Ravenna introduces the final four estate homesites, set against the Dakota Hogback, Red Rocks, and the quiet sweep of the western foothills. Each parcel offers a private, elevated setting within one of Colorado’s most distinguished gated communities. A final collection of homesites, each defined by its own sense of place.
Home to a Platinum Club of America. Jay Morrish’s final course. Celebrated dining. The Performance + Longevity Center at your doorstep. Only 25 minutes from downtown Denver — far enough to feel private, close enough to remain connected. This is the final release. There will be no other.
36
Colorado at 150
As Colorado marks its 150th anniversary of statehood in 2026, we explore a collection of artifacts that tell the full story—from a stone point chipped by human hands 13,000 years ago to a civil union license signed in 2013. These are the objects that capture who we were, what we built, and how we got here.
By Lexi Marshall
setting the stage
10 12 16 26 28 22 32 44 50 54 28 60
WHAT ENDURES
By Heather Shoning
local flavors
A DAY FOR GIVING BACK Sunday Salmon is feeding the community one meal at a time
By Jay McKinney
GOOD WEATHER AND BETTER BITES
Where to savor Colorado’s outdoor dining season
By Jay McKinney
healthy living
SUMMER SPORTS INJURIES
Prevention, plus when to seek treatment
By Kastle Waserman
stylish living
JEWELRY WITH A SENSE OF PLACE
Statement pieces you can wear in celebration of our state
By Amanda Lacey
GROUNDED IN THE LAND
A Sedalia ranch home finds its soul through a transformation rooted in calm, connection, and the rhythms of a life well-lived
By Tanner Pelkey and Sandra Ozolinsh
HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS Artists Christy Lynne Seving and Josh Davy explore structures and impermanence through painting and sculpture
By Kastle Waserman
wayfarers
CRESTED BUTTE IN BLOOM
The Crested Butte Wildflower Festival returns for its 40th year with hikes, workshops, art classes, and peak alpine color
By Brittany Anas
society & culture
FIREFIGHTERS WITHOUT BORDERS
A Front Range effort is helping bring lifesaving gear and training to departments across Mexico
By Heather Shoning
BACK TO THE BEAT
That Eighties Band keeps the decade alive
By Lexi Marshall
can’t-miss
events
ON THE AGENDA
America’s 250th Independence Day, Summer Safari Dinners, Breckenridge Food & Wine, and more
Howard Lorton
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Born and raised in Colorado, Bobbie has a deep appreciation for the state she has always called home. One of her favorite ways to spend time is making
memories with her family at Water World. Professionally, Bobbie has been with Central Bank for 5 years, and in a few different capacities. In her current role, she enjoys planning and participating in client and community events to create meaningful experiences for those around her
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WHAT ENDURES
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT ANNIVERSARIES, it’s easy to focus on the numbers.
This summer, Colorado marks 150 years of statehood on August 1. The anniversary arrives as communities across the nation celebrate America’s 250th birthday, creating a fitting moment to reflect not just on history, but on the people, places, and ideas that continue to shape who we are.
For 150 years, Colorado has been shaped by people who built communities, pursued opportunity, challenged assumptions, and continually reimagined what life here could be. In this issue, writer Lexi Marshall explores that legacy in Colorado at 150 (page 36), a fascinating look at the objects, artifacts, and stories that help tell the state’s remarkable journey.
That theme of endurance echoes throughout these pages.
In our profile of artists Christy Lynne Seving and Josh Davy (Home Is Where the Art Is, page 32), the concept of home becomes something larger than walls and roofs. Their work explores permanence and impermanence, belonging and displacement, and the ways we search for meaning in the structures we create.
You’ll also meet the firefighters behind 5280 International Firefighter Ops (Firefighters Without Borders, page 50), a Front Range-based effort delivering retired equipment and lifesaving training to departments across Mexico. Their work is a reminder that service, generosity, and community don’t stop at borders.
And because summer in Colorado deserves to be celebrated, writer Brittany Anas transports you to Crested Butte as the Wildflower Festival returns for its 40th year (Crested Butte in Bloom, page 44). For a few spectacular weeks, alpine meadows burst into color, creating one of nature’s most vivid reminders that beauty can be both fleeting and enduring at the same time.
Speaking of things that stand the test of time, we’re excited to welcome That Eighties Band as the headlining act for this year’s Wheels of Dreams Charity Experience on September 17. More than 2,000 performances into their career, the Colorado favorite continues to fill venues with the kind of energy, nostalgia, and crowd participation that turns a concert into a shared experience. Their performance will help set the stage for an unforgettable evening benefiting FullCircle and the life-changing work the organization does throughout our community. Read more about the band in Back to the Beat on page 54.
As Colorado celebrates 150 years, it feels fitting to reflect on what truly lasts. Not just buildings or landmarks, but the people, traditions, businesses, and communities that continue to shape life here every day.
Here’s to honoring the past, embracing the present, and discovering what’s next.
Heather Shoning
We’re excited to introduce the new AvidLifestyle Digital Pass, a free digital passport that unlocks exclusive savings and offers from businesses throughout our community. From local restaurants and entertainment to shopping, services, and experiences, it’s designed to help you discover more of what makes this area special while supporting the businesses that help define it. We invite you to explore the pass and start taking advantage of the growing list of local offers.
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A Day for Giving Back
Sunday Salmon is feeding the community one meal at a time
By Jay McKinney
WITH THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE of everyday life, home-cooked family dinners often feel more like special occasions than a normal part of the day. For Mary Grothe, the founder of Castle Rock’s non-profit restaurant Sunday Salmon, Sunday was the day she could forget the worries of her corporate job and focus on preparing a healthy salmon dinner for her family.
As a self-proclaimed “hostess with the mostest,” Grothe has always found joy cooking large dinners and sharing the table with her loved ones. Towards the end of 2023, she had a vision to scale her passion for cooking and offer
an incredible salmon dinner to those in need. She began researching and discovered that more than 3,000 people in her own community of Castle Rock lived below the poverty line.
“When I dug into it, I realized these are schoolteachers, single parents, retail workers, restaurant workers, and people that this town needs,” Grothe says. “I started to say, ‘You know what, I think the need is big enough in our own backyard.’”
Despite having no experience running a restaurant, Grothe found a brick-and-mortar location in Castle Rock and opened Sunday Salmon in January 2025. Initially, the meals lived up to the name, serving a salmon dinner every Sunday evening. However, after Grothe discovered how important her initiative was, the restaurant began opening on occasional Thursdays and Tuesdays as well. In the first year alone, Sunday Salmon served just under 20,000 meals, and there is no sign of the restaurant slowing down in 2026.
For Sunday dinners, the restaurant offers two seatings: one at 4:45 p.m. and another at 6 p.m. All the food is organic, gluten-free, seed oil–free, and very accommodating for those with food allergies. In addition to salmon,
Mark Hickey and Mary Groth
there’s chicken or steak accompanied by cilantro lime rice, roasted vegetables, and a gluten-free dessert. Reservations are highly encouraged, though walk-ins are available each evening.
While the restaurant is regularly packed, Sunday Salmon has also acquired a mobile food trailer that has allowed it to support other places in the community, including age 55+ apartment complexes such as The Meadowmark and Auburn Ridge. And it also provides meals to Unity on Park, a facility that houses people with intellectual developmental disabilities as well as low-income adults.
Last August, the restaurant also entered a partnership with Castlewood Classical Academy, delivering meals to the students and staff on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
“More than just convenience, this partnership has enhanced the overall experience on campus,” says the school’s executive director, Cassie Cini. “It supports a healthy, intentional environment where both students and families feel cared for, and we are incredibly grateful for the thought and care that goes into every meal.”
Recently, the restaurant launched an initiative called Wednesday Wheels to help those facing critical food insecurity get through the middle of the week. With the mobile food trailer, the restaurant offers delivery, as many of these people also deal with transportation issues, according to Grothe.
For 2026, Grothe is predicting Sunday Salmon will serve upwards of 30,000 meals through the restaurant and the partnerships
it has secured. After being open for one year, the volunteer-run restaurant is eligible for grants. However, donations are appreciated, as they enhance the community’s well-being, one meal at a time.
SUNDAY SALMON
207 Wolfensberger Rd., Suite C. Castle Rock 720.409.1950 sundaysalmon.com
Good Weather and Better Bites
Where to savor Colorado’s outdoor dining season
By Jay McKinney
IN COLORADO, PATIO SEASON isn’t really a season at all—it’s a lifestyle. Give locals a bluebird sky, a mountain view, or even the faintest hint of sunshine in February, and they’ll find a way to dine outdoors. It’s part of the state’s DNA. Fortunately, Colorado’s restaurant scene has evolved alongside that enthusiasm, creating outdoor spaces that are every bit as thoughtfully designed as the menus they serve.
At The Vistas at Park Meadows, The White Chocolate Grill has become a destination not only for its classic American fare and signature desserts, but also for one of the area’s most inviting patios. Framed by mature trees, manicured landscaping, a tranquil pond, and the lively energy of the surrounding dining district, the setting feels removed from the bustle
of everyday life despite its location within the Park Meadows complex.
The patio accommodates roughly 40 guests and has become a popular choice for everything from leisurely lunches to private gatherings. A corner location helps shield diners from afternoon winds while providing welcome shade during warmer months. When evening temperatures dip, heaters extend the experience well beyond sunset.
A different take on outdoor dining can be found at Jack’s in Lone Tree, the second location of the steakhouse that first earned a loyal following on Denver’s South Pearl Street. While the restaurant doesn’t feature a traditional patio, expansive garage doors blur the line between indoors and out, creating
an open-air atmosphere that feels distinctly Colorado.
“With Colorado’s emphasis on outdoor living and year-round sunshine, it was important to create a space that allows guests to enjoy fresh air while still being protected from the elements,” says Darryl Shoemake, president of Jack’s.
The design reflects a growing trend among restaurateurs: creating flexible environments that embrace the outdoors without relying entirely on favorable weather. It’s a concept that resonates with diners who want the best of both worlds.
Farther south in Castle Rock, restaurateur John Johnson has built a small dining empire along Wilcox Street, where all three of his concepts invite guests to linger outside.
The White Chocolate Grill
MORE TABLES WITH A VIEW
HAPA SUSHI AT THE LANDMARK IN GREENWOOD VILLAGE
A fun sushi restaurant with nearly 50 seats on the patio and outdoor dining available from open to close. The patio is equipped with stand-up heaters to keep diners comfortable through the evening.
PALENQUE COCINA Y AGAVERIA IN LITTLETON
Palenque offers great Mexican food and an expansive collection of tequila and mezcal. Sit on the rooftop and sip a margarita while overlooking Littleton’s Main Street.
YAYA’S EURO BISTRO IN GREENWOOD VILLAGE
A popular bistro serving delicious European fare with an idyllic patio overlooking a pond and fountain.
HICKORY HOUSE IN PARKER
An award-winning barbecue restaurant with locations in Aspen and Parker. The covered patio seats about 30 people and offers a panoramic view of the mountains in the distance. Dogs are welcome.
DANIELLE’S SCRATCH
KITCHEN IN CASTLE ROCK
Located near Castle Pines Village, Danielle’s serves high-quality American and Italian dishes in an upscale atmosphere. The restaurant’s patio overlooks a well-manicured garden area with towering aspen trees.
Hickory House
Block & Bottle
Block & Bottle, B’s Craft Deli & Market, and Z’Abbracci have become neighborhood favorites thanks to a combination of approachable hospitality, strong menus, and welcoming outdoor spaces.
Among them, Block & Bottle offers perhaps the most versatile patio experience. Guests can choose between an open-air setting or a covered patio equipped with heaters, fire pits, and summer cooling fans. A garage door connecting the patio to the bar creates a seamless flow between indoor and outdoor spaces, making it equally appealing for a quick lunch, weekend brunch, or an evening gathering with friends.
Johnson describes the menu as “elevated comfort classics,” and it delivers accordingly. Breakfast favorites range from Cajun Bayou biscuit benedicts to malted waffles, while lunch and dinner offerings include everything from poke bowls and charcuterie boards to crab-stuffed blackened salmon and braised bison short rib. The dog-friendly atmosphere only adds to its appeal.
As Colorado’s dining scene continues to evolve, one thing remains constant: when the weather cooperates—and often when it doesn’t—people want to be outside. Whether overlooking a pond in Greenwood Village, enjoying rooftop views in Littleton, or gathering around a fire pit in Castle Rock, outdoor dining has become far more than an amenity. It’s part of the experience.
THE WHITE CHOCOLATE GRILL
8421 Park Meadows Center Dr. Lone Tree
303.799.4841
whitechocolategrill.com
JACK’S IN LONE TREE
9155 Park Meadows Dr. Lone Tree
720.769.8575
jacksonpearldenver.com
BLOCK & BOTTLE
20 Wilcox St., Ste. #101
Castle Rock
303.927.6754
theblockandbottle.com
Jack’s in Lone Tree
Hapa Sushi
Prevention, plus when to seek treatment
By Kastle Waserman
Summer Sports Injuries
WITH SUMMER HEATING UP, more people are dusting off sports equipment and heading outdoors. But more movement may also increase the risk of injury if you don’t take proper precautions.
Samuel R. Huntley, M.D., MPH, at Orthopedic Centers of Colorado, says he often sees overuse injuries among people who have started activities they haven’t done in months. “In the shoulder, we see a lot of rotator cuff tendonitis, rotator cuff impingement, which is pain generally on the side and top of the shoulder that gets worse with overhead activities.”
Other injuries include small meniscal injuries, patellofemoral pain syndrome,
tendonitis of various tendons, including the patellar tendon or the quadriceps tendon in the knee, and inflammation of the bursa, common in golf and tennis.
Pickleball, a popular sport that combines elements of tennis and ping-pong, is also keeping doctors busy with injuries.
“The most common things I see with pickleball are shoulder injuries,” Huntley says. “Most are overuse injuries because there are a lot of overhead slams. We also see elbow and wrist tendonitis.”
Dr. Nicholas Stockwell, DO at AdventHealth Castle Rock Orthopedics and Spine, says the most common injuries he sees come from hiking. “Hiking can lead to a flare-up
or exacerbation of a chronic problem, such as arthritis in the joints. People can take a misstep and twist their ankle or knee, or have a fall, which can lead to significant injuries,” he says.
WHEN TO SEEK A DOCTOR
If you start feeling pain or prolonged soreness, you may wonder if it’s time to seek professional help. Both doctors stressed that an examination should not be delayed.
“Most people try the home RICE method: rest, ice, compression, elevation. But if pain persists beyond three days, it’s time to come in for an evaluation,” Huntley says.
“Be aware of sharp, persistent pain; instability in the knee, ankle, or shoulder; pain
affecting sleep; or being unable to perform daily activities.”
Most people dread going to a doctor, so it’s common for patients to wait. But Stockwell says any pain lasting past two to three months should be evaluated. “Delaying treatment can keep the injury inflamed and prevent proper recovery. In some cases, such as a tear, waiting too long, such as years, can make the situation irreparable, and we might be looking at replacement surgery.”
PREVENTION
One way to avoid visiting the doctor is to take preventive measures. Huntley says doing a 10- to 15-minute warm-up and stretching before any athletic activity is paramount. Older individuals may need longer warm-ups as tendons and joints become tighter with age. Also, check that your gear is in top shape.
“Appropriate, sport-specific footwear is extremely important,” Huntley says. “That’s the basis of stability. It’s how we contact the ground and what gives us the stability we need to do these sports.”
Other tips include staying hydrated with electrolyte drinks, taking rests, and getting in the shade when needed to avoid heat exhaustion.
Stockwell adds that ramping up activity can also prevent injury. “Try walking on the treadmill or around your block for five minutes a day, then increase that slowly so your body can get accustomed to moving again,” he says. “You need to let your body, muscles, and nervous system adapt. Pick a goal and don’t get discouraged if you’re not there right away.”
Both agree that listening to your body is most important for preventing and treating injuries and for having a happy, safe, and active summer.
ORTHOPEDIC CENTERS OF COLORADO 10535 Park Meadows Blvd., #301 Lone Tree 303.662.8250 occ-ortho.com
ADVENTHEALTH CASTLE ROCK
ORTHOPEDICS AND SPINE 2360 Meadows Blvd., #200 Castle Rock 720.455.3775 adventhealth.com
JEWELRY WITH A SENSE OF PLACE
Statement pieces you can wear in celebration of our state
By Amanda Lacey
IN CELEBRATION OF OUR state’s 150th anniversary, what better way to show your Colorado pride than with a statement piece inspired by the Centennial State? From jewelry crafted with local rocks and minerals to handmade designs featuring Aspen leaves or iconic mountain landscapes, there’s a style for every Colorado enthusiast. Best of all, there are no rules when it comes to jewelry—so layer on your favorite local accessories and let your Colorado spirit shine.
Necklace, $1599; 2. Mother of Pearl and Abalone Silver Peaks Necklace, $119; 3. 14k Yellow Peak
Minimal Breckenridge Large Adjustable Necklace, $999; 4. Peak
Triangle Necklace, $59; 5. Peak
Triangle Earrings, $59. OURAY SILVERSMITH: 6. Tapered Mountain Ring with CZ, $225–495; 7. Three Leaf Aspen Pendant; 8. $185–315, Three Leaf Aspen Drop earrings, $165–900; 9. San Juan Mountain Band, $155–595; 10.Mount Sneffels Ring, $115–2,500
Custom doesn’t quite cover it. Every Closet Factory organization solution is designed and built to fit you, your style, and your storage, perfectly. Schedule your free design consultation to explore more.
Grounded in the Land
A Sedalia ranch home finds its soul through a transformation rooted in calm, connection, and the rhythms of a life well-lived
By Tanner Pelkey and Sandra Ozolinsh
Photos by Christian Marcy-Vega
DESIGN BEGINS WITH understanding how a client wants to feel in their home. For these homeowners, the goal was to create a place of calm, comfort, and restoration. They desired a retreat where the demands of the outside world could be left behind and replaced with the simple pleasures of ranch life, family, and horses.
What began as a renovation to address water damage, plumbing failures, and aging spaces quickly evolved into a larger transformation as trust grew between the homeowner and Sandra Ozolinsh of Howard Lorton Furniture & Design. Through thoughtful planning and creative problem-solving, the project became an opportunity to reimagine the home’s most personal spaces while creating a cohesive design language throughout.
As the project expanded, Ozolinsh was entrusted with furnishing and styling additional spaces throughout the home, successfully completing five bedrooms ahead of a major family event—a wedding that brought family from across the country to Colorado. The result is a home that balances beauty, functionality, and timeless design, creating spaces that enrich everyday life while remaining deeply connected to the landscape, lifestyle, and memories of those who call it home.
Situated on a picturesque property in Sedalia, the surrounding landscape inspired the home’s material palette. Warm earth tones, natural textures, and rustic elements were balanced with refined finishes to create a timeless aesthetic that honors the property’s character while feeling fresh and current. Existing
furnishings, artwork, and treasured collections were thoughtfully integrated into the design, allowing the home to retain its history while evolving to meet the clients’ needs.
The transformation included a fully reimagined primary suite, where the bedroom transformed into a sophisticated retreat connected seamlessly to a newly renovated, stylish bathroom. Following a plumbing failure that required complete reconstruction, the bathroom was redesigned as a luxurious wellness space tailored to the clients’ daily routines, and the bedroom was refurnished with pieces that echo the bathroom’s refined palette, completing a suite that offers true serenity.
On the first floor, a dated bathroom was transformed into an accessible retreat inspired by the beauty and movement of horses. Natural materials, custom details, and thoughtful planning allowed the space to meet long-term mobility needs without sacrificing warmth or design integrity.
As family arrived, the dining room stepped into its role as the heart of the home—sweeping views framing a table where meals stretched into long evenings of shared stories. The table, belonging to the homeowner, was surrounded by new Stressless dining chairs that provide comfort and ergonomic support for the family to enjoy coffee, dessert, and time to reminisce.
Today, the homeowner still marvels—genuinely moved by the beauty of a space that feels almost too good to be true. And after building a partnership with Ozolinsh, they continue to redesign additional spaces to extend the aesthetic throughout the home.
Home is where the Art is
Artists Christy Lynne Seving and Josh Davy explore structures and impermanence through painting and sculpture
By Kastle Waserman
HOME MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS to different people. From safety to displacement, the human experience as it relates to homes and structures is what artists Christy Lynne Seving and Josh
Davy often explore in their work. The pair, who are partners in life and art, recently collaborated on “Somewhere in Time,” a collection of paintings and sculptures that explore the tension between human efforts to build structures, the reality of impermanence, and how we find meaning in the moments between.
Davy grew up in the Midwest and came to Denver in 2010 after attending art school, then leaving to work in construction. The skills he learned there came full circle back to his art, creating structures that open dialogues about the idea of home. His work showcases hanging model houses, juxtaposed with one side up and the other side down, some as if pulled from the ground with roots dangling, others shadowed in creeping darkness.
Davy says the home sculptures were inspired by gentrification, as encroaching development pushed out the gallery he belonged to. “I was looking at gentrification not necessarily as a horrible thing, but as something to be thought about and how it changes our lives dramatically,” he says.
The work also reflects on people’s relationships with buildings—particularly homes. It came after Davy embarked on a cross-country road trip and photographed abandoned buildings along the way. “I started thinking of home as a moment in time, all the things it is for us, and what I wanted to say about my own life,” he says.
Seving is a Denver native and mixed-media artist currently focused on oil and acrylic painting, cold wax, and ink. Her collaboration with Davy came naturally; she says houses, structures, cities, and maps have always drawn her in. Her paintings depict city and suburban landscapes, distorted, dark, and smudged, as if drawn from memory, and a large-scale piece done with Davy, where house-like structures protrude three-dimensionally from the painting itself.
“I based the paintings on how I felt at the time—houses swept up like they’re being lifted and drifting away,” Seving says. “The paintings kept changing over time, and I recognized I was sweeping through my emotions. That’s
Christy Lynne Seving and Josh Davy
kind of how a lot of my work goes, just capturing a feeling, and those feelings can change. It almost mirrors spiritual growth, or where I am in the moment.”
Seving says the notion of home is what connects with everybody across class and culture. “It represents safety and refuge,” she says. “If it’s not there, if someone is unhoused, there is a sense you no longer fit; you’re displaced from society.”
Both Seving and Davy found that people drawn to their work often see something of their own lives in them. “With one of Josh’s pieces, we had people come up and say, ‘I know that place,’”
says Seving. “Somehow, they can see it even though it was based on a photo and a feeling. With my collectors, the open, abstract nature of my work allows them to find their own meaning. They can connect to it because it captures an emotion that is universal.”
Davy sums it up best: “For art to be meaningful, I have to have a relationship with it, then I hand it off to someone who then has their own relationship with it.”
Learn more on their websites: christylynneseving.com and joshdavy.com.
PHOTO:
Josh Davy
Above: Christy Lynne Seving
Colorado at
The objects that made a state
By Lexi Marshall
AS COLORADO MARKS ITS 150th anniversary of statehood in 2026, we explored artifacts that tell the full story—from a stone point chipped by human hands 13,000 years ago to a civil union license signed in 2013. These are the objects that capture who we were, what we built, and how we got here.
Colorado
8910–8640 BCE
WILBUR FISK STONE’S GOLD INGOT
This 5.5-ounce gold bar—worth about $168 at the time—carries the story of Colorado’s first great rush in a single object. Wilbur Fisk Stone arrived in the Rockies in 1860 and, by 1864, was working a placer claim in South Park. The following year, he had accumulated enough gold to have it smelted into this ingot at the U.S. Branch Mint at Denver.
His experience was typical of the era. In the early camps, gold dust was currency—worth about 25 cents a pinch, but too imprecise for commerce. Private mints like Clark, Gruber & Co. moved quickly to transform dust into coins and bars until the U.S. Branch Mint took over. This is the only gold ingot known to survive from that mint’s operation in Denver, making this modest bar a rare artifact of Colorado’s early territorial economy.
HISTORY TIMELINE
1541
1776
Paleoamericans of the Folsom culture camp at the Lindenmeier Site in present-day Larimer County
Spanish explorer Francisco Vásquez de Coronado’s expedition crosses into present-day Colorado
A STONE POINT THAT REWROTE COLORADO’S HUMAN HISTORY
Small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, this Paleo-Indian spear point carries an outsized story. Chipped from stone between 11,700 and 12,900 years ago, it was unearthed at the Lindenmeier site near Fort Collins. Its discovery changed everything scholars thought they knew about human habitation in North America.
When archaeologists excavating Lindenmeier in 1935 found a point like this lodged in the spine of an extinct bison, it overturned the prevailing belief that humans had lived on the continent for only 3,000 to 4,000 years. These projectiles take their name from Folsom, New Mexico, where the style was first identified, but Colorado’s Lindenmeier site—now on the National Register of Historic Places—provided undeniable proof that people called Colorado home as far back as 13,000 years ago.
DomínguezEscalante expedition travels through what will become Colorado
1803
Louisiana Purchase brings eastern Colorado into U.S. territory
Spring 1833
William Bent establishes Bent’s Fort on the north bank of the Arkansas River on the Santa Fe Trail
1848
Mexican-American War ends; southern Colorado ceded to the United States
ART MADE BEHIND THE FENCES OF AMACHE
This heart-shaped handcrafted pin was made by prisoners at Amache, a Japanese American internment camp near Granada in southeastern Colorado. Between 1942 and 1945, Amache held more than 7,000 Japanese Americans, many of them U.S. citizens, forcibly imprisoned in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor. For some of the 120,000 people incarcerated across the country’s camps, making art offered a measure of comfort in deeply unjust circumstances.
In Japanese, gaman means to bear the unbearable with dignity and patience. These delicately crafted pins embody that spirit—and were collected by Jeanne Hanamura Higashi, who was just 6 years old when she
THE CHAIR THAT LAUNCHED COLORADO’S SKI INDUSTRY
This single-seat chairlift chair from Aspen Mountain’s Lift No. 1 dates to 1946, the founding year of the Aspen Skiing Company. At just $3.75 for a daily ticket, skiers could ride what was then the longest chairlift in the world to the top of the mountain—and in the powder-covered decades that followed World War II, Coloradans and tourists alike flocked to it. The connection to the 10th Mountain Division ran deep from the very start. Many of Aspen Mountain’s first employees were veterans of the famed Colorado-trained mountain warfare unit. Friedl Pfeifer, a 10th Mountain veteran, headed the ski school, while Pete Seibert—another veteran who served on the Aspen Ski Patrol—later went on to found Vail Mountain in 1962.
THE
SIGNATURE THAT MADE COLORADO
A STATE
This single handwritten page, dated Washington, August 1, 1876, is one of the most consequential documents in Colorado history. Signed by President Ulysses S. Grant, it directed the Secretary of State to affix the Seal of the United States to his proclamation—the formal act that admitted Colorado as the 38th state in the Union.
The timing was fitting. Colorado joined the nation just days before its centennial, earning it the enduring nickname the Centennial State. In elegant script, Grant’s signature and a brief authorization were all it took to transform a territory into a state.
1858
Gold discovered near Denver; mass migration west begins
April 23, 1859
Rocky Mountain News first published by William Byers
THE LEVER THAT LAUNCHED DENVER’S FIRST NEWSPAPER
On April 23, 1859, William Byers pulled this lever to print the first ediRocky Mountain News. The R. Hoe & Company press it belonged to became a key instrument of Colorado’s early identity—Byers deliberately set up his office in the dry streambed between rival settlements Denver City and Auraria to avoid any appearance of favoritism.
The paper quickly drew national attention, with Byers using its pages to lure gold seekers and settlers westward. In 1864, a catastrophic Cherry Creek flood swept away both the press and the building. Thirty-four years later, this lever resurfaced during viaduct construction near the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River. It is all that remains of the press that helped build a city the paper would serve for nearly 150 years, until its final edition in 2009.
Nov.29, 1864
Sand Creek Massacre: Colonel Chivington’s forces attack the peaceful Cheyenne and Arapaho camp; casualty estimates in the source range from 163 to 500+
November 14, 1873
Adolph Coors partners with Jacob Schueler to establish a brewery in Golden
August 1, 1876
President Grant proclaims Colorado the 38th state
October 31, 1880
Anti-Chinese riot in Denver— buildings burned, one Chinese man killed
A
DOCUMENT OF HARD-WON RIGHTS: COLORADO’S CIVIL UNION LICENSE
This civil union license, issued December 7, 2013, in Lone Tree, belongs to Garth Criswell and Mark Kraft—one of the first couples to unite under Colorado’s newly passed Civil Unions Act, which the Colorado General Assembly legalized earlier that year, extending critical legal protections to samesex couples for the first time.
The road to that moment was long and contested. Boulder County had briefly issued samesex marriage licenses as far back as 1975. In 1992, Colorado voters passed Amendment 2, which stripped away any governmental protections for LGBTQ+ individuals in the state, until the U.S. Supreme Court struck it down in 1996. Civil unions repre sented the latest milestone in that ongoing struggle, and two years later, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed marriage equality nationwide in 2015.
A SACRED OBJECT OF THE ARAPAHO CLUBBARD LODGE SOCIETY
This striking ceremonial object—crafted from wood, paint, buckskin, eagle feathers, and eagle claw—belongs to the Clubbard Lodge, one of the Arapaho Men’s Societies organized by age. The Arapaho peo ple have always maintained a deep connection to the land, and this piece reflects that relationship in both its materials and its purpose.
When the Arapaho lived near the Great Lakes region, they were an agricultural people who grew vegetables and relied on ceremonies like those of the Clubbard Lodge to ensure a healthy growing season. As the Arapaho moved westward onto the Plains, the Clubbard Lodge Society carried its traditions with them, adapting the ceremony’s role from agri cultural blessing to one of protection and spiritual continuity.
THE WATER PIPE FROM THE WORLD’S FIRST POT PAVILION
This glass water pipe was made by Heady Glass Studios for a genuinely historic occasion: the Denver County Fair’s Pot Pavilion, billed as the world’s first fair exhibit dedicated to recreational cannabis. Colorado legalized medical marijua na in 2000, then passed Amendment 64 in November 2012 to legalize recreational use. By January 2014, Coloradans could legally purchase cannabis from dispensaries—and that August, the Denver County Fair celebrated the moment with its own pavilion.
Colorado
May 6, 1882
President Arthur signs the Chinese Exclusion Act, banning Chinese immigration and denying citizenship
HISTORY TIMELINE
November 1893 Silver Crash devastates Colorado’s economy; Sherman Silver Purchase Act repealed. Colorado women win the right to vote by popular referendum
October 1895 Festival of Mountain and Plain inaugurated in Denver to stimulate the economy after the 1893 silver crash
Made for smoking cannabis oils and concentrates and engraved with a cannabis leaf and the year 2014, this refined artifact marks a groundbreaking policy shift that would ripple across the country in the years
1942
Amache Japanese relocation camp built near Granada; 7,657 Japanese-Americans interned through 1945. Camp Hale constructed near Tennessee Pass to train the 10th Mountain Division
December 14, 1946
Ajax Mountain ski area opens in Aspen with the longest chairlift in the world
THE COAT THAT TELLS THE STORY OF A VANISHING WEST
This massive U.S. Army cavalry winter coat, made around 1870-1880, is a remnant of one of the most destructive industries in the history of the American West. In the nineteenth century, buffalo hides fueled a commercial frenzy— used for everything from industrial machine belts to garments like this one. Hunters slaughtered vast numbers of bison across the plains, delivering hides to Colorado trading posts such as Bent’s Fort in the south and Fort Vasquez in the north, before shipping them east to manufacturers.
American Indians had sustainably hunted buffalo for centuries, depending on the animal for food and countless daily necessities. But the commercial hide trade transformed the hunt entirely. Within just a few decades, herds that had once numbered in the tens of millions were nearly wiped out, pushing the animal and the way of life it supported to the brink of extinction.
THREE YEARS, 300 SPOOLS OF SILK, AND A NEW LIFE IN COLORADO Florence Bell was born into slavery in Jackson County, Missouri. After the Civil War, she—like many freed African Americans—sought a new life by heading north and west. Over the course of three years, she stitched this extraordinary quilt by hand, using more than 300 spools of silk and finishing it in 1893. With its asymmetrical patterns, pieces of sentimental fabric, and Asian and floral motifs, it stands as a masterwork of the crazy quilt tradition.
Florence died in 1895, two years after completing it. Her husband John carried the quilt with him when he came to Colorado, and its excellence did not go unnoticed—it was selected as one of Colorado’s entries at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. This quilt is far more than a textile: it is the life’s work of a woman who was once denied ownership of even herself, transformed into an object of enduring beauty and national recognition.
December 1962
Vail ski area opens; co-founded by 10th Mountain Division veteran Peter Seibert
BEAUTY
AND RESILIENCE: A CHINESEAMERICAN WEDDING DRESS FROM 1909
This embroidered wedding dress belonged to Quon Tai “Daisy” Yuen Chin, daughter-in-law of Chin Lin Sou, one of Denver’s most prominent Chinese community leaders. Chin Lin Sou had come to the U.S. in the 1860s to help build the transcontinental railroad, later settling in Denver as a naturalized citizen. The dress’s richness was a statement of both family prosperity and Chinese heritage. That prosperity was built in the face of violent hostility. In 1880, a mob burned Denver’s Chinatown and killed a Chinese man named Look Young. Two years later, the Chinese Exclusion Act barred further Chinese immigration entirely. Chin Lin Sou and his family refused to leave, and many of his descendants still call Colorado home. This dress is a testament to a community that persisted despite everything thrown against it.
CHIEF OURAY’S DESK: A GIFT FROM THE GOVERNMENT HE NEGOTIATED WITH This ornate desk, made by Andres Oakes between 1876 and 1877, was a gift from the U.S. government to Chief Ouray—the Ute leader selected by federal authorities to represent all Ute people in treaty negotiations, despite the Utes having no single leader. Topped with a glass gun cabinet and concealing four secret drawers, it is an exquisite piece laden with complex meaning. Ouray negotiated treaties that largely kept the peace between the Utes and the U.S. Army—but at the cost of most of the Utes’ homeland. Like many American Indian leaders forced into impossible positions by advancing white settlement, he left a legacy that Ute people continue to debate to this day.
1988 Wynkoop Brewing Company opens as Denver’s first brewpub; co-founded by John Hickenlooper and partners
2000
Colorado becomes the ninth state to legalize medical marijuana
November 6, 2012 Voters approve Amendment 64, legalizing recreational cannabis—Colorado becomes the first state to do so
May 1, 2013
Civil unions become legal in Colorado by act of the General Assembly
August 1, 2026
Colorado celebrates 150 years of statehood
ARTIFACTSA dditional
OX YOKE (1860S)
Wooden yoke used to harness oxen pulling covered wagons west during the Colorado gold rush; a symbol of the mass migration that settled the state.
ESPINOSA BROTHERS’ REVOLVERS (1863) Colt and Remington revolvers belonging to Felipe, Vivian, and José Espinosa, who killed as many as 32 people in Colorado Territory in retaliation for land losses after the Mexican-American War.
ISAAC BAER’S SLAT-BACK STRAIGHT CHAIR (1825-1850)
Carried across the Plains by 17-year-old German immigrant Isaac Baer in 1869; he became a Leadville business leader and Jewish community pillar, founding Temple Israel in 1884.
THE MAURO SPECIAL WOMEN’S SAFETY BICYCLE (1898-1902)
Women’s bicycle sold in Denver; Colorado suffragists rode bikes like this door-todoor while campaigning for the vote, which Colorado women won in 1893.
DESPONDENCY VASE (1901)
Art Nouveau ceramic vase by Artus Van Briggle, who came to Colorado seeking a tuberculosis cure; the piece won a Paris Salon gold medal in 1903, the year before Van Briggle died.
FESTIVAL OF MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN “ROUGH RIDERS” RODEO TROPHY BELT (1901)
Sterling silver championship belt from Denver’s premier annual festival, launched in 1895 to revive the city after the Silver Crash of 1893.
NOMA OUTDOOR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS (1936–1938)
Strand of lights tracing to Denver electrician David Sturgeon’s 1914 act of stringing lights outside for his ill son; the tradition grew until Denver named itself the “Christmas Capital of the World.”
ARTIFACTSA
COORS MALTED MILK
CAN (1923)
Product of the Coors brewery’s pivot during Colorado’s early Prohibition (1916–1933); the company survived by making malted milk and porcelain before returning to brewing.
BEET TOPPER (1910)
Hand tool used by immigrant farm laborers to harvest sugar beets, once Colorado’s most important agricultural crop.
PEACH CRATE LABELS (1923-1975)
Five labels from Western Slope peach growers; Palisade peaches earned national fame and were honored by President Taft at the 1909 Grand Junction Peach Day Festival.
DENVER CITY MARKET BELL (1900-1939)
Bell rung each morning by market master Felice Pomponio to open the Denver City Market on Cherry Creek; his son Michael continued the tradition for forty years.
10TH MOUNTAIN DIVISION
UNIFORM (1944-45)
White winter warfare uniform worn by soldiers who trained at Camp Hale near Leadville; their assault on Riva Ridge helped liberate Italy, and veterans went on to found Colorado’s ski industry.
Taken together, these objects tell a story no single narrative could contain—of migration and dispossession, ingenuity and injustice, reinvention and resilience. That’s Colorado at 150: a place still becoming what it set out HISTORY COLORADO
Crested Butte in Bloom
The Crested Butte Wildflower Festival returns for its 40th year with hikes, workshops, art classes, and peak alpine color
By Brittany Anas
AS COLORADO’S WILDFLOWER Capital, Crested Butte reaches its most colorful crescendo in July. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival, running July 10–19, when alpine meadows erupt into swaths of purple lupine, scarlet paintbrush, yellow mule’s ears, and pink fireweed.
For visitors making the drive from Denver’s south suburbs, the reward is immediate: cooler, crisper mountain air and dense, photo-ready wildflower displays set against dramatic peaks. The festival itself offers
roughly 175 flower-centric activities visitors can register for, from guided hikes and wildflower identification walks to photography workshops, flower arranging, tours such as a “garden and ghosts” outing, and watercolor workshops for aspiring artists.
It’s worth spending a few days in the region because, depending on where you explore, the scenery changes dramatically, says Katy Mooney, marketing director at Gunnison Crested Butte Tourism and Prosperity Partnership. Near Gunnison, fiery red paintbrush and tall purple lupine spikes dominate
the landscape. Around Almont, massive, sunflower-like mule’s ears blanket the valley floor. North of town, around Rustler Gulch, entire hillsides blaze with layered color—bluish-purple larkspur, rosy paintbrush, mountain bluebells, and more.
“It’s a variety of colors all bursting in one meadow, and they’re as high as your handlebars or even your face,” Mooney says. “It’s immersive and like you’re just walking along and looking into the faces of these flowers.”
THE BLOOM FORECAST
Peak bloom timing shifts every year depending on factors including snowfall, spring temperatures, and the arrival of the North American monsoon. This year, scientists at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) predict the peak wildflower season in the mountains near Crested Butte—which typically occurs in mid-July—will arrive nearly two weeks earlier.
New interactive bloom maps developed by RMBL research scientist Ian Breckheimer show how the season is expected to unfold across the landscape after one of the region’s lowest snowpack years on record.
Breckheimer describes the wildflower season’s progression as a “rainbow wave” moving upslope through the landscape. At any given location, peak blooms typically last about three weeks. But hikers can extend the experience by varying elevation, heading downhill earlier in the season or climbing higher later in the summer to follow the blooms as they advance.
“If you wanted to walk out your front door in Crested Butte and take a short hike through the wildflower meadows, you’d probably want to be there in late June or early July this year,” Breckheimer said. “If you’re visiting later, that just means you need to hike farther up to find the plants.”
The forecasting tool allows users to “fast forward and rewind in time” to watch how the bloom wave unfolds across the landscape and plan hikes around peak conditions.
PLAN YOUR TRIP: The wildflower forecasting tool is available at rmblflowercast.org.
FESTIVAL MUST-DOS
The best way to experience the festival is to balance structured events with time spent wandering the valley at your own pace. Guided wildflower hikes are a cornerstone of the celebration, offering insight into the area’s ecology while leading participants through some of the region’s most spectacular terrain. Photography workshops are also especially popular, including sessions on capturing blooms with your phone camera and photographing wildflowers during alpenglow.
The festival also features art and wellness programming like watercolor classes, plein-air painting sessions, and yoga.
PRO TIP: Advance registration isn’t required, but many events sell out (though you can join a waitlist).
HIKING AND BIKING ROUTES TO CHECK OUT
With more than 1,200 miles of trails winding across mostly public land, the Gunnison Valley offers endless ways to experience wildflower season, whether you’re looking for an easy scenic stroll or a challenging ride on your mountain bike. Here are a few standout trails to explore when the blooms are at their peak.
BRUSH CREEK TRAIL: This beginner hike near West Brush Creek delivers big scenery for minimal effort, with sweeping views of 13ers like Teocalli Mountain and White Rock along the way. In summer, the hillsides explode with wildflowers (especially bright Aspen sunflowers), creating one of the area’s most colorful displays, though the open terrain means you’ll want plenty of sun protection for the mostly shade-free trek that’s 4.3 miles with 315 feet of elevation gain.
RUSTLER GULCH: Few hikes make it so tempting to stop every few minutes for another photo. This moderate 7-mile trail gains 1,850 feet in elevation as it winds through a valley filled with colorful wildflowers and also shows off waterfalls and sweeping mountain views.
TRAIL 401: Crested Butte’s rockstar ride, Trail 401 is an advanced, 13.6-mile mountain biking trail that gains nearly 2,400 feet of elevation. After a quad-burning climb, steep grades, and switchbacks, mountain bikers are rewarded with an unforgettable ribbon of singletrack cutting through waist-high wildflowers and grin-inducing Gothic Valley views.
To register for events, visit crestedbuttewildflowerfestival.org.
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• Gourmet chef stations from 11 local restaurants
• Craft cocktails, wine, and beer
• Designer lounges for mixing, mingling, and relaxing
• Classic, exotic, and luxury cars on display
• Live jazz under the gazebo and stars
• Phil Long Automotive 50/50 giveaway
• Hands-on activities, prizes, and giveaways
• Silent and live auctions, exclusive trips, and more
• Proceeds benefit FullCircle, a local charity supporting families facing mental health and addiction challenges Join us for
• Local artist showcases
Firefighters Without Borders
A Front Range effort is helping bring lifesaving gear and training to departments across Mexico
By Heather Shoning
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IN FIRE STATIONS ACROSS the United States, protective equipment follows a strict timeline. After roughly five years, bunker coats, helmets, gloves, and boots are typically retired to meet liability standards—even when the gear is still usable.
Across parts of Mexico, the situation looks very different. Firefighters may spend entire careers using the same worn protective gear. Air systems are limited. Infrastructure can be scarce. In some cities, even access to water during a fire is uncertain.
Bridging that gap has become the mission of 5280 International Firefighter Ops, a nonprofit effort powered largely by firefighters from Colorado’s Front Range. The organization began nearly a decade ago with a simple decision by Boulder firefighter Manuel Garcia.
“I was at the training center in Boulder, and they were going to throw equipment in the trash because it was expired,” Manuel recalls.
“I said, ‘Hey, I’ll take it.’” At the time, he had no specific plan for the gear—only the sense that someone, somewhere, could still use it.
EQUIPMENT THAT FINDS A SECOND LIFE
In the early days, Manuel and his wife transported donated bunker gear to Mexico inside airline suitcases, using free checked bags to move what they could. When he first arrived with the equipment, the firefighters receiving it were skeptical.
“They thought it was a joke,” he says. “They didn’t believe someone would just show up with firefighter gear and give it to them.”
As word spread, the effort expanded through connections with departments throughout the Front Range. Surplus hoses, bunker gear, trucks, and specialized equipment—items that would otherwise be discarded—began moving south.
“To this one Puerto Vallarta department alone, we’ve probably donated close to five million dollars in equipment,” Manuel says. Today, the organization has delivered nearly $10 million in gear to fire departments across multiple Mexican states.
A DRAMATIC DIFFERENCE IN RESOURCES
The need for equipment is immense.
Boulder, for example, maintains more than 4,600 fire hydrants. The city of Puerto Vallarta has two. Departments are forced to rely on tanker trucks to shuttle water to active fires, while protective clothing may be torn or decades old.
“The old captain here had one set of gear for 25 years,” Manuel says. “His sleeves were torn, his pants were torn.” Experiences like that have reinforced the importance of the work for the firefighters who participate.
TRAINING ALONGSIDE EQUIPMENT
As donations increased, it quickly became clear that equipment alone was not enough. “They were happy to have the equipment, but they
didn’t know how to use it correctly,” Manuel says. “That’s when I knew we had to start training.”
Volunteer instructors from Colorado now travel regularly to Mexico to lead training sessions. The curriculum includes search-and-rescue techniques, ladder operations, air-management strategies, and high-rise firefighting tactics.
The exchanges also introduce a different approach to risk management.
“The mentality was to be warriors and fight fire head-on every time,” Manuel says. “We teach them: You risk a lot to save a lot, and you risk nothing to save nothing.” For many Colorado firefighters, the experience offers a powerful reminder of the resources available at home— and the responsibility that comes with them.
A MISSION THAT KEEPS GROWING
Transporting equipment across international borders presents logistical challenges. Shipping
containers can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and moving retired fire trucks involves taxes, permits, and complex coordination.
For years, many of those expenses came directly from Manuel himself. “I started funding it all on my own,” he says. “But if I paid every transportation cost myself, I’d go broke.”
The nonprofit structure now allows communities receiving the equipment to share those costs, while partnerships with government officials and the Mexican consulate help navigate the process. Today, the organization has donated equipment to more than 20 cities across four states in Mexico.
Even so, requests for assistance continue to arrive from fire departments across Mexico. “If we can change the life of even one firefighter— give them the gear, the training, the chance to go home safe—then we’ve done our job,” Manuel says.
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Back to the Beat
By Lexi Marshall
PHOTO:
That Eighties Band keeps the decade alive
Travis LeRoy
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THERE’S A CERTAIN KIND OF electricity that only nostalgia can deliver—the opening synth of a familiar song, a chorus you didn’t realize you still knew by heart, the collective swell of a crowd singing along. That’s the space That Eighties Band has been filling for years, turning venues across Colorado into full-fledged throwbacks. Now, they’re bringing that energy to the main stage as the headlining act for the 6th annual AvidLifestyle and Colorado AvidGolfer Wheels of Dreams Charity Experience, a luxury gala on September 17, 2026, that pairs live entertainment with a larger purpose.
For frontman Travis LeRoy, the band’s origin story is rooted in both reflection and instinct. After spending the ’80s and ’90s playing in original bands, he stepped away from the scene and found himself drawn back to the music that shaped him. He wanted to build a band to celebrate the decade in full—not just as a setlist, but as an experience.
“From the moment the show starts, we want people to feel like they’ve stepped back into the decade, reliving the music that defined it,” LeRoy says.
At Wheels of Dreams, the sound of the ’80s becomes more than entertainment. It becomes part of a night built around community and giving back.
What started in a basement grew, evolving into a group that has remained consistent. Today, That Eighties Band includes LeRoy on lead vocals and bass, Martha Forester on lead vocals, Mick Drybread on guitar and vocals, James Nelson on drums and vocals, and Amy LeRoy on keyboards, vocals, and lighting. That longevity translates onstage, where a chemistry underpins every performance.
More than 2,000 shows later, the band has honed a style that feels polished and immediate. Their performances are about recreating
a moment—layering sound, visuals, and atmosphere to evoke the full spirit of the decade. It’s immersive by design, inviting audiences to step out of the present and into something more playful, more communal.
And it works. Even after hundreds of performances, LeRoy says the experience never loses its edge. “For us, it always comes back to the audience,” he says. “We’ve played these songs so many times, but when you see a crowd full of smiling faces and people singing along, it never gets old.”
That connection is precisely what makes the band a natural fit for Wheels of Dreams. The event, which supports local nonprofit FullCircle, is built around bringing people together— something That Eighties Band has been doing from the start. After receiving an invitation from event organizers earlier this year, the band signed on, drawn to both the mission and the opportunity to be part of something bigger than a typical gig.
“It’s meaningful to be involved in something that brings people together for such a positive purpose,” LeRoy says. “We are honored to perform.”
For attendees, expect a tightly curated setlist packed with some of the most iconic, crowdpleasing songs of the ’80s—tracks that spark instant recognition and pull people to their feet. The band is intentional about pacing and
variety, building a set that keeps the energy high while tapping into the emotional pull that makes the decade so enduring.
But Wheels of Dreams adds another layer.
Beyond the music, the event serves as a reminder of how entertainment can double as a force for connection and giving back, as FullCircle operates five locations that help young people struggling with mental health and addiction. It’s the kind of gathering where the lines between audience and community begin to blur, where showing up means contributing to something shared.
For That Eighties Band, that alignment feels natural. Their shows have always been about more than performance; they’re about participation. The goal, LeRoy says, is simple: to send people home feeling happy, energized, and just a little bit nostalgic.
Get your tickets to see That Eighties Band at Wheels of Dreams Charity experience at wheelofdreams.bolder.bid
Mick and Martha
Amy LeRoy Travis LeRoy
Plan ahead
September 17
WHEELS OF DREAMS
One of Denver’s most anticipated luxury charity events returns with an evening that goes all in— exotic cars, 11 chef-inspired food stations, craft cocktails, a Champagne Diamond Giveaway of a $3,450 2-carat natural diamond tennis bracelet, and live entertainment that actually lives up to the hype. This year’s event features That Eighties Band, known for high-energy sets and a loyal local following. Proceeds benefit FullCircle, supporting young people and families navigating mental health and addiction challenges. THE FRANCISCAN EVENT CENTER, avidlifestyle.com
Ongoing Through August MOVIES AT MCGREGOR
Movies at McGregor will once again return to McGregor Square, your vibrant LoDo destination to gather with friends and family. The free outdoor screenings of cinematic favorites and hot new releases will be shown on the outdoor 66-foot McGregor Jumbotron. Cold beverages, candy, and popcorn will be available for purchase out on the McGregor Square Plaza. Bring a blanket
JULY
and find a spot on the lawn or choose a table in the plaza–both are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis. More info and full movie schedule available online now. DENVER, mcgregorsquare.com
ASPEN MUSIC FESTIVAL
Founded in 1949, the Aspen Music Festival and School is regarded as one of the top classical music festivals in the United States, noted both for its concert programming and its musical training of mostly young-adult music students. The eight-week summer season includes hundreds of classical music events: concerts by three orchestras, recitals, chamber music, operas, classes, lectures, and family programs. Full schedule and tickets available online now.
ASPEN, aspenmusicfestival.com
July 3
RED, WHITE & ROCK!
Celebrate our nation’s independence with family and friends at Hudson Gardens & Event Center. This community favorite will celebrate America’s 250th and Colorado’s 150th anniversaries with activities for all ages, live music, and festive fun throughout the evening. Enjoy an unforgettable lineup starting with Ninety Percent 90s, delivering the best hits from the ’90s. The party continues with The Spazmatics. Guests can also enjoy delicious eats from local food trucks,
plus refreshing themed cocktails and beer for adults. Cap off the evening with a spectacular fireworks finale, making it a night to remember. LITTLETON, hudsongardens.org
July 3–5
CHERRY CREEK ARTS FESTIVAL
Celebrate 35 years of art for everyone at the Cherry Creek Arts Festival. Thanks to supporters like you, this beloved Denver tradition continues to bring together artists, community, and creativity. Experience three days of art, food, music, and fun–featuring 260 talented artists from around the world, live performances, and interactive experiences for all ages. And did we mention free live music all weekend? This event is free and open to the public. CHERRY CREEK NORTH, cherryarts.org
July 4
4TH OF JULY PARADE
Time to get the family together for the annual 4th of July Day Parade in Highlands Ranch. The festivities begin at 8:45 a.m. with a charming Pet & Bike Parade, followed by the main parade at 9:00 a.m. The parade will take place along Highlands Ranch Pkwy. between Hepburn St. and Ridgeline Blvd. Don’t miss out on this fun-filled community celebration. HIGHLANDS RANCH, hrcaonline.org
WE TRAIN ALL YEAR FOR THIS
All aboard the most state-of-the-art cog railway in the world. While the entire experience of riding the railway has been enhanced, the journey itself and the iconic, breathtaking views as you ride to the summit of America’s Mountain remain the same. Visit CogRailway.com to purchase your e-ticket today.
FROM FIRST HOMES TO DREAM HOMES,
July 6 & July 20
MOVIE NIGHTS AT INFINITY PARK
Grab a picnic basket and a blanket and head to Infinity Park in Glendale for free movie nights, featuring popular family-friendly movies paired with live entertainment. July 6 is “Ratatouille,” and July 20 is “The Princess Bride.” Pack your own cooler with what you may need to enjoy the show or food will also be available for purchase from a variety of local on-site food trucks. Gates open at 6:00 p.m., and even your four-legged furry friends are welcome to attend. GLENDALE , infinityparkatglendale.com
July 11
PEDAL THE MOON
Grab your bike, helmet, and a few decorations. Family fun is lighting up East Plum Creek Trail at the town’s annual Pedal the Moon bike ride from one of the high schools to Festival Park. Plus, new for 2026, a free movie at the park. As dusk begins to fall, riders will follow East Plum Creek Trail to Festival Park—approximately 6 miles on mostly flat terrain suitable for riders of all ages. Cyclists are encouraged to participate in the festive spirit by decking out their bikes with lights and other embellishments. Be sure to stop at the decorating station at the intersection of East Plum Creek and Hangman’s Gulch trails and get creative with glow-in-the-dark items, provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Once you arrive at Festival Park, grab a hot dog meal from the Boy Scouts and a Moonpie for dessert. Find a spot to relax under the light of the moon and enjoy watching the movie, “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” on the big screen. CASTLE ROCK, crgov.com
JULY 11
SUMMER SAFARI DINNERS
Prepare yourself for an unforgettable experience at The Wild Animal Sanctuary’s highly anticipated fundraising events of 2026—the Summer Safari Dinners. This series will be held at the Sanctuary and will include an appetizing dinner and stimulating conversations about The Wild Animal Sanctuary with several senior sanctuary staff, animal caretakers, and dedicated volunteers. Mark your calendar for July 11th, August 22nd, or September 19th, and secure your spot now. Please note that these dinners are exclusively for adults due to the event’s location and proximity to animal enclosures. KEENESBURG, wildanimalsanctuary.org
July 16
SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: BULLET THE BLUE SKY
Gather the whole crew and dance to an incredible line-up of bands coming to Highland Heritage Regional Park. Bring a blanket, a picnic, or money to purchase food truck treats and enjoy dinner and live music while watching the sunset behind the Rocky Mountains. This free family event features the best of local bands and is guaranteed to be a good time. HIGHLANDS RANCH, hrcaonline.org
July 17–18
ROYAL GORGE WHITEWATER FESTIVAL
Head to the Royal Gorge Region when Cañon City hosts an exhilarating weekend of boats, bands, and beer at the Royal Gorge Whitewater Festival. It’s Cañon City’s biggest summer party, now in
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its 17th year. It’s the perfect place to experience Southern Colorado’s outdoors at its finest. During the weekend, the days are filled with whitewater competitions and family enjoyment, meanwhile, local and favorite bands from across the nation make Cañon City come alive each night. Profits from entry fees go directly to the Royal Gorge RIO, a non-profit that supports the city’s expansion of its Whitewater Park and other river and community causes. CAÑON CITY, royalgorgewhitewaterfestival.com
July 18
2026 AMERICAN HISTORY CELEBRATION Free community celebration (RSVP required), in celebration of America’s 250th birthday and Colorado’s 150th. Limit of 500 guests in a variety of time slots. Join in on the spirit of the day by dressing in the style of earlier American times. This day is dedicated to honoring the heroes of the past and exploring the skills, stories, and traditions that helped shape life on the American prairie. Our 2026 History Celebration brings history to life through hands-on experiences that invite visitors to learn, create, and connect with the spirit of earlier generations. Visitors will enjoy engaging activities and demonstrations throughout the farm, including butter churning and hand-dipped beeswax candle making. PARKER, parkerhistory.org
July 18
BRIGHT NIGHTS AT FOUR MILE
Bright Nights at Four Mile is a chance for you and your loved ones to experience light come to life. Handcrafted larger-than-life sculptures will illuminate the night and your imagination as you walk among, and even through, these magnificently radiant displays that come together to create an enormous interactive exhibit. This 10-week festival runs July 18-October 4. GLENDALE , fourmilepark.org/brightnights
July 24–26
BRECKENRIDGE FOOD AND WINE
The Breckenridge Food and Wine Festival brings over 300 wines from across the globe to the heart of the Colorado Rockies. Main Street Station Plaza and The Village transform into a mountain-side tasting filled with viticulture and top wineries showcasing varietals from every corner of the world. Catch the sounds of live music and strings from Spinphony in the Plaza, or head over to The Village where resident DJ NME1 sets the tempo for an afternoon groove. Ticket options range from the legendary Saturday Grand Tasting to the VIP experience. For the full weekend, the All Access Pass includes the vaunted Friday night Wine Pairing Dinner and Sunday Brunch and Vines. BRECKENRIDGE , rockymountainevents.com
July 25
GREENWOOD VILLAGE DAY
Celebrate 76 years of the city with carnival rides, live entertainment, food trucks, games and more. Festivities take place at Village Greens Park beginning at 4 p.m. and go until late in the evening. And did we mention this family-friendly event will also include a firework show?
*Ticket registration required. GREENWOOD VILLAGE, greenwoodvillage.com
LUXURY OUTDOOR SPACES
Dream Makers Landscape would like to help you enhance the look and feel of your home. With our expertise in design and construction, our projects will improve the look and value of your home so you can enjoy it for years to come.
