April Announcements
Welcome To Helen Wolcott’s Spring Art Extravaganza
Helen Wolcott’s twice-yearly extravaganza — a half-century tradition of artisans and craftsman who gather at her Park Hill home — is set to happen Saturday and Sunday April 30 and May 1.
Wolcott’s twice yearly art shows began in the 1970s during the thick of the court battle over school integration, in which Park Hill was at the heart of the struggle. “During all those hours in court, we realized that we were all artists of a different kind,” she says. The artists/social justice warriors thus banded together for another purpose: promoting art and beauty. The shows have been held every spring and fall for 45 years at Wolcott’s house, at 2309 Clermont St., save for being temporarily sidelined during the pandemic, when everything got cancelled.
The April 30 and May 1 shows will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days The show includes the work of artists and artisans who display and sell their creations. Wolcott specializes in costume and silver jewelry. Other participating artists include Pamela Bliss (hand-made soaps), Robin Wilton (weaving), Anne Heineken (knitting), Anita Kienker (quilted creations), Darrell Wunderlich (homemade salsa and jams), Carmen Curtis Basham (pottery), Patricia Foster (fine art printings and cards), Cristina dePalma-Vega (fabric and paper art), Kathleen Casteel and Marilyn Wells (artistic needle works).
Everybody is welcome. Bring a friend, stop by, and greet spring with a glass of sangria or a cup of herbal tea.
Park Hill Art Fest Grows Up
Save the date! The 9th Annual Park Hill Art Festival is set for Saturday and Sunday, June 4 and 5. Founder Darren Skanson estimates that this spring’s juried fine art and fine craft show will showcase close to 100 professional artists from Colorado and beyond. The artists’ work range from paintings to fine jewelry, woodwork to sculptures, textiles to photography.
The Fest will be on the grounds of the Park Hill Masonic Lodge, on Montview Boulevard between Dahlia and Eudora streets, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is no entry charge.
Parade Fans, Rejoice!
It’s time to sign up! The neighborhood’s favorite summer tradition, the Park Hill Parade, will be hitting its stride this year. The event drew more than 7,500 spectators last year after being sidelined by the pandemic in 2020. This year, hundreds of your favorite cartoon characters, floats, horses, dancers, marching bands and political types will proudly march down 23rd Avenue on Monday, July 4 beginning at 1:30 p.m.
Registration is now open and participation is free. The sign-up form is on the parade website, ParkHillParade.com. Participation is encouraged from block groups, neighborhood clubs, religious organizations, local businesses and anyone who wants to have fun and show their patriotic spirit.
The organizers are also looking for sponsors, as the parade is supported 100 percent by the generous donations of local businesses. This year’s title sponsors so far include Nestman Orthodontics and the Urban Cookie. Premier sponsors include Tables Restaurant, Grape Expectations Wine & Spirits, Dardano’s School of Gymnastics and Clair Family Dentistry. Sponsors include Dee Ciancio Realty, Park Hill Treasures, Ciji’s Natural Pet Supply and the Denver Zoo.
For questions about sponsorship or volunteer opportunities, contact Justin Bresler at parkhillparade@gmail.com. Make sure to check for updates in upcoming issues of your favorite neighborhood newspaper, the Greater Park Hill News.
See you on the 4th!
Looking For Flower Power
City Park’s Adopt-a-Flowerbed volunteer program is headed into its second year, and is seeking volunteers to help maintain the beds. From May through October, volunteers weed, prune, fertilize and mulch the various garden beds in City Park, just west of Park Hill.
The campaign kicks off in April with a City Park Greenhouse Tour for volunteers led by Greenhouse Manager and Horticulturist Julie Lehman. The week of June 6, horticulturalists and Adam Smith, park superintendent for the East District, will lead an orientation. Volunteers can work as individuals or as part of a team. The horticulturalists also organize large group projects on an as-needed basis. A weekly calendar of gardening events will be circulated, so volunteers can set their own schedules and work around travel and other commitments.
Last year 50 volunteers put in 1,200 hours working in the park’s flowerbeds. This year, the horticulturalists will be back to 100 percent flowerbed planting, and rely on the volunteers to keep the beds looking their best.
Volunteering is an opportunity to learn gardening techniques and tips by working shoulder-to-shoulder with professionals. It is also a good way to meet people in our City Park community and make new friends. Contact Georgia Garnsey (ggarnsey@ecentral.com) or Maria Flora (mjflora@msn.com) for details and to sign up.
Mom And Daughter:
Facing Life Together
The Lowry Speaker Series will host a presentation on Thursday, April 28 to discuss the emotional journey of a mother and daughter as they talk about aging, dying and what matters most in the later chapters of life.
Libby Bortz, LCSW, BCD, and Patty Bortz, J.C., CSA (mother and daughter) will share the reasons why this conversation is so important and provide approaches to start the conversation where family members are reluctant or avoidant. They will also provide additional resources to help families learn, plan, and communicate with each other about aging and dying. The discussion is appropriate for any loving family member – sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, and partners.
The presentation, Mother-Daughter Conversation: Facing Life’s Last Chapters Together, is from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at The Eisenhower Chapel, 293 Roslyn St., in Lowry, south of Park Hill. The event is free, but reservations are suggested (at lowryfoundation.org/events/). For more information, please call The Lowry Foundation at 303-344-0481.
Carrie Olson On Schools
Denver Public Schools District 3 board member Carrie Olson is the featured guest for the monthly EdEquity Corner on Wednesday, April 13.
The virtual forum runs from from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. EdEquity Corner is sponsored by Park Hill Neighbors for Equity in Education, a group of parents and community members who are working to ensure students attending all Park Hill elementary schools get a quality education. Check out their website at phnee.org. Here is the link to attend: tinyurl.com/EdEquityApril22
Correction: Last month’s Greater Park Hill News incorrectly listed the speaker for the March EdEquity Corner. DPS board member Scott Esserman was the featured guest.
Scurry For The Furries
The 29th annual Dumb Friends League Furry Scurry is scheduled for Saturday, May 7. The fundraiser includes thousands of pet owners and animal advocates who walk, run or scurry in support of homeless pets and horses in need across Colorado.
This year’s Furry Scurry includes both a virtual and in-person option. The in-person event, beginning at 7:30 a.m., will take place along a two-mile loop in Washington Park, followed by an afternoon of family fun, including a Flealess Market. Those who choose to attend virtually will have until May 31 to scurry remotely on parks, trails, paths, and even treadmills.
The Furry Scurry is designed to raise money to provide medical and foster care to sick and injured animals, behavior training, and investigations of animal neglect and mistreatment. Early registration is $50 for adults and $25 for children now through April 30. Visit furryscurry.org to sign up, and visit ddfl.org to learn more about the Denver Dumb Friends League.
You’ve Got Talent
The deadline for the 2022 Congressional Art Competition is Friday, April 22, and Denver Rep. Diana DeGette is seeking high school artists to submit their work for consideration.
Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide visual art competition for high school students across the country. One artwork is selected from each congressional district. The winning pieces are then sent to Washington, D.C. to be hung on display in the U.S. Capitol Building, along with other artwork chosen from around the country. Artwork that can be submitted include paintings, drawings, prints, mixed media, computer-generated and photographs.
• The competition is open to current high school students only.
• Original artwork must be two-dimensional. However, due to the coronavirus, students should submit a photograph or digital copy of their artwork.
• If your artwork is selected as the winning piece, it must arrive in Washington, D.C., framed. It can be no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches deep. The framed pieces should weigh no more than 15 pounds.
There is no entry fee. Each must be original in concept, design, and execution and may not violate U.S. copyright laws. Any entry that has been copied from an existing photo or image (including a painting, graphic, or advertisement) that was created by someone other than the student cannot be accepted. Artwork will hang in the Cannon House Office Building Tunnel for the duration of the exhibition. To make arrangements on submitting artwork, and for additional questions, contact Joe Wood at Joe.Wood@mail.house.gov or call 303-844-4988.