FRIDAY
Wills at the Rose
COUNTRY MUSIC|Mark Wills’ baritone can do things to a ballad that few other country singers his age – 32 – can do. But he also knows how to rock the house with some old-fashioned honky-tonk. Kirk Dillen starts the music off at 8 p.m.|10 tonight|Grizzly Rose, 5450 N. Valley Highway; $20; at the Rose or through Ticketmaster at 303-830-8497 or ticketmaster.com.
SATURDAY
Movies all weekend
FILM|The Eighth Annual Boulder Asian Film Festival begins tonight with a reception, then starts rolling movies Saturday continuing through Sunday. Features include “Day of Independence,” about the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II, Saturday evening, with a filmmakers’ discussion afterward. |various times|
Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; donations suggested for various events start at $20; boulderasianmovies.org.
Viva Aurora!
FESTIVAL|The inaugural Fiesta Aurora celebrates the city’s Latino community. The event features authentic food, a beer garden, mariachi music, folkloric troupes, Aztec dancing, popular local bands, and crafts and wares booths. A children’s area offers games and activities.|11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday|Fletcher Plaza, 9898 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora; free; 303-326-8615 or auroragov.org/fiesta.
See an artist at work
ART|What does it take to make an abstraction? Steve Tracy will try to answer that question during a painting demonstration as part of the weekly Tennyson Artist & Collectibles Open Air Market. Tracy is one of the artists featured in the Tennyson Gallery’s exhibition, “Abstract! The Show,” which continues through Oct. 29.|Demonstration, 1-3 p.m. Saturday; market, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.|East parking lot of Tennyson Gallery, 4369 Stuart St.; free; 303-433-3274 or tennysongallery.com.
Voice as archive
AFRICAN-AMERICAN MUSIC|Vocalist Linda Tillery has mined the rich history of African-American music, including spirituals, field hollers and ring shouts, for more than 30 years. She has appeared on more than 100 recordings with a range of artists, including Bobby McFerrin and Huey Lewis and the News. She joins the Cultural Heritage Choir for a concert as part of an Augustana Arts-sponsored collaboration with The Spirituals Project.|7:30 p.m. Saturday|New Hope Family Life Center, 3701 Colorado Blvd; $30 general public, $20 seniors, $10 students; 866-464-2626 or ticketswest.com.
SUNDAY
Tour Caulkins facility
OPEN HOUSE|Couldn’t get tickets for Saturday’s sold-out gala opening of the Ellie Caulkins Opera House? Don’t worry. The general public can tour the facility during Sunday’s community open house. The event begins with a commemoration ceremony led by Mayor John Hickenlooper and continues with backstage tours and continuous entertainment, including the Denver Brass, Colorado Children’s Chorale and Colorado Ballet.|noon-5 p.m. Sunday|Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets; free; 303-640-2637 or artscomplex.com.
THE WEEKEND
Fire it up
FESTIVAL|Spanish-speaking cultures that include chile peppers will be honored at the 2005 Chile Harvest. The event includes Hispanic dance, music, art and wares, storytellers, chile tasting and children’s activities.|11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday|Denver Botanic Gardens, 1005 York St., $5-$7 or $20 for two adults and up to three kids, 720-865-3500 or botanicgardens.org.
“New” old homes
HOUSE TOUR|Five homes in the Baker Historic District are the subject of Historic Denver’s 32nd Annual House Tour. It showcases Queen Anne-style homes from the late 1800s and bungalows from the early 20th century. Visitors can see how homeowners have brought their houses into the 21st century while maintaining their classic character.|10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Sunday|First Avenue Presbyterian Church, 120 W. First Ave., $10-$15, 303-534-5288 or historicdenver.org.
It’s Oktober
FESTIVAL|September may be only 9 days old, but the sounds and smell of Oktoberfest are in the air. The 36th Annual Larimer Square Oktoberfest includes food such as bratwursts, apple strudel, schnitzel and a variety of beers, which cost six to nine tickets. There also will be children’s activities and German music and merchandise.|11 a.m.-1 a.m. today, Saturday and Sept. 16-17, noon-6 p.m. Sunday and Sept. 18|Larimer Square, 1400 block of Larimer Street, free, nine food and drink tickets $5, 303-534-2367, oktoberfestdenver.com.
Otherworldly show
CHILDREN’S MUSICAL|Big Bird, Grover, Elmo and other Sesame Street Live characters want families to join them on a cosmic journey in the musical “Out of This World.” The show features the Sesame Street friends telling intergalactic visitors about Earth.|10 a.m. and 7 p.m. today, 10:30 a.m. and 2 and 5:30 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. Sunday|Budweiser Events Center, 5290 Arena Circle, Loveland; $13-$19; Comcast Tickets at 877-544-8499 or comcasttix.com.
THE WEEK
A re-examined career
CLASSICAL MUSIC|Elizabeth Farr will present a concert of Elizabethan composer Peter Philips’ keyboard music. Farr is a professor of early music and harpsichord at the University of Colorado at Boulder’s College of Music.|7:30 p.m. Tuesday|Grusin Music Hall, Imig Music Building, 18th Street and Euclid Avenue, Boulder; free; 303-492-8008 or colorado.edu/music.
Lewis and Clark
HISTORY|The celebration of the bicentennial of the landmark Lewis and Clark expedition continues with a continuing exhibition at the Denver Central Library. It features documents, journals and other archival objects.|through Sept. 30|Fifth floor, Denver Central Library, 10 W. 14th Avenue Parkway; free; 720-865-1821 or denverlibrary.org.
