🎭 Boulder candidates on the arts + 40 things to do

This week’s Culture Club is sponsored by Bank of Colorado, a family-owned bank serving Coloradans since 1978. Learn more.

Hi there, Boulder, and welcome back to Culture Club! It’s Thursday, Sept. 24. I’m McKenzie, here with your weekly guide to arts, culture and things to do across Boulder County.

This week’s spotlight: What would Boulder’s candidates do for the arts? At a Sept. 15 forum, 17 of the 19 candidates for mayor and city council agreed on the idea of an arts destination in the Civic Area, but differed on a proposed tool for downtown investment. They also discussed city spending and the challenge of turning Boulder’s arts plans into support for artists and cultural spaces. We have five takeaways below.

Also ahead: Boulderthon takes over downtown this weekend, and Lafayette Music Fest brings a day of local music to stages across town on Saturday, Oct. 3 (sponsored). Use discount code “BRL” for 20% off your wristband. A survey asks what local artists and arts organizations need, and we’ve gathered more than 40 things to do across Boulder County.

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

See you out there,

McKenzie

Bank of Colorado is a family-owned, community-focused bank that has been serving the needs of Coloradans since 1978. Throughout our 45 locations across the state, our values of honesty, integrity and clarity guide our every decision. We’re deeply rooted in Colorado’s history and fully invested in its future. Strong, Stable & Local Community Banking — reach out today at 303-476-7282 to experience the best service in banking.

1. Boulderthon

Sunday, Sept. 27 • 7 a.m. • starts and ends in downtown Boulder (1303 Pearl St.)

More than 17,000 runners are expected for Boulderthon’s marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K and kids run. The courses start and finish downtown, making it a lively day for spectators, too. Check the race schedule and course maps before heading out.

2. Project Junglee soft opening weekend

Saturday, Sept. 26-Sunday, Sept. 27 • 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday; 8:30-10:30 a.m. Sunday • Project Junglee (2005 Pearl St.)

Project Junglee, a new Pearl Street space celebrating artists and adventurers of the global majority, opens its doors this weekend for two days of yoga, creative conversations, a filmmaking workshop, live music and more.

3. Final Sunday on West Pearl of the summer

Sunday, Sept. 27 • 10 a.m.-noon • The New Local (741 Pearl St.)

Sundays on West Pearl is a downtown art activation for kids and families. This week’s Sunday on West Pearl includes a Family FUNdraiser with mini art workshops, face painting, a kids’ ARTrepreneurial club, live music and more.

What Boulder candidates say they would do for the arts: 5 takeaways

At an arts and culture forum, candidates backed cultural investment and called for greater transparency, but few directly addressed housing affordability for artists or discussed a personal connection to the arts. Continue reading…

One day, dozens of bands: Lafayette Music Fest returns Oct. 3 (sponsored)

Lafayette Music Fest is back for its fifth year, happening Saturday, Oct. 3! See dozens of acts across nine stages, for one special day of music in Boulder County. Use discount code “BRL” for 20% off your wristband! Go to https://www.lafayettemusicfest.com to get yours today.

Tell the Boulder County Arts Alliance what you need

The Boulder County Arts Alliance is asking community members how its resources can better serve local artists and the broader community. Its survey takes approximately five to seven minutes and is open through Oct. 3.

Taylor and Mary Shaw pose with the Wildfire Partners-commissioned mural on Broadway Street in Lyons in September 2026. Courtesy of Taylor Shaw

Two new Boulder County murals showcase wildfire resilience strategies

Two new murals commissioned by Wildfire Partners show steps residents can take to reduce wildfire risk around their homes. Created by Taylor Shaw and Colorado-based Rachel Dinda, the newly installed murals are at Nederland Feed and Pet, 74 CO-72, and in Lyons on Broadway between Fourth and Fifth avenues. The first 20 people to post a photo of the murals on social media and tag @wildfirepartners will receive a tote bag and stickers featuring the designs. Learn more at wildfirepartners.org.

Help decide where Boulder arts grants go

Applications are open for the 2027 Boulder Arts Commission Cultural Grants Panel. Panel members help review applications and recommend grants for arts and culture projects. Applications are due Nov. 9. Learn more and apply here.

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, Sept. 24, 6-8 p.m.: Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art hosts an opening reception to celebrate its fall exhibition, “The Gravity of Light.” [free] [all ages]
Friday, Sept. 25, 7-8 p.m.: James Mitchell gives a sneak preview of his forthcoming short story collection at Inkberry Books in Niwot. [free] [adult-oriented]
Saturday, Sept. 26, 4-7:30 p.m.: Ana’s Art Gallery celebrates its grand reopening after being closed during construction on the nearby Spruce Parking Garage. [free] [all ages]
Sunday, Sept. 27, 3-5 p.m.: Mollie Jackson and Bill Snider present their work in a gallery talk at Firehouse Art Center. [free] [all ages]
Monday, Sept. 28, 6:30 p.m.: Fireside Ink Writers Workshop hosts a panel discussion at Boulder Bookstore exploring how AI is reshaping creative writing. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 5-8 p.m.: Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art hosts the first day of a two-day workshop on natural dyeing. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 5-8 p.m.: Boulder-based writer, musician and artist Ahnara leads “Sound and Scroll Workshop,” an evening of ambient music, readings and reflections in the gallery at the Dairy Arts Center.

Theater, Dance & Film

Thursday, Sept. 24, 7-9:30 p.m.: “No Contract” by Kirsten Wilson is a one-woman show exploring a mother’s request to avoid dementia, at the Dairy Arts Center. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Friday, Sept. 25, 7:30-10 p.m.: Glen Williamson performs two pieces by Kurt Vonnegut in “Vonnegut, Vonnegut!” at the Nomad Playhouse. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Saturday, Sept. 26, 6-8:30 p.m.: The Spark Boulder presents “Dogfight,” a musical about three young Marines on the eve of their deployment to Vietnam. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Sunday, Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m.: Jesters Dinner Theatre presents “Jesters Unplugged,” a variety show featuring their performers. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Monday, Sept. 28, 5:15-7 p.m.: The Boulder Public Library hosts a screening of “People of the Sacred Land,” followed by guided small-group discussions. [free, registration required] [all ages]
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 7-8:30 p.m.: The Dairy Arts Center hosts a screening of the documentary “Untethered,” which follows a wheelchair company transforming lives in Guatemala. [ticketed] [all ages]
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 6:30-8 p.m.: The Boulder County Film Commission hosts a filmmakers’ support group at Trident Booksellers & Cafe. [free] [all ages]

Music & Nightlife

Thursday, Sept. 24, 8 p.m.: Horn ensemble LowDown Brass Band plays at the Velvet Elk. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Friday, Sept. 25, 6-9:45 p.m.: Four bands play at the Elks Lodge #1055 to celebrate Longmont’s Punkiversary and the local punk resurgence. [ticketed] [all ages]
Saturday, Sept. 26, 8 p.m.: The Louisville Underground presents Paizley Park: A Tribute to Prince. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Sunday, Sept. 27, 10:30 a.m.-noon: eTown Hall presents Nick Forster’s Hippy Bluegrass Church. [ticketed] [all ages]
Monday, Sept. 28, 7-9 p.m.: Music at the Dairy presents Teddy Thompson with Jenna Nicholls at the Dairy Arts Center. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 5 p.m.: Mike Lamitola plays a relaxed outdoor performance at Dharma’s Garden. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 6 p.m.-midnight: Singer-songwriter Nick Critchlow brings his warm folk and acoustic blues to Rosalee’s Pizzeria in Longmont.

Food & Drink

Thursday, Sept. 24, 6:30-8 p.m.: The Lafayette History Museum hosts History Happy Hour at Liquid Mechanics, featuring BRL’s own Stacy Feldman on the collapse of local news and BRL’s work to rebuild it locally. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Friday, Sept. 25, 4-9:30 p.m.: Left Hand Brewing celebrates Oktoberfest all weekend long. [ticketed] [family-friendly]
Saturday, Sept. 26, 4-9 p.m.: Abbott & Wallace Distilling hosts a Polish-style Oktoberfest release party for the Krupnik Honey Liqueur. [free] [adult-oriented]
Sunday, Sept. 27, 5-7 p.m.: The Boulder Symphony & Music Academy kicks off its 2026-27 season with a special night at the Boulder Cork. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Monday, Sept. 28, 6-8 p.m.: A bird-themed trivia night at Rayback Collective supports Environment for the Americas. [free] [all ages]
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 7-8 p.m.: The Explorer Series at Bambei Brewing offers free science talks that attendees can pair with a brew. [free] [ages 12 and up]
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 7-9 p.m.: Any musician can play a 15-minute slot at the Cellar West open mic night. [free] [adult-oriented]

Outdoors & Recreation

Thursday, Sept. 24, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: An easy guided hike for seniors at Caribou Ranch explores how high-country plants prepare for winter. [free] [senior-oriented]
Friday, Sept. 25, 5-10 p.m.: Oskar Blues Brewery in Longmont hosts a free screening of the 2026 Fly Fishing Film Tour. [free] [all ages]
Saturday, Sept. 26, 8-10 a.m.: The Pride in the Parks Birding Big Sit at Lagerman Agricultural Reservoir is a birding event for LGBTQIA+ people and allies. [free, registration required] [all ages]
Sunday, Sept. 27, 1-3 p.m.: “Rooted and Rising” is a co-ed gathering circle for brothers and sisters of Mother Earth to connect with their bodies, at North of Ordinary Collective. [ticketed] [all ages]
Monday, Sept. 28, 5:45-7:30 p.m.: Two local scientists discuss El Niño events for “Earth on Tap” at Rayback Collective. [free] [all ages]
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 5:30-8:30 p.m.: The Boulder Cycling Club meets at Twisted Pine for the weekly Tuesday ride. [free] [all ages]

Family & Community

Thursday, Sept. 24, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: The Boulder Chamber Transportation Connections hosts a quarterly lunch meeting, open to the public, to discuss updates in local transportation news. [free] [adult-oriented]
Friday, Sept. 25, 10-11:30 a.m.: A Boulder County cultural resources specialist leads a guided tour of Las Barracas, a historic agricultural labor camp near Longmont. [free, but registration required] [adult-oriented]
Saturday, Sept. 26, 9-11 a.m.: This guided family walk through North Boulder Park and the Newlands neighborhood includes local history and an ice cream stop that is free for kids. [free] [family-friendly]
Sunday, Sept. 27, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.: The Gold Rush is Gold Hill’s annual community fundraiser, with an arts-and-crafts sale, bake sale and rummage sale. [free] [all ages]
Monday, Sept. 28, 5:30-6:45 p.m.: “Read Together: English Literacy Book Club” is an English literacy program for adult learners at the NoBo Library. [free, registration required] [adult-oriented]
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 9:30-10 a.m.: “Littlest Learners” is a hands-on play program for infants, toddlers and their caregivers at WOW! Children’s Museum. [free with museum admission] [family-friendly]

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.