Denver.BloggersPub

Yes, it’s that special time of year again, and it’s time for us to provide a sampling of special Independence Day events all over our state.  So, put up a flag and let’s celebrate!

(All events listed take place on July 4, 2008 unless otherwise noted)

Arvada - Spectacular Fireworks and Free Family Fun
Where:  Lutz/Stenger Sports Complex on W. 58 th Avenue at Oak St. just west of Kipling (parking lot opens at 2:00 pm)
Events begin at 3:00 PM 
Party with some great bands provided by KOOL 105 Radio.
9:00 PM - Fireworks, with a simulcast of great oldies music.
Classic car show, live entertainment, Kids’ Park with bounce houses, caterpillar crawl, face painting, games; Child identification DNA Kit offered by the Citizen’s Police Academy Alumni, Fire truck and emergency vehicle display

Boulder - Ralphie’s Independence Day Blast
Location: Folsom Field
Free admission to AVP ProBeach Volleyball Tour matches,  Skip-Its Jump Rope Team,  Colorado Shakespeare Festival featuring songs from Woody Guthrie’s American Song, City Open Space and Mountain Parks Sing Along
9 PM - Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra
9:30 - 10 PM - Fireworks display

Castle Rock - Rockin’ the Fourth: Red, White & Boom
Location:  Rhyolite Regional Park, 1701 Crystal Valley Parkway - accessible from South Lake Gulch Road (Gilbert Street) and the East Frontage Road (Wilcox Street)
5 to 10 PM - music, including a performance by the Shiloh River Band; Air Force flyover, colors presented by the U.S. Marines and a community mural to U.S. troops abroad; apple pie-baking contest, demonstrations by the Greater Castle Rock Art Guild and appearances by Castle Rock Players and Colorado Renaissance Festival performers. Children’s entertainment will include the Radio Disney Street Team, bouncy houses, water slides, crafts, face painters, balloon artists and a youth parade.
Fireworks will be launched from the top of the park’s Quarry Mesa.

Colorado Springs - Fabulous July 4th Celebration with Fireworks
Location:  Memorial Park; 1605 E Pikes Peak Ave
8 PM - Patriotic Celebration Concert with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Orchestra complete with canons from Fort Carson 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, and a spectacular fireworks display.
Bring a picnic, claim a grassy spot and enjoy Big band, Broadway, Rock and Roll and patriotic favorites.

Creede - Independence Day Festivities
Location:   Downtown
Parade, fireworks, vendors

Cripple Creek - Fourth of July Celebration
July 4 - 5
Fireworks display choreographed to music on both nights, games, street vendors, competitions, live entertainment, petting zoo, face painting.  Watermelon eating contest on Saturday at 2:00 PM followed by a watermelon seed spitting contest at 2:30 PM.

Frisco - Fantastic Fourth of July
Location:  Frisco Main Street
Kids Fishing Derby (Meadow Creek Park – Kids must bring poles), Arts & Crafts Fair, Kids’ Bike decorating contest, Parade (decorated bikes included), music, live entertainment, Fireworks display over Lake Dillon

Golden - Golden Lions Club Fourth of July Festival
Location:  10th and Maple streets in Golden
Free rides for all the kids, plus entertainment, live bands and a fireworks show at around 9:30 PM.

Highlands Ranch - Fourth of July Celebration
Location:  Town Center Highlands Ranch
Parade at 9 AM;
11 AM - 6 PM:  games, live entertainment, face painting, pony & hayrack rides
3 PM - Pet/Bike Parade
9:15 PM - Fireworks

Keystone - River Run July 4th Bike Parade and Block Party
Time:  10:30 AM – 1 PM
Where:  River Run Village
Bring your bike, tricycle, or wagon and join us for our popular annual bike parade.  Bike decorating party, bike parade, free music, bounce houses, kids crafts, face painting, and entertainment.  No pets.
For more information, call the Keystone Mountain Concierge at (970) 496-4FUN (4386).

Kremmling - Fire Up the Cliffs 4th of July Celebration
Featuring Mike Music and Friends, BBQ by the Kremmling Volunteer Fire Dept. begins at 6:00 PM  in the Town Square Park, Chamber sponsored dessert feast follows.
Fireworks start at dark from the Kremmling Cliffs

Montrose - Summerfest/Red, White & Balloons
9 AM - 7 PM at the McNeil Sports Complex (off Rio Grande behind Tri-State)
Contests and races for kids and adults, DJ playing throughout the day, free balloons, face painting, and Mare rides

Ouray
Where:  Main Street
Parades, kids’ games, firehose waterfights, and spectacular fireworks display; Lemonade & Brownies at the Ouray County Historical Museum; 4WD Flare Parade at dusk, Fireworks after dark

Paonia - Cherry Days 
July 4 - 6 
Parade, Kids’ Carnival, live music & entertainment

Snowmass -Independence Day Activities
Nature hike or nature trail walks guided by a naturalist, Kids’ Krafts class, Free access to the two 18-hole disc golf courses
July 5 at 7 PM on Fanny Hill:  FREE Sunset Concert and Fireworks by rhythm & blues trailblazer Mavis Staples, a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer - concert will be followed by a fireworks display.

Steamboat Springs - Cowboys’ Roundup Days & Fourth of July Celebration
July 4 - 6
Parade, Art show, Pioneer Day Block Party with Strings in the Mountains free concert at the Tread of Pioneers Museum, fireworks, Farmers’ Market, cattle drive down Lincoln Avenue, Ranch Horse Competition at the Romick Arena (free admission), Rodeo at Romick Arena (free rodeo) — see website for schedule.

We’ve just scratched the surface when it comes to listing all the goings-on around Colorado for the big 4th.  Happy Independence Day to all!

ShareThis

June 6 - 7, 2008
Civic Center Park

The year:  1979. 
The place:  the grounds of East High School.  

I stroll among the numerous booths, admiring arts & crafts, picking up literature on every “cause” I can imagine (and many I hadn’t ever imagined), people-watching, laughing with my friends.  I’m at my first People’s Fair, and it’s entertaining, surprising, thought-provoking, and an all-around fun time.

Yep, this is truly a Denver “must-do” event that’s been around a long time and has grown far beyond its beginnings as a simple neighborhood festival.  Don’t get me wrong:  It is still community-oriented.  It benefits many non-profit organizations.  And it is huge.

How huge is it?  According to the Capitol Hill People’s Fair website:

“With over 250,000 fair-goers and numerous exhibitors, vendors, and volunteers, Civic Center becomes Colorado’s third largest city over the weekend.”

That’s huge.

So, if you’ve never been — head downtown for a wonderful weekend of arts & crafts, performances, food, and fun.  And if you’ve been to the People’s Fair before — maybe we’ll run into each other again this year.

Admission is free.

ShareThis

(From CollegeHumor)

Clint Hurdle has a way with the ladies? I mean, I just call ‘em how I see ‘em…

If you’re intrigued by science & techie stuff — weather, electromagnetism, atomic clocks, and the like — then This Tour’s for You!

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (formerly known as the National Bureau of Standards) offers public, guided tours lasting about 2 hours on Thursdays at 1 PM (except for federal holidays).

Learn about:
Lasers, optical fibers, superconducting integrated circuits, atomic clocks, cryogenics, electromagnetic interference, telecommunications technology

Most importantly, perhaps you can find the answers to questions that have surely haunted you:

Why do we need leap seconds?
What is the origin of hours, minutes and seconds?
What is the law on time zones?

I know I’ve always wanted to understand these things better.  I certainly don’t want to get a ticket for illegal use of time zones.

Tours begin in the lobby of Building 1 (the building with the flagpole in front).  Visitors see a cryogenics demonstration and the atomic clock.  Tours are free, but U.S. citizens must make reservations at least one week in advance; foreign visitors must register two weeks in advance.  Reservations may be made by calling (303) 497-5507.   No self-guided tours are allowed.

ShareThis

Now that spring is trying to be here, our thoughts turn to getting outdoors and enjoying the warm (?) weather!  What better way than on a bike!

Derailer Bicycle Collective is a communal, volunteer-run bike shop.  This isn’t your normal bike shop, however.  Here, you can borrow tools (for free) and obtain free parts (frames, pedals, handlebars, cranks, tires, tubes, patches, bottom brackets, derailleurs, brakes, reflectors, accessories, and most any other part imaginable…), work with a knowledgeable volunteer to learn how to fix your own bike, rent a bike for free, or build yourself a bike from the frame up with a little help and at no cost to you!

Why do they offer this?  The folks at Derailer believe that…

 ”…bicycles are the most affordable, sustainable, efficient, healthy, environmentally friendly, FUN, and liberating form of transportation and recreation.”

Do you agree & want to help this volunteer organization?  Here are a few things they could use:

• any bike tools
• metric box wrenches (esp. 10 & 15mm)
• crescent wrenches
• office supplies
• lighting equipment (bulbs, lamps, etc)
• rubber cement
• patches
• kerosene (or other degreasers/solvents)
• 20” tubes, tires and wheels
• tubes and tires, all sizes
• wheels, 24” or smaller
• alloy wheels, all sizes
• 700c wheels
• grease
• kids bikes
• floor pumps
• bike locks (keys or combos)
• helmets
• quality components
• bike stands
• portable storage (sheds, etc)
• grinder
• conduit bender
• oxyacetylene welder and/or T.I.G. welder
• Dremmel tool
• bi-lingual bicycle books, resources and volunteers!

So, as soon as this snow melts off the bike paths, let’s get out for a spin.

ShareThis

We’d like to invite you to join us on Saturday, March 15 at 2:00 PM for a Pennies for Peace Walk.

Meet at the Tennis Courts at Baldridge Park (Rio Grande Ave., just south of the MAC)

Walk with us to the Peace Pole at the Ute Museum
 
Please come support & celebrate the accomplishments of our Montrose youth in this program to promote peace -
One School at a Time.
 
Join students, teachers, and community members who have been helping build schools in remote mountain regions of Central Asia - One Penny at a Time.
 
—-
You may have read about some of the “Pennies for Peace” activities in Montrose.  If not, here are some links to articles in the Montrose Daily Press:

Look for the article/photo about halfway down the page:
http://ee.montrosepress.com/content/e-edition/2008/02/24/C2.pdf
 
Front-page story:
http://ee.montrosepress.com/content/e-edition/2008/03/07/A1.pdf

ShareThis

February 16, 2008, 10 AM to 9 PM  and
February 17, 2008, 10 AM to 6 PM

The new Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum will be celebrating a grand opening weekend, and we’re all invited!

The event will include several free events which are open to the public.

Saturday, Feb. 16
10 AM - Ribbon cutting - a puja (blessing ceremony) will also take place
11 AM to 1 PM - Indoor rock climbing for all ages
2 PM - Ed Bernbaum, author of the award-winning Sacred Mountains of the World, will speak about mountain culture and sacred mountains
4 PM - Jake Norton, photographer, guide, and member of the Mallory and Irvine Research Expeditions, will speak about “Culture and Change in Mountaineering”
7 PM - Lynn Hill (The best rock climber in the world - IMHO - and my hero!!) will speak about “Free Climbing the Nose”

Sunday, Feb. 17
11am - Tonya Riggs, member of the Peace Climb 2006, will speak about her expeditions
2pm - Kelly Cordes, strict adherent to light weight alpinism, will speak about “Trying, Falling, and Sometimes Succeeding”

The museum is located within the American Mountaineering Center at 710 10th St.,  in Golden.

ShareThis

January 31 and February 1, 2008 

Rock ’n Roll meets Ice Carving — and the results are going to be a blast!

The Rock on Ice team is comprised of six world champion and certified ice carvers who thrill audiences by creating beautiful ice sculptures in only minutes with rock n’ roll music as the backdrop.

On Thursday and Friday, stroll around the base area during the day to watch ice carving demos.  Then, starting at 6 PM on Thursday, watch out!  “Dueling Chainsaws” features carvers and their chainsaws with just 20 minutes each to create a work of ice art.  The audience gets to decide who wins the dueling event.

On Friday at 6 PM, be entertained by the Rock on Ice finale, with a high-energy show of ice carving choreographed to rock ‘n roll.

Stick around for après ski and tubing after the lifts close each afternoon.  Prior to the evening shows, autograph sessions will take place where kids can have their names carved into a block of ice.

For more details, see the Rock on Ice web page.

Sounds way cool, doesn’t it?

ShareThis

January 15 @ 7 PM (Colorado Springs)
January 16 @ 7:30 PM (Boulder)
January 17 @ 7:30 PM (Evergreen)
January 18 @ 7 PM (Montrose)

If you’re tired of hearing all the gloom and doom about terrible things happening in the world, and need something to boost your hopes for the new year of 2008, make it a point to come hear about what Greg Mortenson has been doing since 1993 to promote peace in the very troubled regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan by building schools — over 60 schools so far.

Tom Brokaw had this to say about Mortenson’s story, told in the book “Three Cups of Tea”:

“Three Cups of Tea is one of the most remarkable adventure stories of our time. Greg Mortenson’s dangerous and difficult quest to build schools in the wildest parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan is not only a thrilling read, it’s proof that one ordinary person, with the right combination of character and determination, really can change the world.”

Congresswoman Mary Bono (R-CA) said:

“I’ve learned more from Greg Mortenson about the causes of terrorism than I did during all our briefings on Capitol Hill. He is a true hero, whose creativity, courage, and compassion exemplify the true ideals of the American spirit.”

Greg will be speaking at 3 Front Range locations in January 2008, and a representative of Central Asia Institute (CAI), his non-profit organization, will be telling his story in Montrose as well.  Please visit our calendar for more details on each event (free tickets are required in advance for several) and links to more details.

We predict that Greg Mortenson may someday earn a Nobel Peace prize.  We also predict that you’ll come away from one of these presentations (or from reading his book) feeling truly inspired about what can be done by even just one person.

It inspired us so much that we’ve worked to organize a program locally, sponsored by Altrusa of Montrose, including a kick-off to a “Pennies for Peace” drive in some of our schools and local organizations.

Use this link to order “Three Cups of Tea” from Amazon, and a small amount of the proceeds of the sale will go to CAI.

ShareThis

I’m back from college for six weeks (Carleton is on trimesters), and I got a job at a movie theater to help pass the time/earn some money. Up until last night, I didn’t like the job very much. I was bored most of the time when I was at the theater, usually reading for most of my shift. That all changed Friday night. A reenactment of my internal dialogue:

This job is boring. This job is boring. This job is boring. Oh shit, customers. At least I’ll have something to do. Why is that old guy saying “I’ve met you a few times, I’m Steve?” to that guy? “Nice to see you.” How is this man answering that with such poise? He clearly doesn’t know who Steve is. What did Steve just say about a California boy in Colorado? Woops, customers. Whoa. WHOA. HOLD THE PHONE. Is that? Who is that? NO! NO WAY!

I say “What can I get for you?” He says “2 for Into the Wild.” WHOA JOHN LYNCH IS SEEING AN ARTSY MOVIE. Should I tell him nice game? He did have a big hit. But we lost, he’s probably here for an escape. I don’t want to be that guy. I won’t say anything about that. I say “any popcorn, candy, soda, beer, wine?” He says “Uhhhh. Can I have some red vines, and what do you want (to wife).” “I’ll have some Dots and um…a medium…um…can I get three quarters Diet Pepsi one quarter Diet Dr. Pepper?” YEAH YOU CAN, I’LL MAKE JOHN LYNCH’S WIFE ANY CRAZY DRINK SHE WANTS. “Yup. That it for you?” John Lynch says “Can I have a small Sierra Mist too?” “Yup.” So I get ‘em their snacks etc, then John Lynch hands me his silver AmEx, which I covertly inspect for his name. HOLY CRAP JOHN LYNCH DOESN’T HAVE A WALLET OR A MONEY CLIP, HE JUST WRAPS 20 DOLLAR BILLS AROUND HIS IMPORTANT CARDS. WHAT A GENIUS. Not a black card? Really? Oddly enough, the card reader doesn’t like his AmEx. So he gives me another one, which works fine. John Lynch is signing a credit card receipt. Whoa. John Lynch’s autograph. Should I ask him for one? No, I don’t want to be that guy. John Lynch walks away. HOLY CRAP JOHN LYNCH! Was I taller than John Lynch? That’s not possible…I think I was! I’m as tall as John Lynch, maybe taller!

He came back for a medium popcorn. The other guy working asked for his autograph.

So to recap, John Lynch likes Red Vines, Sierra Mist, medium popcorns, and John Krakauer novel adaptations. He also dislikes wallets and money clips. I’m roughly John Lynch’s height, though I’m not as ferocious a hitter.

I still don’t really like the job.