Have fun. Save money. Denver free days and free things to do in Colorado.

Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge, Arvada (always free)

Two Ponds is a very small National Wildlife Refuge which was created as a place for migrating birds to stop and rest.

Boulder Hometown Fair (Labor Day Weekend)

Each year the free Boulder Hometown Fair celebrates labor day weekend and the coming end of summer along Boulder Creek.

Denver Center for the Performing Arts ($10 tickets)

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts offers a limited number of $10 tickets, every Tuesday morning, for shows coming later in the week.

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs (always free)

Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs is probably the most beautiful small park in the state. Paved trails make it easy to wander around and check out the amazing cliffs and spires. Picnic areas, paved and unpaved hiking trails, horseback riding, a trading post, and a visitor's center with amazing views; Garden of the Gods is a great place to spend a day.

Golden Clear Creek Kayak festival (Wednesdays in June)

The "Golden Community Rodeo" is a weekly kayak competition in downtown Golden along Clear Creek at the Golden kayak park. You can sit or stand along the creek and watch the competition. It's pretty amazing what these kayakers can do, and definitely worth taking some time to watch. Can you think of a better thing to do on a warm spring Wednesday?

Competitors are arranged according to class. This year the classes are:

Juniors
Masters
Men: Sport, Intermediate, and Expert
Women: Sport, Intermediate, and Expert

Evergreen Chamber Orchestra (Saturday February 2)

The Evergreen Chamber Orchestra will have a free performance on Saturday Feb. 2, 2013, 7pm at Evergreen High School. Talented students from area schools will participate with the Evergreen Orchestra in this free concert.

The Evergreen Chamber Orchestra Web Site:
http://www.evergreenchamberorch.org/

Colorado Day, Free Colorado State Parks (First Monday in August)

Colorado Day is an annual tradition of celebrating Colorado's acceptance into statehood. Colorado was first recognized as a state on August 1, 1876, and now we celebrate Colorado Day on the first Monday of every August.

Longmont Studio Tour (September 29-30)

National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder (always free)

The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has created a beautiful nature preserve on their property on Table Mesa Drive in Boulder, at the base of the Flatirons.

McCormicks Fish House and Bar (Downtown Denver)

I am a sucker for old buildings, and McCormicks Fish House and Bar, located in LoDo in downtown Denver, has everything I'm looking for.

Prospect Artists Studio Tour

Art tours are always popular in Colorado, with several art centers located throughout the state. One of the main art districts on the front range is Prospect New Town in Longmont. The Prospect Artists in Longmont, Colorado open their studios each year for the last weekend of June. You will have the opportunity to view each artists' latest work and see the interior of each member's home or store front in this architecturally unique community. This is a special community of artists with unique expressions to match the unique architecture where they live and work.

2012 Schedule:
Saturday June 30 and Sunday July 1, 2012.
12 noon to 6 pm each day.

Where:
Prospect New Town.
Near Pike Road and North 107th Street
Longmont, Colorado, 80504.

Look for the green studio tour signs in front of the studio locations.

A map of the tour is available at www.prospectartistsassn.com. 

For the latest details check the Prospect Artists Association web site: 

The Littleton History Museum (always free)

The Littleton Museum is a 14 acre indoor and outdoor history museum depicting Colorado pioneer history. Two historic farm sites featuring a schoolhouse and blacksmith shop bring history to life in a way that consistently rates this museum as one of the top living history museums in the United States.

Shell Gas Two For One Ski Ticket

For 2014, Shell gas stations are offering 2 for 1 vouchers at several ski areas with a 10 gallon gas fill up. This means that if you buy at least 10 gallons of gas, you get a coupon good for a free lift ticket if you purchase one full price adult lift ticket. The deal is good at several ski areas.

Unfortunately, full price adult lift tickets have become so expensive that this isn't much of a "deal". But if you just want to ski one day at a participating resort this year, this will get you on the slopes for less than full price.

In Colorado, 2014's participating resorts are:
Copper Mountain
Crested Butte
Loveland
Monarch
Powderhorn

The SkiFreeDeals.com web site has a full list of participating Shell stations and ski resorts.

Learn more at skifreedeals.Com: 

Willie G's Denver Happy Hour (Downtown Denver)

Willie G's is a great place to have a happy hour snack and a cocktail in the middle of the 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver. The street facing patio allows diners to relax with a drink and watch Denver tourists and businesspeople pass by.