Lose weight. Save money. De-clutter. Yawn. How about a resolution with some real shelf life? “Have more fun this year” is a resolution we can all rally behind, and long past February. (Make your other resolutions, of course, but a few rewards along the way may help you keep them.) Besides skiing and snowboarding, fun activities are a little trickier to find in January—so here are a few suggestions to kick off your happiest year yet.
National Western Stock Show & Rodeo-Jan. 9-24
Denver may be getting more uber-hip by the minute, but the Stock Show is our annual check-in with our rugged Western heritage—which is pretty cool, too. This 16-day show is a smorgasbord of entertainment and learning possibilities. Choose from rodeos (traditional, Mexican, and African-American), a BBQ Throwdown, Catch-a-Calf contest, fiddle contest, horse shows, livestock exhibitions, and much more. Ticket prices vary. Learn more.
Disney’s Mary Poppins at PACE-Jan 15-31
Faster than you can say “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” you and your kids will be smiling and humming along at this rollicking performance of Disney’s Mary Poppins. All the fun of the film is brought to life on stage with eye-popping sets and costumes, spectacular singing and dancing, and colorful characters like charming chimney sweeps, a magical nanny, and her impish young charges. Want even more magic? Have lunch with Mary Poppins and take an exclusive backstage tour on Jan. 23, at the “Practically Perfect Family Day with Mary Poppins.” Click here for details. Matinees and evenings. Tickets $20-$25 with discounts for children and groups. Learn more.
Big Bubble Circus-Jan 16, 10am
This “family friendly circus of silliness” is exactly what January calls for. Just a 10-minute drive down the road from Stepping Stone at the PACE Center’s Schoolhouse Theater, this show features Jim Jackson creating bubbles of all sizes and shapes—some as big as a whale—along with other elements of magic and buffoonery. Be warned, though: “The bigger the dream, the bigger the mess,” says Jackson, and children from the audience may find themselves inside a giant soap bubble. $5. Learn more.
Southwest Rink at Skyline-through Feb. 16
Free ice skating is a wonderful way to enjoy the season—and maybe assist in another couple of resolutions, too. At Skyline Park in downtown Denver, this seasonal outdoor rink invites you to skate, play broomball, and enjoy other activities like face painting, holiday movies, a photo booth, and hot cocoa. Skating is free; rent skates for $2 or bring your own. Free learn-to-skate lessons are offered every Wednesday from 11 am-12 pm and every Saturday 8 am-10 am. Learn more.
