Sunday. The Colorado Ballet joins in “Fairytales and Fables Month” at the Children’s Museum of Denver in “From the Page to the Stage.” Kids can watch excerpts from fairytale ballets like “Peter Pan” and “Cinderella” while learning the basics of ballet techniques, roles and costuming. Then, youngsters give ballet a try themselves in an interactive dance activity. 11 a.m. and noon Sunday. Children’s Museum of Denver, 2121 Children’s Museum Drive; 303-433-7444. Activities included with museum admission: $8 for guests ages 2 to 59, $6 for 1-year-olds and seniors age 60 and older. mychildsmuseum.org

Saturday. Youngsters and their families get a Valentine’s Day party of their own at the Sweetheart Teddy Bear Tea in Highlands Ranch. The tea starts with, of course, tea and snacks. Thus fortified, it’s time for a kid-friendly V-Day show. As a keepsake, each child takes home a wee stuffed bear. Try to get tickets in advance—the event can sell out. 10:15 a.m. to noon Saturday. The Recreation Center at Southridge, 4800 McArthur Ranch Road, Highlands Ranch; 303-791-2500. Tickets are $11 for rec center members; $15 for nonmembers. All tickets are $15 at the door, if available. Buy tickets in advance by calling 303-471-8859. hrcaonline.org

Saturday. Go all-natural for Valentine’s Day at Barr Lake State Park’s “Love is in the Air.” Designed for 4- to 8-year-olds and their grownups, the program focuses on great horned owls and bald eagles, two birds prone to falling in love early in the nesting season. Learn about the birds’ courtship and nesting rituals, then read a story, make a craft and go on a short winter walk. 10 a.m. Saturday. Barr Lake State Park, 13401 Piccadilly Road, Brighton; 303-659-6005. “Love is in the Air” is free with admission to the park–$7 per car. parks.state.co.us.

Saturday. Get in a New York state of mind for “A Broadway Romance,” presented by the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. Broadway diehards Stephen Bogardus and Patty Goble join the Philharmonic in a rundown of favorites from the Great White Way. The show includes tunes from more than 25 musicals, including “My Fair Lady,” “Carnival,” “South Pacific” and more. 8 p.m. Saturday. Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts, 190 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs; 719-520-SHOW. Tickets are $19-$60 for adults; discounts available for seniors, military and students. Buy tickets at ticketswest.com or at the Pikes Peak Center box office. csphilharmonic.org

Kathleen St. John

But it’s not lunchtime in the atrium or the parking lot on a free day. 60 creepy, slithery, and totally fascinating creatures have been collected into one fun-filled new exhibit called Lizards and Snakes. Recently, our family spent an evening getting to know the critters we often cringe about. We all left with a deeper appreciation for the complexity and beauty of lizards and snakes.

Lizards and Snakes opens with some fast, pertinent facts: There are 8,000 species of reptiles and snakes, which means we are vastly outnumbered. Rather than panic about this alarming news, the exhibit guides visitors through a series of glass displays with live animals and educational, hands-on stations. The goal is to dispel myths, raise awareness, and foster appreciation through interactive play and a bit of romping.

Native habitats are recreated in detail so the lizards and snakes feel at home. We watched a chameleon dangle from a branch and a milk snake burrow in loose gravel. There is plenty of room for strollers and small children to get close to these displays sprinkled throughout the exhibit. Our 3-year-old was a bit skittish around the animals until he understood they were safely housed behind glass and didn’t hiss or roar at him. He loved the hands-on elements of the exhibit and found plenty of buttons to push, knobs to turn, and joysticks to move.

Our tweens and teens had a blast using the Gecko-Cam, which can zoom in on several different types of unsuspecting geckos. Joysticks control cameras mounted in a case. The video is transmitted to a screen. Gecko eyes, skin, feet, tails can be studied up close without disturbing their laid-back existence of lounging on branches or clinging to smooth glass. Our 5-year-old daughter thought the gecko underbellies were terribly funny, especially since she may or may not have see a gecko bottom.

I can’t stop thinking about the enormous Burmese python. It’s housed in the biggest habitat in the exhibit because it’s huge, jumbo, ginormous, gargantuan, mighty. Really, it is a majestic animal that even the biggest snake-o-phobe must admit is pretty darn cool. (Even though you can’t see its bottom.) Our kids crowded around the glass and marveled at it for a very long time. It’s hard to comprehend how people poach these snakes for clothing and accessories. The exhibit shares several items confiscated by the government for being crafted from illegal snake and lizard skins, including python.

Other can’t-miss highlights of Lizards and Snakes include the chance to hoist a life-sized, 100-pound plastic anaconda. It helps kids get a sense of the power and size of animals they’ll most likely never encounter in the wild. Kids can shake a real rattlesnake tail, feel snake and lizard skins, and learn how the shape of a tongue tells us what the tongue does and how it’s used. There are puzzles, a children’s theater area where they can learn to move like snakes, and on your way out, a chance to have your photo taken with Bo the Boa Constrictor, who will eat you if you aren’t careful.

It’s not often the DMNS houses live animals under its storied roof. Lizards and Snakes runs now until July 8, 2012 at The Denver Museum of Nature and Science. It’s free with museum admission and located on the 3rd level. For more information about the DMNS, the exhibit, for hours, or to buy tickets online, visit their website.

The Colorado Convention Center will have 400,000 square feet dedicated to a virtual marketplace. Learn about innovative gardening and home improvement ideas, products and services in more than 1,400 booths. Attend one of the 50 FREE educational seminars and how-to demonstrations for cutting-edge gardening and home improvement ideas.

Families visiting the show will have plenty to make them smile when they are greeted by a variety of four-foot butterflies flying through the air, and a play land of kids, bugs and creatures made entirely from balloons. This fun and playful characters will come to life in the 5,500-square-foot “Blooms, Balloons & Butterflies” Entry Garden presented by Bellco. Town & Country Landscaping of Lone Tree, Colo., is responsible for the design, construction and installation of this unique garden.

A new component for 2012 show is kid-sized playhouses. The Colorado Garden & Home Show worked with Alpine Lumber and local home builders on the construction of four 8’x10’ custom-built playhouses each valued at $5,000. The playhouses will be displayed in feature gardens and other locations during the show.

Three will be awarded to three of five nonprofits. Show attendees may vote for which nonprofit they want to “win” one of the houses. Participating nonprofits include Excelsior Youth Center, Florence Crittenton Services of Colorado, Rocky Mountain MS Center, Ronald McDonald House and Safehouse Denver. The other playhouse will be awarded to one attendee. Attendees may register to win at the entrance of the show and other areas on the floor.

General admission is $12 and children 12 and under are free. For additional details visit www.gardeningcolorado.com.

Contest
Mile High Mamas is giving away 16 tickets to the Colorado Garden & Home Show! Please go here to enter. Contest deadline is February 8, 2012.

Friday. Catch up with a “kindie” rock hitmaker when Katherine Dines performs a free concert at the Denver Puppet Theater. The Denver-based children’s musician released a CD of her most-requested songs, “Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta Hits,” on Tuesday, including tunes like “All the Way Around the World,” “Dad on Diaper Duty” and “Are We Ever Gonna Get There?” Youngsters can settle in with some apple cider and a cookie and jam out. Bring along a nonperishable food item to donate, too. Doors open at 6 p.m. Friday; show is at 7 p.m. Denver Puppet Theater, 3156 W. 38th Ave.; 303-458-6446. Admission is free, but reservations are required. Call to save a seat. hunktabunkta.com

Through Saturday. Summer vacation comes a few months early when “Phineas and Ferb: The Best Live Tour Ever!” comes to the Wells Fargo Theatre. In the musical show, the two mischievous stepbrothers use the remaining days of summer vacation to work on their latest invention. It’s so awesome that even their sister Candace, who usually hates all their experiments, joins the fun. Perry the pet platypus goes on an adventure of his own, as usual, using his secret “Agent P” identity to track down evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz. 7 p.m. tonight; 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday. The Wells Fargo Theatre at the Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th St.; 303-228-8000. Tickets are $16-$27, available at ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-653-8000. phineasandferblive.com

Monday-Tuesday. Budding music lovers get an insider’s look at classical music in the latest season of Tiny Tots Inside the Orchestra. Presented by Central City Opera and the Junior Symphony Guild, the series of shows lets preschool- and kindergarten-age kids experience a kid-friendly concert with plenty of room for participation. Dance along to music from Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet,” Copland’s “Rodeo” and even music from “Looney Tunes.” Opera is back, too: CCO ensemble artist Chad Reagan performs the famous “Largo al factotum” aria from Mozart’s “The Barber of Seville” (think “Figaro, Figaro, Figaro!”). Can’t make it this week? Two additional shows are scheduled for Feb. 13. 9:30 a.m. Monday. Boettcher Concert Hall at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis Streets. 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. Temple Sinai, 3509 S. Glencoe St. The suggested registration donation is $5. Make sure space is still available by calling 303-355-7855 or visit insidetheorchestra.com.

Starting Thursday. Go on a fantastic voyage in “Shipwrecked! An Entertainment—The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (as Told by Himself)”, presented by the Boulder Ensemble Theatre. The show features the whimsical musings of de Rougemont, international wanderer, bold survivor and Victorian celebrity. He spins quite a tale, filled with exotic characters and thrilling scenarios—but keep in mind he’s not afraid of a little embellishment. This cheeky play is appropriate for kids age 6 and up; a special family matinee at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 25 welcomes the age-4-and-up crowd. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays through Feb. 25. The Dairy Center for the Performing Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; 303-440-7826. Tickets are $24 general admission, $22 for seniors, $19 for students; all tickets are $15 on Thursdays. boulderensembletheatre.org

Kathleen St. John

Or rather, first attempted to ski (see photographic evidence here).

Four years later, my daughter and SolVista Basin are still going strong. Touted as one of Colorado’s most family-friendly resorts, this mountain offers some fantastic terrain, an expanding base area with new facilities and a knowledgeable staff.

You may be asking: Colorado has many world-class ski areas so why bother with a small resort two hours from Denver?

This season, we’ll tell you why these GEM resorts (smaller, inexpensive) are worth a second look. Not only are they more affordable but they’re free of crowds, paid parking and over-the-top prices.

And with SolVista Basin’s top-notch ski school, s’mores roasting, night skiing and tubing, you’ll find it’s very much worth it.

The Mountain

SolVista Basin has 406 skiable acres that cover two interconnected mountains. East Mountain is primarily for beginners and intermediate skiers, while West Mountain offers more advanced terrain (though don’t expect any death-defying chutes). If you want to get your thrill on, the Terrain Park has 6 progression parks. Lift tickets prices: Kids 5 and under ski free, Junior (ages 6-12) are $38 and adults (13-60) $56. Prices vary during Spring Break.

Learning to Ski

If I were to grade many area resorts on their newbie terrain, they would get an “F” because their magic carpet area is often too flat, the bunny slope too steep or the whole area is just difficult to access.

SolVista Basin, on the other hand, gets an A. The Pony Surface Lift (magic carpet) is adjacent to the ski school, the Milestone lift (bunny slope) is just steep enough to provide a challenge for magic carpet graduates but is not overwhelming. All the trails filter into this Snow Play Area so it is easy for parents to monitor their kids’ progress in ski school. Best news of all: kids 5 and under ski FREE!

Ski & Ride School

Ski school. Uttering these two glorious words brings to mind FREEDOM! At SolVista Basin, ski and ride school is affordable: only $99 for a full-day lift ticket, equipment rental, group ski lesson AND lunch. To put this into perspective, many large resorts’ lift tickets are over $100.

The instructors are conscientious as they teach direct-to-parallel skiing using the latest shaped skis. Their unique philosophy: rather than teach new skiers the wedge, they focus on getting children to hold their feet parallel as early as possible.

The enrollment policy is a bit of a Catch-22. They won’t turn anyone away (good), however this sometimes results in larger classes (bad). Holidays and weekends are obviously the busiest so reserve your spot early. Go here for additional information.

Saturday Night Fever

During the week, SolVista Basin is slow-paced and peaceful. Enter: Saturday when an influx of families and activities ignite the resort. From 3-4 p.m., roast free s’mores by the firepit. Vista Vibe is a free après ski concert series from 3-6 p.m. in Seven Trails Grille in the Base Lodge.

SolVista Basin offers Grand County’s only night skiing and snowboarding from 5-8 p.m. Cost is $12 for the flood-lit hill that also includes the three terrain parks.

In an innovative move, a snowcat transforms the beginner slope into a three-lane, lift-serviced tubing hill. Night tubing is $14 for a 45-minute session or pay $20 for both night skiing and tubing. Children must be 6 and older to tube or meet the minimum height requirement.
Tip: Avoid the sold-out tubing sessions. We had long lines and were only able to tube three times before the next session began.

Couple’s Lessons

Though I know some couples who enjoy skiing/riding together, many don’t due to different ability levels, lack of patience or that tempting spa treatment. SolVista Basin is trying to help couples bond on the slopes with their private Couple’s Lessons.

Though my husband and I have comparable ability levels, my form is better and he’s a faster, more aggressive skier. We were paired with Tom McNamara, a retired lobbyist who knocked us back to square one on the bunny slope and rebuilt our skills correctly. Thought humbling (and at times frustrating), it was the best lesson I’ve ever had and I’ve never skied better. Jamie and I jokingly called Tom “The Drill Sergeant.” For obvious reasons.

Sweetheart of a Deal: 2-hour Couple’s Lesson, $180 (regularly $215) in February. Does not include equipment or lift ticket.

The Ultimate Family Event

Saturday, February 4, 2012–Kids’ Totally Insane Winter Blast. Enjoy fun activities like a treasure hunt, Family Quest, hide-and-go seek, a rail jam and live music, followed by night skiing and tubing. Tip: Sign your family up for the Family Quest and be sure to watch out for the Abominable Snowman!

Area Activities

Less than 10 miles away, Snow Mountain Ranch at YMCA of the Rockies offers indoor basketball and roller skating. If you want to stay outdoors, ice skate at Cooper Creek Square in Winter Park; skates can be rented at Viking Ski Shop or Christy Sports. Lake Granby, Grand Lake, Hot Sulphur Springs and Shadow Mountain Reservoir are also nearby in Grand County.

Getting there

SolVista Basin at Granby Ranch is 85 miles from Denver. Take I-70 West to the US-40 W exit. Exit 232 toward Empire/Granby. Merge onto US-40 over Berthoud Pass. Continue 15 miles past Winter Park towards Granby. Turn right onto Village Road, just before City Market. Continue 2 miles to Granby Ranch. For lodging, call 888-850-4615 or reservationcenter@granbyranch.com.

“Over 66% of nursing care residents receive an average of ONE visit per year. 50% of us will spend some portion of our lives in long-term care.” -Rainbow Bridge 2010

Join Volunteers of America at their February Family Volunteer Event as they throw a Valentine’s Day party for low-income seniors and make their day special!!

When: Saturday, February 11, 2012; 10 a.m.-noon

Where:
1. Volunteers of America’s Sunset Towers, 1925 Larimer Street, Denver 80202
or
2. Volunteers of America’s Montbello Manor, 4355 Carson Street, Denver 80239

Who: You and your family…children of all ages are welcome!

What: Family Volunteers will be throwing a Valentine’s Day-themed party for the residents of Sunset Towers and Montbello Manor, affordable housing apartment complexes for seniors. Age-appropriate activities will include decorating cookies and valentines, bingo, crafts, appetizers and of course, visiting with the residents.

RSVP: Rachel Dolgin, rdolgin@voacolorado.org. Please include the number of people in your family that will be volunteering and your location preference (Sunset Towers or Montbello Manor).

** Please bring your family’s favorite appetizer to share**

Through April 14. A little boy takes to the high seas in “How I Became a Pirate,” presented by the Arvada Center. Based on the 2003 children’s book, the musical follows the adventures of Jeremy, a young lad with excellent digging skills and a yearning for the pirate life. He gets recruited by Captain Braid Beard to help bury treasure—but eventually finds that the comforts of home and family are far more valuable. 10 a.m. and noon, Tuesdays through Fridays; 11 a.m. on select Saturdays; 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. April 7 and 14. Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada; 720-898-7200. Tickets are $8 on weekdays, $10 on weekends. arvadacenter.org

Sunday. The Highlands Ranch Concert Band puts on its first free concert of the year, “The Wind Band: A Growing Force in 21st Century Music.” Showcasing the sounds of brass and woodwind instruments, the program features pieces written especially for bands. Works in the lineup include Samuel R. Hazo’s “Arabesque,” Karl King’s “The Trombone King” and “San Antonio Dances” and “Vesuvius,” both by Frank Ticheli. 2 p.m. Sunday. St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church, 3350 White Bay Drive, Highlands Ranch. Admission is free. hrconcertband.org

Through Feb. 5. More than a dozen team from around the world gather in Breckenridge to compete in the Budweiser International Snow Sculpting Championships. Sculpting began on Tuesday and continues until Saturday’s judging—the public is invited to watch the sculptors in action throughout. The major rule in the competition is that only hand tools may be used; no power tools or artificial colors allowed. Viewers can vote for their favorites to receive the People’s Choice and Kids’ Choice prizes, and watch the awards ceremony Sunday. The sculptures will remain on display through Feb. 5, provided warm weather stays away. Sculpting ends 10 a.m. Saturday; awards ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Riverwalk Center, 150 W. Adams Ave., Breckenridge. Free. gobreck.com

Saturday. Cold weather is no excuse for getting lazy—find the best ways of “Kicking Cabin Fever” at the Children’s Museum of Denver. A team effort with Children’s Hospital, the program shows kids how to have active fun inside the house and out in the snow, plus offers tips for nutritious wintertime eating habits. “Kicking Cabin Fever” is part of the museum’s “Health for All Seasons” series, a quarterly lifestyle tune-up just for kids. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Children’s Museum of Denver, 2121 Children’s Museum Drive; 303-433-7444. Activities included with museum admission: $8 for guests ages 2 to 59, $6 for seniors and 1-year-olds. mychildsmuseum.org

Kathleen St. John

Saturday. Grab your lassos, grandparents—it’s time for the Buckaroo Breakfast at the Children’s Museum of Denver. Round up the grandkids for a tasty catered breakfast and an Old West-themed morning play session at the museum. Listen to stories around the campfire and gather a posse for a photo session to create a Wild West wanted poster. The museum opens after breakfast—stick around to visit the revamped “Fire Station No. 1” exhibit, newly outfitted with a firefighter bunk, pole, dispatch station and additional bells and whistles on the truck. 8-10 a.m. Saturday. Children’s Museum of Denver, 2121 Children’s Museum Drive; 303-433-7444. Breakfast is $20 and includes admission to the museum. Make a reservation by calling 303-561-0110. mychildsmuseum.org

Through Sunday. This is it: After this weekend, the National Western Stock Show hangs up its spurs for the year. It’ll be business as usual, with lots of livestock judging, stick-horse rodeos and real-deal rodeos, too—ProRodeo contests continue through Sunday, including daytime and evening shows. The Draft Horse Show and Pull, running Friday through Sunday, stars some of the equine world’s hardest workers competing for more than $100,000 in prize money. Stop in for stock dog trials, an antique tractor show, yak demonstrations (why not?) and more frontier fun. Events run 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. National Western Complex, 4655 Humboldt St.; 303-297-1166. Grounds admission is $8 today, $14 Saturday, $12 Sunday; admission for children ages 3 to 11 is $2 Friday, $3 Saturday and Sunday. Tickets required for special events. nationalwestern.com

Saturday. Misty medieval Britain comes to the stage in “King Arthur’s Quest” at the D.L. Parsons Theatre in Northglenn. Presented by the Missoula Children’s Theatre, the musical features local kids in classic stories of King Arthur’s Round Table. The gang’s all here: Arthur and Lancelot, Guinevere and Morgan le Fay. Expect swords in stones, foreboding towers, and even an attempt at befriending a dragon. 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday. D.L. Parsons Theatre, 11801 Community Center Drive, Northglenn; 303-450-8800. Tickets are $7.50 for adults, $6.50 for students and seniors. northglenn.org/theatre

Kathleen St. John

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction….The chain reaction of evil–hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars–must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.

Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength To Love, 1963.

At least a quarter-billion dollars of tourism-friendly projects are unfurling in 2012, led by the $110 million History Colorado Center, the $29 million Clyfford Still Museum and the $50 million Toyota Elephant Passage at the Denver Zoo.

Take the tour. Visit the area’s newest attractions, some brand-new and others improved.

History Colorado Center

Leading the charge this year is the $110 million History Colorado Center, scheduled to open in late April. The 200,000-square-foot experiential museum at 1200 Broadway in Denver’s Golden Triangle will feature interactive attractions like bouncing across the Eastern Plains in a Model T, descending into an 1880 hard-rock mine and bartering at a old-time general store.

Toyota Elephant Passage

The $50 million Toyota Elephant Passage — formerly Asian Tropics — opens in June at the Denver Zoo, with about 100,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor pachyderm habitat, including 1.1 million gallons of water features. The 10-acre attraction will be home to bull elephants, rhinos and tapirs and establishes the Denver Zoo as an international leader in elephant breeding and conservation.

Clyfford Still Museum

The $29 million, 31,500-square-foot Clyfford Still Museum, home to 2,400 of the influential contemporary artist’s paintings, drawings and prints — virtually all of the late Still’s work — is an architectural marvel worthy of the priceless collection. Built to accommodate daily traffic, meetings and even sit-down dinners, the museum, which opened in November, has already established itself as a jewel in the city’s cultural crown.

Denver Art Museum

The Denver Art Museum is the only U.S. venue this year for the largest-ever retrospective of Yves Saint Laurent fashion-influencing work, which will include not only more than 200 of the designer’s haute couture outfits but also his sketches, film, photos and even a replica of his workspace. “Yves Saint Laurent: A Retrospective” opens March 25. On Oct. 21, the museum becomes the world’s only venue for “Becoming Van Gogh,” an exhibition that traces the life and artistic development of the post-Impressionist through 70 paintings and drawings borrowed from more than 60 public and private worldwide collections.”We do expect big crowds,” said museum spokeswoman April Pritchard. “I think fashion fans will travel near and far to see the Yves Saint Laurent exhibition.”

Molly Brown House Museum

The Molly Brown House Museum plans a nearly year-long event to acknowledge the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, with the “Heroine of the Titanic” exhibit opening Feb. 15 and running through December. Likely to generate strong international and national press, the museum will offer artifacts and photographs of the Titanic’s fateful April 1912 voyage, which Brown survived.

“They are already taking reservations and getting calls from all over the world,” said museum spokeswoman Danielle Dascalos.

Wild Animal Sanctuary

The 31-year-old, 720-acre Wild Animal Sanctuary near Keenesburg this spring unveils even more of its “Mile Into the Wild” elevated walkway and observation decks, which wind through 21 habitats and offer intimate views of the sanctuary’s collection of 300 tigers, wolves, grizzly bears and lions. Last year, the sanctuary — the oldest and largest carnivore sanctuary in the Western Hemisphere — welcomed 25 lions rescued from Bolivia and developed a Lion House facility that saw visitation double to 100,000.

“The ‘Mile Into the Wild Walkway’ will be a giant hit in 2012, and we expect to see a major increase in people coming to enjoy the unprecedented views that it offers,” said sanctuary founder Pat Craig.

Women’s Final Four

Adding to Denver’s already jam-packed sports schedule are two events that promise to elevate Denver onto the international sporting stage. The April 1-3 Women’s Final Four at the Pepsi Center marks the 31st year of the collegiate basketball contest and the 40th anniversary of the federal Title IX legislation that advanced women’s opportunities in college sports. Denver’s bids to host the prestigious contest in 2008, 2009 and 2010 fell short. The city hopes the three-day showdown accounts for 8,000 room nights and about $15 million in economic impact. Beyond that, the event will be televised in 177 countries, reaching an estimated 23 million viewers.

USA Pro Cycling Challenge

The Aug. 20-26 Pro Cycling Challenge will end in Denver with a climactic individual time trial, which could determine overall victory. The race’s debut last August drew close to 1 million fans — including 250,000 in downtown Denver — and stirred $83.5 million in economic impact. Last year’s 518-mile stage race across Colorado drew spectators from at least 17 countries and was televised worldwide.

Icelandair service at DIA

Further fueling international interest in Denver is Icelandair’s direct flights beginning May 11. With connection to 20 destinations in Europe, the new service is expected to bring $19 million in tourism spending to Colorado.

Presidential debate

On Oct. 3, Denver gets to relive its 2008 Democratic National Convention moment as the center of the country’s political focus with the first of three 2012 presidential debates, at Magness Arena on the University of Denver campus. The debate will be the first presidential debate ever for Colorado and the nation’s only debate west of the Mississippi River in 2012.

-Jason Blevins