Community Announcements
Photo by Mark Silverstein
Independence Eve Fireworks At Civic Center Park
The annual Independence Eve Celebration in Civic Center Park is Friday, July 3 and features a free patriotic concert, an innovative light show on the Denver City and County Building and a stunning fireworks finale at 8 p.m. The show is free. Lawn seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis; blankets or low-rise concert/beach chairs are encouraged. Attendees are welcome to bring their own picnics; concessions will also be present on-site. Civic Center Park is at Broadway and Colfax
downtown, and easily accessible by light rail, bus, bicycle or the 16th Street Free MallRide. Parking is available at nearby surface lots and parking garages as well.
Safe Summer Safe Holly
Everyone is welcome at the Park Hill Reunion, Michael Jackson Tribute and ol’ School 4th of July Celebration on Saturday, July 4, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The free all-day celebration and party is for all ages and is at the Holly Area Redevelopment Project, at 33rd and Holly Street. Check out the Battle of the Bands, Car & Motorcycle Show, Resource and Job Fair, Food, Booths, 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament and more. For more info, check out safesummerdenver.com
Cherry Creek Arts Festival
This free, annual outdoor extravaganza is the city’s signature cultural celebration of the visual, performing and culinary arts. The festival runs July 3-5 at Cherry Creek North, from 2nd to 3rd Avenues, on the seven streets between Columbine and Steele streets. Meet and talk with international visual artists, enjoy a wide range of family friendly fun and sample fine cuisine. Artivity Avenue offers a full block of interactive activities for youngsters. The Cultural Pavilion features music, dance and theater from around the globe. Culinary Avenue has tasty treats and live cooking demonstrations from some of Denver’s most popular eateries.
Colorado Black Arts Festival
The Colorado Black Arts Festival is a free three-day festival that presents an array of African-American arts and cultural delights. This year’s festival is July 10-12 at City Park West, at 17th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard. A wide array of art will be featured, along with live music — including jazz, hip hop, R&B, and rock ‘n’ roll. This is a family friendly event with programming and activities for the whole family.
Denver Art Museum Free Days
Free Saturdays are a great opportunity to explore Denver’s vibrant arts and culture! The Denver Art Museum offers free general admission on the first Saturday of each. And, since the beginning of this year, general admission to the Denver Art Museum is free to all youth ages 18 and under every day, granting more kids access to art than ever before. Upcoming free days are Saturday, July 11, Aug. 1, Sept. 5 & 12 .
Summer Jazz In City Park
The 2015 City Park Jazz Concert Season has kicked off and offers a great lineup of free Sunday concerts in the park. The collection of local musicians in this year’s lineup crosses cultures, styles and genres in a way that reflects the musical and cultural diversity of Denver. Shows are every Sunday, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., rain or shine. Here’s the lineup for July and August: Sunday, July 5, The Messers (groove and soul-saturated sound — The Messers ain’t messin’ around); July 12 – Eric Trujillo and the Mambotet (a Latin jazz super band featuring masterful improvisation and Latin rhythms); July 19 – Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts (dedicated to empowering youth to creatively express themselves through the language of jazz); July 26 – Lynn Baker Quartet (Lynn Baker on saxophone, Bijoux Barbosa on bass, Eric Gunnison on keyboard, Paul Mullikin on drums); Aug. 2 – Ellyn Rucker Trio with Myra Warren and guest vocalists Wendy Fopeano and Joni Janak; Aug. 9 – The Sam Mayfield Blues Revue (with Sam Mayfield on guitar; Ed “Mr. Wonderful” Wingfield on vocals, Bill Shannon on bass, Karen Cherish on keyboards, Michael Johnson on drums, Jon Braddy on trombone, Steve Illich on trumpet, Toby Hopper on saxophone, with M.C. Jimmy Betts).
Get It Ready For Denver Days
The third annual Denver Days is Aug. 1 to 9. During this week, residents all over the city will be organizing community service projects and holding festive neighborhood block parties and other social activities to connect neighbors and neighborhoods. The city is waiving block party and park permits and providing street barricades for those who jump on in. Deadlines are as follows: Parks and recreation permit deadline is July 17; Block Party permit deadline is July 17; Office of Special Events deadline is June 26. Use this link to register your event:
denvergov.org/mayor/MayorsOffice/ProgramsInitiatives/DenverDays/tabid/444458/Default.aspx