FRIDAY
Weston photos
PHOTOGRAPHY|Edward Weston ranks among the greatest American photographers, excelling at everything from nudes to still lifes. Nearly 40 of his classic images, printed in the 1980s by his son, Cole, will be on view in a solo exhibition opening today and running through June 4.|Opening reception, 5:30-8:30 p.m. today|Camera Obscura Gallery, 1309 Bannock St.; free; 303-623-4059 or cameraobscuragallery.com.
Strike up the band
BRASS MUSIC|Since the time of John Philip Sousa and even before, brass music has been a hit with listeners. The venerable, fun-loving Canadian Brass has done more than any ensemble to popularize the brass quintet.|7:30 p.m. today|St. Mary Catholic Church, 6853 S. Prince St., Littleton; $15-$40; 720-283-4739, 720-283-4735, stmarylittleton.org.
SATURDAY
Gypsy guitarist
MUSIC/DANCE|Gypsy guitarist José Valle Fajardo, known worldwide as “Chuscales,” headlines a night of flamenco entertainment by Jeanette Trujillo’s Colorado Flamenco Society and the North Metro Arts Alliance. Other Spanish entertainers set to appear include singer Felix de Lola and dancers Juan del Valle and Mina Fajardo. Local artists, including Trujillo’s dance troupe, also are on the bill.|7:30 p.m. Saturday|Ranum High School Auditorium Theater, 2401 W. 80th Ave., Westminster; $14-$17; 303-429-1999 or nmarts.net.
African troupe
DANCE|Members of Logo Ligi, a professional African music and dance troupe led by master drummer and dancer Maputo Mensah, will perform their biannual African Dance Concert on Saturday. The traditional Ghanaian performance also will feature students enrolled in Naropa’s Dance of Africa I course, taught by Mensah.|8 p.m. Saturday|Naropa University Performing Arts Center, 2130 Arapahoe Ave. in Boulder; $8 or $4 for Naropa students and staff; 303-245-4643 or naropa.edu.
THE WEEKEND
A dream of a show
DANCE|The nature of dreams is the theme of a new concert from The Schiff Dance Collective (formerly Momentum Dance Company). The collective was inspired by interviews with Schiff’s young students and their surprising and touching answers to seemingly innocuous questions. |7:30 p.m. today and Saturday|Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theatre, 119 Park Ave. West; $15; 720-771-2737.
Dia de los Niños
CHILDREN’SFESTIVAL |Doll-making, theater workshops, flamenco performances and much more will be part of the Día de los Niños (Day of the Children). Four area cultural institutions team for the annual Latin-American celebration, sponsored by Mexico’s consulate general.|noon to 5 p.m. Sunday|Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway; Denver Central Library, 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway; Colorado History Museum, 1300 Broadway; and Byers-Evans House Museum, 1310 Bannock St.; free; 720-865-5000 or visit denverartmuseum.org.
Fun on exhibit
KIDS’ SAFETY|The trick to snagging and keeping kids’ interest is simple: Make it fun. Great Safety Adventure, a colorful nonprofit exhibit that teaches kids about everyday home safety, visits local schools from Parker to Arvada starting Tuesday. The public can get a glimpse of the exhibit on weekends at area Lowe’s stores, starting in Aurora and moving to Westminster on May 6 and Longmont on May 13, respectively.|10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday|Lowe’s of Aurora, 4455 S. Buckley Road; free; homesafetycouncil.org or 404-213-8078.
SUNDAY
Bloom onstage
IRISH TROUBADOUR|Luka Bloom’s album, “Innocence,” came out last month in this country. And this month Bloom launched his latest U.S. tour. The album is Bloom’s 10th in his 35-year-plus career. He writes much of his own material but can put his musical stamp on the works of other artists: He reworked LL Cool J’s “I Need Love” from a hip-hop hit into a brogue-inflected folk tune.|7 p.m. Sunday|Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret, 1601 Arapahoe St.; 303-293-0075.
More from B.I.F.F.
FILM FEST|It may be young, but the Boulder International Film Festival is honing a smart relationship with its audience. Witness the second installment of the “Best of the Boulder International Film Festival.” The day-long programming of hits from February’s festival include the vibrant coming-of-age ride “C.R.A.Z.Y”; Best of BIFF Comedy Shorts; adventure documentary award winner “Race Across America”; and “What Remains of Us,” Kalsang Dolma’s compelling journey to Tibet to share a message from the Dalai Lama. |noon-10 p.m. Sunday|Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St.; $10 per program except for “What Remains of Us,” $15; tickets at bouldertheater.com; see biff1.com or call 303-786-7030.
THE WEEK
The dino or the egg?
CHILDREN’S THEATER |”Destination Dinosaurs (A Trek through Time)” opened Thursday night for a four-week run at the Avenue Theater. The participatory production follows Professor Herman Higglemeyer, a famous paleontologist, and his assistant Igor back through time in search of a dinosaur egg. The play was written and directed by Pamela Clifton and features Bill Berry, Chris Boeckx with Andy Anderson and Adam Paul. The theater won The Denver Post’s 2005 Ovation Award for best children’s play for “Tribal Tales of Africa.” |10 a.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 11:30 a.m. Saturdays through May 20. |Avenue Theater, 417 E. 17th Ave.; $7, with discounts for groups of 10 or more; 303-321-5925, avenuechildrenstheater.com.
Concerts for strings
CHAMBER MUSIC|The American String Quartet, celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2005-06, ranks among this country’s most respected chamber ensembles. It will be in Colorado for two concerts, including one Thursday in Fort Collins with guest cellist Andre Diaz.|7:30 p.m Wednesday|Gates Concert Hall, Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 E. Iliff Ave.; 7:30 p.m. Thursday |Griffin Concert Hall, Colorado State University, Fort Collins|Wednesday, sold out; $22 Thursday; Thursday tickets, 970-221-6730 or lctix.com.
Marin Alsop’s back
CHORAL MUSIC|Marin Alsop, the Colorado Symphony’s conductor laureate, returns to Colorado for a special performance of Benjamin Britten’s “War Requiem.” |7:30 p.m. Wednesday|Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets; $20; 303-492-8008
or colorado.edu/music.
