WEEKEND IN BOULDER: Skeeball league at the Walrus and Polar Plunge

So back when we were tots, my pals and I would always love when the more extravagant friends of ours had their birthdays at Chuck E Cheese’s. This was, of course, before we realized how creepy Chuck E Cheese’s is.

It was also when we dealt in a far more pleasant form of currency: Tickets.

You’d beg and plead to get that worthless “real money” shit turned into tokens that then bought hours of fun at light- and noise-filled games guaranteed to give anyone older than 15 a headache. And those tickets would then get you poorly-made gadgetry you’d soon lose interest in but NEEDED.

First, though, you had to win.

We all had our specialities. Some could stop the light that went around in a circle (you press a button as light bulbs lit up around) and have it land on the jackpot. Some could whack all the creepy animals on the noggin well. But me? I went for skeeball.

It was an artform. Get the right ball speed, placement, etc., to get the ball into the best hole. (That’s what the older he, she and we said.)

Well, I now challenge all of you to see if you’ve still got the moves. In skeeball. Geez.

A Boulder Skee League will start this Thursday from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Walrus Saloon (1911 11th St.) Get a team set up, elect a captain and get to playing. There will be bar specials and plenty of new folks looking to regress to their childhoods, just like you.

Don’t worry, the shuffleboard will still be there on Friday.

Head over to denverbarskee.com for details on signing up.

Then once you’re in athletic, skeeball shape, get ready for some swimmin’. Men, say goodbye to your own balls and ladies, invest in some thicker sweaters.

The Polar Plunge is back on Saturday at the Boulder Reservoir. At 1 p.m., all you brave souls can trot into the freezing water and help raise money for Special Olympics athletes. You can check out specialolympicsco.org/give/polar-plunge (and scroll to the bottom) for the details.

You’ll probably need something to laugh at after that, and what better way to warm up than to chuckle your way through some comedy.

The Second City improv group — one that’s got 11 full-time touring ensembles and training centers nationwide — is going to be at the Boulder Theater (2032 14th St.) on Saturday.

The doors open at 7 p.m., and the hilarity starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale at bouldertheater.com. Trust me, this will be far better than the beer-induced giggles when your friend nails her boyfriend in the head with a beer pong ball all night. Though that is some funny shit …

After a few days for brewery renovations, Wild Woods Brewery (5460 Conestoga Court — right next to us Colorado Daily folks) is ready to unveil its Cabin Fever ale on Thursday. It’s an imperial red with a hint of cinnamon and rum-soaked oak. Man that sounds tasty. I’ll meet you guys there.

Your Program Council on campus has its Friday night film series with “Ender’s Game.” At 9 p.m. at CHEM140, they’ll have the blockbuster right in your neck of the woods.

The folks at Avery Brewing (5763 Arapahoe Ave.) are ready to release their Uncle Jacob’s Stout Sunday from 1 to 11 p.m. Head over for a pint, or for a few bottles to enjoy on the couch. It’s a dark-beer time of year, folks, and this one should be a good one. Avery will also have its Collaboration Not Litigation brew in house. It’s essentially two Belgian-style ales blended into one classy beer. Oh, and pssst, I hear tell a new sour may be gracing our taste buds soon from Avery. I’ll keep you posted.

Over at West Flanders Brewing Co. (1125 Pearl St.), the folks there are hosting music from Blue Mother Tupelo on Friday at 10 p.m. Nice southern roots mixed with West Flanders’ already very tasty beers.

I’ve been in piano lessons since I was 8. And while I’ve also nerded out in band (and a brief time in pit orchestra in high school … yes, I was single and alone ’til college), piano’s always been there for me. And now, The Dairy Center (2590 Walnut St.) folks are showing a documentary about one of the greats. “Following the Ninth: In the Footsteps of Beethoven’s Final Symphony” is showing this weekend at the Boedecker Theater, and it sounds just … awesome. All kinds of people who have been changed by this classical music and performance. … Just saying. This is an event you could actually tell your parents about this weekend.

Follow Alex on Twitter: @ansieh.