Parker Arts ranks 10th for 2023 Denver-Area Tourist Attractions

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Parker Arts celebrates as they receive a number of accolades at the Henry Awards as well as receiving a top 10 ranking from the Denver Business Journal.

e Denver Business Journal released their list of the top 2023 Denver-Area Tourist Attractions in late July.

Based on reported sales, Parker Arts ranked number 10, right behind venues like the Denver Zoo, the Denver Art Museum and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

Parker Arts is a multi-cultural, multi-purpose community venue that includes the PACE Center, the historic Schoolhouse, Ruth Memorial Chapel and Discovery Park for summertime events.

eater performances and shows are not just local, Parker Arts brings in national and international programming.

In addition, they do weddings, rental events, celebrations of life, camps for people of all ages. ese classes range from dance and music classes to art and science classes… they even o er a LEGO camp. ere are also a variety of art exhibitions that come to Parker Arts.

“We really have a robust o ering,” said Carrie Glassburn, cultural director of Parker Arts. “Which I think helps add to that ability to have, you know, the sales that we have.” e Henry Awards were established in 2006 and honors outstanding achievements during the previous performing season. It also serves as the Colorado eatre Guild’s annual fundraising event. e Henry judges are made of theater professionals who go to theaters around the state, attend shows, score and rank them. is year, Parker Arts was nominated for 13 Henry’s for their “ e

Parker Arts also took home ve awards at the 2023 Henry Awards in late July.

“It’s kind of Colorado’s version of the Oscars, if you will,” said Glassburn.

Addams Family”, “ e Sound of Music”, and “Footloose” musical productions.

“Pretty proud that community theater and Parker actually was able to be recognized like that when it’s not the only thing that we do,” said Glassburn.

Parker Arts partners with and co-produces with other production companies, Glassburn said the awards were shared with a company called Sasquatch Productions.

During their season announcement in late June, Glassburn said Parker Arts had record breaking sales the evening the shows were announced to Parker Arts members for the upcoming season.

Upcoming shows include country musician Rodney Atkins as well as national comedians, magicians and musicals.

“While it’s always nice to have a night out downtown,” said Glassburn. “People really do appreciate being able to have this quality programming right in their backyard where they can go out to eat on Main Street and go see a show.” e money will spread across a diverse array of approaches. Organizations that will receive the funding include the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Arapahoe/Douglas Counties; You Are Not Alone Mom 2 Mom, a peer support system for mothers; and e Aspen E ect, a group that connects young people with horses for what’s known as “equine therapy.” e comments from area residents also included disapproval of transgender people.

But the discussion about approving the funding became overtaken by a debate over whether Castle Rock Pride — a nonpro t that aims to build a supportive community in Douglas County for LGBTQ+ residents — should receive part of the money.

One resident, talking about gender changes, said “this is satanic evil” and criticized the county commissioners for considering supporting Castle Rock Pride.

“You cannot recreate what God created,” the resident said at the July 25 commissioners meeting.

Groups at higher risk

Across Colorado, nearly 800 people died by suicide in 2004, and that one-year total reached almost 1,300 in 2022, according to state data cited by Douglas County sta .

In Douglas County, the number of suicide deaths went from a recent low of 15 in 2005 to dozens higher in years afterward.

Last year, 53 people died by suicide in Douglas County, according to the state data.

But suicide risk is a direr problem for certain demographics, and that includes LGBTQ+ youth, who are far

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