CCMU, University of Denver announce 2nd acupuncture and herbal medicine expo

Colorado Chinese Medicine University and the University of Denver’s Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging will host the 2nd Colorado Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine Expo in Denver on Aug. 28-30, 2026. The event pairs a practitioner forum with a free public expo focused on integrative care, healthy aging and community wellness as Colorado’s older adult population grows.

Why it matters: - Colorado is facing a major aging shift, with more than 1.3 million residents over 60 today and more than 1.5 million projected by 2030. - Older adults will outnumber children for the first time, raising pressure on healthcare and public health systems. - The expo is designed to present acupuncture, herbal medicine and other integrative practices as practical tools for prevention, balance and healthy aging.

What happened: - Colorado Chinese Medicine University and the University of Denver’s Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging announced the 2nd Colorado Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine Expo. - The three-day initiative runs Aug. 28-30, 2026, in Denver. - The program opens with a Practitioner Forum on Friday, Aug. 28. - A free public expo follows on Aug. 29-30.

The details: - The public expo includes acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, movement practices, bodywork, psychological wellness, nutrition, lifestyle education and community-based prevention. - The event brings together partners from healthcare, education, public health, community organizations, business, research and integrative care. - The expo includes a complimentary community acupuncture clinic. - Public programming also covers nutrition, food therapy and lifestyle-based prevention. - Additional topics include Tai Chi, Qigong yoga and movement practices. - Sessions will also address meditation, breathwork and emotional regulation. - Other focus areas include physical therapy and integrative healthcare. - The expo will include stress management, sleep support and healthy aging. - Community wellness education and practitioner engagement are also part of the program. - The Practitioner Forum will take place at the Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging at the University of Denver Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science. - The forum is built around three expert-led sessions: Complementary and Integrative Health Strategies; Movement and Physical Activity for Healthy Aging; and Nutrition, Digestion, and the Microbiome. - Featured speakers include Shellie Pfohl, MS.Ed., former executive director of President Obama’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, and Tiffany Weir, PhD, director of the Intestinal Health Laboratory at Colorado State University. - Lunch will be provided, followed by afternoon sessions and a networking happy hour. - Attendance for the forum is limited to 120, and registration is required. - Registration is open for both events, and organizers say sponsorship is available for the forum and the expo. - Organizations interested in attending, exhibiting or sponsoring can contact expo@ccmu.edu. - Event information and interview requests can be directed to Nora Thomas at press@ccmu.edu or (303) 968-4716.

Between the lines: - Colorado Chinese Medicine University defines whole-person health as a person-centered, integrative and preventive approach that connects body, mind/spirit, behavior, relationships, environment, culture, community and life purpose. - Songtao Zhou, CCMU president and CEO, said Chinese medicine aims to regulate Qi, restore balance, support recovery and prevent illness before it fully develops. - Briony Catlow, director of the Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, said healthy aging will depend on collaboration across sectors and disciplines and with older adults themselves. - The event positions Chinese medicine inside a broader wellness and aging strategy, not as a standalone alternative. - The partnership also signals growing interest in combining academic research, community education and preventive care.

What’s next: - Organizers are accepting registrations for the expo and the forum. - The practitioner forum will cap attendance at 120. - The free public expo will follow the forum and open the weekend program to the broader community. - CCMU and the University of Denver are using the event to build continued engagement around healthy aging and community wellness.

The bottom line: - The Denver expo is a small but pointed sign that integrative medicine is moving further into mainstream healthy-aging conversations in Colorado.