: Moondough and Shadowrabbitt
• July 11: Louie TheSinger – “Desperado Tour”
• July 13: Hedex
  • Support: Mozey
• July 16: As I Lay Dying
  • Support: Chelsea Grin and Entheos
• July 20: Misery Signals – “Blood is Forever, Love is Forever Farewell Tour”
  • Support: Mouth for war, Foreign Hands and Trench
• July 23: Northlane – “Mirror’s Edge North American Tour”
  • Support: Invent Animate, Thornhill and Windwaker
• July 24: Emily Nenni
  • Support: Extra Gold
• July 26: Jeezy – “Playlist Concert”
• July 31: Heart to Gold
  • Support: Flora de la Luna, Viewfinder and Bury Mia
    
    

Marquis Theatre (accessible via Routes 52 and RX at 20th and Larimer streets, or via Route 38 at Larimer and 21st streets)

• July 3: Koyo
  • Support: One Step Closer, Anxious, Prize Horse and Eyes of Salt
• July 6: Heembeezy
• July 7: Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows
  • Support: Savage Hands, Downswing and The Requiem
• July 9: Eidola
  • Support: Royal Coda, Wolf & Bear and Sani Bronco
• July 10: Fiddlehead
  • Support: Public Opinion
• July 13: Redd Kross
• July 16: Etran De L’aïr
• July 17: Antisaint
  • Support: The Trujillo Company and Spitting Image
• July 18: Quasi – “Featuring ‘Birds’ Tour”
  • Support: Jeffrey Lewis
• July 19: Closure in Moscow
  • Support: Toehider
• July 20: The Resistance
  • Support: Otsukare and Swando
• July 21: Futuristic
  • Support: Gremlin, Dave Luv and J Rob the Chief
• July 28: Off With Their Heads
  • Support: Plasma Canvas and Bad Year
• July 31: The Georgia Thunderbolts

Theatre

Check out what’s going on this month below and snag tickets to the following events at https://www.denvercenter.org/tickets-events/.

DCPA can be accessed via the Free MallRide at 15th and Curtis streets.

Garner Galleria Theatre

July 17-31: The Second City: Comedian Rhapsody

Buell Theatre

• July 8-20: Some Like It Hot
• July 24-Aug. 25: Wicked