📖 A Boulder author's $50,000 literary win + 38 things to do

This week’s Culture Club is sponsored by Rosetta Hall. Explore six kitchens, two bars and a lively lineup of community events.

Hi there, Boulder — welcome back to Culture Club! It’s Thursday, July 16, and I’m McKenzie, here with your weekly guide to arts, culture and things to do across Boulder County.

This week, we’re bringing you a conversation with Boulder writer Erika Krouse, whose Boulder-set memoir, “Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation,” won the Colorado Book Award for creative nonfiction, and whose short story collection, “Save Me, Stranger,” recently earned the prestigious Joyce Carol Oates Prize.

Krouse discusses the vertigo of a decadeslong writing career, the questions of rescue at the heart of her prizewinning collection and what makes the Front Range literary scene so vibrant. Plus: three great weekend picks, more than 30 things to do across Boulder County and two opportunities for local artists.

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

See you out there,

McKenzie

Rosetta Hall is Boulder’s favorite food hall. With six kitchens, each featuring a different cuisine, two full-service bars, plenty of seating and community events happening all the time, there’s always a reason to visit. Bring your family, meet your friends and enjoy the vibe. Open daily at 11 a.m.

1. Pearl Street Arts Fest

Friday, July 17-Sunday, July 19 • 3-8 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday • additional events through Aug. 9 • Pearl Street Mall

Now in its 49th year, the Pearl Street Arts Fest brings more than 100 artists from 22 states to downtown Boulder. Visitors can stroll the Pearl Street Mall and 14th Street to meet the artists, purchase new original artwork and bid on hand-painted Adirondack-style chairs.

2. Magic Mountain Talks

Thursday, July 16 • 6-8 p.m. • Trident Booksellers and Cafe (940 Pearl St.)

This monthly series explores politics and aesthetics through curated conversations with public thinkers. This month’s event, on politics and psychoanalysis, features philosopher Amia Srinivasan in conversation with novelist Hermione Hoby.

3. Create Boulder Nights

Saturday, July 18 • 5-7:15 p.m. • eTown Hall (1535 Spruce St.)

Create Boulder Nights is a quarterly event series that showcases short performances from several Boulder arts organizations all in one night. This month’s event features Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company, Boulder Opera, Colorado Music Festival and Center for Musical Arts, along with a happy hour supported by The Post and DAR Art Bars.

Boulder author Erika Krouse on the stories that won her a $50,000 national prize

The Joyce Carol Oates Prize winner discusses “Save Me, Stranger,” the uneasy side of recognition and how Colorado has shaped her writing. Continue reading…

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, July 16, 4-6 p.m.: The Bus Stop Gallery exhibition “Where We Roam: A Show for Public Lands” invites visitors to come decorate and write postcards to elected officials in support of protecting public lands [free] [all ages]
Friday, July 17, 2 p.m.: BRL Publisher Stacy Feldman joins KGNU Station Manager Tim Russo in conversation as part of Boulder Bookstore’s Current Affairs Series [free] [adult-oriented]
Saturday, July 18, 6-8 p.m.: The Firehouse Art Center in Longmont hosts an opening reception for the visual art exhibition “Rehearsals for Remembering,” featuring work by Kelly Leslie + Craig Cully and Whitney Sage [free] [all ages]
Sunday, July 19, 1-3 p.m.: NoBo Library hosts a casual watercolor meetup [free] [adult-oriented]
Monday, July 20, 7-8:30 p.m.: Samira Mehta joins Rabbi Ruth Gelfarb in conversation about Mehta’s new book, “God Bless the Pill,” a history of the religious roots of birth control [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Tuesday, July 21, 6:30 p.m.: Colorado Poets Center hosts a reading by Colorado poets Katie Kingston and Uche Ogbuji, followed by an open mic night at the Boulder Bookstore [free] [adult-oriented]
Wednesday, July 22, 6:30-7:30 p.m.: Boulder Bookstore hosts Nadia Afifi to talk about her book, “A Fugitive’s History of the Known Universe” [ticketed] [adult-oriented]

Theater & Dance

Thursday, July 16, 6-10 p.m.: “Broken Bone Bathtub: The Documentary” premieres at the Canyon Theater at the Boulder Public Library Main Branch, showcasing solo performer Siobhan O’Loughlin’s yearslong immersive performance tour in other people’s bathtubs. [free] [adult-oriented]
Friday, July 17, 4-9 p.m.: The 2026 Boulder Environmental/Nature/Outdoors Film Festival has live events and in-person screenings throughout the weekend. [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Saturday, July 18, 7:30 p.m.: Jesters Dinner Theatre presents the beloved musical Brigadoon [ticketed] [all ages]
Sunday, July 19, 2-2:30 p.m., 4-4:30 p.m.: Parlando School of Musical Arts presents a new musical, “Every Color,” at the Dairy Arts Center [ticketed] [family-friendly]
Monday, July 20, 9:30-11 a.m.: Lemon Sponge Cake Contemporary Ballet hosts a contemporary ballet open class at the Avalon [ticketed] [adult-oriented]

A poster for KGNU’s Mountain Fam Jam, made by Rachel Faller

Music & Nightlife

Thursday, July 16, 5 p.m.: Mike Lamitola and Karyn Ann, finalists for the 2024 Rocky Mountain Folks Fest Songwriter Showcase, play at the East Simpson Coffee Company [free] [adult-oriented]
Friday, July 17, 6-9 p.m.: Christopher Robin plays live music at North of Ordinary Collective, a new community gathering space in North Boulder. [ticketed] [all ages]
Saturday, July 18, 8-9:30 a.m.: Naturalist Dave Sutherland leads a walk through the Discovery Gardens at the Butterfly Pavilion, accompanied by classical music inspired by the world of invertebrates [ticketed] [all ages]
Sunday, July 19, 12-5 p.m.: Mountain Fam Jam with Tim O’Brien is an afternoon of music, food, drink and family fun in the mountain air at Gold Hill Inn to support KGNU [ticketed] [family-friendly]
Monday, July 20, 7-8 p.m.: Boulder Concert Band Pops in the Park plays at East Palo Park [free] [all ages]
Tuesday, July 21, 7:30-9 p.m.: Colorado Music Festival presents a night of Mozart, new work from composer James Stephenson, and Tchaikovsky’s “Souvenir de Florence” at the Chautauqua Auditorium [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Wednesday, July 22, 6-9 p.m.: The Bluez Catz host a blues jam at Longmont’s Bricks on Main [free] [adult-oriented]

Food & Drink

Thursday, July 16, 5 p.m.: Local produce abounds at the Erie Farmers Market [free] [all ages]
Friday, July 17, 6-9:30 p.m.: Grab a locally brewed beer at Wibby Brewing and snag a seat for the DeadPhish Orchestra feat. Dave Hebert of Steely Dead [ticketed] [all ages]
Saturday, July 18, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.: Longmont’s Red Frog Coffee hosts a local artists vendor market [free] [all ages]
Sunday, July 19, 5:30-7 p.m.: The Chokecherry Collaborative kicks off at the Longmont Museum with a presentation from Northern Arapaho about the significance of the chokecherry [free] [adult-oriented]
Monday, July 20, 6-7:30 p.m.: The Erie Community Library welcomes Liane PR, owner and chocolatier of Colorado Cocopod, to talk about the process of truffle making [free] [all ages]
Tuesday, July 21, 3-5 p.m.: Nederland’s Carousel of Happiness is throwing a tea party [ticketed] [all ages]
Wednesday, July 22, 5-9 p.m.: Set the Table: Immersive Dinner & Art Retreat at the Dairy Arts Center involves an intimate farm-to-table dinner by the Forage Sisters paired with a mini artist retreat led by Kristen Abbott [ticketed] [adult-oriented]

Outdoors & Recreation

Thursday, July 16, 12:15-12:45 p.m.: Ashley Cartun, Ph.D., leads a lunchtime sound bath meditation at the CU Art Museum [free] [adult-oriented]
Friday, July 17, 9-10 a.m.: Andrea Van Sambeek (certified yoga instructor) leads gentle yoga on the farm at the Agricultural Heritage Center [free] [adult-oriented]
Saturday, July 18, 7-10 a.m.: The Museum of Boulder hosts a Tour de France Breakfast with local cycling luminaries [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Sunday, July 19, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.: Boulder Cycling Club Sunday Rides take off from Foothills Community Park [ticketed] [adult-oriented]
Tuesday, July 21, 6 p.m.: A weekly group run takes off from Pattern Break Brewing [free] [adult-oriented]

Family & Community

Thursday, July 16, 10:15-11 a.m.: Storytime for children and caregivers will happen at the Boulder Public Library Main Branch [free] [family-friendly]
Friday, July 17, 1-5:30 p.m.: The Longmont Youth Center offers drop-in mindful art hours with a small snack [free] [family-friendly]
Saturday, July 18, 9-10:30 a.m.: The Broomfield Library hosts a Family Learn and Grow session on garden visitors [free] [family-friendly]
Sunday, July 19, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Boulder County Parks & Open Space hosts Summer Heritage Morning at the Walker Ranch Homestead, where visitors can picnic and learn about 1800s homesteading through hands-on activities and demonstrations [free] [family-friendly]

Lafayette opens applications for $2,000 community arts grants

Applications to the City of Lafayette’s Arts in Community Grant are open from now through Aug. 27. Grants are up to $2,000 and will go to artists and arts organizations looking to benefit the community of Lafayette. Details and application are here.

Young artists invited to submit work for Erie library art show

Youth between the ages of 3 and 18 can register now through July 31. Artwork will be displayed by age ranges of 3-5, 6-9, 10-13, and 14-18. One piece of artwork (18” x 18” or smaller) allowed per registrant. Art show will open on Saturday, September 26, and art will be on display through October 31.

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.

📖 A Boulder author’s $50,000 literary win + 38 things to do