Museums
The King — Tut, that is — is leaving the building
Through the weekend.Egyptian antiquities. You’ve talked about it. You were going to get tickets. Now it’s do or die. This is the final weekend to visit “Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs” at the Denver Art Museum, West 13th Avenue between Broadway and Bannock Street. This once-in-a-generation exhibition contains about 100 objects from the 2,000-year rule of the pharaohs in Egypt, including 51 from the tomb of King Tut. Hours this weekend are 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. today through Sunday. Nonmembers: $25 and $30, $16.50 youths ages 6 to 17, and free for children 5 or younger; members: $20 and $22, $15 youth. Timed and dated tickets are required. Member tickets: 720-865-5000 or ; non-member tickets: 877-888-8587 or 866-461-6556 or . All other information: . Kyle MacMillan
Theater
Spell it out
Through Jan. 30.Musical.”The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is by far the most-produced theater production of the past two years, with 11 separate stagings by local companies in the books or in the works. Next up: The Littleton Town Hall Arts Center casts its spell on this offbeat musical comedy about six awkward adolescents taking part in an actual spelling bee that rallies audience members into playing additional contestants. These overachieving kids with steely ambition confront the pitfalls of puberty while spelling their way through the biggest night of their young lives. Performances Thursdays-Sundays at 2450 W. Main St. $18-$36. 303-794-2787 or . John Moore
Family fun
Hoops and whoops
Through Sunday. Basketball’s clowns. The Harlem Globetrotters bring their “4 Times the Fun” tour to four cities in Colorado, starting tonight. The tour features the team’s latest invention, the four-point shot: Two special spots on each side of the court, located 35 feet from each basket — 12 feet beyond the NBA’s 3-point line. At the show, the Globetrotters play a game with the new point system, showing off their ball-handling skills and running circles around the other team. 7 p.m. today, World Arena, 3185 Venetucci Blvd., Colorado Springs, 719-520-7469. 1 p.m. Saturday, Budweiser Events Center, 5290 Arena Circle, Loveland, 970-619-4100. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 1stBank Center, 11450 Broomfield Lane, Broomfield, 303-410-0700. 1 p.m. Sunday, Pepsi Center, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver, 303-405-1100. Ticket prices vary. For more information and ticketing links, visit . Kathleen St. John
Celebrating cereal, oatmeal division
Saturday. Food fest. Love oatmeal? Lafayette will be swimming in it at the 15th annual Oatmeal Festival. The morning starts with a huge oatmeal breakfast, complete with “the world’s largest toppings bar,” a smorgasbord of oatmeal accoutrements. Next up is the “Quicker Quaker” 5K run/ walk, open to everyone, including dogs. After the race — or during, for nonrunners — stop by the oatmeal baking contest to check out local chefs’ best oatmeal-based creations. And because oatmeal is a healthy sort of treat, a health fair will offer free and low-cost screenings. Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Pioneer Elementary, 101 E. Baseline Road, Lafayette. Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and kids ages 3 to 12. Baking contest: 8 a.m. to noon, Pioneer Elementary. Health fair: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bob L. Burger Recreation Center, 111 W. Baseline Road. Race begins at 9:30 a.m.; register at the Rocky Mountain Center for Musical Arts, 200 E. Baseline Road. Kathleen St. John
Cold climbing
Through Sunday. Frozen fun. Strap on those crampons for the Ouray Ice Festival. Expert ice climbers descend on the town to compete and share knowledge, and everyone’s invited to join in the fun. See exhibitions, meet climbers and check out gear, plus see some serious contests in a variety of events. Kids can get their start at a free “climbing college” on Saturday and Sunday, while grown-ups kick back with free demonstrations and live music. 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. today, 8 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Various locations in downtown Ouray. Admission is free, with fees for some activities. For more information, including a full schedule of events, visit . Kathleen St. John
Film
A different festival
Thursday through Sunday.Movies, movies, movies. The “Festivus Film Festival” was founded by a couple of indie moviemakers who returned the film-fest circuit a few years back with some notions about what a good festival experience requires: engaged audiences, well-treated filmmakers. It seems so obvious. Now in its fourth year of making good on a good idea, “Festivus” opens Thursday with “True Nature,” a thriller about a woman who goes missing, then returns. Festivus runs through Jan. 16. Opening- night film, 6:45 p.m. at the Bug Theatre, 3654 Navajo St. General admission tickets $8; pass and ticket info at or 720-221-3586. Lisa Kennedy
Pop music
Railbenders return
Wednesday.Whiskey rainmakers. This isn’t a midwinter’s night dream. Denver country-rockers the Railbenders are coming out of hibernation to play a rare midweek club show at Bender’s Tavern, 314 E. 13th Ave. The group’s classic “Whiskey Rain” is a constant on the club’s jukebox, but the Railbenders will bring their bourbon-tinted twang to the bar’s stage for a night of sing- alongs. Joining the Railbenders are J.P. Harris and the Touch Choices. Tickets, $10-$12, are available at . Ricardo Baca
Classical music
You’ve met Marin
Through the weekend. Symphonic music. Marin Alsop, the Colorado Symphony’s popular conductor laureate, returns to the orchestra for one of her typically varied programs. Along with works by two old standbys — Brahms and Rachmaninoff — she is leading a performance of “Time Machine,” by Michael Daugherty, a contemporary composer she regularly champions. Concerts are set for 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday in Boettcher Concert Hall. 303-623-7876 or . Kyle MacMillan
Venice and Versailles
Through the weekend. Baroque music. Ann Marie Morgan, a respected soloist on the baroque cello and viola da gamba, will join the Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado for “Venice and Versailles.” As the title suggests, the program will contrast the musical traditions surrounding these two historical cultural centers with works by such composers as Vivaldi, Marais and Rebel. Concerts are set for 7:30 p.m. today, St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, 1350 Washington St.; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Bethany Lutheran Church, 4500 E. Hampden Ave., and 4 p.m. Sunday, Jefferson Unitarian Church, 14350 W. 32nd Ave., Golden. $24, $19 seniors and military personnel and $5 students. 303-889-1012 or . Kyle MacMillan
The art of the spin
Thursday. Trance night out. Christopher Lawrence is one of America’s most respected trance DJs and producers. While he avoids the spectacle of Paul Oakenfold and the bombast of Tiësto, Lawrence has been one of the decade’s most consistent trance DJ/producers — and he’s done it his own way. His sets are known for their sneaking ability — starting out mild and eventually whipping themselves into an undulating frenzy. Lawrence spins at Beta, 1909 Blake St., on Thursday as part of its NRG Thursdays series, which is curated by Triad Dragons, the force behind the annual Global Dance Festival. Tickets, $10, are available at . Ricardo Baca
Grab your spurs and hat for stock show fun
It’s 105 years old, but the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo is still raising a ruckus in Denver. The huge celebration of Western tradition starts its 16-day run on Saturday with a dawn-to-night schedule of events — from a fiddle contest to the classic Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza.
Sandwiched in between are all manner of livestock shows and competitions, including a quarter horse sale, cattle judging and “An Evening With Alpacas and Llamas.”
The activities continue nonstop for the next two weeks. Highlights include Professional Bull Riders and Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeos (various dates), the Martin Luther King Jr. African- American Heritage Rodeo (Jan. 17) and a thunderous draft-horse show (Jan. 21-23).
Parents of little ones, check out this cute photo op: The stock show teams up with the Children’s Museum of Denver 9:30 to 11 a.m. Monday to throw a stick-horse rodeo for toddlers at the museum (2121 Children’s Museum Drive). Little pardners can dress up in Western wear to compete in a variety of fun events, plus get their pictures taken with the 2010 stock show rodeo queens and Howdy, the show mascot. The rodeo is included with museum admission.
THE DETAILS
National Western Stock Show. Daily through Jan. 23. National Western Complex, 4655 Humboldt St. Grounds admission is $7-$12 for adults, $2-3 for kids ages 3 to 11. Kids admitted free on Saturday and Sunday for opening weekend. Tickets are required for special events and performances; prices vary. For more information and to buy tickets in advance, visit or call 303-295-6124.
