For this newsletter version of our August guide to Denver, we asked comedian Joshua Emerson, who has been a fixture on the podcast for years, to give us his personal recommendations.
Somewhere to Eat or Drink: Little Wolf/Flip & Howl Burger Kitchen
Little Wolf is a single malt whiskey bar on the Northside. They house Flip & Howl Burger Kitchen. They do cold-smoked wagyu burgers, which are good not great. They’re a little overpriced but you won’t feel unsatisfied after a meal.
The real star for Flip is their 78 minute fries. They are called 78 minute fries because that is how long it takes to prepare a batch, a process that includes multiple rounds of frying and blanching. The end result is the best french fries in Denver. They are crispy on the outside and soft, not soggy on the inside – the best example of British style chips in the 303. I wish they did more with the fries. Currently they offer poutine, but I think ships and sheese, ships and surry, green chile fries, and maybe even a carne asada fries would do well.
Something to Do or Experience: All My Relations Celebration at Levitt Pavillion (Aug. 9)
This Native American community music show is in its fourth year at Levitt Pavillion, and it has always been good. I remember the first year when Hallicination headlined, I experienced one of my favorite music moments. I was sitting up on the grass hill as the sun was setting. Samantha Crane sang “Joey,” and if you saw me crying that day, no you didn’t.
This year’s headliner is Snotty Nosed Rez Kids, a Haisla rap duo that came up through the Vancouver hip hop scene. They have really fun lyricism and flow and have continued to get better throughout their career. Their latest album, Red Future, being my favorite project they’ve put out, and Canada agrees with me, as the album won the 2025 Juno Award for Best Rap Album.
Plus, it is a community event. Native organizations will be tabling and there will be frybread. Enough said.
A Unique Way to Beat the Heat: John Novosad at Denver Comedy Underground (Aug. 7-8)
I grew up in Phoenix and the key to beat the heat is two words: air conditioning.One of the best ways to enjoy some AC is seeing live stand-up comedy — check out John Novosad, one of the jewels of the Denver comedy scene. Based in Boulder, John aka Hippie Man has been doing comedy for 30 years, and he continues to write and develop. His sense of humor is so silly and joyful. John’s last special, “Jokes I Can Only Do Here,” is just jokes about Boulder, and it is fantastic. Denver has changed, comedy has changed, but John’s comedy remains timeless.
Editors note: You also have several opportunities to see Joshua perform around Denver this month, including “Jokes N Jams” at Skylark Lounge on Aug. 27. “Comedians with a live band,” Joshua tells City Cast Denver of Jokes N Jams. “It’s emo night. I’ll be singing Fall Out Boy.”
