Monday, August 2, 2010

It’s time to celebrate our spectacular state with a visit to one (or many) of our State Parks for FREE on Colorado Day.  Just think of all the opportunities to drive, hike, float, bike, relax, climb, boat, horseback ride, run, reflect, camp, picnic, backpack, explore, discover, unwind, and generally enjoy yourself.  Whether you opt for mountains, rivers, lakes, prairies, canyons, reservoirs, rock crags, or a combination, you’ll probably find just what you want at one of our 42 State Parks.

Note that other fees such as camping and reservations are not waived on August 2.

Enjoy!

Avon – SALUTE TO THE USA FIREWORKS CELEBRATION
07/03/2010 – 5:00 p.m.
Harry A. Nottingham Park
Music, food vendors, and a beer garden. A FREE Family Zone will offer carnival games, inflatable jumping toys, face painting, clowns and a special children’s instrument petting zoo. The Family Zone opens at 5:30 p.m. and continue until the fireworks begin at 9:45 p.m.  970-748-4060

Boulder - READING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
07/03/2010 – 6:30 p.m.
University of Colorado, Boulder on the Green in front of the Mary Rippon Outdoor Theater
The Colorado Shakespeare Festival invites the public to a free reading of the Declaration of Independence.

Denver - CHEESMAN PARK INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
PARADE begins at 10:00 a.m.
East side of Cheesman Park at The Pavilion (East 9th and High Street)
Enjoy the balloon artist, the caricature artist, a marching band and more.  Children are to be accompanied by adults and should arrive by 9:00 AM to decorate their bikes or wagons. Also, enjoy face painting, a meet and greet with Denver policemen on horseback and with Denver firemen. For more information call Council Woman Jeanne Robb at (303 377-1807).

Estes Park
Pancake breakfast, car show, horse show and fireworks.

Frisco - FRISCO’S FANTASTIC FOURTH OF JULY

Start the day with the Kids Fishing Derby, cheer on the Main Street parade, watch a concert in the park or at the marina, and

end with the grand finale, the Fabulous Fireworks over Frisco Bay Marina on Dillon Reservoir.

800-424-1554

La Veta – 35TH ANNUAL ART IN THE PARK
7/3 – 7/4/2010
La Veta Town Park
Original handcrafted fine art, crafts, jewelry, apparel, paintings, ceramics, glass, wood, more. Rodeo, parade, barbecue and live music.  719-742-3074

So, get out and climb Longs Peak in RMNP, High Dune in Great Sand Dunes NP, descend to the Gunnison River at Black Canyon NP, or make the rounds of the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde NP.

Free National Park admission dates in 2010:

June 5-6
August 14-15
September 25
November 11

We’ve also created a Group on Facebook where we are highlighting upcoming free stuff and asking group members to share as well. Although the group has only been in existence for a short time, we have close to 150 members as of this writing, and we’re growing quickly.

Our own Colorado-for-Free Calendar will remain the primary place to check for upcoming free things to see and do. But don’t forget to check out over 100 suggestions for ongoing free stuff arranged by Region (e.g. Front Range North, Front Range South, Southwest, etc.), by Category, or the “best of” index of featured events, activities, and samples arranged alphabetically.

Saturday, May 1
Dinosaur Ridge Discovery Day
9 am – 3 pm Dinosaur Ridge
Nature Center naturalists will be at one of the stops on the fantastic walking tour of Dinosaur Ridge. Bring family and friends to spend the day learning about Earth resources. Registration is not required for this drop-in event. All ages.

Saturday, May 8
International Migratory Bird Day Hike
7 am Crown Hill Park
Each year, birders around the globe celebrate by taking part in birding hikes on the second Saturday in May. Join this global observance of birds with an easy naturalist-guided hike around
the lake and into the restricted access Kestrel Pond refuge. All birding abilities welcome. This walk can accommodate strollers. All ages.

Saturday, May 15
Observatory Open House
8:30 – 10:45 pm William Baehr Observatory at Pine Valley Ranch Park
Make the moderate 1/3-mile hike up to the historic observatory for a special evening of stargazing. Ages 10 – adult.

Saturday, May 22
Ralston Buttes Special Access Hike
8 am  Meeting place TBD
Ralston Buttes is one of the crown jewels of Open Space and is only accessible during special Open Space events. Join naturalists and natural resource specialists to explore the area.
Registration is required, and space is limited. Ages 12 – adult. Call Lookout Mountain Nature Center for registration information.

Friday, May 28
Memorial Day Campfire
6:30 pm  Lair o’ the Bear Park
Memorial Day is a celebration of our forefathers. Join this old-fashioned campfire program to learn the story of  tribes and families that once lived in Bear Creek Canyon and the plants and
animals that shaped their lives. The program concludes with the ever-popular roasting of marshmallows. Ages 6 – adult.

Saturday, May 29
Kids’ Nature Art: Sketching Birds in Ink and Watercolor
9 am  Crown Hill Park
Spring is the time for birds, and sketching is a great way to learn about their plumage and habits. We will use binoculars and field guides to study birds in the Crown Hill refuge, and then draw
our findings in ink and watercolor. Art supplies are provided. Please bring water, a snack, sunscreen and a sun/baseball cap. Kids ages 6 – 10 with an adult.

Registration is required for all programs unless noted.
Register for programs online. Visit lmnc.jeffco.us and click the Register button, or call (720) 497-7600. Summer hours are 10 – 4, Tuesday – Friday and 9 – 5 on Saturday and Sunday. Call at least two days before a program.

And that’s just a sampling of what’s going on during May 2010!  For many more great activities, take a look at the Spring 2010 Program Schedule.

April 17 – 25, 2010

That’s right — you can visit Rocky Mountain National Park, Great Sand Dunes NP & Preserve, Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP, and Mesa Verde NP and not pay anything at the entrance gates. Plus, there may be discounts at the bookstores and visitor centers in the parks, and special programs.

Need an example?  Check this out:

Guests of Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado can book one night at the Far View Lodge, priced at $99, and get the second consecutive night FREE. This offer is valid April 22 – April 30. Please note, entrance to Mesa Verde National Park is free through the end of April.

Sweet, eh?

By the way, if you’re planning a trip out of state, remember that all the National Parks all over the country are offering free admission for the week, so have a great time out there!

We’re giving it a try so that we can hear your ideas.  You can post free things on our Event calendar, participate in a discussion in the Forum, and post photos of free events, tours, and activities in Colorado.

To get started, visit Colorado-for-Free Ning Network, sign up for free as a member of our network, and start sharing.

They’re billing it as the “Celebration of the Century” and residents of the Uncompahgre Valley — including Montrose, Olathe, and Delta — are well aware of the impact made in the 100 years since a 6 mile tunnel was dug through hard rock allowing some of the water from the Gunnison River to “escape” the Black Canyon and flow into the fertile but extremely dry valley. 

Come join the fun in Montrose with a Turn-of-the-Century Parade down Main Street, special displays by blacksmiths, boot makers, and other trades from 100 years ago, enjoy horseshoe, tug-og-war, and pie-eating events, or check out a demonstration with mules and draft horses digging a canal.

There will be a re-enactment of the 1909 Tunnel Opening Celebration which featured President William Howard Taft ringing a bell (and others ringing bells across the valley), plus a “Grand Pyrotechnical Display” (now generally known as a “Fireworks Display”).

In addition, both Black Canyon National Park and Ridgway State Park are offering free admission on this special Saturday.  And if all this isn’t enough to get you to visit Montrose, there is also the Black Canyon Car Club Car Show in town (Centennial Plaza downtown), and a Volunteer Fair at the Library. 

More history on the Gunnison Tunnel can be found here.

You’ll need to plan ahead just a little bit to enjoy your free celebration with the critters, but it’s simple.  Just go to the Birthday page on the Denver Zoo’s site and register your birthday information (and don’t forget to register everyone else in your household — they love the zoo too, don’t they?).  Print out the ticket/confirmation message, bring along your photo ID, and it’s time to celebrate another year.

Feeling down about your newly-acquired age?  Consider this:  the oldest documented tortoise lived to be 188.  And there was a koi (you know – one of those carp you see in ponds in Japanese gardens) which lived to be 226.  I’m sure the Denver Zoo must have some tortoises and koi around for you to visit.

Free is great — and nearly-free is pretty darn good too.

This is an interesting and unique pair of books.  Both share this basic concept:  explore the officially-designated Scenic Byways within Colorado.  One book is a spectacular hard-bound, coffee-table volume which features photography which will inspire you to hit the road and see these views up close and personal.  The other book is soft-bound — easy for carrying with you in your car — and focuses on maps, details about each Scenic Byway driving route, nearby side-trips, places to eat or stay, photo opportunity notes, and special events you might want to attend along the way.  This take-it-with-you guide also includes enough of the quality photography in each section to keep you inspired.   

I like to think I know several regions of Colorado extremely well, having lived in Colorado my entire life and having traveled along many of these Byways in the past.  Hah!  I definitely need to get out more!  I had no idea what I was missing until I scanned these 2 volumes.  Road trip! 

Are the books free?  No.  Is the scenery free?  It certainly is.

For the thrify-minded, here’s a thought.  Buy the set, give the 248-page hard-bound volume as a special gift to someone who’ll fall in love with Colorado (and love you for the gift), and keep the 80-page  travel guide for yourself so you can enjoy some new-to-you Colorado scenery for free!

A reader and contributor to Colorado-for-Free just sent us a note saying he received a coupon for a free buffet for 1 month at Woody’s Wood-Fired Tavern because he signed up for their email club.  I see that they promise not to…

…sell your information to anyone by the name of “Crazy Doctor”, “Ductile F. Supplanted”, or any other crazy spammers.

That sounds fair.

I wonder if Woody’s is planning any locations over here on the Western Slope?  It appears that the Woody’s in Golden — which I fondly remember as a gathering spot after climbing — is owned by different people than the locations offering this particular deal, so I don’t think the coupon will work in Golden.

This is making me really hungry for pizza.  I’m heading to our local pizza place as soon as they open for lunch!

Arvada - Fourth of July Festival - car show, live music, amusements, food and  fireworks display.  Events begin at 3:00 PM at the Lutz/Stenger Sports Complex on W. 58 th Ave. at Oak St. just west of Kipling (parking lot opens at 2:00 pm).  Family-friendly events include:
· “Hot Times, Kool Cars” classic car show
· The KOOL Cats, 17th Avenue Allstars and the Aquasonics on stage
· A Kid’s Park, with bounce houses, caterpillar crawl, face painting, sports games
· Child identification DNA Kit
· Fire truck and emergency vehicle display

Boulder - Ralphie’s Independence Day Blast - University of Colorado Campus - Folsom Stadium
8:00 PM – Gates Open; Master of ceremonies and welcome; Skip-It’s jump rope team
8:30 PM – City Open Space & Mountain Parks sing-along
8:45 PM –  Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra
9:15 PM – Boulder’s 150th Birthday Celebration
9:30 PM – Fireworks display

Estes Park - Pancake breakfast, car show, horse show and fireworks - 800-44-ESTES

Frazer - 4th of July Celebration & Run for Independence - Fireworks, rodeo, live music, 5-mile Run for Independence, barbecue, carnival games, pancake breakfast and more.  Fraser Sports Complex -  800-903-7275

Golden - Golden Lions July 4th Community Festival @ Lions Park, 10th and Maple St. Food, beverages, entertainment, live bands, fireworks show around 9:30 PM. The Golden Lions Club is giving back to the community again this year with FREE RIDES for all the kids, including a trackless train ride.  www.GoldenLionsClub.org

Granby - Agate Ave., Main Street
10:30 AM  - Biggest Small Town Parade in Colorado
11:30 AM –  BBQ
7:00 PM – BBQ
800-552-6557

Highlands Ranch - Enjoy an old fashioned Fourth of July at the Highlands Ranch Community Association’s celebration at the Town Center, 9288 Dorchester Street, from 8:30 AM – 9:00 PM. Independence Day 5K Run/Walk and the July 4th Parade. Live music, rides for the kids, a hot dog eating contest, food and merchandise vendors, and fireworks after dark.  303-791-2500

Niwot - 4th of July Parade Marches On - The parade starts at 11 AM. It will be preceded by a pancake breakfast at the Niwot Market in Cottonwood Square

Ouray - Parades, kids’ games, fireworks and more - Main Street -  970-325-4746

Salida - Historic downtown Salida has a daytime parade, food, fun and nighttime fireworks extravaganza, all in Riverside Park (F Street).   719-539-2068

Steamboat Springs – Cowboy’s Roundup Days & 4th of July Celebration - downtown parade, fireworks, cattle drive through town and rodeos.  7/3 through 7/5/2009.   877-754-2269

In the “every little bit helps” department, all National Park Service sites that charge entry fees will waive them for the weekends of:

June 20 and 21 (Happy Father’s Day!),
July 18 and 19, and
August 15 and 16, 2009.

Here in Colorado, these free admission weekends will apply to:

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Colorado National Monument
Dinosaur National Monument
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
Great Sand Dunes NP & Preserve
Hovenweep National Monument
Mesa Verde National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park

See you on the trails!

June 3, 2009
10 AM – 4 PM

June 4, 2009
10 AM – 4 PM
Rite Aid (20901 E. Smoky Hill Rd, Aurora)

June 6, 2009
Noon – 2 PM
Rite Aid (7677 W. Jewell Ave, Lakewood)

June 7, 2009
10 AM – 1 PM
Cherry Knolls Shopping Center (6780 S. University Blvd, Littleton)

OK now — listen up!  I know this isn’t one of those fun or offbeat things we sometimes write about, but it’s important, especially with our high elevation and sunny climate.

The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Road to Healthy Skin Tour presented by AVEENO® and Rite Aid will be stopping by Boulder, Aurora, Lakewood, and Littleton in the Tour’s 38-foot customized RV to offer free full body skin cancer screenings to the public.  Local board-certified dermatologists are donating their time to offer the free screenings.

As if that isn’t enough to make it worth your while, AVEENO® will also be distributing free samples of its NEW POSITIVELY AGELESSâ„¢ Sunblock Lotion SPF 70 for Face as well as its line of CONTINUOUS PROTECTIONâ„¢ suncare products, specifically created to deliver optimal, broad and photostable UVA/UVB protection with proper use.

Take care when you go out in the sun to play in our beautiful state.  Remember:  a “healthy tan” is an oxymoron.