12 DAYS OF BUG-MAS 2026

stage. From Black Friday through Colorado Gives Day, we’re celebrating 12 days of buggy giving! Whether it’s by participating in our online silent auction, buying a Bug shirt or gift card, or making a financial contribution on community giving days like Giving Tuesday and Colorado Gives Day, your generosity helps us in our mission to keep creativity accessible, affordable, and thriving in our community.

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Shop small, bid big, and support Denver’s weird & wonderful home for indie film, comedy, theatre, and storytelling! Together, we can light up the Bug for years to come.

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📅 Key Dates & Ways to Give

🖤 Black Friday | November 27th: The holiday giving season kicks off with the opening of our online silent auction! Bid big on weird & wonderful treasures that make perfect holiday gifts — and every bid helps keep The Bug buzzing with indie film, comedy, theatre, and storytelling.

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💙 Small Business Saturday | November 28th: Celebrate and #ShopSmall. Support local art by buying a Bug T-shirt or e-gift card — and we’ll throw in a FREE Bug Koozie with every t-shirt purchase! Perfect stocking stuffers for the arts lovers on your shopping list!

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🧠 FirstBank Trivia Week | [dates TBD]: Trivia Week is back! Play along on FirstBank’s blog for a chance to win an extra $1,000 for The Bug. Don’t miss your shot to show off your trivia knowledge and boost our impact this Colorado Gives Day.

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💖 Giving Tuesday | December 1st: Join this global generosity movement by making a financial contribution to The Bug. Your gift helps keep Denver’s quirkiest nonprofit stage accessible, affordable, and alive with creativity.

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🔨 Silent Auction Closes | December 7th, 5:00pm MT: Last call! Get your final bids in before the gavel drops — all proceeds go toward keeping the weird & wonderful thriving.

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🌟 Colorado Gives Day | December 8th: It only takes a little to make a big impact! Every donation made through Colorado Gives Day is boosted by one of the largest Incentive Funds in the country. You don’t have to wait — you can schedule your gift early.

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⚡ Colorado Gives Day Power Hour | December 8th, [time TBD]: It’s Power Hour time! When you donate to Bug Performance and Media Art Center during this hour, you’ll help us compete for an extra $2,000 prize. Your gift during this hour could make an even greater impact.

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🎄 Holiday Open House | December 13th: Just because the 12 Days end doesn’t mean the celebration does! Join us at The Bug (3654 Navajo St.) for a holiday celebration with our community — our way of saying thank you to everyone who makes this place possible, whether you bid, donated, shopped, or just love the weird & wonderful.

 

🎁 The Silent Auction

As part of our 12 Days of Bug-mas, The Bug is hosting an online silent auction packed with weird & wonderful treasures. From unique experiences to one-of-a-kind gifts, every bid helps keep Denver’s quirkiest nonprofit stage buzzing with indie film, comedy, theatre, storytelling, and more.

Bidding runs from November 27th through December 7th, so you can shop small, bid big, and give back — all while crossing a few names off your holiday list. Every item won is a gift that keeps the arts alive and thriving at The Bug!

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✨ Calling all artists, makers, and local businesses — we need YOU!

Last year more than 50 local businesses, artists, and makers helped fill it with weird & wonderful goodies, and we’d love YOU to be part of this year’s lineup!

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We’re gratefully accepting:
💌 Gift certificates, goods, or services from local businesses
🎨 Artwork, handmade treasures, or creative experiences
🎟️ Event tickets, lessons, or one-of-a-kind items

💡 Or whatever delightfully unexpected idea you can conjure up!
 

What donors receive:
💻 Recognition on our auction platform, with a link to your business
📣 A Bug-mas Donor Spotlight plus shout-outs across our social media and holiday emails
🧾 A tax-deductible donation receipt (The Bug is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit)

💖 And our eternal gratitude for helping keep the weird & wonderful thriving! 🐞

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​👉 Want to donate? Fill out our quick form here: https://www.bugtheatre.org/silent-auction-donation
Or email us at info@bugtheatre.org for more info! 

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🎭 Why It Matters

For more than three decades, Bug Performance and Media Art Center (aka The Bug Theatre 🐞) has championed indie film, stand-up comedy, storytelling, live theatre, and the wonderfully offbeat. As a federal 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, every dollar raised directly supports our mission to:

• Keep ticket prices affordable

• Provide a stage for emerging and underrepresented artists

• Ensure access to the arts for all

• Keep Denver’s weird & wonderful community space alive

 

👉 How you can help:

• Bid in the silent auction

• Buy Bug merch & gift cards

• Make a donation on Giving Tuesday or Colorado Gives Day​

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✨ Together, we can light up The Bug for years to come. 🐞✨​​​​​​