Rad Things (to) Do - October 2023

A haunting chill creeps through the streets of downtown Denver as the days grow darker faster and the… wait, are those zombies walking the 16th Street Mall again? That must mean only one thing – it’s finally October!

Denver’s spooky season is the best season, as the combination of unique Halloween-inspired events, professional sports and ample concerts provide Denverites nearly unlimited options for rad things to do.

Check out all the things to do within walking distance of RTD stops and stations this month!

Halloween-themed events

Halloween in Denver is always a special time of the year, and with how much of a horror show the Denver Broncos have been this season up to this point, Denverites have had a full month (or much longer, depending on how much of a Colorado Rockies fan you are) to prepare for the spooky festivities. Check out some of these hauntingly delightful activities.

• Oct. 1-29: Fright Fest at Elitch Gardens
  • Nearest Station: Ball Arena·Elitch Gardens Station (E and W lines)
• Oct. 1-31: Wild Fall and Trick-or-Treat Trail at the Denver Zoo
  • Nearest stop: Colorado Boulevard and 23rd Avenue (routes 20 and 40)
• Oct. 4-29: The Burton Bar – A Halloween Pop Up at Denver Pavilions
  • Nearest station: Theatre District·Convention Center Station (D and H lines)
• Oct. 7: Oddities and Curiosities Expo at the Colorado Convention Center
  • Nearest station: Theatre District·Convention Center Station (D and H lines)
• Oct. 7: Choctoberfest at the Colorado Convention Center
  • Nearest station: Theatre District·Convention Center Station (D and H lines)
• Oct. 12-13: sCREAM at Meow Wolf
  • Nearest station: Empower Field at Mile High Station (E and W lines)
• Oct. 13-15 and 26-29: Ghost in the Gardens – Open Air Scare at the Denver Botanic Gardens
  • Nearest stops: Josephine Street and 9th Avenue, and York Street and 9th Avenue (Route 24)
• Oct. 14-22: Glow Before Dark
  • Nearest stops: Josephine Street and 9th Avenue, and York Street and 9th Avenue (Route 24)
• Oct. 21-25: Spooky Speakeasy at Denver Union Station
  • Nearest station: Union Station
• Oct. 25: BOOunion Station Trick-or-Treat Parade at Denver Union Station
  • Nearest station: Union Station
• Oct. 27-28: Denver LoDo Zombie Crawl in Lower Downtown
  • Nearest station: Union Station
• Oct. 28: Coloween 21+ Halloween party at Stockyards Event Center
  • Nearest station: 48th & Brighton·National Western Center Station (N Line)

For a full list of fun Halloween activities to do with family around the Denver metro area, swing by Visit Denver’s website and check Trip Planner to find the best way to get to the fun!

Sports

For sports fans, there truly is no greater month than October. All five of the major professional sports leagues, as well as college football, are underway in some capacity this month, whether it be pre-season, regular season or playoffs/postseason. It truly is a Denver sports fan’s holiday season (well, with the exception of the Colorado Rockies missing the postseason once again).

The big stories heading into the month are the Broncos sending shivers down the spine of every fan from how horrifyingly awful the start of the season has been, and the return of the 2023 NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets, as they begin their campaign to defend their championship title. Additionally, the Colorado Avalanche get its season started as well, hoping to overcome the injury issues that severely hindered the team last year from defending its 2022 title.

Check out the schedule of Denver’s professional and collegiate teams below and let RTD get you to the games.

Denver Broncos (Empower Field at Mile High, accessible via the E and W Lines at Empower Field at Mile High Station)

• Oct. 8: Denver Broncos vs. New York Jets
• Oct. 22: Denver Broncos vs. Green Bay Packers
• Oct. 29: Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs

University of Colorado Buffaloes (Folsom Field, accessible via the routes 204, 225, AB1, DASH, GS, FF1, FF2, FF5 and SKIP at Broadway and Euclid Avenue)

• Oct. 13: University of Colorado Buffaloes vs. Stanford

Denver Nuggets (Ball Arena, accessible via the E and W lines at Ball Arena·Elitch Gardens Station)

• Oct. 15: Denver Nuggets vs. Chicago Bulls (pre-season)
• Oct. 24: Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers (regular season home opener)
• Oct. 30: Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz

Colorado Avalanche (Ball Arena, accessible via the E and W lines at Ball Arena·Elitch Gardens Station)

• Oct. 19: Colorado Avalanche vs. Chicago Blackhawks (regular season home opener)
• Oct. 21: Colorado Avalanche vs. Carolina Hurricanes

Concerts

If anyone ever doubts Denver being a premier city for live music, just show them the following list, because the doubters will quickly change their minds. October promises to be yet another incredible month of live music, with marquee acts from the biggest names in pop, hip-hop, country, rock, indie, metal and EDM passing through the metro area. Notable concerts this month include the Eagles, Jason Aldean, Travis Scott, The 1975, Griz, Motionless In White, Boys Like Girls and Fleetwood Mac.

Ball Arena (accessible via the E and W lines at Ball Arena·Elitch Gardens Station)

• Oct. 6: Eagles (rock) – “The Long Goodbye Tour”
• Oct. 7: Jason Aldean (country) – “Highway Desperado Tour 2023”
  • Supporting acts: Michael Tenpenny, Corey Kent and Dee Jay Silver (country)
• Oct. 16: Peter Gabriel (rock) – “I/O: The Tour”
• Oct. 17: Joji (pop/R&B) – “Pandemonium – Fall North American Tour”
  • Supporting acts: SavageRealm, Lil Toe and Kenny Beats (hip-hop/rap)
• Oct. 18: SZA (pop/R&B) – “SOS Tour”
  • Supporting act: d4vd (hip-hop/rap)
• Oct. 20: Shinedown (hard rock) – “Revolutions Live”
  • Supporting acts: Papa Roach (hard rock/nu-metal) and Spiritbox (metalcore)
• Oct. 22: Travis Scott (hip-hop/rap) – “Utopia Tour presents ‘Circus Maximus’”
  • Supporting acts: Teezo Touchdown (hip-hop/rap)
• Oct. 25: P!nk (pop) – “Trustfall Tour”
  • Supporting acts: Grouplove (pop/alternative)
• Oct. 27: Guns N’ Roses (rock)

Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater (accessible via the E and H lines at Arapahoe at Village Center Station)

• Oct. 7: The 1975 (alternative/rock) – “The 1975 Still… At Their Very Best”
  • Supporting act: Dora Jar (pop/indie)
• Oct. 12-13: Zac Brown Band (country) – “From The Fire Tour”
  • Supporting acts: King Calaway and Thunderstorm Artis (country)

Mission Ballroom (accessible via the A Line at 38th·Blake Station)

• Oct. 5: Griz (EDM/electro-soul)
• Oct. 6: Cannibal Corpse and Mayhem (death metal/slam metal)
  • Supporting acts: Gorguts and Blood Incantation (death metal/slam metal)
• Oct. 7: Apashe (EDM) – “Antagonist Tour”
  • Supporting acts: Whipped Cream (EDM/trap), Eddie (EDM/alternative/rap), Wasiu (hip-hop/rap) and Ymir (EDM/dark pop/alternative)
• Oct. 8: Motionless In White (metalcore) – “The Touring the End of the World Tour”
  • Supporting acts: Knocked Loose (metalcore/hardcore), After the Burial (metalcore) and Alpha Wolf (metalcore/nu-metal)
• Oct. 12: Bad Religion (punk) – “North America Tour 2023”
  • Supporting acts: The Dwarves and Speed of Light (punk)
• Oct. 13: Wax Motif (EDM/bass)
  • Supporting acts: Austin Millz (EDM/rap), Ayybo (EDM/house/bass), Maestro (EDM)
• Oct. 14: Polyphia (metal/prog rock) – “Remember That You Will Die Tour”
  • Supporting act: Domi and JD Beck (EDM/drum and bass)
• Oct. 15: Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade (rock/jam band) – “Hunt for Green October Fall Tour 2023”
• Oct. 16: Ashnikko (punk/hip-hop)
  • Supporting act: Tommy Genesis (hip-hop/rap)
• Oct. 18: Nickel Creek (country)
  • Supporting act: Monica Martin (pop)
• Oct. 21: Thievery Corporation (EDM/dub)
  • Supporting act: DJ Shadow (EDM)
• Oct. 22: Wilco (alternative/indie)
  • Supporting act: Nina Nastasia (folk)
• Oct. 26: Bullet For My Valentine (metalcore)
  • Supporting acts: Of Mice & Men (metalcore) and Vended (metalcore/nu-metal)
• Oct. 27: Champagne Drip (EDM/drum and bass) – “Champagne with Friends”
  • Supporting acts: Tripp St. (EDM/trap), Mad Zach (EDM/drum and bass), Sully (EDM/dubstep), Xotix (EDM/dubstep) and Common Creation (EDM/soul bass)
• Oct. 28: Streetlight Manifesto (ska/punk)
  • Supporting act: Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution (orchestra)
• Oct. 29: Teddy Swims (R&B/soul)
  • Supporting act: Zinadephia (alternative/indie)
• Oct. 30: LP (rock/pop)
• Oct. 31: RL Grime (EDM/trap) – “Play Live”
  • Supporting acts: Jawns and 33 Below (EDM)

Paramount Theatre (accessible via the Free MallRide at 17th and Welton streets or via the D, H and L lines at 16th·California Station)

• Oct. 5: The Rocky Horror Picture Show with Barry Bostwick (comedy)
• Oct. 6: Nimesh Patel (comedy) – “Fast and Loose Tour”
• Oct. 7: Los Amantes Perfectos (theatrical comedy)
• Oct. 11: Randy Rainbow (comedy) – “Randy Rainbow for President”
• Oct. 13: Omar Chaparro (Latin comedy) – “Soy Omar Chaparro”
• Oct. 14: Fleetwood Mac (alternative/rock) – “Rumors of Fleetwood Mac”
• Oct. 15: Pat Metheny (contemporary rock/jazz)
• Oct. 18: GOBLIN (orchestra) – “Demons”
• Oct. 19-20: Anthony Jeselnik (comedy) – “Bones and All”
• Oct. 21: Matt Matthews (comedy)
• Oct. 22: Chris Botti (instrumental)
• Oct. 23: Jesse Cook (acoustic rock/jazz) – “The Libre Tour”
• Oct. 26: YES (prog rock/hard rock) – “Classic Tales of YES”
• Oct. 27: Not Another D+D Podcast (comedy)
• Oct. 28-29: Leanne Morgan (comedy) – “Just Getting Started”
• Oct. 30-31: Eddie Izzard (comedy) – “The Remix: The First 35 Years”

Fillmore Auditorium (accessible via the Route 15 at Colfax Avenue and Emerson Street or Colfax Avenue and Clarkson Street)

• Oct. 5: Griz (EDM/electro-soul) – “In The Round”
• Oct. 10: Myke Towers (Latin hip-hop/rap) – “La Vida Es Una Tour”
• Oct. 14: Boys Like Girls (emo/pop punk/alternative) – “The Speaking Our Language Tour presented by Emo Nite”
  • Supporting acts: State Champs (pop punk), The Summer Set (emo/alternative) and LØLØ (pop punk)
• Oct. 15: The Rose (indie rock) – “Dawn to Dusk World Tour”
• Oct. 17: 6LACK (hip-hop/rap/R&B) – “Since I Have a Lover Tour”
  • Supporting act: Mereba (R&B)
• Oct. 20: Ludacris (hip-hop/rap)
  • Supporting acts: Childish Major and Squizzy Taylor (hip-hop/rap)
• Oct. 21: Hollywood Undead (nu-metal/rap) and Tech N9Ne (hip-hop/rap) – “Hollywood and N9Ne Tour 2023”
• Oct. 23: Men I Trust (pop)
  • Supporting act: TOPS (indie/alternative)
• Oct. 26: Static-X and Sevendust (hard rock/metal) – “Machine Killer Tour”
  • Supporting acts: Dope (nu-metal) and Lines of Loyalty (hard rock)
• Oct. 27-28: Shpongle (EDM/psychedelic rock) and Android Jones (artist/photographer) – “Shpongledroid: Simon Posford Live with Andrew Jones and many more”
  • Supporting acts: Trifinity (EDM/psychedelic rock), Ultrasloth (EDM/drum and bass), Freddy Todd (EDM/house) and AHEE (EDM/electrostep)
• Oct. 29: Lil Yachty (hip-hop/rap) – “The Field Trip Tour”
  • Supporting act: Nick Hakim (hip-hop/rap)

Ogden Theatre (accessible via the Route 15 at Colfax Avenue and Emerson Street or Colfax Avenue and Clarkson Street)

• Oct. 6: Matt and Kim (alternativ/indie) – “The Matt and Kim Tour”
  • Supporting act: Pkew Pkew Pkew (alternative/indie)
• Oct. 7: Droeloe (EDM/bass) – “The Art of Change Tour”
  • Supporting acts: Nasaya (EDM) and Demotapes (EDM/bass)
• Oct. 8: Sammy Rae & The Friends (alternative/indie)
  • Supporting act: Fleece (pop/indie)
• Oct. 10: Dope Lemon (alternative/indie) – “US Tour 2023”
  • Supporting act: Franklin Jonas (alternative/indie)
• Oct. 11: Gus Dapperton (alternative/indie)
  • Supporting act: Abby Sage (alternative/indie)
• Oct. 12: The Glorious Sons (rock)
• Oct. 13: Le Youth (EDM/house/R&B) – “About Us Album Tour 2023”
  • Supporting act: Nils Hoffmann (EDM/house)
• Oct. 14: G Jones (EDM/jazz)
  • Supporting acts: Mala (EDM/dubstep), Lord Genmu (EDM/trap), Sayer (EDM/bass) and Ellem (EDM)
• Oct. 17: Amyl and the Sniffers (alternative/indie) – “USA Tour 2023”
  • Supporting act: Die Spitz (rock)
• Oct. 19: Declan Mckenna (alternative/indie) – “The Big Return Tour”
  • Supporting act: Allie Crow Buckley (alternative/indie)
• Oct. 20-21: Moe. (rock/jam band)
• Oct. 22: Iration (reggae) – “IRL Fall Tour”
  • Supporting acts: Artikal Sound System (reggae) and Cydeways (alternative/reggae)
• Oct. 23: The Brian Jonestown Massacre (alternative/rock) – “The Asteroid No. 4”
• Oct. 25: Stephen Sanchez (pop) – “The Troubadour In Person”
  • Supporting act: Stephen Day (pop)
• Oct. 27: Eric Nam (K-pop) – “House on a Hill North America Tour 2023”
  • Supporting act: Jamie Miller (pop/contemporary R&B)
• Oct. 28: Dean Lewis (pop) – “The Future is Bright Tour”
  • Supporting act: Sara Kays (pop)
• Oct. 31: Wheeler Walker Jr. (country/rock) – “The Spread Eagle Tour”
  • Supporting act: Channing Wilson (country)

Gothic Theatre (accessible via the Route 0 at South Broadway and Eastman Avenue)

• Oct. 7-8: Jessie Murph (country/rock) – “The Cowboys and Angels Tour”
  • Supporting act: Henry Venus (R&B)
• Oct. 10: KennyHoopla (alternative/pop punk) – “Raised by Wolves Tour”
  • Supporting acts: Groupthink (alternative/electropunk) and The Losers Club (alternative/indie)
• Oct. 12: Roosevelt (EDM/indie)
  • Supporting act: Touch Sensitive (EDM)
• Oct. 13: Christian French (pop) – “The Space Between Fall Tour 2023”
  • Supporting acts: Devon Gabriella and Lisa Heller (pop)
• Oct. 14: The Mountain Goats (alternative/indie)
  • Supporting act: Mikaela Davis (alternative/indie)
• Oct. 16: Better Lovers (metalcore/hardcore)
• Oct. 17: Action Bronson (EDM/rap) – “Action Bronson Presents: Dr. Bachlava and Human Growth Hormone”
• Oct. 18: Laufey (jazz) – “The Bewitched Tour”
  • Supporting act: Adam Melchor (alternative/indie)
• Oct. 19: Darlingside (folk)
• Oct. 20: Tom Odell (pop) – “Tom Odell and His Band Play Live in North America”
  • Supporting acts: Isabel Larosa (pop) and Jane’s Party (alternative/indie/folk)
• Oct. 21: Nightly (alternative/indie) – “Wear Your Heart Out Tour”
  • Supporting acts: Knox (pop) and Nightbreakers (pop)
• Oct. 22: Nation of Language (pop)
  • Supporting act: Miss Grit (alternative/indie)
• Oct. 23: The Dear Hunter (alternative/rock) – “Celebrating 10 Years of ‘Migrant’”
  • Supporting acts: Delta Sleep (math rock/indie) and All Get Out (alternative/indie)
• Oct. 24: Blonde Redhead (alternative/indie)
• Oct. 26: Slow Magic (EDM/pop) – “Forgotten Feels Tour”
  • Supporting act: Beacon Bloom (EDM/house/techno)
• Oct. 27: Raye (pop/R&B)
  • Supporting act: Absolutely (R&B)
• Oct. 28: Don Bronco (post-hardcore/alt-metal) and The Home Team (pop punk) – “The Amazing Things North America Tour 2023”
  • Supporting acts: Skyler Acord (post-hardcore/alternative) and The Color (alternative/indie)
• Oct. 30: Phillip Phillips (pop) – “The Drift Back Tour”
  • Supporting act: Jonah Kagen (pop)
• Oct. 31: Durand Jones (R&B/soul)
  • Supporting acts: Busman’s Holiday (indie/folk) and Kaitlyn Williams (pop)

Summit Music Hall (accessible via the Route 52 at 20th and Blake streets, or via the routes 0, 9, 15, 20 at 18th and Blake streets)

• Oct. 5: Movements (pop punk) – “The Ruckus Tour”
  • Supporting acts: Mannequin P (pop punk/alternative), Softcult (grunge/shoegaze) and Heart to Gold (alternative/indie)
• Oct. 6: Neil Frances (alternative/indie) – “105.5 FM The Colorado Sound Presents Neil Frances”
• Oct. 7: OG Nixin (EDM/bass)
  • Supporting act: Hi I’m Ghost (EDM/dubstep)
• Oct. 8: The Chats (punk) – “Channel 93.3 Punk Tacos”
• Oct. 9: Boris and Melvins (metal)
• Oct. 10: The Darkness (glam metal/prog rock) – “Permission to Land 20th Anniversary World Tour”
  • Supporting act: The Comancheros (southern rock)
• Oct. 11: Polaris (metalcore) – “The Fatalism Tour: North America”
  • Supporting acts: Currents, Varials and Paledusk (metalcore)
• Oct. 13: Bowling For Soup (pop punk) – “Getting Old Sucks Tour”
  • Supporting acts: Authority Zero (punk) and Mest (pop punk)
• Oct. 14: Arizona (pop rock/electropop) – “Live For A Night”
  • Supporting act: Fly By Midnight (pop)
• Oct. 19: Eladio Carrión (Latin)
• Oct. 20: The Aces (alternative/pop) – “I’ve Loved You For So Long World Tour”
  • Supporting act: Carol Ades (pop)
• Oct. 21: Botch (mathcore/metal)
  • Supporting act: Primitive Man (doom metal)
• Oct. 22: Bad Bad Hats (alternative/indie)
  • Supporting act: Isadora Eden (alternative/pop)
• Oct. 23: Tesseract (prog metal/groove metal) – “The War of Being World Tour”
  • Supporting acts: Intervals and Alluvial (metal)
• Oct. 25: I’ve Had It (comedy)
• Oct. 26: Dax (hip-hop/rap)
• Oct. 28: Kev Herrera (comedy)
• Oct. 30: High On Fire (metal)
  • Supporting act: Pallbearer (doom metal)
• Oct. 31: Vacations (indie/slacker rock) and Last Dinosaurs (alternative/indie) – “Tourzilla”
  • Supporting act: Bathe Alone (alternative/indie)

Marquis Theatre (accessible via the routes 52 and RX at 20th and Larimer streets)

• Oct. 5: Maude Latour (pop) – “Twin Flame Tour”
  • Supporting act: Devon Again (pop)
• Oct. 6: Armand Hammer (hip-hop/rap) – “We Buy Diabetic Test Strips – The Physical Experience”
  • Supporting act: Time (hip-hop/rap)
• Oct. 7: Yeule (alternative/indie)
  • Supporting act: Sasami (alternative/indie)
• Oct. 8: Oxymorrons (nu-metal/rap)
  • Supporting acts: Sorry Mom (alternative/indie), Rivals (alternative/post-emo) and Fighting the Phoenix (metalcore)
• Oct. 9: Adekunle Gold (afrobeat) – “Tequila Ever After Tour”
  • Supporting act: Nonso Amadi (R&B/afropop)
• Oct. 10: Lauren Sanderson (alternative/pop) – “IDC AT ALL Tour”
  • Supporting acts: Poutyface and Cody Benjamin (alternative/indie)
• Oct. 11: Scowl (hardcore)
  • Supporting acts: Militarie Gun, Big Laugh and Destiny Bond (hardcore)
• Oct. 13: Invent Animate (metalcore) – “Heavener tour”
  • Supporting acts: Void of Vision, Thrown and Aviana (metalcore)
• Oct. 14: Jordana and Dev Lemons (pop) – “Freak Show”
• Oct. 15: DirtySnatcha (EDM/bass)
• Oct. 16: Divino Niño (alternative/rap)
  • Supporting acts: Victor Internet and Heartgaze (alternative/indie/pop)
• Oct. 17: DB.Boutabag (hip-hop/rap)
  • Supporting act: 100PackSavy (hip-hop/rap)
• Oct. 18: Cayucas and Matt Costa (alternative/indie/pop)
• Oct. 19: Billy Raffoul (alternative/indie) – “I Wish You Were Here Tour”
  • Supporting acts: Peter Raffoul (folk) and The Indiana Drones (alternative/indie)
• Oct. 20: Sextile (post-punk) and N8NOFACE (alternative/punk)
• Oct. 21: Just Friends (pop punk/emo)
  • Supporting acts: Young Culture (pop punk/emo) and Odd Sweethart (indie/emo)
• Oct. 22: idontknowjeffery and Black Smurf (hip-hop/rap) – “5150 Tour”
• Oct. 23: Magnolia Park (pop punk)
  • Supporting acts: PTS! (pop punk/rap/hyperpop), TX2 (pop punk) and 408 (pop punk)
• Oct. 28: Eloise (pop/indie)
  • Supporting act: James Smith (pop)

Theatre

The Denver Performing Arts Complex will be busy this month as well. Headlined by the classic musical hit “Mamma Mia!” and a stunning tribute to the late Tina Turner, there are plenty of opportunities to put on the fancy clothes on and head to Theatre District·Convention Center Station to enjoy a night at the plays.

Buell Theatre

• Oct. 18-29: TINA – “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical”
• Oct. 31-Nov. 5: “Mamma Mia!”

Garner Galleria Theatre

• Oct. 1-22: “Miss Rhythm – The Legend of Ruth Brown”

Wolf Theatre

• Oct. 1-8: “A Little Night Music”

Kilstrom Theatre

• Oct. 27-Nov. 26: “Clyde’s”