The Q BBQ Fest Returns to Denver at New Location - Civic Center Park Q BBQ Fest continues Denver tradition Thursday, August 22nd – Saturday, August 24th
This August, Pitmasters from throughout the US and Colorado will be cooking, smoking and grilling 30,000 pounds of brisket, chicken, pulled pork and ribs smokin’ at Civic Center Park when some of the biggest names in BBQ come together at Q BBQ Fest fueled by Weber August 22-24, 2024.
Ribs and more ribs. (Photo courtesy of Q BBQ Fest)
Following eight years at Empower Field, the Q BBQ Fest is moving to Civic Center Park. In partnership with the Denver-based Headline, the Q BBQ Fest gathers the finest pitmasters from across Colorado and throughout the country to dish out award-winning smoked meats to BBQ lovers at Civic Center Park.
“We are thrilled that the Q BBQ Fest is not only returning to Denver but moving to the heart of downtown in Civic Center Park,” said Mayor Mike Johnston. “We can’t wait to host the finest cooks in the country in one of the country’s best food cities.”
Amazing selctions of the best BBQ. (Photo courtesy of Q BBQ Fest)
The family-friendly Q BBQ Fest – which also hosts events in Kansas City St. Louis and Dallas – is a weekend-long celebration of diverse experiences, award-winning cuisine, and local music, BBQ tutorials and demonstrations on the Weber Cooking Stage, as well as games and activities for the whole family. Q BBQ Fest, fueled by Weber, in partnership with Headline, features more than 10 world class pitmasters from Texas and around the country. Included at this year’s Q BBQ Fest is an elevated live fire hosted by The Food Network’s Tyler Florence.
Rack City (Photo courtesy of Q BBQ Fest)
“We love smoking meat and putting smiles on people’s faces,” said Brian Wahby, owner and CEO of Eximius Productions, which produces Q BBQ Fest. “We launched Q BBQ Fest in 2015, and our first expansion market was the Mile High City. We knew we’d build something special in the Capital of Colorado. Thanks to the folks at the City of Denver and our partners at Headline, we're bringing BBQ flavor and flare from across the country back to Denver, and we can’t wait for Denver to taste the BBQ we’re bringing.”
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at QBBQDenver.com
For more information, please visit QBBQDenver.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @qbbqfest.
Perfect Last Minute Fourth of July Fixes
Well folks, it's that time again. The time to eat insane amounts of hotdogs and beer and celebrate all things 'Murican. What could be more patriotic than blasting colorful explosives into the sky for half an hour to scare the crap out of your neighbor's annoying dog? Nothing, except perhaps this compendium of Denver's best events to celebrate this sacred drinking weekend. Whether you'll be stuffing your face at Ace Eat Serve or thrashing around with Bud Bronson & the Goodtimers, Denver has everything one city could offer.
TONIGHT, JULY 3RD
BUD BRONSON & THE GOOD TIMERS @ HI-DIVE WITH PANTHER MARTIN & VIC N' THE NARWHALS
-21+
-$10
-7pm doors & 9pm show
INDEPENDENCE DAY EVE @ CIVIC CENTER PARK
Event starting @ 8 PM.
Prepare for the holiday weekend with Independence Eve 2017, the eighth-annual free community celebration featuring a concert, light show and fireworks finale on Monday, July 3rd, in Downtown Denver’s Civic Center Park (Colfax & Broadway) beginning at 8:00 p.m. The concert will feature performances by Soul X and the 101st Army Band of the Colorado National Guard.
Lawn seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis; arriving early is greatly encouraged, as are blankets or low-rise concert/beach chairs. Attendees are welcome to bring their own picnics; a variety of food trucks will also be available on-site. The event will take place rain or shine.
Produced by the nonprofit Civic Center Conservancy, the 2017 Independence Eve Celebration is made possible by the generosity of community partners: Anadarko Petroleum Corporation; the City and County of Denver, and VISIT DENVER. Special thanks to our media partners CBS4 Denver, Comcast and The Denver Post Community.
FIREWORKS @ THE AVANTI PATIO (JULY 3RD & 4TH)
Event starts at 8 pm.
Join Avanti on the patio to watch fireworks over Coors Field! Get in early to snag a spot on the stadium seating for the best views in town. There will be fireworks both Monday and Tuesday night!Avanti is always family-friendly but the firework's crowd tends to be very lively and festive on the night of the Fourth.
TOMORROW. JULY 4TH
PUNCH BOWL SOCIAL- PATRIOTIC PUNCH & MORE
Looking for a spot to cool off this holiday weekend? Punch Bowl Social (65 Broadway http://www.punchbowlsocial.com/) created the perfect patriotic punch - Dawn's Early Light with New Amsterdam Gin, Crème de Violette, Teakoe Spiced Plum, lime juice and lavender syrup. Pair the punch with The Knockoff Burger and you’re set for an all-American meal. Don’t forget about the indoor gaming options including bowling, ping-pong, giant Scrabble, private karaoke rooms, bocce, foosball, darts and more. (Facebook @PunchBowlDenver, Twitter @PunchBowlDenver, IG @punchbowlsocial)
CHERRY CREEK ARTS FESTIVAL W/ OIVE & FINCH EATERY
Olive & Finch Eatery. Photo: Westword
Fourth of July in Cherry Creek can mean hot temperatures, hot crowds, and hot festival-goers for Denver’s favorite artsy weekend. Beat the heat (and the long food lines) at the Cherry Creek Arts Festival with extended Burger Nights at Olive & Finch (3390 E. 1st Avenue - www.oliveandfincheatery.com) Cherry Creek. Chef/Owner Mary Nguyen and team will be flipping and grilling all weekend evenings on the patio, meaning $10 gets you a burger or brat with a beer and a side from Friday until Sunday. Looking to get outdoors to watch fireworks? Impress your friends and family when you grab a picnic to-go from Olive & Finch: for $50, you choose your four favorite signature cold sandwiches, a delightful quart of fresh and savory pesto pasta salad, a green garden salad that serves four and four assorted bakery cookies, fresh from the talented pastry team. Please call ahead at 303.955.0455 to reserve your picnic and please your people. (Facebook @OliveAndFinch, Twitter @OliveAndFinch, IG @oliveandfincheatery).
DEL FRISCO'S GRILLE ROOFTOP PATIO
Del Frsico's Double Eagle Steak House
(100 St. Paul St. - www.delfriscosgrille.com/cherry-creek) in the centrally-located Cherry Creek neighborhood and you can catch fireworks from surrounding communities. As a special treat for the Cherry Creek Arts Festival weekend, from Friday June 30 through Tuesday July 4 you can get the special White Sangria cocktail for just $6: it’s a fruity summery sipper made with tart Pinot Grigio, house-made white peach puree, Peach Schnapps, and fresh berries and arrives table side with a fresh and fruity popsicle garnish – really! With seating at the expansive open-air bar, at community tables or on lounge-like couches and chairs, the rooftop patio at Del Frisco’s Grille with a White Sangria in hand is a must-do for easy fireworks watching. (Facebook @DFGrilleCherryCreek, Twitter @DFGrilleCC, IG @dfgrille).
OR
Celebrate Amercia’s Birthday with Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse (8100 E. Orchard Road, www.delfriscos.com) where the Prime Pair will be offered Saturday, July 1 – Tuesday, July 4. For $59 indulge in a pre-fixed menu and choose from a perfectly prepared 8 oz filet, Manhattan-Cut New York Strip, or Seared Salmon Fillet paired with their signature Crab Cake, plus a salad and side. End the meal with Executive Chef Mario Hernandez’s Decadent Apple Pie. Cheers to America with a bottle of XXXCherry Wine ($58 a bottle). Reservations are strongly recommended, 303-796-0100. (FB @DelsDenver, Twitter @Del_Friscos, IG del.friscos)
MIMOSAS @ TUPELO HONEY SOUTHERN KITCHEN & BAR
Start the day right with a $3 Mimosa from the brunch pros at Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar (1650 Wewatta Street – www.tupelohoneycafe.com). Soak in the southern hospitality as brunch is extended a few days to both Monday, July 3 and Tuesday, July 4 in celebration of Independence Day. We suggest the “big as your head” Banana Pudding Layered Pancakes or our Sockeye Salmon Loaded Grit Cake, and serving our famous $3 mimosas. Bonus: Tupelo is opening early both days, at 9 a.m., for maximum brunching opportunity. (Facebook @TupeloHoneyDenver, Twitter @@tupelohoneycafe, IG @tupelohoneycafe).
PING PONG PATIO @ ACE EAT SERVE
If you’re spending the long 4th of July holiday weekend in the city, consider popping by Ace Eat Serve in Uptown (501 E. 17th Ave http://www.aceeatserve.com/) for the Asian inspired cuisine, refreshing cocktails, sake flights and ping pong playing options. As the temperatures keep rising, cool off on the expansive Ace patio with exterior misters and enjoy the Saturday Sunshine Soundsystem on Saturday, July 1st from 2pm – 6pm with Dj Bernie Luau’s Hawaiian Summer Jams and a Ratio Beerworks tap takeover with drink specials (no cover). Call (303) 800-7705 for reservations. (FB @AceEatServe, Twitter @AceEatServe, IG ace_eat_serve)
HIGHLAND 4TH OF JULY PARTY
Kick off the weekend right with the 10th Annual Highland 4th of July Party. Residents of the Highlands can begin celebrations on Saturday, July 3, with a water-balloon fight, along with pizza bites and tunes from High Desert Band, a local bluegrass band. On the holiday, guests can enjoy bike decorating contests plus a parade down 32nd Street led by an old-fashioned fire truck that ends its route at the 200-foot long ice cream sundae at Little Man Ice Cream {2620 16th Street, Denver; 303.455.3811}. The ice cream shop will have a “drum-line” of ice cream buckets in the parade, and there will be free food, live music, face painting, water balloon fights, and field day games. Click here for more info.
UNCORKED KITCHEN IN CENTENNIAL
There’s nothing more patriotic than gazing at purple mountain majesty from the patio at Uncorked Kitchen {8171 South Chester Street, Suite A, Centennial; 720.907.3838} The unparalleled Front Range vista is the perfect backdrop for watching fireworks display all across the city. For the fourth, the restaurant is offering a Tacos and Margs date night with patio reservations at 7pm, plus an extended menu of small plates and a chef’s special dish. Call ahead to make your reservations.
Denver Is Stronger Together: Women's March 2017
Last Saturday will forever remain one of the most powerful, uplifting and hopeful experiences in my life, as I’m sure it will for an abundance of people globally. For two weeks I’ve been trying to find the right words and to form adequate sentences, to try and piece together every positive occurrence, pertaining to the largest collective, international protest the world has ever seen. Disturbed by Donald Trump and his administration's looming agenda, on Saturday January 21st, 2017, women across the world marched, however long, however far, in however many numbers, for equality, for women’s rights, for their children’s future and for our nation’s future.
Image from: http://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/01/19/womens-march-against-trump-turns-global-day-action
Sister marches in large international cities such as Madrid, London, Montreal, Sydney, Dublin, Berlin, Paris and Amsterdam all showed their support in large numbers. Even more awe-inspiring were the small, but still significant, protests that expanded over all seven continents. 15 women in Sandy Cove, Nova Scotia, marched down a local highway and with them Kenyan citizens in the capital of Nairobi, a small fishing village in Esterillos Oeste, Costa Rica, 30 people on a small expedition ship in Antarctica and my little home town of Ann Arbor, Michigan. They were all among hundreds, if not thousands of Women’s Marches around the world. They stood tall with their signs and chants, holding the hands of their children, partners and friends to send a message to the world: Our voices are strong but stronger united.
Here in Denver, I had been watching the Facebook event’s numbers grow with anticipation for weeks. I had no idea the size and attention of the protest as initially I clicked “interested” on my invite back in November. Denver’s numbers grew from 2,000 to 10,000 to Facebook’s final event numbers at almost 50,000. As we know, those numbers still don’t properly reflect the size of the attendance that day. The Denver Post is now estimating more than 100,000 women, men and children marched on our city. No wonder I couldn’t find any of my other friends!
Rebecca Shook, 60-year-old Hawaiian resident, is the powerful initiator behind this historic movement. She was, like a many other women November 8th, 2016, devastated with the election results. She called into question if women could march on Washington on Inauguration Day as she expressed her anger and frustration on a Facebook post. With the help of her friends, she created a Facebook event. Shook was unaware of how receptive people would be to her idea. Shook’s event was shared on popular intersectional feminism, LGBT, racially and religiously inclusive secret Facebook group “Pantsuit Nation.” That got the event the media attention it needed to spark the fire. 10,000 people confirmed their attendance in less than 24 hours. Over the last couple of months, the fire traveled: Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Denver and Seattle were among the largest other U.S. cities in attendance.
Denver’s crowd was lively and emphatic from Civic Center Park up 15th Street, Glenarm to 17th, 17th to Champa, Champa to 14th and back to Civic Center Park creating our 1.5 mile loop. All the while, our voices filled the streets and bellowed through the crowds, “Love not hate, makes America great!” “All four years, we’ll be here!” “This is what Democracy looks like!” “Her body, her choice! My body, my choice!” Police lining the streets appeared almost bored as the march was 100 percent non-violent. From local office windows and restaurants, messages and posters displaying love, equality and resistance were seen throughout the march route. One construction worker held a sign of “Peace” 10 stories high in an unfinished apartment complex as we all waved our appreciation in return. The amount of love and unity was astounding to say the least. Strangers complimented each other’s messages and art, friends and lovers shared hugs and kisses, and generations stood together, fighting for their family’s future.
Denver, I know a lot of us are hurting. A lot of us feel scared and deceived, powerless to the fate of ourselves and our nation. There’s still a lot we can do to increase and expand awareness, and to remain positive and proactive. Call and email your senators and representatives. Senator Cory Gardner, Senator Michael Bennett, House of Representatives members Ken Buck, Jared Polis, Ed Perlmutter, Scott Tipton, Mike Coffman, Mike Lamborn and Diana DeGette, have all of their contact info listed in the link below.
http://www.denverpost.com/2017/01/24/how-to-contact-colorado-congressional-delegates/
Contact our state legislation and let them know what issues are important to you.
http://www.cairco.org/legislation/colorado-legislators
Create, and/or sign petitions to express and voice your opinion on what you believe in. There are many petition websites currently: Change.org, Petitions.whitehouse.gov, iPetitions.com, act.credoaction.com, etc.
Join one of the many peaceful protests and events happening in our great city. Check Facebook for the latest organized petitions and gatherings. Upcoming events this week include: “STOP Colorado’s 3 Anti-Choice Bills” this Thursday February 9th. Protesters will meet to voice their disapproval of the three new anti-choice bills in the Colorado General Assembly. This Saturday protesters will join at Skyline Park to show their support for Planned Parenthood outside Senator Gardner’s office in the “Colorado Stand With Planned Parenthood” event. Saturday, February 18th is the “Defend Our Constitution March” at Civic Center Park where protesters will stand united for our rights and against hatred. Also February 18th is the “One Billion Rising Denver: 2017 March & Rally” at the Denver Pavilions. One Billion Rising is a global movement to end violence against women. Monday, February 20th is the “Rally for Justice,” where you can speak up in the fight for integrity in education.
Next month on the 25th is the “Women’s Day of Service Denver.” Volunteers can choose a daily task that contributes to the community including refugee assistance, feeding the hungry, community gardening, and helping low income women, families and youths.
The link to register is listed below.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Xp-W_HGsKNniIW5taoQ7bE13wXfF7FVosV26e3psoZk
This Earth Day, April 22nd the “March for Science - Denver,” will march for evidence-based policies for the common good of the public and to include all individuals in the education and career paths of science.
These are just a few of the organized upcoming gatherings to get involved in. Be sure to keep up with happenings in our city on your Facebook events page.
You can also donate to organizations you care about and need your support.
ACLU:
https://action.aclu.org/secure/donate-aclu
350.org:
https://act.350.org/donate/build/
The Human Rights Campaign: https://give.hrc.org/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1954&ea.campaign.id=51848
National Immigration Law Center:
https://nilc.z2systems.com/np/clients/nilc/donation.jsp?campaign=15&
The many speakers at Denver’s rally urged us to run for office and control from within. If you or others deem your voice powerful and have good intentions, run for your local office, be a leader in your community, start an awareness group on topics you feel strongly need to be discussed and given attention to, join or create a student organization group on campus, or just spread goodness in your community. Hold open the door for the person behind you, compliment a stranger in line at the grocery store, express your appreciation to your barista when you get your morning coffee. Help others, appreciate others, empower others, praise others. Of course a lot of us already to these things in our daily lives. As Coloradans, we’re some of the kindest, compassionate and tolerant people in the nation. Keep doing good. Goodness changes attitudes. Good attitudes generate hopefulness. Spreading love and kindness with small, daily actions is the easiest way to create empathy and to spread ripples of change in your local community. Where there is empathy and compassion, things like racism, sexism and intolerance are diminished.
Whether you were a supporter of the marches or not, you can’t deny their numbers. Women of the world have come together to not only support their sisters, but also people of different races, religions and sexualities from themselves. This unity is a powerful force and one that can awaken the world to change the course of history. We’ve shown those in power that our voices will not be silenced, we are not afraid and we will not disappear. If you were as stirred by the Women’s Marches of the world as I was, hold onto that feeling–now is the time to act. If you’ve experienced fear that your rights are in danger, or sadness or outrage at the world around you, hold onto the strength you felt at the march and do not sink back into complacency. Fellow marchers, I still stride forward with you. Saturday, January 21st I was so overjoyed with unity and hope in this community. I love you, Denver. Stay awake.
Cited Sources:
● http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/womens-march-world-cities_us_58836f38e4b096b4a231ee64
● http://fortune.com/2017/01/21/womens-march-photos/
● http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2017/01/21/womens-march-on-washington-antarctica/96882184/
● https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/01/21/world/womens-march-pictures.html?_r=0
● http://www.vox.com/identities/2017/1/21/14346500/women-march-world-photo
● http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2017/01/21/womens-march-on-washington-antarctica/96882184/
● http://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/22/trump-inauguration-latest-womens-marches-held-around-the-world-in-solidarity-with-dc-demonstration.html
● http://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/01/19/womens-march-against-trump-turns-global-day-action