79 MARCH 26-APRIL 1, 2026 westword.com WESTWORD | CONTENTS | SPORTS & RECREATION | SHOPPING & SERVICES | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | MUSIC & VENUES | FOOD & DRINK | through a hidden door and climb a narrow staircase into a secret carnival world above the Colfax oddities shop. Upstairs, the ven- ue’s Carriage House — once a pony stable — transforms into a tiny midway lined with carnival games, UFO murals and illustrated placards celebrating the evening’s perform- ers. Audience members sit just feet from acts that might include fi re-breathing stripteases, nose-spike hammering, strongman stunts or emcee Babyface Reid reclining on a bed of nails while a cinder block is smashed across his chest. Weird, in your face and gleefully unhinged, Conspiracy Circus keeps the dying art of the American sideshow gloriously alive. Best Place to Get Your Juggle On The Boulder Juggling Club / Boulder Juggling Festival Boulder Circus Center, 4747 26th Street, Boulder bouldercircuscenter.net/juggling-club Every Sunday from 6 to 9 p.m., a dirt road in North Boulder leads to one of the city’s most joyful gatherings. Inside the Boulder Circus Center, the Boulder Juggling Club hosts a weekly open jam where beginners practicing their fi rst three-ball cascade share the fl oor with veteran club-passers chasing advanced tricks. The group, founded nearly two de- cades ago, is famously welcoming; showing up is the only requirement. That same spirit powers the annual Boulder Juggling Festival, which fi lls venues across Boulder each July with workshops, open gyms, juggling games and a public showcase. Whether you’re mas- tering three balls or attempting something far more ambitious, Boulder’s juggling com- munity always has room for one more throw. Best New Rehearsal Space 1400 Dallas Arts 1400 Dallas Street, Aurora thepeoplesbuilding.com/1400dallas For years, Aurora’s theatermakers, danc- ers and musicians have struggled to fi nd rehearsal rooms that weren’t overpriced, overbooked or designed for something else entirely. 1400 Dallas Arts fi xes that prob- lem. Operating under the mission of The People’s Building, the former police station has been renovated into a city-owned re- hearsal hub with mirrored dance studios, smaller rooms for music lessons and play readings, and even a self-tape studio for actors. Hourly rentals start around $20, in- tentionally kept low so independent artists can afford to use it. 1400 Dallas Arts fi lls a critical gap in the metro area by providing performers with the physical space they require to experiment, rehearse and bring new projects to life. Best Movie Theater (Not Owned by Corporate Ghouls) Sie FilmCenter 2510 East Colfax Avenue denverfi lm.org In an era dominated by corporate multi- plex chains, Denver’s Sie FilmCenter re- mains gloriously independent. Operated by Denver Film, the theater champions international cinema, documentaries and adventurous new releases that might never appear in a typical movie theater. It’s also the beating heart of the city’s fi lm culture, hosting the Denver Film Festival, fi lmmaker Q&As and community screenings through- out the year. Plus, the Sie has the best damn popcorn in the state, as well as friendly staff who are always eager to talk about movies. For cinephiles who still believe fi lm is an art form worth celebrating collectively, the Sie FilmCenter is indispensable. Best Incoming Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival Boulder festival.sundance.org When the folks behind the Sundance Film Festival, founded by actor Robert Redford in 1978, announced that they were looking to move the famed showcase for indepen- dent cinema from its longtime home in Utah, their options were plentiful. But from the beginning, Boulder had a leg up, thanks in part to Redford’s history as a CU Boulder student — and its winning bid sent a jolt of excitement through the Colorado fi lm community. Much needs to be done prior to Sundance’s Boulder debut in January 2027, but the selection has already supercharged the state’s movie industry. We can’t wait for the curtains to open. Best Documentary About a Colorado Town Creede U.S.A. Directed by Kahane Corn Cooperman imdb.com/title/tt35520241 Kahane Corn Cooperman’s Creede U.S.A. captures the unlikely coexistence that defi nes one of Colorado’s strangest small towns. Creede, with a population of around 300, is home to miners, ranchers and artists who share a single main street, which is anchored by Creede Repertory Theatre, the company that helped reinvent the former silver boomtown in the 1960s. Cooper- man patiently follows the town through two years of school board debates, Pride celebrations, mining contests and theater seasons. Arguments get heated, com- promises disappoint, and neighbors still show up with cake afterward. It’s a deeply moving documentary about the messy and tenaciously human work that goes into small-town democracy. Best Documentary-Based Film Festival Colorado Environmental Film Festival 924 16th Street, Golden ceff.net The Colorado Environmental Film Festival presents local and international documen- taries annually about countless topics relat- ing to climate change, wildlife and Colorado farmlands. Recent local fi lms have taught their audiences about water management and ecological restoration on the Colorado River, and the growing incorporation of solar fields in local farms and ranches. Others focus more on laughs by satirizing national headlines about plastic straws or poking fun at plants’ abilities to commu- nicate with us. Not a fan of theaters? Each year’s presented fi lms are also available for online purchase for a week after the festival closes its doors. continued on page 80
