Southlands is turning 20, and the Aurora shopping center is marking the milestone with seven straight days of giveaways, live music and charity fundraisers starting next Sunday, Oct. 18, and running through Oct. 24. According to Southlands, twenty golden envelopes are hidden somewhere around the sprawling outdoor mall, each holding a prize ranging from a $25 gift card to a $1,000 Southlands shopping spree, and lucky shoppers and diners could also walk away with a surprise $20 gift card just for being there.
According to Sentinel Colorado, the celebration marks the anniversary of Southlands’ Main Street, which opened in Aurora in October 2006 and has since grown into what mall officials describe as the state's largest outdoor shopping center. Southlands general manager Martin Liles framed the week as a thank-you to the people who built the center's success over two decades. Sentinel Colorado also quoted Liles: “This anniversary is really about thanking the community that made those 20 years possible.”
A Week of Themed Events, From Speakeasies to Gold Panning
The celebration kicks off next Sunday with the Southlands Style Speakeasy, which benefits Dress for Success Denver, per Sentinel Colorado. The following day, Oct. 19, brings the Little Prospectors Gold Rush, where kids can pan for gold and win prizes. Southlands' official 20th birthday celebration lands on Oct. 20, featuring festive entertainment, sweet treats, an anniversary cake and the unveiling of a piece of public artwork designed and created by Downtown Aurora Visual Arts specifically for the occasion.
Midweek, on Oct. 21, Pints & Putt-Putt offers an evening of drinks, mini golf and hand-rolled cigars, with proceeds benefiting the Aurora Police Foundation. The next night, Oct. 22, Wonka's Golden Ticket Experience brings a movie night at AMC featuring a screening of the classic Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
Music, Fundraising and a Family Finale
Sounds of Southlands 2.0 closes out the week's entertainment lineup on Oct. 23 with live music from Spinphony and drinks, billed as a celebration 20 years in the making. The anniversary week wraps up Oct. 24 with Fall-O-Ween, Southlands' annual fall festival, bringing trick-or-treating, festive activities and family fun to close out the celebration.
Beyond the entertainment, the week carries a charitable backbone. The anniversary celebration supports both Dress for Success Denver and the Aurora Police Foundation, and, as reported by Sentinel Colorado, donations from Southlands events during anniversary week will go directly to the Aurora Police Foundation, which supports the Aurora Police Department's work. Naomi Colwell, president and CEO of the Aurora Chamber, said Southlands has become part of and supports the broader community.
A Mall That Grew Alongside Aurora
Southlands today spans 1.7 million square feet at E-470 and Smoky Hill Road, with more than 150 stores, restaurants and entertainment options, according to Middletown Life Magazine. Among the longtime tenants still around from the center's early years is The Cookie Company, which opened at Southlands in 2007 and is co-owned by Frankie Hoff, as noted by Sentinel Colorado.
The mall's growth has tracked the explosive expansion of its surroundings. Mall developers point out that the population of Southlands' own ZIP code, 80016, grew 59% between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Sentinel Colorado reported at Sentinel Colorado, underscoring just how much the area around the center has filled in since its Main Street first opened its doors.
Full details and the schedule for anniversary week events are available at shopsouthlands.com, according to Sentinel Colorado.
