Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Julie Popp

Colorado Department of Human Services

julie.popp@state.co.us

720-788-1307

Colorado Celebrates National Reunification Month with Nearly 1,400 Children Reunited in 2025

“Hope, Healing and Home” Event to Honor Families at Elitch Gardens on June 5, 2026

DENVER, CO [June 1, 2026]— June is National Reunification Month, a time to recognize the families that have overcome significant obstacles to safely bring their children back home from foster care. In 2025, nearly 1,400 children and youth across the state successfully reunified with their families, a testament to the courage of parents and the dedicated partnerships within the child welfare system.

To honor these milestones, the Colorado’s Office of Respondent Parents’ Counsel (ORPC), the Office of Children, Aging and Community Services (OCACS) within the Colorado Department of Human Services, Colorado’s Court Improvement Program (CIP), Colorado Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and the Office of the Child’s Representative (OCR) are uniting under the theme “Hope, Healing and Home: A Reunification Celebration,” emphasizing the hard work of all partners to ensure children and youth are better served by safely returning home.

Reunified families and professionals are invited to join a celebration of Hope, Healing, and Home to honor the strength of families and the multi-disciplinary teams that support them.

• Date: Friday, June 5, 2026
• Time: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• Location: Elitch Gardens, Maroon Bells Pavilion, Denver

“It takes compassion, commitment, and the support of a dedicated team to keep families together,” said Melissa Thompson, executive director of ORPC. “We’re proud to work alongside other Colorado agencies to help our clients become the parents they want to be and that their children need.”

This year’s event will highlight the stories of three remarkable families and one dedicated professional who exemplify the heart of reunification:

• Stephanie Franks (Jefferson County): After overcoming addiction and instability, Stephanie relentlessly navigated legal barriers to reunite with her children in August 2025. She remains a fierce advocate for her family’s well-being.
• Wanda Moon (El Paso County): By transforming her life through recovery, Wanda reunited her family and now pays it forward through “Wanda’s Closet,” a community initiative supporting those experiencing homelessness in Colorado Springs.
• Helen Jimenez (Denver County): Through a year-and-a-half journey of growth and perseverance, Helen overcame setbacks to achieve sustained sobriety and bring her daughters home.
• Molly Ryan KillsEnemy (Statewide): An Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) specialist and fierce advocate, Molly uses her lived experience and professional expertise to protect Native families and ensure tribal sovereignty, facilitating rapid and safe reunifications.

In Colorado, the majority of children in the child welfare system are eventually reunified with parents who have successfully addressed safety concerns through treatment and skill-building.

“When someone enters the system, there’s a lot of judging and a lot of assumptions,” said Molly Ryan KillsEnemy of working with parents in the child welfare system. “When a case opens up on a parent, I always try to be really understanding and not jump to conclusions when I enter into a case; getting the whole story is really important for me.”

Reunification is more than a legal outcome; it is also a journey grounded in hope and realized in the stability of home. By working across disciplines to provide trauma-informed support, Colorado’s child welfare community is ensuring that more families are reunited and stronger than ever before.

About the Colorado Office of Respondent Parents Counsel (ORPC)

The Colorado Office of Respondent Parents’ Counsel (ORPC) is an independent state agency that supports Colorado parents in the fight to preserve families in dependency and neglect cases. Since 2016, ORPC has protected the right to parent by recruiting and training attorneys statewide, advocating for family-centered policies, and promoting equity and transparency in the family regulation system through data. As a result of our work, more families are reunified and stronger together. Learn more at www.coloradoORPC.org.

About the Colorado Office of Children, Aging and Community Services

The Office of Children, Aging, and Community Services (OCACS) is an office within the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) dedicated to promoting the safety, permanency and well-being of Coloradans of all ages. OCACS provides statewide leadership, funding, policy development and oversight in partnership with county human services departments, Tribes, Area Agencies on Aging, and community organizations. OCACS oversees Child Welfare, Community Programs, and Aging and Adult Protective Services, which collectively ensure consistent and effective service delivery for vulnerable populations across their lifespans. Learn more at cdhs.colorado.gov.

About the Colorado Office of the Child’s Representative

The Office of the Child’s Representative (OCR) is the state agency mandated to provide competent and effective legal representation to children and youth involved in the Colorado court system. Their mission is to give children and youth a voice in Colorado legal proceedings through high-quality legal representation that protects and promotes their safety, interests, and rights. Their vision is for justice, opportunity, and healthy families for all court-involved children and youth. For more information, please visit www.coloradochildrep.org.

About Colorado Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) are volunteers who advocate on behalf of child victims who have experienced abuse and neglect, domestic violence, and/or sexual assault. CASA volunteers are appointed by judges to advocate for children’s best interests. Our best-interest advocacy is driven by the guiding principle that children grow and develop best with their family of origin. For more information, please visit coloradocasa.org.

About the Colorado Court Improvement Program (CIP)

The Colorado Court Improvement Program (CIP) is funded by a federal grant administered by the Children’s Bureau and aimed at improving the handling of dependency and neglect cases in the Colorado court system. Colorado’s CIP projects are guided by a five-year strategic plan developed by a multidisciplinary task force.

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The post Colorado Celebrates National Reunification Month with Nearly 1,400 Children Reunited in 2025 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Tots Opps

45th Annual Halloween Parade & Trick or Treat Street
Saturday, Oct. 25, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Roosevelt Community Park, Longmont
The costume parade and Trick or treat Street is back for another year to march down Main Street Longmont.

Apex Foundation Trick or Trot 5K & Halloween Candy Hunt
Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 25 and 27, 8:30 a.m – 11 a.m.. at 13150 W. 72nd Ave., Arvada
Proceeds from this Halloween-themed fun run and candy hunt go to the non-profit Apex Foundation.

Halloween Themed Drag Bingo Brunch!
Thursday, Oct. 30, 9:30-11:30 a.m., at The Passenger 300 Main ST Longmont
18+ Drag BINGO Brunch hosted by the one and only Jessica L’Whor—yes, that Jessica who rocks the stage monthly at Dickens!

Halloween Kids Fest
 Oct. 25, 29 & 31 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Downtown Aquarium
Kids in costume with an adult receive half-price admission cost. Festivities include a guess the weight of the giant pumpkin, costume contest, animal appearances and trick-or-treating.

Halloween Spooktacular! 
Sunday, Oct. 26, 2:30 p.m., Colorado Symphony
Featuring Halloween music from films, television, and more. Families can attend wearing costumes.

Munchkin Masquerade
Friday, Oct. 31, 3-6 p.m. at Pearl Street, Boulder
Recommended for children 12 years or younger, Pearl Street opens for trick-or-treaters on Halloween night.

Spooky Skeleton Cookie Decorating Class
Saturday Oct. 18, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. at 194 South Federal Boulevard Denver
Learn how to design and make Skeleton cookies just in time for your Halloween Festivities.

Paint & Sip Halloween Gnomes 
Tuesday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. at the Pinot’s Palette, 159 W. Mountain Ave. Fort Collins, CO
Come for a fun-filled afternoon of painting spooky gnomes and good drinks.

Shows & Events

Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics
Friday, Oct. 24, Saturday, Oct. 24 and Wednesday, Oct. 30, 6:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, Denver
A candlelight concert to Halloween-inspired music.

Boos and Brews Halloween 5k
Saturday, Oct. 25,  10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Number Thirty Eight, Denver
Finish the 5K course and celebrate with a free beer.

Boulder’s Official Halloween Bar Crawl
Monday Nov. 1, 4 p.m. – 12 a.m. check in at The Spotted James, Boulder
Enjoy drink specials while participating in fun games and contests along the way.

Denver Official Halloween Bar Crawl
Friday, Oct. 31, 5 p.m. – 11 p.m. at The Passport, 1437 Market Street, Denver
Come ball crawling in costumes in Denver. Get cover fees waived and discounts on drinks or win big during the costume contest.

Elitch Gardens Fright Fest
Sept. 27 through Nov. 2 at Elitch Gardens, Denver
Elitch has normal family-fun during the day and fright by night.

Ghosts & Goblin 5k/10k
Sunday, Oct. 26, 9 a.m. at City Park. Denver 2001 Steele St, Denver
Join in a Halloween-themed run.

Creepy Doll Making Class
Thursday, Oct. 23, 6-8 p.m. at Park Hill Treasures, Denver
Come join us for a spooky and fun Creepy Doll Making Class where you can create your own eerie dolls to spook your friends!

Halloween Goat Yoga
Saturday Oct. 19,  10 am – 11 am,  at The Community Farm 15000 W 72nd Ave Arvada
Trick or Treat Yourself to Goat Yoga!

Halloween Themed Date Night: Stained Glass & Chill
Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24 – Nov. 11, 14  6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at Colorado Glassworks, Boulder

5th Annual Motown Haunted Prom (A Halloween Dance Party)
Friday Oct. 31, 8 p.m.  at Roots Music Project, Boulder
Groove to live Motown hits in your costume for the 5rd annual Motown Haunted Prom.

Nightmare on Shimmy Street, A Theatrical Bellydance Halloween Event
Saturday, Oct. 12, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at Althea Center for Engaged Spirituality
Egyptian deities, witches, and more will perform a Halloween-themed performance.

Oddities and Curiosities Expo
Oct. 4 and 5, at 10 a.m. at Colorado Convention Center, Denver
The expo showcases all things weird including horror and Halloween-inspired pieces.

Boulder Magic Show: Halloween  
Nov Oct. 2, 12 p.m. – at the Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St. Boulder.
Visitors can expect a family-friendly spooky magical show just in time for Halloween!

Halloween Nightmare on Curtis Street
Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. at the Ellie Caulkins Opera house in Denver
The opera is premiering its spooky rendition of Nightmare on Curtis Street!

Halloween Laser Magic and Mysterious Moons
Oct. 19, 25, 26 – at Fiske Planetarium 2414 Regent Dr. Boulder, CO
This expo explores the moons of our solar system followed by a Halloween themed laser show.

Day of the Dead, Longmont Museum
Día de Muertos Family Celebration
Saturday, Oct. 11, 11 am – 3 pm : Downtown Longmont 4th Avenue & Kimbark Street

Art & Sip: Tunnel Book Altar
Thursday, Oct. 23, 4 – 6 pm & 6:30 – 8:30 pm;

Noche de Museo: Celebrating Day of the Dead
Saturday, Nov. 1 , 7 pm – 8:30 pm; reserved seating $20, $18 members

Dia De Los Muertos Art Show Art Reception
on October 26, from 4:00-9:00PM at The Armory Performing Arts Center, 300 Strong St. Brighton.
This is a community event featuring: free face painting, sugar skull decorating, Aztec Dance Performance, local vendors, music by Colorado Youth Mariachi Program and a free concert LatinSoul Band at 7PM! 

Mazes ‘n’ Pumpkin Patches 

7th Generation Farm
Fall festivities begin on Sept. 26 – Nov. 2.  Tuesday-Thursday 12 pm – 6 pm and Friday – Sunday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. at 100 S 96th St Louisville, CO 80027 Phone: 720.499.8199
This farm offers pre-picked or U-pick pumpkins. Visitors can get lost in the hay bale maze or climb the big bale hay mountain. Visitors can see the cows, sheep, horses, goats, chickens, ducks, geese, pigs, and two dogs living on the farm.

Anderson Farms
Events begin on Sept. 24 – Nov. 1 . at  6728 County Road 3-1/4 Erie, Colorado 80516 
Phone: (303) 828-5210 Email: info@andersonfarms.com
The farm is home to the first corn maze in Colorado and has a long history dating back to 1911. Visitors at the farm can experience the fall festival, terror in the corn, zombie paintball, private campfire sites, and the pumpkin patch.

Cottonwood Farms
Open every day after Sept. 24 until Oct. 31,
Hours are from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at 10600 Isabelle Rd., Lafayette
Visitors can buy pumpkins, squash, and decorative fall items. There is a corn maze for the family and a straw bale maze for the kids. Prepaid admissions are encouraged on weekends and can be purchased a week in advance.

Munson Farms
Open now through early November.  9 a.m.- 6 p.m. at 75th & Valmont Boulder, Co 80301
Phone: (720) 491-1421
This U-pick patch has many varieties of pumpkins along with a farm stand. Admission is free, and produce is priced by the pound.

Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch
Open Daily from from Oct. 1st – Oct. 30th, Hours are 9:00 a.m. – 3 p.m on Oct. 31, 
Visitors during the week can experience a more mellow visit. Groups like daycares, schools, and recreational groups are welcome. The weekends are more robust with carnival rides, a petting zoo, face painting, a food truck, and U-pick pumpkins.

The Bee Hugger Farm
Open everyday in Sept. and Oct., Hours are from 8:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. at 12590 Ute Hwy, Longmont
Open almost always, except for when private events are booked, the farm is open for self-guided experiences and operates on an honor system — pay for pumpkins using cash or Venmo, but entrance is free. Visitors can explore and climb on the tractors and observe the bees. Hay rides and pony rides can be arranged along with group or photographer experiences.

VT Pumpkin Patch
Open  Fridays noon – 6p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., in Boulder County
Started in 2021, this family-friendly patch is great for people of all ages to come pick out their perfect pumpkin.

Haunted Houses & Other Scares

13th Floor
Sept. 6 – Nov. 9, 3400 E. 52nd Ave, Denver
Billed as one of the Top 5 most terrifying haunted houses in the United States

Boulder Escape Room
Open daily 12-8 p.m. at 13th Street #LL60, Boulder
Locally owned and operated, solve puzzles and explore the underworld of Pearl Street.

Boulder Ghost Tour
Daily, 7 p.m. & 8:30 p.m. at Pearl Street, Boulder
Meet the ghosts of Boulder’ s Pearl Street Mall during a haunted walking tour.

Denver Terrors Tours
Daily, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. at Pearl Street, Boulder
Denver Ghost Tours offer an unflinching look at the seething darkness within the Queen City of the West. Join us nightly for a unique collection of captivating and unnerving historical stories that reveal what makes Denver one of the West’s most compelling haunted destinations.

Frightmare Compound
October 1 – Nov. 1,  Nov 7 10798 Yukon St Westminster, CO 80021
Terror lurks on the grounds of The Frightmare Compound as you make your way through the scariest horror house near Denver.

Haunted Field of Screams

10451 McKay Rd, Thornton
Open Thurs – Sun, and on the 31st
Prices from $39.99 to $54.99
This epic horror show offers a classic maze, multi themed haunted house, escape room, and zombie shooting game.

HellScream Haunted House
Thurs – Sunday 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. 3021 N Hancock Ave, Colorado Springs
For over a decade and a half, HellScream Haunted House has redefined the boundaries of fear, offering an intense, cutting-edge, multi-story, multi-attraction experience that has thrilled and terrified visitors year after year.

Haunted Stage Stop
One night only, Oct. 31. 7 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. 60 Main St, Rollinsville, CO
Spookygrass Presents Haunted Stage Stop is an immersive walk-through haunted house in an actually haunted historic venue in Rollinsville, Colorado.

Haunted Stage Stop
One night only, Oct. 31. 7 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. 60 Main St, Rollinsville, CO
Spookygrass Presents Haunted Stage Stop is an immersive walk-through haunted house in an actually haunted historic venue in Rollinsville, Colorado.

Old Town Lafayette Haunted History Walking Tour
Oct. 10 – Oct. 30 multiple days of the week see site for details, Located at 300 E Simpson St, Lafayette CO
Free walking tour featuring ghosts of Old Town, the Lafayette Vampire, the Tommyknockers, and more! Tickets purchase support lafayette museum

The Ritual Haunted House
Oct. 3 – Nov. 2, Sun – Thurs 7 – 10 p.m. Fri & Sat 7 p.m. – 12 a.m.  301 Englewood Pkwy, Englewood
The Ritual begins inside a rickety shack, barely held together with the souls of the damned.

Local Costume Shops

Crimson Rose Masquerade
Wednesday through Sunday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sunday 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. at 1456 South Broadway, Denver
Crimson Rose offers a selection of high-end costumes, fancy dress apparel, corsets, and masks.

Disguises
Monday through Friday 11 a.m. – 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m., and Sunday 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. at 9797 W. Colfax Ave., Lakewood
One of the largest costume stores in the region, it offers a large selection of costumes for purchase and rental.

Gott-A-Costume
Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. at 15167 E. Hampden Ave, Aurora
This costume store offers costume purchases and rental options as well as character rentals for parties.

Reinke Brothers, Inc.
Halloween season hours: Monday through Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m, Friday 10 a.m.- 12 a.m.,  Saturday 11 a.m.- 12 a.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-10 p.m at 5663 S. Prince Street, Littleton
Not only a costume store, Reinke Bros. has a haunted mansion inside. They offer a child-friendly version of the haunted mansion with lights staying on.

The Ritz
Monday through Saturday 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m – 6 p.m., at 959 Walnut Street, Boulder
Bringing costume visions into reality, customers can rent or buy their costumes with the help of friendly staff.

The Wizard’s Chest
11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday to Sunday at 451 Broadway, Denver
This magical toy store and costume shop has costumes for all ages.

The post Halloween Directory 2025 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Over the past two years, many people had to postpone their weddings until the end of the pandemic was in sight, making 2022 the year of weddings. You might feel like everyone and their sister is getting married.

Photo: Brianna Suazo

Guess, what, they are! In 2019 there was an average of 2.02 million weddings. There was a significant drop in 2020 with an average of 1.68 million, and now in 2022, one of the largest wedding seasons in recent history, has a projected 2.6 million weddings. With this increase in weddings, traditional wedding venues and catering services are quickly being booked up. However, this does not mean you need to push back your celebration another year. Nontraditional wedding planning is the new fad. You might even discover that these alternative options far outweigh your original plans. 

Alternative Venues

Photo: Ali Vagini

We are all familiar with the traditional church wedding: stained glass windows, wooden pews, and an altar decorated in flowers, but that is hardly the only option for a picturesque wedding. In the Boulder area, there are numerous romantic, nontraditional options for you to choose from.

The first step in determining your alternative wedding venue is to decide on the theme of your wedding. Are you looking for a rustic, homey feel with beautiful views and the flexibility to create a formal or informal reception? Are you more of a rollercoaster, adventurous couple? Do you two love nature and the outdoors? Would you like your guests to sleep, eat, and enjoy your celebration in one place? Once you have decided on your wedding theme, you can find the perfect location without ever leaving Boulder.

Ranch: Old Elm Farm

Photo: Theresa Schuller

The Old Elm is a beautiful, rustic farm from the 1800s just five miles east of downtown Boulder. Theresa Schuller, who currently owns and operates the farm, bought it in 2019 right before the onset of Covid-19 and used the 2020 lockdown as time to restore and renovate the farm.

Schuller grew up in Boulder, and after many years of self-employment experience, she is excited to bring her love of Boulder, its history, and local and organic food together through The Old Elm Farm. “Coming to Boulder is coming back home,” she said.

While searching through different ranch venues for this article, I was instantly attracted to The Old Elm. It is not just a venue for events. It is a working, organic farm.

The rental fee includes the entire five acre-farm and all of its vicinities: a two-story barn, the machine shop that has been converted into a bar, the courtyard with a firepit and lights, two silos, the dairy barn, and two massive chicken coops.

Photo: Virtuance Photos

The Old Elm has a limit of 18 events per year with no more than one event per week. These restrictions allow your event to be the only one occurring at the farm on your special day.

The Old Elm does not provide in-house catering. “However,” Schuller noted, “every event that happens at The Old Elm will include something that is grown locally or produced locally at the farm. This could be fruits, vegetables, honey, […] duck eggs, herbs, or flowers. We have a really wide variety of things here.”

The Old Elm Tree. Photo: Theresa Schuller

One of Schuller’s favorite parts of the farm is the huge, old elm tree for which she named the farm. “This elm is estimated to have been planted in the 1890s,” Schuller informed me. “It is very unusual for an elm tree to be that old because elms across the United States died due to Dutch elm disease in the 1930s and 1940s. People didn’t replace them because they didn’t want these trees to grow for decades and then die. So this tree lived through that, and it’s at the center of the entrance to the farm.”

The Old Elm Farm still has slots available for this year and is open for 2023 bookings. The current capacity is 100 people, but Schuller hopes to expand the farm, allowing for potentially 150 people next year.

Amusement Park: Elitch Gardens

Wedding photos on a rollercoaster? What adventurous bride wouldn’t be excited about that opportunity?

Photo: JAI

I spoke with Cindy Hann, the director of marketing at Elitch Gardens, about the opportunities this local amusement park has for brides and grooms. For someone planning a big wedding as Hann explained, “There really is no limit. We always say for conventions and such, the capacity is 10 to 10,000.” It’s an easy venue to section off, so no matter what your guest count is, you are guaranteed to have the perfect venue size.

The amusement park is very flexible based on your desires. They provide in-house catering that allows for a more formal take on traditional amusement park favorites. However, you can bring alternative catering options, like food trucks or traditional caterers. If you would like to serve alcoholic beverages at your wedding, Elitch Gardens will provide the drinks and may even include a signature beverage to top off the event.

Photo: Harper Point Photography

The location of your wedding can be anywhere in the park. Most weddings use the front entry pavilion for the ceremony and section off parts of the park for the reception including the Big Wheel, carousel, and even some roller coasters. “Riding on a ride in a wedding dress is pretty cool,” Hann noted as one of the highlights of having a wedding at Elitch Gardens.

There are still plenty of openings for weddings this year at Elitch Gardens. Hann explained that they try to schedule weddings on days when the park is not open. This allows for a no-stress atmosphere for staff, the wedding party, and the guests.

When I asked Hann what makes Elitch Gardens a unique wedding venue, other than the fact that it is an amusement park, she explained that they can do just about anything any other venue could do with the added fun of an amusement park. “You can still make it very beautiful here,” she added. “It’s a celebration. I think that’s what’s great here is it’s just so much fun added to that celebration with adding some rides and adding that unique venue.”

Thank you centerpieces. Photo: Harper Point Photography

Weddings hosted at Elitch Gardens are “Instagrammable” Hann said. There are lots of great spots for pictures and so many options for fun reception games. You can have cornhole at your reception or even use some of the park’s game booths with prizes for your guests. “Traditional is great,” Hann said, “but some people don’t want that, and for a high energy event, that’s what we would bring.”

Park: The Colorado Chautauqua

The Colorado Chautauqua is a place of beauty, history, and lots of outdoor fun. Wanona Tara, the director of sales and experiences at the park, provided me with some interesting history behind the Colorado Chautauqua.

Photo: Brianna Suazo

Chautauqua Park opened on July 4, 1898, along with many other Chautauquas across the country. Chautauquas were a place where people could get educated and have community events. The Colorado Chautauqua, Tara explained, “started as a campus tent town, and then they turned into actual cottages as time went on. …We are the only one this side of the Mississippi that’s open year round. We are very much the same model as the original Chautauquas, meaning that we have public events here.”

The park has an abundance of offerings for brides and grooms and their guests. From experiences to lodging and venue options, no matter what your particular style and taste are, Chautauqua will create the ideal atmosphere for your event. While explaining the opportunities for the wedding party and their guests, Tara said, “They could extend their stay to come early and do some fun stuff. They could do the wedding, stay late, do some fun activities, and they could stay here for their honeymoon. We really have created more of a destination.

Photo: Brianna Suazo

“We also have experiences that we can offer to the wedding groups,” Tara noted. Some of the many experiences they have available include: making flower mandalas, group hikes, and mindfulness classes. “We are continually adding more artistic offerings,” Tara added.

In addition to experiences, Chautauqua offers packages to help with the planning process. There is a wedding package for small weddings and courtesy blocks for on-campus lodging for the wedding party and guests.

The in-house caterer specializes in Colorado bistro, but the catering packages are customizable based on your specific desires. Tara pointed out that their caterer will make just about any type of food you request. The food is intentionally planned around what is available locally. “The operator owns Three Leaf Farm in Louisville, so a lot of the produce comes from the farm,” Tara said.

Another exciting offer that Tara and her team are working on is an engagement package where they set up a picnic for the couple at a beautiful site for the marriage proposal.

Photo: Brianna Suazo

When I asked Tara what makes Chautauqua such a special place, especially for weddings, she emphasized the natural beauty and abundance of opportunities. “Chautauqua itself feels like it’s in the mountains, but we are ten minutes from Pearl Street, so you really get the best of being in the city and being in the mountains. To me, that’s a very beautiful thing about this site. It’s very quiet up here and to me, it feels very different than it does downtown.”

Chautauqua has over 40 miles of hiking trails, various-sized lodging facilities, and several indoor and outdoor venue options for different-sized ceremonies and receptions. There is a general store onsite that “does coffee, homemade ice cream, and little grab-and-go snacks.” Groceries can be delivered right to the doorstep of your lodge, so there is no need for you or your guests to leave the little haven of Chautauqua.

Hotel: St. Julien Hotel

St. Julien Hotel, located in the center of Boulder and a Forbes four-star, four-diamond hotel, is a beautiful wedding location for locals and non-locals alike. “We are the only four-star hotel in the area,” Kristin Snodell, the director of catering and conference services at St. Julien informed me.

Photo: Megan Wynn Photography

St. Julien has an abundance of offerings for wedding parties and their guests. “What sets us apart from most venues, especially other hotels,” Snodell explained, “first and foremost is our amazing outdoor space. We have a lot of couples who have weddings with us. We have a beautiful lawn with a gazebo overlooking the Flatiron Mountains.”

There are many event spaces to choose from, including the outdoor veranda, red garden lawn, terrace, and ballroom. If you are planning a large wedding, St. Julien can host up to 250 people. There are three all-inclusive packages to choose from that are customizable based on your desires for the ceremony and reception.

Photo: Jodee Debes Photography

“Another thing that is unique to St. Julien,” Snodell added, “is we only host one wedding a day. We have full focus and attention on the one wedding.” St. Julien provides wonderful options for those wanting to stay overnight, or even turn the event into a destination wedding.

For wedding parties who want professional spa treatment before the ceremony, “they don’t have to worry about finding someone to do their hair and makeup or to get their nails done. We have it all at the hotel.” St. Julien has an onsite spa that can provide wedding day services or pre- or post-wedding spa treatments.

Photo: Jodee Debes Photography

The owners of St. Julien pride themselves on making their business sustainable and community-focused. “We do support local businesses,” Snodell assured me. “We try and source locally first before going national. We are very sustainable here at St. Julien. Our owners are Boulder natives, so they are very involved in the community.”

In addition to sourcing much of their food locally, the in-house caterer offers alternative options for people with special dietary needs. “We offer vegetarian and vegan options at all of our events. This is very important to us.” Snoddell said.

Photo: Julie Harris Photography

This year has been one of the largest wedding seasons that St. Julien has ever seen. However, if you are desiring a wedding at this venue, don’t worry, they still have openings for 2022.

Food Truck Catering

Food trucks—what’s not to love? Fun atmosphere, great cooking, alternative setting, and possibly best of all, cheaper than traditional catering!

Photo: Sydney Stevens

Food truck catering has grown in awareness and popularity over the last few years for its convenience and social distancing options. Food trucks don’t just provide food at events. Each truck and cook brings along a unique and fun atmosphere.

There are several food trucks available to book within the Boulder area. For this article, I chose to feature two trucks that I think will bring extra unique qualities to your wedding along with delicious food that even your picky cousin will enjoy.

Bowls by KO

“Allergen-friendly, nourishing food that you want to eat.” This is how Katelin Overton summarized the food she provides in her truck.

Photo: Sydney Stevens

Overton started Bowls by KO in 2019 as a small food delivery service to provide people with healthy, whole food meal options that were satisfying. “My intent from the very beginning,” Overton explained, “has really been to make delicious food that you want to eat that’s healthy and allergen friendly and really fueling and nourishing.” 

Overton taught herself how to cook at age 12 by watching “Food Network.” Cooking for and serving others has always been a passion of hers. After struggling with an eating disorder and trying a paleo diet and Whole30, Overturn wanted to give others the ability to fuel their bodies and eat intuitively without agonizing over food.

Bowls by KO grew rapidly over the pandemic with many people needing food delivered to their homes. With the addition of the food truck, Overton has been able to watch her business and dream of cooking for a living flourish.

Overton is intentional about serving whole, organic, local foods. “During the summer, I am able to source almost 100% of my produce locally. I build my menu very thoughtfully on what is available locally.” Overturn also explained that all of her beef is sourced from Colorado farms.

Photo: Sydney Stevens

Overton makes it her mission to provide food that is safe for people with even the most extreme of food allergies. “I make everything on the truck 100% gluten-free, soy-free, refined sugar-free, so everything is Celiac friendly. I use all my own cooking equipment. Nothing ever touches gluten.” For those who are lactose intolerant or who have a dairy allergy, “Everything is dairy-free at a base level.”

Something that stood out to me about Overton’s truck is the chalkboard. “I painted the whole bottom of my truck with chalkboard paint. I always write, ‘Congratulations’ to the bride and groom, all pretty on the chalkboard, but then I leave chalk out, so people can come out and write messages and take pictures.”

Overton does offer traditional buffet-style catering, but she is focusing on food truck events. “I just think the truck is so much fun. It’s very intuitive and easier to just get set up with the truck, and I think it’s really fun for the guests. Being able to go out to the food truck, stand in line and talk to people, and order your own food… It’s an extra little fun experience, and you can get whatever you want. I always have build-your-own bowls available, so you can really get what you want, and ultimately it is cheaper for the bride and groom.” 

Rocky Mountain Slices

“Really good food, really good service, at a really affordable price,” said Ben Acton, the owner of Rocky Mountain Slices. Acton started Rocky Mountain Slices in 2013, and it has grown to be a very popular food truck in the Denver area. After being inspired by the food trucks in Nashville, Tenn., Acton moved to the Denver area to start running his own business.

Photo: Ben Acton

Acton enjoys catering for weddings. With an average of 20 to 50 weddings a year, he has quite a bit of experience bringing some classic food truck fun to celebrations. “The whole traditional sit-down dinner is kind of gone. People just want a more laid back atmosphere where you can eat as you want, and at the end of the day, it’s a lot more affordable, and everything that has to do with weddings is expensive, so anywhere where you can cut down cost and still get a good product, people go that route.”

Acton and the staff of Rocky Mountain Slices are very flexible in how they cater for weddings depending on the specific client’s desires. “A lot of times it’s us cooking in the food truck and setting up a buffet out front to help speed up the process,” Acton explained.

Rocky Mountain Slices offers different food packages, but their classic package is pizza and salad. For those who have dairy allergies or gluten sensitivities, Acton makes sure to have options available. They will make vegan cheese pizza or gluten-free dough as needed.

Acton believes in high-quality food sourced from quality locations. “We use some local herbs, and we have a local vegan cheese maker. We make all of our sauces, and we make our own dough. If we can do local produce, we try our best,” he explained.

A lot of people are wanting the fun vibe that food trucks bring to events for their weddings, and Acton and his crew are sure to provide that. “We just put a lot of love in our food. We make a really good slice of pizza. I’d put it up against anything in Denver I think. We take time. There’s a lot of pride in it. Very friendly service. We like to have a good time.”

The post Throw Out the Tradition, Bring in the New: Alternative Wedding Options that You Can Only Say Yes To appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Comments I get all the time while toiling for Yellow Scene Magazine: “Your job is so cool.” “You guys have the most glamorous gig.” “You are so freakin’ beautiful.”

The last one is a stretch, but the first two seem to be spot on much of the time. This has been especially true putting together our annual Summer Scene issue.

Telling my friends that a swimsuit model was swinging over to my home on a recent evening to try on some fashionable water wear for our cover shoot drew a few jealous comments from my bachelor-heavy set of buddies. I’m not sure my girlfriend was as excited, however.

I received little sympathy when telling my pals about the day of the shoot, when I was pressed to duty by pushing the aforementioned model around the swimming pool while sipping on fruity tropical drinks stuffed with umbrellas. (Full disclosure: The latter never happened, but it makes it sounds much more glamorous, doesn’t it?)

We spent the morning at Elitch Gardens in downtown Denver trying to make the Front Range look as tropical as a Sports Illustrated swimsuit shoot. Or more accurately, simply have the muddy spring Front Range look as if it were in full summer bloom.

It had snowed two days prior.

The temperature in the pool wasn’t actually warm, either—both myself and model Alyssian Vissat had to tough it out just like the dozens of Colorado Rockies fans still attending games this bleak-looking season.

Still, we had a blast (thanks in large part to a brimming box of hot coffee and a warming-by-the-minute sun). It was about as far from the cubicle as one could imagine. It almost made up for a few of those deadlines that had me battling morning rush hour traffic leaving the office.

So, yes, I love my job, but the last few weeks, poolside retreat included, reminded me of something else: Summertime is almost here. That means barbecues, hikes and scorching days spent searching for relief; Colorado is perfect for it all. I sound like I’m gushing about the lifestyle here—and I am.

There’s a mountain full of adventure to tackle in the coming months in Colorado. That’s the point of the June issue—to get you out enjoying our amazing state the way Mother Nature intended.

We’ve had more fun than a kindergartner at recess the last few weeks researching for this issue.

One of our editorial interns (who jumped off a mountain on a paraglider in the name of journalism) marveled at some of our recommendations, realizing what she’ll be missing as she travels Europe this summer (though her blues will be dulled by a enjoying a fresh Pilsner on a buzzing patio in Prague).

I digress. The point being, often we forget why we’ve either stayed here our whole life or uprooted to get here and spend too much time sitting in front of an air conditioning.

Don’t fall into the trap.

It’ll make all this hard work we’ve put into this edition all for naught.

The post A Glamorous Job appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.