Ski races, a childish festival, coffee beers and more on tap

By the Thirst Team

Get Out of Town is our weekly roundup of recommended events across Colorado. For more happenings, check out our events calendar.

Beer festival at an adult playground

One of the best beer festivals of the year is coming to the Children’s Museum Thursday. In addition to unlimited samples of local beers and snacks, adults get to take over all the interactive exhibits at the museum (without shoving kids out of the way).

Blow bubbles, launch rockets, paint on a VW bug and more at this 21+ event. Also, proceeds support the Museum’s educational programming and initiatives. Tickets cost $55, and include unlimited samples from at least 20 breweries and nine local eateries and caterers.

Thirst Colorado also will be there. Come say hi, get some swag and enter a ticket giveaway for another great food and drink festival.

Wells Fargo Ski Cup

The National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD) hosts the 49th Wells Fargo Ski Cup Thursday through Saturday. The event boasts the longest-running professional ski race in the country.

Weekend athletic events include the World Disabled Invitational, with professional disabled athletes from around the world; a corporate team ski and snowboard challenge; and a kids snowplow sprint. There will also be a Friday soiree, silent auction (which is already open), 50/50 raffle, hospitality tent and more.

The event is a fundraiser for the NCSD, which ensures those living with disabilities can enjoy outdoor recreation.

Telluride Gay Ski Week

A weeklong celebration of LGBTQ+ equality, inclusivity and awareness starts Saturday in Telluride.

British-American freeskier and actor Gus Kenworthy will host the event. Other performers include musicians Horse Meat Disco, Bears in Space, DAD SF and Perfect Lovers; Drag Queens Suzy Wong, Raja Gemini, Willam and Pattaya Hart; AJA Dancers; stand-up comedian Sam Morrison and more.

Other events include a fashion show, after-ski and late-night parties, sleigh rides, a Broadway show sneak peek.

Stephanie Ann Ball

Opera for the rest of us

Opera can be intimidating for the uninitiated, but the Broadmoor Community Church in Colorado Springs hosts a night of bite-size opera samples designed for newcomers on Saturday night.

“All About Love” is a set of three operas sung in English, including a new English translation of “La Voix Humaine” by Eapen Leubner. Stephanie Ann Ball will star in all three.

This opera program is co-produced by Art Song Colorado, Chamber Orchestra of the Springs, and Opera Theatre of the Rockies.

(Not-So-Sad) Pandamonium

On Saturday and Sunday, Horse & Dragon Brewing in Fort Collins hosts Pandamonium!, a craft beer mini-festival celebrating its popular Sad Panda Coffee Stout. Each of four ticketed 21+ sessions will feature unlimited tastings of 11 variations of Sad Panda.

Tickets also include a $10 donation to the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed. Note that parking is very limited at Horse & Dragon, so rideshares and biking are encouraged.

Dark Beer Invitational

Windfall Brewing Co. in Westminster hosts a dark beer invitational beer festival on Sunday. A dozen Colorado breweries will pour unlimited samples from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m., and appetizers and snacks will be available.

Save the date: Rocky Mountain Folks Festival

The Rocky Mountain Folks Festival announces the lineup for its 35th annual festival, coming to Lyons August 8-10.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Watchhouse, The Devil Makes Three, Lee Fields and more will perform. Tickets are now on sale.

As always, please send us your events and announcements. We’re happy to share them. If they don’t fit in the Get Out of Town column, we will add them to our events calendar.