Boulder County Fair Aug. 7-11. Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road, Longmont.
Carnival games, music, demolition derby and more await at the 2024 Boulder County Fair. Bid on a prize-winning pie. Judge some sheep. Or just sit in the beer garden and enjoy a cold bevvy and the fried food of your choice.
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Down the Rabbit Hole 7:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, HiFi Jones Art Gallery, 209 East Simpson St., Lafayette. $25
Experience a journey with “flashing lights, trippy images and immersive sound.” Your journey begins at HiFi Jones Art Gallery in Old Town Lafayette during this immersive audio-visual experience. Where it ends is anybody’s guess.
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Lafayette Art Night Out 5-9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, Festival Plaza, 311 S. Public Rd. Lafayette. Free
This always-free event spans two traffic-free blocks downtown. Kaitlyn Williams and Bunny Blake take the stage at 9 p.m., but before that you can enjoy a caricature artist, face painter, balloon artist, magician and live performances from the Center for Musical Art and the Arts HUB.
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Join or Die 4 p.m. Aug. 9, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $12
This feature documentary focuses on the current state of American democracy and its evolution over the past 50 years. Robert Putnam explores all this and more through his research on “America’s decades-long decline.”
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Friday Night Weird: Crumb Catcher 8:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St. $12
The Dairy’s weekly underground cinema showcase continues with Chris Skotchdopole’s directorial debut, Crumb Catcher, a home-invasion thriller about newlyweds whose lives are upended by a pair of unhinged entrepreneurs. Read our roundup of the rest of this month’s Friday Night Weird offerings at bit.ly/FNWAug24.
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Girls, Gays & Theys Just Wanna Have Fun 8-11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, DV8 Distillery, 2480 49th St., Suite E, Boulder. $22
Throwback vibes and good times abound at this ’80s-themed show presented by Blue Dime Cabaret. This lowbrow, avant-garde troupe promises “ludicrous acts and bawdy characters.” Stick around for a free dance party after the main event.
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Whose Beer Is It Anyway? 7-9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, Mother Tucker Brewery, 1132 Dillon Road, Unit 4, Louisville. $5-$10 donation
Looking for a little laughter with your libations? Enjoy craft beer and unscripted comedy at Mother Tucker Brewery. Three improv troops will take the stage for unrehearsed and uncensored performances.
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Boulder Afro-Latin Dance Weekender Aug. 9-11, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St., Boulder. $25-$100
Put on your dancing shoes and head to the Museum of Boulder for workshops, social dancing and live performances of Cuban and Afro-Cuban varieties by Los Chicos Malos, DJ Jesús Muñoz and the Boulder Afro-Latin Dance Team.
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Pretty in Punk: The Final Show 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, Junkyard Social Club, 2525 Frontier Ave., Suite A, Boulder. $20
Paisley Peach takes the last bow of her burlesque career to close out the Pretty in Punk series at Junkyard Social. Bring some cash to tip her and her friends Dick Liqueur, Daddy Divine, Regal Sin and more. Story here.
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Plants & Pints 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, Howlin’ Wind Brewing & Blending, 51 A Main St., Rollinsville. $39
Herbalist and wildflower guide Katy Able of Follow the Fox will be on hand to introduce you to the blooms of Boulder County (and teach you a little bit about tree species, pollinators, mushrooms and more). Comfortable shoes, sun protection and water are a must. Afterward, grab a pint or a coffee at Howlin’ Wind Brewery.
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Niwot Flower Fest 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, Cottonwood Square and 2nd Avenue, Niwot.
Stop and smell the roses. And the peonies. And the daffodils. The first 150 visitors will receive a punch card they can use to collect blooms from businesses in historic downtown Niwot, a free vase and flower arranging tips.
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Evening Hike to Woods Quarry with a Naturalist 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, Chautauqua Park, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder. $20.50
Enjoy an evening hike on this three-mile round-trip trail, taking in stunning Boulder views while learning some history along the way. Woods Quarry provided sandstone for some of Boulder’s most iconic buildings before it closed in the 1920s.
_________________ Check out more Boulder County events here.