9Things to do in Denver and Colorado this weekend: March 1, 2, 3

COLORADO, USA — Welcome to March!

Whether you’re into winter festivals, soccer, live music or movies, you’re about to have a great weekend.

The Colorado Rapids hold their home opener in Commerce City, Leadville, Winter Park, Silverthorne, and Denver hold annual winter events, and the “Queen of Rap” Nicki Minaj is in the Mile High City.

Grab the hot cocoa, check out one of these fun events and share your photos with the Near Me feature on the 9NEWS app.

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LEADVILLE — The Leadville Ski Joring and Crystal Carnival is a weekend of mountain bike and Nordic ski races, paintball biathlon and plenty of winter fun. The Leadville Ski Joring involves a horse and rider racing down Leadville’s Harrison Avenue, pulling a skier holding a rope. Other events this weekend include live music, pancake breakfast, fat tire bike ride and more. Check out the weekend schedule in Leadville.

COMMERCE CITY — The Colorado Rapids hold their first home match of the 2024 season Saturday night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The Rapids and Nashville SC meet at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com.

The Rapids will be wearing their new “One Flag Kit.” The jersey features a waved checker pattern with the Rapids’ burgundy as the primary color and sky blue accents on the sleeves and edges. A Colorado state flag is featured on the back of the neck, and “96” is on the bottom corner of the jersey.

DENVER — Embrace winter this weekend by jumping into brisk water at Denver’s Wash Park. Denver Polar Plunge & 5K on Sunday features a splash and a dash — participants can do one or both. Following the water activities, the After Splash Bash will reward participants with drink and food tickets. Proceeds from the 5K and plunge benefit Special Olympics Colorado. Registration and donation information can be found at SpecialOlympicsCO.org.

GREENWOOD VILLAGE — The Cherry Creek Dam Road is the site of Sunday’s That Dam Run 13.1 Half Marathon, 10K and 5K. All three races begin between 8 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. at Cherry Creek Dam Road and South Dayton Street. Participants receive an official short sleeve shirt, free photos with Justin Beaver, finisher’s medal and post-race party. That Dam Run registration can be completed online.

SILVERTHORNE — The 7th annual First Friday Rail Jam is Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the Silverthorne Performing Arts Center. More than 100 athletes will compete for cash prizes in four categories: women’s ski, women’s snowboard, men’s ski, and men’s snowboard. There will be live music from DJ BKellZ, live art from Andy Moran and food from La Perla. Check out the full schedule at Silverthorne.org.

WINTER PARK — The longest running, true-to-Colorado ski and snowboard fundraising event Jane-A-Thon will be held Friday and Saturday. The 25th annual Jane-A-Thon is a ski/snowboard fundraiser that benefits Invest in Kids to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable young children and parents in Colorado. This weekend’s event will include skiing and après ski party.

DENVER — “Nicki Minaj Presents: Pink Friday 2 World Tour” arrives in Colorado this weekend. The “Queen of Rap” will perform Sunday night at 8 p.m. at Ball Arena in downtown Denver. Monica will be the opening guest. Tickets are available starting at $100 at Ticketmaster.com.

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — The 11th annual WinterWonderGrass Festival arrives this weekend with live music, beer halls and beer tastings, coffee bar, kids zone, food trucks and more. The three-day festival kicks off Friday and continues into Sunday. This year’s concert lineup features The Infamous Stringdusters, The Dead South, Paul Cauthen, Sierra Ferrell, Kitchen Dwellers, Lindsay Lou, Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway, Andy Frasco and the U.N., Clay Street Unit, and more. Check out the full festival lineup at WinterWonderGrass.com.

AURORA — Smoky Hill High School will hold its annual Spring Craft Fair this weekend. The Spring Craft Fair is sponsored by the SHHS PTCO, a group of Smoky Hill High School parent volunteers. The show will be held Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

DENVER  — The Rocky Mountain Region’s oldest and largest home and garden show is back for a second weekend at the Colorado Convention Center. More than 500 companies will be exhibiting the latest trends in landscaping, gardening and home improvement at the nine-day festival. The show features professionally landscaped gardens and the region’s top home improvement experts to help you get your projects moving forward. The Colorado Garden & Home Show runs through Sunday with tickets available at AXS.com.

DENVER — The Colorado Mammoth are back at the “Loud House” this weekend in Denver. The Mammoth face the Saskatchewan Rush at 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets start at $30.

DENVER — The Improvised Shakespeare Company is back at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts’ Garner Galleria Theatre. Each night, the company will create a fully improvised Shakespearean masterpiece right before the audience’s eyes. The evening of hilarious off-the-cuff comedy uses the language and themes of William Shakespeare, but with no planning, rehearsal or script. Will the play turn out to be a tragedy, comedy or history? Even the actors aren’t sure. Tickets for the company’s engagement, which runs through Sunday, April 28, are sold at DenverCenter.org.

DENVER  — Opera Colorado‘s production of Wagner’s “The Flying Dutchman” will be performed at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House on Friday and Sunday. “The Flying Dutchman” follows the story of the captain of a legendary ghost ship who is doomed to roam the seas and only come to land for one day every seven years. This production marks the return of Wagner to the Ellie Caulkins Opera House after 15 years. “The Flying Dutchman” features new sets from Emmy Award-nominated designer Alan E. Muraoka and direction from Kathleen Smith Belcher. Tickets for the production range from $39 to $219 and are available at operacolorado.org.

LOUISVILLE — Coal Creek Theater of Louisville is performing its new production “Charley’s Aunt.” At Oxford University in 1892, Jack and Charley invite their friends Amy and Kitty to meet Charley’s wealthy aunt from Brazil. Cancelling her visit at the last minute, the aunt sends the boys into cataclysmic confusion. The problem is solved by drafting their undergrad pal into pretending to be Charley’s Aunt. When the real aunt turns up, classic comic chaos ensues. “Charley’s Aunt” will be performed at Coal Creek Theater of Louisville at the Louisville Center for the Arts through Saturday, March 9.

DENVER — “Cebollas” is a new production now playing at Denver’s Singleton Theatre. Yolie, Celia, and Tere are three sisters forced to take an unexpected road trip from Albuquerque to Denver. Making their way north on I-25, they don’t travel for business or for pleasure. They just need to transport a dead body across state lines. But, then again, what are sisters for? “Cebollas” plays at the Denver Performing Arts Complex through Sunday, March. 17.

DENVER — The Denver Center for the Performing Arts has opened the new drama “Rubicon” at the Kilstrom Theatre. Based on a true story, “Rubicon” tracks the career of one of history’s most effective spies, Elizabeth “Betty” Pack as she transitions from society wife and mother to steely, seductive agent for British and American Intelligence in the years leading up to World War II. “Rubicon” was an audience favorite at the 2022 Colorado New Play Summit and now has its world premiere through Sunday, March 17.

BOULDER — The four-day Boulder International Film Festival runs through Sunday. The 20th annual festival features a variety of films from local, national, and international filmmakers. Actor Laura Linney will receive the Boulder International Film Festival Vanguard Award on Saturday. Tickets for the festival are on sale at biff1.com.

The box office doldrums are over. Movie theater owners and film lovers across the globe have been waiting for this weekend. “Dune: Part Two” finally arrives in theaters worldwide.

Denis Villeneuve’s movie, a sequel to 2021’s “Dune,” was delayed from the autumn until this weekend in order for its starry cast to help promote it. Fans can breathe easy as it appears “Part Two” was worth the wait. Reviews have been stellar and the movie should light up the box office for weeks.

1. “Bob Marley: One Love,” $13.5 million.
2. “Demon Slayer,” $11.5 million.
3.  “Ordinary Angels,” $6.5 million.
4. “Madame Web,” $6 million.
5. “Migration,” $3 million.
6. “Argylle,” $2.8 million.
7. “Wonka,” $2.5 million.
8. “Drive-Away Dolls,” $2.4 million.
9. “The Beekeeper,” $1.9 million.
10. “The Chosen,” Episodes 4-6, $1.7 million.

> Would you like to see your favorite Colorado festival, fair, expo, concert, drama, musical, ballet, run or event listed in 9Things? Send it to alexander.kirk@9news.com.

Have a terrific weekend! 

SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Colorado Guide

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