This Friday through Monday. Bring an appetite—for everything—to the 27th annual A Taste of Colorado. The summer-ending smorgasbord features dozens of styles of cuisine from nearly 60 restaurants, all peddling their wares in Civic Center Park. There’s something for every taste, from high-end treats by the Ritz-Carlton to good, old-fashioned barbecue. Choose your own culinary adventure: Do a “tasting menu” of sorts and try sample-size bites, or fill your belly with full-sized portions. Budding gourmands can pick up tips from top local chefs, too, in the Culinary Showcase tent. Food isn’t the only attraction at the Taste, of course. Four stages of live music will keep the park rockin’ all day long—just like the food, there’s a little something for everyone. Mainstage acts include Asia featuri...
One day before a 7.0 earthquake laid waste to Haiti last year, a shipment of humanitarian aid, including 450 stuffed animals, cleared customs in Port-au-Prince. Pure coincidence, but the timing couldn’t have been better, says Wendy Clark, the Littleton woman who founded Loving Hugs Inc., the Colorado nonprofit organization that sent the toys. During the earthquake’s aftermath, as adult attention focused on food, shelter and clean water, members of the U.S. military and aid workers handed out the toys to frightened children. As Clark knows, there is some measure of comfort in a
Through Sept. 5. It’s hot, sunny and the scent of funnel cakes and sawdust is on the breeze: It must be Colorado State Fair season. Opening today, the fair is a harvest of Colorado’s good stuff, from livestock to live entertainment. There’s no one way to sum up the Colorado State Fair—the variety of events is overwhelming. This year’s concert lineup is especially tasty for country music fans: Little Big Town kicks off the concert series tonight, followed by headliners like The Band Perry and Martina McBride. Pop music gets its due, too, with crooner Engelbert Humperdinck on August 31 and the legendary Beach Boys slated for Sept. 2. (The Sept. 3 Selena Gomez show is already sold out—sorry, tweens.) Rodeo is another big draw, as usual. This year the fair hosts four days of rip-snortin’ rodeo...
Looking for something to do over Labor Day weekend? The 28th annual A Taste of Colorado is the place to be. This four-day, free admission, food, music, and entertainment festival will take place Sept. 2-5 in Downtown Denver’s Civic Center Park.
That which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet. William Shakespeare demonstrated the importance of a name…a name that could impact destiny, inhibit love, trigger rejection, provoke judgment and stir much anger with a simple mention.
Saturday. Lafayette celebrates the peach harvest at the town’s annual Peach Festival. Fruit fans will be in heaven as thousands of pounds of organic peaches roll into town from Palisade. Pick up a crate to take home, or just grab one of the hundreds of pre-made peach pies and peach cobblers. In addition to the fuzzy fun, festivalgoers can listen to live music, eat non-peach-based foods and shop from a farmer’s market and art-and-antique vendors. Kids are very welcome—there’s free face-painting, magic, children’s theater and more. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Public Road, Old Town, Lafayette. Admission is free. Through Sunday. Car culture comes to the high country in the 24th annual Gunnison Car Show. Starting tonight, the mountain town will be filled with antique autos and custom classics—ro...
Twice a year, Mile High Mamas does a round-up detailing Colorado’s popular children’s consignment sales. And for the third season in a row, Tracey Gifford saved the day. The proud mother of two elementary-age boys is the owner of the Just Between Friends sale in Denver and offered to compile this year’s schedule for me. As a word of thanks, I’d like to offer a little shout-out to Tracey’s sale September 25-October 1, which is the largest kids’ gear and clothing resale event in Metro Denver. Thousands of shoppers find bargains on kids’ clothing for newborn-preteen, toys, strollers, furniture, baby equipment, books, shoes, maternity items and more…all at 50-90% below retail. They are proud a partner with Catholic Charities and the Junior League of Denver. For times and location, see below. B...
Tuesday. Celebrate the first birthday of the Mordecai Children’s Garden at the Denver Botanic Gardens. It’s also a party for Digger, the marmot mascot for the Children’s Garden, so get ready to eat some birthday treats. Activities like planting sunflowers and playing music will keep youngsters busy during their visit. As a special party favor, admission to the Children’s Garden is free during the birthday bash – just head for the top level of the Gardens’ parking structure. 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday. Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St.; 720-865-3500. Admission is free. botanicgardens.org Saturday-Sunday. Salute Scottish culture at the Scottish Festival and Highland Games in, fittingly,
The Louisville Downtown Street Faire, featuring Marcia Ball.
Through Saturday. The Boulder County Fair finishes up its run this weekend with two days of down-home country fun. Most events at the fair are free of charge, including kids’ storytelling, a stick-horse parade, a vintage farm equipment show and live music. There’s also plenty of livestock showing and judging as well – this is a county fair, after all. Saturday starts early with a pancake breakfast presented by the Optimist Club, followed by the final day of festivities: a chili-and-salsa-cookoff, kids’ talent show and the fair’s 150th-birthday party. A carnival midway will be spinning and swirling, too, for thrill-seeking fairgoers. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. tonight, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday. Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road, Longmont; 720-864-6460. Admission is free. Carnival rides...
Perhaps you’re feeling somewhat sad that summer fun is coming to a close or maybe you’re looking forward to being back on a schedule soon (or, like me, a little bit of both). Be sure to make some time in your schedule to enjoy a few more adventures with your kids, starting with Fun at the Firehouse this Saturday, August 6, from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Fire Station One, one of Denver’s oldest, served as a working fire station until 1975 and is now home to the Denver Firefighters Museum. Children under the age of 7 are among the most vulnerable during a fire. Most young children are enamored by the sight and sounds of a fire engine but can become frightened by a firefighter fully dressed in protective gear. Fun at the Firehouse, an annual safety fair hosted by the Museum, provides an oppor...
A strong sense of self is an essential preparation for the many obstacles our children will face in their lifetimes. It sparks the development of strong leadership skills and the ability to make a positive impact in other’s lives. I want more than anything for my children to feel abundantly loved and confident so that when they encounter others, the overflow of their hearts can pour out the goodness within. So what does a strong sense of self have to do with a county fair? Plenty.