by Mark Smiley | Dec 17, 2018 | Travel
Brilliant Young Minds Ages 12-29 Dream Up New Products In
Science, Energy, Retail And Food
by Glen Richardson
A 29-year-old who makes funny, cute T-Shirts for geeks,
nerds and pop culture lovers and a 22-year-old who makes non-dairy, high
protein, low sugar bars and cookies have made Forbes’ 2019 “30 Under 30”
feature that annually draws attention to the top young entrepreneurs in the
U.S. and Canada.
Ramy Badie’s Denver-based TeeTurtle — whose apparel, toys
and games are licensed characters for Disney and Marvel — was expected to
generate $20 million in 2018 revenue. Daniel Katz’s high-protein and low-sugar
No Cow candy bars are in 15,000 stores nationwide and recorded $10 million in 2017
revenue.
Also making the list is Joel Jean, a cofounder of Swift
Solar, a startup manufacturing lightweight solar panels that are cheaper and
more efficient than conventional panels. Finally, the list includes Denver
student Gitanjali Rao, winner of the 2017 Discovery Education 3M Young
Scientist Challenge. Now 12, she invented a quick, low-cost test to detect
lead-contaminated water.
Designed To A Tee
During his first year in medical school, 29-year-old Ramy
Badie entered a T-shirt design contest to win money for tuition. He ended up
dropping out of school to found TeeTurtle. He is the winner in Forbes’ Under 30
Retail and Ecommerce category.
No matter what the product line, creator Badie’s
undertakings are always about the design. As an example, to fund production of
a card game about Unicorns he set out to raise $10,000 to fund production of
the game on Kickstarter. He reached his goal in just 71 minutes and collected
more than $1.8 million for the project. Support from more than 30,000 backers
was more than every other project on the fundraising website at the time.
On TeeTurtle’s website Badie explains the company this way:
“We are a bunch of kids at heart having a great time because every one of us is
passionate about what we do and we believe in the company and the product.”
A No Cow Footprint
When Daniel Katz dropped out of college after just three
months in 2013 to hawk his own line of energy drinks, his intense selling
schedule found him eating protein bars instead of real meals. But whey protein
upset his stomach, and gave him a new product idea: a high-protein but
low-sugar and non-dairy bar. The Denver-based company has raised $100,000 in
funding from blue chip investors like General Mills’ venture capital arm 301
Inc.
The rapidly growing distribution footprint of No Cow — with
offices on Blake St. in LoDo — has products in more than 15,000 stores across
the country including GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, CVS, Sprouts, and Wegmans.
After initially moving the business to his hometown of
Cincinnati, Katz relocated his growing startup to Denver, due to the physically
mindful attitudes of Colorado consumers. “People here are active, they’re
happy, they’re on trend,” says Katz. “And that’s who we represent as a brand.”
Solar Cells Shine
As a Ph.D. student at MIT, Joel Jean, was a member of a
research team that developed record-thin and lightweight solar cells. As a
co-founder of Swift Solar, he aims to develop lightweight, flexible, and
efficient solar panels using metal-halide perovskite materials.
Prior to joining Swift, he served as Executive Director of
the Tata-MIT GridEdge Solar research program, which focuses on scale-up of new
solar photovoltaic technologies for India and other developing countries.
As a researcher and NSF Fellow at MIT, he developed ultra-lightweight
and flexible solar cells that were recognized by the Katerva Award in 2017. He
co-authored the MIT Future of Solar Energy Study and has worked extensively on
emerging PV materials and devices, techno-economic analysis, and energy and climate
policy. Jean, 29, holds a PhD and SM in electrical engineering from MIT and a
BS with distinction from Stanford University.
Getting The Lead Out
As an 11-year old school girl Gitanjali Rao took the top
prize in the 2017 Young Scientist Challenge for her lead-detection device,
which is capable of finding lead in drinking water with the aid of a mobile
app. As the winner of the Young Scientist Challenge she won $25,000. Now 12,
she is using the prize money to refine the device so it can be sold commercially.
She was selected from 10 finalists who spent three months
collaborating with scientists to develop their ideas. Her device uses carbon
nanotubes to detect the presence of lead. Thousands of U.S. water systems are
reportedly contaminated by lead. Until now, testing reliably for lead was
expensive and meant sending away samples for analysis.
But Gitanjali’s portable invention — named Tethys, after the
Greek goddess for fresh water — allows a sensor linked to a mobile app to give
an accurate, almost immediate analysis via a mobile app. “If you take a shower
in contaminated water, you do get rashes and that can easily be studied by an
epidemiologist,” she explains. “And if somebody drinks lead in their water,
their children might have small, minor defects.”
Playing His Cards Right: Ramy Badie’s TeeTurtle was expected
to generate $20 million in 2018. To fund production of this Unicorns card game
he set out to raise $10,000 on Kickstarter. He reached his goal in 71 minutes
and collected more than $1.8 million for the project.
No Cow Candy Man:
Daniel Katz’s high-protein and low-sugar
No Cow candy bars are in 15,000
stores nationwide and recorded $10 million in 2017 revenue.
Bright Breakthrough: A cofounder of Denver’s Swift Solar,
Joel Jean was a member of the research team at MIT that developed record-thin
and lightweight solar cells.
Youthful Inventor: Gitanjali Rao’s lead-detection device
finds lead in drinking water with the aid of a mobile app. The Young Scientist
Challenge winner is using the $25,000 prize money to refine the device so it
can be sold commercially.
by Mark Smiley | Nov 19, 2018 | Travel
by Glen Richardson
Holidays Aglow: The holidays are about candy canes and lights all aglow plus the hearts we touch with the gifts we give and the care we show.
Festive Blast: Annual Tuba Christmas is a heartwarming way to blast the Bah-Humbugs away during the holidays. Many of the region’s tuba players are at the DCPA complex Dec. 16, 12:30 p.m.
Winter Warmth: One way to have fun and enjoy shopping is at holiday markets. Cherry Creek’s Winter Fest on Fillmore features outdoor fire pits and hot chocolate Dec. 8.
Holidays! Holidays! Holidays who can’t wait for them? Yes, the holidays are here and what an exciting time of the year for kids and adults alike. The holidays are about enjoying time with family and friends. Many of us decorate our homes and places of work to cherish the season with Christmas trees, Hanukkah lights, garland and candles.
Dancing With Joy: Entertainment fills the season with joy and Granny Dances To A Holiday Drum is one of the season’s most popular. This year’s dancing is Dec. 1-6.
Here’s our holiday guide of heartwarming ways to chase the Bah-Humbugs away and enjoy shopping, having fun and celebrating this most wonderful time of the year:
Holiday Events
White Christmas Ball: Dance to big band music at this 1940s event among vintage vehicles, sleighs and Christmas trees in the Hyatt Convention Center, Dec. 1.
Granny Dances To A Holiday Drum: A beautiful display of dance, live music and storytelling at Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Dec. 1-16.
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas: A timeless holiday tale filled with song, dance, snow and holiday cheer in the Buell Theatre, Dec. 5-15.
A Classical Christmas: The Colorado Symphony performs arrangements by Handel, Mozart, Holst, Barber and Berlioz at Boettcher Concert Hall, Dec. 7-8.
Great Russian Nutcracker: Moscow Ballet brings performers, hand-painted sets, snow maidens and nesting dolls to the Paramount Theatre, Dec. 7-8.
Ten Tenors: Australia’s tenors join the Symphony for operatic versions of White Christmas, Joy to the World and Feliz Navidad in Boettcher Hall, Dec. 9.
Cirque Stars: Holiday cirque stars fill the Paramount Theatre with magic, circus acrobatics and music Dec. 16.
A Colorado Christmas: Warm sounds like Sleigh Ride, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and The Nutcracker fill Boettcher Hall with festive tunes, Dec. 14-16.
A Legendary Christmas: Crooner John Legend sings and plays songs from his newly released holiday album at the Bellco Theatre, Dec. 15.
The Nutcracker: Take the family to Ballet Ariel’s imaginative, beautiful version of toy soldiers and Sugar Plum fairies at the Lakewood Cultural Center Dec. 15-27.
Tuba Christmas: Tap you
Nutcracker Soars: The Valley’s favorite holiday tradition, Colorado Ballet’s The Nutcracker has performances at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Nov. 24-Dec. 24.
r toes to your favorite holiday tunes played by many of the region’s tuba players at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, Dec. 16.
Celtic Woman Christmas Tour: Multi-platinum all female Irish musical group is accompanied by the Colorado Symphony at Boettcher, Dec. 17.
Brian Setzer Orchestra: The 19-piece Grammy winning orchestra brings its 15th Anniversary Christmas Rock Tour to the Paramount Theatre, Dec. 17.
Holiday Brass: The Colorado Symphony Brass plays carols, classical favorites, jazz transcriptions and movie holiday music at Boettcher, Dec. 19.
Appalachian Christmas: The Mark O’Connor Band plays country, pop, bluegrass and chamber music at the Paramount Theatre, Dec. 20.
Too Hot To Handel: Guest soloists Cynthia Renee Saffron & Lawrence Clayton join the Symphony Chorus for R&B-infused concert at Boettcher, Dec. 21-22.
A Magical Cirque Christmas: Holiday cirque features magic, circus acrobatics, comedy, live music and caroling at the Paramount Theatre, Dec. 26.
Songs For The Season: New York singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson croons songs from her new holiday album accompanied by the Symphony at Boettcher, Dec. 30.
A Night In Vienna: The Colorado Symphony plays a selection of polkas, waltzes and marches to waltz you into the New Year at Boettcher, Dec. 31.
Holiday Markets
Holiday Flea: Weekends of shopping on the plaza at Denver Union Station, Dec. 2, 7-9 & 14-16. Regional artists and craft people sell clothing, jewelry, art & foodstuffs.
Improper City Makers Market: An art-focused pop-up shop with live music, food trucks at 3201 Walnut St., Dec. 7.
Winter Fest On Fillmore: Entertainment, face painting around outdoor fire pits with hot chocolate and refreshments for Cherry Creek North shoppers, Dec. 8.
South Gaylord Holiday Fest: Shop historic street while listening to the Original Dickens Carolers and donate to the Santa Claus Shop, noon-4 p.m. Dec. 8.
Jackalope Indie Artisan Fair: Shop for fashions, accessories, home décor, art and food from 150 artisans in the McNichols Bldg., Dec. 8-9.
Shopping Districts
Cherry Creek Shopping Center: Shop 160 stores including Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Macy’s, plus live music and holiday entertainment.
Waltzing Into New Year: The Colorado Symphony plays polkas, waltzes and marches to waltz us into the New Year at Boettcher, Dec. 31.
Cherry Creek North: Home to 16 blocks of fashion stores like Andrisen Morton, Hermes, Lawrence Covell, Loro Piana and St. John.
Glendale: Premier shopping destination with a Super Target, World Market, Bed Bath & Beyond, Home Depot, Staples, The Bookies and dozens of unique local shops.
Larimer Square: Shop one-of-a-kind stores in Victorian buildings along street with distinctive fashion and specialty boutiques in city’s oldest district.
Old South Gaylord: Shop the second oldest shopping district in Denver featuring quaint shops, fine art, fashion and unique gifts.
Downtown Denver: Central Denver’s best holiday shopping is at the Denver Pavilions and along the 16th Street Mall.
Independent Shopping
Adornments: Clothing, jewelry and accessories in a mix of art, fashion and luxurious fabrics in this true Cherry Creek boutique on 3rd Ave.
Bloom By Anuschka: Upscale florist and home furnishings store at 3rd and University offering chic floral arrangements, furniture & accessories.
Harriet’s: Contemporary Cherry Creek woman’s boutique selling casual elegance in women’s fashions including sweaters, scarves and handbags.
Saks Galleries: Family owned in Cherry Creek for over 50 years specializing in 19th to 21st century American & European oils, watercolors and bronzes.
Mariel: Upscale Cherry Creek boutique selling women’s clothing & accessories, including evening wear, shoes, hat and bridal gowns.
Flower Power: Exquisite independently owned flower boutique on E. Virginia Ave. creating everyday arrangements plus wedding, special event florals.
Arts at Denver: Longtime Old South Gaylord gallery showcasing original oil paintings by more than 30 Colorado artists plus designer jewelry.
Two Sole Sisters: High-end South Gaylord store selling seasonal handmade women’s shoes, boots, sandals and accessories.
Barbara & Company: Fashionable South Gaylord women’s clothing boutique selling designs from Europe, New York and Los Angeles.
Robert Anderson Gallery: Exceptional galley on E. Colfax offering unique photography, photomontages plus glass sculpture and paintings for the holidays.
LeGrue’s: Landmark Christmas and flower shop on S. Broadway is holding its retirement sale offering savings up to 60% off before closing.
Meininger Art Supply: Family owned Broadway candy store for artists selling paints, paint brushes, pens, paper, markers, color pencils and other art supplies.
Paradise Baggage Co: State’s largest luggage store on S. Broadway featuring a variety of luggage and travel accessories, plus luggage repair services.
The Bookies: Independently owned bookstore off Colorado Blvd. in Glendale with over 100,000 titles plus large selection of toys, games, puzzles and gifts.
Dardano’s: Longstanding, family-owned store specializing in comfort footwear, accessories and shoe repair on S. Colorado Blvd.
Colorado Gold Mart: Glendale store on S. Colorado Blvd. buying and selling vintage watches, new & used jewelry plus buying and selling precious metals.
by Mark Smiley | Oct 24, 2018 | Travel
Value Has Grown To $112 Million In Just 12 Months; Complaints Soar As Homes Become The Motel Next Door
by Glen Richardson
Highlands Hot: Unique and nostalgic homes have made short-term rentals in the Highlands neighborhood one of the hottest.
Valley neighborhoods are becoming more and more concerned about short-term rentals by homeowners through Airbnb and others. Their complaint is about the stream of homeowners, some new, renting the house next door for days or up to a few weeks. In neighborhoods such as the Highlands and the Golden Triangle many say the annoyance is progressively on the rise and threatening to escalate into citywide anger and fury.
That’s not a big surprise to Denver: Between January and July of this year the city received 112 complaints concerning primary residence, typically from local neighbors. Furthermore, residents contend that it’s unfair to expect neighbors to be the driving force behind legal compliance.
More than a year and a half after the City of Denver first tried to crack down on short-term rentals, the blossoming industry — buoyed by thousands of new homeowner hosts — has consistently stayed steps ahead of regulators. City records, combined with data provided by Denver-based analytics firm AirDNA reveals incessant problems with the city’s efforts to control a market that is bringing in more than $100 million a year.
Compliance Collapse
According to a study done and reported by BusinessDen — a website for local business news — less than half of the city’s known short-term rental landlords comply with licensing regulations. The bottom line, the study concludes: “The primary-residence requirement, designed to calm the fears of homeowners that their residential neighborhoods could become dominated by the motel next door has proven toothless and largely unenforceable.”
Denver’s Department of Excise & Licenses says the compliance rate is down due to the surge in people listing short-term rentals in the city. That’s because short-term rentals in Denver have grown in value to at least $112 million in the last 12 months. Moreover, it’s expected to top $200 million by 2021. AirDNA figures also show that properties in prime locations have annual cash flow topping six figures.
In only eight years San Francisco-based Airbnb’s initial plan to allow homeowners to host business travelers in a spare bedroom or to rent their family home to tourists while they’re out of town has made it a $25 billion c
Home Away From Home: Price versus hotels and all the comforts of home have given a big boost in demand for short-term rentals.
ompany. The reason is simple: In comparison to prices for staying in a hotel the cost of a short-term rental is significantly lower. A short-term one-bedroom home in Denver often starts as low as $50 per night. With a hotel there’s typically a bed, a television and maybe a desk and chair. With short-term rentals travelers think they’ve never left home.
Seeking Visitor Dollars
Recognizing the economic benefit to the city coming from short-term rentals Visit Denver — the private, nonprofit association that markets metro Denver — touts on its website that the city has approved and is licensing short-term rentals. The site does urge visitors: “If you are visiting Denver and interested in renting a home, or part of a home, for fewer than 30 days, make sure that you rent from homeowner-hosts who are licensed by the City and County of Denver.”
Denver’s rules don’t allow property owners to run more than one Airbnb location other than a basement or carriage house. Nevertheless, AirDNA records indicate that at least 39% of the city’s properties are offered full-time year-round. More: Another 17% run more than one property. Furthermore, multi-listing hosts account for 40% of Denver’s rentals on Airbnb or about 2,000 listings.
Excise & Licenses has only a single compliance officer to handle 2,200 unlicensed rentals plus another 2,000 listings run by mult
Area Anxiety: Residents worry growth of short-term rentals in Denver’s most popular neighborhoods will change their character and transform the quality of life.
i-unit hosts (prohibited altogether under Denver law). The department’s six inspectors help with short-term rental issues but also deal with the city’s 180 other business licenses plus evolving industries such as marijuana. George Mayl, president of Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation (INC), says it best: “They’re undermanned and understaffed.”
Beginning April 1 of this year Airbnb started collecting Denver Lodger’s tax on sales of short-term lodging. The deal resulted in the city receiving $3 million while not forcing short-term rental property owners to send taxes to the city. During the same period Airbnb made $69 million from rentals. Based on AirDNA data, the city should have received more than $7 million.
Property Value Impact
There is a lot of talk among property owners about short-term rentals and their impact on real estate values. One of the most common questions is do short-term rentals increase the value of a particular residential property? Some homeowners feel it can add as much as 40% to the property value due to generating additional income.
Commercial and residential lenders, however, don’t agree. “A short-term rental has zero impact on value and should not be factored in when evaluating a property.”
Why? Regulations, they argue, can and often change overnight. Moreover they point out that permits are very different than a change in zoning which provides much greater certainty for future buyers of a property. Lenders conclusion: “Don’t buy into the hype that the income from a nightly rental will increase the value of the property.”
Quality Quotient: With 82% of Airbnb properties ranked at least 4.5, the online marketplace now publishes a Quality Score of every Denver short-term rental property.
Investor Influence
While lenders don’t see a benefit to short-term rentals professional real estate investors are far more optimistic. The financial benefit of an Airbnb property is clear to some investors: They can make more money from short-term rentals for the same reason vacationers typically spend more on lodging while traveling than they do on rent.
So how many professional real estate investors list properties on Airbnb? And how large are their businesses?
The best way to see whether there is a major trend of professional investors using Airbnb would be to see how many hosts rent out multiple properties on the site. In Denver at least numbers imply that 40% of listings are from multi-listing hosts indicative of probable professional investors. AirDNA, it should be pointed out, helps real estate investors make short-term rental property investment decisions. Thus the presence of professional investors has become controversial. The upshot is that Airbnb has become close-mouthed about disclosing information.
by Mark Smiley | Oct 2, 2018 | Travel
Pizza Truck: Allegra’s Pizza now operates out of their pizza truck at Odyssey School of Denver at 21st and Monaco and Long Table Brewhouse at 29th and Fairfax. Pickup orders can be placed by calling 303-333-4442 or online at allegraspizza.com.
by Mark Smiley
For the last 10 years, residents of Park Hill and outlying neighborhoods enjoyed ordering pizzas from Allegra’s Pizza which was situated within Oneida Park at 23rd and Oneida in Park Hill. Rick Firmine and Todd Snyder, the current landlords purchased the strip in January 2017 and have been planning new development ever since.
The new development includes a 7,000 square foot outdoor courtyard for kids to play and adults to hang out. Included in this new development will be Little Man Ice Cream and a second location for the popular Virginia Vale restaurant Esters Neighborhood Pub. Paul Sullivan, owner of Esters, indicates that after taking possession this July of the 5,000 square foot property, the former home of a liquor and convenience store, he hopes to open by the end of the year.
When Allegra’s Pizza’s lease was up in April 2018, Firmine and Snyder wanted them to move across the street. Tony Uva, owner of Allegra’s Pizza, wanted to stay in Oneida Park but rather than moving across the street which Uva says was an expensive proposition, Uva suggested taking the vacant store next door to the pizzeria and creating a bistro.
That didn’t fit with the plans so Uva decided to take his show on the road, literally. Allegra’s Pizza closed its doors in Oneida Park on March 30, 2018, and reopened on May 18, 2018, operating out of the pizza truck they have owned the last couple of years. “Essentially what it is, is a kitchen on wheels,” said Uva. They have a permanent location in the parking lot of Odyssey School of Denver at 21st and Monaco where Uva was once a reading volunteer.
“We looked at other locations along Colfax and elsewhere and rent for 1,200 square foot of space was going for $5,000 a month,” said Uva. “We are paying the Denver Public Schools $25 per hour.”
New Plans: Oneida Park, former home of Allegra’s Pizza, is preparing for major renovations including a 7,000 square foot park set to open in 2018.
Tony and his wife Christine remain optimistic that the existing customer base will remain. The truck has the capacity to bake twelve 16” pizzas at any given time, and their two employees (down from 11) will keep the pies baking. Allegra’s Neapolitan Pizza operates the truck on Thursdays at Long Table Brewhouse at 2895 Fairfax Street in Park Hill and Fridays at Odyssey School. They open at 5 p.m. on both nights and at both locations.
Due to the confined area of the kitchen in the truck, Allegra’s will only be able to fill pickup orders. Orders can be placed by calling 303-333-4442 or online at allegraspizza.com.
by Mark Smiley | Aug 24, 2018 | Travel
Leading Light: Civic leader Chuck Warren, who led many of Colorado’s leading cultural institutions from the Denver Zoo to the Park People, passed away on July 29, 2018.
by Mark Smiley
Widely respected and beloved by many, civic leader Chuck Warren died at age 92 on Sunday, July 29, at his home in Denver. Memorial services were held at Saint John’s Cathedral on Washington Street where Warren had been a parishioner for most of his adult life. Eulogist Bill Houston remarked that Warren was known for his extraordinary ability to “make and retain” friends as the packed nave at the cathedral for the service demonstrated.
Warren grew up in Fort Collins, and after serving in the Navy during World War II returned to Colorado to earn a degree in Business Administration from the University of Colorado and later a master’s degree in Mass Communication from the University of Denver. He was a stock broker for Merrill, Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith for 20 years and after the death of his father in 1978 he took over as president of Moody Warren Company, a company started by his grandfather who homesteaded farms in Colorado starting in 1966.
Having made his fortune at a relatively early age, Warren retired and spent the rest of his life giving back to Denver and Colorado. He served as the president and/or board member of an extraordinary number of civic organizations including, but not limited to, the Denver Zoo, the Denver Foundation, Children’s Hospital, the Park People and the Colorado Wildlife Heritage Foundation.
He is best remembered as Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District from 1985 to 1988, and setting up the passage of the multi-county sales tax supporting many key institutions throughout metropolitan Denver.
A talented musician, he played drums with groups from his early teens to the end of his life. An enthusiastic member of the University Club, he was Club president and a prolific songwriter, performer and leader of the University Club Band. He played the drums at the Twelfth Night Show for an extraordinary 64 continuous years.
Veteran: Chuck Warren served in the Navy during World War II.
He was also a highly active member of the Denver Country Club for virtually his entire adult life. He helped longtime friend Bill Wilbur with the publication of the award-winning The History of The Denver Country Club (1888-2006).
His daughter Robin Warren Buckalew noted at the memorial service her father’s almost infatiguable energy and good humor. Hoping to slow him down just a little she bought him a hammock for the backyard which had to be returned as he refused to ever relax in it.
Chuck Bonniwell, publisher of the Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle, who wrote the history of the Denver Country Club stated, “Chuck Warren was an extraordinary human being who made everything he did and participated in literally fun. One would go through the most exhausting and contentious negotiations over the printing and publication of the book with third parties and at the end he would laugh and say, ‘Boy, wasn’t that one great donnybrook! Hey, who do we have to take on next?’” Bonniwell went on to note, “Everyone who ever knew Chuck will greatly miss him. The world he inhabited is a little less joyful with his passing. I wish we could have cloned Chuck and his wonderful spirit.”
by Mark Smiley | Jul 20, 2018 | Travel
Cherry Creek’s Inclusive, Socializing Anniversary Tournament Offers Unadulterated Joy To Play Or Watch
by Glen Richardson
Lure Of The Mallet: Players can’t resist joining in the croquet battles. Friends and liquidcourage make smacking the balls around all the more fun.
Mallets rise, mallets fall. Moreover, it’s fun, offbeat and downright zany! The weird, wonderful and absolutely entertaining-exciting annual summer Wicket & Stick It games are returning to Cherry Creek North this month.
If you live in the Cherry Creek Valley and enjoy playing or watching competitive croquet, chances are you’ve marked your calendar for the annual Cherry Creek competition, Colorado’s largest croquet tournament. Widely considered one of the top croquet tournaments in the Rocky Mountain West, it’s being played for the 10th year Aug. 3, 2:30-7 p.m.
The Outdoor Plaza behind The Container Store at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center is again where the games will be played. The inclusive and unique fundraiser for the Cherry Creek Chamber of Commerce gives attendees the chance to win amazing prizes while enjoying fabulous food and refreshing beverages. Players and spectators receive drink tickets to enjoy a variety of premium beverages including Stella Artois and wine as well as tantalizing morsels from Cherry Creek area restaurants including the California Pizza Kitchen, Sol Mexican Cocina, Brightmarten and others. Moreover, a variety of ticket packages are available.
Round Robin Format
Silver Cup Winners: Celebrating winning last year’s tournament are Karrie Fletcher and Charlie Kercheval with Alpine Bank.
A new Round Robin format for the 10th Anniversary edition guarantees players three games. A total of 64 teams, each with two people, will vie for the Wicket & Stick It Silver Cup. Prizes are also awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place croquet teams. In addition there are a variety of individual player honors including Best Wicket Shot. Start times for players are 3 p.m. or 4:15 p.m.
Sports fans that only want to watch the action have a choice of being either a general admission spectator or live it up as VIP spectator. General admission spectators receive unlimited food and one drink ticket. Or for an extremely enjoyable day where you can participate in Wicket & Stick It’s exciting social life, choose to be a VIP spectator. As a VIP you receive unlimited food and drinks plus a goody bag. Moreover you also get exclusive seating.
General Admission players also receive unlimited food; two drink tickets and the opportunity to play in three guaranteed games. Players choosing the VIP option receive unlimited drinks with personal beverage service plus unlimited food and a goody bag. In addition they receive exclusive seating.
Instructions Offered
VIP Mallet Mavens: For a fun, enjoyable day at the Wicket & Stick It games join in the exciting social life by becoming a VIP spectator or player.
Not sure that you have the skill to become a croquet legend? Not to worry, the Cherry Creek Chamber will have croquet referees on hand to provide instruction for the game’s newbies.
To get ready for the infamous Wicket & Stick It competition, many who take croquet seriously and are planning to play, seized the opportunity to take free lessons along with Chamber members. The Cherry Creek Chamber provided lessons and treats on Monday nights last month (July) at the Denver Croquet Club in Wash Park to prepare for the big tournament.
Each of the game’s 64 teams will have two players. Don’t have a team, but still want to chase croquet glory? Don’t worry, the Wicket & Stick It staff will find you a partner. Collaboration, capitulation and conflict are all dynamics of playing croquet with another person, and sound communication can lay the path to victory and the treasured Silver Cup.
Fun Set And Match
For many the game of croquet may conjure up visions of a well-mannered and civilized sport — stoic players in prim and proper dress. Not these days and certainly not at the Wicket & Stick It games. Instead it’s a fun, festive, offbeat, social event that’s just a lot of enjoyment.
Remember Lewis Carroll featured a surreal version of the game in Alice in Wonderland. A hedgehog was used as the ball and a flamingo as the mallet, while soldiers doubled over to make the hoops.
Whether you’re a spectator or a player that doesn’t rack up wicket points (the scoring moniker) you can still be a winner. Thus whether you join a team or attend as a spectator plan to dress for the occasion. Reason: Awards are also being given out for the Best Dressed attendee and the one with the Best Hat.
Unique, Historic Game
Racking Up Wicket Points: The joy of making a crazy, complicated shot is thrilling and joyous.3
The sport can best be described as a combination of golf (putting skills), chess (strategy) and billiards (angle play). While croquet requires a great amount of skill, few games provide more unadulterated joy to play or watch. Moreover, croquet was the first outdoor sport to embrace equality, allowing both sexes to play the game on an equal footing.
Croquet is believed to have started in Ireland in the 1830s. The game was introduced to England from Ireland in 1852. In the late 1970s, croquet began to be played as a competitive sport in the U.S. and Canada.
The front lawn of Donald Trump’s “winter white house” accommodates several reduced-size courses. Members of the National Croquet Center once played there as “limited reciprocal members.”
In 1985, croquet came to Denver with the vision of Sparky O’Dea who formed the Park Hill Croquet Club. Playing first in Denver’s City Park the club later moved to the big flower garden in Washington Park. They soon discovered the fenced Lawn Bowling Green and today share the space with the Lawn Bowling Club. Information: 303-388-6022.
No Rest For The Wicket: Using a mallet to hit a ball through a hoop may not sound exciting, but once players pick up a mallet it’s hard to put down.
Croquet Attire: Prizes for Best Dressed and Best Hat help but it’s your craziest friends that bring out the laughter and smiles and make the games enjoyable.
