10 (Mostly) Free Things to Do: May 2015 Edition

1. Listen: Five Points Jazz Festival

• Why you should go: We consider this festival—with more than 25 bands and eight stages—the official kickoff for the summer music season.
• Details: May 16, various locations, Denver

2. Get Dirty: Denver Botanic Gardens’ Spring Plant Sale

• Why you should go: The threat of frost is (almost) past, meaning that it is time to plant a garden and get some dirt under your fingernails. Get inspired at the Denver Botanic Gardens’ Spring Plant Sale (entrance is free). Bonus: Check out this month’s “Backyard Bounty” for urban homesteading tips.
• Details: May 8 to 9, Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver

3. Be Active: Poudre RiverFest

• Why you should go: Because protecting and restoring Colorado’s gorgeous waterways (see photo above) is crucial (oh, and there is live music, too).
• Details: May 30, Legacy Park, Fort Collins

4. Rock On: Denver Day of Rock

• Why you should go: Downtown’s streets become congested for this annual benefit—but with dancing concertgoers, not cars.
• Details: May 23, various locations, Denver

5. Tour: Swing By an Open House

• Why you should go: Even when we’re not house hunting, we’ve been known to spend a Saturday touring Denver, scoping out neighborhoods, and popping in to random open houses for fun research. (Tip: Use 5280‘s list of this year’s “Denver’s Best Neighborhoods” as a guide.)
• Details: Your choice, Denver

6. Shop: Stapleton Community Garage Sale

• Why you should go: You’re probably going to spend cash at this neighborhood-wide (we’re talking more than 350 participating homes) sale, but at least you’ll be getting a deal (think: barely used strollers and bikes).
• Details: May 16 to 17, Stapleton, Denver

7. Watch: Valley of the Dolls at Denver Public Library

• Why you should go: We never tire of the lineup of classic and quirky films shown at the library, including this month’s 1967 Valley of the Dolls.
• Details: May 26, Central Library, Denver

8. See: aBuzz Gallery’s Laurie Dodd Exhibit

• Why you should go: Dodd’s delicate combinations of dye, wax, paint, and ink are delightfully complex.
• Details: Opens May 28, aBuzz Gallery, Denver

9. Get Out: Head to the High Country

• Why you should go: It’s time to stash your coats, skis, and mittens in a closet, and pack your car with hiking boots, cameras, and so much more. Need inspiration? Read this month’s “Colorado’s Other High Season.”
• Details: Your choice, Colorado

10. Play: Johnson Habitat Park

• Why you should go: Denver is all about re-purposing spaces, including the newly revamped Johnson Habitat Park (part of the effort to clean up the banks of the South Platte River). Pack a picnic and lunch and skip out of work early for an afternoon along the river.
• Details: Your choice, Johnson Habitat Park, Denver

Looking for more things to do in Denver? Check out our events calendar.

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