Denver Performing Arts Complex · October 2 – November 4, 2026
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Honoring memory, connection, and
the lives that shape us
What is AfterLight
AfterLight is an immersive outdoor evening experience celebrating life, art, and the memories we carry forward. Inspired by the spirit of Día de los Muertos, we transform the Denver Performing Arts Complex into a luminous landscape of light installations, projection mapping, cultural art, and communal storytelling.
We do not dwell in loss. We celebrate the fullness of the lives that shaped us. AfterLight is where grief becomes gratitude, and memory becomes light.
See the Six ChaptersIn Partnership With
AfterLight is shaped by the partners who share its mission — to bring meaningful, public, beautifully made art experiences to Denver.
Bringing the spirit of Día de los Muertos to Denver and connecting our community to artists working in Mexico. Their work grounds AfterLight in living tradition — carried forward with care, not interpretation.
Visit calaverasenmiciudad.com →
The City and County of Denver agency that operates the Denver Performing Arts Complex and funds public art across the city. Their grant support and stewardship of this venue make AfterLight possible.
Visit artsandvenuesdenver.com →The Experience
Where worlds begin to blur.The threshold between the everyday and the remembered. To enter is to agree to something — to soften, to slow, to be moved.
Names rise into light.Remembrance begins with a name. This is where we speak the people we carry, and where memory becomes an act of love.
Guided by color and scent.The journey from arrival to reverence. Each step is intentional. There is nowhere to be but here.
What we carry, what we honor.A space for the fullness of a life — joy, ordinariness, contradiction, beauty. We are not here to mourn. We are here to celebrate the people who shaped us.
Community as remembrance.Grief is lighter when held by others. Here, strangers become company, and the act of remembering becomes a thing we do together.
Release. Transformation. Continuance.The closing of the night, and the heart of the evening. A reminder that love does not end when a life does — it changes form, and stays.
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"AfterLight is a celebration of life through art, light, and storytelling. We gather to honor connection beyond time."
Free · Oct 2 – Oct 29
Oct 30 – Nov 4 · ticketed
~7 PM each evening
~90 min to walk
Adds both the First Light and Full Light runs to your calendar.
Plan Your Visit
AfterLight runs nightly Oct 2 – Nov 4, 2026 — free walk-in during the First Light run, ticketed for Full Light. Here's everything you need to make the most of your evening at the Denver Performing Arts Complex.
October 2 – November 4, 2026
Open nightly across two phases — the free First Light run, followed by ticketed Full Light around Día de los Muertos.
First Light — Oct 2 to Oct 29
Free · Walk-in
A quieter, light-led version of the experience. Illuminated pathways and ambient installations are open. Projection mapping is not yet active.
Full Light — Oct 30 to Nov 4
Ticketed · Pricing announced soon
All six chapters fully alive, including projection mapping. Coincides with Día de los Muertos and offers the complete experience.
The experience opens at dusk — approximately 7:00 PM each evening — and closes at 11:00 PM. Last entry at 10:15 PM. For the complete projection-mapped experience, plan your visit between October 30 and November 4.
Denver Performing Arts Complex · 1000 14th Street, Denver, CO 80202. AfterLight occupies the DPAC's outdoor plazas along Speer Boulevard.
Get directions →DPAC Parking Garage (13th Street) offers evening rates. Additional garages within two blocks. Street parking fills quickly on busy nights.
The 16th Street Free MallRide stops adjacent to DPAC, connecting to Union Station and RTD light rail. Rideshare drop-off on 14th Street — book your return early on busy nights.
Denver evenings get cold — bring layers. Comfortable shoes; you'll be on outdoor pavers.
Family-friendly, all ages. Strollers welcome. Leashed dogs okay; service animals always welcome.
Personal photography encouraged — share and tag us. Outside food and drink welcome; on-site offerings vary by night. Press shoots require credentials.
AfterLight is a walking experience — plan 60–90 minutes on your feet for all six chapters. No fixed seating, but move at your own pace.
AfterLight is a self-guided walking event — there is no fixed seating. Plan to be on your feet for the full 60–90 minutes. If you have mobility needs, reach out and we'll do our best to accommodate.
All six chapters are fully accessible. Paved, level, wide pathways. Accessible parking in the DPAC garage with placard.
Quiet rest areas available for breaks from light and sound. Service animals welcome in every chapter, without restriction.
Reach our team at hello@afterlight.com in advance and we'll make your visit as smooth as possible.
We'd Love to Hear from You
Whether you're curious about the event, interested in partnering with us, or simply want to share something — our team is here.
Different questions find different homes. Here's the best way to connect with the right person.
Questions about attending, dates, hours, or anything general about AfterLight.
hello@afterlight.comInterested in sponsoring AfterLight or exploring a partnership opportunity?
sponsors@afterlight.comFor press credentials, interviews, photography access, and media kits.
press@afterlight.comVolunteers, performers, makers, organizers — there are many ways to be part of bringing AfterLight to life. Tell us what you're drawn to.
community@afterlight.comBe the first to know when Full Light tickets go on sale, plus updates on the schedule, special programming, and weather alerts on event nights.
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