city park jazz

Denver Weekend Events June 25 – 28

/ DenverSpeax

This weekend is jam packed full of amazing Denver activities!!! Make your weekend EPIC!!

Are you excited to find out who has Denver’s Top Taco? How about running City Park in your underwear?   We hear Zine Fest will not disappoint the avid reader. You could ride your bike to the South Platte RiverFest and make sure you get some BikeLove while you are in the area. Find great locally made goods at the Summer Flea. Our good friends from I Get Down Co. will be there. We hear Denver will be HOT, so take a slide down the Urban Slide to cool off. When the sun sets Saturday, get Hooked on an outdoor movie downtown. Once you have run out of energy, chill out Sunday evening at City Park Jazz to end the most epic Denver weekend ever!

If you want to see what else may be happening. Check out our Events Page.

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Get Ready – Denver’s City Park Jazz is BACK in June 2014

/ DenverSpeax

One of the coolest, FREE events in town, City Park Jazz in Denver’s City Park offers Denverites of all ages a great time outside.

Pack a picnic, ride your bike, and find a spot in the Park on June 1st, 2014 to kick off another season of FREE Jazz concerts.

Pavillion within City Park Credit: Kirsten Ebey May 2013

Pavillion within City Park Credit: Kirsten Ebey May 2013

 

A Few Easy Reminders: 

  • Yes, you can totally bring your furry friend! Make sure they’re on a leash.
  • Please, please, please don’t forget an extra trash bag to keep your trash concealed before throwing it away when leaving. Keep this beautiful place clean.
  • No, you don’t have to pay – it’s FREE! You can, however, always donate while at the concert (they have volunteers that collect) or on the website.
  • The show starts at 6:00 pm MST, but if you’re looking for a parking spot on a nearby street, you’ll need to head over a few hours earlier. We totally suggest riding your bike if at all possible!
  • No glass in the park, but canned beer is allowed.
  • Food trucks will be at the park so if you don’t pack you’re on food, you will not starve.
  • There are portopotties, and they’re usually pretty clean.

Click here for the 2014 season schedule. Get ready to have an amazing time! We hope to see you there.

Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs – “Off the Street & Into Your Mouth”

/ DenverSpeax / 1 Comment
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Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dog stand hanging out by the food trucks near the pavillion at City Park Jazz. Credit: Kirsten Ebey, July 2013

With menu items like Alaska Reindeer, Wild Boar, and Southwest Buffalo, how can you NOT check this food stand out? Honestly, I’m going to take this very opportunity to throw this out there: I’m not a hot dog person. Actually, they make me sick. Now, let me reiterate the ingredients in these gourmet dogs again: buffalo, wild boar, deer… Gourmet dogs with specified ingredients? Hell yeah –  I can totally get down with that!

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Check out this meat-in-your-face menu! Reindeer? Um, yes, please. Credit: Kirsten Ebey, July 2013

My gourmet dog of choice just so happened to be Elk Jalapeno Cheddar; additional condiments of sautéed onions, cream cheese, spicy mustard, relish, and ketchup turned this already-glorious find into a hot, mouth-watering mess of awesome. Even better? They don’t charge an arm and a leg like some other food trucks capitalizing on us starving, buzzed up City Park Jazz goers. Plus, the ladies and gentleman manning the stand are hilarious – I want to be their friends, like all the time.

Keep an eye out for their stand, and make sure to click on the pictures in this feature to be re-directed to Biker Jim’s Facebook page!

It’s All About Community – City Park Jazz

/ DenverSpeax / 3 Comments

Pavillion within City Park Credit: Kirsten Ebey May 2013

A relaxing Sunday afternoon approaches us, filled with sunshine, yard games, friends and family, and, yes – Jazz in the Park. I’m referring to City Park Jazz in Denver, which happens only 10 times each summer, specifically on Sundays from 6 – 8 pm MST. Free concerts consisting of mostly jazz, salsa, and blues genres bring the community of all ages together drawing on a tradition that actually began 130 years ago.

City Park Jazz, a charity that is community-based and supported, consists of numerous volunteers that collect donations during the free show and help with the upkeep of the park before, during, and after. Many groups show their support and love for Denver, but not quite like this organization; honestly, nothing shows love for Denver like collecting over 80,000 fans in a single City Park Jazz season (2011 – Credit: City Park Jazz).

What’s so cool about sitting in a random park on a Sunday listening to music? Oh, I’ll tell you, my friends:

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Lynz visiting from LA May 2013 Credit: Kirsten Ebey

Atmosphere
The park boasts 317 acres of raw, beautiful landscape including Ferril Lake, the infamous boathouse, ponds, paths, wide-open grassy areas, and trees new and old. The sounds from City Park Jazz only enhance the surrounding beauty.

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Moguls on a walk in City Park May 2013 Credit: Kirsten Ebey

Dog Watching
You can bring your dog (on a leash)! Many people do, which calls for a pretty eclectic mix of Denver’s canines. My friend Shawna is very good at pointing out specific breeds of dogs and filling me in, which is super interesting! We’ve seen some pretty cool, rare breeds that I doubt I’ll be able to see again (anywhere short of watching Animal Planet). If you bring your four-legged friend, please remember bags for their business, and keep in mind that 100’s of dogs will be in the surrounding area. Trust me, it’s not made for everyone.

People Watching
Do I need to explain? You have thousands of individuals in one area of Denver. Entertaining is an understatement.

Food
You can make and bring your own, or hit up a few of Denver’s finest Food Trucks. Note your wait time will be long unless you visit the trucks early.

Hanging out at City Park Jazz May 2013 Credit: Some dude nice enough to take the picture for us. Thanks!

Friends and Family Time
I hope I don’t only speak for myself when I say that I absolutely love being with my friends and family, hanging out, drinking a few beers (you can bring that, too!), and playing yard games, like LadderBall. At City Park Jazz, you can do all of these things in the presence of those who are most awesome in your life, while listening to music for free. Pack up some snacks and a cooler of beer, and scope out / secure a spot early before the show starts. There’s plenty of room, but depending on your viewing preferences, or yard games being hauled along (badminton requires a little more space, just saying), get there before 4 pm MST to secure your epic location. You don’t want to be stuck next to the smelly guy and the screaming child, do you? Also, if parking close to the park, you’re going to need to leave EXTRA early. If you can walk or bike there, that’s your best bet.

So there you have it – the rundown on City Park Jazz. It’s such a cool experience that this great city offers and should definitely not be passed up this summer. Check out the schedule of acts booked, and scam the website for additional information on how to get involved with the organization.