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🍺 Beer fests, Bigfoot, free art and live music

BY PEYTON GARCIA | @CITYCASTDENVER

Good morning, City Casters!

It’s not only Friday, but also April Fool’s Day for all you prank-loving tricksters out there. Keep it friendly.

As usual, I’ll be sending you into the weekend with a local event roundup below, but also one reminder and one request:

🧹 Reminder: Street sweeping starts today! Don’t forget to check the schedule and plan accordingly so the boogeyman ticketing officer just doing his job doesn’t get you.

🙏 Request: Pleeease take my super quick (mostly multiple-choice!) newsletter survey! It will help me bring you the best kind of content I possibly can. By completing the survey, you can enter to win two free tickets to see Radiolab’s Jad Abumrad LIVE at Paramount Theatre next month!

TODAY ON THE PODCAST 🚉

(Xandra McMahon / City Cast Denver)

Rush Hour at Union Station
Union Station is a mess. At least that’s what news outlets keep saying about the transit hub and fancy downtown hangout. In the last six months, complaints of violence, open drug use, and people sleeping in the public space have become the narrative of Union Station, painting it as a scene of constant chaos. At the beginning of 2022, Mayor Hancock responded by swarming the place with police — as a result, he said that DPD had made 700 arrests since January.

The City Cast Denver crew hadn’t made a trek down to the shiny train station since before the pandemic, and knew it was time to see for themselves what was going on there. Host Bree Davies and producers Paul Karolyi and Xandra McMahon met up with Denverite reporter Kyle Harris — who has covered issues at Union Station extensively — for a walk around the downtown spot. They wanted to see for themselves what, exactly, was so concerning. 

Take me to the pod!

THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND

🎨 Tonight: RISE: First Friday Art Show: The Blue Bench sexual assault prevention and survivor support center is kicking off April (Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month) with an art show. Works on display from survivors aim to help promote education, healing, and awareness.

🌱 Tonight: The Lorax Initiative: Art After Dark: Peruse the work of local artists at this gallery show at Improper City. Funds raised through an evening raffle will go toward The Lorax Initiative’s reforestation efforts across Colorado. 

👣 Tonight + Saturday: Bigfoot Days: Just a 90-minute drive out of Denver, the Estes Park community comes together every year in the name of the Sasquatch. The event begins with the Bigfoot BBQ on Friday, followed by a free outdoor festival on Saturday complete with presentations and panels from Bigfoot experts. 

🍺 Saturday: Collaboration Fest: For this highly-anticipated, once-a-year beer festival, brewers across Colorado partner up to craft unique and exclusive collaborative beers. Proceeds directly support the Colorado Brewers Guild. Tickets start at $65.

⛰️ Saturday: TheBigWonderful: If you’re in the mood for a mini road trip, TheBigWonderful is back at Winter Park to celebrate all things beer and bluegrass. Tickets start at $45.

🪕 Saturday: Colfax Art Jams: This weekend kicks off a free Saturday series that aims to uplift and promote local artists, performers, food, and vendors. Find the fun at Fletcher Plaza (9800 E. Colfax). Apply to be a vendor or performer.

👠 Sunday: Denver Fashion Week: DFW Spring 2022 starts this Sunday and runs all week through next weekend. This year’s runway events include a kids show, a celebrity appearance, and more. See the full schedule.

🎶 Sunday: Clearheads: This weekend marks the first installment of Clearheads, a monthly party offering a completely booze-free art and live music experience. The event will spotlight BIPOC- and women-owned businesses while supporting local nonprofit Joy As Resistance. Tickets start at $12. 

NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW

  • Remember the story we shared about the Green Valley Ranch HOA foreclosing on its residents over late fees and violations? The HOA is now being accused of predatory and discriminatory behavior. [Denverite]
  • The good news: Last month, after the Denver health department promoted its program providing residents with FREE fentanyl testing strips and the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, it received nearly 4,500 requests. The bad news: They’re already out of stock and unsure when they’ll get more… [RMPBS]
  • Summer = smog in Denver. State lawmakers are considering offering free RTD rides for at least part of the season to entice people to get out of their cars and onto public transportation in order to combat the city’s ozone readings. [Denver Post]

A LOOK BACK AT OUR PODCASTS THIS WEEK

👉 Find all our shows at denver.citycast.fm.

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