As part of the third annual Denver Arts Week, several Denver museums will offer free admission and extended hours on Sat. Nov. 7, 2009. The 11 museums listed below will offer free admission from 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. as a special Saturday Night at the Museums.

1. Black American West Museum
2. Byers-Evans House Museum
3. Children's Museum of Denver
4. Colorado History Museum
5. Denver Art Museum
6. Denver Museum of Nature & Science
7. Forney Museum of Transportation
8. Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art (Children under 13 not admitted)
9. Molly Brown House Museum
10. Museo de las Americas
11. Museum of Contemporary Art Denver

The 32nd Starz Denver Film Festival brings independent film to the Mile High City next week. The festival runs from Nov. 12 - 22, 2009 at the Starz FilmCenter. Tickets for most films are $12. Last year, the festival premiered "Slumdog Millionaire" in Denver. "Precious" is this year's opening night film, pictured at right, and stars Gabourey Sidibe as a 16-year-old girl in 1980s Harlem.

• Starz Denver Film Festival 2009
• Photos of Starz Festival Films

Photo courtesy of 32nd Starz Denver Film Festival

A reader responded to the wording about crime in the Capitol Hill Profile:

"I was just reading the neighborhood profile. I think it should be updated or changed in regards to the sentence 'pockets of crime and vandalism still exist.'

This ambiguous statement is true of any neighborhood in any city. Statements like that do not paint a profile of that neighborhood unless it is seriously crime-ridden, think Detroit.

What about discussing the numerous changes that have been made by those that live here and the organizations making those changes: CHUN, CBID, etc. How about talking about the neighborhood block parties or sundae socials, etc.

Finally, everyone should be careful after dark on any street in any city.

Thank you for listening."

-- R. Jonathan Jonas

What do you think? Share your comments below.

The snowstorm that snarled Denver traffic last week had a bright side for the region's ski resorts. Arapahoe Basin and Loveland are already open for business, and both offer ski passes for Colorado residents. Colorado skiers can enjoy unlimited skiing for $599 at six ski resorts with the Epic Pass, which offers significant savings for frequent skiers. Other options include the Rocky Mountain Superpass, valid at Copper Mountain and Winter Park/Mary Jane. Some individual ski resorts also offer ski passes for Colorado residents as well.

• Colorado Ski Passes 2009-2010

Due to the winter snowstorm this week, the Chatfield Corn Maze is now closed. The Corn Maze was scheduled to be open through Halloween, but the cornstalks could not stand tall for Denver's winter weather. The Butcher Haunted House on the grounds of the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield will be still be open today and tomorrow for Halloween from 7 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Celebrating Halloween does not have to cost a ghoulish amount of money, as several Denver events are held free of charge on October 31, 2009. Old South Gaylord Street will hold its annual trick-or-treat event from 4 p.m. - 7 p.m., and the Museum of Contemporary Art is offering free admission all day from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Littleton's Aspen Grove is also holding a free children's costume parade with prizes. For more Halloween events, visit Halloween 2009 Events in Denver.

• Free Halloween Events in Denver

The heavy snow continues in Denver today, and most public schools are closed for a snow day. Denver Public Schools is on fall break this week, so no classes were scheduled anyway. If you have to commute this morning, allow extra time and check on road conditions before heading out the door. How is the snowfall affecting you? Share your comments below.

• Denver Road Conditions

Photo (c) 2009 Nina Davidson, licensed to About.com

There are plenty of reasons to be thankful this November for living in Denver. November brings several free days at Denver attractions, including a free day at the Denver Art Museum on Nov. 7 and free days at the Denver Zoo on Nov. 8 and 11. The Starz Denver Film Festival also comes to town Nov. 12 - Nov. 22 with a cornocupia of independent film.

• November 2009 Events in Denver

The fourth annual Zombie Crawl kicked off Halloween with a night of the living dead in Denver. Zombies gathered at Skyline Park on the 16th Street Mall for a ghoulish night of Halloween fun yesterday. From right to left, Julie and Scott of Boulder join T.C. Haskins of Denver for the zombie crawl. Haskins said his makeup took four hours to apply. Other zombie costumes, of varying political correctness, included a zombie Pope and zombie Michael Jackson. For more Halloween events, visit Halloween 2009 in Denver.

Photo (c) 2009 Nina Davidson, licensed to About.com

The Denver Botanic Gardens at 1005 York St. will offer free admission for Colorado residents on Friday, Oct. 23, 2009. The gardens are open from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., and visitors should bring their Colorado driver's license or other state-issued ID. Although most flowers are not blooming this month, visitors can still admire some fall colors at the Botanic Gardens.

• Denver Botanic Gardens Profile