Denver

From fall festivals and football to art shows, marathons and more, this weekend in Denver has a little bit for everyone. 

What's going on: Watch a Halloween-themed movie on Friday in Greenwood Village’s Marjorie Park, where you can snack on carnival treats, sip hot chocolate and play yard games. Upgraded seats and wine packages are also available. 

🎟️ For those feeling spontaneous, buy tickets to the "Don’t Tell Denver" comedy show on Friday in Baker. The catch? It’s at a secret location featuring an unknown comedian. You won’t learn the deets until the day of the show (via email).

🏃 Lace up those sneakers and sign up to race in the 15th annual Colfax Marathon, a two-day event with multiple competitions, including a half-marathon and 5K. 

🧙‍♀️ Grab your best costume and head to the Denver Art Society’s "Circus So Spook" on Saturday for a night of local art and carnival games, plus a cash bar to raise funds for the organization. 

🏒 Watch the Colorado Avalanche face the St. Louis Blues in their second game of the season Saturday at Denver's Ball Arena. 

🍂 Don your favorite plaid at the 4th annual Fall Flannel Fest, hosted on Sunday at the Dairy Block and Milk Market. The event includes food and drink specials, live music, face painting and more.

✈️ Catch the action at the Great Colorado Air Show this Saturday and Sunday in Loveland, where the U.S. Navy Blue Angels will headline the show for their first appearance in northern Colorado in nearly 20 years. 

🏈 Cheer on the Denver Broncos on Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High as they go head-to-head with the Las Vegas Raiders. 

What to do in Denver this weekend

From fall festivals and football to art shows, marathons and more, there's fun for everyone.

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News

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

Denver metro police agencies are waiting hours — and sometimes days — to inform the public and media about criminal activity in our community.

Why it matters: Despite promises to be transparent after cutting off public access to police radios in recent years, public safety leaders aren't keeping their word.

Driving the news: Just in the past week, the Denver Police Department has delayed disclosing numerous crimes that unfolded over several days by multiple hours after they had happened, 9News reports.

In Aurora, where the police department was among the first to encrypt its radios, authorities this week waited 36 hours to reveal that they had used a dog to arrest a man for shooting at his neighbor's house and violating a red flag order. 

The other side: Officials contend that many crimes don't necessitate notifying residents, and it can take hours to assess a scene, which can hold up the communication process. 

The big picture: Dozens of safety agencies across Colorado have taken steps to restrict their scanners as a safety and privacy precaution, making it harder for journalists to cover breaking news and inform their communities about potentially dangerous events. 

Denver metro police lag on reporting crimes

In the last week, the police department has delayed disclosing numerous crimes that unfolded over several days by multiple hours.

Illustration of many magnifying glasses examining a police badge

Keep your eyes open, friends. Colorado wildlife officials are reporting an increase in black bear activity in the Denver metro area.

What’s happening: Our furry friends are getting ready to hibernate — and they’re packing on the pounds to prepare. 

That means they’re spending up to 20 hours a day stockpiling 20,000 calories wherever they can find them. 

State of play: Roughly 50 sightings in and around Denver have been reported between Sept. 1 and Oct. 14, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials. But even more activity is expected as winter closes in.

On Oct. 8, wildlife officers relocated a bear from Denver’s University Park neighborhood.

Be smart: If you encounter a cute chonker inside city limits, report the sighting to local authorities. 

Hungry bears descend on Denver

Our furry friends are getting ready to hibernate — and they’re packing the pounds to prepare.

A black bear in a tree near C-470 and South Platte Canyon Road. 

A black bear in a tree near C-470 and South Platte Canyon Road. Photo courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife

The pockets of Colorado's billionaires deepened during the pandemic — with some more than doubling in size.

Driving the news: Seven Coloradans made the latest Forbes 400 list of wealthiest Americans, and each has more money than ever before. 

Charlie Ergen, $13B (No. 56): A Denver resident and co-founder of TV provider Dish Network. His net worth spiked by 40% in 2021. 

Philip Anschutz, $10.8B (66): An influential investor and longtime Denver resident known for his holdings in oil, real estate and media. His bankroll bumped by 7%.

John Malone, $8.4B (98): A media magnate who lives in Elizabeth and is the country's largest private landowner, with more than 2 million acres. His wealth grew 45% year over year. 

Mark Stevens, $4.8B (224): A Steamboat Springs resident and venture capitalist from Silicon Valley whose net worth jumped by 55% this year. 

Kenneth Tuchman, $3.7B (310): The founder of TTEC, a massive call center outsourcing company, who lives in Englewood. His fortune soared in 2021 by 133%. 

Pat Stryker, $3.4B (340): This Fort Collins resident is heir to the medical device maker Stryker Corp. Her net worth swelled 34%. 

James Leprino, $3.3B (358): Owner of Denver-based Leprino Foods, the world's biggest mozzarella cheese maker. His riches rose by 10%. 

Zoom out: As much of the country struggled to make ends meet, the 400 most affluent Americans saw their collective wealth grow by 40% to $4.5 trillion.

Colorado's billionaires are getting richer

Seven Coloradans made the latest Forbes 400 list of wealthiest Americans, and each has more money than ever before.

Charles "Charlie" Ergen, chairman and co-founder of Dish Network Corp., at a panel discussion in 2012. Photo: Jonathan Alcorn/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Business

After more than three years of construction, not to mention last year's pandemic delays, the Denver Art Museum's $175 million renovation is, at last, complete.

What's next: Doors open to the public with a free admission day Oct. 24.

Why it matters: The pricey project could help put our city on the map as a cultural destination, boosting tourism, driving economic growth and even accelerating its population boom. 

The big picture: Based on the designs of the late Gio Ponti, who helped plan the museum, the expanded campus offers a chic, brightly lit welcome center, numerous upgraded galleries, two high-profile restaurants, a sunken pavilion, rooftop terrace and massive learning center.

The revamp also features a complete reconstruction of the Ponti Building — now called the Lanny and Sharon Martin Building, thanks to the couple's $25 million donation.

The major renovation added the Sie Welcome Center and 35,000 square feet to the museum's famed, half-century-old North Building.

How it happened: The facelift was funded by private donors and Denver voters, who in 2017 approved the Elevate Denver Bonds to provide $35.5 million in upgrades. The museum also matched public investment dollars with privately raised capital at a 3-to-1 ratio.

The Western American Art Galleries. Photo: James Florio/courtesy of the Denver Art Museum

Zoom in: Some of the updated collections include the Northwest Coast and Alaska Native galleries; Indigenous Arts of North America galleries; Latin American Art and Art of the Ancient Americas galleries; and Asian Art galleries.

The entire museum now features bilingual art labels in English and Spanish. 

The Sie Welcome Center is expected to be a particular draw with its two new Jennifer Jasinksi-directed restaurants, along with a state-of-the-art education center — one of the largest in any art museum nationwide.

The bottom line: The Denver Art Museum serves as a top cultural attraction in the metro area, averaging about 800,000 visitors annually in recent years, according to the museum. And that number could grow a lot larger, thanks to the revamp. 

Yes, but: Only time will tell if the cash infusion will be a worthwhile investment. 

What to watch: The museum's reopening coincides with the Martin building's 50th anniversary. 

The Kemper Courtyard. Photo: James Florio/courtesy of the Denver Art Museum

The European art galleries. Photo: James Florio/courtesy of the Denver Art Museum

The Latin American art galleries. Photo: James Florio/courtesy of the Denver Art Museum

The Indigenous art of North America galleries. Photo: James Florio/courtesy of the Denver Art Museum

The Ponti restaurant. Photo: James Florio/courtesy of the Denver Art Museum 

The Martin Building's rooftop terrace. Photo: James Florio/courtesy of the Denver Art Museum

Duncan Hall. Photo: James Florio/courtesy of the Denver Art Museum

Denver Art Museum gets a $175 million makeover

The pricey project could help put our city on the map as a cultural destination.

The exterior of the Martin Building at the Denver Art Museum. Photo: Eric Stephenson/courtesy of the Denver Art Museum

Alayna Alvarez

Featured stories

Hungry bears descend on Denver

Denver Art Museum gets a $175 million makeover

Colorado's billionaires are getting richer

What to do in Denver this weekend

Denver metro police lag on reporting crimes