Westword Music Showcase

Mission Ballroom Outdoors + RiNo Art District

The Westword Music Showcase will return to the RiNo Art District on September 9-10, 2022, filling the area with music from local and national acts alike in the city’s longest-running celebration of the scene. From the first Showcase in LoDo in 1995 to big bashes in the Golden Triangle a decade later to our current festivals in RiNo, the Showcase has only gotten bigger and better.

Friday, September 9, will be a real party, with dozens of talented local acts playing in ten-plus venues throughout the district – and admission is free! Discover your new favorite band and buy the members a drink; revel in the streets all night long. But make sure you save energy for day two.

On Saturday, September 10, enjoy a full day (and night) of music at the Mission Ballroom Outdoors, with psych-rockers extraordinaire The Flaming Lips, raucous indie-funk band Saint Motel, alt-rock trio X Ambassadors, mishmash of retro yet classic rock Jukebox the Ghost, the indie-electronic Cannons, funk-rock group The Main Squeeze, performances by some of Denver’s best bands. Fortify yourself for all the action with food options from some of the best restaurants and trucks in town, as well as beverages from our deluxe, on-site bars.

Or go all out with the VIP experience, which gives you access to premium viewing areas at the Brighton Main Stage and Native Roots Stage, as well as VIP restrooms, a relaxing VIP lounge and VIP bars; the VIP level includes two drink tickets for those bars and one munchie ticket for VIP restaurants.

When the Showcase moved to the RiNo Art District, we found a perfect fit. Now, in addition to presenting two nights of music in the neighborhood, we’re partnering with the district to throw Art RiNo, a week-long festival that will lead up to the Westword Music Showcase. In the days before, Art RiNo will host a speaker series and other special events, as well as display light installations and sponsor the live mural painting that has made this area Denver’s destination for culture, entertainment…and fun.