1 big thing: 🦪 Tampa Oyster Fest

Illustration of an oyster platter in a pelican's mouth.

2. ▶️ Streaming guide 

Hi, Thursday! Enjoy a weekend of family-friendly festivals.

Joke of the day: What's a dinner roll's favorite dance? Abundance.

Today's newsletter is 753 words — a 3-minute read.

🥂 Analis is looking for holiday-themed cocktail and mocktail recipes. Suggestions welcome!

⚡ Maxwell is going to see the LA Chargers play against the Broncos at SoFi Stadium.

Thanks to our editor Holly Moore and copy editor Egan Millard.

Tampa Bay

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blue

A guide to fun things to do in Tampa Bay this weekend.

Axios Tampa Bay Weekender

Weekender

1 big thing: 🎄 Light the night

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Hey, Thursday! It's time to break out that holiday sweater.

Joke of the day: Why did Rudolph have to attend summer school? Because he went down in history.

Today's newsletter is 751 words — a 3-minute read.

Thanks to our editor Ashley May and copy editor Egan Millard.

Washington D.C.

A guide to fun things to do in D.C. this weekend.

Axios D.C. Weekender

1 big thing: ✨ Navy Pier turns winter wonderland

A photo showing people standing outside in front of four large ornaments of various sizes covered in string lights.

Today's newsletter is 720 words — a 2.5-minute read.

⚡ Maxwell is going to see the LA Chargers play against the Denver Broncos at SoFi Stadium.

Chicago

A guide to fun things to do in Chicago this weekend.

Axios Chicago Weekender

1 big thing: 💝 Shop (local) till you drop

Illustration of a gift boxed covered in a repeat Axios logo pattern wrapping paper and a bright orange bow.

A photo showing Coach Prime holding up a jersey that says Coach Prime and number 21 on it. He's smiling in front of a microphone.

Today's newsletter is 831 words — a 3-minute read.

🏈 Maxwell is going to see the Broncos play against the LA Chargers at SoFi Stadium.

Thanks to our editor Emma Hurt and copy editor Egan Millard.

Denver

Picture of the Denver skyline with DEN written across it.

A guide to fun things to do in Denver this weekend.

Axios Denver Weekender

1 big thing: 🎦 Classics in town

Illustration of lit marquee letters spelling "WEEKEND" sitting in a row of theater seats.

⚡Maxwell is going to see the LA Chargers play against the Broncos at SoFi Stadium.

Twin Cities

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A guide to fun things to do in Twin Cities this weekend.

Axios Twin Cities Weekender

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This weekend in Denver, shop for gifts in RiNo, head to Northfield for a Hanukkah celebration or enjoy drink specials while dressed as Santa Claus. 

🎁 1. It's a RiNo-ful Life Holiday Market

Find the perfect locally made gift in RiNo this weekend.

What's happening: "It's a RiNo-ful Life" Holiday Market will include shopping, music and DJ sets, live mural painting, a free kids craft station and a free holiday portrait.

Why it matters: This is your chance to shop for the holidays while supporting over 20 local artists and business owners.

Vendors include: Dreamlyk (art prints), LunaWire (jewelry), The Adventuress Soap Co. (soaps and fragrances) and Something Vinyl Club (vinyl records).

Of note: The first 100 attendees will have the chance to screen-print a tote bag or any item they bring from home.

This Tony-winning musical about the six wives of Henry VIII opened this week at the Buell Theatre and will run until Christmas Eve. Tickets range from $45–$155.

Head to The Shops at Northfield from 3–5pm Sunday for a Festival of Lights celebration. Activities include craft making, sufganiya and edible dreidel creation and photo booths. Free to RSVP.

Grab the perfect gift from local vendors at MCA Denver's Holiday Theater from noon–7pm Saturday. There will be seasonal cocktails, gift wrapping and festive music. Free.

The Arthritis Foundation is hosting its annual race at Wash Park at 9am Sunday. Races include a timed 5K, an untimed 5K, a 1-mile and a kids run. There will be a costume contest with a dog division. Registration pricing varies.

Location: South Downing Street & East Louisiana Avenue

Dress up, drink and be merry at this St. Nick-themed bar crawl in LoDo from 1–8pm Saturday. Participating bars include Society Sports Bar, Pour House on Market, 1930 Blake and the Retro Room. Tickets are $12.

Denver weekend events: RiNo holiday market, Santa Bar Crawl

Shop for gifts in RiNo or join a Santa-themed bar crawl.

Weekend

This weekend in Denver, shop for gifts in RiNo, head to Northfield for a Hanukkah celebration or enjoy drink specials while dressed as Santa Claus.

Things to Do

Axios Denver, anchored by John Frank and Alayna Alvarez, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard.

Axios Denver

This weekend in Denver, head downtown for the Parade of Lights, watch Disney's "Frozen" and "Encanto" come to life or turn up with Sexyy Red. 

Santa is coming to town, along with dozens of floats at the Parade of Lights in downtown Denver.

Why it matters: This is downtown's premier holiday event. It features 4o illuminated floats, character balloons, marching bands, cultural displays and equestrian units, plus appearances from Major Waddles the penguin and, of course, St. Nick.

Location: Beginning at 14th and Bannock streets

Cost: Free to view from the street, $25 for grandstand seating

Of note: You can watch the parade from home on 9News KUSA.

The 25-year-old rising rap star will headline the KS 107.5 Snow Show 7pm Sunday at Fillmore Auditorium. Tickets start at $45.

⛸️ 3. Disney on Ice: "Frozen" & "Encanto"

Experience two of Disney's most popular stories in real life at Ball Arena this weekend. Passes for a pre-show experience with games, storytelling and a meet-and-greet with Elsa and Mirabel are available for purchase. Tickets start at $25.

The "Queer Eye" star will perform at Paramount Theatre as part of his "Fun and Slutty" comedy tour. Tickets start at $49.50.

🩰 5. Colorado Ballet: "The Nutcracker"

This classic holiday show returns to the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Performance times vary daily and run through Christmas Eve. Tickets start at $50.

Join JCC Denver for a Hanukkah celebration featuring live klezmer music, games, a photo booth, local vendors, Jewish baked goods and a latke competition with local restaurants. Join the waitlist.

Cost: $10–$18 for individuals, $40-$72 for families

Denver weekend events: Parade of Lights, Disney on Ice and more

Watch the Parade of Lights downtown or see Disney's "Frozen" and "Encanto" on ice.

The Grinch balloon floats through downtown at the Parade of Lights. Photo: Courtesy of Downtown Denver Partnership

This weekend in Denver, head downtown for the Parade of Lights, watch Disney&#x27;s &quot;Frozen&quot; and &quot;Encanto&quot; come to life or turn up with Sexyy Red.

National

Here's what's new on Prime Video, Paramount+, Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, Disney+ and Apple TV+ this weekend.

What we're watching: Another star-studded apocalyptic thriller from Netflix, a recap of Coach Prime's first season at Colorado and Adrian Monk's final case. 

"Leave the World Behind," available Friday on Netflix

What's happening: Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Myha'la, Ethan Hawke and Kevin Bacon star in this apocalyptic thriller about two families trying to survive a looming disaster under one roof.

The intrigue: Former president and first lady Barack and Michelle Obama are among the executive producers of this film, which is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Rumaan Alam.

What they're saying: "This is a rare story that deals with race, class, what it means to raise kids in today's world, and how external events start to seep into our consciousness and create fears where maybe there shouldn't be any. [The story] asks fundamental questions about how we live, how we think, and who we trust," said executive producer Tonia Davis in a press release.

"Coach Prime," available now on Prime Video

What's happening: The second season of this reality series about NFL legend Deion "Prime Time" Sanders follows him during his first season as the University of Colorado's head football coach.

The intrigue: Coach Prime and the Buffaloes were the talk of college football as they won three straight games to open the season. They won only one game the previous year.

Yes, but: The team would only win one more game for the rest of the year, a sign that there's still room for improvement in Boulder.

Quick takes: The series is a good reminder of the impact Coach Prime's tenure has had in Boulder and across the college football landscape. One fun scene to look forward to: Colorado's band learning to play the song "Halftime" by the Ying Yang Twins, per Prime's request.

"John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial," available now on Apple TV+

What's happening: Kiefer Sutherland narrates this documentary about the murder of John Lennon with interviews from investigators, doctors and friends of the singer.

"Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie" on Peacock

Tony Shalhoub, Ted Levine, Jason Gray-Stanford, Traylor Howard, Melora Hardin and Héctor Elizondo return for this 90-minute follow-up to the series "Monk," which ended 14 years ago.

What's happening: Adrian Monk, a homicide detective with OCD, comes out of retirement to solve one more case that involves his stepdaughter (played by Caitlin McGee) as she prepares for her wedding. Available Friday.

"Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever" on Disney+

After accidentally damaging someone else's property with his best friend Rowley, Greg Heffley tries to stay on his best behavior before Christmas while stuck in the house with his family during a snowstorm. Available Friday.

Luke Wilson stars in this animated family comedy that follows Batman's young son Damian as he attempts to defend Gotham City from the Joker, Bane, Penguin and others during the holidays. Available Friday.

This series chronicles the daily challenges faced by LGBTQ+ people and their families in the Midwest. Available now.

"My Life With the Walter Boys" on Netflix

This new teen drama starring Nikki Rodriguez ("On My Block") is based on the novel of the same name by Ali Novak, which she wrote when she was 15 years old. Available now.

This new series follows a group of retired criminals forced to reunite when a masked assassin begins to hunt them. Available Friday.

This is the first feature-length film for the preschool YouTube series. Available Friday.

Of note: "Baby Shark Dance" is still the most-viewed video on YouTube (13 billion).

Streaming guide: What's new on Netflix, Prime Video and more

See Julia Roberts and Mahershala Ali in a new Netflix thriller, plus season two of "Coach Prime."

Mahershala Ali, Myha'la, Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke in "Leave the World Behind." Photo: Courtesy of Netflix

Entertainment

Here&#x27;s what&#x27;s new on Prime Video, Paramount+, Netflix, Hulu, Peacock, Disney+ and Apple TV+ this weekend.What we&#x27;re watching: Another star-studded apocalyptic thriller from Netflix, a recap of Coach Prime&#x27;s first season at Colorado and Adrian Monk&#x27;s final case.

Top stories & latest news on the Federal Reserve, real-time data, plus the biggest shifts happening in the U.S. and global economy.

Economy

Portland

Axios Portland

Portlanders who use Spotify streamed Taylor Swift more than any other single artist this year, with Drake, Morgan Wallen, $uicideboy$ and SZA rounding out the top five.

What's happening: Spotify Wrapped — the company's annual promotion that shows users their listening habits over a year — dropped on Wednesday.

Taylor Swift was also the most-streamed artist among Spotify's 574 million users globally.

Zoom in: Portland's most-streamed songs reflect the pull of those top artists — while flipping that list a bit. Here they are in order:

"Ella Baila Sola" by Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma

Zoom out: Portland and Seattle have nearly identical streaming habits — matching on four out of five top artists and top songs.

Austin, Texas — often compared to Portland, and not just for our shared "weird" slogan — also streamed Swift and Drake more than any other musician on Spotify.

Yes, but: The other most-streamed artists on Austin's top five list include Peso Pluma, Bad Bunny and The Weeknd.

What's next: Check out your own year-in-review stats — if you use Spotify — and see what city you line up with best.

What music Portland streamed this year

The pop singer Taylor Swift, holding a microphone to her mouth in her right hand and extending her left hand forward as a white dress billows behind her. 

Taylor Swift performing in Seattle in July. Photo: Mat Hayward/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

Spotify

Portlanders who use Spotify streamed <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Taylor Swift" data-vars-click-url="https://open.spotify.com/artist/06HL4z0CvFAxyc27GXpf02?si=QqLijF8dRcqFZs9IMCrkCg&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axioslocal_seattle&amp;stream=top&amp;nd=1&amp;dlsi=13f99a8c6a144990" data-vars-content-id="80ab5230-a4c2-4e69-ae93-dd42ed36f23d" data-vars-headline="What music Portland streamed this year" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/06HL4z0CvFAxyc27GXpf02?si=QqLijF8dRcqFZs9IMCrkCg&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=newsletter_axioslocal_seattle&amp;stream=top&amp;nd=1&amp;dlsi=13f99a8c6a144990" target="_blank">Taylor Swift</a> more than any other single artist this year, with <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Drake" data-vars-click-url="https://open.spotify.com/artist/3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4?si=I5ldKwaMSrqwd5WlFIlVlQ" data-vars-content-id="80ab5230-a4c2-4e69-ae93-dd42ed36f23d" data-vars-headline="What music Portland streamed this year" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4?si=I5ldKwaMSrqwd5WlFIlVlQ" target="_blank">Drake</a>, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Morgan Wallen" data-vars-click-url="https://open.spotify.com/artist/4oUHIQIBe0LHzYfvXNW4QM?si=pUaSJ2mWQUK05r_IiwwMIA" data-vars-content-id="80ab5230-a4c2-4e69-ae93-dd42ed36f23d" data-vars-headline="What music Portland streamed this year" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/4oUHIQIBe0LHzYfvXNW4QM?si=pUaSJ2mWQUK05r_IiwwMIA" target="_blank">Morgan Wallen</a>, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="$uicideboy$" data-vars-click-url="https://open.spotify.com/artist/1VPmR4DJC1PlOtd0IADAO0?si=zFVV6lMQTKm9D4DGtReaBA" data-vars-content-id="80ab5230-a4c2-4e69-ae93-dd42ed36f23d" data-vars-headline="What music Portland streamed this year" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/1VPmR4DJC1PlOtd0IADAO0?si=zFVV6lMQTKm9D4DGtReaBA" target="_blank">$uicideboy$</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="SZA" data-vars-click-url="https://open.spotify.com/artist/7tYKF4w9nC0nq9CsPZTHyP?si=60ZlnOoyQJWYRYX1llGjDg" data-vars-content-id="80ab5230-a4c2-4e69-ae93-dd42ed36f23d" data-vars-headline="What music Portland streamed this year" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/7tYKF4w9nC0nq9CsPZTHyP?si=60ZlnOoyQJWYRYX1llGjDg" target="_blank">SZA</a> rounding out the top five.What&#x27;s happening: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Spotify Wrapped" data-vars-click-url="https://www.spotify.com/us/wrapped/" data-vars-content-id="80ab5230-a4c2-4e69-ae93-dd42ed36f23d" data-vars-headline="What music Portland streamed this year" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.spotify.com/us/wrapped/" target="_blank">Spotify Wrapped</a> — the company&#x27;s annual promotion that shows users their listening habits over a year — dropped on Wednesday.

Culture

News

This weekend in Chicago, see the lights at Navy Pier, enjoy a life-size "Nutcracker" exhibition or geek out at Pocket Con. 

It's that time of year when Navy Pier starts to look like the set of a holiday movie.

What's happening: Light Up the Lake is more than just seeing Navy Pier fully illuminated.

Activities include a light display, ice skating, outdoor firepits, fireworks at 9pm every Saturday, local music, crafting workshops, artisan markets, ax throwing, free gift wrapping and an art gallery.

Costs: $15 ice skate rental, $18 (adult) to ride the Centennial Wheel

Carrie's thought bubble: It's hard to deny the beautiful view of our skyline from the Pier, especially from the Ferris wheel. There will be a lot of people there, so be careful with that ax throwing!

This iconic holiday classic is now an immersive exhibit at Lighthouse ArtSpace. The experience includes projections, photo-ops and a life-size nutcracker. Tickets are $16–24.

The actor and "SNL" alum will take the stage at the Riviera Theatre at 7pm Saturday. Tickets start at $65.

Experience this posh pop-up in River North through Dec. 30. This fully pink experience includes cocktails, photo booths and live DJ sets. Tickets start at $25.

This convention highlights work by women, queer artists and artists of color and comics with a primary Black character. Enjoy workshops, panel discussions and cosplay contests. Free.

Chicago weekend events: Light Up the Lake, Pocket Con and more

See the light display at Navy Pier or support Black artists at Pocket Con.

Light Up the Lake. Photo: Floyd McCraney/Navy Pier

This weekend in Chicago, see the lights at Navy Pier, enjoy a life-size &quot;Nutcracker&quot; exhibition or geek out at Pocket Con.

Maxwell Millington

Stories

Denver weekend events: RiNo holiday market, Santa Bar Crawl

Chicago weekend events: Light Up the Lake, Pocket Con and more

Streaming guide: What's new on Netflix, Prime Video and more

What music Portland streamed this year

Denver weekend events: Parade of Lights, Disney on Ice and more

Newsletter editions

🕶 Coach Prime doc

❄️ Lake lights up

🎶 Musicals on musicals

✨ Tree lighting time

All-you-can-eat oysters