Things to Do

From beer and whiskey tastings to music, hockey and art, here are the six things we're most looking forward to in Denver and beyond this weekend:

• Celebrate the year of the tiger on Friday and Saturday in Aurora at Jade Mountain Brewery & Teahouse's Lunar New Year party, featuring five new beer releases and 10+ food and local vendors.

Steve Mercia pauses for a moment when asked what it takes to be a professional snow sculptor.

• "It takes a special person," he says finally. "You get cold, you get wet. There has to be a passion."

Sunnyside Supper Club — a warm and spacious Neapolitan pizzeria in northwest Denver — specializes in organic, homemade pies made with seasonal ingredients and baked in a hand-built brick oven.

Behind the scenes: The restaurant, which opened last month, is run by James Samara and business partner Brendan McManus of the Mighty Hospitality Group, which includes El Jefe and Lucky Pie Pizza & Tap House.

Looking for a little fun-spiration to cap off the work week? We've got you covered.

Here are six things to do in Denver and beyond this weekend:

This year's Good Food awards named 22 winners from Colorado — all small-batch merchants who make products from hard cider to artisan chocolate.

How it works: The California-based Good Food Foundation, a membership organization, recognizes chefs and makers who focus on taste and sustainable practices and social responsibility.

It's not unusual for Colorado to land on travel destination lists.

Driving the news: A new ranking of the "best mountain towns" published by Boulder-based Outside magazine is no different.

Las Esquina del Sabor at 15200 E. Colfax Ave. is known as Aurora's "flavor corner," because it's where more than a dozen food trucks sling some of the best Latin American cuisine in Colorado.

Details: From tortas and gorditas to menudo and ceviche, this food truck haven and outdoor market has a little something for everyone — plus plenty of covered and outdoor seating to hang out with friends and family.

If you explored a national park on Monday, you probably noticed your admission was free thanks to the MLK holiday.

Zoom out: For anyone looking to get outdoors while saving some dough this year, here are the four other days in 2022 when you can get into national parks at no cost: