May is such a wonderful month. Not only is spring in full swing, but it is also home to two of the greatest holidays of the year: May the Fourth, and Revenge of the Fifth. Yes, the author is a massive Star Wars geek. And much like what happened to Darth Helmet’s radar in the classic Star Wars parody movie “Spaceballs,” this May in Denver is completely jammed full of high-profile concerts and events, especially for those who are all about the geek life. So, grab those lightsabers and warp to the nearest RTD stop and experience the best Denver has to offer in this month’s Rad Things (to) Do.

THE PRIMER

The legendary Jar Jar Binks once said, “Meesa likey the Mile High Ceety.” Well, he didn’t, but the point still stands. Between the Colorado Avalanche continuing their journey for the Stanley Cup, the hundreds of runners lighting up Colfax Avenue during the Colfax Marathon, and the biggest pop culture event in the entire Rocky Mountain region setting up shop at the Colorado Convention Center, there’s a lot to like, indeed. Wise words from a Sith Lord. Yes, Jar Jar is a Sith Lord. The author will not be answering any questions about it.

Kicking things off, the Colorado Avalanche now know who their next opponent is after sweeping the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs last month. The Minnesota Wild advanced to take on the Avs after a resounding 4-2 series win against the Dallas Stars (Author’s note: as a lifelong Dallas Stars fan, I am absolutely devastated). Also on the sports front, the Colfax Marathon returns May 16-17. Hundreds of runners will compete in a variety of disciplines and race distances as they run in one of the nation’s most exciting marathons, with the top finisher in the full marathon earning a bid for the 2026 Boston Marathon later this year!

This month’s concert slate features massive artists from nearly every genre of music passing through, including Charlie Puth, Armin van Buuren, DaBaby, William Black, TechN9ne, E-40, Matt Maeson, Said The Sky, and Seven Lions, all headlined by modern country’s biggest superstar Morgan Wallen, who will be performing at Empower Field at Mile High for two nights later this month. For those who prefer to dance at concerts akin to how Jar Jar Binks fought against the droids during the battle of Naboo, this month is for you. From pop punk, punk, emo, and ska bands like Yellowcard, Joyce Manor, La Dispute, The Spill Canvas, American Football, Arm’s Length, Dance Hall Crashers, and The Aquabats!, to heavyweight headbangers like Dethklok, Amon Amarth, Cradle of Filth, Thy Art Is Murder, Wage War, and Thornhill, there has never been a better month to limber up and throw down.

Now, imagine an event that combines sports, recreation, and music into one epic weekend celebration? Good thing you live in Denver, because Outside magazine brings back the incredibly popular Outside Days festival to a new location: Tivoli Quad at the Auraria Campus. Enjoy three full days of music, films, art, recreation, and activism, all celebrating the great outdoors. This year’s concert lineup is the biggest yet, with artists and bands such as Death Cab For Cutie, My Morning Jacket, The Flaming Lips, Cage The Elephant, Grouplove, and Goth Babe performing live May 29-31.

Ironically, while thousands enjoy the outdoors and are touching grass, over at the Colorado Convention Center during the same timeframe, Fan Expo Denver brings nerds, geeks, and pop culture lovers together in the great indoors, May 28-31, protected from the evil grass and sunlight, just like the author likes it. This year’s event looks to be the biggest one yet, with celebrities such as Orlando Bloom, Elijah Wood, David Tennant, Karl Urban, Peter Cullen, Matthew Lillard, David Duchovny, Dolph Lundgren, Jamie Pressly, Jamie Kennedy, and many more making appearances, meeting fans, and signing autographs. Attendees will get to see the latest and greatest in anime, comics, gaming, sci-fi, animation, and horror, with a special 25th -anniversary celebration of “The Lord of the Rings” headlining this year’s event, featuring Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Dominic Monaghan, and Billy Boyd sharing a behind-the-scenes look at the iconic movies that shaped a generation.

Take a look at everything happening this month within walking distance of RTD stops and stations below in this month’s Rad Things (to) Do!

THE MAIN EVENT

This month’s featured events

Throughout May: Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup Playoffs

• Venue: Ball Arena
  • Transit options:
    • Light rail lines: E, W (Ball Arena•Elitch Gardens Station)
    • Bus routes: 1, 15L, 20 (Auraria Parkway and 7th/9th Street)
• Ticketing and event information: https://www.ticketmaster.com/ball-arena-tickets-denver/venue/246112

May 9: Monster Jam

The deets:

• Venue: Empower Field at Mile High Stadium
• Transit options:
  • Light rail lines: E, W (Empower Field at Mile High Station)
  • Bus routes: 30 (Colfax and Federal Transfer Center) | 20, 31 (Federal Boulevard and West 17th Avenue) | 15L, 16 (Decatur•Federal Station)
• Ticketing and event information: https://www.monsterjam.com/en-us/tickets/

May 16-17: Colfax Marathon

The deets:

• Venue: City Park and along Colfax Avenue
  • Transit options:
    • Bus routes: 20 (17th Avenue and Steele Street) | 24 (York Street and 21st Avenue) | 40 (Colorado Boulevard and 17th Avenue)
• Event information: https://www.runcolfax.org

May 28-31: Fan Expo Denver

The deets:

• Venue: Colorado Convention Center
• Transit options:
  • Light rail lines: D, H (Theatre District•Convention Center Station)
  • Bus routes: ART (Champa and 13th streets) | 9, 15/15L (15th and Curtis streets) | 0, 6, 8, 19, 48, 52 (15th and Champa streets) | 10, 28, 38, 43, 44 (15th and Stout streets) | FREE (16th and California streets)
• Ticketing and event information: https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpodenver/

May 29-30: Morgan Wallen

The deets:

• Venue: Empower Field at Mile High Stadium
• Transit options:
  • Light rail lines: E, W (Empower Field at Mile High Station)
  • Bus routes: 30 (Colfax and Federal Transfer Center) | 20, 31 (Federal Boulevard and West 17th Avenue) | 15L, 16 (Decatur•Federal Station)
• Ticketing and event information: https://www.empowerfieldatmilehigh.com/events/detail/morgan-wallen-2026

May 29-31: Outside Days

The deets:

• Venue: Tivoli Quad at Auraria Campus
• Transit options:
  • Light rail lines: D, H (Colfax at Auraria Station) | E, W (Auraria West Station)
  • Bus routes: 1, 15L, 20 (Auraria Parkway and 7th/9th Street) | 16 (West Colfax Avenue and Lipan Street)
• Ticketing and event information: https://outsidedays.outsideonline.com

THE UNDERCARD

Notable sports, concerts, musicals, and plays; speakers, and other rad events taking place nearby RTD stops and stations this month

Sports

Hockey

• Colorado Avalanche
  • Venue: Ball Arena
  • Transit options:
    • Light rail lines: E, W (Ball Arena•Elitch Gardens Station)
    • Bus routes: 1, 15L, 20 (Auraria Parkway and 7th/9th Street)
  • Ticketing and event information: https://www.ticketmaster.com/ball-arena-tickets-denver/venue/246112
  • Schedule (NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs – Round 2 vs. Minnesota Wild):
    • May 5: Home game 2 (Game 2)
    • May 13: Home game 3 (Game 5)*
    • May 17: Home game 4 (Game 7)*

*if necessary

Baseball

• Colorado Rockies
  • Venue: Coors Field
    • Transit options:
      • Commuter rail lines: A, B, G, N (Union Station)
      • Light rail lines: E, W (Union Station)
      • Bus routes: 52 (20th and Blake streets) | RX (20th and Larimer streets) | 10, 19, 32, 120X, FF1, FF2, FF3, LD1, FMR, 16FR (Union Station)
    • Ticketing and event information: https://www.mlb.com/rockies/tickets
    • Schedule:
      • May 4-6: vs. New York Mets
      • May 15-17: vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
      • May 18-20: vs. Texas Rangers
      • May 29-31: vs. San Francisco Giants

Live theatre and musicals at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts

Transit options:

• Light rail lines: D, H (Theatre District•Convention Center Station)
• Bus routes: ART (Champa and 13th streets) | 9, 15/15L (15th and Curtis streets) | 0, 6, 8, 19, 48, 52 (15th and Champa streets) | 10, 28, 38, 43, 44 (15th and Stout streets) | FREE (16th and Curtis streets)
• Ticketing and event information: https://www.denvercenter.org/tickets-events/
• Events:
  • Ongoing through May 10: “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” at the Garner Galleria Theatre
  • Ongoing through May 31: “English” at the Singleton Theatre
  • Ongoing through May 31: “Somewhere” at the Kilstrom Theatre
  • May 5-10: “Hadestown” at the Buell Theatre
  • May 13-17: “MJ: The Musical” at the Buell Theatre
  • May 15: “2026 Bobby G Awards” at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House
  • May 27-July 26: “The Improvised Shakespeare Company” at the Garner Galleria Theatre
  • May 30-June 21: “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” at the Buell Theatre

Concerts

Empower Field at Mile High Stadium

• Transit options:
  • Light rail lines: E, W (Empower Field at Mile High Station)
  • Bus routes: 30 (Colfax and Federal Transfer Center) | 20, 31 (Federal Boulevard and West 17th Avenue) | 15L, 16 (Decatur•Federal Station)
• Concerts:
  • May 29-31: Morgan Wallen – “Still The Problem Tour”
    • Support:
      • May 29: Brooks & Dunn, Gavin Adcock, Vincent Mason
      • May 30: Ella Langley, Gavin Adcock, Vincent Mason

Tivoli Quad at Auraria Campus

• Transit options:
  • Light rail lines: D, H (Colfax at Auraria Station) | E, W (Auraria West Station)
  • Bus routes: 1, 15L, 20 (Auraria Parkway and 7th/9th Street) | 16 (West Colfax Avenue and Lipan Street)
• Ticketing and event information: https://outsidedays.outsideonline.com
• Lineup:
  • May 29: Death Cab For Cutie, Goth Babe, Japanese Breakfast, Wildermiss
  • May 30: My Morning Jacket, The Flaming Lips, Dawes, Eggy, Karina Rykman, Brothers Of Brass
  • May 31: Cage The Elephant, Tash Sultana, Grouplove, Girl Tones, N3ptune, The Mañanas

The JunkYard

• Transit options:
  • Bus routes: 9 (West 8th Avenue and Wyandot Street)
• Concerts:
  • May 15: Armin Van Buuren
  • May 16: Chris Stussy
    • Support: Beltran, Chloe Caillet, Toman
  • May 19: Dethklok, Amon Amarth – “The Amonklok Conquest”
    • Support: Castle Rat
  • May 20: Yellowcard – “The Up Up Down Down Tour”
    • Support: New Found Glory and Plain White T’s

Bellco Theatre

• Transit options:
  • Light rail lines: D, H (Theatre District•Convention Center Station)
  • Bus routes: ART (Champa and 13th streets) | 9, 15/15L (15th and Curtis streets) | 0, 6, 8, 19, 48, 52 (15th and Champa streets) | 10, 28, 38, 43, 44 (15th and Stout streets) | FREE (16th and Stout streets)
• Concerts:
  • May 10: Charlie Puth – “Whatever’s Clever! World Tour”
    • Support: Daniel Seavey, Ally Salort

Boettcher Concert Hall

• Transit options:
  • Light rail lines: D, H (Theatre District•Convention Center Station)
  • Bus routes: ART (Champa and 13th streets) | 9, 15/15L (15th and Curtis streets) | 0, 6, 8, 19, 48, 52 (15th and Champa streets) | 10, 28, 38, 43, 44 (15th and Stout streets) | FREE (16th and Curtis streets)
• Concerts:
  • May 7: Colorado Symphony – “Music and Art: A Symphonic Exploration”
  • May 9: Colorado Symphony, Jon Batiste – “An Evening with Jon Batiste and the Colorado Symphony Benefit Concert”
  • May 10: Denver Young Artists Orchestra – “Electric Beauty”
  • May 15-17: Colorado Symphony, Christopher Dragon, Albert Cano Smit – “Pictures at an Exhibition”
  • May 22-24: Colorado Symphony – “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert”
  • May 29-31: Colorado Symphony Chorus, Peter Oundjian – “Mahler’s Second”

Paramount Theatre

• Transit options:
  • Light rail lines: D, H (16th•California Station)
  • Bus routes: 1, 9, 10, 15/15L, 20, 44 (17th Street and Glenarm Place) | FREE (16th Street and Glenarm Place)
• Concerts:
  • May 6: Forever K-Pop
  • May 8: Seth Meyers
  • May 9: Thee Phantom & The Illharmonic Orchestra
  • May 10: Las Alucines – “Tu Nuevo Estilo De Vida Tour”
  • May 15: Desi Banks – “Your Favorite Cousin”
  • May 16: Eric Johnson – “Texaphonic Tour”
  • May 17: Matt Fraser – “America’s Top Medium Matt Fraser”
  • May 23: Brincos Dieras
  • May 30: Carlos Ballarta – “Naco Ladino”
  • May 31: Andres Cepeda – “Bogota La Gira”

Mission Ballroom

• Transit options:
  • Commuter rail line: A (38th•Blake Station)
  • Bus route: 48 (Brighton Boulevard and 43rd Street)
• Concerts:
  • May 6: The Midnight – “Time Machines North America”
    • Support: New Constellations
  • May 8: John Butler
  • May 9: Vincent Antone, Manic Focus
    • Support: Pheel, Phyphr, Kaptain
  • May 11: Jose González
    • Support: Abby Sage
  • May 15: Opiuo
    • Support: Moontricks, TF Marz, McWavy
  • May 16: Dance Hall Crashers, The Aquabats!, Five Iron Frenzy – “Denver Ska Fest 2026”
    • Support: Potato Pirates
  • May 20: Indigo Girls
    • Support: Jessie Mazin
  • May 22: Echo & The Bunnymen
  • May 23: Qveen Herby – “Isle of Qveen Tour”
    • Support: Thotsquad
  • May 29: Said The Sky – “Icarus & I Tour”
    • Support: Shallou, Zensei
  • May 30: Hol! – “Riddem Rodeo”
    • Support: Mad Dubz, VKTM, Ivory, Warlord

Fillmore Auditorium

• Transit options:
  • Bus routes: 15/15L (Colfax Avenue and Ogden Street) | 12 (Corona Street and Colfax Avenue)
    • NOTE: Construction work on the East Colfax Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project may impact RTD service to this venue. Check Next Ride and Service Alerts for the latest updates before boarding.
• Concerts:
  • May 4: Joyce Manor
    • Support: Militarie Gun, Teen Mortgage, Combat
  • May 12: Tech N9ne, E-40
    • Support: King ISO, Tony Fontinelli
  • May 17: Baby Keem
  • May 22: Electronic Orchestra

Ogden Theatre

• Transit options:
  • Bus routes: 15/15L (Colfax Avenue and Ogden Street) | 12 (Corona Street and Colfax Avenue)
    • NOTE: Construction work on the East Colfax Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project may impact RTD service to this venue. Check Next Ride and Service Alerts for the latest updates before boarding.
• Concerts:
  • May 7: Wage War – “It Calls Me By My Name Tour”
    • Support: Nevertel, Orthodox
  • May 8: William Black – “The Shadow Realm”
    • Support: Reaper, Afinity, Cinema Kid
  • May 9: Ransom Camp
    • Support: Wodd, SFAM, Big Blok
  • May 13: Snail Mail
    • Support: Sharp Pins, Armlock
  • May 14: Kevin Morby – “Little Wide Open Tour 2026”
    • Support: Liam Kazar
  • May 17: The Paper Kites – “If You Go There, I Hope You Find It”
    • Support: Donovan Woods
  • May 21: Sepultra – “Celebrating Life Through Death”
    • Support: Exodus, Biohazard, Tribal Gaze
  • May 22: Thy Art Is Murder – “Chaos & Carnage 2026”
    • Support: Carnifex, Bodysnatcher, 200 Stab Wounds, Ingested, Gates To Hell, Bodybox
  • May 23: Space Wizard – “Wizard’s Wasteland Tour”
    • Support: Izzy Vadim, Rane, Stayns, Lozer, Organic Matter
  • May 30: Smokedope2016
    • Support: Ghostfacekush, Bartesian Water

Summit Music Hall

• Transit options:
  • Commuter rail lines: A, B, G, N (Union Station)
  • Light rail lines: E, W (Union Station)
  • Bus routes: 0, 9, 15, 20 (18th and Blake streets) | 52 (20th and Blake streets) | RX (20th and Larimer streets) | 38 (Lawrence and 20th streets) | 10, 19, 32, 120X, FF1, FF2, FF3, LD1, FMR, FREE (Union Station)
• Concerts:
  • May 5: La Dispute
    • Support: From Indian Lakes, Flooding
  • May 6: DaBaby
    • Support: Zeddy Will, H3adband, Bri3
  • May 7: Poison the Well – “Peace in Place Tour”
    • Support: Converge, The Armed, The Barbarians of California
  • May 10: Cabaret Voltaire
    • Support: I Speak Machine
  • May 11: Boulet Brothers – “Dragula: Titans 2 Tour”
  • May 12: The Afghan Whigs – “40th Anniversary Tour”
    • Support: Mercury Rev
  • May 13: Chet Faker
    • Support: Ideas by Ab
  • May 14: Yebba
    • Support: Astyn Turr
  • May 15: American Football
    • Support: Mei Semones
  • May 16: Blueface
  • May 17: Arm’s Length – “There’s A Whole World…Tour”
    • Support: The Callous Daoboys, Harrison Gordon, Super Sometimes
  • May 20-21: Babyfxce E
    • Support: Luhh Dyl
  • May 26: Sam Yo
  • May 28: SOB X RBE
  • May 29: Swamp Izzo

Marquis Theater

• Transit options:
  • Commuter rail lines: A, B, G, N (Union Station)
  • Light rail lines: E, W (Union Station)
  • Bus routes: 0, 9, 15, 20 (18th and Blake streets) | 52 (20th and Blake streets) | RX (20th and Larimer streets) | 38 (Lawrence and 20th streets) | 10, 19, 32, 120X, FF1, FF2, FF3, LD1, FMR, FREE (Union Station)
• Concerts:
  • May 7: Faetooth
    • Support: Latter, Nightosphere
  • May 8: Caroline Kingsbury – “Shock Treatment Tour”
    • Support: Bershy
  • May 9: The Frickashinas
    • Support: Bury Mia, The Killigans, Hostile Effect
  • May 13: Teen Suicide
    • Support: Cloud Nothings, Anthers
  • May 15: The Dear Hunter – “Channel 93.3 Presents: The Dear Hunter – The Road to Sunya Tour 2026”
    • Support: K Sera
  • May 18: The Scratch
    • Support: DUG
  • May 19: Vundabar – “‘Gawk’ 10 Year Anniversary Tour”
    • Support: Goon
  • May 20: Being As An Ocean
    • Support: Lagrimas, Commoner, Miniluv
  • May 21: SpiritWorld
    • Support: Roman Candle, Doomsday, Primal Fury
  • May 22: dead calm
    • Support: Term$
  • May 23: Jiluka
    • Support: VCTMS, TSS
  • May 24: OJ Da Juiceman
  • May 25: Daisy Grenade
    • Support: Vienna Vienna
  • May 29: Secondhand Serenade
    • Support: Aaron Marsh
  • May 30: Heembeezy
  • May 31: Natalie Nunn

Gothic Theatre

• Transit options:
  • Bus routes: 0 (South Broadway and Eastman Avenue)
• Concerts:
  • May 5: The New Pornographers
    • Support: Will Sheef
  • May 6: Emo Orchestra, The Spill Canvas
  • May 8: Maye, Ambar Lucid – “Entre Dos Mundos Tour”
    • Support: Judith
  • May 9: Eldren – “Eldren Perform ‘Illinois’ by Sufjan Stevens”
    • Support: Pillow Fort, Lady Denim
  • May 14: The Moss
    • Support: Gatlin
  • May 16: Grandaddy – “25th Anniversary of Sophtware Slump”
    • Support: The Cle Elum
  • May 19: Jensen McRae – “God Has A Hitman Tour”
    • Support: Jackie Evans
  • May 20: Smerz – “Big City Life Spring Summer 2026”
  • May 22: Seven Lions – “Higher Love: Asleep in the Garden of Infernal Stars Red Rocks After Party”
    • Support: Must Die!, Quackson
  • May 23: Cradle of Filth – “Majestic In Death”
    • Support: Suffocation, Ghost Bath, Cultus Black
  • May 26: Thornhill – “Revolver Magazine Presents: The Mercia Tour”
    • Support: 156/Silence, Fox Lake, Vianova
  • May 27: Clara La San – “Chosen Silences North America 2026”
    • Support: Sausha
  • May 29: Afroman

Boulder Theater

• Transit options:
  • Bus routes: 204, 205, 208, 225/225D, DASH, JUMP, SKIP, BOLT, GS, NB1/2/3, FF1, FF2, FF5, AB1/AB2 (Downtown Boulder Station)
• Concerts:
  • May 5: Janeane Garofalo
    • Support: John Novosad
  • May 8-9: Dude Dad – “Parents Night Out”
  • May 10: Alan Doyle – “Already Dancing Tour”
    • Support: Bandits on the Run
  • May 14: Naomi Watanabe – “From Tokyo”
  • May 16: Matt Maeson – “97.3 KBCO Presents: Watch My Step Tour: A Solo Experience”
    • Support: Vincent Lima
  • May 17: Old Crow Medicine Show
    • Support: Madeline Hawthorne
  • May 19: Indigo Girls
    • Support: Jessie Mazin
  • May 21: Purity Ring – “Place Of My Own Tour”
    • Support: mmj
  • May 28: Sages & Spirits
    • Support: Melvin Seals, John Kadlecik, Jay Lane, Rob Eaton, Skip Vangelas, Jake Wolf
  • May 29: Ott.

Other venues RTD provides bus or rail service to include, but are not limited to: Bluebird Theater, Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom and Other Side, Larimer Lounge, HQ, Hi-Dive, The Oriental Theater, The Federal Theatre, and Fox Theatre. Visit app.rtd-denver.com/nextride/plan and enter the desired destination to view available nearby transit options.