Dragon Boat Festival is bigger than ever

Coming Attractions

There’s nothing like reaching a major goal after years of work. is is a concept the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival is very aware of — not only has it grown by leaps and bounds in its more than two decades of existence, but this year it achieved a major milestone.

“ is year we were able to purchase a eet of new boatsHong Kong-style BuK Dragon Boats,” said Sara Moore, Executive Director of Colorado Dragon Boat. “Getting these boats is 23 years in the making and we’re so excited to have them.”

Dragon boat racing is just one thing visitors can explore at this year’s annual Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, which will be held at Sloan’s Lake, 25th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard in Denver, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 22 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 23. is year’s free festival is bigger than ever, which re ects the growing interest from members of the Asian American Native Hawaiian Paci c Islander (AANHPI) community and those who want to learn about and celebrate the vibrant cultures represented at the event. Last year’s festival drew in more than 170,000 people, according to Moore, and this year is on track to match or exceed that number.

“We’re becoming more inclusive and working with the community to make sure everyone’s voices are heard,” she added. “We see a huge thirst and desire for Coloradoans to come out and support these organizations.” e nonpro t organization puts hours and hours of work into the festival, which also doubles as a crucial fundraiser for Colorado Dragon Boat. All the festival’s beverage centers are run by local nonpro ts that also use the event as a fundraiser, so every dollar spent on a beverage is split between the nonpro t sponsor and Colorado Dragon Boat.

“We have great volunteers and sponsors who make the festival possible,” Moore said. “It is inspiring and empowering to see the community respond in such a needed way.”

In addition to the titular racing, visitors have a bevy of options for exploring. ere’s the Asian Marketplace and Asian Craft Tent, both of which feature unique gifts and artworks. And speaking of art, the festival features three performance stages, where a range of performers will share traditional and contemporary Asian and Asian-American instrumental, vocal, choral and dance performances.

I can’t forget to mention the food, which is always delicious and can be found in the Taste of Asia Food Court. ere are all kinds of options to select from, so regardless of what you’re in the mood for, you’re guaranteed to nd something that suits.

No mater where your interests or curiosities lead, the festival will provide an opportunity for enlightenment, entertainment and, most importantly, cultural connection.

“I love seeing the community coming together in celebration, especially since there aren’t enough events that highlight the contributions of the AANHPI community,” Moore said. “ e festival is a great way to tell the world we’re here, showcase all we’ve done and that we’re not going anywhere.”

All the details can be found at www. cdbf.org/summerinfo.

Lakewood celebrates Park and Rec Month e City of Lakewood is celebrating of Park and Recreation Month by honoring the parks and recreation employees who keep these crucial resources vibrant for residents and visitors. ere all kinds of classes to try out, pools to swim, and open spaces ripe for exploration. Find the full listings of parks at Lakewood.org/Parks.

Celebrate Colorado creatives at Curtis Center

Colorado’s arts scene is constantly evolving and expanding in ways that are both thrilling and imaginative. is makes the 40th Annual All Colorado Art Show at the Curtis Center for the Arts, 2349 E. Orchard Road in Greenwood Village, a great opportunity to explore just how talented artists in the state.

One of most the popular shows at the center, it runs through Saturday, Aug. 26. Visit https://www.greenwoodvillage.com/curtis for all the details.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Caamp at Red Rocks e folk-rock band has been around since 2016 and had a major breakthrough with their third album, “Lavender Days,” which was released about a year ago. Fans of groups like e Lumineers and Nathaniel Rateli will nd a lot to love, so get tickets at www. ticketmaster.com. powered by

Look, the actual concert of the week is Taylor Swift’s two-night run at Empower Field, but to score tickets to that, you’d probably need to shorten your child’s time at college by a year or so. With that in mind, why not check out Ohio’s Caamp, who are performing two nights at Red Rocks, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway in Morrison, at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 19 and ursday, July 20.

Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.

Thu 7/13

Nature Art! Homeschool Program

@ 9am / Free

Bird Conservancy's Environmental Learn‐ing Center, 14500 Lark Bunting Lane, Brighton. 303-659-4348 ext. 53

Featured

Fri 7/14

Featured

Featured

Get Crafty @ 3pm

Jul 17th - Jul 20th

Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-2893760

Tue 7/18

Volleyball Development Camp @ 6am

Jul 18th - Jul 27th

Commerce City Parks, 6060 E Parkway Drive, Commerce City. 303-289-3760

Colorado Rockies vs. New York Yankees @ 6:40pm / $32-$350

Coors Field, 2001 Blake St., Den‐ver

Sat 7/15

Colorado Rockies vs. New York Yankees @ 6:10pm / $33-$350

Metalachi: Top Taco 2023 @ 6pm

Westminster City Park, 10455 N Sheridan Blvd, Westminster

Featured

Coors Field, 2001 Blake St., Denver

Teague Starbuck @ 9pm

Elevate Grill & Bar, 2831 W 120th Ave #200, Westminster

Sun 7/16

Featured

Featured

Juice O'The Barley: Twist & Shout Thornton Summer Concert Series @ 7pm

Harley Brown Amphitheater, Thornton

Wildlife Series: Flying Rainbow an Epic Tale (7/13) @ 7pm

Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Nate Hixson: Twist & Shout Thornton Summer Concert Series @ 7pm Harley Brown Amphitheater, Thornton

Carolyn Shulman: Water Lantern FestivalDenver/Thornton 2023 @ 7:20pm

Carpenter Park, 10698 Gar�eld St, Thornton

Featured Featured

Keith Hicks @ 4pm

Denver Premium Outlets, Thornton

Mon 7/17

Featured

Colorado Rockies vs. Houston Astros @ 6:40pm / $10-$300

Coors Field, 2001 Blake St., Den‐ver

The Zenith Passage @ 7pm HQ, 60 S Broadway, Denver

Wed 7/19

Medicare 101 (7/19) @ 3pm

Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Featured

Colorado Rapids vs Houston Dynamo @ 7:30pm / $25-$999

DICK'S Sporting Goods Park, 6000 Victory Way, Commerce City

Raptor Camp @ 9am / $230

Jul 17th - Jul 21st

Bird Conservancy's Environmental Learning Center, 14500 Lark Bunting Lane, Brighton. 303-6594348 ext. 53

Police Camp @ 1pm

Jul 17th - Jul 20th

Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-2893760

Big Dry Creek Open House @ 4:30pm

Westminster City Park, 10455 North Sheridan Boulevard, West‐minster. BDCRestoration@City ofWestminster.us, 303-706-3406

Thu 7/20

Summer Evening Patio Potluck @ 11:30pm

Fort Lupton Recreation & Parks De‐partment, 203 S Harrison, Fort Lupton. 303-857-4200