A lovely bunch of coconuts
Thursday-Saturday. Nothing puts one in a tropical mood like pineapple and coconut, which is why Adrift Tiki Bar & Restaurant, 218 S. Broadway, is bringing back Painkiller Week, offering two signature cocktails served with a heaping helping of island ambiance.
Both are made with Pusser’s Rum, the company that popularized the cocktail in the British Virgin Islands during the 1970s. The first is The Standard ($16) with two kinds of rum, fresh pineapple and orange juice, house-made cream of coconut, and fresh nutmeg. The second is The Elevated ($25), made with similar ingredients and served in a hand-cranked coconut and with a spike of incense. Reservations are highly encouraged. More information at adriftbar.com.
Wuthering nights
Thursday-Sunday. If you appreciate Victorian romance novels, Riot Grrrl music and an irreverent attitude, then Gin & Gothic: A Brontë Rocktale might make for a fun weekend evening. Presented by Band of Toughs at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in Denver, the mashup of a “theatrical adventure” features “literature’s favorite Victorian novelists in an evening of romance and live music with a splash of sibling rivalry,” according to organizers.
The show follows the Brontë sisters (some of whose works you read in high school English) “as they conceive some of the most influential literature of the 19th century, confront their critics and each other, and rock out.” Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 15-18 and again on Aug. 23-24. Tickets ($34 for general admission) are available at axs.com. The Ellie is located at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, 1400 Curtis St.
Peachy keen
Friday-Saturday. There are two ways to celebrate Colorado peach season this weekend. The first is the 56th annual Palisade Peach Festival, on the Western Slope, which runs Friday, Aug. 16 from 3 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, Aug. 17 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Attendees will find food trucks, a vendor market, a bar, cooking demos, live music on the Peach Jam Stage, and more. A peach-eating contest takes place Sunday at 11 a.m. The fest takes place at Riverbend Park, 451 Pendleton St. in Palisade. Get tickets and information at palisadecoc.com.
The second is the 25th annual Lafayette Peach Festival, where you’ll find all kinds of food — fresh peach pies, peach cobbler, and peach hand pies — and activities, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. along Public Road in Old Town Lafayette.
There will also be peach trucks stationed at various locations with more than 30,000 pounds of peaches from Morton’s Organic Orchards, Tate Orchards, Palisade Organic Peach Ranch and Green Barn Fruit.
Raise a toast
Saturday. Two local breweries celebrate major milestones on Aug. 17. Joyride Brewing in Edgewater notches its 10th anniversary with a parking lot party featuring live music, a food truck and plenty of special beer releases, including collaborations with Odell Brewing, Barrels & Bottles, Cannonball Creek and Woods Boss. Joyride, 2501 Sheridan Blvd., is also celebrating the reopening of 25th Avenue, which was closed for construction for several months.
Meanwhile, Great Divide Brewing will honor its 30th anniversary with its own party. The Denver stalwart throws down at its Barrel Bar location, 1812 35th St., from 2 to 6 p.m., with beer releases (including barrel-aged offerings, hard seltzers and this year’s fall specialties), food trucks, music, flash tattoos and more. Great Divide will also be temporarily bringing back some of its long-gone classics, like Claymore Scotch Ale and Hades Belgian-style ale.
