9Things to do in Colorado this weekend: Oct. 25-27

COLORADO, USA — If you or your kids are looking to load up on the Halloween candy, you’re in luck this weekend!

Across Colorado this weekend are festivals, fairs, carnivals, trick-or-treat events, corn mazes and haunted houses to get you in the Halloween spirit. Coffin races are back in Manitou Springs and a hit Broadway musical has come to the Mile High City.

Head out this weekend and celebrate the season by experiencing the unique culture, food and geography that makes our state so special at one of these neat events. Remember to share your weekend photos with the “Near Me” feature on the 9NEWS app. Have a spooky weekend!

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DENVER — Día de los Muertos at Civic Center: Remembering our Ancestors through Art, presented by Denver Botanic Gardens, will take place at Civic Center Park on Saturday. Hosted by Civic Center Conservancy, the event is free and open to the public who want to honor the memory of loved ones or learn more about the cultural tradition. There will be live music, art installations, food trucks, family activities, community ofrendas and vendors.

MANITOU SPRINGS — After coming to Manitou Springs in search of a cure for her tuberculosis, Emma Crawford succumbed to the disease and was buried on a nearby mountain in 1891. After years of harsh winters and spring rains, Emma’s coffin came racing down the mountainside. Some say she still haunts the area, but the only sure way to see Emma is to attend the coffin races in Manitou Springs. For 30 years, festivalgoers have been remembering Emma with a parade, coffin races and festival. This year’s parade starts at noon Saturday with coffin races afterwards.

9NEIGHBORHOODS: Explore Manitou Springs

ARVADA — This Olde Town Arvada tradition returns Friday at 5 p.m. Bring your little monsters, goblins and ghouls to Olde Town Arvada for the free Trick or Treat event. Costume contests judging will take place in the square from 5 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.

GREELEY — Downtown Greeley’s Trick or Treat Street is scheduled for Friday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dozens of stores will be giving away treats. Pumpkin decorating will take place on 8th Street while supplies last.

FIRESTONE — The Firestone Police Department hosts its annual Halloween Safe Night on Friday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Firestone Regional Sports Complex. The event includes a trunk or treat line, inflatables, a trackless train, safety handouts and a food truck.

LONGMONT — The 45th annual Halloween Parade & Trick or Treat Street begins Saturday at 10 a.m. with a parade starting at Roosevelt Park. Attendees should dress in Halloween costumes, march on Main Street and visit downtown merchants for Trick or Treat Street immediately following the parade. Kids of all ages can be a part of this costume foot parade.

NIWOT — Costume up the kids, bring the kid-friendly dog, and head to downtown Niwot on Saturday for trick or treating, parade, doggie costume contest, hayrides and more. Shopkeepers in Old Town and Cottonwood Park West will be open to celebrate Halloween with treats for the trick or treaters and everyone is invited to participate in the costume parade.

ERIE — Trick or Treat in downtown Erie with Halloween costume contests and live music on Saturday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. It’s free for all ages although there’s a fee for costume contest entry.

ELIZABETH — The Elizabeth community will come together on Historic Main Street in Elizabeth for the annual Trick or Treat Street and Harvest Festival on Saturday. The fun day will have activities, vendors and trick or treating.

DENVER — Kids of all ages, dress in your best costume and trick or treat at businesses along Tennyson Street in Denver. Businesses will be giving out treats from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

CASTLE ROCK — Outlets at Castle Rock host its Boo Bash on Saturday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. First responders will be passing out ghoulish delights while an interactive Halloween scavenger hunt will happen throughout the property. There will be photo opportunities, festive treats, a limo contest and selfie station.

LAKEWOOD — Downtown Lakewood’s annual Halloween event BooMar begins at 12 p.m. Saturday. Bring your little monsters, witches, superheroes, ghosts, and princesses for an afternoon of fun, games, and trick-or-treating at participating stores. A costume parade begins Saturday at 12:30 p.m. There will be a slime making station, bounce houses, face painters, hay rides, DJ, food stations and more.

CORTEZ — The Cortez community will be out at Montezuma Park on Saturday for Pumpkin Fest. The day kicks off with a 5K Zombie Run at 9 a.m. There will be a costume contest, trick or treating, carnival, food and more. The family friendly event runs until 3 p.m. Saturday with a carnival and trick or treating.

LITTLETON — Foothills Park & Recreation District’s BOO-rific Bash & Splash runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday. This indoor trick-or-treating event allows children to dress in full costume, trick-or-treat among community business tables and enjoy activities. Swimming in the Ridge Pools is included in the festivities.

PUEBLO — The Historic Arkansas Riverwalk in Pueblo will hold its annual Fright Night on the Riverwalk on Saturday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event will start at the Welcome Center and loop around the Riverwalk channel. In addition to candy giveaways, there will be a costume contest with prizes.

AURORA — Town Center at Aurora’s Boo & Brew Candy Crawl will have trick or treating, vendors, carnival-style games, Halloween costume contest and more. The festivities begin at 12 p.m. Saturday.

DENVER — For three days, the Children’s Museum will host a fall festival with pumpkins, straw bales and delicious goodies. Harvest Hoot offers Halloween crafts, games, Rocky Mountain Mini Train, monster carnival and more. Children’s Museum’s Harvest Hoot runs Friday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

LOVELAND — Halloween on the Promenade takes place from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at The Promenade Shops at Centerra. Guests can unleash their inner ghoul and fill their goody bags to the brim with candy while picking out the perfect pumpkin.

FEDERAL HEIGHTS — Denver’s biggest Christmas drive-through light display is celebrating spooky season before the holiday season. Spooky Light Show has opened in the parking lot of Water World with millions of lights synchronized to Halloween music. From the creators of Christmas in Color, the drive-through display will be open through Wednesday, Oct. 30. Tickets can be reserved at SpookyLightShow.com for $30 per vehicle.

RELATED: Drive-through Halloween lights display opens

DENVER — Four Mile Historic Park’s Spirits & Spirits is a Halloween-themed event that gives attendees an opportunity to explore the grounds after dark while entering the otherworldly realm of Victorian Spiritualism. Scheduled for Saturday at 6 p.m., adult libations, delectable provisions, and fantastical amusements will be offered. Attendees will also revel in a variety of entertainment on the Sundry Stage featuring drag bingo, live music, and mystical performances. Guests can also find their way to aura photography, flash tattoos, tarot reading, and tours of the Four Mile House for a Victorian mourning ceremony.

CENTENNIAL — The City of Centennial’s annual Sip in Centennial takes place on Saturday at Centennial Center Park. The event features local craft whiskey and spirits distillers, live music and food trucks. Admission into the event is free and open to all ages, but to participate in the whiskey tasting you must be 21 years or older. Live music from Red Sage and Slopeside will be in the park amphitheater so bring your chairs and blankets.

DENVER — Mile High Basketball is back. The Denver Nuggets open the 2024-25 regular season at home on Thursday. The Nuggets host the Oklahoma City Thunder at 8 p.m. at Ball Arena. The Nuggets’ second game will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at Ball Arena against the Los Angeles Clippers.

DENVER — The Denver Broncos (4-3) host the Carolina Panthers (1-6) at 2:25 p.m. Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High. Tickets for the game are sold at Ticketmaster.com.

Before kickoff, the Denver Elections Division will host a booth on the south end of Empower Field at Mile High. Eligible Coloradans will be able to register to vote, drop off ballots and receive answers to election-related inquiries.

DENVER — The Ghosts & Goblins 5K will be held Sunday at Denver’s City Park. All participants receive a race logo shirt, finishers medal, finish line food tables and finish line expo. Register at ColoradoRunnerEvents.com.

DENVER & LOUISVILLE — The annual Monster DASH will be held in two locations this weekend. The event features a 10K run, 5K run, and kids race. The race is back at Sloan Lake Park in Denver at 9:30 a.m. A Louisville race will start at 3 p.m. Sunday at Community Park in old downtown. Race registration can be completed at MonsterDASHrun.com.

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — The Foundry in Steamboat Springs is again hosting a fun 5K Halloween race at 9 a.m. Saturday. The family is encouraged to come dressed in Halloween costumes. The race will start at Soda Creek Elementary School and take place on a mix of trail and road. There will be Halloween treats after the race as well as fun for the whole family. Race registration is available online and day-of at Soda Creek Elementary.

DENVER — What’s this?! Back by popular demand, the Colorado Symphony is ready to perform Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” The full-feature film will be projected on the big screen, accompanied by Danny Elfman’s score played live by the Colorado Symphony. Families are welcome and costumes are encouraged. The concert is Friday and Saturday. 

DENVER — The Colorado Symphony’s annual Halloween Spooktacular is a family-favorite concert featuring music from films, television and more. Costumes are encouraged and even the musicians get in on the festivities at Boettcher Concert Hall at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. The concert begins at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are sold at ColoradoSymphony.org.

DENVER — Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance‘s Boo at the Zoo is back. The trick-or-treating experience features mysterious cryptid creatures, candy stations, seasonal snacks and Halloween fun for all. Boo at the Zoo takes place each weekend of October. A sensory friendly night is Halloween Oct. 31.

DENVER — Wild Fall at Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance features roaming costumed characters, creature-themed professional pumpkin carvings, festive food and spooky drinks, and special animal demonstrations that connect these supernatural beings to the real-life natural world. Wild Fall activities are free with admission and take place during regular zoo hours starting at 10 a.m. each day.

COLORADO SPRINGS — The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has brought back its annual Halloween celebration. Boo at the Zoo will have fun trick-or-treat stations with candy made with sustainable palm oil to help protect wild orangutans. Guests are encouraged to wear costumes for the festivities which take place Friday to Sunday from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. this weekend and on Halloween night. Boo at the Zoo tickets can be bought online at CMZoo.org.

LaSALLE — Fritzler Farm Park is open for the season with more than 15 attractions plus its famous corn maze. There will be pedal go-carts, pumpkin patch, human foosball, tetherball, ball zone, slide mountain, face painting, yard games, beer garden and more. Fritzler Farm Park will remain open through Sunday, Oct. 27. The farm’s haunted attraction “Scream Acres” opens at dusk. Tickets can be purchased at FritzlerFarmPark.com.

LITTLETON — The seven-acre Corn Maze at Chatfield Farms is perfect for adults, while the little ones can explore the corn mini-maze. There will also be barrel train rides, escape rooms, food vendors and more. The Corn Maze at Chatfield Farms will be open at various times through Sunday, Oct. 27. Tickets can be found at BotanicGardens.org.

THORNTON — Maize in the City has a 20-acre corn maze, mini maze, barrel train ride, corn launcher, petting zoo and more. Admission to the Maize in the City site is free with a-la-carte attractions. Each attraction will be purchased at the front of each attraction line. The site will be open various days through Thursday, Oct. 31.

PHOTOS: Maize in the City in Thornton 

BENNETT — Mile High Farms is now open autumn with two corn mazes, antique tractor ride, pumpkin patch, barrel cart rides, bounce houses, farm animals, entertainment, playground and more. Mile High Farms is located just east of Denver off Interstate 70 and Manila Road.

ERIE — The fall festival at Anderson Farms just may be your one-stop-shop for all things autumn. The festival features a 25-acre corn maze, wagon rides, pumpkin cannon, combine slide, kids maze, backyard pedal karts, wooden train, tire mountain, fire pit, farm animals, sand diggers and more. The farm’s fall festival runs through Nov. 2.

ARVADA — 4 Seasons Marketplace in Arvada is a pumpkin patch and family destination for fall. The marketplace has a variety of pumpkins, pumpkin painting, farm animal visits, and family activities. Adult admission is free and children can enjoy all activities for $15 and get to take home a pie-sized pumpkin as a souvenir.

AURORA — Nick’s Garden Center and Farm Market in Aurora hosts a free fall festival every day in October. There are games, rides, mazes, train rides, photo opportunities, putt-putt golf course, pedal karts, inflatable obstacle course and pumpkin patch.

BOULDER — Mollie McGee’s Annual Fall Craft Market will have more than 150 boots with handmade artisan crafts. The market opens Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Boulder County Fairgrounds.

COLORADO SPRINGS — The Western Museum of Mining & Industry has opened its Miners’ Pumpkin Patch. Admission includes unlimited play at the pumpkin patch games, vintage cider press, hay maze, hayrides and gold panning. The north Colorado Springs patch will be open Saturdays through Oct. 26.

LITTLETON — A Halloween lights festival back at Hudson Gardens for a fourth year. Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns features a glowing trail of more than 7,000 pumpkins as well as light show displays such as a nautical sea-scape, pirate ship, dinosaurs, dragons and more. New attractions include a light show programmed to music throughout the entire event every 30 minutes. Presented by Denver-based Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, the festival runs select nights through Saturday, Nov. 2.

DENVER — Elitch Gardens’ annual Halloween event is back. Fright Fest has thrills and chills for ghouls of all ages. Guests can enjoy “fun by day” and “fright by night” and the park’s amusement rides. New this year is a freakish acrobatic show from Circus Foundry and two new scare zones scattered throughout the park. For tickets, visit ElitchGardens.com/Fright-Fest.

DENVER — Molly Brown House Museum is hosting the 31st annual Victorian Horrors on weekends this October. Gothic horror tales by well-known but long-gone authors are told throughout the house as portrayed by acclaimed local actors. This year’s offerings include stories from the likes of H.G. Wells and Edgar Allan Poe alongside the local spirit of Mary Coyle Chase. Tickets to attend Victorian Horrors are available with admission times every 15 minutes from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

THORNTON — Haunted Field of Screams, Colorado’s largest haunted attraction, has opened for the 2024 season. Built into a 40-acre corn field, the attraction delivers an indoor and outdoor haunt experience along the famously haunted Riverdale Road. Haunted Field of Screams is open select days through Halloween.

COLORADO — Haunted houses are making people scream from fright across the state this Halloween. HellScream Haunted House, 13th Floor Haunted House and Frightmare Compound have opened in Denver. The Fear Complex Haunted House is now open in Colorado Springs. Terror in the Corn in Erie is a mile long haunted attraction in a corn field.

DENVER — After sold-out runs in Denver in 2018 and 2022, “Hamilton” is back in the Mile High City. The national tour of the hit musical will perform at the Buell Theatre through Sunday, Nov. 24. “Hamilton” features book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The musical features a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B and Broadway. Tickets are on sale at DenverCenter.org.

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts announced a digital ticket lottery will issue a limited number of tickets to every performance for $10 each.

RELATED: ‘Hamilton’ in Colorado: How to get $10 lottery tickets

DENVER — The Denver Center for the Performing Arts has opened a production of “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter,” an adaptation of Erika L. Sánchez’s bestseller. The play follows a Chicago high schooler as she struggles with the challenges of coming of age in Chicago and the sense that she’s failing to live up to her family’s expectations. The production plays the Kilstrom Theatre at the Denver Performing Arts Complex through Sunday, Nov. 3.

DENVER — The one-person show “Avaaz” is playing the Singleton Theatre at the Denver Performing Arts Complex through Sunday, Nov. 17. A celebration of resilience, rebirth, and joy, “Avaaz” follows Roya, a hostess as she welcomes you into her home to celebrate Nowruz, the Iranian New Year. Roya shares her American journey from Tehran to “Tehran-geles,” California. Traditions, humor and passionate storytelling transform this tale of family bonds into an unforgettable theatre event.

HOLYOKE — The 62nd annual Holly Daze Craft Fair & Gift Show is Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Events Center at the Phillips County Fairgrounds.

BOULDER — Head coach Deion Sanders and the Colorado football team (5-2) are back in action this weekend with another nationally televised contest and it will be another late start for Buffs supporters. Colorado’s home game against the Cincinnati Bearcats (5-2) will kick off at 8:15 p.m. Saturday at Folsom Field. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN. The game is CU’s eighth in eight games that will be be broadcast nationally.

ANTONITO — Are you ready to see the Colorado “Gold Rush”? Hop aboard the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad this weekend to see the spectacular autumn colors. The railroad travels through several different ecological zones at different elevations, including low meadows and up the top of 10,015-foot Cumbres Pass, so you’re sure to see some beautiful aspens. There are daily departures on the train through Saturday, Oct. 29, as well as a special dinner train. Fall rides are extremely popular, so book early at CumbresToltec.com.

GEORGETOWN — Discover the best of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains this autumn at the Georgetown Loop Railroad and Mining Park. In addition to its narrow gauge train, guests can tour a real silver mine tour or learn how to pan for gold. Train rides are approximately 70 minutes or 2.5 hours with a mine tour.

DENVER — The Denver Museum of Nature & Science has opened its newest exhibition, “Animals of the Rainforest.” An immersive, live-animal experience aims to transport visitors into the world’s most diverse ecosystem. Guests will come face-to-face with rainforest animals, explore displays of recreated natural habitats and learn about conservation efforts. “Animals of the Rainforest” is included with museum admission.

DENVER — There is no better venue for live music in the country than Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Although summer has ended, there’s still time to catch a show at one of the world’s best venues. Concerts at Red Rocks are scheduled through Friday, Nov. 15, when Tiësto closes out the 2024 season with a four-hour DJ set.

RELATED: Red Rocks concert season: Here’s the 2024 lineup

Horror movies topped the domestic box office charts last weekend. “Smile 2,” in its first weekend, and “Terrifier 3” in its second proved to be the big draws for general movie audiences. One of the other brightest spots of the weekend was Sean Baker’s “Anora,” which opened in six locations in New York and Los Angeles and earned an estimated $630,000.

• Venom: The Last Dance
• Conclave
• All You Need Is Blood

1. “Smile 2,” $23 million.
2. “The Wild Robot,” $10.1 million.
3. “Terrifier 3,” $9.3 million.
4. “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” $5 million.
5. “We Live In Time,” $4.2 million.
6. “Joker: Folie à Deux,” $2.2 million.
7. “Piece by Piece,” $2.1 million.
8. “Transformers One,” $2 million.
9. “Saturday Night,” $1.8 million.
10. “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” $1.1 million.

> Would you like to see your favorite Colorado festival, fair, expo, concert, drama, musical, ballet, run or event listed in 9Things? Send it to alexander.kirk@9news.com.

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