This week, a room at the Brown Palace Hotel was transformed into a museum; a music festival featuring metal and hardcore music, plus craft beer, was just announced; and the Arvada Center released the lineup for its upcoming theater season.
And over the weekend, two annual film festivals — the Boulder International Film Festival and the Colorado Dragon Boat Film Fest in Denver — return to theaters.
Read on for your weekly recap, plus find things to do and places to be.
Pop-up museum at the Brown Palace Hotel, honoring a Chinese revolutionary
Room 321 in Denver’s historic Brown Palace Hotel has been transformed into a museum honoring Dr. Sun Yat-sen. Yat-sen was the leader of China’s democratic revolution, credited with overthrowing the Qing imperial dynasty and helping establish the Republic of China.
On Oct. 10, 1911, Chinese revolutionaries overthrew the Qing Dynasty and declared independence. On that same night, Sun was in Colorado, meeting with the local Chinese community and raising money for revolutionaries.
“Here in Denver he spoke at the Chinese Theater on Market Street and raised $500, which is pretty astonishing,” Brown Palace historian Debra Faulkner said. “There were probably only five or six hundred Chinese in the city at the time. So, quite amazing.”
Chinese pilgrims still visit the Brown Palace today to pay their respects.
“For our Chinese visitors, this is like George Washington slept here July 4th, 1776. That's how significant it is.”
The pop-up museum, commemorating the 100th year since his death, is free and open to the public through Saturday, March 15. Though the formal exhibition is only on view for a short time, many of the images and artifacts will become a permanent fixture in the room. Faulkner said visitors are welcome to ask staff to show them the room if it isn’t open when they stop by.
A bust of Dr. Sun Yat-sen has also been added to the permanent collection in room 321.
Boulder International Film Festival
For four days, Boulder will bustle with the 21st annual Boulder International Film Festival. From Thursday, March 13, through Sunday, March 16, BIFF will screen 68 films from 18 countries at venues across the city.
The festival lineup includes short and feature-length films, documentaries and narratives, 15 films by Colorado filmmakers and four films direct from the Sundance Film Festival.
“The basis of the entire festival is the critically acclaimed program,” said festival Director Kathy Beeck. “We program based on what this community and this area is looking for. So because of that, it's really a film-lovers festival. We don't have a premier requirement like some festivals do.
We're really looking for the best films, the cream of the crop that are out there on the circuit. And I think we've put together just a fantastic program this year.”
Select films from the festival will be available for streaming on “BIFF at Home,” starting Monday, March 17.
This year’s special programs include:
- CineCHEF, a friendly competition among award-winning Colorado chefs that includes live music, drinks and dessert on Thursday, March 13.
- Opening Night Red Carpet Gala and Film — Opening night, Friday, March 14, begins with two parties: one at Hotel Boulderado and another at Rembrandt Yard, both featuring live music, food, and drinks. Then, the Guerilla Fanfare Brass Band will lead attendees in a celebratory parade, “second line” New Orleans style, from the parties to the Boulder Theater for a screening of “The Friend,” starring Naomi Watts and Bill Murray.
- Closing Night Film and Awards Ceremony — Closing Night, Sunday, March 16, features a Women’s History Month-inspired screening of “Spacewoman,” a feature-length documentary about Eileen Collins, the first female Space Shuttle commander in history, followed by a Q&A with the astronaut. Tickets are $28.
Other special series include an Adventure Film Program, a free singer-songwriter showcase, a Call2Action program and a series of free workshops for students, led by Emmy- and Oscar-nominated presenters.
Guest speakers this year include designer Kenneth Cole, actress Jane Lynch, triathlete Siri Lindley, olympian Edwin Moses, musician Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo, and photographer James Balog, who will be interviewed in conjunction with films in the program.
Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival
The Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival and Asian marketplace returns to Denver’s Sie FilmCenter March 14-16.
The theme of this year’s three-day Asian and Asian American festival is “Honoring Our Past to Guide Our Future,” celebrating the rich cultures and experiences of AANHPI communities.
“As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival, we reflect on the power of storytelling to bridge generations, cultures, and perspectives,” said Colorado Dragon Boat Executive Director Sara Moore. “By seeing and feeling these stories, we foster a shared sense of humanity — one that inspires us to build a brighter, more inclusive future together.”
Opening night on March 14 features “New Wave,” a documentary about the Vietnamese new wave music scene. Director Elizabeth Ai will hold a live Q&A following the screening.
Closing night on March 16 features “Tinā,” which follows a grieving Samoan mother as she rediscovers her purpose after the loss of her daughter. A reception will follow the screening.
The festival also features a variety of non-cinema happenings, including community conversations, a “culinary experience” and a pop-up marketplace.
Full festival passes are $75 for Denver Film members and $85 for non-members. Individual film tickets are $13 for members and $16 for non-members.
Debut of Unhinged Music Festival announced
Unhinged Fest, a metal and hardcore music festival, just announced a two-day “extreme music event” at the National Western Stockyards in Denver featuring headliners Knocked Loose and Lamb of God.
The festival, put on by AEG Presents and Brew Ha Ha Productions, is produced in collaboration with AEG Rocky Mountains and promises “an unforgettable experience” — pairing live music with craft beer, hard seltzer and cider.
The festival takes place on Saturday, July 26, and Sunday, July 27. Over the weekend, more than 25 bands will perform with no overlapping set times. View the full lineup here.
Tickets go on sale Friday, March 14, at 10 a.m. Weekend passes start at $110, with an optional $15 per day beer-tasting add-on. Single-day tickets will be available closer to the event.
Arvada Center unveils upcoming season schedule
The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities just released the lineup of new performances for the 2025-2026 season. The center is also celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
“Live theater is one of the few places in our increasingly siloed world where we come together with strangers to share an experience,” said Artistic Director Lynne Collins. “When the person next to us laughs or gasps or breathes differently, we feel it and our own reactions are changed because they are shared.”
Collins invites audiences to “feel, think, and learn together” during the upcoming season.
First on the calendar is the longest-running play in the history of theater, Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap.” It’s a whodunit filled with the red herrings and plot twists Christie is famous for. “The Mousetrap” runs Sept. 5 through Oct. 12.
Up next is “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill,” a Billie Holiday musical set in 1959. The performance will be in the Arvada Center’s black-box-turned-cabaret. It runs Sept. 26 through Nov. 2.
Then comes a holiday musical: Disney’s “Frozen.” The beloved story explores the power of sisterhood and true love. It runs Nov. 21 through Jan. 4.
Kicking off 2026 is “Romeo and Juliet,” the classic Shakespeare love story. It runs from Feb. 13 through March 29.
Closing out the season is “Come From Away,” an Irish folk musical that tells the story of a place that opens its arms to people from all over.
Season ticket packages to the Arvada Center season are on sale now. Single tickets for all productions go on sale July 7 at 11 a.m.
Colorado arts & culture things to do this weekend
- Denverite Things to do in Denver this weekend
- KRCC community calendar for Southern Colorado
- CPR Classical directory of Colorado classical performance groups
- Indie 102.3 calendar
Some groups mentioned in the CO Arts Spotlight may be financial supporters of CPR News. Financial supporters have no editorial influence.
How we pick our events: CO Arts Spotlight highlights events around the state to give readers a sense of the breadth of Colorado’s arts and cultural happenings, it is not — and can not possibly be — a comprehensive list of all weekly events. Entries are not endorsements or reviews. Each week’s list is published on Thursday and is not updated.
