🎻 RockyGrass brings a Boulder bluegrass legend home + 40 things to do

Hi there, Boulder — welcome back to Culture Club! It’s Thursday, July 23, and I’m McKenzie, here with your weekly guide to arts, culture and things to do across Boulder County. Know someone who loves arts, culture and things to do around Boulder County? Tell them to sign up for Culture Club here.

This week, Nibbles writer John Lehndorff joins us for Culture Club’s first guest feature. John has covered Boulder’s food and music scenes for decades. He spoke with Grammy-winning musician Tim O’Brien about the songs he wrote in Boulder more than 50 years ago and will bring home for his first solo RockyGrass set on Sunday. John also has your guide to the sold-out festival in Lyons, including how to listen live on KGNU if you can’t make it to Planet Bluegrass.

Plus: three standout weekend events, 40 things to do across Boulder County and four ways to get involved, from volunteering at Sundance to submitting work for local arts programs and festivals.

As always, you can submit your own event and find more things to do on our community calendar.

See you out there,

McKenzie

1. Syncopation at BMoCA

Saturday, July 25 • 7-10 p.m. • Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (1750 13th St.)

Syncopation is BMoCA’s after-hours art experience. It takes place three times a year to coincide with each exhibition. Bring your own instrument and join the jazz jam in the museum for free admission!

2. Mariposa Collective’s Summer Art Spark

Saturday, July 25 • 5:30-9 p.m. • Museum of Boulder (2205 Broadway)

Summer Art Spark features dance and multimedia performances, a salsa class with Ricky Murrera, a vocal experience with Elena Camerin Young and a silent auction benefiting Mariposa Collective’s upcoming exhibition, “Resilience.” Guests may also purchase an optional dinner prepared by the High Vibe Chef.

3. Colorado Shakespeare Festival

Every night but Monday through Aug. 2 • Shows at 7 and 7:30 p.m. • Roe Green Theatre and Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre (972 Broadway)

Only two weeks remain in the Colorado Shakespeare Festival’s season. Catch a performance indoors at the Roe Green Theatre or at the iconic Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre, which recently reopened after a full restoration. This year’s productions include Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” and “Julius Caesar,” along with “Shakespeare in Love,” adapted from the screenplay, and David Davalos’ “Friends/Romans/Countrymen.”

Tim O’Brien brings his Boulder songs home for his first solo RockyGrass set

The Grammy-winning musician reflects on Hot Rize, “Nellie Kane” and a songwriting career that began in Boulder more than 50 years ago. Continue reading…

Looking for more to do? Explore our community calendar for dozens more events happening around Boulder County. 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, July 23, 6-7:30 p.m.: Lafayette Poet Laureate Michele Battiste reads from her recent collection during “Journey Together” at The Collective Community Arts Center in Lafayette. [free] [all ages]
Friday, July 24, 8-11 a.m.: Sarah Wallock delivers the talk at this month’s CreativeMornings gathering, hosted at Yellow Barn Farm. [free] [adult-oriented]
Saturday, July 25, 6-9 p.m.: Closing reception for “Where We Roam” at the NoBo Art District. [free] [all ages]
Sunday, July 26, 3-4:30 p.m.: The Death Cafe happens monthly at the Boulder Main Library. [free] [adult-oriented]
Monday, July 27, 2-4:30 p.m.: Participants can learn quill craft, the art of creating sacred art from paper strips, at the Eldorado Yoga Ashram. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Tuesday, July 28, 6-7:30 p.m.: Trident Booksellers and Cafe presents Alex Snider, author of “Sometimes You Should Be Late,” in conversation with Emily Loker. [free] [adult-oriented]
Wednesday, July 29, 6-8 p.m.: Explore the Coal Creek Corridor Open Space during a guided Watercolor Wander. Art supplies are provided. [registration required] [adult-oriented]

Theater, Dance & Film

Thursday, July 23, 7-8:30 p.m.: Synthesis Theatre presents “Ride the Cyclone,” a hilarious and outlandish musical about six Canadian teenagers who confront their mortality after a freak roller coaster accident. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Friday, July 24, 7-9 p.m.: “Have I Got a Story for You” features 15-minute queer and trans stories about parenthood at Kin Gallery. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Saturday, July 25, 1-6 p.m.: Shimmy #9 is a joyous outdoor DJ-led dance party at The Riverside. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Sunday, July 26, 2-4:30 p.m.: Boulder Circus Center hosts “Melt Into Motion,” a workshop exploring touch and partner dance. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Monday, July 27, 8 p.m.: “Intimate Encounters,” part of the Aerial Dance Festival, takes place at Frequent Flyers Aerial Dance Studio. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Tuesday, July 28, 1-5 p.m.: The Boulder JCC presents two films illuminating Jewish contributions to American history at the Dairy Arts Center. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]

Music & Nightlife

Thursday, July 23, 7:30 p.m.: Leonard Slatkin conducts “All American: Copland, Gershwin, & More” as part of the Colorado Music Festival. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Friday, July 24, 7 p.m.-midnight: Junkyard Social Club hosts its fourth annual Smash the Patriarchy fundraiser, featuring live music and benefiting Denver SlutWalk. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Saturday, July 25, 8-9:30 p.m.: Andy Cunningham spins vinyl during an intentional listening night at Top Hat Supply as part of Journeys. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Sunday, July 26, 7 p.m.: The Boulder Big Band plays at Nissi’s in Lafayette. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Monday, July 27, 7 p.m.: The Monday night Jazz Jam takes over Lafayette’s Muse Performance Space. [free] [adult-oriented]
Tuesday, July 28, 6:15-7:45 p.m.: Women and nonbinary people of all ages are invited to a Group Open Sing at Longmont’s Butterscotch Studios. [ticketed] [all ages]
Wednesday, July 29, 7-9:30 p.m.: Conscious Roots and eTown present Andy Babb + Lara Elle with Noah Proudfoot. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]

Food & Drink

Thursday, July 23, 5-11:30 p.m.: During the fifth annual Dine Out for Ukraine, local restaurants donate a portion of their proceeds to Sunflower Seeds Ukraine. [free] [all ages]
Friday, July 24, 2-3 p.m.: Food Lab shows tweens and teens how to make their own veggie fried rice at NoBo Library. [registration required] [age-specific]
Saturday, July 25, 2-4 p.m.: Cody Wade hosts an oolong tea salon at Trident Booksellers and Cafe. [free] [adult-oriented]
Sunday, July 26, 10:30-11:45 a.m.: Longmont’s Oskar Blues Brewery Taproom hosts puppy yoga and an adoption event. [free] [adult-oriented]
Tuesday, July 28, 6-8:30 p.m.: Green Drinks at Yellow Barn Farm is an informal evening with those who care about sustainability. [free] [adult-oriented]
Wednesday, July 29, 6-9 p.m.: The Rosetta Hall culinary team hosts a Thai-inspired farm dinner at the Lyons Farmette. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]

Outdoors & Recreation

Thursday, July 23, 9:30-10:30 a.m.: Park naturalist Ella leads a haiku workshop with hot tea at Golden Gate Canyon State Park. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Friday, July 24, 9-10 a.m.: Recreation fitness instructors lead a free outdoor barre class at Longmont’s Collyer Park. [free] [adult-oriented]
Saturday, July 25, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.: Rekindle Wood-Fired Sauna offers pop-up sauna and cold plunge sessions at A-Lodge. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Sunday, July 26, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.: The Rocky Mountain Tap 5K takes off from Rocky Mountain Tap & Garden in Louisville. [free] [adult-oriented]
Monday, July 27, 5:30-6:30 p.m.: The Boulder Main Library hosts a workshop on ethical wildcrafting for medicinal remedies. [registration required] [adult-oriented]
Tuesday, July 28, 5:30-7:30 p.m.: Boulder Mountainbike Alliance hosts a clinic on cornering at the Erie singletrack. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Wednesday, July 29, 7:20-8:20 a.m.: Rise and Ride Wednesdays harnesses the momentum of Bike to Work Day and invites bikers to commute along the U.S. 36 bikeway together. [free] [adult-oriented]

Family & Community

Thursday, July 23, 4 p.m.: The City of Boulder hosts a celebration marking the renaming of Boulder Creek Park (formerly Civic Area/Central Park). [free] [family-friendly]
Friday, July 24, 3:30-4:15 p.m.: Children ages 3 and up can learn about the science of ice cream at WOW! Children’s Museum. [ticketed] [family-friendly]
Saturday, July 25, 8 a.m.: 4-H hosts an open horse show at the Boulder County Fairgrounds. [free] [family-friendly]
Sunday, July 26, 12-2 p.m.: Kids can learn how to pan for gold at the Nederland Mining Museum. [free] [family-friendly]
Tuesday, July 28, 9:30-11:30 a.m.: Raising Parents in Lafayette hosts its monthly mom meetup. [free]
Wednesday, July 29, 11-11:30 a.m.: Families are invited to participate in activities and storytime at Waneka Lake Park. [free] [family-friendly]

Want to volunteer for Sundance? Online sessions explain how

The Sundance Film Festival is hosting volunteer information sessions on Zoom to go over the basics of the festival and how to get involved. Some sessions are already full, so register soon!

Boulder opens applications for arts business cohort

The City of Boulder’s Office of Arts and Culture, in partnership with the Boulder Small Business Development Center, has opened applications for its arts business cohort. This free program will provide eight weeks of hands-on training and $1,000 stipends for eight to 10 artists. Applications are open through Aug. 18.

Film submissions open for Boulder International Film Festival

The 23rd Boulder International Film Festival will run from April 8–11, 2027. Submissions are now open, with an early deadline of Aug. 21.

Mariposa Collective is accepting artist proposals for Resilience

Mariposa Collective is accepting artist proposals for “Resilience,” an exhibition scheduled for February 2027 at the Dairy Arts Center. Proposals are due Aug. 7.

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.