Downtown Denver is going to be crowded this weekend — perhaps more .
Labor Day brings the 33rd annual food fest to Civic Center, starting Friday and running through Monday, which organizers expect will draw more than 500,000 people. On top of that, the football game between Colorado State University and University of Colorado — with 55,000-60,000 attendees expected — is 6 p.m. Friday at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, as well as four consecutive home games for the at Coors Field in Lower Downtown, playing against the Arizona Diamondbacks Friday through Sunday, and the San Francisco Giants on Monday.
Along with the at Sculpture Park, Saturday through Monday, that adds up to hundreds of thousands of “extra” people downtown using public transportation, riding bikes, driving, parking, eating and drinking.
Here’s what you need to know to get around safely and efficiently.
STREET CLOSURES
The following streets will close for A Taste of Colorado. All will reopen by 6 a.m. Tuesday:
- BANNOCK STREET from Colfax Avenue to 13th Avenue beginning at 9 a.m. Thursday.
- 14TH AVENUE from Cherokee Street to Broadway beginning 9 a.m. Thursday, Broadway to Lincoln 6:30 p.m. Thursday, and Lincoln to Sherman Street 7 p.m. Friday.
- 15TH STREET Colfax Avenue to Cleveland Place 6 a.m. Thursday.
- 16TH AVENUE eastbound from Broadway to Lincoln noon Saturday.
- COLFAX AVENUE eastbound: from Court Street to Broadway beginning 6:30 p.m. Thursday, then both directions Lincoln Street to Sherman Street 7 p.m Friday.
- COLFAX AVENUE westbound: from 15th Street to Cherokee Street 6:30 p.m. Thursday, then Lincoln Street to 15th Street 6 a.m. Friday.
- BROADWAY lane closures from 13th to 19th Avenues 6 a.m. Thursday, and in general starting at 7 p.m. Thursday.
- SHERMAN STREET southbound from 16th to 17th Streets 3:30 p.m.-7 p.m. Friday
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Light-rail and bus service will be many people’s best (and cheapest, outside of cabs and ride-sharing services) options this weekend for getting around town. has straightforward tools for planning routes, scheduling and tracking your next ride. For more tailored information, apps such as will use your location to suggest every regional and local bus or light rail line close to your location, including how long until it arrives and exact GPS positioning of the pickup location (most RTD buses, trains, etc. are fitted with GPS trackers).
will not be affected by downtown’s events, but with the recent closure of the Civic Center bus/MallRide terminal, officials expect Union Station to experience heavier traffic than normal this weekend. Most lines will drop you off right downtown, as the D, F, and H line trains arrive at the 16th and California Station and the Theater District/Convention Center stations, while the A, B, C, E and W line trains arrive at Union Station.
“The daily warriors won’t be out there, but events like these tend to attract people from the suburbs. So we definitely expect a spike in light trail traffic,” said Nate Currey, senior manager of public relations for RTD. “Just like with any big events like Broncos games, we ask that people plan ahead, make sure they know where they’re going and be patient with everybody.”
Bus pickups affected by A Taste of Colorado road closures and the Civic Center terminal renovation will be moved to the next-closest stop, and north-south lines will route around A Taste of Colorado. A temporary detour takes effect Friday for the 87L, 100L, 116X, CV/CS/CX and EV/ES/EX lines, where the pickup location will be moved to Broadway between 16th Street and 17th Street.
RTD has set up its own website for the Rocky Mountain Showdown that offers details on bus, shuttle and rail service to and from various locations around Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Visit for prices and times.
BIKING
The Denver B-cycle program offers 700 bikes at 88 locations in 10 central Denver neighborhoods. Bikes can be rented at one location ($9 per 24 hours of use; $3 per half-hour ride) and returned at another location. Riders can take unlimited trips that are 30 minutes or less at no additional cost. Visit the B-cycle’s FAQ page for more detailed information and check out the station map (with dozens of locations in and around central downtown) at .
A Taste of Colorado will provide free bike corrals at 15th Street and Cleveland Place, near the Wellington E. Webb Building, Lincoln Street at 14th Avenue, and between the Denver Public Library and the Denver Art Museum, near 14th Avenue.
PARKING
Drivers have about 30,000 downtown parking spaces within “easy walking distance” of A Taste of Colorado, according to organizers.
A number of parking apps offer customized, location-based searches regardless of whether you’re already downtown or on your way. Check out from The Denver Post’s tech reporter, including BestParking, ParkWhiz, ParkMe, Parkifi and CurbStand. Most are free and available via the iTunes and Google Play stores.
Parking lots for the Rocky Mountain Showdown open at 2 p.m. The stadium’s clear-bag policy and metal detectors will be in effect. Fans coming after 4 p.m. without a pre-purchased permit will be advised to park at the Pepsi Center or nearby Auraria campus lots. Parking in neighborhoods around the stadium is prohibited without a residential permit.
RIDE-SHARING
App-based car services such as Uber, Lyft and others will likely see increased demand during the weekend, leading to “surge” or “peak pricing,” as the companies call it — meaning they’re also likely request more drivers for the area to meet rider demand.
“In Denver you can before you request your ride,” Uber spokesman Dave Bauer said of his company. “If fares are higher due to surge… you get the actual fare and then you request your ride. Itap clear what you are paying, and there’s no need to do the math when you’re in a hurry, tired or after a few drinks.”
Denver is one of several cities to offer , which allows riders to split their cost with other riders heading in the same direction — provided they don’t mind waiting a few extra minutes while other riders are picked up. And Car2Go users heading downtown this weekend will find “drop zone” parking at the corner of 13th Avenue and Broadway, as well as a new-user signup bonus of 30 free minutes using the promotional code RockDenver.
