by Jessica Hughes | Dec 16, 2022 | General Featured
by Jessica Hughes
Bird walk leaders at Bluff Lake Nature Center. Pictured from left to right: Jason Bidgood, George Ho, Steve Hebert, and Lisa Pera.
Thousands of snow geese flock to the reservoirs and farmland of the Eastern Plains. Photo by Jessica Hughes
Colorado is home to over 400 species of birds that either live here year-round or pass through during seasonal migrations. But when is the best time to see them? While most think of birding during warm-weather months, birdwatching is a year-round activity, with winter being one of the best times for viewing.
“Colorado winters are full of sunny, mild days which allow birders to enjoy the outdoors. Plus, the lack of leaves on the trees allows for better viewing of the birds,” says George Ho, Bluff Lake Nature Center Bird Volunteer/Monthly Bird Walk Leader. “Winter is great for birding.”
“There are plenty of ducks, geese, and raptors that migrate south to our parks and lakes to spend the winter in our (relatively) warm climate,” says Ben Jacques, Bluff Lake Nature Center Outdoor Explorers Program Coordinator. Also, since they must keep their bodies warm, they spend a lot of time moving around searching for food. This makes them easier to spot and hear through the bare foliage.”
“Plus, with shorter sunlight hours, good winter birding doesn’t require a 4 a.m. alarm,” says Jacques.
So, what should you expect to see? From the admired bald eagle to song sparrows, there is a variety of winter fowl to catch your eye. “Bald eagles are more plentiful in the winter here in Colorado because they come south to us from the north. Waterfowls like ducks are abundant in winter as well,” says Ho. “Winter sparrows are also popular to see. These include the white-crown sparrows and the juncos as well as the year-round song sparrows.”
He also says birds of prey are abundant, including owls like the great horned owls, hawks like the ferruginous, and the year-round red-tailed hawks, plus falcons like the prairie falcons and the American kestrels.
The best part is you don’t have to travel too far to see these beautiful birds in flight. Below are a few places close to home that make a great afternoon outing or a fun family day trip.
Bluff Lake Nature Center
Within Denver’s city limits, Bluff Lake Nature
A Red Tail Hawk swooping in on its prey. Photo by George Ho at Bluff Lake Nature Center
Center is one of the best places for birdwatching in Denver. The 123-acre nature preserve has spotted 226 different species of birds according to their active community of birders who record their encounters.
For the beginners and families, the center offers bird walks throughout the year. Led by an expert guide, discover how and where to spot certain birds and learn about the different species you can find in Colorado. The walks are free, but you need to sign up in advance on their website. Download their printable birds of Bluff Lake checklist and keep track of what you spot.
Visit their birding page to learn more at www.blufflake.org/birdwatching
Cherry Creek State Park
Cherry Creek State Park is one of Colorado’s most popular parks due to its plethora of summer activities, but most may not think of it as a top birding spot. There are plenty of birds you can see year-round but in winter, soaring bald eagles perch high in cottonwood trees, while gulls meet around the marina and swim beach area. The reservoir eco-system also attracts raptors species including golden eagle, red-tailed hawk, northern harrier, and ferruginous hawk. Because the reservoir typically remains un-frozen throughout the winter, waterfowl and shorebirds are popular to see as well.
Barr Lake State Park
With more than 350 species of birds spotted, Barr Lake State Park is the metro area’s premier birding lake. About 30 miles northeast of Denver, Barr Lake offers one of the best set-ups for winter birdwatching. Walk the 8.8-mile trail that circles the lake, with several wildlife viewing stations and the wildlife refuge at the southern end of the lake. The lake’s large number of bald eagles, including a pair that nests there every year, are what draw in the birding crowds, both amateurs and experts.
Eastern Plains
Beyond Denver and the Front Range, the Eastern Plains create the ideal environment for bird watching in Colorado. The High Prairie and surrounding areas welcome over 40
The Red-winged Blackbird is just one of many birds to spot this winter. Photo by Lisa Pera
0 species of birds including warblers, snow geese, grosbeaks, mountain plovers, and buntings. They make their homes amongst the grasslands, craggy outcrops, isolated ponds and reservoirs, plus rivers lined with cottonwoods and willows. There are 20 birding trails on the Eastern Plains featuring a variety of sites where you can view wildlife.
One of the most significant annual migrations in the state is the Snow Goose migration. Every winter, in January and February, the wind-swept plains and open-water reservoirs near Lamar, Colo., turn white, not with snow, but a swirl of 200,000+ snow geese descending upon the High Plains of Colorado. By way of the Western Central Flyway, the annual migration lasts up to two weeks and can be seen within state wildlife areas, local reservoirs, and area farms where they stop to feed.
High Plains Snow Goose Festival
In celebration of this migration, Lamar County hosts the annual High Plains Snow Goose Festival, taking place Feb. 3-5, 2023. As one of the largest birding festivals in Colorado, the event hosts a variety of programs, tours, and seminars that highlight the area’s landscape and unique birding heritage. Sign up for birding tours, shop the local craft fair, and listen to lectures to learn more about the migration and other local fowl. The event is free but tours and lectures require an advanced purchased ticket. For more information visit highplains snowgoose.com.
Birding Tips
The bird walk leaders at Bluff Lake Nature center say the best time to see birds is when they are most active, at dawn and dusk, when they are feeding. Patience and a good pair of binoculars are essential to get the most out of bird watching. “Plan your bird watching around a bird’s basic survival needs (food, water, and shelter) and you’re bound to get some birds in your binoculars,” says Jacques.
Jacques also suggests if you are new to birdwatching there are many beginner-friendly groups around Denver to join. The Denver Field Ornithologists, Denver Audubon, Bluff Lake Nature Center, Tuesday Birders, and multiple bird feeding stores run free bird walks in the area. Or download the free Merlin bird ID app by Cornell Lab for a great field guide on your phone.
by Mark Smiley | Nov 23, 2022 | General Featured
Luminova Holidays returns to Elitch Gardens to deliver more lights, rides and holiday cheer starting Friday, November 25, 2022, through Sunday, January 1, 2023. This immersive family experience is is a bright spot this holiday season. To best enjoy the display of glittering lights, rides, and visits with St. Nick, reservations are required. The event will run evenings from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The immersive family experience features a display of glittering lights, fun rides, memory-making moments, and visits with St. Nick. Reservations are required. The event will run evenings from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
“Luminova Holidays truly does brighten up the holiday season in Denver,” says David Dorman, Elitch Gardens General Manager. “We are proud to bring the event back to the Park again this year with even more lights, more rides and more activities! It promises to be a holiday must-see and must-do for Coloradans of all ages.”
Luminova Holidays featured at Elitch Gardens includes a 65 ft. Christmas tree, 25 ft. snowman that never melts, 300 ft. candy cane tunnel, ornaments and presents scaling over 16 ft. tall, rides on limited Elitch Gardens attractions, strolling holiday entertainers, and interactive activities, including light-up hopscotch.
Three Million Lights: Luminova Holidays features over three million lights throughout the park.
“We are extremely excited to be returning to Elitch Gardens as the 2021 Winner of VISIT DENVER’s Mile High Holidays Star Award,” says Dixie Baker, co-producer of Luminova Holidays. “With our twinkling light trails, illuminated structures and interactive activities, there is something for everyone to enjoy. We know that families and friends will create memories here that will last well beyond the holiday season!”
Visit www.elitchgardens.com/luminova-holidays to reserve your visit and purchase tickets. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram – @LuminovaHolidays and @ElitchGardens, and Twitter – @LuminovaHoliday and @ElitchGardens.
by Regan Bervar | Oct 21, 2022 | General Featured
“No man is a failure who has Friends.” — Clarence the Angel, It’s a Wonderful Life
by Luke Schmaltz
It is a Monday afternoon in early October 2022. Jim Norris is working behind the coffee bar at Mutiny Information Cafe, holding down barista duties for the nth day in a row. He is owner and proprietor of “The World’s Most Dangerous Bookstore” along with his partner Matt Megyesi. The duo have been through the literal wringer of late, having dealt with Megyesi’s faltering health, employee theft, extreme vandalism, and the most dreaded of all — the Denver Department of Finance.
The emotional shellshock of the last 24 months is wearing on him, when out of the blue, the employee who is supposed to relieve him calls to say they are running “about 90 minutes late.” He sighs, puts down the phone, and makes himself another Americano.
Pillar Of Personality
Mutiny partners Jim Norris and Matt Megyesi are beloved stalwarts of the Denver indie arts scene.
Mutiny occupies what is unequivocally the most vibrant stretch of South Broadway, perched as the flagship business on the southeast corner of Ellsworth. As anyone with a pulse knows, “vibrant” means lots of pedestrian traffic and in today’s Denver — where there are people there is trouble.
Regardless, the personality and mojo spilling forth from Mutiny’s front door bears the unmistakable essence of everything good about the independent business culture of Denver. Humility, respect, openness, equality, diversity, unity, strength, and self-reliance practically ooze from every shelf, nook, and cranny of the place.
The place is a hub for writers, artists, musicians, comedians, magicians, and anyone with a creative streak. If you have seen an art opening, comedy show, or live music performance in Denver anytime in the last nine years, chances are that media had origins of some sort within the walls of Mutiny.
Mutiny Information Cafe is a hub for creatives of all types and a top retail destination for records, coffee, novels, comic books, and more.
Meanwhile, the two-way conveyor belt churning past the store’s front windows presents the usual menagerie of South Broadway human fare. It is a hodgepodge of characters, personalities, and temperaments indicative of a district buzzing with artists, writers, and yuppies, yet simultaneously gripped by addiction, crime, and fear. There are jugglers, skateboarders, survey takers, families with baby strollers, panhandlers, stumblers, mumblers, vapers, smokers, tweakers, buskers, and much more.
Such high-volume foot traffic usually bodes well for a retail business, but there’s trouble in paradise. While the eclectic personality of Mutiny attracts earnest spenders looking for caffeinated drinks, novels, vinyl records, and comic books — it also attracts folks who are looking to get even with their misfortunate lot in life by stealing anything they can get their hands on. “They’ll swipe anything that is not nailed down,” Norris explains. “Crime is terrible around here because of the extreme economic disparity at work. There are too many rich people who don’t give a shit,” he says.
Summer Of Bummers
Mutiny Information Cafe has been brutalized by circumstances over the last couple of years.
Emerging from the aftermath of Covid was tough for everyone, as any small business owner who was lucky enough to survive 2020/2021 will tell you. Mutiny is no exception, having suffered loss of revenue by having to briefly curtail the business alongside everyone else in the neighborhood.
In addition to the store’s acute challenges with loss prevention, Megyesi suffered a near-fatal heart attack several months ago, which shouldered Norris with 100% of the administrative burden. Around then — just this past summer — vandals began targeting the store. They broke the glass on the front door, terrorized the staff, and eventually became brazen enough to smash out a large section plate glass on the store’s west-facing facade.
Meanwhile, Megyesi’s absence caused the business’s quarterly taxes to be overlooked and to go unpaid, which drew the impatient, ruthless ire of the Denver Department of Finance. The agency dropped off a scant two (2) notices of unpaid taxes before locking Norris and Megyesi out of their own business without considering a more copacetic solution. “They came in twice, left a card, and then locked us out,” Norris said.
The irony here is that, if a business owes taxes, one would think they should be allowed to remain open and operational so that they could have a chance to make the money to pay said debts. Yet, this sort of logic does not resonate with tax collectors who have their emotions lobotomized before being sent out into the field.
Down But Not Out
Mutiny was saved from the tax man by a collective of nearly 1,000 Denver friends and supporters.
Upon being shut down by the city, Norris and Megyesi were beside themselves as their mutual boyhood dream and livelihood had been ripped from their grasp. The impending tragedy was not to be, however, as friend of the store Kyle Sutherland launched a GoFundMe campaign intended to meet and surpass the store’s $35,000 tax bill along with the attached GoFundMe fees. The total goal was just over 42,000 — 42,126 to be exact. The last three digits are Norris’s and Megyesi’s lucky numbers.
As Norris recently explained in an interview with the Denver Gazette, “Matt and I chose 126 as our random lucky number when we were teenagers. You’ll notice it all over the store. It’s sort of like when people say Jesus appears to them on toast. If he can appear on toast, he can appear anywhere. It’s a good-karma thing.”
Word of the shutdown and the crowdfunding campaign spread through the community like wildfire, thanks to good old-fashioned word of mouth and new-fashioned social media. Thanks to the networks of Sutherland, local artist standout R. Alan Brooks, and dozens of others, the goal was met and surpassed in a mere 24 hours by 925 donors. This uncanny overnight fundraising effort, especially in the midst of an economic downturn (read that as a recession) is a testament to Morris and Megyesi popularity and good karma. “We are overwhelmed with goodwill,” Norris says. “We went from tears of sorrow to tears of joy in 24 hours.”
On October 29, 2022, Mutiny will hold a “Thank You Party” for all the friends who donated to the crowdfunding campaign which facilitated their resurgence. The FREE event will be held at the Oriental Theater from 7 to 11 p.m. and will feature performances by Bolonium, Team Nonexistent, Kodama, Magic Mo, DJ Konz, and MC R. Alan Brooks.
All Images Courtesy of: Mutiny Info Cafe
by Valley Gadfly | Sep 28, 2022 | General Featured
From treat streets and haunted houses for kids to ghoulish grown-up parties and pub crawls, Denver is known for its haunted days and nights of fright. To get you screaming back into the Halloween scene, here are our suspenseful, spooky choices for fang-tastic fun:
Halloween — 2022
Dance
Cult Classic: Treat the family to Colorado Ballet’s captivating, colorful Dracula playing at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in the DCPA complex, Oct. 7-16.
Dracula, Oct. 7-16 — Back by bloodthirsty demand, Colorado Ballet opens the season at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House with Bram Stocker’s legendary gothic love story set in 19th Century Transylvania. Ballet features choreography by Michael Pink plus Philip Feeney’s original score. Spotlighting the Colorado Ballet Orchestra, haunting ballet promises goosebumps. When: Oct. 7-8 & 14-15, 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 8, 15 & 16, 2 p.m. Information: 720-865-4220.
Family Events
Halloween Spooktacular, Oct. 30 — The Colorado Symphony plays film-TV music at Boettcher. Costumes encouraged, with the best invited on stage at spooktacular event for boys and ghouls. Scott O’Neil conducts the orchestra. When: 2:30 p.m. Information: 720-865-4220.
Pumpkin Harvest Festival, Oct. 8-9. Enjoy sights-sounds, smells of fall at Four Mile Historic Park. Select perfect pumpkin and enjoy live music. There’s face painting, craft stations for kids, plus private bar for adults. When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Information: 720-865-0800.
Glow at the Gardens™, Oct. 18-23. Wander through spooky Denver Botanic Gardens at nighttime with luminous carved pumpkins and jack-o’-lanterns with grins and grimaces. Performing artists bring spirits and specters to life. When: 6 to 9 p.m. Information: 720-865-3500,
Harvest Hoot, Oct. 28-30 — Dress in your favorite costume to enjoy fang-tastic bites and fall activities at the Children’s Museum on the Marsico Campus. Enjoy carnival games and boo-tiful crafts, but no trick or treating. When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Information: 303-433-7444.
Ghost & Garden Tours
Ghosts of Capitol Hill, Oct. 1-Nov. 11. Visit the sights that inspired the movies The Changeling and Poltergeist, plus Colorado’s most haunted home. You also visit haunted mansions with paranormal activity. When: Thur.-Fri.-Sat., 8 to 10 p.m. Information: 720-372-3849.
Cheesman Park Ghost Tour, Oct. 1-31. Hear hair-raising accounts of paranormal activity at the Cheesman Park Pavilion. Uncover how bodies were moved from the cemetery and decide if park is haunted. When: Weekdays, 7 to 8:30 p.m. Information: 720-778-1170.
House Of Horrors: For spine-tingling excitement, creep through the Molly Brown House, Oct. 14-29. Visits with spirits played by actors last for 45-60 minutes.
Victorian Horrors, Fri.-Sun., Oct. 14-29 — Creep room to room in the spine-tingling Molly Brown House, hearing horror tales by actors. The 45-60-minute spirit visits enliven their existence. When: Entry times from 6 to 9 p.m. Information: 303-832-4092.
Music
Spooktacular XII, Oct. 15-16 — The “Director Strikes Back” with the 12th Mile High Freedom Bands’ haunting of Historic Grant St. Symphonic band musical has an all-age matinee followed by a show with alcohol. When: 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. Information: 720-515-6432.
Disney’s Hocus Pocus, Oct. 21-22 — Musical about deserted house, witches, and mystic cat at Boettcher. Exploring house, the brother-sister awaken witches. They steal the witches’ book of spells to stop from becoming immortal. When: 7:30 p.m. Information: 720-865-4220.
HalloQueen 2022, Oct. 22 — Two sets at the Ogden Theatre: Jukebox the Ghost, then a costume contest. Second set as Queen, has Ben Thornewill on piano/vocals; Tommy Siegel, guitar/bass/vocals; and Jesse Kristin on drums/vocals. When: 9 p.m. Information: 303-832-1874.
by Mark Smiley | Jul 22, 2022 | General Featured
by Mark Smiley
Durable: The Carl Friedrik Carry-on Pro’s wheels move 360 degrees and are silent and durable. Its hard-shell makes it a nearly indestructible piece of luggage without sacrificing style.
Inside The Suitcase: Each side is an open compartment equipped with compression straps.
The Carl Friedrik Carry-on Pro, a polycarbonate carry-on suitcase, is intended for professional travelers and even the casual one that is spending a few nights away from home. This carry-on bag is one of the sturdiest on the market with its hard-shell exterior. Even with its sturdy construction, it is a stylish piece of luggage.
It features a rugged metal frame to create a sturdy and robust structure but with soft, premium Italian leather detailing. The wheels move 360 degrees, are silent and durable, and are made by Hinomoto, a company which, according to obsessive fliers, is a standard-bearer of quality caster-making.
On the outside of the bag, travelers will find a convenient pocket, making it easy to access electronics and travel documents. On a quick trip to a local resort, we used the outside pocket for a tablet but that slot is also large enough to fit a laptop computer. The bag is secured by combination locks, intended to keep valuables safe and protected when traveling.
Outside The Suitcase: On the outside of the bag, travelers will find a convenient pocket, making it easy to access electronics and travel documents.
Small in size, the Carl Friedrik Carry-on Pro meets the standard cabin restrictions for most U.S. and European carry-on dimensions. The bag also features a removable compression pad which can be used with the provided compression straps. There is a separate laptop compartment, a smaller pocket, and an area to store pens and chargers. The bag even features an optional outside USB charging port and battery to keep mobile phones and laptops running throughout the day.
Internally, each side is an open compartment equipped with compression straps. It includes one removable compression pad with a pocket, to be used in tandem with the compression straps.
For those in the market for a small carry-on suitcase that will stand the test of time and is made from quality materials, consider the Carl Friedrik Carry-on Pro. Visit www.carlfriedrik.com for more information or to purchase one of their suitcases.
by Valley Gadfly | Jun 26, 2022 | General Featured
City Hosting Jaw-Dropping Show From Infinity Park July 1; Concerts, Park Hill Parade, More Fireworks During Weekend
Fireworks From The Park: Glendale’s annual July 4th fireworks — one of region’s oldest and largest — is allowing families to view the mesmerizing show from Infinity Park stadium and turf field for the first time.
Glendale’s jaw-dropping fireworks — considered the Valley’s premier display — will once again light up the Valley. Blazing into the skies at dusk on July 1, the Glendale Independence Day celebration is for the first-time allowing families and friends to view the mesmerizing free pyrotechnics show from Infinity Park stadium, or on the turf field outside the stadium.
One of the oldest and largest fireworks shows in the region, the 2022 show is adding a new format: Gates will open at 7:30 p.m. and the fireworks show will be preceded by movie shorts and videos on the stadium’s jumbo screen, plus food trucks will be on site. Attendees may also bring food and beverages (no glass containers or grills). Changes are the result of closure of Creekside Park — the long-time launch site — to make way for construction of the new Four Mile Entertainment District.
The fireworks will flash and flicker into the sky beginning at about 9:15 p.m. The dazzling aerial display will create bright, colorful shapes that spin, spiral, whirl, whisk, spurt, spray, and splatter to outbursts of ooohs and aaahs from the close-up crowd. Information: InfinityParkat Glendale.com.
More Ways To Celebrate
Sprint Spirit: Families can get in the holiday spirit by participating in the four-mile Liberty Run-Walk in Wash Park on July 4th, 8:30-11:30 a.m. There’s also a Kids Firecracker Fun Run.
The Glendale blast off launches the biggest weekend of fireworks, concerts, art shows, and new Independence Day festivities in recent memory. From Friday through Monday July 4th, you’ll have no trouble finding fun activities to enjoy. Beyond picnics and backyard BBQs, there are baseball games, parades, musical performances, and onetime get-togethers to share with family and friends. Here’s the Chronicle’s day-by-day guide of things to do to make this the best 4th Of July holiday ever:
July 1
Concert & Fireworks: For longer than Colorado has been a state, the Denver Municipal Band has been delighting Valley audiences. Take the kids, dogs, and picnic gear and go to Cranmer Park on E. 1st Ave., 5-6:30 p.m. The free concert is followed by fireworks. Information: denvermunicipalband.org.
Cherry Creek Arts Festival: Start the holiday celebrations rolling by attending the annual Festival that opens July 1 and runs through July 3, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun. to 6 p.m. The festival is returning to the streets of Cherry Creek North where you’ll enjoy art, music, and cuisine that is free to the public. Information: 303-355-2787.
Dzirae Gold Dazzles: Her sultry vocals described as “smooth as liquid gold,” soul singer is at Dazzle@Baur’s, 7 p.m., followed by jazz musicians Nostal-Jazz at 10 p.m. Information: 303-839-5100.
Fan Expo: Activities and attractions for the entire family, event opens at the Convention Center July 1, 4 p.m.- 9 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.- 7 p.m., Sun. until 5 p.m. Fans meet their favorite superheroes, princesses, and actors. Information: 303-228-8000.
Punx Unite Festival: Known as a blend of various band and music cultures, musical experience is July 1 & 2 at the Bluebird Theater on E. Colfax Ave., 5 p.m. Information: 303-377-1666.
July 2
Four Mile 4th: The annual Independence celebration at Four Mile Historic Park will feature music, crafts, historical re-enactors, and live demonstrations July 2, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Four Mile Park Independence Celebration: A fun-filled day of music, crafts, historical re-enactors, and live demonstrations at Four Mile Historic Park, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Event has live music, prairie games, crafts, plus food trucks. Information: 720-865-0800.
Colorado Rockies Fireworks: Nothing says America like a baseball game and some fireworks. Watch the Rockies face the Houston Astros July 2 and 3 followed by fireworks. Information: 303-292-0200.
Super Cruise Saturday: Car lovers gather along South Golden Road to watch vintage vehicles, hot rods, and custom cars of all kinds. Sponsored by Golden VFW Post 4171, the cruise is from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Information: 303-279-2119.
Holiday Hit: Valley baseball fans can watch the Colorado Rockies play the Houston Astros on July 2 and 3, followed by fireworks.
Roots & Rhythm: The group that just opened for four-time Grammy singer Dianne Reeves entertains at Inga’s Alpine Tavern, 7 p.m. Information: 720-389-6203.
Broomfield 4th of July Carnival: If the kids want to go to a carnival this holiday, take them to FlatIron Crossing. Rides are from 6-9 p.m. today, Sat.-Sun. & the 4th, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Information: 720-887-9900.
July 3
Independence Eve: Enjoy the sweet sounds of the Colorado Symphony plus local artists in Civic Center Park downtown. Music starts at 6 p.m., Colorado Symphony performs at 8:15 p.m. followed by the light show on the City-County Bldg. The fireworks finale will begin about 9:30 p.m. Information: 303-861-4633.
Stars & Stripes Forever: Enjoy holiday music by the Arapahoe Philharmonic in the Farm House Restaurant at the Breckenridge Brewery in Littleton, 7 p.m. You’ll hear symphonic classics like the “1812 Overture” and “Stars and Stripes Forever” plus film-TV favorites including the theme from “The Mandalorian.” Fireworks end the evening. Information: 303-803-1380.
July 4
Patriotic Playlist: Roots & Rhythm gets residents tuned-up for the holidays at Inga’s Alpine Tavern in Glendale July 2, 7 p.m.
Park Hill 4th Of July Parade: Marching bands, floats, classic cars, and costumed characters, starting at 1:30 p.m. Denver’s largest Independence Day parade runs along 23rd Ave. for approximately one mile from Dexter St. to Krameria St. A street fair concludes the parade on the 2200 block of Kearney St. (between 22nd and 23rd Aves.), with food, music, and kids’ activities. Information: 303-918-6517.
Aurora 4th Of July Spectacular: Musical performances and food trucks on the Aurora Municipal Center’s Great Lawn beginning at 5 p.m. Entertainment is from 6-9:30 p.m., followed by fireworks show at 9:30 p.m. Information: 303-739-6702.
The Dream Maker: The Denver Botanic Gardens becomes even more magical as magician and former Cirque du Soleil performer Xavier Mortimer entertains, 6 p.m. Information: 720-865-3500.
Government Glitter: The Colorado Symphony performs at Civic Center Park at 8:15 p.m., followed by a light show on the City-County Bldg. and a fireworks finale downtown on Independence eve. Photo credit: denver.org
DeadBeats Backyard Jamboree: Zeds Dead & friends, including Blunts & Blonds, and So Tuff So Cute entertain in Civic Center Park, 3-5 p.m. There’s BBQ and lawn games, plus special viewing area off main stage. Information: 303-861-4633.
Liberty Run & Kids Firecracker Fun Run: A Four Mile Run-Walk in Wash Park, 8:30-11:30 a.m. Attendees can also provide talent on the Liberty Run’s Got Talent stage. Ice cream and apple pie provided. Information: 303-522-4387.
Lindsey Giffey: Acoustic guitarist plays and sings at The Morrison Inn on Bear Creek Ave. in Morrison, 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Information: 303-697-8850.
Lake Dillon Symphony Spectacular: Celebrate the stars and stripes at Lake Dillon as the Colorado Symphony plays scores from the “Armed Forces Salute,” “God Bless America” and other 4th of July favorites at the Dillon Amphitheater, 4 p.m. Information: 970-468-2403.
