CinemaQ is back
Friday-Sunday. While we wait for the Denver Film Festival to return in November, nonprofit producer Denver Film is back with the excellent CinemaQ Film Festival, a celebration of . Headed up by Sie FilmCenter artistic director Keith Garcia, the 17th annual event is bookended by the dark comedy “Twinless,” on opening night, Friday, Aug. 8, and closing film “Jimpa,” starring Olivia Colman and John Lithgow, on Sunday, Aug. 10.
There’s also the opening-night Double Rainbow Party; a SaturGAY Morning Cartoon + Cereal Party; a party celebrating the Black, queer roots of house music called Move Ya Body House Party (also Saturday); and the Pride Palooza featuring local LGBTQ-owned businesses, arts & crafts, drinks, music and more on Sunday.
It runs overall from Friday, Aug. 8 through Sunday, Aug. 10, at 2510 E. Colfax Ave. in Denver. Festival passes are $85 and individual tickets are $16. Buy passes and see the full schedule of screenings, panels and more at and .
A legend’s victory lap
Tuesday. For fans of Cyndi Lauper, this is the end of the line. The enduring pop legend will visit the metro area on Tuesday, Aug. 12, as part of the back half of her Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour, which finds Lauper, 72, delivering hit after hit across 25 summer dates. Yes — that includes the tour’s title track, along with “Time After Time,” “She Bop,” “True Colors,” “Money Changes Everything” and more.
The all-ages concert, with opener Jake Wesley Rogers, takes place at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, 6350 Greenwood Village Blvd. in Greenwood Village. Tickets: $56-$1,041 via .
Water Blossom Festival
Sunday. Despite the slowdown in growing season, water is especially on the minds of gardeners at this time of year as temperatures soar and precipitation dips. And if you’re lucky enough to have a pond, water feature or other submerged garden? Colorado Water Garden Society has you covered.
The group’s annual Water Blossom Celebration will take place 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Denver Botanic Gardens on Sunday, Aug. 10, with experts answering questions on how to get started (and thrive) with a water garden, tours of the site’s own water gardens, a carnivorous plant education table, an aquatic plant cart and, of course, free plants for you to take home.
It takes place in and around the Hive Deck Area at the gardens, 1007 York St. in Denver, and is included with general admission: $16 for adults, $12.25 for seniors and military, and $11.75 for children 3-15 (free for ages 2 and under). Learn more at and .
Josh Blue: from stage to page
Friday. As one of Denver’s best-known comics in a city packed with national-quality stand-ups, Josh Blue has for the last couple of decades held the scene’s torch aloft. But how did the acclaimed and world-touring stand-up, writer, soccer player, cannabis advocate, painter and dad end up writing his first memoir, “Something to Stare At”?
Find out at his book release party on Friday, Aug. 8, at RiNo’s 73 Art Agency, where Blue will officially christen the book with a reading and signing that starts at 6 p.m. Tickets include a paperback copy of the book, a quick-howdy/selfie with Blue, Q&A session, light refreshments, merch giveaways, and “an exclusive chance to purchase one of Josh’s signature pig paintings — priced so low, itap a disgrace to the art community,” as organizers wrote online.
It takes place at 2601 Blake St. in Denver, with tickets at $28.52.
