Car show to display classic rides for good cause »PAGE 16
DAYS?
Broomfield High School cheerleaders bring the energy during Broomfield Days in September 2023
Just as fall knocks on the door, something huge pops up in town: Broomfield Days, an annual festival the city calls its “biggest event of the year.” For decades, Broomfielders have come together in September to “spend a day enjoying a festival in their honor,” the city website says
Complete with, this year, a heartshaped festival logo bearing the words “city with a heart,” the event is a chance to embrace the community around you. The first day begins with a community pancake breakfast, followed by runners lining up for the Mayor’s Cup 5K before the Broomfield Days Parade comes down Midway Boulevard, according to the city.
Later, you can check out tons of vendor booths, along with food trucks, a car show featuring unique and classic rides, a children’s clown contest, a duck race, concessions and carnival games, pony rides, a petting zoo, and live performances on stage. Broomfield Days returns to Midway Park — off Midway Boulevard and Kohl Street — starting in full on Saturday.
BROOMFIELD DAYS LINEUP
9a.m.: Arts and crafts festival, trade fair, food booths; along Midway Boulevard
9:30a.m.: The Broomfield community parade begins 9:30a.m.: at Main Street and Midway Boulevard, and will arrive at Midway Park around 10a.m.
2p.m.: Duck races; register at Pink Z; race held north of Midway Park Girl Scout Shelter
3-6p.m.: Jacob Larson Band, a funk and soul group combining powerhouse vocals, classic instrumentation and an old-school approach, its website says; Main Stage (east of the fire station)
7p.m.: Rotary Club of Broomfield Crossing bingo; Midway Park Girl Scout Shelter
Saturday
8:20a.m.: Mayor’s Cup 5K and 1 mile road race; Midway Boulevard Reviewing Stage
9a.m.: Concessions and carnival games, pony rides, petting zoo; along Midway Boulevard
BowWow Broomfield Sunday
11:30a.m.: Speed Retrieve Competition
1:30p.m.: Big Air Finals (divisional format)
Not all events are included in the above list. See more at tinyurl. com/BroomfieldDays2025Lineup. Schedule is subject to change.
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BROOMFIELD DAYS GRAND MARSHAL
Teaching Generation after Generation
CLIFF GRASSMICK — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Mike Lutz, Broomfield FISH’s food operations manager, moves some food around for storage in late August Lutz is this year’s Broomfield Days grand marshal
By Corbett Stevenson cstevenson @prairiemountainmedia.com
Described as a humble and tireless advocate for his community, the Broomfield Days 2025 grand marshal is a force of good working behind the scenes to serve the neighbors and organization that restored his faith in humanity at a dire time in his life.
Walking through the Broomfield FISH building at 6 Garden Center on a recent Tuesday, Mike Lutz doesn’t make it very far before he stops to greet his neighbors. Every few steps he stops to wave at a baby, making faces and ensuring he gets back a smile before taking a few steps and stopping again.
Lutz knows many of the neighbors who shop at FISH — Fellowship in Serving Humanity — where he’s worked for 16 years.
FISH serves as Broomfield’s local resource center and food provider, known for its self-shop marketplace that allows neighbors in need to pick their own groceries with dignity. With Lutz serving as the food operations manager, the marketplace is well-stocked and bustling.
“I started as assistant food manager way back when and got this official title about eight years ago when we moved into this building,” Lutz said. “I learned this position from just being thrown into it — talking with other organizations and learning best practices.”
Lutz has been selected as the 2025 Broomfield Days grand marshal, an honored position given to pillars of the Broomfield community who embody what it means to live in and love the city. Lutz truly knows what it means to give back to the community he loves.
Renee Kozisek Sereff is the Grand Marshall for 2024 Broomfield Days!
Grand marshal
According to FISH, for its 2023 period, the organization distributed over 1.5 million pounds of food, serving over 13,000 unduplicated people Additionally, FISH supported 734 residents with housing assistance, according to the organization, and showed 222 families as receiving utility assistance in 2023 data
Lutz is an integral part of FISH’s work and makes sure the marketplace always has what it needs and runs smoothly. He said working with FISH has allowed him to give back to the community — a community that has helped him, too.
“I had some things happen in my life where I was not in a really good place. I struggled with alcohol and found myself in a bad place,” Lutz said of his time before FISH. “I was walking home one day thinking about my next steps in life and saw two gentlemen unloading a truck and asked if they needed help.”
Those two people were unloading for FISH, and after hearing
He said working at FISH allowed him to see the good in people that FISH inspired, and he’s worked with them ever since
“He is a tireless advocate for making sure we have the best food in our marketplace, and our families need that,” said Sharin Oliver, FISH’s operations manager. “He’s always supportive of the people coming through, making people feel comfortable so there isn’t any kind of stigma or shame in seeking help here — (Lutz) just does that very naturally.”
Oliver said she’s worked with Lutz for 16 years and that she’s seen him grow into his role as FISH has grown — and that he’s never above doing anything that needs to get done.
about FISH’s mission and the men saying they’d need more help the next day, Lutz returned and began volunteering regularly, he said.
“I fell in love with the organization — and with the community all over again,” he said.
Lutz said he’s lived in Broomfield for over 50 years and has always loved his community, but his diffi-
cult situation left him disillusioned with the world around him.
“At that point, I just didn’t think that there were very many good people in this world — maybe me included,” Lutz said “Volunteering here, I saw how wonderful everyone that worked here was and it just rejuvenated my faith in humanity and the community.”
“We see him in meetings talking about the budget, doing grant reporting, taking out the trash or mopping the floors, all because it’s what needs to get done here,” Oliver said “He always leads by example, and I admire that about him.”
Oliver said the FISH community is thrilled to see Lutz honored as the grand marshal, but maybe none are quite as excited as Taylor Shelsta.
CLIFF GRASSMICK — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Judy Bourne organizes vegetables Aug 26. Mike Lutz of Broomfield FISH is this year’s Broomfield Days grand marshal.
Broomfield Days to celebrate sister city relationships
By Corbett Stevenson cstevenson @prairiemountainmedia.com
As part of the Broomfield Days celebrations, the Sister Cities program will present three shows on the demo stage that highlight the organization’s mission of promoting peace through connections between communities.
Broomfield first began participating in the program, part of Sister Cities International, in 2001. Originally sisters with Maruko, Japan, Broomfield became sisters with Ueda when Maruko and other places were absorbed into the larger city of Ueda in 2006, said Junko Goodwin, the board chair of Broomfield Sister Cities.
“Ueda is a smaller city, nearby big mountains and about two hours from Tokyo by fast train,” Goodwin said. “The city is bigger than Broomfield but the feeling when you go there — with the historical buildings, shrines and focus on nature — is very similar.”
For about two decades, Broomfield has sent and received exchange students from Ueda, and students in both cities focus on learning and experiencing the culture and traditions that guide everyday life.
In an effort to bring some of that culture to the rest of Broomfield, the program is hosting a performance from each of the sister cities on the Broomfield Days demo stage during the festival Sept. 20. Ueda is up first at 3:30 p.m. with a traditional Japanese drumming performance from members of the Mirai Daiko ensemble.
In addition to Ueda, Broomfield currently has another sister city, and its newest sister city agreement with Lalitpur, Nepal, is set to be signed on Tuesday.
Larry Cooper works with the Broomfield Sister Cities program and said that the mayor of Lalitpur, Chiri Babu Maharjan, will be attending Broomfield Days, and is excited to meet the community.
“The program allows us to have
friendships and cultural exchange with people all over the world, and it just shows how much we’re all alike,” Cooper said.
Lalitpur is in central Nepal, just south of Kathmandu, and, as Cooper describes it, is the “art and culture center of Nepal.” Representatives from Lalitpur are slated to take the stage at 4:30 p.m. with Nepali dancing and music from traditional instruments.
Broomfield’s third sister city is the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes from Oklahoma, which has been a sister city since March.
“Oklahoma might be relatively close compared to Japan or Nepal, but the experience of native people in our country has often been very distinct from mainstream culture,” Marrton Dormish, who works with Broomfield Sister Cities, said.
Marion Murphy — Courtesy photo Broomfield welcomed members of the Native community in 2023, including for a soil exchange ceremony.
SISTER CITIES
Grand marshal
FROM PAGE 9
“(Lutz) is incredibly kind to (Shelsta), they have a lot of fun together and (Shelsta) looks up to him like an uncle,” said Taylor Shelsta’s dad, Jerry Shelsta.
Jerry Shelsta said his son has Down syndrome and is nonverbal, and uses a tablet with words and phrases to communicate
He’s so excited about the parade, his dad said, that they had his speech pathologist add a button to his device so he can talk about it with ease.
“He’s always talking about it all the time to everybody — whenever we drive down Midway in that area he’s pulling it up on his app and talking about it,” Jerry Shelsta said.
“He’s always loved the Broomfield Days parade, so the idea that he’s going to be in the parade is something he’s really excited about.”
Jerry Shelsta said his son met Lutz while he was volunteering at FISH around 2010, and that Taylor Shelsta still volunteers one day a week, bringing his joy and energy into the space — and he’s always coming home talking about Lutz.
Lutz’s excitement for Taylor Shelsta to experience the parade and be honored by the Broomfield community “shows that generosity and humility he has,” Oliver said of Lutz
“He would never want that attention for himself — he wants it for FISH and to see (Taylor
GRASSMICK — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Bonita Calloway opens up the carrots Aug. 26.
Shelsta) experience that.”
Lutz and Taylor Shelsta will share the grand marshal’s seat of honor at the front of the Broomfield Community Parade, which begins 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Main Street and Midway Boulevard.
“Broomfield is an amazing community, and I’ve lived here a long time and know that we welcome anybody into the big, giant family of the city,” Lutz said.
“We lean on each other in tough times, celebrate the great times and have this amazing place to live and take care of each other — and I don’t know if there’s many places quite like that, so it’s truly an honor to be the grand marshal.”
Sister cities
FROM PAGE 10
“There have not often been relationships between U.S. communities and native nations, so we’re very honored to … do that.”
Broomfield’s connection with the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Dormish said, is particularly important given the tribes’ history in the area.
“The Cheyenne and especially the Arapaho in this area were … displaced from here around the Pikes Peak Gold Rush because people were coming to seek their fortunes despite treaties that had been signed,” Dormish said “It’s a sad part of our history that’s not often acknowledged, and I think the program elevates that in a really important way.”
One of the most important missions of Broomfield’s relationship with the Cheyenne and Arapaho is a growing level of awareness about that history, and “there’s a big push, federally and otherwise, to ignore episodes of our history that are ones we aren’t proud of — but I think that makes it even more important,” Dormish said.
Representatives from the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes will give a short presentation along with singing, dancing and drumming on the demo stage at 4 p.m.
CLIFF
ARTIST WITH ROOTS
Event logo celebrates the city’s heart
By Corbett Stevenson cstevenson
@prairiemountainmedia.com
This year’s Broomfield Days logo and theme highlights the city’s heart — more than just a physical space, the city’s heart lies in its community.
Each year, Broomfield hosts a design contest where hopeful artists can submit their ideas for what the annual Broomfield Days logo and theme will be. This year, the logo and theme celebrate the community spirit that makes the city special.
The winning logo for this year, designed by Jacquie Colby, was inspired by a letter from the editor in Our Broomfield magazine by Tina Eichner.
In her letter, Eichner talks of the old sign off West Midway Boulevard that marked the Broomfield Center strip mall.
The sign dubbed the mall the “heart of Broomfield.” Colby said Broomfield’s heart remains.
“Some people are confused or concerned by the fact that Broomfield doesn’t have a downtown or true main street, but I have always known that Broomfield’s true heart is found in its people,” Colby said.
“Its heart is present at the high school football or basketball games every Friday, in the pews of its churches and at its parks and trails on any given day.”
Colby said her roots run deep in Broomfield, with her calling it home for most of her life, and both of her parents grew up in the city as well.
Eichner said in her letter from the editor that the old sign made her wonder whether other cities had a heart, too.
“The idea of Broomfield as a city with a heart stuck with me and eventually became the Broomfield Days logo,” Colby said.
With the contest deadline being just weeks
2025Broomfield Days
after having her second child, Colby said most of her work happened “quickly, and in the late hours of the night,” but that she enjoyed the process and is happy to contribute to the longstanding Broomfield tradition.
Colby’s design will appear all across the Broomfield Days celebration on Sept 20 in Midway Park and joins a long line of resident-designed logos that celebrate what makes Broomfield, Broomfield.
JACQUIE COLBY — COURTESY IMAGE
The
logo designed by Jacquie Colby celebrates the city’s community.
Car show to display classic cars for a good cause
By Corbett Stevenson cstevenson @prairiemountainmedia.com
The Broomfield Days car show brings in a slew of classic cars and sweet rides — all for a good cause.
The car show is hosted by the nonprofit Senior Resources of Broomfield, a group that works to support older adults in the city. It helps seniors with things like meals, medical costs, caregiver costs and more, according to its website.
The proceeds from the show benefit the group’s mission to reduce isolation for seniors, provide activities and support and foster intergenerational connection, according to its website.
This year, the car show begins in the morning Sept 20 during Broomfield Days on the grass in South Midway Park.
FILE PHOTO
Kim Slemint, left, chats with Bob Amaral about his 1963Mini Cooper in the Rockin’ Seniors Cool Classic Car Show during Broomfield Days 2013
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CARL MUEHLEMEYER — BROOMFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB
A skeleton sits in a vehicle during the 2024Broomfield Days event
A skeleton sits next to a vehicle during the 2024Broomfield Days event.
44TH YEAR
Clown contest to showcase young jesters, competitors
By Corbett Stevenson cstevenson @prairiemountainmedia.com
Now in its 44th year, the Broomfield Days Clown Contest offers tiny jesters the opportunity to show off their bright costumes for a panel of judges.
The contest is hosted by The Westminster-Broomfield Optimist Club and has been one of Broomfield Days’ main events for years. The contest splits competitors into three age categories — 1- to 4-yearolds, 5- to 6-year-olds and 7- to 10-year-olds.
This year, first and second place of each division will receive a scooter or wagon, and the grand prize winner receives a 4-foot-tall stuffed bear.
Every entrant will get a small prize just for participating, according to Broomfield’s website.
This year, signup for the contest is from 10:15 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. by the demo stage at Broomfield Days on Sept. 20.
The contest begins at 11 a.m For more information, contact Debbie Cooper-George at 303-944-8494 or email her at Yourhomebygeorge@ gmail.com.
A child is dressed up amid the clown contest during the 2024 Broomfield Days event.
COURTESY OF CARL MUEHLEMEYER — BROOMFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB
A child stands dressed up amid the clown contest during the 2024 Broomfield Days event
ABOVE: A girl wearing a “Miss Colorado” teen sash waves while sitting on a vehicle during the 2024 Broomfield Days event. TOP RIGHT: A parade rolls down the street during the 2024 Broomfield Days event. BOTTOM RIGHT: Kids in the street during the 2024 Broomfield Days event.
MEET OUR PHILANTHROPIC
Spot our booth at Broomfield Days by looking for lots of bubbles!
Discover what nonprofits they are supporting.
COURTESY OF PHIL CASTAGNERI — BROOMFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB
COURTESY OF TIM SEIBERT — BROOMFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB
COURTESY OF PHIL CASTAGNERI — BROOMFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB
ABOVE: A vehicle sits on display during the 2024 Broomfield Days event AT RIGHT: A child is dressed up amid the clown contest during the 2024 Broomfield Days event.
COURTESY OF GARY BOWEN — BROOMFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB
