Logan Lecture: A Conversation with David Huffman
Tuesday, October 20th at 6 pm
Denver Art Museum$20 per personEasy
Thoughtfully curated ways to stay active, curious, and connected across Denver.
Denver and the surrounding communities have an easy mix of city energy and relaxed, everyday adventure. Big-name museums, neighborhood galleries, local bands, and parks all sit close enough that you can build a full week without going far.
2nd Summit threads those pieces together for people in their next chapter of life. In the Denver metro area, that looks like nighttime visits to historic observatories, small-group jazz sets, architecture tours at the Denver Art Museum, hands-on cooking workshops, neighborhood dog walks, film series at local theaters, bowling nights, axe throwing, volunteer shifts at arts nonprofits, and more.
We keep a robust but curated calendar here—124 upcoming experiences across music, visual arts, talks, food, classes, walks, cultural outings, and easygoing social gatherings. Every listing is chosen to help you move a bit, discover something new, and connect with people who get where you are now.
71 experiences · 18 kinds of thing
Tuesday, October 20th at 6 pm
Denver Art Museum$20 per personEasy
Tuesday, October 20th at 5 pm
Museum of Contemporary Art DenverFREEEasy
Tuesday, October 20th at 5:30 pm+1 more
Denver Art Museum$26 per personEasy
Shared interests creating space for real conversation, familiar faces, and naturally meeting new people.
Kara is a journalist stuck in a crumbling marriage, quietly losing hope. When she’s assigned to write a human interest piece on WWII Veterans, she meets Bob—a sharp, charming nonagenarian who shares his greatest regret: that he missed out.
If America is the wealthiest country in the world, why are so many people living in poverty and missing out on the promise of the American Dream? Jason Janz challenges the way we think about poverty and how to change it.
“For a time, I lived in a midnight zone. A place of pressure and lightlessness. What I mean to say is, this is a story about being human, born into a violent world and carrying violence inside ourselves—and in that darkness, how hungry we grow for light.”
Here's your chance to learn about the many resources available with a Denver Public Library Card!
A FREE evening of music, making, sips and snacks, and conversation surrounding MCA Denver’s Youth Programs!
Colorado's HistoryMakers Tour - a 2ndSummit Cemetery Exclusive
Rediscover a classic game on a beautiful fall morning with new friends!
Relax, restore, and reconnect with yourself during a soothing sound bath. Let calming vibrations and tranquil sounds wash over you, creating a peaceful space to slow down, release tension, and simply be.
Mental engagement through conversation, culture, creative exploration, and hands-on discovery.
Join a talk with artist David Huffman, who creates “social abstractions,” large-scale paintings combining social and political themes with inventive abstract mark-making.
Get into the Halloween spirit by creating spooky clay masterpieces! Learn beginner-friendly pottery techniques while crafting festive decorations in a fun, relaxed atmosphere.
Whether you’re a longtime listener or entirely new to experimental sound, this evening offers an opportunity to experience the museum differently—to slow down, embrace curiosity, and discover how attentive listening can open unexpected ways of seeing.
Mindful Looking invites you to slow down and spend time with a single work of art. Discover overlooked details, pose questions, and explore ideas as we linger, look, and connect with art and each other.
Mindful Looking invites you to slow down and spend time with a single work of art. Discover overlooked details, pose questions, and explore ideas as we linger, look and connect with art and each other.
Dynamic saxophonist, composer, and educator Adam Gang returns to the Nocturne stage for a special Thursday night show featuring his stellar quartet.
Fresh off his recent Grammy Award win, saxophonist and composer Remy Le Boeuf returns to the Nocturne stage to host a special evening of original modern jazz shaped by strong melodies, deep interplay, and adventurous improvisation.
A Nocturne Jazz favorite!
Is the unmistakable voice of Julie Andrews part of the soundtrack to your life? A career that spans from the West End of London in the late 1950s to modern day, her music is foundational to the history of film and stage.
Ben Markley and his Quintet are inspired by hard bop, post-bop, and modern jazz.
Get Hooked on Crochet!
Boxing. Yoga. Spinning. Proven to improve mobility and slow disease progression. Exercise also builds community when it is done together. It is never too late to start!
Spiders are some of the most effective natural pest controllers in the garden. Move past your fear and into fascination while learning how spiders contribute to healthy ecosystems.
Retirement and our later years can be a great phase of life, but its quality largely depends on how we prepare for it—emotionally, mentally, and financially.
Imagine stepping away from the busyness of daily life and entering a space dedicated to restoration, relaxation, and renewal.
This comprehensive Zoom webinar will explore the risk factors, warning signs, and lifestyle changes that could lower your risk for dementia.
Reconciliation, Shared History, and America’s 250th Anniversary. In a moderated conversation focused on reconciliation and shared history, two descendants from different branches of Thomas Jefferson's family will gather to mark America's 250th Anniversary.
What started as Armistice Day in 1919 to mark the end of World War I, Veterans Day changed in 1954 to honor all U.S. service members. Join Active Minds to learn the history and significance of this day during both war and peace time.
The world’s longest land border is between the United States and Canada. The link between the two allies, culturally and economically, is deep. But Canada has its own unique story, one that includes rising tension with its neighbor to the south.
The 63 National Parks are as diverse as our country itself. They cover over 84 million acres of land and host over 300 million visitors per year. But their story is changing. Join Active Minds for a conversation about how they came about.
Learn how to expand your circle of support as a caregiver.
Learn how caregivers—and the ones they’re caring for—can thrive and enhance their wellbeing.
How can you manage to hear as best as possible when coping with hearing loss?
Learn how experiences in nature can foster resilience, support mental health, and promote holistic well-being.
End of life decisions are difficult and conversations about those decisions are challenging. Join to learn how to support those you love in these decisions.
Discover the stories and history behind the constellations, then enjoy telescope viewing and s’mores under the night sky.
Nature. Patterns. Math. It all comes together in the Fibonacci Sequence. Math’s presence in the plant world is unmistakable. Fibonacci sequences appear across plant biology as a growth pattern that optimizes light, space and reproduction.
2026 was a year of drought, with water restrictions and sur-charges, which may have left you thinking that it is time to get rid of some of your lawn. Learn how to design your own xeriscape in this online class.
Colorado’s native plants have received a lot more attention in recent years, and for good reason! Join us virtually to learn how native landscapes typically offer great water savings compared to traditional landscapes.
Join 2ndSummit for a fascinating Historic Denver walking tour of Cheesman Park, where we’ll uncover the eerie history behind this beloved urban oasis.
With its tree-lined paths, historic monuments, and more than a century of Colorado history, Fairmount offers a memorable setting to honor our veterans.
Hosted 2ndSummit tour of Hammond's Candies with live candy making, Denver history, and time to shop for holiday treats.
Formed in 1945 in the immediate aftermath of a second world war, the United Nations was intended (in the words of its founding Charter) “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war”. Has it fulfilled that charter?
Physical activity, casual to adventurous — meeting you where you are, without pressure or performance expectations.
50+ experiences have already run here.
Explore and Understand The Gulf States with Active Minds
October 19
Fall Watercolor Landscape Painting
October 18 · Hudson Gardens
Hazel Miller and the Collective
October 18 · Dazzle Denver
Emma Hedrick and the Max Moore Trio
October 18 · Nocturne Jazz and Supper Club
Relive the Rock ’n’ Roll Magic of Tommy
October 18 · Denver Center for the Performing Arts - BUELL THEATER
The Who’s TOMMY: The Rock Opera That Changed Everything
October 17 · Denver Center for the Performing Arts - BUELL THEATER
Denver’s scale makes it unusually easy to build a full life between home and the mountains. The city and county alone operate 30 recreation centers with pools, clubs, and classes, and nearby communities add their own parks and paths.
2nd Summit adds another layer on top of that foundation—low-pressure hikes and trail walks, hosted dog-walking groups, observatory nights, and other ways to enjoy the region’s open spaces without needing to be a hardcore athlete or expert outdoorsperson.
From the Denver Art Museum to the History Colorado Center, municipal band concerts to jazz rooms like Nocturne, the Denver area is dense with ways to hear great music and see powerful art on an ordinary weeknight.
Our Denver calendar leans into that strength: music in the galleries, intimate chamber performances, jazz sets in listening-focused clubs, architecture tours, local film series, and volunteer opportunities at creative reuse centers. You get the richness of Denver’s cultural scene, without having to wade through every general event listing on your own.
Local institutions like the Denver Public Library already treat later life as a chance for deep learning—offering talks, Memory Cafes, and genealogy resources. The city’s rec centers add arts classes, excursions, and clubs alongside fitness.
2nd Summit builds on that spirit of curiosity. In Denver, you’ll see lectures and speaker series, collaborative ancestry research sessions, book and reading clubs, hands-on cooking labs, and science and nature programs that reward questions more than performance. It’s about keeping your mind engaged as much as your body.
The Denver metro stretches across many distinct communities. That sprawl brings variety—but it can also make it hard to find your circle once work routines or family schedules change.
Our gatherings are designed to make a big region feel smaller: relaxed social mixers, shared meals, networking evenings without the hard sell, group outings to concerts and films, even a hosted bowling night on a Broncos-free Sunday. Come once and you’ll start seeing familiar faces at different kinds of events around town.
In Denver and the surrounding communities, we currently host 124 upcoming experiences. The heaviest concentrations are in music and visual arts, social mixers and networking, lectures and speaker series, and dining and food-focused socials. You’ll also find book clubs, classes and continuing education, performing arts, science and nature programs, cultural experiences, gentle hiking and trail walks, wellness offerings, and even pet-friendly gatherings.
Yes. Many people here show up solo, especially if they’re new to the area or simply ready for a new chapter. Hosts and partners are prepared for that, and experiences are structured around shared activity or conversation so you’re not left standing on the edge of the room. Think small-group tours, workshops, concerts, and walks where it’s natural to talk with the people around you.
Experiences are spread across Denver and nearby communities rather than anchored to one building. We partner with observatories, museums like the Denver Art Museum, jazz clubs, cooking schools, local arts nonprofits, parks, bowling alleys, and similar venues. Each listing clearly notes the exact location, directions, and any access details so you can decide what works for your corner of the metro area.
Costs vary by experience and by partner. Some Denver-area gatherings are free or volunteer-based, while others follow standard museum, performance, or workshop pricing. Each listing spells out any ticket price or materials fee up front, so you can choose the options that fit your budget and interest without surprises.
When outdoor walks and stargazing are less appealing, the Denver calendar naturally tilts toward indoor experiences. You’ll see more music in intimate venues, gallery and museum programs, talks and discussion groups, film screenings, cooking classes, and easygoing socials. When conditions allow, we still schedule shorter walks and other outdoor time for those who enjoy crisp-air outings.
2nd Summit is built for people whose routines have shifted and who are asking what comes next—empty nesters, people easing out of full-time work, career shifters, long-time locals, and recent arrivals. There’s no age requirement and no labels; you won’t see anyone sorted by birth year. If you’re looking to stay active, curious, and connected in the Denver area without pressure or perfectionism, you’re in the right place.