Spooky season is finally upon us!
Hello Denver, and welcome to October, the month where fall is fully in swing. This month the season’s delightful fall colors start to sweep over Colorado (have you seen Aspen lately?) and fantastic fall flavors take over the culinary menus. We rounded up some amazing fall-centric festivals, farms, spooky fun, restaurants, and cultural activities to do this month and put it all together in one place to make your October a lot more fun. So here we go, welcome to the spookiest month of all and enjoy these 55 fantastic and frightening things to do in Denver all month long.
1. Be dazzled at one of these atmospheric Candlelight Concerts
These enchanting candlelit evenings are wildly popular here in Denver and they’re here for another sensational season, this time with some amazing spooky-themed concerts. This autumn, enjoy the sounds of classic music and flickering candlelight with concerts featuring classical tributes of Adele and Beyoncè’s best songs, plus, a special concert dedicated to spooky classical songs from your favorite horror franchises like Halloween.
2. Make haste and secure your tickets to the party of the year at the Bridgerton Experience
Missing Shondaland’s world of Bridgerton? Wishing you could take your love of Regency-core to the next level? Then make haste, dear readers, to the party of the year. The Queen’s Ball: A Bridgerton Experience is headed to Denver, and the venue has just been revealed. The Brighton venue will be fully transformed into an immersive experience complete with interactive sets from the series’ most iconic moments, from the Modiste to the epic ballroom set up for the party of a lifetime. Tickets are now on sale, but the party starts in November!
3. Learn all about Hollywood’s favorite monsters at this interactive museum
Distortions Monster World is bringing to life some of Hollywood’s coolest monsters. Come face-to-face with Hollywood’s favorite vampire, Nosferatu, and make contact with aliens for the first time in Area 51. Bigfoot chasers can be thrilled to catch sight of the elusive beast and what’s even better, you can snap a photo that’ll be undeniable proof that monsters walk among us, and you’ve met them yourself. The museum is perfect for all ages and is the perfect activity to round out your October. Hurry, because this is the last month to experience the spooky fun.
4. Attend an art show dedicated to Denver’s best artists and a spooky museum
Spectra Art Space is one of our favorite interactive cultural spaces in Denver, and they’ve just launched their 8th year of their art show that can be enjoyed all through October and November. The event, called Colorado Vibes Vol. 8 will feature 25 unique artists and is free to attend, though donations are accepted and encouraged, with different price points getting you different goodies like stickers or swag bags. They’re also opening their 8th year of Spookadelia, a spooky interactive and immersive museum that is always a scary good time.
5. Go on a seasonal beer crawl around Denver
If Denver-based, The Great American Beer Fest isn’t a testament to Denver’s outstanding beer scene, then we don’t know what is. From German-inspired lagers to Pumpkin-Spiced, there’s plenty of delicious fall-flavored beers to wet your whistle and get you into the fall spirit. It’s a refreshing break from the hoppy IPAs of summer, don’t you think?
- Spooky Hollow from Cooper Kettle Brewing Co.
- Pumpkin Spice Yeti from Great Divide Brewing Co.
- Pumpkin Peeps from Twisted Pine Brewing Co.
6-16. Support these talented and innovative Latinx-owned businesses
It’s Hispanic Heritage Month for a couple more weeks and with such a unique and diverse array of Hispanic talent in Denver, there’s plenty of unique eateries to try. In honor of the special occasion, we put together a list of Latinx-owned businesses we thought were worth checking out around the city, from coffee to beer and much more, all year long.
17. Sample some of the world’s greatest beer at The Great American Beer Fest
It’s that time of year again. The 40th annual Great American Beer Fest takes place from October 6th to October 8th, and tickets are still available. Any and all beer lovers shouldn’t miss out on this festival that’s known for having the most varieties of beer in the world. Tickets are selling out so we’d recommend snagging one ASAP if you can.
18. Take a spooky historical tour of Denver
This historical ghost tour in Denver is the perfect way to learn about the Mile High City’s seedy past this October. Be led by a knowledgable history guide who will take you through different areas of the city from ghost stories to haunted, historical mansions full of scandal. There are tours every evening, starting Friday September 30th and lasting until Wednesday, October 12th.
19-38. Be amazed by Colorado’s fall foliage near Aspen
It’s that time of year again where everything feels like it’s been reset. Mother nature starts to show off again and remind us that even if summer is over, there’s little to be sad about when the world around us is so naturally beautiful. The leaves start to change, seasonal menus start to crop up, and daytime hikes become cooler and crisper. This year, Aspen has been really doing the most by shocking locals with its beautiful red, orange, and goldspun-tree transformation, and we’re here for it.
39. Interact with sets dedicated to Earth’s most beautiful creatures at this immersive museum
Earth, Sea, and Air are all represented at this immersive pop up museum dedicated to the Earth. Get up close and personal with sets and artwork representing butterflies, plants, and more at this family friendly pop up, and snap some photos to make long lasting memories, and since the museum closes this month, this’ll be your last chance to experience the magic of nature.
40-46. Fill your month with fall festivals and spooky fun at the Botanic Gardens
Since it’s October, Denver Botanic Garden has filled their monthly calendar with things to do around the gardens and Chatfield Farms, from cultural festivals to corn mazes and pumpkin patches.
- Chatfield Farms Corn Maze
- Pumpkin Festival
- Glow at the Gardens
47-48. Get dressed up and hit the bars at these unique Pub Crawl
This Trick or Drink pub crawl is trick-or-treating, but with an adult twist, and since this is the first year where Halloween is in full swing again, make it one to remember. Meet at Rock Bottom Brewery and get a wristband for a fun bar crawl, and tickets are available Friday, October 28th, Saturday October 29th, and Sunday, October 30th.
On October 29th, the Denver Halloween Bar Crawl will start at El Tejano and take guests to places like Smashface Brewery and Terminal Bar for a spook-tastic evening jam-packed with fun. There are two tours that take place this evening, the first one at 8pm and the second one at 9pm.
49-54. Learn about Colorado’s most influential historical figures buried at its oldest cemetery
Riverside Cemetery is Denver’s oldest, full of fascinating stories from people who have made their mark in the city’s history. From a Japanese American immigrant murdered by a Colorado serial killer, to a well-respected general, you can learn about these figures and more with guided tours at Riverside.
55. Visit the hotel that inspired Stephen King’s, The Shining, and re-enact scenes from the film
The Stanley Hotel has a lot going for it, from its secluded place among the Rocky Mountains to the fact that it’s a Colonial Revival hotel with over 140 rooms and luxury suites/dining, but it’s most known for being the hotel that inspired Stephen King and Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. This year, you can take their ghostly tours or stay overnight in a haunted room. This year, they’re also planning a new experience which lets you re-enact some of the film’s most iconic scenes with interactive sets designed exactly the way the movie is.
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