Family fun
Things are looking up down there
Saturday-Monday. Balloon party. Float down to Colorado Springs for the 34th annual Colorado Balloon Classic. More than 100 balloons will set up, inflate and ascend each morning, with added excitement from paragliding and parachute demonstrations. Then, in the evenings, the balloons inflate and light up from within for a “Balloon Glo,” with live music, food, mixing and mingling. 6-9:30 a.m. and 4-8 p.m. Saturday; 6-9:30 a.m. and 5-8 p.m. Sunday; 6-9:30 a.m. Sunday. Memorial Park, 1605 E. Pikes Peak Ave., Colorado Springs. Free. Visit to learn more. Kathleen St. John
Creepy and crawly — and a bit underrated
Saturday through Nov. 28. Bugs. Separate truth from myth at the Butterfly Pavilion’s new exhibit, “Legend of the Tarantula.” Often depicted as horrifying, hairy monsters, tarantulas come in many different varieties and have their own ways of life. Learn about the spiders’ anatomy, habitat, diet and behavior through interactive displays and up-close looks. Tarantula species on exhibit include the Chinese Golden Earth Tiger, the Kilimanjaro Baboon and the Chilean Rose-hair tarantula, known affectionately as “Rosie.” There’s a special area just for little kids, too, with climbing activities, a reading nook, puzzles and more. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster; 303-469-5441. Admission is $8.50 for adults, $6.50 for seniors age 65 and older, $5.50 for kids age 2 to 12. Learn more at . Kathleen St. John
A fair day in the city of Boulder
Saturday-Monday. Fitness and festivities. Boulder’s summer festival season wraps up this weekend with the Boulder Creek Hometown Fair. This year’s festival features the first Family, Fun and Fitness 5K, a walk up and down the Boulder Creek path on Monday. Other big events include The Great Zucchini Race, where kids race zucchini- styled vehicles, a pie-eating contest and the Big Wheel 500 race. Beer sales will likely be high after Monday’s Chili Inferno Cook-Off, and sweet vintage cars take center stage at Sunday’s Classic Car Show. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday. Downtown Boulder, along Canyon Boulevard between 10th and 13th streets. Admission is free. Registration for the 5K is $15 for adults, $12 for kids age 4 to 12, or $40 for a family four-pack. Visit bceproductions for more information. Kathleen St. John
Visual arts
Looking back at a local favorite
Today.Photography. From Andy Warhol to Colorado’s plains, Mark Sink’s photography has encompassed an extraordinarily broad range of techniques and subjects. He has been among the most influential figures on the Denver photography scene for more than three decades, as a significant artist in his own right and also as organizer, dealer and promoter. The Byers-Evans House Gallery, 1310 Bannock St., will examine his career in an exhibition, titled “Mark Sink Photographs 1975-2010: Encounters With the Past.” It opens with a public reception from 5 to 9 p.m. today and runs through Oct. 31. Free. 303-620-4933 or . Kyle MacMillan
An emerging name in art
Today. Painting. Orangevale, Calif., painter Mark Bowle’s impressionistic landscapes are gaining increasing attention in the art world. The Denver Art Museum’s Institute of Western American Art recently acquired one of his works, joining several other public institutions that have made his work part of their collections. Bowles is featured in his second exhibition at the Translations Gallery, 1743 Wazee St., alongside the abstracted landscapes of Jim Pittman. It opens today and runs through Sept. 29. Free. Kyle MacMillan
Theater
Touching memories of Sept. 11
Today and Saturday. Recent history. Anne Nelson’s play “The Guys” became something of a somber cause celebre in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. It’s the true story of a New York journalist who was brought in to help a fire captain forced to quickly prepare multiple yet distinct eulogies for the men his company lost. The two find friendship as the captain recalls the fallen firefighters. Fort Collins’ Bas Bleu Theatre Company is teaming with the Rist Canyon Volunteer Fire Department to present “The Guys” at 7:30 p.m. today and at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Bas Bleu, 401 Pine St. It stars artistic director Wendy Ishii and Denver- based actor Peter DeAnello. $35. 970-498-8949 or visit . John Moore
Pop music
Still kicking
Saturday. Blues-lovin’ jam band. Warren Haynes turned 50 this year, but he’s hardly acting his age. Haynes is still on the road with his band, Gov’t Mule, and he’s still playing with the Dead and the Allmans — when they need him. The only aspect of Haynes turning 50 that makes any sense is his guitar work. Widely considered one of the best players in the game, Haynes is a killer musician whose decades of playing are clearly audible. When Haynes the elder statesman of the electric guitar brings the Mule to Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Saturday night, he’ll be supporting his band’s latest offering, “By a Thread,” released last year. North Carolina banjo bandits the Avett Brothers will open the show. Tickets, $49.65-$55, are available via ticketmaster . Ricardo Baca
