🎻 Boulder musicians rally to save the Merc + 41 things to do

This week’s Culture Club is sponsored by the Downtown Boulder Partnership, which is kicking off the holiday season Nov. 22 with a Cookie Crawl, TubaChristmas, festive performances and Santa lighting up the Pearl Street Mall. See what’s planned.

Hi there, Boulder, and welcome back to Culture Club! It’s Thursday, Nov. 12. I’m McKenzie, here with your weekly guide to arts, culture and things to do across Boulder County.

For generations, the Jamestown Mercantile has been more than a place to grab breakfast or hear live music. It’s the heart of a mountain community. Now, with its 134-year-old building up for sale, residents are fighting to preserve it.

Local musicians are joining the effort, with a benefit concert at the Boulder Theater next Wednesday, Nov. 18. This week’s Spotlight comes from BRL food editor and longtime music and food writer John Lehndorff, who takes us inside the beloved Merc and introduces us to some of the musicians determined to save it.

Plus: Three events worth checking out this weekend, from holiday art markets to a film festival celebrating women of color in the outdoors. We’ve also got opportunities for local artists, a dog festival at Waneka Lake, TEDxBoulder and 41 handpicked things to do across Boulder County.

As always, you can submit your own event and check out more offerings on our community calendar.

See you out there,

McKenzie

There’s something magical about the holidays in downtown Boulder! Join us Sunday, Nov. 22 as we kick off the season with the second annual Cookie Crawl, the joyful sounds of TubaChristmas and festive performances for the whole family. Then, as the sun sets, gather on the Pearl Street Mall for the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Santa will flip the switch, filling the heart of Boulder with thousands of twinkling holiday lights!

Culture Club’s standout picks from hundreds of events happening across Boulder County this week.

1. Firefly Handmade Holiday Market

Saturday, Nov. 14-Sunday, Nov. 15 • 10 a.m.-4 p.m. • Pearl Street Mall

Get a head start on holiday shopping at Firefly Handmade, where more than 80 artisans will fill the Pearl Street Mall with handmade art, crafts and gifts. Browse the booths, support local makers and enjoy music, food and drinks along the way.

2. Boulder Potters’ Guild Sale

Thursday, Nov. 12-Sunday, Nov. 15 • Hours vary by day • Boulder County Fairgrounds (9595 Nelson Rd., Longmont)

More than 40 local ceramic artists are bringing their work to the Boulder Potters’ Guild Show & Sale. Expect handmade pottery, sculpture, jewelry, artist demonstrations and plenty of one-of-a-kind holiday gifts.

3. Trailblazers Film Festival

Saturday, Nov. 14 • 6-9 p.m. • Neptune Mountaineering (633 S. Broadway)

The Trailblazers Film Festival, “Her Lens, Her Legacy,” celebrates BIPOC women changing how the outdoors are portrayed and whose stories get told. Screenings will be followed by a panel discussion featuring CU Boulder assistant professor MG Evangelista.

Going deeper into the people, places and stories shaping Boulder County’s arts and culture scene.

Jamestown’s beloved Merc is at risk. Boulder musicians are rallying to save it.

For generations, the Jamestown Mercantile has been a gathering place for food, music and community. Now, with its historic building for sale, local musicians are coming together for a Nov. 18 benefit concert at the Boulder Theater to help keep the Merc alive. Continue reading…

Culture Briefs connects Boulder County’s creative community with grants, artist calls, studio space and opportunities to exhibit and collaborate. Have an opportunity to share? Let us know.

NoBo plans affordable workspaces for Boulder artists

Affordable studio space is hard to come by in Boulder. The NoBo Art District hopes to change that by converting a warehouse at 4939 Broadway, Unit 61, into seven below-market-rate artist workspaces. Two artists each year would also receive six-month residencies with free studio space.

To help fund the project, NoBo is throwing a pARTy for the ARTs on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 5 to 9 p.m. The fundraiser will feature live music, an art auction and a community mural that guests can help paint. Tickets are $20, or $10 for NoBo members.

BMoCA hands its walls to local artists for one night

Artists of all experience levels can exhibit and sell work at Open Wall, BMoCA’s self-curated community show. Friday, Nov. 13, 6–9 p.m., 1750 13th St., Boulder. Participation is free for artists; visitors choose their admission price. Artists install their work that afternoon, with early access for museum artist members.

Last call for Colorado ceramic artists

Ceramic sculptors have a few extra days to apply for a group exhibition at the Collective in Lafayette. Curator Ana Balzán has extended the deadline to Sunday, Nov. 15, for a show featuring hand-built ceramic sculpture, from figurative and abstract pieces to mixed-media work with clay as the primary material. The exhibition runs Jan. 14-March 14, 2027. Applications are free.

Looking for more to do? Explore our community calendar for dozens more events happening around Boulder. It’s free to browse and free to post. Many of the events featured in Culture Club come from the calendar, so be sure to add yours.

Visual Arts & Literature

Thursday, Nov. 12, 6:30 p.m.: Celebrate the release of “A Bite of Boulder – Volume 2” with a launch event at Boulder Bookstore. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Friday, Nov. 13, 6-8 p.m.: Firehouse Art Center hosts its monthly Second Friday exhibition opening, with live music and refreshments. [free] [all ages]
Saturday, Nov. 14, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.: Boulder High School DECA Club hosts Crafting for a Cause, a holiday craft fair benefiting Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence (SPAN). [free] [family-friendly]
Sunday, Nov. 15, 1-5 p.m.: The Lyons Farmette hosts a hands-on intro to branch weaving workshop. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Monday, Nov. 16, 6-8 p.m.: Try your hand at calligraphy and pumpkin lettering at a “Pens & Pumpkins” workshop at Rocky Mountain Tap & Garden Kitchen & Pizza. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 5:30-7 p.m.: The New Local hosts a gathering for artists, makers and creative businesses to explore collaborations ahead of Boulder Arts Week 2027. [free] [adult-oriented]
Wednesday, Nov. 18, noon-1 p.m.: Fireside Ink Writers Workshop hosts a free drop-in writing session at the Dairy Arts Center. [free] [all ages]

Theater, Dance & Film

Thursday, Nov. 12, 5:30-7:30 p.m.: The Local Lens Film Series showcases local filmmakers at the Boulder Marriott. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Friday, Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m.: “The Ring-a-Ding Girl” is a “Twilight Zone”-inspired stage parody performed at the Arapaho Center (formerly the Mary Miller Theater) in Lafayette. [ticketed] [all ages]
Saturday, Nov. 14, 3:30-5 p.m.: An all-femme cast takes the stage for the world premiere of “RIOT: A Subversive Rock Cabaret” at the Dairy Arts Center. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Saturday, Nov. 14, and Sunday, Nov. 15 (times vary): Boulder Opera presents Verdi’s “La Traviata” as a special dinner opera experience at the Dickens Opera House in Longmont. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 7-8 p.m.: Kristen Helen Poppe teaches an all-levels drop-in tap class for adults and older teens at the Secret Garden Studio in Lafayette. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]

Music & Nightlife

Thursday, Nov. 12, 7:30-9 p.m.: The CU Boulder Vocal Jazz Ensemble presents an evening of bebop, ballads and Brazilian-inspired jazz at the Muse Performance Space. [free] [all ages]
Friday, Nov. 13, 7 p.m.: The Galentines play at the Velvet Elk Lounge. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Saturday, Nov. 14, 8-9:30 p.m.: Adam Mesinger presents a curated night of intentional listening to vinyl records at Top Hat Supply for Journeys. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Sunday, Nov. 15, 6-7:30 p.m.: Seicento Baroque Ensemble presents “Magnificat,” an evening of 18th century music featuring period instruments, at the Dairy Arts Center. [ticketed] [all ages]
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 5:30-8:30 p.m.: Bricks on Main in Longmont hosts a free weekly open mic night. [free] [all ages]
Wednesday, Nov. 18, 7 p.m.: The Collective Community Arts Center hosts violinist Njioma Grievous to discuss her creative process and “Can’t Take My Soul” residency program. [ticketed] [all ages]

Food & Drink

Thursday, Nov. 12, 3-5 p.m.: A Spice of Life Catering hosts an open house with a first taste of the 2027 menu. [free] [adult-oriented]
Friday, Nov. 13, 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m.: Left Hand Brewing celebrates the ritual of pouring bottled nitro beer with Pour Hard Day. [free] [adult-oriented]
Saturday, Nov. 14, noon-4 p.m.: Parkway Food Hall in Longmont hosts a holiday market featuring local artisans, handmade crafts and delicious food. [free] [family-friendly]
Sunday, Nov. 15, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.: Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii Boulder presents a Sunday morning celebration with a food pop-up from Aloha Delights, yoga on the lanai and more. [free] [family-friendly]
Monday, Nov. 16, 6:30-8:30 p.m.: Kate Johnson, founder and owner of The Art of Cheese, talks about her journey of starting a cheesemaking school at Left Hand Brewing in Longmont. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Tuesday, Nov. 17, noon-1:30 p.m.: The Lafayette Chamber of Commerce hosts a monthly Women’s Business Network Luncheon. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Wednesday, Nov. 18, 6-7 p.m.: Chef Michael leads a hands-on workshop on cooking soul-warming Thai soups at Yellow Barn Farm. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]

Outdoors & Recreation

Thursday, Nov. 12, 8-9:15 p.m.: Airborne Dance in Longmont hosts adult drop-in dance hours. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Friday, Nov. 13, 6:30-9 p.m.: The Freeride Film Tour at Twisted Pine Brewing brings the year’s best new ski and snowboard films to the big screen, featuring world-class athletes and stories from the slopes. [ticketed] [all ages]
Saturday, Nov. 14, 9 a.m.-noon: The Longmont Turkey Trot at Altona Middle School offers a 10K and a 2-mile course, with a wheelchair division for the 10K. [ticketed] [family-friendly]
Sunday, Nov. 15, noon-2 p.m.: The Festival of Dogs at Waneka Lake is inspired by Kukur Tihar and is centered on honoring and enjoying time with pets. [free] [family-friendly]
Monday, Nov. 16, 6-7 p.m.: A park official from the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site discusses the site’s history as part of a National Park series at the Erie Community Library. [free] [all ages]
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 6-7:30 p.m.: Volunteer naturalists from Boulder County Parks & Open Space lead an informational session about pint-sized predators and pollinators at the Lafayette Public Library. [free] [adult-oriented]
Wednesday, Nov. 18, 6-8:30 p.m.: The Boulder Skimo Club hosts its season kickoff party at Trident Booksellers & Cafe. [free] [adult-oriented]

Family & Community

Thursday, Nov. 12, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.: Sweet Ruckus hosts its 10th annual holiday open house, featuring gifts, greeting cards, holiday cookies and more. [free] [family-friendly]
Friday, Nov. 13, 2-5 p.m.: BMoCA celebrates its fourth annual community-driven Día de los Muertos installation with dance, music and holiday refreshments. [free] [family-friendly]
Saturday, Nov. 14, 5 p.m.: TEDxBoulder presents a slate of speakers on the theme of “Roots & Wings” at eTown Hall. [ticketed] [all ages]
Sunday, Nov. 15, noon-4 p.m.: The second annual Youth Pollinator Summit at the CU Boulder Museum of Natural History is designed for teens who want to make a difference for pollinators. [free] [ages 13-18]
Monday, Nov. 16, 11 a.m.-noon: Exhibit curator Binisha Shrestha leads a guided tour of the Heritage in Motion exhibit at the Museum of Boulder. [ticketed] [all ages]
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 6-9 p.m.: Boulder Community Health hosts “Boot Camp for Dads,” a workshop for expectant fathers. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]

Know about an exhibit, concert, festival or creative person we should feature? Reply to this email or submit it here. Culture Club exists to help people discover what’s happening across Boulder County, and we’d love your ideas. Thanks for reading, and if you make it out to something fun this weekend, let us know.