Life on Capitol Hill October 2023

Farm & Market

Farm & Market opened its doors on Sept. 16.

Located at 2401 Larimer St. in Denver, Farm & Market boasts a hydroponic farm, market and eatery.

e hydroponic farm grows about 50 varieties of plants and utilizes less than 10% of water used in traditional farming, states a news release. It is 100% wind-powered and chemical-free. e market sells these products directly to consumers and o ers a live harvest station for herbs and microgreens that are cut-to-order at time of purchase. e restaurant serves soups and salads made inhouse from ingredients grown on location.

Farm & Market was founded by Davis Breedlove, who serves as its CEO, and Austin Breedlove, who serves as its chef.

To learn more, visit thefarmandmarket. com.

Farm & Market boasts a hydroponic farm growing about 50 varieties of plants, a restaurant and market. It recently opened at 2401 Larimer St. in Denver.

Photo courtesy of a news release.

The Colorado Sun

e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet, celebrated its ve-year anniversary in September.

Launching its rst edition in September 2018,

e Colorado Sun is a digital newspaper based in Denver that covers statewide news — everything from politics to education. It publishes every day, as well as producing a number of newsletters. Its Colorado Sunday newsletter reached its 100th edition milestone in September.

e Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

To learn more about e Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com.

Logo courtesy of the Colorado Sun.

Z Cycle Shop

Z Cycle Shop celebrated its ve-year anniversary in September.

e Denver-based bike shop o ers repairs, tune-ups and inspections; and a monthly subscription for ongoing upkeep, use of various equipment such as stands, and other perks such as discounts and premier access to classes, events and promotions. Its sales component offers new, used and refurbished bikes, as well as custom builds.

Z Cycle Shop got its start on North Ogden Street in the northeast corner of the Capitol Hill neighborhood in September 2018. In 2021, the shop relocated to its current location at 1025 E. Ninth Ave., also in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. In July, Z Cycle opened a second location at 3217 E. Colfax Ave., which borders the City Park and Congress Park neighborhoods.

Z Cycle Shop’s owner Dmitri Rumschlag said he enjoys serving the Denver community.

“I never see a person on a bicycle frowning,” he said. “A bike is the best way to get around.”

To learn more about Z Cycle Shop, visit zcycleshop.com. Denver Zoo

e Denver Zoo in September announced it received accreditation from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, maintaining its status as an AZAaccredited facility since 1976.

To earn the accreditation, a zoo must meet speci c standards and

undergo an extensive, comprehensive evaluation of its operations and programs by the AZA to ensure these standards are met. Accredited organizations are evaluated every ve years and the standards that must be met include animal welfare and care, ranging from living environments and social groupings, to health and nutrition. e evaluation also includes looking at a zoo’s wildlife conservation impact and research, and its guest services such as education programs.

e Denver Zoo is one of 238 institutions in the world to earn the AZA accreditation. Less than 10% of all the 2,800 wildlife exhibitors licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture receive it, states a news release.

“AZA accreditation is the ultimate stamp of approval for our profession, and assures our guests and members that we’re providing the best possible care for our animals and creating a safe, enjoyable experience for our community,” said Bert Vescolani, president and CEO of the Denver Zoo, in a news release. “We’re beyond proud to be among the very few zoos and aquariums in the world that maintains such a high standard across our programs and operations.”

To learn more about the Denver Zoo, visit DenverZoo.org. To learn more about the AZA, visit aza.org.

Warren Village

On Aug. 30, Warren Village broke ground on its Warren Village at Alameda community, located at 1390 W. Alameda Ave., which borders Denver’s Valverde and Athmar Park neighborhoods.

Warren Village is a nonpro t that provides housing to single parents in need. It has a twogeneration approach to end the cycle of poverty and empower families to reach self-su ciency. Warren Village o ers a wide variety of resources that include transitional, private housing; parent services and advocacy; and early childhood education and childcare.

Warren Village at Alameda is the third Warren Village community.

Clothes To Kids of Denver celebrated two milestones in September — its 15-year anniversary and its 100,000th school wardrobe donation.

Clothes To Kids of Denver is a nonpro t that provides free school wardrobes to youth ages 3-21 from low-income or in-crisis families throughout the entire Denver metro area. Each school wardrobe consists of ve out ts, a pair of shoes, ve pairs each of new underwear and socks, and a coat or jacket. School uniforms and a variety of extras - such as accessories and school supplies - also are available to students.

e nonpro t was founded in 2008 after Gail Cerny, a school volunteer, visited the Clothes to Kids in Florida, which was founded in 2002. Cerny joined forces with Joyce Meyers, Lesa Butler and Mary Overington to open one in Denver, which is located at 2890 S. Colorado Blvd. in Denver.

e 100,000th wardrobe went to a member of the Denver South High Newcomers, a group of recent immigrants and refugees from all over the world.

“Not having adequate school clothing can be a major barrier to school attendance and achievement,” said Valerie Lunka, Clothes To Kids executive director, in a news release. “Clothing that is badly worn or out-of-style can damage a child’s self-esteem and lead to bullying by other students. Our vision is that all students will have the clothing they need to

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It will have 89 apartment homes of 1, 2, and 3-bedroom units. Amenities will include an early learning center and adult education services.

“ e groundbreaking of Warren Village at Alameda underscores our steadfast commitment to advancing our community through accessible housing solutions,” said Ethan Hemming, CEO of Warren Village, in a news release. “ is new facility will empower single-parent families, fostering an environment where their potential can truly thrive.”

Learn more about Warren Village at WarrenVillage.org.

Photo courtesy of Warren Village.

feel comfortable, con dent and prepared to thrive.”

To learn more about Clothes To Kids of Denver, including referral, donation and volunteer information, visit clothestokidsdenver.org.

A member of the Denver South High Newcomers recently took home the 100,000th school wardrobe provided free-of-charge by nonpro t Clothes To Kids of Denver. e Newcomers include recent immigrants and refugees from all over the world. Courtesy photo.

Pinnacol Assurance/various nonprofits Pinnacol Assurance, a workers’ compensation insurer, has awarded 29 Colorado-based nonpro ts with grants to support workforce development, safety and economic vitality.

A total of $405,750 was distributed to the nonpro ts, which serve Coloradans in a variety of ways, ranging from education to healthcare to a ordable housing.

One of the larger grants totaled $50,000, which went to the University of Colorado’s Center for Health Work & Environment. e grant will be used to develop “annual community-based training sessions and resources for Spanishspeaking business owners and workers that address cited critical health and safety concerns such as mental health, stress, labor rights, disease prevention and emergency preparedness,” states a news release.

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by

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At Five Star Residences of Dayton Place, our focus is on people and compassion. We are in the process of renovating our interior spaces where residents can come together to experience all our community has to o er and to celebrate life. We have a variety of living options, from one to two-bedroom independent living apartments, to assisted living, and memory care. Our goal is to provide an easy living environment that respects and dignifies our residents.

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To learn more about Pinnacol Assurance, visit pinnacol.com.

@2023 Five Star Senior Living

COURTESY OF FOUR MILE HISTORIC PARK

Clothes To Kids of Denver

‘Building the world that we work in’

New Resource Sharing Initiative coming to Denver is a win-win for local theaters

BY ELICIA HESSELGRAVE SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

In a theater production, each object that an actor picks up or uses is a prop. e fountain pen.

e handkerchief. Even the picture frames and books on a co ee table are part of the set dressing.

e more elaborate a show, the more props that are required, and a properties master is responsible for nding each piece. It takes a lot of time to visit antique shops and thrift stores, or search online, to build a collection needed for each show. en once the show closes, that prop may never get used again, sitting forgotten in storage or even thrown away.

“Props are important because they add realism to theater on a level that other pieces don’t quite reach,” said Selena Naumo , a local properties master who works at Denver-area theaters.

When producing a show, theaters need various props, costumes, set pieces, lighting equipment and more. Generally, each theater company works independently to nd, pay for and store these materials.

Aurora’s Megan Davis seeks to make the art of creating theater an easier process by revitalizing a concept she is calling the Resource Sharing Initiative.

“As theater companies, we spend a lot of time creating worlds that we share with other people,” Davis said. “I think the Resource Sharing Initiative would really help us to focus on building the world that we work in.”

e Resource Sharing Initiative would serve theaters by housing and keeping track of materials available for communal use such as props, lighting equipment, set pieces, costumes and more.

e end goal is to have a membership program for participating organizations and central ware-

house locations for storage. ose that opt into the program would be able to store their items while also participating in the rental of others’ items. Davis would keep records of everything stored, and work with a team of people to organize conversations among theaters for scheduling and pick up of items. is would allow theater production teams to worry less about logistics and more about the creative process.

“By streamlining the process, we can take the weight o of small organizations who maybe only have a core group of people doing all the work,” Davis said.

Many organizations already work together to share resources, Davis said, but nothing like her vision for the Resource Sharing Initiative currently exists in a whole form. e initiative is still in its formative stages. Davis rst came up with the idea for the concept about a year ago, then she had her rst roundtable discussion, hosted by the Colorado Community eatre Coalition, in January. en, a small committee supported by the coalition presented initial ideas at a summit that took place in September. An outline with sample database items, membership ideas and a project plan were presented. e next step is to expand the committee and get more voices involved, Davis said.

Davis has more than 20 years of theater experience and knows what is required to put together a successful production. Her journey began as a youth in middle school. She started working the technical side of theater in college, and eventually got into stage managing. rough the years, she has gained experience in carpentry/set building, set painting, graphic and program design, ticket systems and installation, and nonpro t consulting.

Since moving to Colorado in 2018, Davis has worked in various roles with numerous theater organizations across the state. Today, Davis splits her time between Vintage eatre, 1468 Dayton St. in Aurora, as the set painter and assistant carpenter; and Firehouse

Megan Davis, a local theater artist, demonstrates the need for more prop storage at Firehouse Theater Company in Aurora. The Resource Sharing Initiative could potentially help participating theaters save money, time, storage space and stress by joining forces.

PHOTO BY ELICIA HESSELGRAVE

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Warren Stokes’ Halloween mask represents native Coloradans when they attempt to rent or buy a home. To solve this mazetorial, start at the ‘S’ for start in the lower left, and maze-out to the ‘W’ for win at the top of the stem.

I will be visiting my dad this Día de los Muertos

Ihave to begin this column with some sad news. But hopefully by the end of it, my words will bring some solace to those feeling the pain of losing someone dear to them.

On Aug. 17, my father succumbed to his more-than-a-decade long battle with Parkinson’s disease. I am still grieving and think I will be for a long time, but there is something that’s helping to alleviate my sorrow: Día de los Muertos is almost here. And on this day, I will get to visit with my dad.

Día de los Muertos is a long-standing tradition in Mexico that dates back to the Aztec empire — and quite possibly before. Post-conquest, the Spaniards introduced the Christian belief of All Souls Day and today, we have kind of a mesh of Indigenous traditions with the modern-day celebrations.

Even though it translates to “Day of the Dead,” Día de los Muertos is not a morbid holiday. Neither is it necessarily a day for mourning. Rather, it is a celebration of life and time to honor our ancestors. I read somewhere once that it’s a family reunion, only the spirits of our deceased ancestors are the guests of honor.

Traditionally celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2, it is not uncommon for families to begin the holiday’s preparations weeks in advance.

“Faces of the housing market”

FROM THE EDITOR

Christy Steadman

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

The Clean Car Standard would help clean up some of our air pollution

As we all know, Denver has a serious air pollution problem. e American Lung Association lists the Denver/Aurora metro area as the seventh worst in the entire country. We receive regular warnings from state health professionals that the air quality is so bad that our children should not play outside. We had 37 such high ozone days just this summer, when kids who would rather be outside running around were kept indoors.

As a mom, it’s terrifying to think about the impacts that air pollution has on everyone’s health, but our kids are even more susceptible to the harm it does. Families living along highways and high pollution areas su er from the toxic e ects even more than most.

Fortunately, the state is currently considering new safeguards such as the Clean Car Standard that would help clean up some of our air pollution by increasing the number of electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles on the road. I certainly hope they take meaningful action and use every opportunity to clean our air. We in Colorado love our electric vehicles and

STEADMAN

There are many ways to celebrate, and, nowadays, there are many community events that provide everyone opportunities to learn about the holiday, as well as participate in its traditions.

One way to celebrate is to build an altar in the home, also known as an ofrenda. These serve as a portal — of sorts — for your deceased loved ones to come and visit the land of the living.

I’ve celebrated Día de los Muertos at a variety of community events through the years — I assure you they are a lot of fun — but this will be the first year my family and I will be building our own ofrenda. And luckily, here in the Denver area, I have plenty of resources to help me.

The Latino Cultural Arts Center is in its fourth year of offering its Ofrendas program, which takes place at different venues throughout Denver in October. It includes

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a variety of free and familyfriendly workshops during which attendees get to learn about some of the different elements of an altar as well craft them. These include sugar skulls and candle decorating. Visit lcac-denver.org/ ofrendas to find a full list of the workshops.

The CHAC (Chicano Humanities and Arts Council) Gallery also has an interesting exhibit coinciding with Día de los Muertos. It’s called “Life, Death and Rebirth: Vida, Muerte y Renacimiento” and features the work of local artist Shay Guerrero. The exhibit runs through Nov. 17, and CHAC settled into its new Denver location at 834 Santa Fe Dr. in the arts district there in September. Visit chacgallery.org to learn more.

Día de los Muertos is a wonderful holiday, and I hope you and yours are able to celebrate it and/ or learn more about its rich traditions this year.

I know my dad is always with me. Little signs prove this, like the vibrant double rainbow perfectly arched over my condo as I was

increasing infrastructure means it’s even easier to nd places to charge them.

Bad air means more asthma attacks, more emergency room visits, and more medical bills. It also means long-term health impacts and missed school and work days. Because those same emissions are also worsening the climate crisis, it means we’re not only harming our health but leaving a mess to clean up. Increased federal and state incentives means electric vehicles are more a ordable, and the lower fueling and maintenance costs of electric vehicles means more money in the family budget.

I sincerely hope the state will put the strongest safeguards possible in place to maximize the number of electric vehicles on the road. it’s a win/ win/win. Colorado gets the electric vehicles that we want, our air is cleaner, and our kids are healthier. We cannot a ord to miss this opportunity.

Sincerely, Jen Clanahan Denver

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leaving to run errands the other day. And the shooting star I saw while sitting on my balcony enjoying a nighttime decaf.

But Día de los Muertos is different. It’s a special time for us to

reflect on the love we have for our departed and to celebrate their life. I know my dad will be here with us this Día de los Muertos, and I am so looking forward to his visit.

Dancers explore the depths of ‘Swan Lake’

Colorado Ballet commences its 2023-2024 season

BY KIRSTEN DAHL COLLINS SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

“I’m working on expressing more contempt and sarcasm,” said ballerina Jennifer Grace recently, as she prepared for the demanding dual role of Odette/Odile in Colorado Ballet’s October production of “Swan Lake.”

at is quite a leap for Grace, a willowy blond with a ready smile, who said she is “not an overly feisty person.” Never-the-less she expected the role of evil sorceress Odile to be “great fun.”

“It pushes you to expand your facial expressions,” Grace said during a rehearsal break at Colorado Ballet’s headquarters in the Art District on Santa Fe.

Grace is also depicting the far gentler Odette, an enchanted princess doomed to spend her days as a swan gliding on a lake – until true love breaks the spell.

e classical ballet, a dark fairytale set to Pyotr IlyichTchaikovsky’s celebrated score, runs Oct. 6-15 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in Denver. Colorado Ballet’s 2023-24 season also includes the company’s awardwinning “Nutcracker,” the Gothic horror tale of “Jekyll & Hyde;” “Coppélia,” a comedy about a seductive mechanical doll; and the contemporary showcase, “Ballet Masterworks.”

“Swan Lake” famously opped at its premiere at the Bolshoi eatre in Moscow in 1877. Critics savaged the story, choreography and high drama of Tchaikovsky’s music. at early version was very di erent from the “Swan Lake” audiences see today. In 1895, choreographers Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov rescued the ballet, equipping it with new steps and a revised story. Today, “Swan Lake” is one of the most popular ballets of all time. Although Colorado Ballet’s classical production is based on Petipa’s, pop versions abound, including the Muppets’ “Swine Lake” and a lm version starring Barbie.

The joy of morphing into somebody else Grace has her own connection to “Swan Lake.” e ballerina, who hails from Bozeman, Montana, journeyed to Russia at age 13 to study at “Swan Lake’s” birthplace: the renowned Bolshoi Ballet. Now a principal dancer with the Colorado Ballet, she cited a deep love of performing, especially in portraying emotion.

“ e connection you have with the audience is truly fantastic,” Grace said. “When you’re on stage, you can’t see the audience but you can feel them. At heartbreaking moments, you can

feel a catch of breath.”

Like Grace, principal dancer Jonnathan Ramirez relishes acting a part. In “Swan Lake,” he will portray Odette’s ill-fated lover, Prince Siegfreid.

e most joyful part of ballet, said the tall, athletic danseur (male dancer), is “to become somebody else for a couple of hours.”

In the story, Prince Siegfried is hunting by a lake one evening when he sights a ock of swans. As he aims his arrow, the swans transform into young women, including the beautiful Odette. e two dance together in the moonlight, and begin to fall in love – but that love is threatened when Odette’s evil double Odile turns up.

“He has this pressure about nding the right woman,” said Ramirez, of Prince Siegfried. “He nally opens his heart, and it leads to tragedy.”

e Colombian-born dancer left home at age 8 to attend El Instituto Colombiano de Ballet Clásico (the Colombian Institute of Ballet).

“It was di cult at rst because the ballet school was next to a military school, divided only by a tiny creek,” he said. “ e military kids would jump over the creek and call us names, try to pick ghts.”

After Ramirez graduated, he accepted a scholarship at American Ballet eatre and moved to New York City alone, at age 16. Luckily, he found a host family who took him in. Now they regularly travel to Denver to attend all his performances.

“ ey became like my family,” said Ramirez. Demi-soloist Ariel McCarty, who grew up in Allen, Texas, also has a passion for depicting character through dance. McCarty will appear in “Swan Lake,” although like many in the company, she had not been cast in a speci c role by press time.

In last season’s hit, “Lady of the Camellias,” McCarty cherished her role as the young Parisienne, Nichette.

“She was kind but strong,” she said of her character. “ at’s something I’ve always wanted to grow into personally.”

A beloved classic that’s tough to dance

Audiences may marvel that dancers can invest this kind of emotion in their roles, while executing pirouettes (spins on one foot), tour jeté (a turning leap) and cabrioles (beating

Demi-soloist Ariel McCarty likes to stretch and sketch during rehearsal breaks at the Colorado Ballet studios. McCarty, who came up through the ranks of the Colorado Ballet’s pre-professional program, fell in love with dance at age 3 and dreams of doing “passionate, very human roles, like Juliet,” she said.

PHOTO BY TIM COLLINS

DANCERS

both legs together in mid-air). Ballet is a demanding art form, and “Swan Lake” ranks as one of the most di cult of all.

Odile’s infamous 32 fouettés (a whipping turn performed on one leg) in Act III — have tested many a ballerina throughout the ballet’s 150-year history. Cold, manipulative Odile and her infatuated prince dance an intricate pas de deux (a ve-part dance for two) that borders on an Olympic feat. On stage, it looks e ortless, but behind the scenes lie many grueling hours of practice and sweat.

An oft-cited 2014 study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine tested ballet dancers vs. football players for endurance. e ballet dancers won by a wide margin.

Although “Swan Lake” presents a high hurdle, Artistic Director Gil Boggs clearly believes his dancers are up to the task. e 62-year-old company, which now employs 36 artists from around the world, has upped its game with increasing technical nesse, stunning sets and costumes, and a live orchestra at every performance. Denver was recently ranked one of the top U.S. cities for dance attendance by the National Endowments for the Arts. Not bad for a Western cow town known for multiple sports stadiums.

Boggs said he is especially pleased by the growing diversity of Colorado Ballet audiences.

“I love the gentlemen that come in their cowboy hats and cowboy boots,” he said, with a grin.

A gentler, kinder approach

Boggs took the reins as artistic director in 2006, and runs the company with his wife, Sandra

Brown, who serves as his assistant and one of two ballet masters. Previously, the couple were principal dancers with American Ballet eatre in New York.

Boggs said his company is in uenced by classical Russian technique but with a caveat.

“We use a gentler, kinder approach. I’m not a dictator. I allow freedom,” he said. “It’s so important to me that we create a nourishing atmosphere, a place where people wake up and want to come do this every day.”

As a Black ballerina, Ariel McCarty appreciates this approach. McCarty fell in love with dance at age 3 but felt isolated in many of her classes. Although ballet has a rich history of Black ballerinas, it remains a notoriously White art form. Still, she said she feels welcome at Colorado Ballet.

“Gil has cultivated an atmosphere that’s very supportive. He’s one of the most open people I’ve

encountered,” McCarty said. With this nurturing atmosphere, it’s no wonder that Colorado Ballet dancers are soaring to new heights.

Is that why so many Denverites are going to the ballet? If mindboggling athleticism, haunting stories and emotional depth aren’t enough, there may be another reason.

Perhaps the song “At the Ballet” from the Broadway musical, “A Chorus Line,” puts it best:

“Everything was beautiful at the ballet.

Graceful men lift lovely girls in white.

Yes, everything was beautiful at the ballet.

Hey! I was happy... at the ballet.”

To learn more about the Colorado Ballet or to purchase tickets, visit coloradoballet.org.

Sept.

Curious Theatre Company: The Minutes

Time: Various showtimes available.

Location: Curious Theatre Company, 1080 Acoma St., Denver.

Cost: Varies.

Curious eatre Company’s 2023-2024 season opens with “ e Minutes” by Tracy Letts, a Tony-nominated and Pulitzernalist Broadway “comedy about small-town politics and real world power from one of the great writers of American theatre today,” states Curious eatre Company’s website. More information/reservations: curioustheatre.org Image courtesy of Curious eatre Company.

8-Feb. 11 Oct.

Ballet Ariel: Aurora’s Wedding

Time: 3 p.m. (both performances)

Location: Oct. 7: Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theatre, 119 Park Ave. W.. Denver; Oct. 14: Elaine Wolf Theatre at the Staenberg-Loup Jewish Community Center (JCC Denver), 350 S. Dahlia St., Denver.

Cost: $25 adult, $23 seniors and students, $20 children. Tickets include the performance and tea party. Ballet Ariel is opening its 25th season with a performance of “Aurora’s Wedding,” the third act of “Sleeping Beauty.” e ballet is set to music composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and is performed in one act and without intermission. is family-friendly production provides a rare opportunity for people of all ages to see beloved fairy tale characters together in one place. e event also includes a tea party following the per-

Oct.

Amoako Boafo: Soul of Black Folks

Time: Museum hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with additional hours until 9 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Location: Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy.

Cost: Museum admission ranges from free for youth and members to $15 for adult Colorado residents.

“Amoako Boafo: Soul of Black Folks” is a solo exhibition tour that brings the work of Ghanaian artist Amoako Boafo — one of the most acclaimed artists of his generation — to Denver. is exhibit features more than 30 of Boafo’s works created between 2016 and 2022, highlighting the artist’s unique approach to portraiture. Making use of vibrant color and thick gestures, Boafo’s work centers on Black subjectivity, Black joy and the Black gaze. In addition to Boafo’s artwork on display, exhibition visitors can

enjoy supplemental experiences such as a video featuring Boafo’s artistic creative process, audio clips of the artist’s voice and a music playlist developed by the artist to accompany the exhibition. More information/reservations: denverartmuseum.org

Amoako Boafo, “Green Clutch,” 2021. Courtesy of Private Collection and Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, Chicago and Paris.

Candlelight concert: Friday the 13thSpecial featuring Aerialists

Time: 6:30 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.

Location: Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver.

Cost: $48-$66

formance, during which audience members have the opportunity for a meet-and-greet and to take pictures with the costumed performers. More information/reservations: balletariel.org

Photo by David Andrews.

Candlelight concerts are a multi-sensory live music experience. This one will feature music from Halloween movie favorites performed by musicians with Range Ensemble and will feature performances by aerialists. The event is for ages 8 and older, and attendees younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Ride Revolution Spin-A-Thon

Time: Begins at 8 a.m.

Location: Ride Revolution, 1519 S. Pearl St., Denver.

Cost: $25 minimum donation is requested per rider.

Tuvayhun: Voices in Unity

Time: 7 p.m.

Location: Augustana Lutheran Church, 5000 E. Alameda Ave., Denver.

Cost: $25 general admission, $20 senior, free for child/student.

e Colorado Chorale and the Augustana Lutheran Church Chancel Choir are collaborating to present Kim Andre Arnesen’s “Tuvayhun.” e Aramaic word, “tuvayhoon,” translates to “blessed.” “`Tuvayhun’ is more than a concertit’s a celebration of the human spirit, expressed through the unifying power of music,” states a news release.

Ride Revolution, an indoor cycling studio located on South Pearl Street, is teaming up with TIEM athletic shoes to host a fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. e four 45-minute donation-based rides will be o ered at 8 am, 9 am, 10 am and 11 am. All of the proceeds from these rides will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. To learn more about

the foundation, visit bcrf.org. To learn more about Ride Revolution, visit goriderev.com. More information/reservations: To register for any of the four donation-based rides bene ting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, download the Ride Revolution app. Any questions can be directed to Ride Revolution by sending an email to info@goriderev.com.

Oct.

More information/reservations: coloradochorale.org

Oct.

Stories on Stage: Message in a Bottle

Time: 2 p.m.

Location: Su Teatro Cultural and Performing Arts Center, 721 Santa Fe Dr., Denver.

Cost: $26

Stories on Stage is a nonpro t theater and literary organization that presents dynamic and entertaining short stories performed by renowned local actors. “Message in a Bottle” will entail the actors portraying “comical and moving letters written by entirely ctional characters,” states a news release.

More information/ reservations: storiesonstage.org or 303-4940523.

History Colorado’s Tours and Treks: 7th Avenue Historic District Walking Tour

Time: 10 a.m. to noon

Location: 7th Avenue Historic District in Denver.

Cost: $40 nonmembers, $30 for members.

is tour will explore Denver’s largest historic district and its architectural styles. is is a moderate walking tour that includes about two miles on streets, easy trails and climbing stairs. is tour includes coach transportation and lunch.

More information/ reservations: historycolorado.org/tours-andtreks

Image courtesy of a news release.

Nov.

Historic Denver’s 53rd annual Awards Dinner & Gala

Time: 5 p.m. cocktail reception, 7 p.m. awards dinner and gala

Location: The Brown Palace Hotel, 321 17th St., Denver.

Cost: Event Ticket: $195, Patron Ticket: $250.

is fundraiser event for Historic Denver includes a networking cocktail hour, a three-course dinner, a short lm about the eight 2023 honorees and their projects, an awards presentation and an auction and paddle raise to support Historic Denver’s year-round work.

More information/reservations: historicdenver.org/tours-events/annualdinner-2023 Courtesy image.

The Bookies:

Author Event with Stephan Pastis

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Location: Teller Elementary School, 1150 Garfield St., Denver.

Cost: Free. The Bookies will have copies of “Looking Up” by Stephan Pastis available for purchase. e Bookies bookstore is hosting Californiabased author and comic artist Stephan Pastis for an author event and book signing for his latest book, “Looking Up.” “Looking Up” is a novel for middle-schoolers “about a girl struggling with loneliness and the curveballs of life,” states a news release. To learn more about the book, visit tinyurl.com/LookingUpPastis. “Looking Up” will be released on Oct. 10, but pre-orders are available through e Bookies: thebookies.com.

More information/reservations: thebookies.com/events/29742

Image of the “Looking Up” book cover courtesy of a news release.

SEASONAL FUN

Halloween is in the air

13TH FLOOR HAUNTED HOUSE

e 13th Floor Haunted House, 3400 E. 52nd Ave. in Denver, has opened for the season on select nights through Nov. 11. is year’s haunted house features three attractions: Fairytale Nightmare, Repossessed and e Deadlands. In addition to the haunted house, 13th Floor features many additional onsite attractions and add-on experiences. ere is no minimum age requirement for the 13th Floor, though the event is graphic and meant to be scary. It is not recommended for children age 12 and younger. A Monster-Free Hour is o ered on Sundays in October. Ticket prices begin at $19.99 per person, with Fast Pass, Skip the Line, Behind-the-Scenes tours and VIP ticketing options available. 13th oorhauntedhouse.com.

BROADWAY HALLOWEEN PARADE

An annual favorite, the Broadway Halloween Parade takes place at 6 p.m. Oct. 21 on Broadway between Fifth and Alameda avenues. Put on by the Broadway Merchants Association and City Council District 7, it features Halloween-themed oats, bands and marchers. Attendees are encouraged to dress in costume. Free to attend. facebook.com/BroadwayHalloweenParade.

“DRACULA”

Firehouse eater Company, 7653 E. First Place in Denver, is presenting “Dracula” on select dates from Sept. 30 to Oct. 28. is adaptation by Steven Dietz and directed by Julie Kaye Wolf brings the original suspense and seduction of Bram Stoker’s classic novel to the stage with both horror and humor. Tickets cost $27 with group discounts available. rehousetheatercompany.com.

GHOST WALK WITH PHIL GOODSTEIN

Local author and Denver native Phil Goodstein is o ering his Denver Ghost Walk tours from 7-9 p.m. on Oct. 20, 21, 27 and 28; and from 6-8 p.m. on Oct.31. Attendees should meet in front of the statue of the Indian on the east lawn of the Colorado State Capitol Building in Denver, which is along Grant Street between 14th and Colfax avenues. Cost is $25. For more information or to make a reservation, contact Goodstein at philgoodstein@gmail.com.

GHOSTS IN THE GARDENS

is event allows visitors to stroll through the Denver Botanic Gardens’ paths after dark as storytellers share real sta encounters, security guard accounts and the intriguing history of the place that was formerly known as “ e Boneyard.” Guests can also go inside the Waring House for an exclusive visit of the Beaux-Arts style mansion. Families with children age 12 and older are welcome — this event is not recommended for younger children. Halloween masks and costumes are not permitted at this event. Timed tickets must be purchased in advance. Ghosts in the Gardens is o ered from 5:30-10:30 p.m. Oct. 13-15 and 26-29. Cost is $34 or $29 for members. is event takes place at the York Street Location, 1007 York St., in Denver. botanicgardens.org.

PUMPKIN HARVEST FESTIVAL AT FOUR MILE HISTORIC PARK

is fall festival includes a pumpkin patch, a marketplace, live music and performances, seasonal food, face painting, a Western-themed scavenger hunt, gold panning, prairie games and more. A build-your-own scarecrow activity is o ered as an add-on experience for $25. e festival takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 14 and 15. Tickets cost $16-$35 (children 3 and younger do not require a ticket). VIP tickets available. Ticket prices increase on Oct. 13. Four Mile Historic Park is located at 715 S. Forest St. in Denver. fourmilepark.org/pumpkin-harvest-festival/

WILD FALL

e Denver Zoo is again o ering its Wild Fall through the month of October. Guests will have the opportunity to discover the creatures that inhabit their imaginations, such as beasts of lore like Bigfoot, dragons, sea monsters and more. Roaming costumed characters, creature-carved pumpkins, festive food and drink and special animal demos enhance the experience. Wild Fall is included with a regular ticket to the zoo. On select evenings in October, the zoo will be opening up for its Trick-or-Treat Trail. A separate ticket is required. It costs $20 and includes a reusable bag for trick-or-treating at various candy stations, a silent disco party, photo ops with festive characters and other seasonal surprises to discover throughout the zoo’s 84 acres. To learn more or purchase tickets to either event, visit denverzoo.org.

VICTORIAN HORRORS

Celebrating its 30th annual year, Victorian Horrors is a mainstay for Denver Halloween events. Acclaimed local actors give theatrical readings of terrifying tales written by well-known, but long-gone, authors throughout the Molly Brown House Museum. Age recommendation for this event is 10 and older. Victorian Horrors is o ered on Oct. 13-15, 19-21 and 26-28. Admission times are every 15 minutes from 6-9 p.m. An accessibility-friendly and signlanguage assistance in-person performance takes place at 5 p.m. on Oct. 28. Cost is $30 general admission and $25 Historic Denver members. A special opening night Friday the 13th Seance After-Party takes place at 8:45 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Oct. 13. Age recommendation for this event is 21+. It costs $75 general admission and $65 Historic Denver members, and includes Victorian Horrors admission as well as 21+ beverages, snacks and a Victorian-style seance hosted by Otherworld Paranormal. mollybrown.org/victorian-horrors/

Kolacny Music prepares for nal curtain

BY KYLE COOKE ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

Editor’s note: Rocky Mountain PBS originally published this story on Sept. 6, which fell after the press deadline for Colorado Community Media’s September edition of Life on Capitol Hill and the Washington Park Pro le. CCM kept the original dates in the story to not disrupt its ow.

David Kolacny does not have time to be sad. He is too busy packing.

Kolacny Music, a staple of Denver’s ever-changing South Broadway corridor, is closing its doors for good after 93 years in business. e store is o ering major discounts on instruments and accessories as they prepare to close. e doors will be locked September 30.

While David’s lengthy to-do list means he is too busy to feel verklempt,

generations of musicians have made the time to reach out to him.

Sitting in the side room of his expansive store in the shadow of a harp he is repairing for the Colorado Symphony, David, 68, who lives in Englewood, read an email he recently received from a former customer.

Writing about a Spanish guitar purchased from Kolacny Music in 1963, the customer wrote, “it has been to California, Washington state, Iran, Scotland, all over England and currently lives with me in France. I play it every day and treasure every scar and mark it has acquired over 50 years. I’m so sorry to hear you are closing down. My mom passed away a long time ago, but we both thank you so much. South Denver will never be the same.”

“And I’m getting tons of this. People just show up,” David said. “ ey bring their parents in.”

Asked if that outpouring of support eased the pain of closing his doors, David said that it has always been this way. Many people, including local legends like Charlie Burrell, treated the store like a hangout over the years. David is accustomed to people coming by just to say hello, if not to shop.

“It’s how I grew up, from the time I was a kid,” he said. “You assumed everyone’s business was like that.”

David’s grandfather, William J. Kolacny, opened the store in 1930. Kolacny Music’s original location was in the Barth Building in downtown Denver. e family moved the business to Englewood — the Barth Building was demolished years later — before eventually settling on the corner of South Broadway and East Jewell Avenue. e store was passed down to David’s father, who then passed it down to David, who now co-owns the busi-

ness with his wife and sister. Kolacny Music became the go-to place in Denver for local school music programs to rent and repair instruments.

“Kolacny closing is just absolutely gut-wrenching,” said Keith Oxman, a saxophonist and bandleader who also works as a band teacher at Denver’s East High School. “When I heard about it, part of me just died. I’ve been going into that store [since] the 1960s.”

Despite the business’ longevity — they survived the Great Depression, World War II, and nearly a century’s worth of other nancial and global crises — the margins at Kolacny Music were always pretty thin.

“We never made a lot of money. My grandfather never had his house paid o ; he was always borrowing money to put back in the business,” David

SEE CURTAIN, P15

CURTAIN

said. “If we made it through the month and had all the bills paid, we were pretty happy.

David explained that over time, participation in band and orchestra programs at local schools declined, meaning Kolacny’s clientele base did, too. e transition to online shopping was also bad for business. “People don’t come to a music store, necessarily, for every little thing anymore,” he said. “And the schools that have good programs are further out.”

“When we started, you could draw a circle around the store and that’s where all our customers were — the Denver Public Schools, the Englewood Public Schools,” David said. “But now you have to go look for the particular building in the particular district that’s got an administration that wants music and that hires

a good teacher. So it’s spread out further and further. ere’s not that concentration of every school in the district [having] a great band.”

Oxman said that while enrollment is relatively steady in the East High School band program, “the instrumentation has gotten even worse than normal.”

“I don’t know what the future is going to bring as far as all of that goes. It’s not the heyday that it was in the 70s,” he said. “I have a concert band at the end of the school day. I don’t have any trumpet players in there.

at’s never happened.”

Edwina Lucero is the music instructional and curriculum specialist with Denver Public Schools. “ e emphasis on large ensembles isn’t entirely relevant to students anymore,” she said, noting that the pandemic also interrupted the musical development for many students. “In the district, we’re trying really hard to reimagine what our music education looks like.”

Combined with changing shop-

ping habits and the evolution — and in some cases, devolution — of local music programs, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated Kolacny’s timeline.

“We got into a big hole with the COVID thing,” David said. “We took a pretty good-sized loan with the SBA and our bookkeeper was telling us, ‘you’re never going to make enough money to pay this loan o and it’s secured by your house.’”

David and the other owners tried to sell the business, but as David put it, “nobody in the music business has the money to buy another music business.” So when a company called Alchemy o ered a fair price to buy the building and turn it into an event space, the Kolacny family accepted.

e sale and impending closure has been surprisingly hard on David’s mother, who is 97. “She just couldn’t imagine,” David said. “She worked here too, for a while.”

David is not bitter or dejected about the closure. For about 40 years, he has spent six days a week at the store. He

has hardly ever taken a vacation that wasn’t related to work in some way. While he’s looking forward to some much-deserved leisure, he’s not going to stop working just yet. He built up quite the rolodex of harpists who rely on him for repairs and tune-ups, and he’ll continue his services from his home in Englewood.

Lucero said Kolacny’s closure should be a “wake up call” for the music education community in Denver.

“How are we going to maintain building up the future of music-making?” she wondered.

“It would be so nice to live in a place where we have strong music programs and strong music stores,” Oxman concluded. “I don’t know if that’s coming back or not, but God it would be so great if it did.”

is Rocky Mountain Public Media story is via e Associated Press’ Storyshare, of which Colorado Community Media is a member.

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BUILDING

Theater Company, 7653 E. First Place in Denver, as the resident stage manager.

“I was constantly part of conversations where we were like, ‘we need this set piece or costume piece,’ and someone would say, ‘such and such theater has it,’” Davis said.

So she began towonder: “Why can’t we just have a database to have these conversations all together?”

Additionally, because Davis worked at theaters with varying budgets, she noticed that the cost of props was also sometimes an issue – smaller theaters with less funding had to preclude certain plays due to budget.

Davis then discovered a great interest in resource sharing, but a lack of time for anyone to organize it and make it a possibility.

“So many of us (working in theater) are filling multiple positions (and) working other j obs,” Davis said.

Davis believes the Resource Sharing Initiative might be the solution for many – if not all – of these setbacks because it could potentially help participating organizations save money, time, waste and stress by joining forces.

“It’s about sharing in the moment when creation isn’t an option,” said Davis.

Larger theaters can also benefit from the initiative, as any financial savings gained from participating can support other budget line items like hiring more technicians and crew members needed to support a show.

Naumoff, the local properties master, has more than 30 years of props experience and has worked in theaters in Colorado, Arizona and Illinois. She is in support of the Resource Sharing Initiative and believes it will encourage communication and cooperation between theater companies.

“This initiative can serve everyone,” she said. “If we could share props, we could save money, time and storage, and also expand our networks and build cooperation.”

Jeff Jesmer, a set builder at Vintage and Fire -

house theaters, agrees. Jesmer added that the initiative has the potential to unite theaters so that “no theater company feels alone.”

“With the Resource Sharing Initiative, everybody’s needs can be seen,” Jesmer said. “Help is out there, and everybody wants to be a part of it.”

Davis’ goal is to ensure that participation in the Resource Sharing Initiative is affordable and accessible to everyone, regardless of the size of the theater organization.

“To me, theater means community, freedom and education,” Davis said. “Freedom to be a part of a community, to feel safe in your environment and to get to be not only yourself but a number of characters and parts of worlds that reach people that you would never get to interact with in day-to-day life.”

For Davis, the sky’s the limit on how big the Resource Sharing Initiative could get, but she hopes to start with a warehouse that would serve the Denver-metro area, then expand to Fort Collins and Colorado Springs.

“I see this growing into something that we can only dream of right now,” Davis said.