Summer Scream
Thursday. Denver Film’s annual Summer Scream fundraiser is back for its 14th year at Lakeside Amusement Park, and it’s arguably the best way to experience the vintage neon and charming/aging rides outside of a family reunion. Guests at the 21-and-up event receive unlimited drinks from 13 open bars throughout the park, and can navigate “immersive and interactive activities and surprises” while riding all the rides they want — at least until 11 p.m.
Doors open at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20. Tickets: $75 per person online; $85 at the door. Located at 4601 Sheridan Blvd. in Denver. Visit for more information.
Tributes aplenty
Friday. A fall tradition returns as Reptiles and Samurai, a faithful, Denver-based Oingo Boingo tribute act, takes the stage at the historic Highland neighborhood Oriental Theater for its Back to School show. This year, they’re joined by the “high-voltage” Devo tribute Jocko Homo, according to promoters, helping round out the nostalgic New Wave theme.
Oingo Boingo, of course, is the band that penned “Weird Science” and gave us composer Danny Elfman, and Devo are the Ohio-born art-rock geniuses who mixed spiky punk with social commentary and crazy outfits (energy domes, anyone?). 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, at 4335 W. 44th Ave. in Denver. Tickets: $20 for general admission, with VIP upgrades available. Visit for more details.
Free outdoor Shakespeare
Friday-Aug. 30. If you haven’t seen a Shakespeare play lately, maybe you should get out more? That’s the idea behind Shakespeare in the Wild, which sets The Bard’s immortally entertaining comedies and tragedies in the outdoors.
This month they return for their fifth season of free shows with “The Comedy of Errors,” which they dubbed Shakespeare’s “fastest, silliest, most gleefully chaotic play about two sets of separated twins, one very confused town, and the kind of mistaken-identity mayhem that hasn’t aged a day in 400 years.” It opens Thursday, Aug. 13, and runs through Aug. 30 at DeKoevend Park at Goodson Rec Center, 6315 S University Blvd. in Centennial, with an indoor backup during inclement weather at the nearby Best Buy (6707 S Vine St. in Centennial).
A blanket, a picnic, bug spray, and chairs are encouraged. No reservations are required, but online RSVPs are recommended to stay up on weather-related changes. Free and all-ages. Visit for more.
Basecamp in LoDo
Saturday. Lower Downtown’s Basecamp Market Station is hosting its second Basecamp Exchange on Saturday, Aug. 15, with free screenings of adventure films ranging from Matchstick Productions (a ski brand in Crested Butte) to a Female Filmmaker Showcase, presented by Denver’s Great Escape Media and producer/director Lindsey Hagen.
The event will have a trio of indoor film galleries showing more than 30 titles, along with a filmmaker chat, live music, a vendor marketplace and outdoor brands, food and drinks, and more. It’s free and takes place noon-6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, at 1641 Market St. in Denver. Visit for more.
