Things to Do in Denver in October 2026

October in Denver is the month everyone pretends they don't love and then loves anyway. Days can hit 70 and sunny, nights drop into the 30s and 40s, and somewhere around the third week you'll get one shockingly early snow that dumps an inch and melts by noon. Pack layers, keep a beanie in your car, and don't be surprised if you're in a t-shirt at 2pm and a puffer by 7.

This is also, hands down, the busiest month of the year at Red Rocks. The venue is trying to squeeze in basically every touring act before it shuts down for winter, so you're looking at a show almost every single night from October 1st through Halloween. If there's one Red Rocks date you've had circled for months, get your tickets now instead of waiting, because a lot of these do sell out.

Add in Great American Beer Festival moving outdoors for the first time ever, the usual Halloween costume chaos, and Broncos season hitting its stride, and you've got a month where the calendar fills itself. One quick heads up: REZZ ROCKS VIII, originally set for October 3rd at Red Rocks, has been canceled. Don't go hunting for tickets to that one.

The Big Ones

Big Thief, October 6 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. One of the best live bands touring right now, and a Red Rocks show from them is the kind of thing people talk about for years. This will sell out, don't sleep on it.

Great American Beer Festival, October 10-11 at Levitt Pavilion. GABF has run at the Colorado Convention Center for 45 years and this year it's outside for the first time ever. Hundreds of breweries, thousands of beers, and this is the festival that sells out its session tickets weeks in advance every single year. Buy early.

Run the Rocks 2026, October 11 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 7am start. Running the actual amphitheater stairs at sunrise is brutal and kind of amazing at the same time. Registration for this fills up, so don't wait until race week.

Zac Brown Band, October 19 and 20 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, with Grace Potter both nights. Two nights back to back means more shots at tickets, but the good seats go fast for a band with this kind of following.

Macklemore, October 22 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. A hometown-adjacent hero playing one of the best rooms in the country. This is a show people plan trips around.

Cypress Hill & Method Man & Redman: Haunted Rocks, October 29 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, with De La Soul, Digable Planets, Hieroglyphics, and more. This lineup is stacked top to bottom and it's the week of Halloween, which means the crowd energy is going to be unreal. Expect this to sell out.

deadmau5, October 30 and 31 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Two nights, Halloween night included, one of the biggest names in electronic music at the best venue in the state. Costume game is going to be high. Both nights are strong bets to sell out, especially Halloween itself.

Week by Week

Early October (Oct 1-9)

Beck: Ride Lonesome Tour, October 1 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Kicks the month off right, an artist who's been reinventing himself for 30 years and still puts on a genuinely fun show.

for KING + COUNTRY, October 4 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Big, anthemic, crowd sings along to every word type of night.

Oddities & Curiosities Expo, October 3-4, 10am both days, Colorado Convention Center. Taxidermy, vintage medical oddities, weird art, and a crowd that's exactly as into it as you'd hope. Good rainy weekend plan if the weather turns early.

Ella Langley, October 7 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, with Kameron Marlowe and Gabriella Rose. Country night with a lineup that's actually worth showing up early for.

Tape B Presents: Hallow Rocks, October 8 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, with PEEKABOO, Flava D, XaeboR, and Jiqui. The Halloween bass takeover at Red Rocks starts early this year and this is night one of it.

Mid-October (Oct 10-20)

Sara Landry, October 10 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, with Pendulum, Supergloss, and Lorely Mur. Heavy techno night, the kind of lineup that draws people in from out of state.

Rise Against, October 12 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, with Teen Mortgage and Alkaline Trio. Punk rock Sunday, bring earplugs anyway.

Shaboozey, October 13 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, with Noah Cyrus and Kashus Culpepper. He's been everywhere the last couple years and a Red Rocks date is a step up he's earned.

Taking Back Sunday: Louder Now Live, October 14 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, with Thrice and Saves The Day. If your emo phase never actually ended, this is your night.

Matt Rife: Stay Golden World Tour, October 18 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Comedy at Red Rocks is a different kind of fun, and this crowd is going to be loud.

Late October (Oct 21-31)

MUNA, October 21 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, with hemlocke springs. Pop show with a crowd that dances the whole way through.

Jade Cicada & Mickman, October 24 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, with Resonant Language, Schmoop, and Petals. Bass and visuals heavy show, good one for the crowd that shows up for the production as much as the music.

Stardew Valley: Symphony of Seasons, October 25 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. If you've lost a hundred hours of your life to that farming game, this is a full orchestra playing the soundtrack under the stars. Sounds oddly specific, it's actually great.

Evanescence, October 26 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, with K. Flay. Peak Halloween week nostalgia, expect a lot of black eyeliner and people who know every word to "Bring Me To Life."

Koe Wetzel, October 28 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, with Wade Bowen and Kolby Cooper. Rowdy country crowd, get there early for parking.

Any Day That Works

Mission Ballroom basically runs a DJ night every week this month, and if you're the type who just wants to know there's somewhere good to dance on a Thursday, these are your options.

Madeon, October 8 at Mission Ballroom (repeats basically every week this month with a different headliner).

DJ Shadow, October 15 at Mission Ballroom (repeats).

Afrojack, October 16 at Mission Ballroom (repeats).

Odd Mob, October 23 at Mission Ballroom (repeats).

KETTAMA, October 26 at Mission Ballroom (repeats).

Matroda and Whethan, October 30 and 31 at Mission Ballroom, closing out the month's run with a Halloween weekend double header (repeats).

The always-current calendar lives at /events.