2nd Saturdays at CSU Spur provide visitors with the chance to engage with a variety of programs and hands-on activities.
A year of “2nd Saturdays at CSU Spur” begins on Saturday, Feb. 11, with a day of free, family-oriented programs, activities, and demonstrations centered on the campus’s core themes of food, water, and health.
The event will be the first 2nd Saturday since the water-themed Hydro building opened Jan. 6, and it will continue with a range of programming similar to what was available for the thousands who visited the now-complete CSU Spur campus during the National Western Stock Show Jan. 7-22.
“It’s a great way for us to showcase everything CSU Spur has to offer,” said Sarah Miley, Denver program associate for CSU Spur. “Visitors can talk with researchers and educators, and they can engage in a variety of hands-on activities offered by Spur programs and campus partners.”
CSU Spur’s three buildings will be open this Saturday, and on the second Saturday of each month in 2023, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. With the opening of the Hydro building in January, a number of new activities and amenities will be available.
Upcoming schedule
CSU Spur, located in north Denver at 4817 National Western Drive, will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the following Saturdays.
- Feb. 11.
- March 11.
- April 8.
- May 13.
- June 10.
- July 8.
- Aug. 12.
- Sept 9.
- Oct. 14.
- Nov. 11.
- Dec. 9.
- Western Daughters Kitchen will be open, serving coffee, tea, and other beverages, along with grab-and-go meals featuring locally sourced ingredients.
- Take Note Colorado will offer mini-workshops involving a number of musical instruments.
- Exhibits, including an interactive stream table that demonstrates geologic processes in real-time, will provide a chance for visitors to learn about water quality, sustainability practices, and careers involving both.
The campus includes the Vida building, which is focused on human and animal health, and the food-focused Terra building. A range of activities and demonstrations will be available on Saturday. At the Vida building, visitors will be able to:
- Investigate animal physiology in the virtual reality lab.
- See the horses involved in providing therapy for humans through the Temple Grandin Equine Center.
- Watch veterinarians perform surgeries on dogs and cats in the Dumb Friends League Veterinary Hospital.
At the Terra building:
- Learn about bugs by taking an insect safari, and explore the culinary use of insects.
- Check out the rooftop greenhouses and green roof.
- Watch demonstrations and get ideas at the Terra Kitchen.
Among the other activities this Saturday is a financial scavenger hunt, offered through Canvas Credit Union, with money-saving and environmental tips for both grown-ups and kids hidden across the CSU Spur campus.
In the year ahead, 2nd Saturdays at CSU Spur, which run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will center on themes ranging from citizen science and the integration of the arts with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEAM), to pollinator awareness and intersection of mapping and coding. Details about CSU Spur, along with a calendar of events, are available at csuspur.org.
Kathryn Venzor, director of education for CSU Spur, said the approach in selecting themes for second Saturdays means there will be something new each month, even for those who have visited before.
“We want people to keep coming back,” Venzor said. “For families and other visitors, 2nd Saturdays are a great time to see the different areas activated and our programs on full display.”
CSU Spur is open to the public year-round from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month.
About CSU Spur
CSU Spur is a free educational year-round public destination in Denver focused on engaging PreK-12 students, families, and visitors around food, water, and health. CSU Spur is a non-degree granting campus that showcases the work of the CSU System campuses: CSU, CSU Pueblo, and CSU Global. Spur is built upon the land-grant mission of access to education and the belief that students can be anything they want to be. To inspire students and visitors to engage in important world issues, CSU Spur will bring together scientists to collaborate, put science on-display, and showcase career paths. The CSU Spur campus provides immersive learning experiences and cutting-edge research across three buildings: Vida, Terra, and Hydro. Learn more at CSUSpur.org.
