9Things to do this weekend in Colorado: Nov. 8-10

DENVER — It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Colorado this weekend.

Holiday craft shows are scheduled in Aurora, Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Evergreen, Boulder, Frederick and Castle Rock. There are also festivals honoring cats at the National Western Complex in Denver. The Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche are each competing at Colorado’s largest arena.

From the mountains to the plains, here are some fun events you’ll only find in Colorado this November weekend. Don’t forget to share your weekend photos with the “Near Me” feature on the 9NEWS app.

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COLORADO SPRINGS — The Colorado Springs Veterans’ Day Parade will step off at 10 a.m. Saturday. A Colorado Springs tradition since 2000, the parade starts at Tejon and St. Vrain and ends at Tejon and Vermijo in downtown Colorado Springs. The parade’s mission is “to honor all veterans and to educate and inspire community awareness while paying tribute to the service and sacrifices all veterans have endured in the pursuit of freedom.”

DENVER — The annual Denver Veterans Day Parade, scheduled for Saturday, was canceled due to the weather, but Denver’s Veterans Festival and Run are set to take place Saturday morning at City Park in Denver.

LONGMONT — Longmont celebrates Veterans Day with an annual community parade in downtown on Monday. The parade starts on Eighth Avenue and travels south on Main Street to Third Avenue. New for 2024, the parade will cross at Longs Peak Avenue and Coffman Street to Main Street, turn right and travel down Main Street, turn left at 4th Avenue and come back up Kimbark Street to Longs Peak Avenue, returning to Roosevelt Park crossing Longs Peak and Coffman.

DENVER — Cat Fest Colorado — the ultimate celebration of all things cat — is at the National Western Expo Hall on Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The show has doubled in size since last year and will feature celebrity cats, cat video café, mystical Egyptian cat temple, cat adoption booths, more than 100 cat-themed vendors, cat history, cat crafts, costume contestand TICA Cat Show.

DENVER — Opera Colorado’s 2024-25 season begins Saturday at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. The Donizetti’s comedy “Daughter of the Regiment” starts Friday and plays through Nov. 17. Performances will be in French, with English and Spanish subtitles at every seat. Get tickets at OperaColorado.org.

GOLDEN — The Colorado Railroad Museum is continuing its tradition of “The Polar Express Train Ride” for 2024. Performances are held on select dates for seven weeks beginning Friday and continuing through Monday, Dec. 23. The train ride features a cabaret-style show, singing, hot chocolate and Santa, recreating “The Polar Express” story.

CASTLE ROCK — The 32nd annual Castle Rock Craft Show Extraordinaire will be held at the Douglas County Events Center on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This kickoff to the holiday shopping season features more than 135 vendors selling a wide array of jewelry, holiday decorations and gifts, wood products, gourmet packaged foods, soaps, candles and unique items you won’t find elsewhere. The Craft Show Extraordinaire benefits senior citizens through the Castle Rock Senior Activity Center.

LITTLETON — The Columbine High School Holiday Craft Fair is back this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

AURORA — The Holiday Craft Fair at Cherokee High School will showcase local hand-crafted gifts, goodies and gifts. The show runs 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

ENGLEWOOD — The Colorado Potters’ Fall 2024 Pottery Sale runs Thursday through Saturday at First Plymouth Congregational Church. Potters will present more than 2,000 items including pottery, sculpture and jewelry. Admission is free.

AURORA — More than 95 artisans will be on hand for this weekend’s 47th annual Applewood Arts Festival in Aurora. The festival, held Saturday and Sunday inside at Tagawa Gardens, will have new artisans, handmades, re-purposed finds, craft food creations and more. Tickets are $6.

HIGHLANDS RANCH — More than 100 vendors will be at the Holiday Gift Fair with hand-crafted gifts, jewelry, pottery, wooden crafts, wreaths, glass, hand-knit items, holiday gifts and bath products. The show runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Eastridge Recreation Center.

EVERGREEN — The 24th annual Alternative Gift Fair features unique crafters and nonprofits from around the world. The fair is an arts festival where all vendors represent nonprofits, with a theme of giving twice. The fair is Saturday and Sunday at Evergreen Lutheran Church.

EAGLE — The Eagle Winter Market & Holiday Fair arrives Saturday at the Eagle River Center. The event will offer one-stop shopping for those who crave must-have holiday crafts, beauty products, food and more. Santa Claus will be on hand for family photos and there will be face painting, coloring and adult refreshments. The market, which is free and open to the public, runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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DENVER — One of the Brown Palace Hotel & Spa’s best traditions, the 36th annual Champagne Cascade, will be held Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Kickstarting the holiday season, the annual event features master swordsman using sabers to sever the bottlenecks of Moet Champagne and then pouring into the uppermost glass of an two-story high, 5,000+ champagne glass pyramid.

DENVER — The Chili, Booze & Brews is a chili, booze and brews competition featuring unlimited samples from Colorado craft breweries, small-batch distilleries and local restaurants. The fun begins at 6 p.m. Saturday at The North Wynkoop Building near Mission Ballroom. The food and beverage competition benefits The Morgan Adams Foundation.

DENVER — Mile High Basketball is back in the Mile High City. The Denver Nuggets host the Miami Heat at 7 p.m. Friday and the Dallas Mavericks at 6 p.m. Sunday at Ball Arena.

DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche face off with the Carolina Hurricanes at 7 p.m. Saturday at Ball Arena. Tickets start at $60 at Ticketmaster.com.

DENVER — Part of Denver’s Veterans Day celebration is the 16th annual Denver Veterans Day Run at City Park at 9 a.m. Saturday. Participants have the choice between a 5K and 10K that are open to runners, joggers and walkers of all ages. Proceeds from registration fees go directly to helping Colorado’s veterans through the Colorado Veterans Project. Online registration is open at DenverVeteransDay.com.

COLORADO SPRINGS — Bear Creek Nature Center will have its 10th Bear Run on Saturday at 10 a.m. Runners can choose a 3K or 5K course. All new runners get a bear suit to keep and wear during the run. Returning runners can dust off their bear suit from previous runs and register at a discounted rate.

LONGMONT — The 49th annual Longmont Turkey Trot begins Saturday at 11 a.m. The scenic, fast event offers two-mile and 10K courses. Proceeds from this weekend’s event benefit the City of Longmont Recreation Services Youth Scholarship Fund. To register for the Longmont Turkey Trot, visit LongmontColorado.gov.

DENVER — One of the most terrifying haunted houses in the country returns for two more days this November. 13th Floor Haunted House will reopen Friday and Saturday.

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.

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.

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: Country singer won’t be performing in the snow at Red Rocks this week

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 — The 47th annual Denver Film Festival runs through Sunday. In addition to the film screenings, the Denver Film Festival has special events, including filmmaker Q&A sessions, panel discussions, workshops, receptions, and industry networking opportunities.

DENVER — Denver Arts Week goes through Sunday. The annual celebration of arts and culture in Denver helps to make art accessible to everyone and celebrates the countless talented artists in the community.

“Venom: The Last Dance” has topped the box office for two weekends while cinemas wait for several movies leading up to Thanksgiving. Overall box office continues to lag behind 2023 by almost 12%. But holiday moviegoing will likely give the industry an end-of-year boost with titles like “Gladiator II” and “Wicked” on the way.

• Heretic
• Overlord: The Sacred Kingdom
• The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
• Elevation

1. “Venom: The Last Dance,” $26.1 million.
2. “The Wild Robot,” $7.6 million.
3. “Smile 2,” $6.8 million.
4. “Conclave,” $5.3 million.
5. “Here,” $5 million.
6. “We Live In Time,” $3.5 million.
7. “Terrifier 3,” $3.4 million.
8. “Singham Again,” $2.1 million.
9. “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” $2.1 million.
10. “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3,” $2.1 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.

Have a fun  weekend! 

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