A grand Western tradition
Through Jan. 26. The 16-day National Western Stock Show gets underway Saturday, Jan. 11 (and continues through Jan. 26), with a jam-packed schedule of rodeos, animal displays, Western livestock and agricultural culture, competitions, a trade show, and all-ages fun to celebrate the event’s 119th installment.
Slip on your boots and check out the Jan. 12 Mexican Rodeo, the national-quality Coors Western Art Exhibit, a petting zoo and much more at the National Western Center, 4655 Humboldt St. in Denver. Tickets: $7-$9 for daily grounds admission for kids (3-11) and $25-$37 for adults (depending on the day). Individual ticketed events can be purchased separately by calling 800-336-6977 or visiting nationalwestern.com
Monopoly, writ large
Through Feb. 9. If you haven’t yet played the touring Monopoly Lifesized: Travel Edition, running through Feb. 9, there’s still time. Denver Center for the Performing Arts extended the production late last year due to demand, offering more dates for curious players.
So what is it? It’s a 70-minute, all-ages experience in which you compete against other teams on a 50-by-50-foot board, with individual rooms representing the properties. A guide takes you through mental and physical challenges. Tickets: $51.75. 407 S. Broadway in Denver. denvercenter.org/tickets-events. Note: DCPA officials said online ticketing will be down for a few days this week, so if you hit a wall, call the box office at 303-893-4100.
A cinematic “Rose of Sonora”
Saturday. There’s a secret weapon in “The Rose of Sonora” show on Saturday, Jan. 11, and you’re likely already familiar with his work. The orchestral concert presented by Symphony of the Rockies includes performances of works from Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein and others, with violin from Denver’s Holly Mulcahy.
But the leader of “The Rose of Sonora,” who will narrate the “Violin Concerto in Five Scenes” (as it’s subtitled), is the award-winning composer George S. Clinton, who scored the “Austin Powers” and “Santa Clause” movies, and many other marquee titles.
It takes place at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Gates Concert Hall at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Denver, 2344 E. Iliff Ave. Preview the multimedia program at roseofsonora.com/the-story and get tickets ($13-$43) at roseofsonora.com.
Ultimate RV goodness
Through Saturday. Despite this week’s Front Range snow, it’s already time to start thinking about summer activities, with a little help from the Ultimate RV Show. This one transcends most trade conventions, with Colorado’s intense outdoors culture meeting the latest and greatest in travel trailers, fifth wheels, motorhomes and van campers, including more than 300 fully staged RVs, organizers said.
Admission is free. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, at the Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th St. in downtown Denver. rv.campingworld.com/shows
Brian Posehn, Jackie Kashian at Comedy Works
Through Saturday. Few comics possess as much creative consistency as this week’s Comedy Works headliners, who’ve been bridging the gap between alt-comedy, club stand-up and social consciousness (well, if it’s funny) for decades.
The downtown club (1226 15th St. in Denver) will host “Mr. Show” veteran and noted metalhead Brian Posehn for multiple shows through Saturday, Jan. 11, while the South club in Greenwood Village (5345 Landmark Place) welcomes Jackie Kashian, a must-follow on social media (and frequent collaborator of Maria Bamford), also through Jan. 11. Tickets: $28-$33. Ages 21 and up. comedyworks.com