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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 29, 2026

Contact:
Cristian Solano-Córdova, Motus Theater Dir. of Communications | cristian@motustheater.org | (720) 434-4632

Honoring Colorado’s 150th Anniversary & America 250, Motus Theater Announces Summer/Fall 2026 Shows

From community reflections on Colorado’s past and future to stories of caregiving, migration, and transgender family love, Motus invites audiences to listen, remember, and reconnect.

BOULDER, CO — As Colorado marks its 150th anniversary and the United States approaches its 250th birthday, Motus Theater’s Summer/Fall 2026 shows invite communities across Colorado to reflect on who we are, where we come from, and how we belong to one another.

Through autobiographical monologues, music, visual art, and Playback Theater, Motus will gather audiences in Denver, Erie, Boulder, Broomfield, Lafayette, and Louisville to share stories of history, memory, migration, family, justice, and civic life.

“Motus Theater’s 2026 season is about the stories that help us remember our shared humanity and the historical bonds that connect us to one another,” said Kirsten Wilson, Motus Theater’s founder and Artistic Executive Director. “At a time when so many forces are pushing communities apart, Motus is inviting people to gather around stories of love, courage, memory, migration, and belonging.”

Motus Theater’s CO 150 and America 250 programming below:

ConnectArte: Living Stories of Denver’s Chicano Movement with Motus Playback Theater
Thursday, July 30, 2026, 6:00–8:00 PM | Museo de las Americas, Denver

In collaboration with Museo de las Americas, Motus Playback Theater will present an interactive performance inspired by Accidentally on Purpose, celebrating the history, resilience, and cultural contributions of Denver’s Chicano community.

Motus Playback Theater Presents: Erie Stories of Good Neighbors
Saturday, September 12, 2026, 7:00–9:00 PM | Erie, CO

In honor of Colorado’s 150th anniversary, this special Motus Playback performance invites Erie residents to share stories of neighbors who showed up when it mattered, across politics, culture, identity, and religion.

Motus Playback Theater Presents: Stories of Your Family Rooting in Erie
Saturday, October 17, 2026, 7:00–9:00 PM | Erie, CO

This interactive performance invites Erie residents to reflect on the moments when they first felt rooted in the community and land of Erie, Colorado, as the state marks its 150th anniversary.

Motus Playback Theater: America 250, Colorado 150 — Voices of Louisville
Friday, December 4, 2026, 7:00–9:00 PM | Louisville Center for the Arts

This interactive Playback Theater performance invites Louisville residents to share stories of family, migration, love, land, loss, resilience, and belonging, exploring how local family stories connect with the history of Colorado, the United States, and democracy itself.

In addition to anniversary programming, Motus Theater will also bring Motus Theater staples to new communities, including the world premiere of Motus Artistic Executive Director Kirsten Wilson’s No Contract 

No Contract by Kirsten Wilson
September 17–October 4, 2026 | Dairy Arts Center, Boulder

Created in honor of Wilson’s mother, Marie Wilson, founder of Take Our Daughters to Work Day, LGBTQ+ leader, author, and equity-based feminist, No Contract is a one-woman show about dementia, caregiving, and an impossible promise. Blending autobiographical storytelling, Hamlet, King Lear, karaoke, and audience engagement, the production asks: “Is there a way to have dementia without tragedy, when ‘to be or not to be’ is always the question?”

Stories of Migration & Music with Motus Theater & the Boulder Phil String Quartet
Thursday, October 15, 2026, 7:00–9:00 PM | Broomfield Auditorium

Motus ImmigrantAmerica monologists Perla Romero, Alejandro Fuentes Mena, and Cristian Solano-Córdova will share personal stories of immigration, accompanied by violin underscore and musical responses performed by the Boulder Phil String Quartet and curated by Boulder Phil Director of Education Fernanda Nieto. Featuring guest co-readers District Attorney Brian Mason, Broomfield Mayor Guyleen Castriotta, and Broomfield United Methodist Church Pastor Betty Nguyen.

Motus Theater Presents: What Love Requires in Lafayette, CO
Saturday, November 14, 2026, 6:30–8:30 PM | The Collective Community Arts Center, Lafayette

Presented with the Parent Engagement Network, What Love Requires is an autobiographical monologue project featuring stories from parents of transgender and nonbinary adults. The performance shares stories of parents supporting their children not only to survive, but to thrive, while also being transformed by truly seeing and learning from their children.

Tickets and event information are available at www.motustheater.org/events.

Motus’ Colorado 150 and America 250 programming follows an impactful first half of 2026, which included performances at the Colorado Capitol featuring stories from adults who survived incarceration as youth and a Transgender Day of Visibility performance for legislators centering transgender leaders and parents of transgender adults.

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Why run clubs matter in competitive Boulder County

In a region already defined by outdoor culture, run clubs do something more specific than trails or terrain, they add rhythm and connection. They turn movement into a habit. Strangers into training partners. And weekly runs into something people plan their lives around.

Whether it’s a relaxed brewery jog, a structured interval workout, or a long-standing community like LoLa, the goal is the same: help people show up. And once they do, something simple tends to happen.

They come back.

Local running culture in Boulder County has grown into something bigger than training plans or weekend mileage. It’s become a kind of social fabric, one that connects people across Lafayette, Erie, Louisville, and Boulder through shared routes, routines, and post-run coffee tables. And while the formats vary, the message underneath is surprisingly consistent, running is easier and more meaningful when you don’t do it alone.

Three local leaders, Ziranda Dominguez, Doug Croft, and Leslie Hoffmann, each describe run clubs in Boulder in their own way. One is rooted in breweries and casual connection. One is built around structured coaching and accountability. And one lives somewhere in between, where performance and community overlap on the same training calendar.

Running that starts casually and stays that way on purpose

For Ziranda Dominguez, running was never something formal.

She grew up running trails like the Old Creek Trail in Lafayette, never part of a team, never chasing races, just moving because it was there. Even now, she describes herself as a “very casual runner.”

That mindset shaped the run club she helped build, one intentionally designed to feel low pressure and social, with a strong local twist — breweries.

Instead of centering around pace or performance, her group organizes Friday runs that rotate between local breweries. The run itself is simple. The real anchor is what happens after — people lingering, talking, and building community over a shared drink.

“We have no expectations,” she said. “It’s super casual, super fun.”

The group tends to be small but mixed in experience; beginners, former athletes, and people who just want a reason to get outside on a Friday night. The common thread isn’t ability, it’s a willingness to show up.

And that’s part of something important that all three leaders touched on in different ways, running doesn’t have to feel like something you already “like” to do. In the right setting, it can become something people actually enjoy, even people who start out thinking they won’t.

Structure, accountability, and making running feel doable

If Ziranda’s group is about keeping things light, Doug Croft represents the more structured side of Boulder County’s running culture, though still grounded in accessibility.

Doug didn’t come into running through tradition. He came into it through experimentation, then endurance, then community. What started as a personal effort to get healthier eventually turned into marathons, coaching certification, and years of building local running groups.

But his philosophy isn’t built on intensity, it’s built on inclusion.

His club combines coached weekday workouts with open Saturday runs. The weekday sessions are structured with intervals, tempo runs, hills, and progression work designed to help runners improve in a guided environment. Saturdays, by contrast, are completely open. Anyone can show up, run or walk any distance, and join others afterward for coffee. “It doesn’t have to be intimidating,” he said. “Walking is perfectly fine. Just get out and try things.”

That message shows up often across his groups, people who think they “hate running” are often really reacting to running alone, or running without support. Add structure, people, and consistency, and the experience changes. Sometimes dramatically. Because in the right environment, even running, arguably one of the simplest, most stripped down forms of exercise, can shift from something people avoid into something they actually look forward to.

LoLa Runners, where effort and community meet

In Louisville and Lafayette, Leslie Hoffmann leads one of the most established groups in the region, LoLa Runners. Her own path mirrors many in the local running scene, starting young, stepping away, and then returning through community. What began as Loco Fit eventually evolved into LoLa Runners, a structured yet welcoming club that blends coached training with a strong social core.

The schedule is intentional. Weekday workouts are coached and focused with intervals, tempo runs, hill work, and time trials built to help runners improve together. Saturdays are open community runs where people choose their own distances and regroup afterward at coffee shops. But what stands out most in Leslie’s description isn’t the structure, it’s the culture.

“We’re just such a welcoming group,” she said. “It feels like family.” That sense of belonging extends beyond workouts. Members travel together for races, form book clubs, and organize social events that have nothing to do with running at all. Over time, the group becomes less about training logs and more about shared life rhythms.

And like Doug’s group, LoLa also reinforces something subtle but important, consistency beats motivation. People don’t always feel like showing up, but they usually leave glad they did.

Different styles, same discovery

Ziranda Dominguez’s group is built around brewery runs and casual social connection. Doug Croft’s group centers on structured coaching and accountability. Leslie Hoffmann’s LoLa Runners blends both, with a clear training structure anchored by a strong community identity.

But the overlap is where the story lives. All three approaches are, in their own way, solving the same problem, how to make running something people stick with, and maybe even enjoy. And that last part matters more than it sounds.

Because one of the quiet truths that comes up again and again in run clubs is this, a lot of people start running thinking they don’t like it. They associate it with discomfort, boredom, or pressure. But in a group setting, whether it’s a brewery run, a coached workout, or a Saturday coffee meetup, that perception often shifts.

Running doesn’t become easier because the miles change. It becomes easier because the experience changes. Or, as these groups show in different ways, running can actually be fun, even for people who are pretty sure they hate it. 

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

Honora Wolfe, Artists in Action, honorawatercolors.com

Artists in Action

Call For ARTISTS

2nd Annual Art Sale to Benefit Sister Carmen Community Center

USE YOUR CREATIVITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

WHEN/WHERE: Sunday, June 7, 2-6 pm * Tri City Elks Lodge, 525 Main St, Louisville, CO

WHY: Artists in Action, a group of local artists, is hosting our 2nd Annual Art Sale/Fundraiser to benefit Sister Carmen Community Center (SCCC), a trusted local nonprofit Family Resource Center that provides critical assistance—food, financial support, connections to resources, educational programs, and more—to residents of Lafayette, Louisville, Superior, and Erie. With 1 in 4 Boulder County residents struggling to make ends meet, your donated artwork can help our community thrive. All proceeds from the sale will go directly to SCCC programs and services.

WHAT: Types of Art – Donated Original art, i.e., paintings, ceramics, photographs, book arts, textiles, glass, mosaic, pencil/ink drawings, jewelry, wood, sculpture, print making, bin work, and quality prints of original work, greeting cards, and more.

WHO: Eligibility – Artists 14 yrs and older

Requirements:

1. All art must be original and ready for display.
2. Deadline to submit competed application is May 27, 2026.

All donated art is considered a gift to Artists in Action (AIA) to benefit SCCC and won’t be returned if not sold.

• AIA will set the sale price for each piece of art
• Artists will not be able to get information about the provenance of their art (There were hundreds of pieces last year that sold in 4 hours)
• All sales are confidential

WE APPRECIATE YOUR PARTICIPATION.

LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER GREAT EVENT!

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Tucked into a sunny corner of downtown Louisville, The Huckleberry feels like the kind of place you stumble into once and then quietly start planning your life around. Part bakery, part teahouse, part coffee shop, and fully committed breakfast haven, it balances small-town farm charm with the hum of a well-loved neighborhood staple. It’s cozy without being precious, welcoming without trying too hard—the sort of spot where solo diners linger with books and families squeeze into booths, all equally at home.

On any given morning, the café buzzes with energy, and much of that tone starts at the top. Josh Adams, the General Manager for more than six years, moves through the space like someone who genuinely loves being there. During our breakfast, he paused mid-conversation more than once to refill coffee cups, check in with staff, or exchange a few words with regulars. That warmth trickles down. Even in the middle of a busy rush, the staff stays upbeat, efficient, and genuinely friendly—no small feat before noon.

When asked what dish best represents The Huckleberry, Adams doesn’t hesitate: Huevos Rancheros. It’s a Southwestern breakfast classic—tortillas, eggs, beans, vegetables, green chile—but here, it’s treated with care and intention. Instead of the usual saucy sprawl that quickly turns into a fork-and-knife struggle, The Huckleberry builds the dish upward. Crispy hard tortillas form the base, stacked high and sturdy enough to handle everything piled on top.

The result is a plate that’s generous without being chaotic. Eggs, beans, sautéed vegetables, green chile, and avocado come together in a way that feels hearty yet balanced. According to Adams, it’s one of the café’s most popular orders, especially with folks coming off long shifts or gearing up for a full day ahead. It’s filling, satisfying, and—thanks to the vegetables and clean flavors—feels almost virtuous.

I ordered mine with eggs sunny-side up, the yolks just runny enough to seep into the crevices of the crisp tortillas and soak into the perfectly seasoned plants and beans below. Every bite had contrast: crunch against softness, warmth against freshness, spice mellowed by avocado. It’s the kind of breakfast that makes you slow down, even if you showed up starving.

To round it out, I added a fresh cup of black coffee and, because discipline is overrated, a couple of apple fritters from the bakery case. The fritters were golden, lightly sweet, and ideal for sharing—or not. There was a noticeable absence of excess grease and salt, a refreshing change from heavier versions of the dish served elsewhere.

The Huevos Rancheros at The Huckleberry isn’t trying to reinvent breakfast. It just does it really, really well—and sometimes, that’s exactly what a shift meal (or any meal) should be.

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Coloradans talk about what they love and what has changed about the state in their lifetime

Over the past few decades, more people have flocked to Colorado: first for the outdoors, then legalized marijuana, then for the booming tech industry. Each rush brought changes and growth. However, a rare breed, the born and raised Coloradan, has remained to witness the changes.

Several of these locals took time to discuss the changes in the state, what they love, the growing pains, and everything in between.

Colorado is well-rounded with the glorious Rocky Mountains to the west and the rolling plains to the east. Despite being landlocked, it boasts natural lakes and waterfalls hidden in the crevices of the mountains. It became clear very quickly that the natural environment is what keeps Coloradans here and continuously brings them back. 

“People are drawn to Colorado because they love nature. I think it’s something that unites people,” Jennah Synnestvedt explained. 

As the population increases, the environment changes, and the political climate polarizes, Coloradans remain strong in their unwavering pride for the state. Most agree that Colorado is still special with its hidden gems and versatility. Like Trinity Jacobs put it, “You appreciate different sparks,” as the state evolves. 

Coloradans

Emily Sanchez, Thornton

Emily Sanchez, Thornton

Sanchez has lived in northern Colorado for the majority of her life and has memories all around the state. She spoke warmly about memories of visiting Steamboat Springs, hiking a 14er this year, and going to Elitches. She said that regardless of the area’s quick expansion, “It feels like home. Everybody’s very united, very close.”

“Everything I like doing is here. I get a little bit of outdoor activities. I get the city vibes. I get out in the countryside. Colorado is a state that has a little bit of everything for everyone. You have to go out of your way and look for that spark now, but its there.”

Trevor Klaus, Lafayette

Klaus reflected on the memories he has with his family in the outdoors. After being, as he put it, dragged outside by his mom and experiencing things like camping in the Sand Dunes, he gained an appreciation for the nature that Colorado has to offer. He spoke passionately about the national and state parks here, saying that he hopes we take care of them for future generations.

“If they start messing with them, the environment will get worse. I think the parks are the biggest part of Colorado.” 

Kristen Coats, Longmont

Coats has watched Longmont’s population climb and appreciates the different personalities that have joined the mix. She values the creativity that shines here and the ways that the community has come together to back one another in their crafts.

“I love the hospitality, the creativity, and the willingness to explore new possibilities. We’re open to supporting the community and talking about important subjects without always fighting about it, which is really cool. In other places you can voice an opinion and get shot down, but we actually talk about it. We go through it in depth.”

Ky Pettie, Denver

Ky Pettie, Denver Photo by Lucinda Lazo

Growing up in Pueblo and then attending CU Boulder gave Pettie a unique look into the similarities between the communities. Even though the cities are almost 150 miles apart, he said, “The sense of community between Coloradans has remained the same. We all kind of get each other.”

He expanded on the sense of togetherness Colorado has, saying, “Politically, there’s a lot of safeguards in place for people to be free. It’s a great thing that people would want to come to Colorado for those things – to be in a safe area.”

Jim Roedel, Thornton

Jim Roedel, Thornton

Roedel grew up in Fort Lupton before attending Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction and recently returning north. He spoke optimistically about the future of Colorado and hopes that we maintain spaces where human connection is possible. 

“I’d love to see the arts and the culture and the connection preserved, which is of extreme importance as we move into the future and as humanity changes a little bit.”

“The energy is still very adventurous. I do think there’s just this feeling within Colorado that you don’t really see in other states. There are all the natural landmarks that are here and remain in our history. Red Rocks, for example, is one of those places that will always be that destination. It’s not going to change in my lifetime. There are those traditional things that will be always here that make it a really cool state.”

Tyler Hinrichs, Broomfield

Tyler Hinrichs, Broomfield

Hinrichs also vouched for the mountains being one of Colorado’s main selling points. He was outspoken about his love for the open space that the state has to offer and named the natural environment as his reason for remaining in Colorado. 

“It’s the natural environment, the views. The mountains are just marvelous. You can see from anywhere really and just being able to look at them is what’s special about Colorado. Being able to go into them and ski and hike and whatnot is what really makes Colorado special,” he said. 

Jadyn S, Westminster 

Schelir and her fiancé spent most of their lives in Fort Collins. She shared her love of Colorado proudly and gave us a small glimpse into the memories they’ve created. She highlighted how much more there is to the state than its typical stereotypes. 

Even though she’s lived here her entire life, she laughed about how she hasn’t visited all of the Colorado staples.

“There’s so much I haven’t seen, but I can tell you where to get a cinnamon roll that’ll blow your mind on the way to Estes Park. It’s the random, little things that you know people who aren’t from here can’t relate to.” 

Trinity Jacobs, Westminster

Trinity Jacobs, Westminster

Jacobs has lived in several regions of Colorado and experienced the differences between communities. She made it clear that she loves the state even with its nuances, saying that she hopes we continue to keep “all of it” alive and exciting. 

“It’s just such a cool state. Politically, it’s great, and I’m very comfortable with a lot of the areas I’m in. I like the protections with laws and I appreciate the community. There are a lot of kind-hearted souls here and it’s a beautiful state.” 

Samantha Clark, Colorado Springs

Clark has lived her whole life in Colorado Springs with memories of climbing the Manitou Springs incline and gaining some scars from falling down the bar trail. She hopes for more spaces where people can come together recreationally while acknowleged “the magic that Colorado offers” with its variety. 

“I’m all here for diversity and I think if we could have more people that look different and come from different walks of life, there are always positives in that.”

Jennah Synnestvedt, Lafayette

Synnestvedt moved back to Colorado from New York in 2010, saying, “The mountains called me back.” She explained that the outdoors and diversity were important factors in her decision to return. 

“The population increase has put more people in nature, so it’s more taxing on the land, but it’s also brought some more creativity, innovation, and technology here. It is a sanctuary state too, where it’s friendly to people of different backgrounds.”

Justice Humphrey, Northglenn

Justice Humphrey, Northglenn

Experiencing the four seasons and optimism have kept Humphrey here for her entire life. She spoke about her love for the diversity in Colorado and hopes that we protect that facet of the state. Her openness to the change – while still preserving our history – was inspiring.

“We have a lot of people moving here who are liberal and all on the same page. As a kid, everything was very different, and I see things from a different point of view now. I’ve grown, and the city has grown differently, and it’s making new changes.”

Mark Cavanaugh, Denver

Cavanaugh has 60 years of sentimental memories in Colorado and seemingly infinite stories about how the state has evolved. His love was clear in our over-30-minute conversation, filled with memories of Denver ramping up and suddenly exploding with people. 

He values the essence of his home state, saying, “Colorado embodies the spirit of the American West. It’s a place where you can remake yourself or become whatever it is you want to be, rather than what you’re supposed to be or what you think you’re trapped to be.”

“We welcome all. It is shaped like a big welcome mat and we welcome people. That’s true Colorado spirit. We have always been a very welcoming and tolerant state.” 

Rita Kendrick, Louisville

Kendrick and her family settled down in Colorado after moving to California twice. As an educator, she values the state’s history – both its achievements and harms – and passing the culture down to future generations. She spoke about the nostalgia of visiting places like 16th Street Mall, Casa Bonita, and Frisco and being able to share those places with her children. 

“I think a lot of  has to do with the outdoors. The outdoor environment, the mountains, being able to ski, being able to hike. I hope that we don’t continue to build, and build, and build, and lose that character of the mountains. Lose the wilderness. Lose the animals. The scenery is beautiful. And the lifestyle – we’re laid back.”

Lena Wenzel, Louisville 

Lena Wenzel, Louisville

Wenzel’s parents settled down in a farmhouse in Louisville in the late 60s. She spoke fondly of her memories rollerskating at Wheels, eating at the LA Diner, and participating in the Pearl Street Mall Crawl. Despite moving across the world to Morocco and integrating into a completely different culture, Wenzel came back to Colorado. 

“I guess I had to go all the way across the world to understand how important this place is to me,” she said. “I do feel very safe here. It’s a bubble, but I enjoy my bubble.”

Living just blocks away from the 2021 Marshall Fire gave Wenzel a deeper gratitude for Colorado and the community that has been built. She is still in proximity to her childhood friends and old restaraunt owners. Even with the “urban sprawl” and commercialization of the area, she has roots in Louisville. She and her partner volunteer at the Louisville Historical Museum and own The Aristrocrat Studios.

Kristen Wells-Wrasman, Englewood

Kristen Wells-Wrasman, 34, was born in the highest incorporated town in the United State, Leadville. After attending Colorado College on a full scholarship, she left the state briefly to get her PhD from Stanford University, before returning to settle down in Englewood. She explains,  “The biggest, obvious change in Colorado is ski traffic.” Wells-Wrasman, an avid hiker, also notes, “fires and parasites [mountain pine beetle] have really changed the Colorado forests as well.”

Sandee Miller, Leadville

Sandee Miller, 72 is a second-generation Coloradan, coming from a family of Mexican immigrants who fled to Colorado Springs when Pancho Villa took control in Mexico. For her, there have been many changes, also citing the growth of cities. Additionally, she mentions shopping as a major change, “When I was young, you went to shops downtown. Kids would meet there with kids from other parts of the west side, north end etc. Then malls were popular. Now I never think of going to a mall. Grocery stores were a place to get necessities. There were more independent grocers. Many in converted houses in neighborhoods. Even then many were kinda funky. Not that fresh. You would just walk to these neighborhood stores like the Egg House in Colorado Springs. Now grocery stores are shopping adventures. 

Amanda Slater, Louisville

Amanda Slater, 39 was born and raised in Broomfield, Co. After a brief stint in Montana, she settled with her family in Louisville. An avid outdoor enthusiast, Slater has spent a fair amount of time skiing, cycling, and hiking around the state. “Suburban sprawl and traffic are the biggest changes I have seen.” While Slater doesn’t mind the additional enthusiasm for the state, the recent growth has made some big changes in the Boulder Valley.

Alisandra Gulic, Eagle

Alisandra Guilic, 35 has spent her life in the Vail Valley, living on a family ranch and working in childcare. In her time living and working in the mountains, she has seen the area change. 

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The post Born and Raised, A Rare Breed: Coloradans talk about what they love and what has changed about the state in their lifetime appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Ways to Indulge

For twenty-five years, Yellow Scene Magazine has given you permission to treat yourself in the indulgence issue. For this special Silver Anniversary edition, we sought to luxuriate in local cuisine. Our writers traveled up and down Highway 36 to bring you the best tastes from Nederland to Westminster, and every hidden gem in between.

1. Casual- Really Casual

Boulder County’s Casual Classics: Great Food. Great Times.

Getting dressed up and going out can be fun, but sometimes you just want something casual with really good food. These four establishments fit the bill perfectly. So throw on some stretchy pants and get out there.

Village Coffee Shop

Village Coffee Shop, located at 1605 Folsom Street in Boulder, is “890 square feet of reality, surrounded by Boulder.”  According to owner Shanna Henkel, “Village Coffee Shop believes in building relationships and the vehicle for that is delicious food with generous portions at an affordable price.” But it’s not just about the amazing food, it’s about those relationships. She sat with me while I ate the lightest, fluffiest blueberry pancakes prepared by her husband, Chef Ryan. Beloved by their regulars, the wall by the register is covered in holiday cards from guests that the duo now consider family. You make friends here, and relationships continue way after the delicious meal has been consumed. I can’t wait to go back. 

Rising Tiger

Find yourself hungry at the Longmont Farmer’s Market?  Check out the pop-up, Rising Tiger. Chef and owner Devin Keopraphay is a master of both skill and innovation. He says, “My goal is to foster the bridge between cultures. My food is based in tradition, but not traditional.” One of the most exciting dishes on the menu right now is the Scallion Pancake. You get your choice of char siu or smoked tofu wrapped in a scallion pancake with local greens, provolone, egg foo young patty, and roasted garlic aioli. Try it with the chili crips. It has heat, but also a sweet component to it. The scallion pancake is a win. After success with pop-ups and catering, Rising Tiger is looking for a brick-and-mortar space.  

Marco’s Hot Dogs and Tacos

I had the pleasure of spending some time with Jose Luis Arce, owner of Marco’s Hot Dogs and Tacos. Marco’s has been a staple in Longmont for 25 years. It’s not just a restaurant, it’s a family legacy. Please go get a bacon-wrapped hot dog with everything. Pinto beans, mayo, ketchup, mustard, onions, tomatoes, and shredded cheese. Hear me out. It sounds like it wouldn’t work, but it is incredible. And do NOT skip the tacos. They offer a taco condiment bar to customize your experience: red and white onions, cilantro, pico de gallo, roasted jalapenos, salsa roja, and salsa verde. Marco’s flagship location is at 1647 Kimbark Street, but you can also find their food truck at the northeast corner of Main and 119. They offer catering as well. 

Crosscut Pizzeria and Taphouse

Take a beautiful drive up Boulder Canyon to Nederland, and you will find Crosscut Pizzeria and Taphouse in the center of town. Located at 4 E 1st Street, the place is hopping. When you walk in, the first thing you see is the massive wood-fired pizza oven. It runs around 900 degrees Fahrenheit and makes the most mouthwatering pizza. Owners Seth and Jessica Colter have found the perfect medium for their pizza: the dough. It is made of organic, Colorado-milled flour and undergoes a three-day fermentation process. It almost doesn’t matter what you put on it. It’s delectable. But I went with Mario. Colorado hot Italian sausage, pickled shallot, basil, cremini mushrooms, mozzarella, and an herbed ricotta sauce. Creamy and delicious with that heat from

2. Deli Feature

Northern Colorado isn’t exactly known for its delis. But tucked between breweries and the unavoidable flock of farm-to-tables, you’ll find a few counters that know their way around a sandwich. No gimmicks or East Coast cosplay – just charm and a reminder that lunch doesn’t have to be a letdown. Locals know them, outsiders don’t, and that’s the point.

Pelos Deli in Longmont

If you’re going to indulge, you might as well do it somewhere with a turtle terrarium in the back. There’s a psychic storefront next door to Pelos Deli in Longmont, but I can already predict your future after one of these sandwiches; you will be stuffed. The music drifts between R.E.M. and Bowie – not what you expect in a deli, but neither is the décor. Mule-blanket couches and a mix of hipster cowpoke saloon touches might confuse deli purists, but if your pastrami is good, I couldn’t care less. And here it is. Served with sauce on the side, kraut piled high, and thin, crispy fries that make a surprisingly fine stand-in for classic potato salad – a claim most delis can’t make. Grab a Dr. Brown’s cream soda, and speaking of indulgence, don’t skip the black-and-white cookie.

Your Butcher Frank in Longmont

On the surface, Your Butcher Frank in Longmont is an old-school butcher shop and Italian market, but there’s a friendliness here that rises above the stoicism you’d expect at first glance. The interior says “regulars only,” but the vibe is more neighborly than guarded: think a Sopranos–Brady Bunch mashup featuring Alice the Maid as a hitman that shoots winks and smiles, and maybe a free half pound of mortadel on your way out the door. The kale-lined meat case and white-with-red-accent subway tile are pure throwbacks, and the only remotely scary thing in here is the rack of meat hooks near the walk-in door toward the back. A crew in crisp white shirts, red caps, ties, and aprons turns out a short list of fat signature sandwiches alongside a broad make-your-own menu. Lunch in one hand, a T-bone for dinner in the other – that’s how Frank’s works.

Lolita’s Market & Delis

Lolita’s Market & Delis is Boulder’s take on the urban bodega, except instead of ciggs, scratchers, and taquitos spinning since sunrise, you’ll find organic crackers, all-natural cleaners, and enough gluten-free superfoods to pack the glove boxes of every Subaru in the Chautauqua parking lot. The deli counter runs from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., serving sandwiches made without the attitude tax you’d pay in New York, while the market itself keeps the lights on until 1 a.m. – just in case you need late-night oat milk or an emergency bag of turmeric popcorn. Lolita’s is more Boulder than a kombucha-stained yoga mat. And truthfully, it’s hard not to love a spot that pulls off practical, quirky, and downright dependable all at once.

3. Color(ado) Me Impressed; Dining with a View 

Whether you are looking to woo a first date, impress the in-laws, or setting up a business dinner with a “wow” factor, scenic Colorado, and it’s gorgeous backdrop has you covered.. We found amazing locations that serve up delectable food with an extra-large helping of Colorado Front Range views. Here’s a scenic sampling of some of the best BoCo and surrounding area establishments that will make even the locals go loco. 

“I’ll never get over this view” is what I heard from a fellow restaurant patron as I roamed the outdoor dining area of Acreage in Lafayette. The sunset was nothing less than stunning from this hilltop location, but it is also so much more. Crisp, delicious ciders, the best truffle fries I’ve ever had, cornhole, music, trivia, and so much room for the kids and adults to frolic. Acreage is an absolute gem when looking for somewhere to entertain friends and family without having to do the cooking. A place I guarantee you will want to come back to time and time again. Oh, and did I mention the food is as wonderful as the views? 

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s super good! The unsuspecting little joint called Blue Sky Bistro is tucked away in the Rocky Mountain Metro Airport in Broomfield and is absolutely one of a kind. I could have sat on the patio watching the planes come and go all day while munching on the Texas Toast Grilled Cheese with brisket and tangy pepper jam. It was the perfect amount of crunchy, melty, smoky BBQ goodness. The setting is casual, but the food is top-notch. And the view is just the proverbial chef’s kiss. Bring your kids, bring your buddies, bring your favorite grandparent; they’ll all enjoy it just the same. Keep an eye out for their music and weekly happy hours. This eatery is fly AF. 

I was transported from Boulder to Barcelona when I stepped out onto the patio of Corrida, in Boulder. This 4th-floor downtown establishment has all of the elements of a traditional tapas restaurant in Spain but with an astounding view of the Flatirons. I felt like my stress dropped away as I took the first sip of my Indigo Gin and Tonic, which is made tableside via their Service Cart. The Camarones (shrimp), Pimientos (shoshito peppers) and Queso Asado (goat cheese) tapas were so divine, it made for the perfect sunny afternoon. However, don’t limit yourself to tapas, they also provide one of the most delicious upscale dinner and brunch services as well. This place is impressive and sexy and will leave any guest you invite thinking you’re the most interesting person in the world -well, maybe not, but it would definitely help. 

Kick your boots up and get down with some wildly delicious ciders and wood-fired pizza at Wild Cider in Firestone. I felt like I was on my own back porch…if I actually had an awe-inspiring view of a country orchard, mature cottonwoods and countless  mountain peaks. The refreshing slushy peach agave cider combined with the Chicken Bacon Ranch pizza made the transition from work day to “weekend is here” so seamless. By the way, the perfectly thin, crispy, but chewy pizza crust has cider in it. Yeah, that’s right. To top it off, they have live local music artists on Saturday from 4-7 pm and a Sunday Maker’s Market with local artisan vendors. Don’tforget to include the kids and fur babies, because there is tons of room for them to roam while you sit back and relax. Y’all, I’ll be coming back now, you hear? 

If you’re looking for delicious food with the added “don’t act like you’re not impressed” sentiments, you can’t beat these restaurants. They truly put the awe in awesome.

4. Food Halls

Food Halls offer space, games, options for the whole family

Designed to provide large groups with comfort and options, food halls across Boulder County have one thing in common—they emphasize flexibility, convenience and a good time out with friends. I explored Rosetta Hall and Avanti, both in Boulder, Relish in Louisville, and Parkway in Longmont. While they can all boast of high ceilings, delicious chow from around the world, and space galore for families, business functions, and large groups, there’s plenty of variety between them to find your favorite.

Rosetta Hall

At Rosetta Hall in Boulder, the vibe is the highlight. Built to offer an eye-catching, classy, and inspiring space, this location’s interior will impress just about anyone. It has ceilings vaulted to three stories and a huge skylight over a massive central space filled with long tables. A mezzanine floats above, and guests can ascend further to a rooftop bar for cocktails and views of the Flatirons. Even during hot summer days, an array of misters (and spritzers) promises to keep you cool inside and out. 

Choose from a variety of cuisines inspired by the flavors of Europe, Central America, New York, and LA, prepared in individual restaurant spaces as you’d expect in any food hall, but with a twist. Every menu is curated under the same head chef, Mike Galen.

“We opened in 2018 with a bunch of different vendors,” Marketing Director Chelsea Meier said, “then COVID hit, and it became difficult for all the different restaurants to keep that happening, so now, they’re all under one independent operator.”

The cuisine owes its deliciousness in part to locally sourced ingredients and a secret rooftop garden where Rosetta’s chefs gather herbs and spices for drinks and finishing touches. In the “Chameleon” space, you can catch chefs preparing specialty whole-fruit super-juices and dehydrating citrus to add panache to cocktails. That is, until a guest pop-up restaurant might arrive, which happens often. 

I went to the rooftop and chose a light summer spritzer garnished with house-made dehydrated orange rounds, which complemented my falafel, cucumber, and labneh plate with a hint of mint and parsley. Head in around 6 p.m. on a Tuesday for live music on the rooftop or Thursday through Saturday for bands set up on the quirky main stage overlooking the entirety of the food hall. You’ve never seen a band perform higher—get it?

Avanti Food & Beverage

Now, if you want all-encompassing views of the Flatirons, head to Pearl Street and check out the rooftop of Avanti Food & Beverage. Having opened in 2020, it’s safe to call it Boulder’s second food hall, and I’d argue its panoramic vista is the best in town.

The ride up to Level 4 on the glass-sided elevator is its own attraction, giving you the sensation of rising from street-level like a city pigeon, and in about thirty seconds, you’re at the rooftop, feeling more like a red-tailed hawk. On busking days, you will hear some songsters. Bring a small pair of binoculars—from this vantage, you could probably spy on hikers in Chautauqua Park or eye a climber or two sending the Flatirons. Look north, and you’ll catch paragliders launching from Wonderland Hill in NoBo. To the south, you can ID NCAR and the sharp point of Bear Peak.

The cuisine on the street-level main hall offers options including Venezuelan arepas, Italian, Japanese, Mediterranean, and American, alongside coffee and a full bar, but to truly indulge, I’d suggest some pizza from New Yorkese upstairs. I housed a whole 14” Steverino, an olive oil-based pie, both rich and somehow light. Maybe it was the crunchy toasted kale or the hint of fennel seed in the Italian sausage. Coupled with the view, I felt like I owned the whole city.

Relish Food Hall and Pickleball

For a more active evening, head to Relish Food Hall and Pickleball in Louisville. I went with my partner and a friend, and we ended up killing four hours playing a round of America’s fastest-growing sport, and enjoying wine, cocktails, and seasonal cuisine inspired by the Palisade peach.

Built in a re-claimed Sam’s Club, this is the largest of the four, boasting of 50,000 square feet of pickleball courts (19 in all) and 30,000 square feet of food hall. Co-founder Tory Leggat said the name “Relish” pulls together the many sides of the concept.

“Obviously, the name is pickle-related; it’s food, but it also means ‘extreme enjoyment,’ and we want people to enjoy everything they’re doing here.”

If you’re a first-timer, you can get a court and a coaching session for the incredible price of $5, and serious competitors can have their matches recorded. Levels of experience are assigned to the courts themselves, so no matter your experience, you can find others to play with.

After your match, you can choose from eight different cuisines including some unique options like salad and charcuterie, a specialty soup, or a milkshake. Every vendor offers gluten-free and dairy-free options. While the courts are the main attraction, the food hall offers outstanding event spaces and live music every other Thursday. For families seeking more engagement, screen-free areas offer better eye contact.

Whatever you’re into, Relish is designed to be a place where people can connect, with a focus on families and retirees.

Parkway Food Hall

Now, for an easy, good time or a place to get a little wild, head to Longmont and pop into Parkway Food Hall. It’s a laid-back hangout—think pub with tons of space—with bar games for the whole family, including beer pong, darts, and cornhole in the 21-plus lounge and video games of all kinds in the arcade, both spaces off the main hall.

You’ll find heavier pub fare like barbecue, burgers, shawarma, and pizza, and some unique options like gelato bars, Asian fusion, and Cajun. I chose a fried alligator tail po’ boy from Back Alley Bayou, served with fries that taste like New Orleans-style kettle-cooked chips. Alligator is a white meat, lean and light like catfish, with a texture akin to calamari, but the star of this flavor profile is the remoulade, a tangy, spicy red sauce that perks up the swampy southern seasonings and will leave you talking about your meal all week.

Parkway promises a diverting evening out for both the young and the young at heart—sports, billiards, foosball, shuffleboard, and more. Come hungry, ready to compete, and with time to kill.

5. Hidden Treasures Of BOCO

Escape the Ordinary: Unearth Boulder County’s Hidden Restaurant Gems

In a world full of corporate-owned restaurants, discover the riches that these local eateries are offering. What I love about each of these restaurants is the immediate sense of feeling right at home. The owners and staff are welcoming and truly enhance your dining experience with their hospitality. Across the board, these gems will dazzle you.

John’s Table

The first stop is John’s Table located at 1700 Dogwood Street in Louisville. It is owned and operated by Alex and Kelli Gianopoulos. With a dealer’s choice at hand, Chef Alex prepared the Prime Rib Philly. This dish, like most dishes on their menu, has a story. Every year on their wedding anniversary, Alex prepares a prime rib for them to dine on. The next day, the couple has the Prime Rib Philly and watches movies from their childhood. The sandwich starts with marinated, roasted, and thinly shaved ribeye served with sauteed onions and peppers, drizzled with delectable Swiss cheese sauce. This is served on a perfect hoagie roll with a side of au jus and creamy horseradish. I’m not going to lie, I have thought about this sandwich every day since I tried it. It is meaty, cheesy HEAVEN. There are not enough words. Just GO. Your life will not be complete until you eat this sandwich.

Marigold

Next, I had the pleasure of meeting Theo Adley. He is the chef and owner of a little sensation called Marigold. Located at 405 Main Street in Lyons, it is the coziest place on the block. With just 40 seats, reservations are recommended. Everything is fresh and the menu changes daily based on what is available locally. This is the perfect spot for date night. We started with sourdough from Babette’s with beurre sarrazin and finocchiona. It was superb. Our waiter, Jordan, sliced the finocchiona on a table in the center of the room and it was nearly translucent. I chose the Poulet Rouge “under a brick” with charred romano beans and shishito. Chef Theo comes out of the kitchen periodically to check on diners and make sure they are enjoying their experience. He insisted we try the Budino for dessert, we were not disappointed. If I could marry a dessert, it would be this one. The dessert is a cold chocolate budino over a warm peanut butter mousse with little sea salt sprinkles. Absolute perfection.

Hidden Cafe

Ron Brown is the owner and chef of Hidden Cafe, which is tucked into 829 Main Street #5 in Longmont. Hidden Cafe is open for breakfast and lunch. Chef Ron takes pride in using the freshest of ingredients. The home fries are fresh, never frozen: seasoned to perfection. The outside is crispy, and the inside is soft and fluffy. I had these magic potatoes alongside the Mexican Scramble; it was wonderful. Scrambled eggs with chorizo, fresh tomatoes, onions, and peppers under a blanket of melty cheese, topped with house-made green chili and sour cream. They also make their sausage gravy in-house. My server, Steven, said the burgers are the best in Longmont. Plans have already been made to return to this homey spot.

Jamestown Mercantile

Feel like getting out of the city? Head up Left Creek Canyon and check out Jamestown Mercantile, which is affectionately referred to as the Merc. Chef and Owner Rainbow Schultz has created something really special in Jamestown. I dined there on a Thursday. It was Indian Food Night and the place smelled incredible. Chef Ryan Turano was in the kitchen whipping up some creamy Butter Chicken and Samosas. There was a zucchini salad appetizer with parmesan, mint, and pistachios which made for the perfect bite. Plus, what a great way to utilize all the zucchini in season. The portions were generous. So generous, that when it came time for Mango Cheesecake, I only had room for two bites. But boy, were those good bites. I enjoyed absolutely everything while listening to David Lawrence and the Spoonful. The food at the Merc is outstanding, they have a full bar, the decor is so fun, but what makes it so special is the community. People gather at the Merc. Some by chance, some by arrangement, but all are welcomed with open arms by Rainbow. It was a beautiful thing to see. Follow them on Instagram @Jamestown_Mercantile for their event schedule and menu.

6. Vegetarian Indulgence

I’m not giving up meat- let’s start there. But here are a handful of spots that don’t need it. Often, when a person cuts out meat, they go overboard on pasta. These places don’t need that crutch. The menus are built out of conviction by someone who cares as much about the product as the purpose behind it. You can feel good working these into your regular rotation without missing out

Falafayette is a food truck, but not in the traditional sense. You order online, pick a time slot, and pick up your food. They sell out often, so sign up for alerts or you’ll miss the next pop-up. The hummus is the best in the state, and you won’t find a fresher stuffed pita anywhere nearby. Don’t forget the fresh-squeezed lemonade of the day and fries in the pita or you’re doing it wrong. The only thing better than the food here is the owner, Adam’s, dad jokes.

Lotus Moon is the best magic show in town. Vegan “beef bowls,” “calamari,” “chicken wings.” Usually, these stunts collapse after the first bite, but here the tricks hold up. The pho broth tastes so good, I feel like I’m in a frozen yogurt Seinfeld episode; no way should it be that rich without bones and FAT. It’s one thing for vegans to line up for a place. The grand finale is how many meat-eaters keep coming back.

There’s no hiding it here. Vegan Thai Co in Longmont is 100 percent plant-based, full stop. Fresh ingredients, bold flavors. Thai food that is vegan, instead of dressing it up. There’s no shimmying around with “meat-ish” variations. Mostly a takeout operation with minimal seating, so you vegetarian skeptics can get in and out without anyone catching on to your hypocrisy.

Zeal is the restaurant equivalent of a non-denominational church. You can worship whatever you want as long as you keep it cool and don’t mess with the rest of the flock. Meat’s on the menu, but it isn’t a threat and it isn’t there to insult anyone. The place is pro-choice in the best way. Plant-heavy, with no dogma to it. The ideology here is simple: let the food speak for itself. Feel free to insert your own sal(i)vation joke here.

7. Main Street Lafayette

What is served on South Public Road

Lafayette is a town built on the arts. With a community that celebrates the creatives with Art’s Night Out, performing art centers, and free festivals with live music, it only makes sense that they also celebrate culinary art as well. From fried chicken, to pho, to frozen treats, Lafayette is the place to go.

In an unassuming strip mall, at the base of South Public is some of the best food you can find in Lafayette. When you walk up to Pho Cafe, do not be discouraged by the plain outside, once you open the door, you will feel right at home and ready to eat. A cup of hot tea and a perfectly rolled spring roll is an amazing way to start the meal. The peanut sauce is the perfect consistency and tea relaxes and warms. While there are plenty of options on the menu, from Thai curry to Kung Pao Chicken, I ordered the restaurant’s namesake and got a big bowl of Tofu Vegetable Pho. Delicious and hearty, it was packed with the broccoli, onions, jalapenos, bean sprouts, and lots of noodles, leaving me feeling nourished and satisfied.

On the more heavy side The Post Brewing Company specializes in chicken and beer. The menu is stacked with comfort foods like chicken and waffles, chicken sandwiches, and roasted chicken. Though, if you are feeling like you need some read meat, there is also burgers and meatloaf on the menu. I, a sucker for a good veggie, got the Roasted Vegetable Bowl, which was a vegetarian and gluten free option. It was an amazing and flavorful combination of broccoli, cauliflower, and a cucumber tomato salad, served with chickpeas and humus, to keep the protein count high. Served with the Townie Easy Drinking IPA, a lightly hoppy option, it was a great mix of homey and healthy.

For some, a nightcap might be a sip of liquor, but I will always tend towards a sweet treat and a cup of decaf. Stam Chocolatier is a great place to start or end your day. With a full coffee shop, an array of chocolates, and gelato there is plenty to indulge in. Kaycee, the cafe manager, steamed up the perfect cappuccino before our chat. The rich espresso, paired with a salted chocolate and praline chocolate was an incredible combination. Kaycee explained,  “People come here after dinner out a lot, they come for both the chocolate and gelato, but will stay for the atmosphere.” The large seating area with a piano in the corner, for evening melodies, gives the shop a European feel, which makes sense, since the Stam family began making chocolate over 100 years ago in Amsterdam.

8. Main Street Longmont

There are no shortage of amazing restaurants in Longmont, but it’s not a competition to them. Everyone wishes the best for one another and I love that for Longmont. This is what makes this community strong and vibrant.

It had been a minute since I had experienced Pumphouse Brewery located at 540 Main Street, but thanks to the hospitality of Bryan Schosker of the leadership team and my wonderful waitress, Melissa, I fell in love with it all over again. Pumphouse has been employee-owned since 2022, you can tell the staff takes pride in giving you an amazing dining experience. The menu is expansive, so there is something for everyone. Pumphouse offers a full bar in addition to in house brewing; they always have five beers continuously on tap and rotating seasonal beers.

I started with Pretzel Bites that were brushed generously with garlic butter and salt. Then came the sauces: White Cheddar “Wildfire” Fondue and Housemade Beer Mustard. The sauces are fantastic! I wanted to do shots of the fondue, but thought that might be frowned upon. I enjoyed the Cabo Fish Tacos;the fish was perfectly crispy yet light. But for me, the show stopper was the Toffee Fig Cake. It is served with a warm toffee sauce to pour over the rich decadent cake that is bursting with figs. The portions at Pumphouse are huge and you will leave with leftovers for lunch the next day.

Just a few doors down is Red Cedar Bistro located at 516 Main Street, which offers approachable, modern Tri-Regional Mediterranean cuisine. Red Cedar Bistro is the creation of Executive Chef Larry Shore and his talented wife, Sandy. Larry worked for Michelin Star Chef Serge Backes in Manhattan, who advised Larry to “get really good ingredients and don’t screw it up.” I have many favorites, but don’t skip the Steak au Poivre. It’s a perfect filet mignon from Buckner Farms with garlic mashed potatoes in a cognac jus. Absolutely impeccable. Stay tuned for some upcoming menu changes featuring a Bison Bourgeois over Pappardelle and a Triple Cream Brie and Phyllo with Moroccan Almonds. Is your mouth watering yet? The Bistro also offers themed wine dinners with menu creations by Chef Larry and wine pairings by Sommelier Roland Hermann. The best part about having this level of culinary talent in Longmont is that it is not pretentious. Larry and Sandy are very down to earth. You will leave with a full tummy and a set of new friends.

Miss Krissy’s Bistro is tucked into Brick’s at 471 Main Street. Chances are you will be greeted warmly by Miss Krissy herself upon entering this spacious hangout.  “My vision when I dreamed of opening the bistro was to have it feel like the TV show, Cheers. Where everybody knows your name.”  She has achieved exactly that, along with a killer menu and a full bar. Need a Bloody Mary at 10am on a Tuesday? Miss Krissy will hook you up. The bistro offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I had the pleasure of trying their new Shepherd’s Pie, which will debut in the fall. Chef Brigitte served up a hearty bite with probably the best mashed potatoes I have ever had in my life.  But the jaw-dropper on this menu is the Moroccan Flatbread. That Moroccan honey drizzle has so many layers of flavor. It will keep you coming back for more. It pairs perfectly with the roasted bell pepper, kalamata olives, and melty mozzarella. Need some more protein with it? Add the delicious oven-roasted chicken. Your taste buds will thank you.

A little further south on Main Street is Urban Field Pizza. Located at 150 Main Street, Chef and Co-Founder Nick Swanson is serving up some of the best pizza in town. The most popular pizza on the menu is the Arrabbiata. Calabrian chiles, house cheese blend, pepperoncini, Ezzo cup and char pepperoni, basil and hot honey. The way that honey fills those little cups of meat is culinary art. The pizza is phenomenal, but do NOT miss the Burrata. It is so bright and flavorful. It’s a beautifully baked flatbread topped with cherry tomatoes, arugula and roasted garlic oil. Follow them on Instagram to see the biweekly pizza specials. When I asked Nick what he wanted BOCO to know about UF, he said “I want people to know about the culture of our staff.” He went on to talk about the dedication of his team,  the enthusiasm they bring with them every day, and their commitment to making Urban Field feel like home. It definitely does.

9. Main Street Erie

Main Street Erie restaurants delight patrons with fresh, fine food and drink

Erie locals share a secret—this close-knit community off the beaten path is growing exponentially, and the restaurants downtown offer some of the best cuisine around. But the owners of fine dining establishments all know that in east Boulder County, while the mountain panoramas are great, the patrons are the real gem.

If you happen into Piripi, the Latin and Mediterranean restaurant whose name translates from the Spanish to “tipsy,” you’ll see how much of the world Owners Hugo and Victoria Meyer have brought to Erie through their food. Tucked into the top corner of a two-story building on Main Street, the menu offers tapas and dinners inspired by the cuisines of Spain, Italy, and Central America. With views of downtown from the balcony, the people watching is exceptional, especially on a Farmer’s Market Thursday.

There’s a touch of both land and sea with dishes like paella—a mixture of shrimp, squid, and mussels over rice—alongside Argentinian-style steak served with a delectable chimichurri sauce. I had a taste of the traditional, the chicken parmesan, one of Piripi’s bestsellers. It was rich and filling, with thick, savory mozzarella and a deep, tangy tomato sauce, the chicken crispy outside, juicy inside, and the pasta a perfect al dente.

At 24 Carrot, just a few doors down, the menu is as good as gold. The emphasis in this fine dining establishment is fresh-as-can-be, locally sourced ingredients, and a rotating seasonal menu that will keep even regulars on their toes, anticipating what delicacy might be up next. As its name suggests, the cuisine is high-quality, offering a casual fine dining experience with farm-to-table dishes.

What ingredients can’t be obtained locally are shipped to the restaurant within twenty-four hours. This includes the popular calamari and from May to September, the halibut flown in from Alaska, according to Owner/General Manager Bianca Retzloff. Even within these import partnerships, 24 Carrot seeks sustainably sourced foods.

When I stopped by, the kitchen was rolling out a new special, corn-on-the-cob “ribs,” prepared in a such a way that mimics the experience of eating meat off the bone. But I went for a bruschetta inspired by the seasonal Palisade peach and ordered a mezcal cocktail. The drink blew my mind, served with a plank of dark chocolate floating atop a square ice cube like a walrus on an iceberg, and the bruschetta was just as incredible—thick focaccia with a sliced half-peach glazed in balsamic vinegar atop a layer of honey-whipped goat cheese. It was as beautiful as it was delicious.

Photo credit: George Hudetz

You’ll know you’re at The Dugout, a baseball-themed sports bar at the end of Main Street, when you hit the Astroturf. Surrounded by plastic grass, this fun little drop-in serves tasty pub fare alongside your favorite glass of beer. Their burgers are to die for, but their specials will make the restaurant your sport-loving family’s second dinner table or your office crew’s regular happy hour haunt.

I was there on Wing Wednesday—a half-price pitcher after 5 p.m. and a $1.25 per-wing deal, so I got a basket of six tossed in a classic and killer Buffalo sauce. Other specials include $4 Taco Tuesday, with two-for-one margaritas after five, and Prime Rib Friday during Karaoke Night.

One of the newest additions to the downtown Erie scene, Cellar West is celebrating its grand opening in the second half of September after Founder Zach Nichols decided to expand his original Lafayette brewery northward. The brews offer something fresh out of a well-loved historic building, locally referred to as simply “The Yellow House.”

Nichols said he “immediately fell in love with it,” bought the building, and dove into a remodel to give the structure a welcoming feel with plenty of nooks and corners for a conversation over a pint. No brewing will happen on the premises, but the taproom will deliver Cellar West’s fan favorites and also feature a few proprietary recipes sold only in Erie. Call it a reward to the residents who welcomed him to town.

With an ample backyard area and an auxiliary building with a Grateful Dead-inspired interior, not to mention room on the premises for a food truck, Cellar West plans to offer a hangout spot perfect for an afternoon listening to live local music and catching up with best friends.

10. Main Street Louisville

The Taste of Community

Main Street Louisville is one of those idyllic streets. A former mining mecca, the town has transformed into a place for quirky local eateries, outdoor seating, and a vibrant music scene. With a museum, local shops, and plenty of people-watching, it is the kind of place you could spend the whole day. 

The Huckleberry

Start off your tour of Louisville with the best breakfast/ brunch around at The Huckleberry. In one of the historic buildings, there is a certain cozy feel that will immediately put you at ease. The restaurant is broken into two sections, group restaurant dining and a bakery/cafe. I started my meal with a starter of freshly baked apple fritters and a cup of perfectly brewed coffee; where I could relax and take to my favorite pastime: people watching. There was a group of women catching up, giggling about adventures of the past. A young couple and their baby celebrating a first birthday, a long-time married couple sitting in comfortable silence. Everyone had a space to be themselves and enjoy. Josh Adams, the general manager, agreed with this thought. “We get lots of families, and a lot of regulars coming in. It is great to see people over the years and get to know them.” 

For my main course, I had the Huevos Rancheros. Now, I am born and raised in Colorado and take my Huevos Rancheros very seriously. I could not help but feel a little skeptical when they were brought out with crunchy tortillas, stacked high and neat rather than slopped around the plate. As it turns out, this is now how I will be making them moving forward. The crip tortillas were the perfect compliment to beans and runny eggs.Not just a restaurant, but also a bakery and cafe, The Huckleberry is deeply entwined with the community. During my visit, they were in the midst of baking thousands of pies for the Lafayette Peach Festival.

The Jasmine Bar

There are only five blocks of Main Street Louisville, and they are packed with places to grab a drink, so it takes a little bit of work to stand out. However, The Jasmine Bar has it’s work cut out for it. A little hide-away, down a footpath through blooming flowers and rustic buildings, the most creative drinks you could imagine are being poured. Eli, the Bar Manager guided me through my wide-eyed wonder, setting me up with two cocktails: A Southern Hospitality and a Shadow Woman. The Southern Hospitality, made from a bit of dark rum and kashasa, a rum made from sugar cane and cinnamon-malassas, then adjusted with pineapple juice, coconut cream, and blueberry cane syrup. The final step of the drink was Eli stepping outside to cut a fresh flower to garnish the drink. and the Shadow Woman was a derivative of an Old Fashioned with a hint of pear, sweetened with honey, and a hit of robust Mitcher’s bourbon. 

I enjoyed a glorious sunset, soaking in the sweet florals and rosy rays. People flowed through with friends, on dates, taking in the last sips of summer. Eli explained that they get everyone from aficionados to those celebrating a twenty-first birthday. “We get a lot of people who have never had a specialty cocktail, and want to try something new […] we also have a whisky club where people come to sip new whiskeys and discuss.” The Jasmine Bar lends itself to both, with over 200 whiskeys, it is a great place to get exactly what you want, or to be carefully shepherded through a new experience.

Lulu’s BBQ

A short walk south of the Jasmine Bar is Lulu’s BBQ. Sweet, smokey, and southern; Ben Wilson, the general manager describes the old style building as having a roadhouse feel. He explains, “The major influence is Texas hill country bar-b-que,” but he explains that there is also inspiration taken from Kansas City, Oklahoma and North Carolina coming together to create a “Colorado BBQ.” 

A menu heavy on pork, since it is BBQ, but also offers chicken, turkey, and some vegetarian sides; the unique and creative dishes have many repeat customers. Wilson explains that while they get patrons from all over Denver, the repeat customers are their main clientele, with some coming as many as three times a week.

Their signature Texas slush: half frozen margarita and half specialty Lager, made for them by Crystal Spring Brewing. With a big swig of Texas slush and hearty BBQ ribs on the front porch overlooking the small town charm, you really can’t go wrong.

Nora’s

Some secrets are meant to be shared, such is the case with Nora’s then Louisville speakeasy. Subterranean, dimly lit, cozy, and open late; it is the perfect place for a nightcap.When I arrived, the team was finishing up the monthly meeting, where they gathered around the table to try out new tastes and sips for the fall. Shannah, the mixologist serving that evening, explained that they take a collaborative approach, making changes and coming up with names together.

The cocktails are divided into standards and “Nora’s Takes” which are the specialty creations. On Shannah’s suggestion, I got a Nora’s Whisky Sour. With the memory of bad mixers of fifteen years ago, I was ready for a sugar bomb; but instead, I was greeted with a refreshing mix of amaretto, rye, and fresh lemon with orange. 

Caitlyn Kelly co-owns Nora with her dad. The two of them first opened The Simon Events center upstairs as a venue for weddings, reunions, and the like. They knew they had to utilize the basement space, and from that, Nora’s came to be. The name came from Kelly’s grandmother, who she described as being “Quiet, reserved, but caring deeply for other people.” This namesake is brought not only to the well-cared for clientele, but also the staff that feels uplifted and inspired by Kelly’s management.

11. Main Street Niwot

Small Town, Big Bites

Every street in Niwot kind of feels like Main Street. The town has fended off the sprawling housing divisions its neighbors fell prey to, leaving behind a pocket of legit small-town character. It’s a detour off the east–west grind between I-25 and Boulder where the pace slows and indulgence isn’t treated like a special occasion. For a place known for its wealth, you might expect some cold shoulders, but instead you’ll find open arms. Main Street isn’t a showpiece here; it’s just where Niwot works, eats, and hangs out, and that’s the appeal.

Tucked into a small row of shops at the center of town, Niwot Tavern walks the line between restaurant polish and pub grit – mirrored walls, oak and (oddly enough) Jägermeister trim. It’s got the vibe of a countryside pub you’d stumble across on a backpack trip through farmland where you and your buddy later get attacked by a werewolf – only here the locals are welcoming, and the only curse is on your calorie counter. The narrow entry bar makes rubbing elbows unavoidable; you’re making friends here whether you like it or not. The menu is long and leans heavy: shepherd’s pie, fish and chips, fat burgers. You don’t come here for restraint, and thankfully, theydon’t serve it.

Cimmini’s is an “Authentic” Italian restaurant that serves eggs Benedict and bottomless mimosas. On paper, it’s a jarring juxtaposition. In practice, it makes perfect sense – kind of like Snoop Dogg showing up at the Olympics. Cimmini’s stirs up a strange but balanced sauce that doesn’t break, sliding from hollandaise in the morning to marinara at night, and the consistently full tables prove no one here is confused.

Broken bike? You should probably have a drink. The Wheel House has a solution for both. Part shop, part social club with trivia nights and live music, it’s built for everything but biking. Out back a food truck opens a couple evenings a week, but the real indulgence is at the bar — taps lined with beer, kombucha, and cider, and the menu is stacked with specialty cocktails, solid wine list, a long whiskey list, vodka, tequila, gin, rum… it actually might be worth keeping your helmet on when you’re drinking here.

12. A Walk Down Pearl Street

Downtown Boulder is the ideal destination to indulge. Breathtaking mountain views serve as the backdrop for a lively promenade teeming with eclectic characters, a spectrum of storefronts, and — perhaps most notably — a dynamic culinary scene. From iconic hotspots on Pearl Street to notable newcomers on Walnut, this vibrant district offers a wealth of acclaimed restaurants to embark on your culinary journey – or just get a little weird. Choose your own adventure.

Cozobi Fonda Fina, the Boulder sibling of Denver’s Michelin-starred Alma Fonda Fina, opened its doors at 909 Walnut Street in the summer of 2024. The restaurant gets its namesake from Cozobi, the Zapotec god of corn. To say Boulder has been blessed with this corn-revering haven is an understatement. Chef and Owner Johnny Curiel has curated dishes that are both refined and complex, with explosive flavors and enchanting presentations.

The food menu is divided into four sections: Entradas, Crudos, De Nixtamal, and Los Fuertes.

For an “entrada,” guacamole gets a glow-up with smashed avocados, charred vegetables, salsa negra, and queso fresco. Curiel’s crudos are literally and figuratively in a category of their own. The Aguachile De Piquin features Japanese hamachi, orange supremes, orange oil, and chile piquin.

From the De Nixtamal section, Tlacoyo De Favas packs a flavorful punch. Still hungry? The larger plates, or “Los Fuertes,” range from stellar proteins to meaty mushrooms with exceptional depths of flavor.

For a fresh, creamy take on a classic, the Avocado Margarita is kind of a big deal. It can also be made sans-spirits.

*Tip: Save room for tres leches cake.

Multiple taste-induced mindblowing momentsorgasms are on the menu at Hapa Sushi Grill & Sake Bar. This playfully risqué Japanese-and-Hawaiian-inspired concept may not be the most traditional option for sushi in Boulder. Nevertheless, Hapa’s bawdy menu and ultra-modern vibe have made it a local tradition since 1999.

The restaurant moved to a larger space on the west end of Pearl Street in December 2023. Proving size really does matter, the leveled-up location subsequently expanded its menu of fusion fare. Among the new menu items are the Inari Bombs – marinated tofu pockets stuffed with rice and spicy tuna – as well as the miso-marinated Black Cod.

Hapa’s flavors are unique, exciting, and a little rebellious. Go for gold with the 24 Karat Roll, featuring ebi, cucumber, jalapeno, and avocado, topped with tuna, golden tobiko, and yuzu garlic sauce.

Rather than making mocktails feel like an afterthought, Hapa offers a superb selection of non-alcoholic beverages. For those sticking to the hard stuff, Ronin’s Redemption is a classy concoction made with Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky.

*Tip: Hapa’s famous happy hour happens every day from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Stella’s Cucina is a stunner. Originally intended to be a sophisticated cannabis sanctuary, the visionary husband-and-wife team behind Stella’s decided to pivot to “full-scale Italian” in 2023.

The soft curvature of the Art Deco-inspired interior, regal navy-and-gold color palette, and gleaming central bar set the stage for an exquisite culinary experience.

Every dish at Stella’s is a craveable work of art. The Insalata di Polpo is as beautiful as it is delicious, composed of caramelized octopus, marble potatoes, haricot vert, cherry tomatoes, Taggiasca olives, and arugula, delicately drizzled with parsley oil. A seasonal showstopper is The Spaghetti Alla Nerano, house-made saffron spaghetti, basil, Esoterra Farms zucchini, and squash blossoms.

For carnivorous palates, the Brasato Al Barolo (divine red wine-braised local short rib) is a melt-in-your-mouth must.

While the devil’s lettuce remains off the menu, you can still get lit with a glass of vino, non-alcoholic bubbly, or a genius cocktail such as the Mia Marmellata.

*Tip: Check out Stella’s website for a schedule of live music.

SALT has been a Pearl Street staple since 2009. The food is polished, seasonal, local, sustainable…and all those things that make Boulderites giddy to gobble. Unlike some of the previously mentioned menus that require explanation for navigation, SALT’s selections are recognizable and approachable without being boring.
The Original Tomato Soup is, truly, just damn good tomato soup. It comes garnished with a grilled cheese crouton and a little Tuscan olive oil. Additionally, The Rosemary Roasted Chicken is a comforting plate of chicken breast and confit chicken thigh with seasonal accompaniments. Scallops are seared to perfection and plants steal the spotlight with SALT’s impressive selection of vegetarian-friendly dishes. Try the Quinoa Chickpea Burger or rotating Vegetable Tasting.
A focus on seasonality even carries over to the cocktail program.
*Tip: Say hi to Evan behind the bar for a well-made drink.

13. Pet Friendly

My Life in Dog Beers

Whether you are coming back from a hike with your four-legged pal, or just having some guilt about leaving them home, it can be nice to have a pet-friendly option in your dining. A spacious dining area and accepting ownership is a must in furry friend dining.

When dining out with a pet, you can feel limited by the weather. At 

Crystal Spring Brewing in Louisville, a semi-covered patio and spacious seating in the back gives lots of room for multiple pet families to spread out and enjoy, even on a rainy day. There is more seating in the front, as well as inside, so on a busy day, all can be accommodated. I enjoyed the Louisville Lager, which was light and crisp, while my pup and I soaked up our last sips of summer. While Crystal Springs does not serve food, you can order from Verde or Rocket Dogs, and they will bring the food straight to your table.

Even more space can be found at Avery Brewing in Gunbarrel. With a large, astroturf area, there is plenty of space for you and your pet to have a seat and enjoy each other’s company. While you need to order your beer at the bar, you can order food directly to your table, so you do not have to leave your fuzzy friend unattended. Still on a Lager kick, I had their new release Beach Buffalo, which is a variation of their popular Stampede Lager, but with a little kick of lime for summer.

14. Live Fire / Open Flame

Cooking over an open flame has been a concept since cave dwellers roamed the earth. While early live fire cooking was practiced out of necessity, modern culinary luminaries have utilized this primal tradition to impart distinct layers of flavor. Fortunately, diners seeking complex smoky, earthy, or woody flavor profiles have a wealth of refined dining options scattered across the Front Range.

Oak at Fourteenth has been delighting diners with its gorgeous woodfired seasonal fare since 2010. The brilliant dining room is a beacon of indulgence in the heart of downtown Boulder, with the option of getting front row seats to the action at the lively chef’s counter.

Executive Chef Rob Monahan is currently at the helm of the kitchen, crafting hyper-seasonal and inspired dishes with subtle Asian and Italian influences to please even the most discerning palates.

To start, the Hamachi Crudo is fresh and punchy with yuzu, Persian cucumber, serrano chili, and cilantro. The Crispy Arancini, fried risotto balls with Bayley Hazen blue cheese and spiced honey, are not only texturally appealing, but a perfect balance of savory and sweet.

To kick things up a notch, the Rigatoni Alla Vodka serves just the right amount of spice with Calabrian chili, rock shrimp, and pangrattato.

For a seasonal showstopper, do not miss the slow-roasted porchetta with sweet creamed corn, grilled nardello peppers, and fennel pollen.

As always, Oak offers an outstanding beverage menu ranging from signature cocktails to low alcohol and zero-proof options in addition to wine, beer, and cider. 

Dining at Kachina Southwestern Grill feels like being on holiday. Located in Westminster’s impeccably maintained Westin Hotel, the beautifully designed restaurant was created to feel like an “adventurous culinary road-trip through the four corners of the Southwest.” In essence, Kachina is a gem hidden in plain sight. Let’s get right to it – Kachina has a succulent 12-ounce prime ribeye for $38. It comes with rajas con corn crema (addictive creamed corn and roasted poblano peppers), boursin mashed potatoes, and peppercorn demi-glace. The steak actually melts in your mouth, and – in this economy – is a steal for a perfectly prepared plate of high-quality beef.

A selection of salsas and guacamoles are offered alongside house-made chips to set the stage for this culinary journey. Not to mention, the expansive bar boasts an impressive beer, wine, and spirits program with coin-style margaritas strong enough to put your mind in vacation mode. 

There is something effortlessly cool about Hickory & Ash. While many of Colorado’s culinary names have leaned into lavish or experiential dining concepts, Executive Chef Ryan Taylor has maintained his focus on offering handcrafted “Colorado cuisine” in a stylish, approachable atmosphere. Unlike steakhouse-identifying concepts that serve up pricey slabs of meat with a side of potatoes and pretentiousness, this beloved Broomfield restaurant centers around perfectly executed plates with sustainable, locally sourced ingredients – grilled in hickory-smoked fire.

The H&A Steak Tartare is a flavor-bomb – made with a mixture of tenderloin and NY strip, tossed in traditional mustard, shallot, and caper dressing with a parmesan aioli, Beech mushrooms smoked over hickory wood and pickled in sherry vinegar and tamari, and served with grilled bread. Despite identifying as a “meatery,” Taylor claims that his vegetarian options are as popular as the dishes designed for carnivorous palates.

The Sweet Pea Agnolotti is a creative and hearty dish, featuring a pea and leek herb filling, parmesan cream, toasted hazelnuts, roasted mushrooms, and a carrot n’duja – Taylor’s take on a spicy vegetarian salami made with Calabrian chilies.

 The bestselling Braised Short Ribs have been on the menu since day one. Succulent Colorado short ribs are served on a bed of Irish cheddar polenta with grilled broccolini and smoked tomatoes, topped with fresh grated horseradish.

15. Family Friendly Dining

Quality Time at Quality Places

At our absolute best, dinner time consists of coloring, singing, and a few bribes. My kids are young, the energy is high, and we are all doing our best. Along with being a parent, I also enjoy having a life and going out on occasion. Nothing can feel more shaming or stressful than trying to keep a rowdy superhero-in-training contained while onlookers peer over their menus, judging the noise or energy level. For this reason, we indulge in family-friendly dining.

In a life before kids, I loved to go out to breakfast. A nice, leisurely morning filled with coffee and eggs was my dream. After kids, it can be more of a nightmare to get everyone organized and ready to sit for a long wait time. Bob’s Diner in Louisville cures my fear and has give my family that favorite haunt. With a pancake breakfast split between the little ones, I can enjoy the Louisville Muffin; which is an English muffin topped with eggs, avocado, and served with perfectly baked breakfast potatoes. Along with coffee and espresso drinks, there is also a full bar for a morning cocktail. 

Sometimes, I feel like Mary Poppins when we go out to eat. My backpack is a never-ending supply of toys, most of which will get lost on our outing. Fitz Family Brewing fixes that problem with a beer garden packed with fun, interactive toys. Immediately, my boys were climbing in cars and bouncing around. Owners Corey and Kelly Buenning moved to Niwot from Kentucky, where they also owned a brewery, and set to work making a place that was welcoming to families. Kelly explains that German style of beer gardens is where the whole family is welcome, which is what they wanted to emulate. Corey agrees, explaining that the whole community has fallen into this mentality, donating toys and dividing themselves into kid and kid-free sections without any guidance from the brewery.

Kids can be picky, and so can adults. It can be hard to find something that the entire family enjoys. Pizza is the universal satisfier. Lucky Pie Pizzeria in Louisville is a perfect easy dinner after school or on a celebrity weekend. Nichole Stack, general manager, explains that kids and young families are a big part of the business. This is seen in their care and extremely quick service, because nobody wants to keep a hungry toddler waiting. Here, kids can talk at their normal volumes and move about in comfy booths, coloring and enjoying a simple cheese or pepperoni pizza while adults enjoy a drink and something a little bit more exciting. I had the Alla Vodka, packed with vegetables, many of which were grown in the on-site garden, and served on a flavorful and crispy thin crust, the pizza was filling without being greasy. 

In the quirkiest corner of Louisville is Tilt! Pinball. An old school arcade with a bar, it is our favorite place to kill a rainy afternoon. Steve Long, the co-owner, created Tilt! After collecting almost twelve pinball machines, which he enjoyed playing with his own children. Over the past twenty years, Tilt has become a staple of the community, with a partnership with Crystal Spring Brewing and involvement in several school fundraisers, it is a place that families can feel safe letting their children run wild and have some old-school fun. Recently, Steve has opened Rocket Dog above Tilt, where patrons can order a gourmet hot dog to munch while they perfect their gaming skills.

16. Brunch

Toast of the Town

In Boulder County, mornings carry weight. For some, it’s a quick coffee and a pastry on the way to work. For others, it’s sitting down with friends over pancakes, eggs, or something you can’t quite replicate at home. Brunch has become the default label, but here it’s more than the cliché of bottomless mimosas and Instagram spreads. It’s breakfast, lunch, or somewhere in between—food that wakes you up, grounds you, and reminds you that the first meal of the day can be something worth looking forward to.

A handful of local spots capture that spirit and turn it into something memorable: Moxie Bread Co., Morning Glory Café, and Tangerine. Each has its own rhythm and philosophy, but together they tell the story of how Boulder County does mornings—with integrity, craft, and a refusal to overcomplicate good food.

At Moxie, indulgence doesn’t start with sugar or butter—it starts with the grain. Owner Phillippa Clark, with a flagship bakery in Louisville and a mercantile in Lyons, has built something that feels both rooted and forward-thinking. Moxie mills its own flour, sources roughly 90% of its products within five miles, and treats bread not just as a product, but as a craft worth honoring. The loaves are what put Moxie on the national map, but the brunch crowd knows there’s more waiting behind the counter. The key lime kouign-amann—layers of buttery pastry balanced by tart custard—manages to be rich and bright all at once. The heirloom tomato tart, available in summer, distills the season into something both rustic and refined. Nothing at Moxie feels flashy. It’s thoughtful, direct, and satisfying—the kind of food that proves sustainability and pleasure can exist on the same plate.

Over in Lafayette, Morning Glory Café has been quietly shaping the local brunch scene for 14 years. Owner Lilly Lieb’s mission has always been straightforward: make sure nobody feels left out of the table. That means sourcing responsibly—cage-free brown eggs, organic tofu, produce from nearby farms—but also designing a menu that works for every kind of diner. Gluten-free, vegan, or just cautious eaters will find options that don’t feel like afterthoughts. Take the gluten-free blueberry pancakes: made with almond meal, they’re nutty, fluffy, and deeply comforting. They’re not a stand-in for the “real thing.” They are the real thing. Morning Glory succeeds because it doesn’t make inclusivity feel like an obligation—it makes it feel natural. The café’s atmosphere reflects that same spirit: welcoming, familiar, and anchored in community. As it nears its fifteenth year, Morning Glory has proven that comfort food doesn’t have to come at anyone’s expense.

Then there’s Tangerine, which insists on something often overlooked in Boulder County’s food culture: breakfast itself. With locations in Boulder, Lafayette, and Longmont, chef-owner Alexander Schuler has built menus that cover the spectrum. Yes, it can be brunch—lazy, late, and indulgent—but it’s just as much a place for an 8 a.m. breakfast when you actually need to start your day. Coffee, eggs, pancakes, chai—done with care, not complication. The corned beef hash is a cornerstone: hearty, savory, and made with meat from Denver’s Custom Corned Beef. On the sweeter side, the strawberry–goat cheese French toast strikes a balance that most versions lack. And the chai latte—spiced, just sweet enough—works as a wake-up or as an afternoon anchor. Tangerine thrives on that versatility. It doesn’t draw lines between breakfast and brunch. It just makes the hours between morning and afternoon taste like they matter.

Taken together, these three restaurants sketch out what mornings can look like here. Moxie reminds us that the foundation matters—that a pastry can carry the story of its grain. Morning Glory shows that a café can serve comfort without exclusion. And Tangerine proves breakfast deserves as much attention as brunch. In Boulder County, “indulgence” isn’t about excess. It’s about food that feels special without trying too hard—food connected to place, people, and the simple fact that mornings should be worth showing up for.

17. BBQ

Flames, Flavors, and the Truth Between: Real BBQ in the Rockies

There is good BBQ, there is bad BBQ, and then there is BBQ that makes you forget about the sauce on your face and just dig in.. The kind that comes from real people doing things the right way, without shortcuts or show. You won’t find it following big ads or behind trendy storefronts. You find it where folks still care about the food, the crew behind it, and the people they serve.

Smokin’ Dave’s in Longmont isn’t trying to be Memphis, Texas, or Carolina. Dave’s been to all those places and came back with a style that doesn’t pledge allegiance to any city or region. His food is an amalgamation of what works, glued together with house rubs that could sell their own merch line. The brisket was tender and smoky, and the wings had a crisp bite and real flavor. But the catfish said the most. Plenty of places claim Southern roots, but fried catfish is the real test, and Dave’s passed with flying colors. Over half of Dave’s staff have been with him for over eight years, which tells you the vibe behind the scenes is as legit as what’s on the plate. His GM, Andrew, has worked in kitchens from Australia to San Francisco, but says he’s staying put because, in his words, “food is community,” and Dave built a damn good one.

Then there’s Wayne’s Smoke Shack in Superior. Open Friday and Saturday and closed the moment the meat runs out, the Smoke Shack doesn’t cater to fads or trends or pretend to be anything it’s not. What they have is word of mouth and the kind of loyalty most places would kill for. Wayne came from the world of high-tech software sales, but after struggling to find good Texas-style BBQ in Colorado, he taught himself how to make it. He and his wife, Sam, now run the place together, keeping it tight-knit and focused on the food. They do nearly everything themselves. The brisket, sausage, pulled pork- every bite had this stripped-down honesty to it. No flash or pizzazz, just great meat treated right. Rubs are massaged in by hand. Sauces that complement instead of overpower. It’s the kind of BBQ that wasn’t made to impress Yelp, but to make Wayne happy. And it does. He hasn’t missed a day in twelve years. When asked what keeps people coming back, Sam put it simply: “Love is the secret ingredient”, and she’s not wrong. But also, the meat is exceptional. The beauty is in the simplicity, not the complexity.

In Boulder, Moe’s Original BBQ somehow manages to be a chain without feeling like one. Alabama-style that’s smoked with peach wood from the Palisades gives the meat a mellow, subtly sweet edge you don’t expect. It’s a Colorado signature on an Alabama classic. Moe’s was named a Top 10 BBQ chain by USA Today, but the Boulder location, run by Alex Kuzel, is one of only two in the country that serves brisket every single day. Alex ran the Lakewood shop for years before taking over in Boulder, and since then, the business has exploded. His secret? He cares about the food and the community around it. He hires CU students and knows his crowd; Moe’s is a local melting pot of students, school staff, and working folks. He built one of the best happy hours in town and offers smoked tofu and vegan options, catering to all diets. And yeah, they do crawfish boils too. Moe’s in Boulder is lively and lovable, just like the town itself.

It is hard to think of much good that came out of the Great Recession, but our final BBQ rave, Georgia Boys, did. Two frat brothers got laid off and started slinging brown bag BBQ out of their Boulder apartment to pay for ski passes. That hustle turned into one of the most community-driven operations in the region. They now do huge catering gigs, but they also show up where it counts, feeding homeless veterans, donating meals to wildfire victims, and sticking to the belief that you build something real by feeding people first and letting the rest come later. The brisket is exactly what you want it to be: tender, juicy, and elevated by a hot ghost pepper sauce that hits hard but finishes clean. Everything’s made in-house, and they don’t cut corners. There’s also the Barnyard Challenge: 5 lbs of food that fewer than 10 people have ever been able to finish. Georgia Boys doesn’t just claim Southern hospitality. They show it, and their track record proves it.

Every joint on this list makes damn good BBQ, takes care of their people, and let’s that speak for itself.

18. Lunch

The Long Lunch: Sit Down, Stay Awhile

Lunch doesn’t usually come with a story. Most days, it’s whatever’s fast and near. But some meals carry more. They hold the people who make them, the places they come from, and the small details that stay with you long after the table is cleared.

At Colorado Dumplings in Longmont, Kaal Nakarmi folds memory into every plate. Growing up in Nepal, the youngest in a family of blacksmiths, he learned the trade from his father. But he also spent his time in the kitchen with his mother, serving as her most-trusted taste-tester. Kaal’s passion pulled him toward art and traditional Nepalese music and dance, where he organized community events. After living and working around the world, he restarted his life in a Colorado kitchen before deciding to serve food that reminded him of family and home. For Karl, dumplings represent comfort and connection, reminiscent of the street food he loved as a child. Colorado Dumplings carries the spirit of Asian street food culture, a place where the focus is on flavor and community, not fluff. Kaal keeps the atmosphere simple, aiming to capture what he calls the soul of food in the streets while giving people something personal and familiar.

I went straight for the beef dumplings with Kaal’s “Tesame” sauce (a mix of sesame and tomato) convinced they’d be the knockout. They were rich and hearty, exactly what you want. But the vegetable dumplings blindsided me with their bold flavor, outshining the beef. For someone who usually eats like vegetables are a side note, it was humbling to admit the veggie option stole the show.

In Lafayette, East Simpson Coffee Company shows what happens when a café becomes a cornerstone. For the past decade, it’s been where the community wakes up, works, and meets. Ty Hubbard started as a customer before managing the shop and eventually took over ownership last year. He kept what worked and added a few efficiencies in the form of self-serve coffee and a kiosk for quick orders, all while preserving its warmth. The result is a café that feels more like a neighborhood hub than a business. The patio stays busy, the interior hums with an array of Lafayette locals, and the food, from burritos to sandwiches, is all made in-house. Ty believes it is a third place, a spot between work and home where the community naturally comes together. Sitting there munching on a homemade grilled cheese sandwich and coffee, watching people come and go, it’s hard to disagree.

The Sink is not just another Boulder restaurant. It’s an institution with a century of history and walls covered in layers of graffiti to prove it. For generations, it has been a student hangout, a local landmark, and the kind of place where presidents and food legends stop in. Barack Obama ate here, Guy Fieri filmed here, and Anthony Bourdain even passed through. But they don’t hang their hat on celebrity endorsements. The Sink keeps going because it never stands still. Marketing manager Gwynedd Bailey points out that the menu shifts with what people want, from mocktails for people who are not drinking to salads that carry as much weight as the wings. Chef Chris Cunningham put in his time in Michelin-starred kitchens, but the grind bled the joy out of cooking. But he reignited his passions at The Sink, trading white tablecloths for graffiti walls and a kitchen that runs on creativity. Chris says he inherited a ship that has been sailing for more than a century, and his job is to keep it steady while giving the crew room to enjoy the ride. Staff are encouraged to pitch dishes, guests taste new ideas, and the menu keeps moving without losing its identity. I started with the pesto Cobb salad, piled high and tied together with a pesto vinaigrette that made it bright instead of heavy. The JuJu hot honey lemon pepper wings had just the right balance of sweet, heat, and tang that kept you reaching for another, and the burnt end mac and cheese was as rich and smoky as it sounds. Then came the pickle lemonade mocktail. It was cold, briny, and oddly refreshing. I drained the glass, a little annoyed at how much I enjoyed it. The Sink has been feeding Boulder for over a century, and it still knows how to keep a table full and a crowd coming back.

Lunch is often overlooked, but at spots like these, it becomes something worth slowing down for.

19. Farm to Table

The Hands Behind the Harvest

Some meals carry a meaning that reaches past the plate. They carry the hands that grew it, the land that shaped it, and the people who built a life around feeding others. Around here, certain farms and kitchens serve food that speaks as much to its origins as to its taste.

The Whistling Boar is led by Chef David Pitula, who spent 16 years cooking in New York before bringing his craft out West. In Brooklyn, his food’s origins were a mystery, but here he knows every root and cut. During the growing season, roughly 80% of the produce comes from local farms, as well as the meat. Everything is made from scratch, down to the bread. While heavily focused on catering, their restaurant has a rooftop bar and event hall attached. While they don’t have a liquor license yet, they make mocktails that are every bit as thoughtful as cocktails, like the Boar’s Whim, a playful take on a Shirley Temple. Their farm-to-table approach is simple: they cook with what is in season and coming fresh from nearby fields. Locally sourced food is their foundation, and they put their money where their mouth is, giving 2% of their revenue to Restore Colorado, which provides grants to farmers. They’re expanding their café and grab-and-go options, but catering is still their stage. Pitula says the secret is consistency and design, but what really makes it sing is their devotion to food that feels local, hand-touched, and unmistakably theirs.

Drive out to Lafayette and you’ll find Three Leaf Farm, owned by Lenny and Sara Martinelli. The Martinellis own multiple restaurants, as well as the Boulder Tea Company, and their farm feeds all of it. For Lenny, knowing and understanding where food comes from is non-negotiable. He runs with a motto “The answer is yes, what is the question?” That attitude permeates everything from farm dinners to workshops. Sara is a medical herbalist, and her knowledge fills the Medicine Trail that winds through the farm, educating visitors about the plants that grow naturally along the Front Range. The farm hosts four-course dinners for 50 to 60 guests, with a rotating menu. They also host the Botanica Festival, a beloved summer gathering that always draws a crowd. In late summer, almost everything on the menu comes from the farm itself, and favorite dishes include corn soup with chili shrimp, kale salad, and Lady Grey ice cream made with their own teas. Chickens, goats, and horses add to the farm’s ecosystem, and flowers, fruit trees, and herbs dot the property. Their work has earned them recognition: the Nature Conservancy’s Nature’s Plate Award for greenest restaurant in Colorado, designation as a Botanical Sanctuary, and in 2023, a spot in the Michelin Guide for their flagship Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse. Lenny says what makes Three Leaf special is its sense of community; it’s close to downtown yet carries the serenity of the country.

Ollin Farms, run by Kena and Mark Guttridge, takes its name from an Aztec word meaning constant motion or transformation. The idea is simple: the farm is alive, always changing, always improving.  What began as a family necessity to care for their grandmother has become a philosophy of nourishment. Kena says, “Food is medicine,” and she means it. They presented at the U.N. last May on the role of family in climate change and were the only family at the conference among representatives from entire nations. At the heart of Ollin Farms is education, especially for the next generation. They believe teaching kids that planet Earth is our home, a philosophy as important as growing the food itself. Alongside youth programs, their Farmstand sells their produce and that of trusted neighbors, and every first Saturday of the month, the fields come alive with a free community festival. Farm dinners feature four-course meals, with 90% of ingredients pulled from their land or nearby farms. They put an emphasis on young chefs carving their path to take the lead in the kitchen, giving them space to experiment. Ollin’s commitment to regenerative agriculture means no pesticides or herbicides, not even organic-approved ones. They build everything from the soil up in pursuit of the most nutritious and flavorful produce possible. Kena puts it straight, “When you’re here, you’re safe, happy, and you cannot beat the flavor.”

Each establishment has its own character, but they all illustrate that food is never just food. It’s care for people, a tie to tradition, and a way of keeping community alive at the table.

20. Wine and Cheese Pairings

A Gouda Day in Boulder Valley

Colorado has a storied history of being an agricultural state. One that prides itself in dairy in the east and grapes in the west. The two come together in Northern Colorado to make an elevated culinary experience. Three local establishments—/pôr/ Wine House in Louisville, Erie Social Club in Erie, and Le Frigo in Boulder—stand out as destinations where passion, quality, and atmosphere converge. These are not simply restaurants or wine bars; they are thoughtfully curated spaces where community, craftsmanship, and palate-expanding menus invite guests to indulge, explore, and savor.

Start with /pôr/ Wine House, a cozy and elegant spot situated on the corner of Main and Pine in historic downtown Louisville. Since opening in 2014, it has established itself as a neighborhood favorite for its welcoming ambiance and carefully curated selection of wine and small plates. The interior is warm and inviting, effortlessly balancing rustic charm with modern refinement. The menu is designed for sharing and grazing, offering a variety of seasonal tapas that range from blistered shishito peppers and burrata with braised tomatoes to expertly constructed charcuterie boards and citrus-braised pulled pork tacos. With wine-on-tap, half-price bottle nights, and regular live music, /pôr/ encourages guests not just to dine, but to linger and connect. It’s a place where every detail—from the local ingredients to the playlist—feels intentionally designed to elevate the experience. Whether you’re gathering with friends or enjoying a quiet evening for two, /pôr/ offers an atmosphere of effortless sophistication and community-focused warmth.

Travel a short distance northeast and you’ll find Erie Social Club, a wine and whiskey bar that has redefined the downtown Erie scene. Despite its name, no membership is required—this is a space designed to be inclusive and inviting to all. Owned and operated by the charismatic Varnadoe family, including a former Disney Jungle Cruise skipper, the Social Club combines playful energy with serious hospitality. The space is richly appointed with velvet couches, exposed brick, and soft lighting, creating an environment that feels at once upscale and deeply relaxed. Erie Social Club has been recognized repeatedly by local publications for its outstanding happy hour, bar program, and service, and it’s easy to see why. The bar offers 25% off bottles every Wednesday, a rotating lineup of wines and whiskeys, and an ever-evolving schedule of events—from trivia nights to community fundraisers. Even the outdoor heated patio welcomes all members of the family, including pets, with charming touches like “barkcuterie” boards. The staff is attentive and passionate, and the drinks are crafted with both precision and creativity. At its core, Erie Social Club is more than a bar—it is a gathering place, a reflection of Erie’s growing cultural scene, and a testament to the value of locally driven hospitality.

Tucked away on Arapahoe Avenue in Boulder, there is Le Frigo: a gourmet deli and European-style provisions shop that feels like a portal to another continent. Le Frigo’s dedication to imported products, artisan goods, and exquisite sandwiches is unmatched in the region. The centerpiece of the experience is the walk-in cheese cellar, a chilled sanctuary filled with aged wheels of French brie, nutty Alpine cheeses, salumi, and condiments that rival those found in Parisian epiceries. Their sandwiches, such as the Catalan, Le Frigo Royale, or the daily specials, have become legendary among locals. Le Frigo remains one of the few places in the area to slice prosciutto to order, a detail that speaks to their commitment to traditional methods and high standards. It is not only a place to grab lunch, but a destination for those seeking rare oils, mustards, jams, and cheeses…each item a story, and a sensory experience waiting to unfold.

Together, these Boulder County gems offer a compelling invitation: to slow down, taste more carefully, and celebrate the flavors that bring people together. Whether you’re sipping a crisp rosé under string lights, sampling a carefully aged gouda from a walk-in cheese cave, or toasting a neighbor with a whiskey sour on the patio, each of these establishments offers more than just a meal—they offer a meaningful, memorable experience steeped in local pride and culinary delight.

21. European Cuisine

The Ultimate European Culinary Experience, without Leaving Colorado

America is built on the entire world of cultures coming together. When’s the last time you ate at a restaurant knowing your entire experience was curated through its ambiance and scratch-made food? In this European tour of Boulder County, you are sure to feel like family.

From the moment I walked through the doors at Arabesque in Boulder, I felt a sense of love, understanding, and belonging from the owner, Manal. You can expect to be served a smile and some laughs alongside a perfectly procured taste bud explosion. I sampled the creamy, dreamy hummus, pillowy bread, refreshing tabouleh, and the savory, oh-so-flavorful dish of roast chicken and potatoes in an olive oil sauce with Israeli spices. 

To make my visit a little more special, I was brought lightly sweet and spicy Chai tea and Tiraklava (Tiramisu and Baklava) The location and uniqueness of the building, along with its shaded, inviting outdoor patio, are just extensions of the culinary treats you will discover here. While I came here to sample some delicious food, I left with a friend and a reminder of how interconnected we all are and the significant role food plays in building those relationships. 

Schnitzel, spaetzle and streudel… oh my! When you’re looking to enjoy some central European fare, Bohemian Biergarten in Boulder is the place to go. You can see the passion that the owner, Zdenek, has for creating this dining experience. The decor isn’t a re-creation of, but rather, a perfectly crafted European gastropub that holds 150-year-old reclaimed lumber tables, light fixtures dating back to the 1900s, and original bricks and vaulted ceilings from its historic downtown building. The experience is rounded out with imported classic European biers and tasty traditional dishes from the central region such as Goulash, scratch made sausages and my favorite, Jager Schnitzel. The only way to finish is by trying the apple streudel, which was hands down, one of the best desserts I’ve tasted. Unfortunately, “everything has an end, only the sausage has two”. Which is a fun way of saying I didn’t want to leave but I can always come back. Make sure to check out what events they have planned as Oktoberfest quickly approaches. 

Blimey! If you’re looking to hit up a neighborhood British pub without taking the long flight over the pond, look no further. You’ll be chuffed to bits with Burns Pub and Restaurant in Broomfield. It’s the perfect place for some delicious comfort food, an astounding award-winning collection of whiskeys and that iconic pub feel. The crispy Cod Boxty (potato and cod cakes), savory Scotch Eggs and perfectly flakey fish with chips were the bee’s knees. This family owned treasure sits atop a hill, attached to the original Country Inn that the Odde family purchased 24 years ago. If you fancy a pint and want to be gobsmacked by some delicious British favorites, head on over. It’s bloody delicious! 

I’m calling my visit to Cracovia a divine intervention, as it seemingly delivered me from what has been an uncertain time in my life, to one of the most special and meaningful dining experiences I’ve ever had. Everything, and I mean everything, is made from scratch; from the sausage, to the mustard (dang, that mustard), to the naturally fermented sauerkraut. They even make their own infused Vodkas used in their signature cocktails, such as the “Polish Kiss”. The cabbage roll and kielbasa created such nostalgia for me and were a welcome reminder of the dishes my grandmother served me as a kid. But the pierogis with mushroom gravy, the krokiet, and something as simple as the horseradish beets…I think I died and went to Polish heaven. This experience would have been amazing even if it was just the food served, but add in the kind faces (Jutta and Alan) and the best restaurant origin story I’ve ever heard, and it will quickly become one of your favorite places to dine. 

There’s something to be said for the care and detail that European restaurateurs put into their craft. We should all be so grateful to have such unique restaurant destinations in Colorado. It’s an important reminder that diverse experiences are the backbone of what makes a place truly special. And what better way to celebrate the richness of diversity than by breaking bread?

22. Whisky

Aged at Altitude: Boulder’s Craft Whisky Experiences

Vapor/Boulder Spirits

Walking into Vapor/Boulder Spirits’ distillery off Arapahoe, the first sense that takes over is the smell. Sweet, smooth, dessert for your nose. Mouth-watering—imagine a boozy Wurther’s. 

I can’t help but fall into a cliche and tell the whiskey-maker that his work smells of sweet caramel.

Instead of nodding politely or glazing over it, Alistair Brogan—who’s already greeted me with a huge smile and handshake—tells me it’s because of reflux. I ask, and he lets me know the room breathes, with pressure coming out of the still and into the air, and the air around us creates pressure back. Due to Boulder’s elevation, this causes an increased amount of evaporation and results in 50 lost barrels of whisky a year, compared to maybe the two to four barrels that distillers in Scotland anticipate.

Right away, the technical process of distilling whisky comes up.

“How did you even learn this?” I ask. He laughs. 

“This was going to be a hobby,” Brogan says. “I was doing family business consulting for a law firm in Scotland at the time. I was going to try and establish that over here, but I brought a Scottish copper pot still with me from Forsyth, which is where they make all the stills. I was just going to lay down whisky and I bumped into Ted Palmer who was the gin guy here.”

Alistair and his wife, Megan, moved with their two sons to America in 2013. Brogan, originally from Glasgow, has had multiple lifetimes of learning. From joining the military when he was 18 to being a Tribe Member on Survivor: Panama, to operating his family’s business until it sold and they moved to America. Brogan took over Boulder Spirits in 2015, and they opened their tasting room on Pearl nine months ago. 

“It’s tougher times for people to enjoy themselves without that guilt stepping in,” he says. “I mean the cost, the price gouging—find ways to indulge how you can.” 

For Alistair, whisky is a way to expose yourself to more of the world. And he wants to welcome people into that education aspect of distilling. 

“It’s a way to meet new people, and think not just about how something tastes, but explore the tastes and flavors of their imaginations,” Brogan says. “When, where, how, and who do you want to drink with?” 

His way to encourage others to indulge? Try whiskies. Ask and educate yourself about what you like or don’t like. If it’s out of your budget? It’s okay to go for the more affordable option.When I asked if he had a favorite that Boulder Spirits makes, he said he always comes back to their Single Malt.

“It reminds me of Scotland,” he says with a small, thoughtful smile. Alistair indulges by enjoying whisky on his leather couch that he brought with him. “For me, it’s got to be quiet. No one else is around. Just me and a glass of whisky to truly appreciate it.”

Visit their tasting room on Pearl for a more intimate sampling or consider visiting their distillery for a tour or tasting night.

Hogback Distillery

Since age 25, Graeme Wallace of Hogback Distillery has been an entrepreneur, spirits reviewer, landscape photographer, and author of coffee table and children’s books. But at the root of it all, he’s always been a whisky maker. 

He started a sales job that provided vouchers for whisky, sometimes well-known and, other times, extremely rare. 

“I was getting these, you know…crazy, hundred-pound [dollar] bottles of whisky that I was trying every night and learning from,” Wallace says.

Then, he started to photograph the distilleries and began producing books about Scotland and its distilleries. He has one specifically about Ardbeg Distillery, where he got to meet and spend time with Master Distiller, Dr. Bill Lumsden. 

“The whole time I was writing these coffee table books about whisky, I was learning how to make it,” Wallace says.

He moved from Scotland to Colorado to start Hogback. But moving here was more for him.

 “America is the land of reward for working hard, and Colorado was always this land of rugged beauty,” he says. “Which I think says something about whisky, too. […] I’m not a huge risk taker, but I am a huge dreamer.”

Hogback’s slogan “Savor the Adventure” captures that to a degree.

“One of my first memories in the early days of Hogback was that I wanted to do a rum rye whisky,” Wallace says. “So, I drove up to this distillery in Crested Butte, and it was me in my tiny van with four barrels of rum. […] I was just there, driving through the mountains, listening to a John Denver song. And that’s when it really hit me that I had made it. I had accomplished this dream, and all the pieces had come together.” 

Self-identified as a true micro-distillery, Hogback relies on Graeme and his partner Catherine’s efforts to keep things running smoothly. 

Recently, Hogback’s Eclipse Rye Whisky was featured on ADHD Whisky: a YouTube channel produced by Matt Porter, who’s based out of Rifle, CO. Matt sent Graeme a text the day the video went live.

“He posted it at 3p.m. By 4p.m., we had 250 orders,” Wallace says. “By 10a.m. the next day, it was maybe 450. Now, it’s 1000 bottles. I had to message our marketing people and let them know we were out. It’s a lot to produce, but it’s very, very exciting, too.”

The whole video is less than 9 minutes long.Graeme’s pride is Hogback’s Peat Smoked Single Malt. Immediate notes of BBQ smoke, sing with pepper and oak, followed by a fantastic follow of blackberries. The quality is there in every first taste of whisky.Hogback, though made and stored in Boulder, has established roots in Estes Park, where their new tasting room is. 

“The real dream, and I mean the real, real dream, is to move everything to Estes,” Wallace says. “I love it and feel a real sense of the old West up there.”

When I ask how Graeme indulges, he starts counting under his breath. I wait patiently until he says, every night, for nearly 40 years—since he was 25—he has had a dram of whisky. Occasionally a cigar.

“I have a dram at the end of the day, watching the sun go down over the mountains until the stars come out,” he says. “I like to just to contemplate and remember this is the real deal.”

Their whisky has that taste of wisdom, time, and craft that a micro distillery truly can and should pride itself on. Visit them at their tasting room in Estes and be sure to try the Peat Smoked. 

William Oliver’s

What’s immediately refreshing about walking into William Oliver’s in Lafayette? No blasting music, no TVs from all angles, no overwhelm. They have long communal tables to encourage conversation with your neighbors while dining, and they’re even open until 2 am, so other local hospitality workers can have their own space after a shift. It’s all very courteous and laid back from the get-go.

“This is everyone’s pub. We’re happy you’re here,” the general manager, Jack Calhoun says.

Calhoun has been the general manager at William Oliver’s for six years. His favorite thing about working in hospitality is helping create new and unique dishes and beverages.

“I have a monthly challenge for our chefs,” he says. “I ask them to create an option for our next monthly special. They have to make it with our existing ingredients, and they’re allowed to bring one unique ingredient in.” […] It’s another way for us to find a unique whisky pairing. Everything is very intentional and creative. It’s our way of having fun.”

William Oliver’s has more than 400 whiskies available. And if it’s not whisky, it’s Colorado.

“We’re big on supporting businesses based out of Colorado or Colorado-owned,” Calhoun explains.

They focus on a different whisky distiller every month. A representative from the distillery will come to William Oliver’s, provide some history and insight into their process, and then they pour samples from five different types of whisky offered. William Oliver’s has been doing this for three years to highlight the whiskies they offer.

During my visit, I enjoyed the Colorado whisky flight, which included: Breckenridge Distillery’s Port Finish Bourbon, Stranahan’s Blue Peak, Laws Whiskey House Rye, and NoCo Bourbon #2. 

They all paired beautifully with the bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers made with the restaurant’s own maple bacon bourbon spread, and sweet & sour pork belly sandwich, featuring William Oliver’s feta coleslaw and a toasted telera roll. 

“We want to lift up other businesses,” Calhoun says. 

They also have charity events, fun holiday events like an advent calendar with discounted bottles, and offer field trips for staff education, which, specifically, Jack notes as another kind of indulgence. This surprises me, and I say as much.

“Some places of business might consider staff education as a necessity or a basic,” I say. “Why would you qualify it as an indulgence?”

“One of the greatest things in this world is having access to resources to indulge in,” he says. “But if [the staff] can’t bridge into that curiosity and indulge themselves, you’re missing the point. You’re nothing without your staff.” 

We talked briefly about how maybe some of afraid to indulge because one of the obstacles to it is coming off as picky or rude. What’s keeping you from asking for what you want?

“You can be a pain in the a** about modifications so long as you’re polite,” Calhoun says. “Indulgence to me is taking a chance, stepping out of your comfort zone, and finding the uniqueness of something that’s not in the day-to-day. Surprise yourself.”

Spirit Hound

“You’re the fourth and final distillery or whisky spot I’ve interviewed this week,” I tell Craig Engelhorn of Spirit Hound in Lyons. “The first three either told me I had to talk to you or had nothing but nice things to say about Spirit Hound when I told them I was coming to see you. How does that feel?”

“Oh geez,” Engelhorn says. “Well,  it goes both ways. There’s a camaraderie and respect in our community that you can only really find in small towns or in Colorado.”

Craig came to Lyons from Neligh, Nebraska. After working in corporate telecommunications, he served as the head brewer at Oskar Blues where he created Dale’s Pale Ale. From there, he decided whisky was the direction he wanted to go in. He personally built Spirit Hound’s copper still in 2013, which every drop of whisky they’ve ever produced has gone through it. He learned to weld and connected with other whisky lovers in Lyons, like Neil Sullivan, Wayne Anderson, and Matt Rooney. 

“We’ve made some amazing connections,” Craig says. He talks about partnerships like Bee Squared, an apiary in Berthoud, that helps them produce their honey whisky, and how their American Single Maly is finished in a Suerte Tequila barrel. 

“We’re a business built on the relationships we make. We can’t do this alone. I’m also a big believer in “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

“When I was first learning how to distill, I thought maybe another distiller might come help me. But at one of our first bottling parties, I had some musician friends here,” Engelhorn recounts. “I was playing music in the back, and my one buddy asked, “Hey Craig, do you mind if we cut the music actually?”

“I was like, “What? You guys are musicians. Don’t you want music?”

“He said, “Well yeah, usually, but we’re in the process of making a new album. We want to avoid outside influences. To be creative from the inside out.”

“That’s really stuck with me,” Craig finishes. “Here I was, thinking this other distiller would teach me. But it’s not his whisky. It’s my whisky, it’s Spirt Hound whisky. People love what we do because it’s ours. So we create from the inside out.”

Spirit Hound’s Straight Malt Whisky secured the Whisky of the Year with 96 points and a Gold Medal at London Spirits Competition in 2022.

The award-winning barrel? #473 of their Single Malt. 

“The malt is my baby,” he says. “We thought about bumping up the price when we first won. But we didn’t. We wanted people to come enjoy it as is, to see why it won. We sold out in a week. I’m still really proud of that. I want everyone to enjoy and experience joy.”

Craig also shows me his “Whisky Library”: a part of the distillery he’s sectioned off to keep bottles from every barrel. He pours a dram without showing the barrel number. It has all the layers of the different whiskies we tried inside, but it’s noticeably unique. Creative and new.

“There’s barrel number one for you,” he says finally. “I don’t share that very often. I like to keep it, to make a moment special.”

Next time you’re on your way to Estes or Rocky Mountain National Park, stop in for a taste of Colorado’s craft distilling community in a dram whisky.

23. Tavern Time

The Best Spots for A Pint & Something More in Boulder County

West Side Tavern

I don’t know if I  can properly capture just how fun it was to talk to Wes Isbutt, owner of the West Side Tavern in Longmont.

Wes greets me with a huge smile and handshake, guiding us inside while waving at everyone dining or checking in with his staff. We sit down, and he makes sure to order me the special for the evening before we start talking. They have a different special every night. I’m lucky to show up one evening when they’re serving a rack of elk with a port demi glaze over a four cheese risotto with roast vegetables, paired with Wes’s award-winning Old Fashioned. It’s a seriously gorgeous meal.

What is now West Side Tavern used to be Longmont’s grocery store. The building itself is 100 years old, nestled in a neighborhood off Highway 287.

“I came by once a month for three years to ask the owner at the time to sell it to me,” Wes tells me. “He said yes. We took two years to renovate, and now we’re here.”

This is the first restaurant Wes has owned in Colorado. The first five were in Las Vegas. 

“Always focus on one at a time, otherwise you’ll lose what makes that place special,” 

His big personality–which West Side guests sometimes specifically come to visit just for him–paired with his involvement in the restaurant shows for it. There’s a tiki bar outside, and inside is a small bistro meets tavern meets modern art decor. 

Wes describes it as a more grown-up “cocktail and conversation” spot, and he’s very involved in the process. They offer cocktail classes, wine tastings, cooking experiences, and more. Inside, they seat 38, outside 60. It’s intimate and neighborly, with a decided dedication to the finer things in life. They also have more than 400 bourbons to try. They focus on offering a luxury whisky experience that you can only find at West Side Tavern. 

“This is my idea of fun,” he says. “Fine dining, fresh food from scratch, good company, and then a walk home? That’s the way to indulge.” 

“People deserve to have enough money to pay their bills, have control over their lives, and love it all the while,” he says. “Have a drink, be here.” He finishes with an emphatic point down to the ground beneath us. Being present is persistent at West Side Tavern. 

Bambei Brewing

After Sean Bambei, of Bambei Brewing, was laid off from his IT job in 2021, he was determined to start a brewery.

“I had a chili beer at Bootstrap, which is exactly how it sounds,” he says. “It’s beer with chili in it. And it was amazing. I knew I wanted to make something like that. Something memorable.” 

Sean grew up in Arvada and stayed in Colorado with his family. Every Saturday for two years, Sean and his friend Paul brewed at home together. Their first brew, Ass in the Sand, is a dynamic and delectable Mexican Lager. With that as their start, they pursued finding a space to brew and share beer.

“We signed our lease offer six days before the Marshall Fire,” Sean says. “Some of the buildings around here burned down or had fire damage, but at the time, we didn’t know what we were coming into. There was even a point where I wasn’t sure if this would happen. But we opened in June 2023, and we’ve been going ever since.”

When they first opened, Superior still felt the effects of the fire. 

“Everyone wants to tell their story,” Sean says. “How it affected them, continued to impact them. We became a community spot.”

Bambei Brewing is the only brewery in Superior, which takes me off guard at first until I realize other spots nearby are actually in Lousiville or Broomfield. They offer cocktails on tap, and their food, Sean tells me, is “more than pub fare.”

When asked how he likes to indulge, Sean says, “I like to eat too many wings, enjoy a Dank West Coast, and watch football.”

Catch a game or bring your family to Bambei Brewing in Superior next time you want craft beer with a bit of Colorado heart behind it. 

West End Tavern

There was a time when the West End Tavern marked the west-most end of Boulder, with unobstructed views of the Flat Irons and nothing more west when it came to Pearl Street. Some things–okay, a lot of things–have

 changed since West End Tavern opened in 1987, but the team there stays true to the nostalgia of what Boulder used to be.

“A lot of out-of-towners come in from referrals,” West End general manager, Ashley Millikin, says. “Sometimes they’re visiting and they join us two or three times during their visit, or there are folks who came here in college, had their first date here, or used to come with friends. Either way, it always really feels like a community.”

Millikin, who’s been the GM for 10 years, has seen folks from every walk of life: families from out of town, college students working a job throughout school, couples getting married. She even says the original 1987 staff reunites at West End Tavern every year.

“I think that goes to show how special this place is,” she says.

I had the Kansas City style burnt ends, a taste of their bourbon collaboration with Breckenridge Distillery, and the Fried Chicken Sandwich, Sticky Style, which is a delectable piece of fried chicken paired with spiced honey, smoked garlic mayo, green apple, and crunchy kale slaw, all on a buttered brioche bun. It’s unique and an understandable staple of the menu.

“We don’t mess with the menu,” Kevin Gossi, the Culinary Director, says. “People are very passionate about it and let us know how things used to be when [West End] first opened, or what it was like even when they visited ten years ago. They want “You get what you expect.” They want that sense of time.”

The nostalgia nods are everywhere, from the original owner’s Blackened Mahi Sandwich recipe, which you can still find on the menu, to their Whisky Club as a way to recognize community members throughout the years.

“We’re learning every day, making those connections, and following that bread crumb that leads us into the future,” Ashley says.

Visit West End Tavern, whether it’s your first time or in 40 years, for a taste of the good ol’ days.

The Hungry Toad

The Hungry Toad is definitely the most English of the taverns I’ve been to on this assignment. The brick face, coats of arms, toile wallpaper–I even catch them on a rainy Friday afternoon during a CU football game day. I get the chance to enjoy a Guinness and their Bangers and Mash on my own before I sit down to talk with Johnny Rutter, the General Manager of the Hungry Toad. The Bangers and Mash is comforting, delicious, and doesn’t skimp on the meat with four sausages. Not to mention the onion gravy makes everything come together.

“The benefit of being a pub is that we make everything from scratch,” Johnny tells me. “I think comfort food can still be whole food, and we can redefine what’s good for you.”

Rutter explains how The Hungry Toad was owned by Terry Morton for 30 years before Bonnie and Hansen Rada became the new proprietors.

“The thing about pubs in the UK is that they’re an extension of your living room,” Rutter says. “We’re part of their habit, their routine. COVID disrupted that, and people found new routines. It takes a lot for people to find their flow again, and it took a lot for us to win back hearts and minds.”

When they first reopened, Rutter says, it was the World Cup.

“We remodeled, closed for three weeks, opened, and we were fully in for the soccer scene,” Rutter recalls “Seeing this place come alive–the energy was electric. Seeing that and understanding what we were capable of, it’s definitely a favorite memory.”

The identity of the Toad is focused on being a community center.

“Neighborhood spots are starting to diminish,” Rutter says. “We want to be your local, indy, neighborhood spot for the Boulder community. This is your place, we’re just the building and the food.”

Johnny says: indulge in food that makes you feel good. 

“Eat to feel good because it tastes good,” he says. “Food should make you feel good on multiple levels. It doesn’t have to be expensive or fine dining. Enjoy yourself, get out to your neighborhood spot, and have some comfort food.” 

Stop by the Hungry Toad the next time you want to watch a game and enjoy a pint. 

24. Asian Cuisine

Spice Level: Indulgent

Busaba

I’m early for lunch at Busaba. SP, the owner, has to help with something at their Baseline location, which gives me the chance to order and have a quiet lunch on my own. I get the Thai Iced Coffee, veggie dumplings, and drunken noodles. The final dish gets me. It’s a wonderful breath of Thai Basil worked into the layers of the meal among peppers, onions, and bean sprouts. When SP joins me, he tells me they’re his favorite, too.

“That basil makes it,” I say with an approving nod.

“It’s all thanks to the family I bought Busaba from,” he says.

Owner, Shekhar Pokhrel, known to family and staff as SP, is originally from Nepal. He grew up on a farm before moving to Boulder to attend CU, where he studied accounting and finance. In college, he worked at The Siamese Plate, a restaurant that had previously occupied the space Busaba is in now. SP moved to Minnesota for a time, where he met his wife, before they returned to Boulder, and he worked from home for a time. Most evenings after work, SP would visit Busaba with co-workers and friends, quickly becoming a regular.

“It was mostly a bit we would do, joking about me buying the restaurant from them because I came so often,” he says. “But then it became more serious, and I agreed to do it under two conditions.”

SP’s first condition: the original owners, the Phairatphiboon family, would stay on until SP felt fully confident managing everything. The second? He wanted them to teach him all of their recipes. The sauces, the dishes, the drinks. Everything.

“I haven’t changed anything,” he says. “It’s all the original family recipes that they had before. I wanted to keep that nostalgia and experience for people who continue to visit us—for the first time or the hundredth, because they definitely have their expectations of how everything is supposed to taste. They have that nostalgia, too. I asked the family to teach me their legacy.”

The Phairatphiboon family, SP says, is a family of four from Thailand. When they retired and wanted to return home, SP–who was a passionate regular–understood the importance of keeping Busaba what they made it, rather than what he wanted.

“The mom of the family—I call her Mom—taught me everything I know now,” SP says. “Not just the sauces and the recipes, but she really showed me her precise way of doing things, and that if you want to be successful, you have to grind.”

He initially spent two years learning from them, sometimes focusing 16 to 17 hours a day on understanding Busaba’s story and essence. SP is still in touch with the family, and actually visited them at their home in northern Thailand last year. He stayed with them for two weeks.

“Mom asked me, actually, she goes, ‘How are you?’ Then, immediately, ‘Have you changed anything? Don’t change anything!’ And she’s happy when I tell her I haven’t. We cooked together the whole time. I’m still learning from them.”

With this in mind, he says there’s something special about Colorado, and Boulder in particular.

“Busaba is a way for guests to indulge in authentic Thai and a passion for sharing an experience. Boulder has a great food scene with a community that has always been so welcoming. I’m lucky to be a part of that.”

The community gives back to Busaba, too, he tells me.

“Our regulars are comfortable reaching out to me directly, which I really appreciate,” he says. “Recently, I got an email that said, “Your medium spicy is too spicy, something changed.” And I tried it myself, and they were right. We realized what happened and were able to adjust. I appreciate that our community wants to support us, not destroy us.”

He takes the time to really talk with me, so we never feel rushed. He orders us some crab rangoons so we can still share part of the meal. He even asks me how I like to indulge, which I haven’t had yet in an interview. I appreciate that I got to have lunch on my own and maybe experience Busaba how SP used to before he took over.

Whether it’s human connection or a legacy of family recipes, consider visiting any of their five locations, in Longmont, Louisville, Erie, Baseline in Boulder, or on Peart Street.

Momo House

East of Boulder, in an unsuspecting outlet on 92nd Avenue in Westminster  , is Momo House. “Momo” is Nepal’s take on dumplings. Sabin Katila, the owner, personally cooks their chili chicken momo for me himself. Their tagline, “A taste of the Himalayas,” comes through right away. It’s full of flavor—curry, ginger, onions—wrapped into a perfectly soft on the top, golden brown on the bottom dumpling. Coated in a chili sauce, it’s a great way to indulge in a new type of food, treat yourself to a quick lunch, or get a group of friends together to try more than one item, like their bison or vegan momo. Momo House got their start at the Farmer’s Market in Boulder during COVID. 

“All the vendors would buy from each other to support one another,” Katila says. They’ve been in their Westminster location now for two years.

Sabin shows me their website, which they’re currently working on updating. “That’s my mom,” he says, smiling as he points to a picture of a woman decked out in a mask and hair cover, flipping momo in a pan at one of the farmers’ markets. “This whole thing exists because of her.” 

Sabin and his mom, Daya, are Newari: an indigenous group in Nepal. Newari recipes inspire the momos they make and serve. Momo are one way anyone interested in trying something new can enjoy a homemade taste of Nepal. 

Consider heading out to Westminster to try Momo House, and follow them on Instagram, @therealmomohouse. 

Yummy Hot Pot

Further east of Westminster, nearly to Thornton, is Yummy Hot Pot on Federal. They offer an all-you-can-eat (AYCE) Sichuan hot pot under $30 per person, including chili oil and soup dumplings, which are flavorful and fun to try. They also offer scallion pancakes if you’re interested in something new. 

The AYCE option is where things get interesting. This is a great option for a date night or a large group interested in doing a more expensive outing together. Lunch time may be the real winner, with a $2 AYCE option. If you want to be a responsible adult who doesn’t gorge themselves on stupendous broth and meats, then go for one of their other options like the Spicy Fire Noodles with Beef or Seafood Noodles. 

The AYCE features a make-it-yourself option. Choose your own soup base, order any meat, seafood, and vegetables you’d like to cook yourself, then go over to their self-service buffet complete with add-ins like udon noodles, eggs, nori, and more. The best part? Make your own sauce. There are so many to choose from, including oyster sauce, Mae Ploy (sweet chili sauce), and more. According to their Instagram, they go through (a lot) of their chef’s sauce every day. 

25. More than just ice cream

Glacier Homemade Ice Cream

I’ll set the scene: Walking into Glacier Homemade Ice Cream, you are greeted with a playful atmosphere, psychedelic tapestries, and that sweet, toasty aroma of fresh waffle cones.. Most importantly, an army of ice cream flavors are waiting to be tasted. From their fantastic vegan Butter Pecan made, cashew milk (which made me do a double take to make sure it was vegan), to the puckeringly tart lemon sorbet, you’ll want for nothing. Their ice cream is made of only high-quality local milk, which gives them a dense, ultra-creamy texture. Owner Mark Mallen says, “We get our milk from a local, called Farmers, based in Longmont. They don’t use chemicals, and our mixes don’t have corn syrup in them.”  If you are a fan of mix-ins like caramel, Oreos, fruit, cookie dough, or nuts, Glacier has got you covered. They are not shy, filling their butter pecan to the brim with whole halves of pecan, and the Salted Oreo Caramel with full chunks of Oreo and generous swirls of gooey caramel. The craziest flavors Mark has developed in the past were a Lox and Cream Cheese ice cream for the Jewish festival and a medical marijuana flavor. Mark says it was delicious and savory. I’ll take his word for it. 

Given the numerous ice cream shops in Boulder, I asked Mark what sets Glacier apart He answered, “The quality of ingredients and the variety. It’s a treat, but it’s real ingredients.” When Mark thinks of indulging, he immediately thinks of high-quality chocolate and honey. “We have some 100% chocolate that we use for the ice cream. I’ll bring some home and dip it into some high-quality honey, and that’s perfect.” Bitter, dark chocolate contrasted with sweet, floral honey is something I can get on board with.  

As I spoke to Mark about Glacier, many community members came up to chat, catch up, and say a quick hello. This is what it’s all about: connection.  An idea that we are quickly losing in the digital world. Especially since the pandemic, we have forgotten connection; it is literally what life is about. Glacier fosters the idea of connection beautifully. 

Mark started Glacier out of love for the community and a desire to recreate that comforting sense of nostalgia. Glacier has been there beside those who mourn, celebrate, and the in-between Saturday afternoons. “It’s one of those things that reminds you of your childhood. The smells, the warmth, the smiles, it’s a wholesome treat.” Being inside Glacier, all of a sudden, Boulder felt a lot smaller. With the regulars greeting one another and the sense of community dwelling richly within, those comforting, childlike feelings set in. I indulged in the remembrance of what life used to feel like, a simpler, slower time, when all that seemed important was what flavor to choose. 

For those who would say ice cream is not their chosen sweet treat, Mark has something to say about that: ”Try Glacier”. The flavors are truly delicious.. Not only are they slightly sweet, but they also have an incredible texture that makes you want to go back for more. 

Love Ice Cream

It can be a hassle, not to mention pricey, to go out with your family for a simple treat. In today’s world, even going to get ice cream with your loved ones can drain the bank. If you are looking for a cozy local spot to enjoy a frozen treat that’s also affordable, Love Ice Cream might just be the perfect choice. This family-owned business, nestled on Main Street in Niwot, is creating not only a delicious, but wallet-friendly treat but an experience. Their mission is to remove the stressors that prevent families from enjoying ice cream and create a space for them to be together. Talking with co-owner Vincent Love (husband to owner Katy Love), it’s not that deep; they just create a good place for the community to gather. “It’s just a happy place to be, we keep it simple, you can come to enjoy and be with family.” Vincent Love says ice cream is about joy, a place to be happy, no matter what’s happening in life. This is their love letter to Niwot; being locals themselves, they needed a place to go with their five kids. Love Ice Cream is cozy, simplistic, about the family, and centered around gathering. Sourcing their ice cream from High Point Creamery in Broomfield, accompanied by an impressive array of toppings, you’ll be in Love after your visit. The Salty Dog Chocolate was the perfect balance between salty and rich dark chocolate, making your mouth water with each bite.

Their mission is what most of us are missing in life: a moment to pause and enjoy. They cultivate a simpler pace where going to get ice cream at the end of your day is easy, affordable, relaxing, and filled with real joy. It was important to the Loves to give back to their community. With regular charity events supporting schools or after-school activities, they are filling Niwot’s cup to the brim. Having been open for almost one year, Love Ice Cream is surely already a staple in the community. With many small, locally owned businesses closing in Old Town Niwot, we need to support them now more than ever. 

They are not just serving delicious ice cream; they are fostering a place of family. If you are a local, consider taking an evening walk with your family to Love Ice Cream and experience the warmth I felt during my visit. Niwot is unassuming and most often missed, but it is a hidden gem in the Boulder area. The old town’s main street takes you out of the rustle and bustle of everyday life and makes you slow down. With a quant mountain feel, Niwot’s charm is contagious.

In a world full of distractions, a constant pull here and over there. It can be very difficult to prioritise an essential part of our well-being. Slowing down. Taking even 15 minutes a day to remove yourself and breathe. To hear the sound of the trees, to hear your loved ones laugh, and to observe the smile on people’s faces, whatever it is. This beautiful part of life seems to be continually slipping through our fingers. There are very few activities in life that promote stillness, presence, and force you to stop and be. A place like Love Ice Cream is a great outlet for this practice. Sitting on a picnic table in the fresh air, with nothing else to focus on but your delicious ice cream, is a rare and beautiful experience. Let your nervous system melt alongside your scoop. So, let’s try. Try to stop and not smell the roses, but taste the ice cream.

Heaven Creamery

Let me introduce you to a world of ice cream you’ve never visited before. Ice cream meets fine dining in an approachable, intriguing way at Heaven Creamery.  Walking through the doors at the Boulder location, you are truly transported to another realm. A realm of ice cream flavor combinations that you never would have dreamt of, like Dark Chocolate Jalapeño. Not only are they delicious, but they are also a unique experience to enjoy. You certainly won’t be able to find these flavors just anywhere. The pristine interior makes you feel as though you just won a prize to taste this special ice cream. They offer rotating flavors and frequently introduce new creations, such as their Heaven Pumpkin. This is their seasonal pumpkin spice ice cream, served inside an actual pumpkin, topped with fruit compote. You can always expect something interesting and exciting at Heaven Creamery. 

An artistic flair surely shows up not only in the ice creams but also in the extensive dessert menu: featuring crepes, mango sticky rice, and brownie à la mode, to name a few. But back to the ice cream. I had the delight of trying a flavor that a patron next to me exclaimed with joy while trying. This was the Dubia Chocolate gelato. It was not just decadent, but with each bite, it felt as though thought, care, and time had been spilled into the mixture. The Blueberry Lavender was lavishly topped with lavender sprigs, as if the ice cream were a work of art. You can truly taste every ingredient inside, fresh, real, and of the highest quality. Owner Martha Trillo had a mission to create frozen desserts that are wholesome, healthier, and made with top-tier ingredients. Martha and her team have certainly achieved that through the work and dedication I observed. 

Sweet Cow

With locations in Louisville, Longmont,  Boulder, and Denver, as well as a pop-up ice cream truck,  is a Colorado staple. At the Louisville location, their long list of handcrafted flavors fills the wall behind the counter, filling every need from a simple Dutch chocolate to the boozy Big Lebowski. For me, a hot day called for a refreshing fruit flavor, Chocolate Acia Blueberry in a waffle cone. Sweet, refreshing, and something you cannot buy at the store. 

While indoor seating is limited, to make room for the quick-moving line, there are plenty of places to relax and enjoy once you get outside. An astroturf lawn, shared with Lucky Pie Pizza, houses picnic tables and lots of room for kids to get their post-ice cream wiggles out. 

The post Ways to Indulge | Indulgence Issue 2025 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Trick or Treat, Check Out These Streets

The top 25 spooktacular neighborhoods in Boulder County and beyond

From the spooky to the sweet, little costumed trick-or-treaters deserve the best. While there has been a reported 74% decline in trick-or-treaters in 2023, these neighborhoods in Boulder and Weld Counties are not ready to let the tradition die out. From homeowners who go all out on decorations, music, and food to fun town-orchestrated events, your little monster is sure to have a great time and make the most of the holiday.

Erie

• The Most Popular: Erie Village

Starting at the Erie Town Square and working your way through winding streets, Erie Village is the perfect place to stay safe and hit a lot of houses. Local mom, Diana Carty states, “It will be our fifth year trick-or-treating in this neighborhood. It is a blast!” With residents who go out of their way to make the Victorian-style homes look extra spooky while many of the homeowners dress up themselves, kids and adults alike will have a great time.

• The Most Fun: Meadow Sweet Farms

If you are ready for a party, head to Meadow Street Farms. Kids will stock up on candy, adults can partake in Jell-O shots and beer, and  everyone can look forward to hotdogs.

• The Safest: Colliers Hill

On the Weld County side of Erie, the planned community of Colliers Hill offers a quieter energy. With houses just a short walk apart and lots of young families, there is plenty of opportunity for little ones to stock up on candy without worrying about reckless drivers or getting lost in the crowd.

• Maximizing stops: Vista Ridge

Jean Tam, a long-time resident, boasts of her neighborhood: “Folks at Vista Ridge have everything from haunted houses, displays synchronized with music, and full-blown displays.” She adds that she is so glad that her kids experienced the holiday magic growing up in this neighborhood.

• For the Littles: Erie Safety Stop

Swing by the Erie Police Station for a trick-or-treat safety stop. The 2025 theme is “Toy Story,” so come prepared for your little ones to meet some of their favorite characters and have a safe indoor trick-or-treating experience. 

• Halloween Warm-Up: Boo on Briggs Street

Music, activities, and trick-or-treating, downtown Erie gets everyone warmed up for the holiday on October 25 with Boo on Briggs. Supported by local businesses and residents, this is the perfect way to finish trick-or-treating early while enjoying what the town has to offer.

Longmont

• The Most Popular: Prospect New Town

With festive houses, lots of families, and winding neighborhoods, Prospect New Town is not only the perfect place for a local Longmonster but also worth the drive for those in quieter towns. According to local parent Windy Coleman Lohr, “The winding streets are fun, massive turnout always, and the neighborhood really does it up big!”

• The Most Fun: South of Loomiller Park

Located near Longmont High School, the neighborhood to the south of Loomiller Park is a perfect grid for candy collecting. In particular, 15th Street is not to be missed, as the residents coordinate their houses and sweet offerings, making it fun for all. Head to Loomiller Park at 11:30 a.m. on Halloween to take part in the holiday drum circle.

• Maximizing Stops: Thompson Park/ Olde Town Longmont

Here, you can start your night off at the newly renovated playground to get some of the wiggles out before running a sweep of the houses in downtown Longmont. Located next to Central Elementary School, the area is safe, and houses are kid-friendly with decorations and enthusiasm.

• Halloween Warm-Up: The Longmont Halloween Parade

Get ready for Halloween a little early at the Longmont Halloween Parade. Starting at 9:30 a.m. on October 25, local business owners and employees parade up and down the street, handing out candy, dancing, and showing off some creative costumes. If an early bedtime might interfere with trick-or-treating, or you just want to make the most of the holiday, this is a great way to get your little ones excited for the big day.

Boulder

• The Most Popular: Four Mile Creek

This neighborhood is so popular that it is recommended that you arrive early before it gets too busy. Located in North Boulder, the residents often enlist local bands to play in their yards, and many houses go big with the decorations.

• The Most Fun: Table Mesa

Table Mesa neighborhood has a little bit for everyone. One block up from Bear Creek Elementary School off of Ithaca Drive, a Halloween parade begins at 5 p.m. To see some wild decorations, head to haunted Heidelberg Drive, where the residents go all out to make their short road something to be admired.

• The Safest: Martin Acres

For a family of social butterflies, Martin Acres is one of the busier neighborhoods. Lots of kids means lots of candy, and the homeowners know their audience.

• For the Littles: Pearl Street/Munchkin Masquerade

For the ultimate safe and easy Halloween, take the family to Pearl Street. From 3-6 p.m. on October 31 for the Munchkin Masquerade. The shops and restaurants of Pearl Street set up for trick-or-treaters and their families. With early hours, this is a perfect option for small children with early bedtimes or a slightly older crowd that may want to maximize trick-or-treating in a few neighborhoods.

Superior

• Most Popular: Rock Creek

Tucked behind Colton Road, Rock Creek is a safe and quiet neighborhood. With houses a little closer together than other areas of Superior, it will be easy for your little goblins and ghosts to get to as many houses as possible while staying safe from cars. 

• Halloween Warm-Up:  Monster Mash

The Monster Mash Party is held at the Superior Community Center on the Saturday before Halloween. This free event is a great way to get your little ones used to their costume while enjoying sweet treats, crafts, and games.

Louisville

• Most Popular: Dutch Creek 

South of Community Park in Louisville, this older neighborhood with winding and quiet streets comes alive with spooky decorations and roaming trick-or-treaters. You can take a play/ candy break at Elephant Park halfway through your candy mission or push through and enjoy a bite to eat downtown afterwards.

• For the Littles: Louisville Library

On October 30th, the Louisville Library will have a silly-spooky story time, followed by trick-or-treating. Designed for ages 2-5, this is a great way to get your little one in the mood for the holiday while abiding by naptime windows.

• Town Tradition: Main Street Trick or Treat

Starting at 9 a.m. on Halloween morning, Main Street Louisville closes down for the local elementary school, or any other interested kids, to parade up and down the street, collecting treats from local businesses. This event has been held every year since 1968.

Lafayette

• Most Popular: Old Town Lafayette

With less traffic, sidewalks, and houses that are closer together, Old Town is a favorite for Halloween trick-or-treating. Additionally, take a walk down Public Road and hit up some of the shops set up for trick-or-treating.

• Lafayette Fire Department

The Lafayette Fire Department is holding their first Halloween safety event on October 11. Children 6 and under can look forward to trick-or-treating, a not-so-spooky haunted house, and touch-a-truck.

Niwot

• Town Tradition: The Great Pumpkin Party, Petting Zoo & Parade

Niwot loves holidays, and Halloween is no exception. Hosted by The Niwot Group the Saturday before Halloween, this event takes place at Compass and the Niwot Business Association where kids, families, and kid-friendly dogs can trick-or-treat, play games, and show off their costumes.

Broomfield

• The Most Popular: Broomfield Heights

With parking at the Broomfield Heights Middle School; you can spend the evening in this an older neighborhood with houses close together and a dense population of families, meaning they understand the importance of trick-or-treaters going for a big candy haul. 

Firestone

• Halloween Safe Night Firestone

One week before Halloween, the town of Firestone will be hosting their safety night. Complete with trick-or-treating, music, games, and food trucks, it will be a fun way to get the family out of the house and have a great (safe) time.

Frederick

• Town Tradition: Tiny Terror Town

On October 18, the town of Fredrick goes all out for a family-friendly Halloween with Tiny Terror Town. With two trick-or-treat opportunities, one at Crist Park and the other located downtown, local businesses and community members will be handing out candy to the parading candy-seekers from 3-5 p.m. For your furry (or scaly) friends, there is a pet costume contest, and for those wanting a good scare, the evening ends with haunted house tours at the Miners Memorial Museum.

Westminster

Bonus: Bug-a-Boo at the Butterfly Pavilion

Taking place on October 18, 19, 25, 26, and a special after-dark addition on October 31, the Butterfly Pavilion is hosting indoor trick-or-treating among the butterflies and aquatic displays. Additionally, there is a special spider zone where visitors can walk among free-roaming spiders. This event is included in the standard entry price.

Support the local press that’s been telling the truth for 25 years. Become a sustaining member and get our monthly print edition at home. We’ve weathered 9/11, floods, fires, economic crashes—and some deeply chaotic years. With your support, we’ll keep going. Because democracy still depends on journalism.

The post Trick or Treat, Check Out These Streets appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

[ Boulder County ]

• Boulder Valley School District is redrawing the school attendance boundaries in an attempt to channel more students into schools where the enrollment is declining.
• Louisville Police Officers will receive an 8% raise starting this pay period.
• Forbes Magazine has recognized Saint Vrain Valley School District as one of the best K-12 employers in the state of Colorado.
• Denver-based Tribe Recovery Homes has closed their Boulder-based location, citing a lack of federal funding as the reason.

[ State]

• Unarmed 17-year-old, Rajon Belt-Stubblefield, was shot and killed by Aurora police.
• Two high school students were left injured and one, the shooter, was deceased after a shooting at Evergreen. This marked the 47th school shooting in 2025.
• Three cannabis distribution companies, Nuka Enterprises LLC, Sima Sciences LLC, and Nuka Properties LLC, are being removed from Colorado after their popular sleep aid was tied to possible liver damage.
• The Lee Fire, burning in Rio Blanco County, is currently the fifth most extensive fire in  Colorado’s recorded history. At 137,485 acres burned, it is 300 acres behind the 2002 Hayman Fire

[ National ]

• California has banned any law enforcement officer, including those who are a part of ICE, from wearing masks that might hide their identity
• Political internet personality, Charlie Kirk, was killed while speaking in Salt Lake City, leading to divisive rhetoric throughout the nation.
• Florida moves to strike the vaccine mandate for school children; per Governor Ron DeSantis, vaccines will no longer be a requirement in the coming school year.
• RFK has made claims that Tylenol use during pregnancy could be to blame for autism. Additionally, he is attempting to fast-track a drug called Leucoverin, which could potentially treat diverse brain functions, though medical professionals have warned about use before testing is complete.

[ International ]

• Germany intercepted Russian jets that were flying over the Baltic. Several nations are calling on NATO to shoot down Russian jets in the future.
• An attack, admitted to be a United States drone strike, sank a boat off the coast of Venezuela. Initially, the reason was cited as drug smuggling prevention, but Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro is accusing the Pentagon of doctoring the drone footage.
• Breaking from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada agree to recognize a Palestinian state in hopes of encouraging peace and an end to the killing.

Quotes

“This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he calls a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.”

– Jimmy Kimmel speaking on Donald Trump after the death of Charlie Kirk. It was this statement that led to the suspension of Kimmel’s show.

“Sound and accurate journalism defends our democracy. It’s one of the most effective weapons we have to restrain the power-hungry. I always said that All the President’s Men was a violent movie. No shots were fired, but words were used as weapons.”

– Robert Redford, who passed away this month at 89 years of age.

“The Parliament of Nepal right now is Discord.”

– Sid Ghimiri is a 23-year-old content creator from Kathmandu. Political uprisings in Nepal and Kenya are both attributed to the passion in the Gen-Z demographic.

“They have asked to remain anonymous,” said Beller. “And that frankly is for their own safety, with all the vitriol that the case has brought and all the doxing.”

– Attorney David Beller speaking on those who raised funds to pay 10% of the $3 million bail set for Berry Morphew. Morphew is awaiting trial for the alleged murder of his son, who was reported missing in Chaffee County in 2020.

“My experience in politics has been that the way that you earn trust with voters is based mostly on what they think you’re going to do for their lives, not on categories.”

– Pete Buttigieg regarding the statement in Kamala Harris’ recently released book, where she stated Buttigieg would have been her ideal running mate, but she did not think that the nation would vote for a black woman and a gay man.

By the Numbers

VII

The number behind the newest University of Colorado’s mascot, Ralphie’s, name. The one-year-old bison made her debut on the field for the game on September 20th.

240

As of Monday, September 22, the number of flights grounded in Europe after a cyberattack.

40,000

The number of leaf-peeping vehicles crossing Guenilla pass this last weekend.

11

The number of school shootings that have occurred so far in 2025. This count is strictly of gun violence that has occurred on school property during school hours, where someone has been injured or killed.

Like journalism like this? Support the local press that’s been telling the truth for 25 years. Become asustaining member and get our monthly print edition at home. We’ve weathered 9/11, floods, fires, economic crashes—and some deeply chaotic years. With your support, we’ll keep going. Because democracy still depends on journalism.

The post Month In Review | September 2025 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Ed Picks

5 Pumpkin Patches To Spice Up Your Fall

Spooky season is upon us, and I am not just talking politics. It is time to don your best flannel, pour yourself some cider, and settle into the fall. While there are no shortage of fun things to do in the fall, pumpkin patches have to be one of the most festive. Not only are they fun for all ages, but they also support local farmers as their harvest comes to an end.

Seven Generation Farm

Located in Louisville, Seven Generation Farm hosts a myriad of fun activities all year long; however, their pumpkin patch is the crème de la crème. Start with a hayride that drops you off at a corn maze, an actual challenge, then make your way over to the animals and kid area. Filled with hay mazes, mountains, and poney rides, you can fill an entire morning or afternoon with fall fun.

 Cottonwood Farms

A little to the north is Cottonwood Farms. This pumpkin patch is geared towards the smaller farm lovers. With conveniently located concessions and bathrooms, the whole family can take their time and enjoy all of the goods. There are bunnies and chickens for petting, red wagons for pulling pumpkins, and a wagon ride with adorably spooky decorations. The hay maze is extremely kid-friendly, where a parent can stand outside, enjoying a cup of coffee, while supervising their contained, and confused kiddo.

Munson Farms

In Boulder, off of Valmont, is Munson Farms. This pumpkin patch is prime for the photo-ops. With piles and fields of pumpkins overlooking the Flatirons and lots of big and family-friendly decorations, there are plenty of opportunities to make some memories.

Fritzler Farms

Sure, La Salle is a bit to the north, but this tiny town holds an amazing pumpkin patch, Fritzler Farms. With more activities geared towards the adult crowd, there is the usual family-friendly amenities, but also a beer garden by day. Then, at night, the patch get’s spooky with Scream Acers Haunted Attraction.

Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch

Longmont makes sure you get your money’s worth with not just a pick-your-own pumpkin patch, but an entire fall carnival at Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch. With pony rides, flavorful fall treats, face painting, kiddie rides, games, and a petting zoo. Additionally, there are food trucks, so you can enjoy a meal out while making fall memories.

Scene Stealers

Roots Music Festival

Boulder’s Roots Music Fest promises an incredible three days of music, collaboration and celebration, with a wide range of genres, from indie, funk, hip hop, cumbia, folk, blues, blue grass, electronic, and everything in between – from seasoned veterans to rising stars, the lineup will represent the diverse sounds and styles that make Colorado’s music scene so unique. Running October 17, 18, 19, tickets can be purchased at rootsmusicfestival.org

An Evening with Carbon Leaf @ The Fox Theater

Carbon Leaf’s fifteenth studio album, Time is the Playground is both a call to action and an embrace of the moment. Marrying nostalgic storytelling to nuanced, folk-infused indie rock, the Richmond, Virginia band embroiders heartfelt melody and harmony with acoustic and electric instrumentation to create a 12-song rumination on time, love and personal growth that’s equal parts urgent epiphany and contented exhalation. The show is October 10th at 8pm, tickets through Z2 Entertainment.

Local Theater Company: A Case for Black Girls Setting Central Park on Fire

A World Premiere Play written by Kori Alston and directed by Betty Hart brings to life an incredibly powerful story. A brilliant 12-year-old Black girl runs for her life from Brooklyn to Harlem. Over the course of her dusk-to-dawn journey she is aided by her Rottweiler, the ghost of Nat Turner, and a fire-wielding Oracle. This new American myth uses poetry, gospel music, and long-distance running to burn through pain. Showing October 3-28th, tickets are available at thedairy.org.

Into The Woods @ The Arts Hub

The Arts Hub Players present their 

Mainstage production of Into the Woods, directed by Lexi Lazear. Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Tony Award–winning musical intertwines the journeys of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack, Rapunzel, and the Baker and his Wife as they set out to fulfill their deepest wishes. As their stories weave together in the mysterious forest, the consequences of those wishes unfold in ways that are both darkly comic and profoundly moving. With Sondheim’s unforgettable score and Lazear’s inventive direction, this Mainstage production features a talented adult cast in a theatrical experience that is both enchanting and thought-provoking, inviting audiences to discover what really happens after “happily ever after.”  This show runs October 17- November 2nd, tickets can be purchased through artshub.org.

Teton Gravity Research presents Pressure Drop @ The Boulder Theater

Pressure Drop is the latest chapter in a 30-year journey—forged from a dream, fueled with cash from commercial fishing in Alaska, and driven by an obsession with life on the edge.This film follows some of the world’s best skiers and s

nowboarders, intertwining past and present sends through Alaskan spines, stacked pillow lines, massive cliffs, giant couloirs, deep powder, and insane jumps. From Norway to British Columbia, California to Alaska, and home in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, each line is a brushstroke in the art of descent. Playing two shows at 5pm and 9pm on October 9th, tickets can be purchased through Z2 entertainment.

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Music

Brandi Carlisle @ Red Rocks Amphitheater

For two nights, eleven-time Grammy winner Brandi Carlisle will be singing among the spires at Red Rocks. Carlisle’s music ranges from pop to country to folk-rock. With her band, made up of twin brothers, Phil and Tim Hanseroth, she will be celebrating their most recent 2025 album, Brandi Carlisle and Elton John. Tickets start at $125 and are available on StubHub.

Circles Around the Sun @ The Fox Theater

Circles around the sun, inspired by the Grateful Dead, is a cosmic music experience. Having shared the stage with renowned musicians, such as Joe Russo, Billy Strings, and Mikaela Davis, their ability and musical library is diverse. Tickets start at $37 through Z2 Entertainment.

Jason Brandt and the Build-Out with Something Slight @ Roots Music Hall

Celebrate the release of Continental Sailor, the first album by Boulder-based roots rock band Jason Brandt & the Build-Out! The band will play the full album, which will be for sale at the venue. Homegrown western cowboy country band Something Slight, led by songwriters Theo Snead and Alex Randall, will open the night with an hour of original music and will also have their merch available! Tickets start at $20 through Eventbrite.

Jammin the Bou Room @ The Carabou Room

A benefit for Nederland’s food pantry, come for a night of music and food. Dinner is available at 7pm and the show starts at 8. Starting with Money Gesture, a Groove Funk band local to Nederalnd, they are sure to get the ground dancing. Following will be River Spell, another Colorado-based jam band with lots of improvisation thrown into their combination of folk, rock, funk, psychedelic, and bluegrass. Closing the night is Purfree, an acoustic band known for their Americana style. Tickets start at $25. Presented by the Carabou Room.

Local Festivals

Unity in the Community @4th and Kimbark

Family-friendly and fully free! Unity in the community will have music, entertainment, and activities for all ages. Supporting local businesses, artists, and the community as a whole, the event runs from 4pm – 9pm on August 22. Located at 4th and Kimbark, this event does not require tickets.

Link here.

Boulder Taco Fest @ Boulder Civic Center and Library

Not just delicious tacos, margaritas, and live music but also lucha libre wrestling and a 5k fun run, the Boulder Taco Fest is sure to entertain the most relaxed to the the highest energy participant. Presented by AF entertainment, the event starts at $39 for entry with an additional $5 ticket for drinks and tacos. Starting at noon on August 23rd.

 Link here.

Pints in the Park @ Louisville Community Park

Hosted by the Louisville Chamber of Commerce, this 21+ event will host tastings from the best breweries, distilleries, and wineries around. Just south of downtown Louisville, the park will be filled with live entertainment and plenty of food samples to pair with the beer. This event costs $55 for participants and $7.18 for those accompanying them as a designated driver.

link here.

Louisville Labor Day Festival

Hang out in Louisville for a weekend full of Labor Day festivities. Starting on Friday, August 29, there will be a senior dinner for residents 60 and up, at Steinbaugh Pavilion. Starting at 5pm, this event is free.

Closing the long weekend, Monday morning starts with the Children’s Pet Parade. Starting at 9am, this is open to any child under the age of 12 and any dog, cat, bunny, or farm animal. Entrants must register by August 29; all children will receive a prize and a popcycle.

Following the Children’s Pet Parade is the Annual Louisville Labor Day Parade. Unions, businesses, local high school marching bands, and citizens march down the city streets starting at 10 am.

Finally, the Fall Festival runs from 10 am to 1 pm at Memory Square Park. Local crafts and artisans whill be selling their work. This year, Louisville is also bringing back it’s pie-eating contest. Sign up to make a pie or to compete.

All events are free to the public.

link here.

Lafayette Art Night Out

Fun for the whole family, Lafayette Art Night Out takes place every second Friday, with the next event scheduled for September 12. Enjoy live music, browse local vendors, and savor from over 50 food trucks. With face painting, street performers, balloon animals, and a beer/ wine/ cider garden, all ages are sure to have fun.

link here.

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We have the power as consumers to stop giving money to billionaires who perpetuate violence and injustice. The people in power, who control the headlines, are listening to your purchases. They listen to their bottom line. Taking small, actionable steps can make a difference for a world in crisis. If you are looking for a sense of connection or a way to make your money matter, consider shopping at independent businesses that share your values.

One main difference between shopping with big corporations and your neighborhood outlets is the mission. Most Big corporations operate solely to make a profit, but at Elevated Communities in Longmont, their mission is to use their thrift store to make an impact for Coloradans with disabilities.

“We have our thrift store, and we recently opened our cat cafe. But really, the whole mission is our resource navigation program,” says thrift store manager Angie Clements. The funding that we receive through the cat cafe and the thrift store helps to give people with disabilities connected to long-term services.” “We want to offer work clothing that people can afford and look good in.”

Tabor Acres, Makenna Hart wearing Treasures Upscale Consignment

The Neighborhood Plant Plug, Shannon Milliken wearing Elevated Communities

Authentic Cotton, Laurel Okasaki wearing Elevated Communities

The clothes donated to Elevated Communities make their way into the hands of individuals who can use them to transform their lives. For a more sustainable option or help others in need, they are a great place to shop or donate used clothing.

Just as Elevated Communities fosters connection through giving, other shops connect over shared passions. For those who find their joy in the mountains and trails, Jax Outdoor Gear brings people together in a different—but equally important—way.

Sharing hobbies brings people together. For outdoor enthusiasts, visiting a neighborhood-based outdoor gear shop can make a world of difference. The employees of Jax Outdoor Gear are part of the region and share your passion for the outdoors.

“I like talking to people and hearing outdoor stories, because I am an outdoorsman. I love hiking, backpacking, and biking, and it is really nice to talk to people who are in the same niche,” manager Jonathan Brennan said.

The people at Jax Outdoor Gear take the time to get to know you and what you love about being outdoors. That is the kind of familiarity you will not get at a big-name store.

“A lot of these corporations are tailoring their business more towards a fast, quick pickup environment. We at Jax started out as a small family company. We still provide that face-to-face interaction that you do not get a lot of these days with online shopping,” Brennan said.

Shopping small is rooted in trust, and independent businesses are a place where expert craftsmanship and personal service are built over generations. At the Eric Olson Master Jeweler shop in Louisville, customers enjoy a personalized jewelry buying experience backed by years of quality craftsmanship. Unlike many corporate stores, Eric Olson has built lasting relationships with his customers, offering a unique and trustworthy bond.

Shannon wearing Eric Olson necklace and Jax shirt

Laurel wearing Eric Olson necklace and Elevated Communities earrings and dress

Makenna wearing Schapell’s jewelry in Aflorae outfit

“A jeweler is the person who sits at the bench and does the work,” says Olson. So, if you are talking to somebody behind a counter with a jacket and tie on and he calls himself a jeweler, chances are very good that he is not a jeweler. He deals in jewelry. He sells jewelry.”.

As a longtime resident of Louisville, Olson has built a connection based on transparency and a genuine love for the craft. “For people in the community, I have been their jeweler for two generations now. Parents who got their wedding bands from me have kids who have gotten their wedding bands from me.”

A significant portion of the money spent ultimately ends up in the pockets of nameless, faceless corporations. Schapell Jewelers in Boulder is another place where you can build a relationship that goes beyond a transaction.

“You are always going to see the same faces. We are always going to go above and beyond to take care of our customers, follow up with birthday cards, thank you notes, and things like that,” manager Maddi Barraza said.

Beyond that personal touch that only independent establishments can provide, there is a deeper connection to fellow entrepreneurs and Boulder County. “We are involved in the community, and we are involved with our neighboring businesses. We are going to be doing a silent auction later this year for a local charity,” Barraza said.

Morton’s Orchards, Shannon Milliken wearing Pink House, Erie Farmers Market

Deborah Ann Does Donuts, Ayce wearing Jax Outdoor Gear, Erie Farmers Market

Supporting neighborhood shops is not only about service or craft, it is also about reducing waste and protecting our environment. That is where consignment stores shine.

Sustainability has both environmental and social impacts.  Fast fashion overproduces clothing that ends up in landfills and encourages a mindset of consumerism. Instead, recycle and reuse your clothes for a new experience. Treasures Upscale Consignment in Lafayette specializes in transforming one person’s trash into another’s treasure.

Owner Jaya Lopez explains, “People always ask me, ‘Are you the owner?’ I always tell them that we are the owners. The people who share here, consign here, and work here are the owners, because every single piece comes from somebody else. This is a community store by the community for the community.”.

Ayce and Shannon wearing Jax, 47 Bakery at the Erie Farmers Market

Shopping secondhand at stores such as Treasures Upscale Consignment not only promotes sustainability but also strengthens a sense of shared responsibility and connection. By choosing to buy used, consumption habits can be transformed,  protecting the environment while simultaneously celebrating the diverse stories and treasures that each item carries.

Some vendors go even further in their efforts to uplift the community by offering immediate, meaningful help in moments of need. Sportique Eyewear of Boulder takes the time to understand each and every customer that comes their way.

Owner, Jim Taylor, recounts,”There is a gentleman who is leaving on a flight at 1 p.m. He came in at 5 p.m. the night before with broken glasses, and he has no other glasses to wear on his business trip. I said, ‘I can do that for you.’ We love to help, regardless of where you get your glasses. It is a sincere desire to assist people on their way.

Taylor has been in optometry since 1982, and he and his staff understand the intersection of fashion and health care. The attention to detail, quality work, and investment in helping you look and feel your best set them apart.

“It is not the kind of thing you would see at a corporate store or a big chain. We do not have time constraints. I do not have another patient coming out of the doctor’s office. So we decided to do what is right for our consumer consciously, and we love to do it,” Taylor said.

Others aim to bring beauty and identity into the daily lives of their customers through boutique experiences and thoughtful design.

Confetti Confections, Makenna Hart wearing Aflorae, Erie Farmers Market

If you are looking for the kind of elevated aesthetic that an upscale boutique offers, Aflorae in Longmont is the go-to destination. Rachel Hunter started Aflorae as a florist shop, and when the pandemic hit, she expanded her repertoire to include retail. Now, Aflorae sells clothes, jewelry, accessories, and home goods in addition to her floral arrangements to add a little beauty to people’s lives.

Another boutique worth checking out is The Pink House in Louisville. The owner, Heather Mills, is dedicated to providing affordable and accessible fashion to the public while also connecting with what makes the town special.

“Creating a local economy and supporting your community is so important, and we want to make fashion as accessible as possible. Fashion is all about showing your true self to the world,” Mills said. “Main Street is the heart of Louisville, so we are right there. There is a trick-or-treating parade with the local elementary school, the Labor Day Parade, and the Festival of Lights. We are very involved.”

 The average American’s wallet has a loud voice. For quality service from people who genuinely want to engage, shop local, independent stores. All of the shops showcased here are on the side of the customer, something that will be hard to find through a large online distributor.

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Democracy needs journalism more than ever. We’ve been telling the truth for 24 years. Your support helps us keep telling it for at least the next four years.

The post Connection over convenience: Why shopping local matters in today’s America appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

[ Boulder County ]

• Boulder County Commissioners vote to approve a ten-year extension on an open space tax. This has upset many farmers and ranchers, who are dissatisfied with this decision because there is no language to protect them from the tax extension. This could lead to driving agriculture out of Boulder County..
• Erie Town Council has approved the Erie Town Center Urban Renewal Plan, which will facilitate funding the development of the  20-acre Town-owned property at the northwest corner of Erie Parkway and E. County Line Rd. in Erie Town Center.
• Daniel Bench, 88, was killed while riding his bike on August 4th. His death is the first cyclist death in 2025. According to data provided by the city, the number of severe crashes involving bicycles has remained unchanged since the 2014 Vision Zero bill, which aimed to decrease incidents by 2030.
• The City of Boulder has hired a new Transportation and Mobility Director, Blyth Bailey. Bailey is a trained architect who has previously led the first Department of Transportation in Chattanooga, TN, as well as worked to develop parks. His integration comes during the City of Boulder’s hiring freeze

[ State]

• The City of Denver has cut of Loveland’s access to the FLOCK automatic license-plate reading software after it was revealed that Loveland was sharing the data with Border Patrol.
• The bunnies are growing horns. Rabbits around northern Colorado are developing black horn-like growths around their heads and faces. This is a form of cottontail rabbit papillomavirus. This is not a dangerous disease, nor is it spread to humans or domestic pets.
• With the continued drought and overuse of water, federal officials announced that in 2026, Arizona, Nevada, and Mexico will all receive less water from Colorado. This will be an 18% decrease for Arizona, 7% for Nevada, and 5% for Mexico. There will not be a decrease for California.
• The Lee Fire, burning in Rio Blanco County, is currently the fifth most extensive fire in  Colorado’s recorded history. At 137,485 acres burned, it is 300 acres behind the 2002 Hayman Fire

[ National ]

• Under an executive order, the National Guard has been deployed in Washington D.C. to increase policing and “decrease crime.” Initially, it was stated that the National Guard would not be armed; however, Army Senior Master Sgt. Craig Clapper said that “Guard members may be armed consistent with their mission and training.”
• Donald Trump flew to Alaska to meet with Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, to push for a ceasefire in the genocide in Ukraine. However, upon the meeting’s end, Trump had changed his mind, stating a ceasefire was no longer critical.
• Stephen Colbert announced that after ten years, Paramount has decided to cancel his show, The Late Show. While Paramount reports this was purely a financial decision, it came days after Colbert criticized the $16 million settlement between CBS and the White House over a possibly edited interview with Kamala Harris on 60 Minutes.
• The state department has halted all visas for people coming from Gaza. In the statement, it was explained that there needed to be “a full and thorough review of the process and procedures” used for granting medical humanitarian visas.

[ International ]

• Hamas has informed mediators that it has approved the latest Gaza ceasefire proposal and is ready to resume negotiations to discuss ending the conflict with Israel and Gaza, which has now killed more than 62,000 Palestinians, with looming threats of famine and starvation.
• Following the US-South Korea military exercises, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced that North Korea will be building up its nuclear armament, seeing the exercises as “an obvious expression of their will to provoke war.
• Nearly 2,000 service members have been deployed to fight the wildfire burning in Spain and Portugal. The fire has covered 579 square miles and continues to burn while southern Europe experiences a severe heatwave.

Quotes

“So stick to the streets if we want to commute efficiently. Got it.” 

– Louisville resident Joe Walsh, after the announcement that speed limits on bike paths would be limited to 15 mph. This is after many bike paths were paved for easier bike commuting.

“Vladimir Putin said something — one of the most interesting things — he said, ‘your election was rigged because you have mail-in voting,’ He said, ‘it’s impossible to have mail-in voting and have honest elections.”

– Donald Trump explaining his inspiration for trying to rid our country of mail-in voting, a tool that helps the lower and working class ensure their ability to vote.

“I am not going anywhere.”

– University of Colorado Board of Regents member, Wanda James, after her peers attempted to censure her after an investigation into her opposition to the CU-backed marijuana education campaign

“The robots are still really dumb.”

– Dr Allan Fern, robotics professor, regarding the first-ever robot humanoid games held in China.

By the Numbers

274

The number of lives lost in Buner, Pakistan, after torrential rains and flooding, with no evacuation notice from the government.

1:8 Million

The ratio of neurosurgeons to citizens in Sierra Leon. Earlier this year, Dr. Alieu Kamara became the first and only practicing neurosurgeon in his country.

500,000

The approximate number of travelers who have been stranded during the Air Canada cabin-worker strikes.

39,448

A record-setting number of students are attending CU Boulder for the 2025 Fall semester.

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Democracy needs journalism more than ever. We’ve been telling the truth for 24 years. Your support helps us keep telling it for at least the next four years.

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The post Month In Review | August 2025 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Editor’s Note: Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 3, 2025 – Lafayette, Colorado –
This March, Coal Creek Meals on Wheels (CCMOW) will celebrate surpassing 1 million meals served since the organization’s founding in 1972. Coal Creek Meals on Wheels has served Erie, Lafayette, Louisville, and Superior for over 50 years, delivering more than just a meal to older adults, individuals with disabilities, and anyone in need who is at a significant risk of hunger, food insecurity, and isolation.
Last year, the organization served over 72,000 meals through their Home Delivered Meal Program and the Coal Creek Café combined – an increase of more than 10,000 meals compared to the year prior. “2024 has been a year of growth, resilience, and impact at Coal Creek Meals on Wheels,” said Nate Broeckert, Executive Director. “Together, we’ve strengthened our foundation, expanded our reach, and deepened our commitment to serving our community with compassion and care. It was another record-breaking year for meals served, which is a testament to the dedication of our team and the unwavering support of our volunteers and donors.” It is no surprise that in 2025, the organization will be celebrating this milestone of over 1 million meals served.
Food insecurity is increasing, and action is needed now to support local Meals on Wheels programs. This year, Meals on Wheels programs from across the country are joining together for the March for Meals awareness campaign to celebrate its success and garner the support needed to ensure these critical programs can continue.
Community members can support CCMOW and March for Meals in the following ways:
? 1 Million Meals Celebration: Friday, March 7 from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Coal Creek Café Free lunch will be served for all – no registration required.
? Meals on Heels, a Shoe Fashion Show: March 31 from 5:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at Acreage by Stem Cider – purchase tickets at www.coalcreekmow.org/meals-on-heels
? Volunteer to support your neighbors – learn more at www.coalcreekmow.org/get-involved
? Give a gift to provide a meal to your neighbor – donate at www.coalcreekmow.org/donate

About Coal Creek Meals on Wheels:
Coal Creek Meals on Wheels supports independence and quality of life for Lafayette, Louisville, Erie & Superior residents by providing nutritious meals and social connection opportunities. For more information, visit www.coalcreekmow.org.
Media Contact:
Nate Broeckert
Executive Director
Coal Creek Meals on Wheels
nbroeckert@coalcreekmow.org
303-406-8442

The post Coal Creek Meals on Wheels Celebrates Surpassing 1 Million Melas Served as Par of the 23rd Annual March for Meals Month appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

[ Local ]

• Denver sees a surge in office-to-apartment conversions as the city turns more and more vacant office spaces into housing. Denver now ranks 15th in the nation in terms of number of office-to-apartment conversions.
• Employees at King Soopers stores in seven Colorado counties go on strike, accusing the stores of union busting activities and a proposal to take away retiree health benefit funds in exchange for increased wages. King Soopers, in term, sues the union for working with out-of-state organizations.
• Louisville City Council votes unanimously to hire Diana Langley as the new city manager. Langley is currently city manager of Yuba City, California, a city over three times the size of Louisville.
• A Tesla dealership in Loveland has been vandalized with graffiti and broken glass multiple times in the past few weeks in a series of incidents believed to be a response to Elon Musk’s actions as head of the Department of Government Efficiency

[ National ]

• Donald J. Trump is sworn in for his second term as President of the United States and immediately starts signing a series of executive orders targeting immigrant rights, transgender rights, and government spending, triggering a series of court challenges against his orders. Many of his EOs are currently blocked by courts.
• Billionaire Elon Musk is appointed head of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency and cuts government spending in many major departments, many of which he has no legal authority to issue directives to, leading to questions about whether the rule of law even applies under the Trump administration.
• All 50 states hold massive protests against Trump’s policies on immigration, transgender rights, and more.
• The Philadelphia Eagles stop the Kansas City Chiefs from pulling off a historic three consecutive Super Bowl wins, as Philadelphia pulls off the shocking upset with a 40-22 win over Kansas City.

[ International ]

• The Israel/Hamas ceasefire remains precarious as Hamas delays the release of captives saying that Israel is not respecting the ceasefire.
• Trump proposes bizarre plan to clear Palestinians out of Gaza and have the United States take over their land. Rights groups have referred to his plan as “ethnic cleansing.”.
• With a new outbreak of Ebola confirmed in Uganda, the country tests out a new trial vaccine, the first for the Sudan strain of the virus.
• Thousands of protesters in Bangladesh demolish and set fire to the former home of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in response to her speech on social media calling for her supporters to resist the interim government.

Quotes

“Kroger negotiators have illegally insisted on robbing retiree health care benefits to fund wage increases for workers today. Sadly, this Company’s targeting of fixed-income retirees and other vulnerable populations only compounds its history of targeting consumers with predatory pricing.” 
– UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova on the reasons for the King Soopers strike

“Louisville is known for its rich history, charm, and strong civic engagement, and I look forward to working alongside the City Council and staff to continue Louisville’s tradition of being a great place to live.”

– Diana Langley accepting her new role as Louisville city manager

“”I’ve been on the bench for four decades, I can’t remember another case where the question presented is as clear as this one is. There are other times in world history where we look back and people of goodwill can say, ‘Where were the judges? Where were the lawyers?’”

– U.S. District Judge John Coughenour in striking down Trump’s executive order trying to revoke birthright citizenship

“Marsha P. Johnson would have already started throwing bricks!”

– A sign held by a protester at the February 5th protest at the State House

By the Numbers

77

The number of King Soopers locations across seven different Colorado counties that are involved in the strike

#50501

The hashtag representing the February 5th protests, indicating 50 protests in 50 state capitols on one day

53

The number of days it took for Adolph Hitler to dismantle Germany’s democracy after taking office

March 14, 2025

The day Donald Trump hits 53 days in office

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Democracy needs journalism more than ever. We’ve been telling the truth for 24 years. Your support helps us keep telling it for at least the next four years.

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The post Month In Review | February 2025 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Editor’s Note: Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Louisville, Colo. — Following a competitive nationwide recruitment process, Louisville City Council members on Monday voted unanimously to select Diana Langley as Louisville’s next city manager, subject to contract negotiation.

“The quality of our finalists was terrific,” said Louisville Mayor Chris Leh. “It made the decision challenging, but that’s a good challenge to have. Diana’s leadership style, experience, and insights about Louisville challenges and opportunities deeply impressed the City Council. Our unanimous vote speaks volumes about the confidence we have in her moving forward.”

Langley has served since 2021 as the city manager for Yuba City, California, a city of 70,000 north of Sacramento. Prior to assuming that role, Langley served as Yuba City’s Interim City Manager and Public Works Director. Langley holds a Master of Public Administration degree from National University, San Diego as well as a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from California State University, Chico.

“I am honored to have been selected by the City Council as Louisville’s City Manager and am eager to serve the community,” said Langley, “Louisville is known for its rich history, charm, and strong civic engagement, and I look forward to working alongside the City Council and staff to continue Louisville’s tradition of being a great place to live.”

Council members also voted to appoint Mayor Leh and Councilmember Judi Kern as a committee to negotiate a contract with Langley. Once a contract is negotiated and approved, the City Council will announce a start date for the new city manager.

Louisville’s process to recruit a new city manager began in August 2024, following the resignation of former city manager Jeff Durbin. The City contracted with Bob Murray & Associates, a national search firm, to assist in the search. More than 50 candidates applied for the position, a pool which the consultant and a Council committee whittled down to four finalists who were announced earlier this month. Each of the four finalists attended a meet-and-greet event with Louisville residents and staff last week as well as interviews with Council members.

In addition to Langley, the finalists included Jay Harrington, currently the county manager for Routt County, Colorado; Sara Ott, currently the city manager for Aspen, Colorado; and Jason Rogers, currently the city manager for Commerce City, Colorado. Rogers withdrew his name from consideration prior to Monday’s Council meeting.

The post Louisville selects Diana Langley as next city manager appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Boulder

Boulder Walkability and Improvements:

The Boulder area allows you to easily do some tasks by walking on foot, but you have the option of easily accessible public transport to help you get across town. WalkScore put the Boulder area walking score at 63, and the city holds the title of being a Gold-level Walk Friendly Community. In 2019, the city adopted a new pedestrian plan to create more walkable streets, and the pedestrian network now includes an impressive 500-mile sidewalk and 82 pedestrian underpasses.

The local government of Boulder can improve the area’s walkability by connecting the many paths, parks and roads to help create a more unified walking path for the residents. Creating paths that begin and end at public transport pick-up zones can also help with improvements.

Longmont

Longmont Walkability and Improvements:

Longmont is a large area (3200 acres), making it difficult to walk to every location. You can use a bicycle to get to some places, but due to the city’s layout, access is still very limited, and most errands will require a car.

Walkscore rated Longmont 39 due to its poor walking paths. The city can improve its walkability by building new dedicated walkways and connecting existing routes. The Longmont Council is looking at how they can prioritize pedestrian safety downtown due to the increased traffic on the roads, but hurdles like funding and getting permission from the Colorado Department of Transportation need to be jumped.

Erie

Erie Walkability and Improvements:

Erie is stuck between other cities and towns, with weird borders that do not allow residents to walk to different areas of Erie easily. This has led to the town’s dismal score of 13 on WalkScore. In the early days, Erie requires almost all errands to use a vehicle as everything is so far apart or split into weird sections between other towns and cities. While the area is flat, which helps with walking, without dedicated walking paths that cross roads safely, Erie is not great for walking.

Lafayette

Lafayette Walkability and Improvements:

Lafayette is reasonably walkable if you’re in the right part of town, and public transport helps increase residents’ ability to walk everywhere. A drawback of the city is the large sprawl and distances between places. This makes it a long walk to get to places in the city.

While Walkscore gives Lafayette a decent score of 42, you will still require a car to do most daily errands because of the size of the area. Luckily the City of Lafayette has a Multimodal Transportation Plan that includes improvements to more then just driving, with connectivity of things like walking, biking and transit.

Louisville

Louisville Walkability and Improvements:

Louisville is quite walkable if you stay in nearby neighborhoods, and as it is a relatively low-crime area, pedestrians are safe. With the lack of public transport in some areas, most residents use the multiple bike lanes or their cars for daily commuting or errands they need to do.

The walk score from Walkscore is only a 42, meaning you can walk to some places nearby, but due to the size of the area (2000 acres) and the lack of public transport, you will not have a great time doing it unless you’re a long-distance athlete!

Superior

Superior Walkability and Improvements:

Superior is not a large area, only 4 square miles, and is quite flat, meaning you can easily walk to many places in town. However, a vehicle may still be required to go to some areas in town due to a lack of walking infrastructure, such as sidewalks, but this is set to hopefully improve with part of the ongoing downtown development.

Superior has a walkability score of 50 on Walkscore, meaning you can get to some places on foot, but using a vehicle is also a great option for getting around town.

Broomfield

Broomfield Walkability and Improvements:

Broomfield is not an easily walkable area due to its large size (8607 acres), lack of public transport, and lack of layout in the city. This city is car-dependent as the road network splits up many neighborhoods. The lack of public transport doesn’t help either.

Even though the city is flat due to its location in Colorado and the many parks, there are very few dedicated walking paths. That is why Walkscore gave Broomfield a score of only 33 and public transport a terrible score of 10.

The city has created a project to improve the pedestrian environment with safer walking and biking connections to Emerald Elementary School. The project has yet to start, with contracts to be executed in January 2025.

North Westminster

North Westminster Walkability and Improvements:

North Westminster is a large and spread-out city with a walking score of 24, meaning you may need to walk a long distance to get anywhere you want to go. The city also has few public transport facilities, which doesn’t help its walkability.

As the area is designed around moving cars through it, there are very few dedicated walkways, but that is by design due to the town’s size. Almost all errands in the town require a car. Currently, the city is working hard to improve pedestrian conditions, such as the Safe Routes to School (SRTS).

North Thornton

North Thornton Walkability and Improvements:

North Thorton’s town layout allows many residents to do some errands by just walking to where they need to, but for longer distances, they need to use a personal car as public transport is lacking in the area.

North Thoorton can improve its walkability by creating dedicated lanes that connect the neighborhoods, but the distances for some errands may require transport.

Lyons

Lyons Walkability and Improvements:

With a score of 63 on the Walkscore, many different tasks, such as shopping and going to work, can be done on foot.

This is due to the small size of Lyon and the flat area in which the town is situated and that improving pedestrian safety is a priority for the city via the Safe Streets For All project.

Niwot

Niwot Walkability and Improvements:

Niwot is a small town that has many of its main errands in one location, making it easy to get everything you need and want from one location. However, some places may require a vehicle as they are a little farther out, such as the tennis court and baseball field.

The post Hood Guide: Towns | How Walkable Are Our Towns? appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Summertime is almost here again and that means one thing: summer camp! Boulder and the surrounding areas offer a near limitless array of camps, programs, and activities for youth. There is something for everyone! Yellow Scene prides itself on providing the most up to date and thorough directory in Boulder County, but we suggest you contact camps and programs for individual schedules, availability, and safety precautions.

Don’t miss SuperKids Expo, April 26th in Lafayette, Co!

Animal Ecology

Butterfly Pavilion – Day camp
6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster | 303.469.5441 | butterflies.org

Denver Zoo Summer Safari – Day camp
2300 Steele St., Denver | 720.337.1400 | denverzoo.org

Dinosaur Ridge – Day camp
16831 W. Alameda Pkwy., Morrison | 303.697.3466 x101 |dinoridge.org

Downtown Aquarium Sea Safari – Day or Overnight camp
700 Water St., Denver | 303.561.4444 | aquariumrestaurants.com

Kids and Critters Longmont Humane Society – Day camp
9595 Nelson Rd., Longmont | 303.772.1232 | longmonthumane.org

Sunflower Farm – Day camp
11150 Prospect Rd., Longmont | 303.774.8001 |  sunflowerfarminfo.com

Wild Bear Mountain Ecology Center – Day camp
20 Lakeview Dr., Unit 107, Nederland | 303.258.0495 | wildbear.org

Arts & Performances

Afterbeat Drum School – Day camp
917 Front St., Louisville | 720.837.5410 | afterbeatdrumschool.com

Ah Haa School for the Arts Kids – Day camp
300 Townsend Ave., Telluride | 970.728.3886 | ahhaa.org

Airborne Gymnastics & Dance – Day camp
303.684.3716 | airbornecolorado.com

The Apollo Center – Day camp
2655 Industrial Lane, Broomfield | 720.479.8438 | www.theapollocenter.com

Arts HUB – Day camp
420 Courtney Way, Lafayette | 303.229.1127 | www.artshub.org (They have classes but not a camp)

Arvada Center Summer Art Camps – Day camp
6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada | 720.898.7200 | arvadacenter.org

Aspen Music Festival and School – Day camp
225 Music School Rd., Aspen | 970.205.5055 | aspenmusicfestival.com

Athena Project Arts at the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design – Day camp
303.219.0882 | athenaprojectarts.org

BackStory Theatre Youth Classes & Camps – Day camp
720.263.0836 | info@backstorytheatre.org | backstorytheatre.org (They have a tab for camps but nothing is posted for the summer)

Boulder Opera Company – Day camp
303.731.2036 | boulderoperacompany.com | info@boulderoperacompany.com

Boulder Guitar Coach – Day camp
720.323.6424 | boulderguitarcoach.com | info@boulderguitarcoach.com

Boulder Performing Arts Co. – Day camp
4847 Pearl St. #B4, Boulder | 303.859.4195 | boulderperformingarts.com (They have classes not camps)

Boulder Suzuki Strings – Day camp
2705 Stanford Ave., Boulder | 720.295.5647 | bouldersuzukistrings.org (Classes not camps)

Camp Oonie Koonie Cha – Day camp
7520 S. Boulder Rd., Boulder | 303.413.1711 | campokc.com

Camp Telaphiba Summer Dance Retreat – Day and overnight camp
8820 W. 116th Circ., Broomfield | 720.580.2267 | camptelaphiba.com

CenterStage Theater Company – Day camp
901 Front St, Louisville | 303.529.2782 | centerstagetheatercompany.org (Classes not a camp)

Center for Musical Arts Camp – Day camp
200 E. Baseline Rd., Lafayette | 303.665.0699 | centerformusicalarts.org (Classes not a camp)

Centennial State Ballet – Day Camp
350 Terry St., Longmont 303.772.1335 | centennialstateballet.org (Classes not a camp)

Colorado Conservatory of Dance – Day camp
3001 Industrial LN. #12, Broomfield | 303.466.5685 | ccdance.org

Colorado Shakespeare Festival – Day camp
972 Broadway St., Boulder | 303.735.1181 | coloradoshakes.org

Dance Arts – Day camp
555 Burbank St., Unit N, Broomfield | 303.466.3212 | danceartsstudio.org (Classes not a camp)

Denver Center for the Performing Arts – Day camp
1101 13th St., Denver | 303.893.4100 | denvercenter.org/education (Classes not a camp)

Elite Dance Academy – Day Camp
8820 West 116th Cir., Ste. A, Broomfield | 303.466.8626 | elitedanceacademy.net

Encore Music & Children’s Music Academy – Day camp
698 Briggs St., Erie | 970.556.8315 | www.encoremusicerie.com

Frequent Flyers Aerial Dance Camps – Day camp
3022 E. Sterling Cir., Ste. 150, Boulder | 303.245.8272 | frequentflyers.org

Globalsound Music Academy Summer Camp – Day camp
555 Alter St. #19F, Broomfield | 303.439.7956 | globalsoundstudio.com

Kinesis Dance Camp – Day Camp
635 S. Broadway St. #D, Boulder | 720.515.6268 | kinesisdance.com

Kutandara Center Music Summer Camps – Day camp
5401 Western Ave., #B, Boulder | 303.443.2969 | kutandara.org (Classes not a camp)

Mojo’s Music Academy – Day Camp
350 Terry St., Longmont | 303.776.3373 | mojosmusicacademy.com

Parlando School of Musical Arts Summer Camp – Day camp
2305 Pierce St, Edgewater, CO 80214 | 303.442.0006 | parlando.org

Perry Mansfield Performing Arts School & Camp – Day Camp
40755 CR 36, Steamboat Springs | 970.879.7125 | perry-mansfield.org

Premier School of Dance – Day camp
12351 Grant St., Unit 360, Thornton | 303.457.2165 | danceatpremier.com (Classes not a camp)

Reel Kids Film & Theater Camps – Day camp
306 Sterling Circ., Unit 5, Boulder | 303.499.0125 | myreelkids.com

Rocky Mountain Fiddle – Overnight camp
453 E. Wonderview Ave., #194, Estes Park | 303.596.9870 | rmfiddle.com

Rocky Mountain Theatre For Kids – Day camp
5311 Western Ave., Ste. 135, Boulder | 303.245.8150 | theaterforkids.net

Rocky Ridge Music Center – Day camp
465 Longs Peak Rd., Estes Park | 970.586.4031 | rockyridge.org

School of Rock Camps – Day camp
3280 28th St. Unit 1, Boulder • 303.532.1201 |6500 West 120th Ave. Unit A & B, Broomfield | 303.325.3772 | schoolofrock.com

Storycamp Summer Sessions – Day camp
6500 W. Drycreek Pkwy., Niwot | 303.652.0130 | storycampdangercamp.com (They have a camp but no info for 2025)

Summer Music Academy at CU Boulder College of Music – Day or overnight camp
University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder | 303.492.6352 | colorado.edu/music/summer-college-music

Swallow Hill Music Camps – Day camp
71 E. Yale Ave., Denver | 303.777.1003 | swallowhillmusic.org

American Dance Training Camps Boulder – Overnight camp
866.383.2382 | americandancetrainingcamp.com

NEW: Crimson Chalice Theater Academy – day camp
Erie Community Center Erie, Co 80516 | www.crimsonchalice.com

Arts – Visual & Multimedia

The Arts HUB – Day camp
Multiple camps available | 420 Courtney Way, Lafayette | 303.229.1127 | artshub.org Classes not a camp

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art – Day camp
1750 13th St., Boulder | 303.443.2122 | bmoca.org

Brickscape Cafe – Day camp
332 Main St, Unit A4, Longmont | 720-491-1947 | brickscape.cafe | Havefun@brickscape.cafe (Has a camp but no info for 2025)

Crackpots Creativity Camp – Day camp
505 Main St., Longmont | 303.776.2211 | ecrackpots.com

Colorado Photographic Arts Center – Day camp
1200 Lincoln St, Suite 111, Denver | meghan@cpacphoto.org | cpacphoto.org

Common Threads: Creative Lab Summer Camps
2707 Spruce St., Boulder | 303-449-5431 | www.shopcommonthreads.com/collections/creative-lab

Firehouse Art Center – Day Camp
667 4th Ave., Longmont | 303-651-2787 | www.firehouseart.org | info@firehouseart.org

Living Arts School – Day camp
6500 W Drycreek Pkwy, Niwot | 720.383.4406 | livingartsschool.com | info@livingartsschool.com

Longmont Museum – Day camp
400 Quail Rd., Longmont | 303.651.8374 | longmontcolorado.gov/museum/education/camp

Mudslingers Pottery School – Day camp
414 E. Simpson St., Lafayette | mudslingerspottery.com (Classes not a camp)

Open Window Studio – Day camp
7873 St Vrain Rd., Boulder | 720.400.1319 | openwindowstudio.org

pARTiculars Art Gallery and Teaching Studio – Day camp
401 S. Public Rd. #1, Lafayette | 720.890.7888 | particularsart.com (Classes not a camp)

Groundworks Art Lab Camp – Day camp
1010 Aurora Ave., Boulder | 720.379.6033 | www.groundworksartlab.org/camps

Sunflower Art Studio – Day camp
6545 Gunpark Dr., Boulder | 720.939.7545 | artsunflower.com

Tinker Art Studio – Day camp
693B S. Broadway, Boulder | 303.503.1902 | tinkerartstudio.com

New: YMCA Specialty Camps – Day camp
Lafayette, Boulder, Longmont, Johnstown and Loveland Ys | 303-443-4474 | ymcanoco.org

Education & Personal Development

NEW: Camp Comfort – Day camp
3081 Bergen Peak Dr., Evergreen | 303-674-6400 | mtevans.org/camp-comfort/

Adventure Montessori Learning Center – Day camp
250 S. Cherrywood Dr., Lafayette | 303.665.6789 | adventuremontessori.com

Food Lab Summer Camps – Day camp
1825 Pearl St. #A, | 303.952.8364 | foodlabboulder.com | events@foodlabboulder.com (Classes not a camp)

Integral Steps – Day camp
Various locations | 720.577.5441 | integralsteps.org | info@integralsteps.org (Classes not a camp)

Kiddie Academy Learning Center Camp – Day camp
Various locations | kiddieacademy.com

Learning Pathways Reading Camps – Day camp
2033 11th St., Boulder | 303.499.1941 | learningpathwayscolorado.com | lpboulder@gmail.com

Longmont Museum – Day camp
400 Quail Rd., Longmont | 303.651.8374 | longmontmuseum.org

Museum of Boulder – Day camp
Various Camps | 303.449.3464 | museumofboulder.org | chelsea@museumofboulder.org

PALS Chess Academy – Day camp
Various locations | 720.504.8765 | palschess.com

Play-Well – Lego Inspired Camps – Day camp
Various locations | 720-591-4380 | play.well.org

Summer at Rick’s: University of Denver – Day camp
2040 South York St., Denver | 303.871.2982 | morgridge.du.edu/ricks/summer

Summer Fun on the Urban Farm – Day camp
10200 Smith Rd., Denver | 720-414-6141 | theurbanfarm.org

The Owl Education Group Summer Learning Institute – Day camp
818 West South Boulder Rd. #201, | 303.551.0118 | owledgroup.com | crissy@owledgroup.com

Treehouse Learning – Day camp
175 N. 96th St, Louisville, CO | 303-666-1950 | admissions@treehouselearning.com | www.treehouselearning.com

Global Works Travel – Overnight camp
2575 N. Franklin Ave., Louisville | 303.545.2202 | globalworkstravel.com

NEW: Sunset Academy – Day camp
711 S Sunset St, Longmont | 303.651.660 | www.sunsetacademy.com/summer-camp-2

NEW: The Behavior Exchange – Day camp
500 Discovery Pkwy., #100, Superior | 972.312.8733 | behaviorexchange.com

New: YMCA Specialty Camps – Day camp
Lafayette, Boulder, Longmont, Johnstown and Loveland Ys | 303-443-4474 | ymcanoco.org

Equestrian

Academy Stables – Day camp
4277 N. 109th St., Lafayette | 303.665.4637 | academystables.com

All Abilities Riding Center – Day camp
11968 Mineral Rd., Longmont | 303.652.9131 | ctrcinc.org

Bear Creek Stables – Day camp
15600 W. Morrison Rd., Morrison | 303.697.9666 | bearcreekstablescolorado.com | office@bearcreekstablescolorado.com

Mounting Miracles Horse Camp – Day camp
11051 Jasper Rd., Lafayette | 720.971.0569 | facebook.com/equestrian-center-home-to-mourning

Running Wolf Riding Center – Day Camp
15589 Navajo St., Broomfield | 720.933.8301 | runningwolfridingcenter.com

Triple Creek Ranch Horse Camps – Day camp
Multiple program options | 4255 Nelson Rd., Longmont | 303.746.7379 | triplecreek-ranch.com

Health & Wellness

Babysitters Of Boulder – Day camp
(303) 749-1168 | babysittersofboulder.com | hello@babysittersofboulder.com

Eldorado Mountain Yoga Camp – Day camp
2875 County Rd. 67, Boulder | 303.249.1671 | eldoradoyoga.org

Little Princess Spa – Day camp
406 Center Drive Ste.G, Superior | 720-355-9547 | lps.superior@gmail.com | superior.littleprincessspa.com

The Little Gym of Westminster – Day camp
10141 Wadsworth Pkwy. #300, Westminster | 303.427.6688 | thelittlegym.com

Drala Mountain Center Family Camp – Overnight camp
151 Shambhala Way, Red Feather Lakes | 1.888.788.7221 | www.dralamountain.org

Uncorked Kids/Teens Summer Programs – Day camp
8171 South Chester St., Ste. A, Centennial | 720.907.3838 | uncorkedkitchen.com

Outdoors

ABLE To Sail Youth Empowerment Camp – Day camp
Union Res, Longmont | 720-233-8969 | www.abletosail.org | diane@abletosail.org

Adventure Unlimited Ranches – Overnight camp
P.O. Box 2036, Buena Vista | 888.416.7348 | adventureunlimited.org | linda@adventureunlimited.org

Adventure Experiences – Day and Overnight camp
#2 Illinois Creek, Almont | 970.641.4708 | aeibasecamp.com

Avid4Adventure – Day or overnight camp
P.O. Box 287 | 720.249.2412 | avid4.com

Bold Earth Adventures – Overnight camp
303.526.0806 | boldearth.com

Boulder Parks and Recreation – Day camp
1777 Broadway St., Boulder | 303.413.7441 | bprcamps.org

Boulder Rock Club and Colorado Mountain School – Day camp
2829 Mapleton Ave., Boulder | 303.447.2804 | boulderrockclub.com

Boy Scouts of America Camps Anderson Camps – Day and overnight camp
10455 W 6th Ave. #100., Denver | scoutingcolorado.org

Camp Invention – Day camp
Various programs and locations | 800.968.4332 | invent.org

Camp Kind – Day camp
4505 W 112th Ave., Westminster | 720.608.6099 | campkind.org

Camp Sunrise – Day camp
100 Sunrise Ranch Rd., Loveland | 970.679.4200 | sunriseranch.org

Cal-Wood – Overnight camp
2282 County Rd. 87, Jamestown | 303.449.0603 | calwood.org

Camp Granite Lake – Overnight camp
11902 Camp Eden Rd., Golden | 720.249.2997 | campgranitelake.com

Camp Santa Maria – Overnight camp
51321 US Hwy. 285, Grant | 303.838.7900 | ymcanoco.org/camp-santa-maria | shelby.sever@ymcanoco.org

Cheley Colorado Camps – Overnight camp
3960 Fish Creek Rd., Estes Park | 970.586.4244 | cheley.com

Colvig Silver Camps – Overnight camp
9665 CR 240., Durango | 970.247.2564 | colvigsilvercamps.com

Children’s Peace Garden – Day camp
1630 Hawthorn Ave., Boulder | 303.443.9952 | growinggardens.org

City of Lafayette – Day camp
303.665.0469 | cityoflafayette.com/camps

City of Longmont Summer Recreation – Day camp
700 Longs Peak Ave., Longmont | 303.651.8404 | longmontcolorado.gov | terri.calvin@longmontcolorado.gov

Colorado Mountain Ranch – Day Camp
10063 Gold Hill Rd., Boulder | 303.442.4557 |  coloradomountainranch.com

CycleErie Devo
Erie Community Center | www.cyclerie-devo.com/kidscamps

Deer Hill Summer Expeditions – Overnight camp
7850 Rd. 41, Mancos | 970.533.7492 | deerhillexpeditions.com

Erie Community Center – Day camp
Multiple programs | Erie Community Center, 450 Powers St., Erie | 303.926.2550 | erieco.gov

Gates Camp for Boys & Girls Clubs – Day camp
2017 West 9th Ave., Denver | 303.892.9200 | bgcmd.org

Keystone Discovery Camp – Day and overnight camp
1053 Soda Ridge Rd., Keystone | 970.468.2098 | keystonescienceschool.org

Louisville Rec Center – Day Camp
749 Main St., Louisville | 303.666.7400 | louisvilleco.gov

Northglenn Rec – Day Camp
1 E. Memorial Pkwy., Northglenn | 303.451.8326 | northglenn.org

Mountain Kids – Day Camp
419 E. Stuart St., Fort Collins | 970.235.1336 | 474 S. Taylor Ave., Louisville | 303.665.8287 | www.mountain-kids.com

Rocky Mountain Anglers Fly Fishing Camp – Day camp
1904 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder | 303.447.2400 | rockymtanglers.com | info@rockymtanglers.com

Singletrack Mountain Bike Adventures – Day camp
194 Taft Dr., Boulder | 303.447.8014 | ridesmba.org

Sanborn Western Camps – Overnight camp
2000 Old Stage Rd., Florissant | 719.748.3341 | sanbornwesterncamps.com

Steve and Kate’s Camp – Day camp
720-399-5622 | boulder@steveandkate.com | steveandkatescamp.com

TEENS Inc. – Day camp
151 East St., Nederland | 303.258.3821 | teensinc.org

Thorne Nature Experience Summer Camp – Day camp
1466 63rd St., Boulder | 303.499.3647 |  thornenature.org

Tri Velo Series – Day and overnight camp
303-931-6455 | triveloseries.com

Vail Recreation District – Day camp
Multiple programs available | 700 S. Frontage Rd., Ste. E, Vail | 970.479.2279 | vailrec.com

Westminster Camps – Day camp
4800 W. 92nd Ave., Westminster | 10470 Oak St., Westminster | 303.658.2219 | www.westminsterco.gov

Women’s Wilderness Day and overnight camp
Multiple Programs | 2845 Wilderness Pl., Ste. 211, Boulder | 303.938.9191 | womenswilderness.org

NEW: YMCA Camp Tumbleson Lake – day and overnight camp
Near Ward, CO | 303-443-4474 | ymcanoco.org

NEW: Camp Chief Ouray – Overnight camp
Po Box 648, Granby | 970-887-2648 | campchiefouray.org

Pre-School

NEW: Trailblazers & Camp Erie – Day camp
450 Powers St., Erie | 303-926-2797 | www.erieco.gov/833/Camp-Erie

Alaya Preschool
3340 19th St., Boulder | 303.449.5248 | alayapreschool.org

Bal Swan Children’s Center
1145 E. 13th Ave., Broomfield | 303.466.6308 | balswan.org

Blossom French Bilingual Preschool
303.819.4084 | blossominternationalpreschool.com

Boulder Montessori School
3300 Redstone Rd., Boulder | 303.494.5814 | bouldermontessori.org

Boulder Valley Waldorf School
6500 W. Drycreek Pkwy., Niwot | 303.652.0130 | bvwaldorf.org

Bright Horizons School
Multiple Locations | brighthorizons.com

Dream Makers Summer Camp
1345 28th St., Bldg. C, Boulder | 720.274.0101 | dreammakerspreschool.com

Exploring Minds Academy
4051 NE County Line Rd., Erie | 303.828.3452 | exploringmindsacademy.com

Friends School Summer Programs
Multiple Locations | 303.449.1999 ext. 229 | friendssummercamp.org

Goddard School
Multiple camps available | goddardschool.com

Hope Montessori Academy – Day Camp
12121 Pennsylvania St., Thornton • 303.255.8151 | 4401 W. Main St., Westminster • 303.404.9770 | montessorichild.com

Off Broadway Preschool Summer Camp – Day camp
1235 Pine St., Boulder 303.800.0324 | offbroadwaypreschool.org | emily@offbroadwaypreschool.org

Patchwork School Parent Co-Op – Day camp
1428 Main St., Louisville | 720.271.6729 | thepatchworkschool.com

Primrose School – Day camp
Multiple locations | primroseschools.com

Right Start Preschool Character Clubs – Day camp
2325 Eagleview Ct., Erie | 303.931.4221 | rightstarterie.com (Has a camp but it is not updated for the new new year)

Sunflower Preschool Summer Camp – Day camp
3340 Dartmouth Ave., Boulder | 303.494.2012 | sunflowerpreschoolboulder@gmail.com | sunflowerpreschoolboulder.com (Has a camp but not yet updated)

Wee Folk Forest Kindergarten – – Day camp
720.383.4406 | weefolkforestkindergarten.com/summer-camp | info@livingartsschool.com

Ziji Early Elementary – Day Camp
6390 Jay Rd., Boulder | 303.530.0844 | zijiearlyelementary.org

Religious

AR Workshop
1361 Forest Park Circ., #107 Boulder | 877.486.3266 | boulder@arworkshop.com | arworkshop.com

Belleview Christian School
3455 W. 83rd Ave., Westminster | 303.427.5459 | belleviewchristian.com (School no camp)

Cherryville Day Camp Boulder JCC
6007 Oreg Ave., Boulder | 303.998.1900 | boulderjcc.org

Camp Gan Izzy of the Rockies
4505 W. 112th Ave., Westminster | 303.429.5177 | jewishkidscamp.com

Camp Har HaShem
3950 Baseline Rd., Boulder | 303.499.7077 | harhashem.org

Camp Timberline
430 Canyon Ave., Fort Collins | 970.484.8462 | camptimberline.com

Camp Wojtyla
P.O. Box 116, Erie | 303.586.1799 | camp-w.com

A Child’s Touch
9141 Poze Blvd., Thornton | 303.286.8460 | achildstouch.com

Eagle Lake
PO Box 6819, Colorado Springs | 719.272.7453 | eaglelakecamps.com

Highlands Presbyterian Camp & Retreat Center
1306 Business Hwy. 7, Allenspark | 800.678.5102 | highlandscamp.org

IdRaHaJe Camp
571 County Rd. 43, Bailey | 303.838.5668 | idrahaje.org/summer-camps/

Rocky Mountain Conference
Glacier View Youth Summer Camp, Glacier View Ranch, 8748 Overland Rd., Ward | 303.282.3664 | rmcyouth.org

Shwayder Camp of Temple Emanuel
51 Grape St., Denver | 303.388.4023 | shwayder.com

Upon the Rock
P.O. Box 1007, La Veta | 719.742.6777 |  upontherock.com

NEW: Ramah in the Rockies – Overnight camp
303.261.8214 | www.ramahoutdoors.org

School & District Camps

Bixby School – Day camp
4760 Table Mesa Dr., Boulder | 303.494.7508 |  bixbyschool.org/programs/summer

Boulder Parks & Rec – Day camp
1777 Broadway St., Boulder | 303.413.7125 | bprcamps.org

Boulder Valley School District – Day camp
Summer Programs | 6500 Arapahoe Rd., Boulder | 303.447.1010 | bvsd.org/summerlearning

Camp Explorer
555 Aspen Creek Dr., Broomfield | 303.460.6941 | broomfield.org

Dawson School Arts, Sports and Education Camps – Day camp
10455 Dawson Dr., Lafayette | 303.665.6679 | dawsonschool.org (School)

Friends’ School – Day camp
Multiple Locations | 303.499.1999 ext. 229 | friendssummercamp.org

Montessori Academy – Day camp
303.926.8321 | montessoriacademylafayette.com | montessori.academy@mac.com

Rocky Mountain – Day Camp
Multiple Locations | 303.495.5204 | rockymtndaycamp.com

Science, Technology & Gaming

Boulder Digital Arts Web Development- Day camp
1600 Range St., Ste.100, Boulder | boulderdigitalarts.com Classes not a camp

Coding with Kids Lafayette Arts Hub- Day camp
420 Courtney Way, Lafayette | info.denver@codingwithkids.com | codingwithkids.com

Code Ninjas Louisville – Day camp
1387 E. South Boulder Rd Units E&F, Louisville | (720) 379-7638 | codeninjas.com

CU Science Discovery – Day camp
1560 30th Street., Boulder | 303.492.7188 | sciencediscovery.colorado.edu

Denver Museum of Nature and Science
2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver | 303.370.6000 | dmns.org

Space Voyage – Day camp
Coronado Elementary School, 7922 S Carr St, Littleton | 303.985.3143 | spacevoyage.com/spacecamp

Thorne Natural Science School – Day camp
1466 N. 63rd St., Boulder | 303.499.3647 | thornenature.org

Walking Mountains Science Center – Day or overnight camp
318 Walking Mountains Ln., Avon | 970.754.4675 | walkingmountains.org/camps

Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Camp – Day camp
7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver | 303.360.5360 | wingsmuseum.org/education/camp/

WOW! Children’s Museum Science Classes – Day camp
110 N. Harrison Ave., Lafayette | 303.604.2424 | wowchildrensmuseum.org/museum-programs

Walking Mountains Science Center – Day or overnight camp
318 Walking Mountains Ln., Avon | 970.754.4675 |www.walkingmountains.org/things-to-do

Special Needs

Adam’s Camp – Day or overnight camp
56 Inverness Dr. E. Ste. 250, Englewood | 303.563.8290 | adamscamp.org

Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center – Day or overnight camp
P.O. Box 697, Breckenridge | 970.453.6422 |  boec.org

Camp Paha – Day camp
200 Kipling St., Lakewood | 303.987.4866 | lakewood.org/paha

Colorado Lions Camp – Overnight camp
28541 CO-67 N., Woodland Park | 719.687.2087 | coloradolionscamp.org

Easter Seals Colorado Yay! – Day or overnight camp
8780 Venneford Ranch Rd., Highlands Ranch | 720.339.7202 | easterseals.com

Roundup River Ranch – Overnight camp
8333 Colorado River Rd., Gypsum | 970.524.2267 | roundupriverranch.org

Temple Grandin – Day camp
6446 Jay Rd., Boulder | 303.554.7363 | templegrandinschool.org

NEW: Wheelchair Tennis Camp at Rocky Mountain Tennis Center – Day camp
1345 28th St., Boulder | 303.443.3172 | rmtenniscenter.com

Sports

NEW: Got Game Sports – Day Camp
Multiple Locations | (310) 975-8524 | gotgamecamp.com/louisville-erie-co-summer-camps/

NEW: Streetside Dance – Day Camp
6681 Arapahoe Road. Boulder, | (303) 449-6789 | www.streetsidedance.com/summer-camp

ABC Kids Climbing – Day camp
1960 32nd St., Boulder | 303.443.5437 | abckidsclimbing.com

Air Force Academy Sports Camps – Day camp
2169 Field House Dr., Colorado Springs | 719.333.2116 | goairforcefalcons.com/camps

Airborne Gymnastics & Dance Camp – Day camp
1816 Boston Ave., Longmont | 303.684.3717 | airbornegym.com Classes not a camp

Altitude Youth Ultimate Frisbee Camps – Day camp
1360 Gillaspie Dr., Boulder | 303.907.0703 | altitudeyouthultimate.org

Avid4Adventure – Day or overnight camp
700 S Franklin St., Denver | 720.249.2412 | avid4.com

Beaver Creek Kids Ski School – Day camp Resort no camp
970.754.5464 | beavercreek.com

Boulder Indoor Soccer Camp – Day camp
3203 Pearl St., Boulder | 303.440.0809 | boulderindoorsoccer.com No 2025 Data

Boulder Parks & Rec Sports Camps – Day camp
303.441.3388 | bouldercolorado.gov

Boulder Rock Club Climbing Camps – Day camp
2829 Mapleton Ave., Boulder | 303.447.2804 | boulderrockclub.com

Woodward Copper – Day camp
209 Ten Mile Circ., Frisco | 866.677.1689 | campwoodward.com

Camp Timberline Sports and Mountain Adventure Camps – Day or overnight camp
1207 Longs Peak Rd., Estes Park | 970.484.8462. | camptimberline.com

CATS Gymnastics – Day camp
2400 30th St., Boulder | 303.939.9699 | catsgym.com No 2025 dates

Champions Summer Programs – Day camp
Multiple Locations • 720.375.4875 | 9050 Field St., Westminster • 800.350.5034 | discoverchampions.com

Community Sailing Camps – Day camp
5565 N 51st St., Boulder | 303.757.7718 | communitysailing.org

Easton Training Center Martial Arts – Day camp
Multiple locations and programs | 2005 32nd St., Boulder • 303.938.1275 | 1305 S Santa Fe Dr., Denver • 303.623.1715 | eastonbjj.com

The Spot – Day camp
Various locations | 303.317.3770 | thespotgym.com

EYG Basketball Skills Training – Day camp
720.580.9552 | eygbball.com | galen@eygbball.com

Game On! Sports Camp 4 Girls – Day camp
PO Box 633, Lafayette CO | 720.893.2386 | gameonsports4girlsboulder.com

Gonzo Tennis Academy – Day camp
5660 Sioux Dr., Boulder | 720.480.0249 | gonzotennis.com Lessons not a camp

i9 Sports- Day camp
Multiple locations | i9sports.com Teams not a camp

Junior Tennis Program at Rocky Mountain Tennis Center – Day camp
1345 28th St., Boulder | 303.443.3172 | rmtenniscenter.com Basic Tennis coaching

Longmont Active Camps – Day camp
700 Longs Peak Ave., Longmont | 303.774.3770 | longmontcolorado.gov

NEW: Warrior Playground – Day Camp
33 S Pratt Pkwy, Longmont | 303.485.1000 | www.warriorplayground.com

Mountain Kids – Day Camp
474 S Taylor Ave #1, Louisville | 303.963.9475 | mountainkidslouisville.com

Nike Summer Sports Camps – Day camp
800.NIKE.CAMP | ussportscamps.com

Northern Colorado Fencers – Day camp
1949 33rd St., Boulder | 303.443.6557 | ncfencers.org

Pedalheads Bike Camps – Day camp
1.888.886.6464 | pedalheads.com

Pedaling Minds – Day camp
1528 Washington Ave. Louisville | 720.828.5936 |  www.pedalingminds.org

Regis Basketball Camp – Day camp
303.964.6311 | www.therepbasketball.com

NEW: The Kung Fu Academy – Overnight camp
210 East Midland Ave,. Woodland Park | 720.775.2839 | www.thekungfuacademy.org Has a camp but no dates or times for the new year

Singletrack Mountain Bike Adventures – Day or overnight camp
303.447.8014 | smba.lertprograms.com | heather@lertprograms.com

Skyhawks Sports Camps – Day camp
Multiple sports programs in different locations | 303-222-8039 | skyhawks.com/colorado

Shredder (Flyfishing/Ski/Snowboard) Camp – Day camp
3640 Walnut St #C, Boulder | 303.396.1754 | shredderski.com

Square State Skate Skateboard Camp – Day camp
Multiple Locations | 720.441.4047 | squarestateskate.com

Summer Day Camp @ The Sports Stable – Day camp
303.467.2288 | myimpactsports.com | danielle@myimpactsports.com

University of Colorado Camps Day or overnight camp
303.492.0632 | outreach.colorado.edu | cubuffs.com/sports/2010/3/7/volleyball-summer-camps

Xtreme Altitude Gymnastics – Day camp
1405 S. Public Rd., Lafayette | 720.887.6752 | xtremealtitude.com

NEW: YMCA Sportopia Camp
Loveland, Longmont, Johnstown and Lafayette Ys | 303-443-4474 | ymcanoco.org

Traditional

Lafayette Recreation Center Summer Camps – Day camp
111 W. Baseline Rd., Lafayette | 303.665.0469 | cityoflafayette.com

Blue Mountain Ranch Youth Camp – Overnight camp
11227 Co Rd 98, Florissant | 719.748.3279 | bluemountainranch.com

Boulder Country Day School – Day camp
4820 Nautilus Ct N, Boulder | (303) 527-4931 | demerson@bouldercountryday.org | www.bouldercountryday.org/programs/summer-camp

La Petite School – Day camp
380 S. McCaslin Blvd., Louisville | 303.673.933 | lapetite.com

NEW: Kidz Kamp Sports Camp – Day camp
303.441.3388 | bouldercolorado.gov

NEW: YMCA Ultimate Adventure Camp – Day camp
Lafayette, Boulder, Johnstown and Longmont Ys | 303-443-4474 | ymcanoco.org
Specifically for middler schoolers

Unique Adventure

Adventure Education Company’s Sword Camp – Day camp
900 Baseline Rd | 720.934.6890 | swordcamp.com

Challenge Island Denver – Day camp
303.997.6809 | challenge-island.com/denver

Renaissance Adventures – Day camp
5717 Arapahoe Ave. #100, Boulder | 303.786.9216 | renaissanceadventures.com

Skate Start Skate Camp – Day camp
Multiple Locations| 541.350.9296 | skatestart.com

Writing

Lighthouse Writers Workshop – Day camp
3844 York St., Denver | 303.297.1185 | lighthousewriters.org

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The post SuperKids Camp Guide 2025 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Best Festivals, December 2024

Great minds think alike, as both Erie and Louisville are hosting separate events, both called the “Parade of Lights,” on the same day, December 6. The Erie event from 4:00-9:00 features choir performances by local schoolchildren at Orchard Community Church, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Coal Creek Park, and a parade that kicks off from Perry Street & Briggs and ends up Kattell St. and Cheesman. Louisville’s event similarly features choirs at Walnut & Main, visits with Santa behind Bittersweet Cafe, and a parade that heads up Main Street from South Street to Elks.

Not to be outdone, the City of Boulder itself has the Lights of December Parade going on December 7 at 6 p.m. Kicking off at 15th and Walnut and finishing at 15th and Spruce, the parade features spectacular floats from local churches, schools, businesses, and non-profits, to be capped off by an appearance from Kris Kringle himself.

Santa is making a lot of stops in Boulder County this year, as he’s also planning to stop by the It’s a Wonderful Life in Lafayette Holiday Celebration that’s happening on December 8 at Lafayette Plaza from 4:00-6:00 p.m.. In addition to a Santa photo op table near Lafayette Historical Society‘s Old Betsy, there’s also going to be a tree lighting and train rides on the Lafayette Express. Plus there’s a no-host bar for the adults and food from Sideboard Lafayette and Round Table Pizza, making it an event for anyone.

CU Boulder’s Holiday Festival, taking place from December 6-8, is a celebration of holiday music with performances from student choirs, bands, faculty orchestras, and guest performers brought to you by the renowned CU Boulder College of Music.

For those who want to not just take a picture with St. Nick but hang out with him, too, Superior Winter Fest also features skating with Santa, as well as a winter market, a hot cocoa bar, cookie decorating, and s’mores stations.

As Christmas isn’t the only holiday being celebrated this season, CU Boulder’s Center for African and African American Studies (CAAAS) is holding a Kwanzaa Celebration at Abram’s Lounge on December 5 from 5:00-6:45. Geared not only towards CU students but also towards community members who want to learn about and celebrate the holiday, the event will feature traditional rituals and a Kwanzaa feast for attendees.

The post Editors Picks | November 2024 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Spooky 90’s Cabaret @ The Louisville Underground

640 Main Street, Louisville, CO  Saturday, October 19, 2024, 6:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m.

Tickets available HERE

Halloween Costume Party @ The Dairy

2590 Walnut St, Boulder, CO October 27, 2024, 11:00 a.m.

Tickets available HERE

Spooky Business After Hours @ The Fox Hill Club

1400 State Hwy. 119, Longmont, CO Thursday, October 24, 2024, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Register HERE

Halloween Monster Mash Party (Hosted by SYLC)

Superior Community Center, 1500 Coalton Road, Superior, CO Saturday, October 28, 2024, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Halloween Silent Disco (21+ Party) @ The Louisville Underground

640 Main Street, Louisville, CO Saturday, October 26, 2024, 8:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Tickets available HERE

The post Entertainment Picks | September 2024 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Main Street Longmont offers it all

Chris Curtis

I put forth the challenge of a meal focused on indulgence to the Gafner Group, who operate three concepts on Main Street Longmont. I wanted to see if they could create a meal that felt cohesive while uplifting local products. I also wanted an experience that anyone could easily recreate for an indulgent night out. The three concepts are within easy walking distance of each other on the flower lined, tree-filled street and I knew it would make for a great dining adventure.

Jefe’s | Longmont – The Chips + Dips Quatro

Extravagance: My indulgent afternoon began at Jefe’s, located at the southern end of Main Street. It was like walking into the epitome of joy. Bright colors abounded, juxtaposed with the dark floors and beautiful bar along an entire wall. The Chips + Dips Quatro arrived along with the four margaritas that make up their Margarita Flight. It’s an extravagant display of bites and sips that are made in-house daily. The guacamole takes the richness of the avocado and contrasts it with a bright pico de gallo on top. The queso ate smooth and creamy.
Coupled with the spice from local Buckner Family Farm’s chorizo, you can’t help shoveling it in with the gluten free homemade chips. A 50-year-old salsa recipe lightened things up a bit before I dove into the rich, earthy, velvety bean dip. Not to be outdone, the margaritas called out to be sipped alongside the dipstravaganza. The best selling toasted coconut margarita offered a tropical reprieve from the rich dips. The citrus notes of the house margarita and the delightful frozen strawberry were like smiles in a glass. Lastly, the mango, with a housemade rim, tasted like a richer tajin, reminding you why mangos are a staple in the margarita scene. Hannah, my hostess, summed up this extravagant appetizer indulgence better than me. “Why choose one when you can have them all?”

99 Bar Saloon | Longmont – Brek Burger

Decadence: A short walk brought me to 99 Bar Saloon. With its dark and rustic interior, patrons find themselves transported to an old time saloon right out of a Western, but with a bit of a chic, modern vibe. Decadence lurks in the dark corners, just waiting to be let loose on my palate. I ordered the Breck Burger. Cream cheese, cowboy candy — a sweet, jammy jalapeño concoction that served as a great bridge between my appetizer and main course rounds — bacon, lettuce, tomato, and barbeque mayo check all the boxes for creamy, spicy, salty, and decadent. My server asked if I’d like to make it a double. I indulged without hesitation. As I pondered the sides, my eyes locked in on the mac and cheese.

Dare I?

Oh, yes. I dare.

My burger arrived and as the juice dribbled down my chin and I dug into the creamy mac and cheese I was reminded that indulgence can take many forms and the decadence of indulging in comfort food should never be ignored.

99 Bar Saloon | Longmont – Old Fashioned

Premium: Copper Sky Distillery is located a block off Main Street Longmont. They strive to bring an elevated experience to their customers by offering premium spirits without the premium price. 99 Bar Saloon made fine use of their bourbon in one of my favorite cocktails, an Old Fashioned. The complexity of the caramel flavors, bitters, and demerara sugar provided a sweet reprieve from the richness of the loaded double burger and mac and cheese, allowing me to indulge more and more in those decadent bites, which deserve nothing less than a cocktail with premium spirits.

The Roost | Longmont – Bourbon Cheesecake

Satiation: Finally, I waddled my way up to The Roost, my third and last stop on this indulgent adventure through the Gafner Group’s concepts. Located at the northern end of Main Street, I found myself on their beautiful rooftop patio, the perfect setting for what awaited me. An indulgent meal should end with an indulgent dessert and it arrived in the form of Bourbon Cheesecake. The cherry compote reminded me of the luxardo cherry I shamelessly dug out of my old fashioned glass at my last stop, creating a great bridge between these two courses. The dessert capitalized on my experience through the notes of bourbon, orange-candied pecans, brown sugar crust, and Chantilly cream. It’s a sweet, tart, creamy combo with flavors and textures for days. I’m usually satiated by a regular piece of cheesecake, but this indulgent one definitely put the cherry on top of my meal.

The Roost | Longmont – Cherry Rye

Fulfillment: My Bourbon Cheesecake arrived accompanied by a cocktail dubbed the Cherry Rye. It featured a ginger beer made by Kures Craft Beverage Company out of Loveland. It’s an all natural product made up of only four ingredients that are all easy to pronounce. The ginger beer offered an effervescence to the cocktail, making it a complement to the indulgent cheesecake. The pairing occurred through a housemade cherry shrub. The shrub offered a fulfilling flavor to the cocktail with its blend of cherries, aromatics, sugar, and vinegar. Whiskey based, the Cherry Rye’s tart profile enabled me to return again and again to the cheesecake, creating a delightful conversation between the two. Fulfilled and satiated, I took a much needed walk back to my car and marveled at how these three diverse concepts came together for this multi-course, indulgent meal on Main Street Longmont.

Walk-Up Meals

Kristen Richard

Sitting down at a restaurant, ordering off the menu, and chatting with friends or family while waiting for your dish is always a nice reprieve from the world. But sometimes your evening calls for something a bit less, well, structured. Enter food trucks and dining halls. Peppered across the front range, these establishments serve cuisine from all over, all while providing a laid-back atmosphere. From the appetizer to the dessert, here are some of our favorite spots for when the “treat yourself” mood strikes.

Gator Tails Food Truck | Longmont — Gator Bites

Yes, you read that right, alligator.

Bryce Hansen, owner of Gator Tails, launched in December of last year, was determined to bring Cajun and Creole dishes to the Front Range. Dishes that he wasn’t able to find at many places out here. But why this cuisine specifically?

“New Orleans culture and food, well that’s true America right there,” said Hansen, with a smile. Admittedly, he said people from this area are sometimes skeptical of the truck as they have been let down before.

“We get a lot of people from Louisiana who are excited,” said Hansen. “But we also get people who are skeptical. Especially when they learn I’m from Indiana. But I have spent a lot of time studying and learning to cook these types of dishes. And after they try it, they almost always love it.”

One of his best sellers? The Alligator Bites.

“That’s definitely our top seller,” said Hansen. An anomaly, these deep fried snacks are served with remoulade sauce, which is the perfect accompaniment as it’s a mixture of mayonnaise, spicy mustard, horseradish, and a whole host of other ingredients.

Get Their Schedule Here

Chile con Quesadilla | Various Location — Mac Daddy Tacos

Christina Richardson didn’t set out to make a taco truck.

“Everyone has a taco truck,” said Richardson. “We wanted to do something different and so we started a quesadilla truck.” Chili con Quesadilla launched in March of 2020. And since it was considered take-out they were able to stay open. They quickly started racking up accolades and selling out of all of their … tacos?

“So, we became a taco truck,” Richardson said with a smile.

Richardson launched Chili con Quesadilla because she wanted to cook and serve the Mexican food she grew up with but couldn’t find in Colorado. Her and her family’s love for the dishes they prepare is evident. One of their best sellers? The Mac Daddy taco. It’s easy to see why. The perfect balance of cheesy goodness is achieved with rich melt-in-your-mouth pork. The mac has green chili mixed in, so there’s just a touch of spiciness.

Or opt for the Birria tacos. Richardson and her husband developed the recipe by traveling all over and sampling different types. Evidently, it paid off as it consistently sells out. Topped with Monterey Jack cheese, herbs, and lime for acidity, it is served with a consommè broth dip. This is definitely the taco I would pick after a long hike or bike ride.

Parkway Bar & Grill | Longmont — Dubbly Bubbly

You may think if you’ve seen one spritz, you’ve seen them all. That is until you order the Dubbly Bubbly. This show-stopper of a cocktail was created by Parkway Bar manager Rob Sloma, as a playful riff on the Barcelona Spritz with neighboring food stall — HipPOPs — in mind. Much like how these gelato popsicles are dipped in various toppings and sauces, the glass of this bright pink cocktail has a striking stripe of orange zest down the side.

“I love the community of food halls,” said Sloma, with a kind of earnestness that only comes from talking about something you’re truly passionate about. “So I made cocktails that are meant to pair with dishes from each station to help further tie us all together.”

The Dubbly Bubbly certainly is an excellent dessert accompaniment. It’s zippy and citrusy with just a hint of underlying sweetness. And while the outside of the glass is dipped in absinthe (to hold the orange zest) the aroma and taste (as you should lick the glass) play nicely with the sweetness of the actual drink.

Additionally, if you are not imbibing, or being the designated driver in the indulgent meal quest, you can opt for their mocktails.

Sweet Cow | Longmont, Louisville, Boulder -Root Beer Float

“It’s funny, you think you are just scooping ice cream but it’s so much more than that,” said Maureen O’Neill, director of marketing, communication, and tech, who started at Sweet Cow shortly after they were founded in 2010. “What we are doing is simple but it can really mean a lot to people.”

Community is key to Sweet Cow’s mission. “We want to create a community on both sides of the counter,” O’Neill shared with a smile. And that sentiment comes in the form of accommodating many requests to sample flavors to sourcing locally when possible. For instance, they use Ozo Coffee Company, which is based in Denver, to make their coffee-flavored ice cream. Additionally, they tap local candy company Hammonds for their hot caramel sauce.

And that sentiment certainly shines through in their root beer float, available in both their shops and trucks.

Now, you might be thinking, “A root beer float is far too sweet for me.” But it’s made with Boylan Bottling Co. Root Beer so it is perfectly balanced between botanical flavors and sweetness. The ice cream is creamy and sweet, yet still not heavy. It’s the ideal nightcap for even the most indulgent of meals.

Asian Pairing

Ryan Sullivan

Asian cuisine is a vast term encompassing an entire continent’s food, literally billions of people. Each person has their own idea of what constitutes Asian cuisine, but no matter what your taste, you can find something magnificent to represent this varied and often spice-forward region of the globe. This pairing highlighted the small establishments serving top-notch Asian cuisine in our area. Whether it’s food trucks, food halls, or hidden units in shopping centers between a laundromat and an antique store, these are all great places to discover delicious Asian fare. Here, reclusive, skilled chefs bring recipes from afar — from parents and grandparents — to the Front Range.

The word that kept coming to my mind as I tasted these dishes and drinks was liveliness. These chefs capitalized on the great strengths of the wide variety of Asian cuisine — bright, lively tang and heat, and a depth of flavor that requires the time and attention often missing in our Western quest for efficiency at any cost.

Mana Thai Comfort Food | Longmont – Tom Kha 

Even though shrimp claims to be the star of this traditional Thai soup, the real magic lies in the complex, multi-layered broth that’s almost impossible to describe. The sourness from lemongrass, savoriness from galangal root, creaminess and sweetness from coconut milk, herbaceousness from kaffir lime leaves, and heat from Thai chilies must all be perfectly balanced to create the ideal Tom Kha. This delicate task falls to the skill of the chef. Chef Noi Hoefer at the take-out restaurant Mana Thai, has perfected the process. She uses a mushroom-based broth instead of the traditional shrimp base, making the soup accessible to vegetarians while preserving the umami flavor that forms the foundation. This is the kind of soup I’d want if I were sick; it has a special quality that revives even the most downcast spirits.

Parkway Bar  | Longmont – Aichi Lychee

Hidden in the Parkway Food Hall is a bar serving unique and delicious cocktails designed to pair with the restaurants there. The Aichi Lychee falls somewhere between a highball and a sake spritzer, with a spicy kick from the ginger liqueur and light, floral notes of the beloved lychee fruit, native to China and commonly grown across Asia. It’s perfectly refreshing for a late summer afternoon. The cocktail is topped with an edible basil flower, to cleanse the palate before the next course.

Baa Hachi  | Longmont – Yakisoba with pork belly

Chef Adam Chan explained the principles behind his delicious Japanese street food. First, freshness and immediacy. He fries the noodles to order in the wok in front of the customer and serves them hot. He despises using a food warmer. Second, preparation. His Chashu-style pork belly starts with pork from the local Buckner Family Ranch, which he slowly cooks and marinates overnight to absorb the soy-salty flavor. The sauce for the noodles is meticulously prepared with a pork base, shoyu, and Japanese barbecue sauce, giving it tanginess and brightness. This preparation pays off in astounding flavor. Third, simplicity. During his time at Michelin-starred restaurants in Chicago, he learned not to add extra flourishes to a dish just because it looks pretty, showcases technique, or follows a trend. Each ingredient should have a purpose and contribute to the taste experience. Lastly, Chef Chan emphasized that good food must be made with love. “A chef just has to care about what he’s cooking.” This, he believes, is the engine that drives everything.

Shin Yuu Izakaya | Louisville – Kubota Daiginjo Sake

Kubota Daiginjo is polished to a pristine 50%, which gives a smooth and clean taste that’s easy to drink — dangerously so. The polishing ratio means that only the purest core of the rice remains, resulting in a sake that’s refined and elegant. Sake’s delicate flavor pairs beautifully with a wide range of dishes, from beef, to chicken, and fish, making it versatile for any meal. In Japan, sake is traditionally paired with sushi. At Shin Yuu Izakaya, I enjoyed it alongside a barbecued chicken yakitori skewer, and the sake’s subtlety perfectly complemented the dish.

Bee’s Thai Kitchen | Erie – Mango sticky rice

Mangoes are in season in Thailand from February to July, and people throughout the region indulge in mango sticky rice, the perfect summer treat. The dish’s popularity and accessibility have made it a global favorite. A tangy, ripe mango is sliced and paired with rich sticky rice, then a sweet coconut milk sauce is drizzled over top. This is everything you’d want in a dessert. Chef Bee Kisich learned traditional dishes from her mother, who ran a small food business out of her cellar in Thailand. Now, she serves delicious fare from her food truck in Erie. Chef Kisich’s version of mango sticky rice features green colored rice, which she dyed with pandan leaf juice. She uses other natural food colorings to get different colors, such as pea flowers to get a stunning blue hue. The result is a bright and colorful dish, which is guaranteed to make your day a little better.

Decadent Breakfast choices

Dani Cole

Ahh… Brunch, one of my favorite dining experiences. There is something undeniably wonderful about having breakfast out of the house, and the North Metro area boasts a plethora of great spots to choose from. I love the whole experience of walking into a breakfast restaurant, the smell of coffee permeating in the air, sitting to in a quiet corner if I’m by myself, or in a booth with friends, and enjoying a breakfast that almost borders on hedonism. I set out across Boulder and Lafayette to find indulgent options for brunch food and drinks that will make your next brunch day sinfully delicious.

Rollin’ In Daisies Bakery | Boulder – Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls

On a sunny summer morning, I strolled into Rayback Collective, a bar on 28th and Valmont that hosts mobile food vendors. I visited with Jessy Tierney, owner and baker of Rollin’ In Daisies Bakery. She specializes in gluten free cinnamon rolls that will make your mouth water. Often gluten free baked goods are painfully noticeable that they’re a substitute, however, the cinnamon rolls from Rollin’ in Daisies are a delightful exception. Indeed, even a seasoned palate wouldn’t likely be able to tell.

Tierney began her business in June, and said, “I’ve always loved baking throughout the holiday season, and really all the time.” However, after she was diagnosed with Celiac’s Disease, her baking had to change. She said, “Cinnamon rolls were our favorite thing. We’d crack the Pillsbury can and it was the best memory.” After a year of tweaking her recipe, she was ready to bring her cinnamon rolls to the public. The results seem to have been worth it. The taste, texture, and crumb are sublime, and as I peeled the cinnamon roll down to the gooey center, I felt the same nostalgia she talked about. Tierney said, “It’s really fun to play around with the seasons and seasonal flavors.” Her maple pecan and caramel apple cinnamon rolls are coming in for autumn, and she’s already thinking of holiday flavors. In addition to Rayback Collective on Wednesdays and Thursdays, Rollin’ In Daisies Bakery can be found at Boulder Farmer’s Market every weekend as well.

Tangerine | Lafayette – Strawberry French Toast

For the next phase of my brunch journey, I visited Tangerine in Lafayette. ,Chef, proprietor, and founder Alec Schuler served his most indulgent expressions of breakfast and beverages. I started my sampling with the exquisite strawberry French toast. The brioche French toast was beautifully plated to showcase the strawberries, and the flavors were as appealing as the visual. The slight tang of the goat cheese highlighted the fruit, while the almonds lent their nutty crunch to the flavor and mouth feel. The real surprise, though, came from the sweet balsamic reduction drizzled over the dish.

Tangerine | Lafayette – Tequila Sunrise & Iced Strawberry Matcha

The beverages were as delicious as the French toast. Schuler brought me a tequila sunrise, and while I’m not a tequila fan, Tangerine is well on its way to converting me. Rather than the traditional grenadine, they use a raspberry puree and swirl the drink to provide a marbled look to the drink that makes the aesthetic highly appealing, while balancing the fiery nature of the tequila.
They also boast a selection of mocktails for those who don’t drink alcohol, or maybe just don’t want to start their day with booze. Alec served me the iced strawberry matcha, a concoction to delight anyone. Their house strawberry jam, and an oat milk matcha is combined to form a layered look, and the oat milk gives a rich, creamy mouth feel. Tangerine also has locations in Longmont and North Boulder.

The Buff Restaurant | Boulder – White Buffalo

For the final visit on my indulgent journey, I returned to Boulder and went to The Buff. I met with General Manager Dru Libby. One of the main things that drew me to The Buff was the White Buffalo coffee drink. Libby said, “it’s a white chocolate mocha, it has Ghirardelli white chocolate,” and added, “It tastes like birthday cake in a cup.” Indeed, the drink is indulgent and topped with a mountain of whipped cream. Libby said, “you can add booze to it, and Bailey’s Irish cream seems to be the popular boozy additive for the drink, but it’s good as is.”

When I inquired more on the story of The Buff, Libby told me about the family-owned business that’s nearing its 30-year anniversary. She said, “Our expo is the owner’s son, so there’s some element of family that’s always been tied to the restaurant.” The Buff also features some seasonal menu items for fall and Libby said, “we’re bringing in a bunch of pumpkin and Fall themed drinks.” The Buff’s décor features buffalo paintings and a bright dining room that feels welcoming, and their slogan gives a double entendre encouraging guests to “Eat in The Buff.”

The Buff Restaurant | Boulder – Cinnamon Roll French Toast

She also brought me their cinnamon roll French toast, which she described as, “A brioche French Toast stuffed with our homemade brown sugar sweet cream cheese, it’s rolled in graham cracker crust, deep fried and topped with white chocolate frosting.” The crunchy exterior contrasts to the creamy filling to create the feeling of a cinnamon roll in a stuffed French toast.

With my Brunch journey reaching its conclusion, I reflected on the decadence of the food and beverages I had tasted. An indulgent breakfast is, in my mind, one of the simple pleasures of life that makes it worth living, especially if coupled with an equally delectable beverage, adult or otherwise. So, whether it’s Sunday fun day, ladies brunch day, or even just a regular workday, consider the options for something a little more opulent than your regular routine. We’re looking at you, oatmeal!

 A vision of local, elevated, and accessible

Deborah Cameron

Any search for indulgence explores how Colorado is blessed with abundant talented culinary professionals and fresh, local produce. I called on three Boulder County chefs, a mixologist, and a wine purveyor. I asked them to express their skill centering around a main course by Farow, who sources 90 percent of ingredients from within a ten-mile range of their Niwot restaurant. The resulting five-course meal supports the idea that culinary indulgence shouldn’t be heavy, full of luxurious fats, or overly dramatic flavors. Instead, it can be an experience built by consciously chosen ingredients and skillful techniques, reflecting a passion for caring for guests. Indulgence can be a slow sensory moment in front of a plate expressing most of what food can be.

The drink: Buona Sera
24 Carrot Bistro, Erie

I walked into 24 Carrot Bistro on a Thursday night, just as the weekly after-work Farmer’s market was opening. Beverage Director Jennifer Shillington welcomed me warmly as I sat at the bar. Then, she started to measure, pour, and stir. As she did so, she explained that the base is as much like an Aperol spritz as anything you’ll find. But in addition to prosecco, it includes apricot liquor, lemon oil, mint, grapefruit bitters, and Grove Street Meyer lemon liqueur, which was created by Mixologist DJ Reimer, who made a name for himself pouring drinks at 24 Carrot’s bar. Shillington explained why she chose this recipe: “The prosecco gives the kind of breadiness that goes with the pasta, and I chose the lemon oil and mint to highlight those elements in the dish.”

Upon tasting, it was light but satisfying. The citrus matched the lemon in the pasta dish, and the prosecco’s yeasty flavors connected with the eggplant’s fullness.

The appetizer: Castelfranco with pancetta, sherry and egg yolk
Basta, Boulder

Regretfully, I tried to squeeze this tasting between late-day errands and a hard stop to watch the first presidential debate. My stress was no match for Basta’s hospitality, and once I was seated, time slowed. I requested a Castelfranco, a semi-bitter Italian chicory charred in the restaurant’s wood-fired oven, which is the restaurant’s only cooking method for any of its meals. The green was dressed with pancetta, egg yolk, and a sherry dressing that blended acid and richness. I enjoyed it with the sourdough piata, which is straight from the wood-fired oven in which they create all of their meals. The salad was rich, as expected, with the bacon fat, and I could taste the egg’s creaminess, but it also had some brightness and peppery notes. This first course was light enough to introduce the meal with complex flavors that set the stage for what was coming next.

The main course; Eggplant Confit with breadcrumb, lemon, and mint over fettuccini
Farow, Niwot

In the three years since it put out its welcome mat, Farow has given Niwotonians and regional diners a place for jazz happy hours, special occasion dinners, cocktail classes, or just a bite to eat.  Their commitment to hyper-local, seasonal ingredients and ability to source 90 percent of their food from a ten-mile radius has earned them the slow food seal of approval. The dish for this indulgent meal was inspired by the opening of Balcom’s partner property, Baa Hachi, at the Parkway Food Hall. It uses Miso and fairytale eggplant in an uncommon way, so it becomes a fun balance of umami and citrus. The eggplant shines in an iridescent violet, the noodles are made fresh, and the sauce is roasted eggplant with a velvety texture. When tasting it, the rich lemon of the pasta contrasted with the firm and almost sweet eggplant.

The wine pairing: Gruner Veltliner, 2019 Wachau Austria / Grillo, Colosi 2022 Sicily
Boulder Wine Merchant, Boulder

If there’s one shop I consider a relied-upon destination for Boulder’s wine community, it’s Boulder Wine Merchant. Owned by Master Sommelier Brett Zimmerman, founder of The Boulder Burgundy Festival (sorry, tickets for this year are already sold out), people who love wine, are curious about wine, or are just learning about wine head there. So I headed there to find suggestions for wine pairings with Farow’s meal. I spoke to the store’s assistant general manager, Jen Burger de Jimenez, about her selections. The first selection is from a top producer in Wachau, Austria, and was made from grapes allowed to ripen on the vine, so it has a weight that would stand up to the eggplant richness with flavor complexity that matches the lemon and mint in the pasta sauce. Burger de Jiminez chose her second option, an unoaked, aromatic Italian vintage because its flavors of flowers and honey “burst from the glass.” It would match the pasta’s complexities.

The dessert: Decadence tart
Suti & Co., Boulder

I’ve always Turned to Suti & Co. when I wanted to enjoy something decadent in a relaxing, sanctuary-like space.  When I asked Chef Andrea Uzarowski to complete my meal, she provided one of the naughtiest options possible, a satisfying contrast to the lighter but exciting flavors of the other components. Her suggestion was a rich, complex tart. In it, a decadent, house-made graham cracker shell was filled with Valrhona chocolate mousse and topped with dark chocolate and pistachio praline ganache. It’s heavier than the rest of the meal and a heavenly finale to everything I had tasted.

Indulgence Goes Head-to-Head

In addition to the meals we tasted, here are our suggestions on a handful of more minor, two-course pairings from throughout the area.

1. Pizza and beer

• Pizzeria Alberico’s Carciofi e Proscuitto – crème fraische, roasted artichoke, and prosciutto di parma
• Wild Provisions’ Czech-style pale lager

2. Steak and Chocolate

• Oak at Fourteenth Mushroom rubbed dry-aged ribeye with Yukon potatoes, horseradish, and garlic aioli.
• Piece, Love and Chocolate’s Razbeverly fudgy flourless torte

3. Hatch chili happiness

• Santo’s sweet potato enchiladas with Hatch green chili
• Santo’s Hatch green chili margarita with Grove St. Hatch green chili liquor

4. Late night on The Hill

• Chicken on the Hill – Spicy breaded Nashville chicken sandwich
• Fat Shack – Deep-fried Oreos

5. Modern Mid Century 

• Spruce Farm and Fish – Bison and bacon meatloaf
• The Sink – “Buff Mac” Crispy mac and cheese with buffalo chicken tenders, blue cheese crumbles, chicken tenders, scallions and breadcrumbs

The post The Challenge | Indulgence Issue 2024 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

[ Local ]

• Local primaries result in defeat for majority of candidates promoted by CO GOP, some with very lopsided results. Dan Williams faces blame, possible removal for poor showing.
• Louisville City Manager abruptly resigns, prompting special session meetings, although the exact reasons are not publicly known at the moment
•  Faith Winter (SD-24) violated public policy by appearing at a public meeting while intoxicated. She announced she is seeking treatment
• Camping ban is upheld by Supreme Court, possibly negating ACLU lawsuit against Boulder’s ability to ticket people for sleeping outside
• Front Range and Mountain Towns face a lack of firefighters and volunteers as temperatures and climate change reach new heights

[ National ]

• Attendee at Trump rally is killed in a gunman’s failed assassination attempt on the former president in a massive apparent lapse in security from law enforcement
• With only a few months to go, mainstream media & Dems, call for Biden to step aside over poor debate performance, verbal gaffes
• Yet most news outlets have been silent overcredible accusations of Trump’s assault on underage girl, association with Epstein, and plans to end democracy as we know it
• Supreme Court issues a series of disastrous rulings overturning precedent — criminalizing the homeless, shielding the President from legal prosecution, and drastically reducing federal role in regulation and safety
• Hurricane Beryl makes landfall in Texas, power wiped out for millions as climate change makes early storms more likely

[ International ]

• French & UK elections yield surprising results when far-right parties — initially expected to gain seats — are rebuked in favor of center and left collations
• Fossilized bone found by archaeologists points towards existence of Down syndrome in Neanderthals, and that the community cared for them
• Iranian president dies in a fiery mountain helicopter crash during foggy conditions on a mountain range near Armenia
• A Bolivian general attempts coup, is stopped by President who ordered army to stand down. Military complied and order was restored
• Once known as “America’s Mayor,” Rudy Giuliani faces latest embarrassment, being disbarred in his home state for trying to overturn a free and fair 2020 election

Quotes

“And by the way he was convicted in a civil court for sexual assault and convicted in a state court for 34 felonies. Donald Trump should drop out of the race”
– Rep Ted Lieu (D-CA)

“Some will now say that I am calling America a Christian nation. And so I am.”
– President of the Heritage Foundation on potential civil war they will instigate

“Wind made up less than 1 percentage point in 2001. Solar wasn’t a player at all. By 2023, renewables made up more than a third of Colorado’s energy sources” 
– Colorado Sun report on renewable energy

By the Numbers

$70 Million

Amount lobbyists in Colorado were paid last year. It’s not legalized bribery, we swear…

250 / 4

Ratio of Palestinians killed to hostages rescued

23 out of 23

Microplastics found in every single human male’s testicle sample who participated in survey

38

Politicians killed in Mexico this year so far, mostly from cartel violence

The post Month in Review | June-July 2024 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Marshall Fire exemptions

The Louisville City Council recently voted to exempt construction materials from the city’s use tax for permits issued for homes damaged in the Marshall Fire and allowing damaged homes to opt out of the city’s 2021 building code when rebuilding. Residents previously recalled Councilmember Maxine Most over her objections to these exemptions, with Most citing environmental concerns.

Rob Zuccaro, community development director, said that the city already has ordinances exempting homeowners whose homes were severely damaged or destroyed in the fire. 

The ordinances passed by the Council on Dec. 19, 2023 give the same exemptions and opt-out options to homes that sustained smoke, heat, water, ash or other damage due to the Marshall Fire.

Zucarro said more than 1,400 homes in Louisville experienced varying degrees of damage from the fire but were not completely destroyed. He said both ordinances will help those homeowners out financially and fill insurance gaps.

“The two ordinances before you really just take those ordinances that were applied to the full loss or the structures that sustained direct fire damage and extends it to any property that had any type of damage from the fire,” Zuccaro said. “These ordinances would extend the use tax exemption and then the opt-out to the energy code.”

The ordinance was amended by the Council to extend the deadline to Dec. 31, 2025, as the deadline was originally Dec. 31, 2024.

“We’re late to the party on this, and I’m sorry”

The deadline was extended after the Council discussed how rebuilding efforts can be drawn out by insurance disputes, financial hardships and not having the ordinance in place for homeowners who did not experience complete loss during the fire.

“We’re late to the party on this, and I’m sorry,” Mayor Chris Leh said.

Several Louisville residents spoke to the Council in favor of both ordinances including Reina Pomeroy whose family home burned.

“I’m a total loss survivor,” she said. “My house was one of the last ones on my block to burn. Some of my neighbors were home a year later. Some of my neighbors are not yet home. The ambiguity for this community, unlike for my situation, is so real. They don’t know what comes next. This industry is so unregulated. There’s very little FEMA and SBA and additional financial support out there for these groups, and it makes it really complicated to find financial assistance, to be able to make it back to zero. Not even better, just to zero.”

Pomeroy told the Council she recently returned from Maui, where a wildfire burned through the town of Lahaina on Aug. 8, causing loss of life, property and cultural landmarks.

“I just returned from Lahaina, Maui that was devastated by the fire,” she said. “That community is looking to us. They’re looking to see what we’re going to do.”

Jeffrey Hart, whose home was damaged, told the Council that he favored passing the ordinances.

Louisville Mayor Chris Leh

Smoke, ash, and mirrors

“Insurance knows there’s no protocol, no set standards much to do for smoke damage houses,” he said. “As such, they’ve been highly resistant to offer coverage for this because the liability incurred myself and numerous of my neighbors have been going through a legal process trying to recover some funds.  After a year-long struggle, my wife and I came to a settlement with our insurance company. The house is not going to be safe to live in until it’s fixed. There’s no doubt about that.”

Hart told the Council as they started demoing his house, they found more damage than expected inside the walls. 

“The entire sections of the installation are black through the entire depth of it from smoke piles bashed between the walls,” he said. “The workers who hate wearing masks, but they recognize the risk inherent with this. I want my family home. I love living in the community, I love living in Louisville. Anything you can do to help us would be greatly appreciated.”

Kimberly Redublado told the Council that her family home is still uninhabitable.

“I’m speaking tonight on behalf of our family of five and for other families with partial loss of homes still struggling,” she said. “We ask that the city has the two ordinances. Our home in Louisville was damaged in the Marshall Fire. No one is living in it. The fire burned homes to their foundations directly in front of us, right behind us and adjacent to the west, maybe 25 feet away from our home. We had apparent burning and water damage. We lost our brand-new landscaping and 30-year-old trees. There was a smell of char and a stunning, horrible smell of chemicals through our home.”

Personal impacts

Jeri Curry, executive director of Marshall ROC, which is the Marshall Fire Long-term Recovery Group spoke in favor of the ordinances.

“Households who have extensive smoke ash and thermal damage are really struggling in the recovery. I’m familiar with the entire landscape of the recovery and these are some of our toughest cases that we see on a daily basis,” she said. “The challenges are similar to those whose homes were destroyed. However, in some ways even more difficult when people question whether them at every step of the way, whether they really did have as much damage, they feel lesser than their home is still standing and so they feel guilty. It’s a wide range of challenges that they’re faced with.”

David Summers of Louisville spoke of the personal impact the Marshall Fire had on families.

“Me and my family were deeply impacted by the Marshall Fire,” he said. “All of our neighbor’s houses burned down. Our house only stands because of the efforts of the firefighters that decided to make our house the line in the sand and were tirelessly working all night to save homes.”

Summers said a neighbor’s house, just 10 feet from his property burned.

“The closest house was 10 feet away from my house that was burned to the foundation, and burned our landscaping, melted the windows, charred the siding on the back of the house and filled all the wall cavities with soot and the ash,” he said. “We had to tear the house down to the bare studs from the outside, remove the siding, sheathing, insulation, and then replaced all that. We were left with a large insurance gap. We were lucky in that we had savings, so we paid out of pocket to get back into our house. We were out of our house for an entire year. We moved back in on the one-year anniversary of the fire. I ask you to pass both of these ordinances. It will help me, my family, it’ll help people get back into homes.”

Mayor pro tem Caleb Dickinson said that homeowners affected by the Marshall Fire were going through various forms of trauma.

He said it was an oversight as the Council believed insurance companies would completely cover homes damaged by the fire and he found it “offensive” that some insurers were bad actors in the situation.

“I think it was a huge oversight on our part and I was on Council, so I take ownership for that. And it was an accidental oversight,” he said.

The post Louisville City Council Votes to Exempt Construction Materials for Marshall Fire Rebuilds appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Retail

Alpaca Connection
1334 Pearl St, Boulder
303-447-2047
thealpacaconnection.com
The Pick: Sharon Hand Embroidery Coat
A luxurious alpaca wool coat with intricate embroidery, combining traditional craftsmanship with modern style.
Who It’s For: Fashion-Forward and Ethically-Conscious Consumers,
Other Services: Alpaca Clothing, Boutique Favorites, Unique Gifts, Accessories, Menswear

Aspen Winds
1051 Fall River Court, Estes Park
970-586-6010
aspenwinds.com
The Pick: Spa Suites at Aspen Winds
A serene and luxurious retreat in the majestic Rocky Mountains, offering the perfect blend of comfort and natural beauty.
Who It’s For: Nature Lover Seeking Relaxation and Luxury
Other Services: One Bedroom Suites, Two Bedroom Suites, The Loft Suite, Guest Suite, Gift Certificates, Specials & Packages

Boulder DBI
1942 Broadway, Suite 30, Boulder
303-449-3774
boulderdowntown.com
The Pick: “Boulder Alley Gallery”
An outdoor gallery transforming alley and back-of-building doors into canvases for local artists.
Who It’s For: Urban Art Explorer – for those immersing in vibrant street art
Other Services: “Student Banner Project,” “Tulip Fairy & Elf Festival,” “Summer Tebo Train Rides,” “Bands on the Bricks,” “Pearl Street Arts Fest,” “Downtown Boulder Fall Fest,” “Munchkin Masquerade,” “Light Up the Holidays”

Boulder Drum Shop
3070 28th Street, Ste. D, Boulder
303-402-0122
boulderdrumshop.com
The Pick: Yamaha Drums
Yamaha Drums from Boulder Drum Shop, known for exceptional quality and durability, perfect for any genre.
Who It’s For: Rhythm Maestro – for drummers seeking precision and versatility in their beats
Other Services: Array of drums and ethnic percussion instruments, lessons, wide range of brands including Sonor, Pacific, Pearl, Ludwig

Bricks and Market
512 4th Ave #103, Longmont 
720-680-0555
bricksretail.com
The Pick:  Sip and Shop!
Toast to holiday cheer while finding the perfect presents – because shopping for joy should be as delightful as giving it. Explore Bricks and BMarket to find various gift options perfect for anyone on your list!
Who It’s For:  Ideal for the holiday enthusiast who believes that every successful shopping spree deserves a celebratory cocktail!
Other Services: Gift wrapping, holiday events, gift baskets

Candlewood Suites
1340 Dry Creek Drive Longmont,
303-4851950
ihg.com/candlewood
The Pick: Extended Stay Suites
Comfortable and luxurious suites with fully equipped kitchenettes, ideal for long stays.
Who It’s For: Long-term Traveler – for those seeking home comforts during extended trips
Other Services: On-site laundry, free internet, fitness center, outdoor grill, pet-friendly accommodations, Lending Locker

Colorado in a Basket
199 Summit Way, Erie
303-664-1401,
coloradobaskets.com
The Pick: Colorado Gift Basket
Introducing the exquisite Nutcracker gift basket. Priced at $120, filled with Colorado chocolates, maple kettle corn, nutcracker whipped honey, custom sugar plum cookie, sugar plum candy cane, chocolate nutcracker, and much more. A delightful choice for anyone on your holiday list, supporting local Colorado vendors.
Who It’s For: Ideal for loved ones, employees, co-workers – perfect for indulging or gifting.
Other Services: Offers worldwide shipping and local delivery.

Crystal Ski
1933 28th Street #101, Boulder
303-449-7669
crystalskishop.com
The Pick: Season-Long Rentals; Skis-Snowboards
Top-of-the-line ski and snowboard rentals for a seamless and exhilarating experience on the slopes.
Who It’s For: Winter Sports Enthusiast – for those passionate about hitting the slopes with style
Other Services: Ski and snowboard tuning, repairs, binding mounts, summer water sports rentals like kayaks, SUPs, and tubes

Energy Arts
1602 9th Ave, Longmont
303-990-8990
energyarts.com 
The Pick: Taoist Breathing for Tai Chi and Meditation
A journey to EMBODY the Dao. Existing for more than 2,000 years, now in 250 languages, the Daodejing (Tao Te Ching) is a timeless classic. 10 years in the making and from a true insider’s perspective, passed to current Lineage Holder Bruce K. Frantzis by Liu Hung Chieh in the original oral tradition: “These are the words…This is what they mean…This is how to do what is proposed.” – Liu Hung Chieh, Daoist Sage
Who It’s For: For those seeking wisdom: the Way and the Power, the philosopher in the family, and everyone you know with a spiritual bent
Other Services: Qigong, Tai Chi, Meditation, Ba Gua, Hsing-i, and Dao Yoga live classes, online programs, books, and ancient discs known as DVDs

Eric Olson Master Jeweler
820 Main St #107, Louisville
303-604-0240
master-jeweler.com
The Pick: Long’s Peak & The Flatirons Pendants
These pendants are not just jewelry; they’re wearable art, capturing the essence of Boulder’s iconic landscapes with meticulous craftsmanship.
Who It’s For: Nature-Enthusiast and Artisan Jewelry Admirer
Other Services: Bridal Jewelry, Colored Stone Jewelry, Modern Designs, Hand Engraving, One-of-a-Kind Creations

Jax Outdoor Gear
900 South Highway 287, Lafayette
720-266-6160
jaxgoods.com
The Pick: Local Artisan Products
A collection of unique items crafted by local artisans, from bespoke outdoor gear to handcrafted farm and ranch supplies.
Who It’s For: Local Explorer – for those appreciating the quality and authenticity of locally-made products
Other Services: Gear rentals, classes for outdoor adventures, top brand products, coffee bars, ice cream, and activities for kids

Larkridge Outdoor Retail Regional Center
16542 Washington Street, Thornton
303-595-9919
shoplarkridge.com
Your destination for shopping, dining, entertainment, and everyday services with more than 45 retailers. Here’s to a safe, healthy and happy holiday season!Larkridge Shopping Center

Leadville Train
326 East 7th St, Leadville
866-386-3936
leadville-train.com
The Pick: Holiday Express
A magical journey aboard the Holiday Express through a winter wonderland, combining natural beauty with holiday cheer.
Who It’s For: Festive Family – a delightful adventure for holiday-themed outings and picturesque landscapes
Other Services: Daily scenic train rides, Top of the Rockies Zip-Line, pet-friendly rides in spring, summer, and fall

Longmont Downtown Development Authority
320 Main St, Longmont
303-651-8484
downtownlongmont.com
The Pick: Downtown Longmont Gift Card
Downtown Longmont Gift Cards are the perfect gift! Send your loved ones on a choose-your-own-adventure of food, drink, shopping, personal services, and more in downtown Longmont!
Who It’s For: Downtown Longmont Gift Cards are the perfect gift for everyone! With more than 70 participating businesses, everyone on your list will find something they love.
Other Services: Downtown Longmont is your one-stop-shop for everything you need this holiday season!

Longmont Symphony
515 Kimbark St Suite 105, Longmont
303-772-5796
longmontsymphony.squarespace.com
The Pick: “Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker” Concert
Embrace the holiday magic with this enchanting concert, transporting you to a world of whimsy and wonder.
Who It’s For: Holiday Magic Seekers, ideal for families and festive season enthusiasts
Other Services: Variety of concerts like “The ‘Gentle’ Nutcracker,” special events like “Maestro Talk: Elliot Moore,” and the “LSO Gala”

Monkton Guitars
1505 W 1st Ave, STE A, Broomfield
303-484-1271
monktonguitars.com
The Pick: Furch Guitars
Furch Guitars offer remarkable sound clarity and exquisite build quality, a testament to musical excellence.
Who It’s For: Passionate Musician – whether strumming at home or on stage
Other Services: Full repair shop, variety of strings, tuners, guitar care accessories, lessons, vintage guitars, amps, and effects

Out Boulder County
3340 Mitchell Ln, Boulder
303-499-5777
outboulder.org
The Pick: Love
A versatile and welcoming space for events, meetings, and community trainings, fostering inclusivity and community.
Who It’s For: Community Members, Organizers and Event Planners with a Passion for Inclusivity
Other Services: Volunteer Opportunities, Donation Events, Youth Programs, Support Groups, Addiction Recovery Services, and more

Paradise Found Records & Music
1646 Pearl Street, Boulder
303-444-1760
paradisefoundrecordsmusic.com
The Pick: Extensive Collection of CDs and Vinyls
A haven for music enthusiasts, offering a wide selection of both new and used records spanning various genres and eras.
Who It’s For: Music Collectors and Vinyl Enthusiasts
Other Services: In-home record pickup, turntable and stereo equipment repairs, special music orders

Restaurants

Alice and Rose Boulder
1301 Pennsylvania Ave, Boulder
720-495-4251
aliceandrose.com
Gift Certificates, Holiday Parties, Catering

Busaba
133 S. McCaslin Blvd., Louisville
303-665-0330
busabaco.com
Gift Certificates, Holiday Parties, Catering

Community Supper Club
206 S Public Rd, Lafayette
720-890-3793
eatatcommunity.com
Gift Certificates, Holiday Parties, Catering

Cosmos Pizza
3117 28th St, Boulder
659 30th St, Boulder
303-442-3278
520 W South Boulder Rd, Lafayette
720-598-512
cosmospizza.com
Gift Certificates, Holiday Parties, Catering

Dugout
149 S Briggs St # 105a, Erie
720-242-8239
dugoutgrillandbarerie.com
Gift Certificates, Holiday Parties, Catering

Hapa Sushi
1117 Pearl Street, Boulder
303-835-9748
hapasushi.com
Gift Certificates, Holiday Parties, Catering

Jaipur Indian Restaurant
1800 Broadway Street, #160, Boulder
303-442-0999
jaipurindianrestaurant.com
Gift Certificates, Holiday Parties, Catering

Kalita Grill
2426 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder
303-443-0596
kalitagrill.com
Gift Certificates, Holiday Parties, Catering

Paul’s Coffee & Tea
956 W Cherry St #101, Louisville
720-259-1723
paulscoffeeandtea.com
Gift Certificates, Holiday Parties, Catering

Pho Café
1085 S Public Rd, Lafayette
303-665-0666
phocafelafayette.com
Gift Certificates, Holiday Parties, Catering

Ras Kassa’s
802 South Public Road, Lafayette
303-447-2919
raskassas.com
Gift Certificates, Holiday Parties, Catering

Raza Fresa
7960 Niwot Rd suite 11-d, Niwot
303-652-3995
razafresa.com
Gift Certificates, Holiday Parties, Catering

Rumbo 52
3768 State Hwy 52, Frederick
720-307-4700
rumbo52.com
Gift Certificates, Holiday Parties, Catering

Si Señor
3120 Village Vista Dr, Erie
720-890-9765
sisenorrealmexicanfood.com
Gift Certificates, Holiday Parties, Catering

The Sink
1165 13th St, Boulder
303-444-7465
thesink.com
Gift Certificates, Holiday Parties, Catering

Small Cakes
16810 Sheridan Pkwy #118, Broomfield
720-948-1956
smallcakescupcakery.com
Gift Certificates, Holiday Parties, Catering

Stacey’s Kitchen
235 Cheesman St, Erie
303-379-9652
stacyskitchen.page
Home-style deli and bakery services

Tangerine Restaurants
379 Main St, Longmont
720-815-2888
300 S Public Rd, Lafayette
303.443.2333
2777 Iris Ave, Boulder
303.443.2333
tangerineeats.com
Gift Certificates, Holiday Parties, Catering

Taj Mahal III
1075 E. S. Boulder Rd., #145, Louisville
303-926-0999
tajmahal3.com
Gift Certificates, Holiday Parties, Catering

Village Coffee
1605 Folsom St, Boulder
303-442-9689
villagecoffeeshopboulder.com
Gift Certificates, Holiday Parties, Catering

Health & Beauty

Blooming Massage
421 21st Ave Ste 2, Longmont
303-827-5101
bloomingmassage.com
The Pick:  60/90 minute Himalayan Salt Stone Massage
Enjoy the holistic healing qualities of Himalayan Salt Stone Massage, melting away stress and tension for a deeper therapeutic experience.
Who It’s For: Anyone needing rest and relaxation.
Other Services: Variety of massage specialties, enhancements, Gift Certificates available.

Valar Aesthetics
671 Mitchell Way Suite 210, Erie
720-260-4634
valarmd.com
The Pick: AviClear
A permanent acne solution after 3 monthly treatments, ideal for those seeking a change in their skin.
Who It’s For: Everyone suffering from facial acne.
Other Services: Injectables, body contouring, laser resurfacing, threads, laser hair removal, tattoo removal, kybella, Gift cards available.

Amy Francis Fitness
Service Mode: Online Classes
210-332-7253
amyfrancisfitness.com
The Pick: Nutritional Coaching & Personal Training
Offer of fitness and health through nutritional coaching and personal training sessions, building long-term habits for body fat loss and muscle gain.
Who It’s For: Fitness enthusiasts, beginners, athletes, anyone of any age looking to reach their goals.
Other Services: Group fitness classes, in-person and virtual, extensive on-demand workout library available 24/7.

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Local elections are often the most important to your daily life but are not given nearly as much attention as large national events. YS strives to provide a comprehensive guide to the upcoming elections so you can have a voice in how your city, neighborhood, and community are run.

We ask all candidates running against each other the same questions. However, answers are condensed and summarized when needed to fit our size constraints. Each candidate we have an opinion on is then given status by our election board — Endorsed, Qualified, Unqualified — and every race has an endorsement.

Editors Note:

Nothing gets past our readers. They noticed a mistake that slipped into the YS Election Guide and alerted us immediately. 

For Broomfield, City Council Ward 1, YS endorses Kenny Nguyen.

YS does not endorse Chriss Hammerschmidt. We actually find her Unqualified due to her anti LGBTQ+, anti-abortion, and conspiracy theory views that she would bring to City Council. 

We apologize for any confusion for mislabeling this endorsement and want to thank our supporters for quickly pointing this out.

In our defense, we were up into the late hours of the night with a flurry of spreadsheets, documents and design layouts to be completed of over 84 candidates and 24 ballot issus — such is the life of a small, independent magazine that still believes in real, local journalism — but take full responsibility for our mistake.

Colorado Statewide Ballot Measures

Proposition II – Taxes and Tobacco: Asks voters to either (1) allow the state to retain and spend revenue the state received above the estimated revenue generated from increases taxes on cigarettes and tobacco and nicotine products in Proposition EE or (2) refund $23.65 million to distributors and wholesalers and reduce the tobacco tax rate by 11.53% | Vote: Yes

Proposition HH – Taxes and Property: Reduces the property tax rate; allows the state to retain and spend revenues (that it would otherwise be required to refund to residents under the Colorado Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR)) to give local governments to make up lost tax revenues from the property tax rate reduction | Vote: Yes

Boulder County Ballot Initiatives

1A – Open Space extension: A proposal to extend for fifteen years the existing 0.05% countywide sales and use tax for the purpose of acquiring, improving, managing and maintaining open space lands and other open space property interests. | Vote: Yes

1B – Affordable Housing Extension: A proposal to extend for fifteen years the existing 0.185% countywide sales and use tax for the purposes of funding existing and additional affordable and attainable housing and related supportive services within Boulder County. | Vote: Yes

6A  – Nederland EcoPass Public Improvement District extension: A proposal for a ballot issue for the November 2023 election to extend for ten years the District’s existing ad valorem property tax mill levy imposed at a rate not to exceed 1.85 mills for the purposes of paying the costs of providing a Regional Transportation District EcoPass to all District residents; and to seek elector authorization for the District to administer an EcoPass program for non-resident employees of employers operating within the District. | Vote: Yes

Broomfield Elections

Broomfield Mayor – UNOPPOSED

Guyleen Castriotta – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: You don’t see a lot of folks camping in tents. People do live in their vehicles or are living several to a room. It looks different in Broomfield. We offer referrals for services for emergency and transitional housing, mental health if they need it and also in the colder months, we offer hotel vouchers.
• Infrastructure: Regional Transit Authority (RTD) is underfunded, under-resourced and overprescribed. Broomfield contributes about $17 million a year to RTD. If you’re transit dependent in Broomfield then then you’re out of luck and that is the bigger problem. There has to be systemic change in the state to truly create a public transit system that serves everyone.
• Development: We’re embracing growth, we’re building and improving as fast as we can. Voters approved an open space tax in perpetuity, and that helped fund a lot of land acquisitions that are going to be conserved and preserved as parks and recreation. But you can’t walk around – Broomfield is not a walkable community. It wasn’t built that way. It’s the burbs. You need a car here.
• Cost of living: We require all new developers to provide 20 percent of their new for rent units at 60 percent (Adjusted Median Income) or less, or 10% of their for sale units at 60%. We have focused on that as a priority as long as I’ve been on this council since 2017. We’ve already built 9,700 units in three years.
• Education: I doubt local governments can fill the gap. The schools are funded by a completely different taxing system in Colorado. It’s through property taxes. Cities and counties, and we’re both, are facing a lot of sticker shock as well. The cost of our capital improvements, pipes, labor, you name it, has tripled since before the pandemic.
• Crime & Mental Health: We have mental health co-responders that go on calls. We have red flag laws or risk protection orders that allow folks to report someone who may be trying to harm themselves or others with firearms and get those firearms removed. We are utilizing part of our cannabis sales tax revenue to fund behavioral health programs in our schools.
  

Broomfield City Council – Ward 1

Chriss Hammerschmidt

• Unhoused: They’ve done a good job with homelessness in Broomfield. They now have a voucher program so that people who need housing can get housing. The police department is really good at assessing the situation. I think they’re a vital part of that program.
• Infrastructure: I attended a transportation forum the other day and I think Broomfield has a pretty good handle on it. They work pretty closely with CDOT. I know there’s been some problems with Highway 7 and I-25 Corridor, but that’s just the lack of funds. The thing I see as a problem is just the funding, like the RTD light rail system that’s taken a long time, they’ve overcharged.
• Development: Broomfield was a small home community and it’s no longer that. The character changes as the population increases or decreases. We’ve had droughts forever here because we’re a semi-arid, arid part of the United States. We need to be really careful with our water supply and what I like to see is that we slow down a little bit. 
• Cost of living: People on fixed incomes are really feeling the pinch, we have to be really careful about how we subsidize housing. We don’t want to make it less affordable for some people just to make it more affordable for other people.
• Education: My kids went to five-star schools and I never saw problems, but I just have to look at that a little bit more.
• Crime & Mental Health: I think a lot of our problems go back to either drugs or childhood abuse or even elderly abuse. We need to focus on helping people find out what the problem is in their lives, that would go a long way to helping crime. You have to enforce laws, there has to be consequences. That’s how you have a civil society. It’s worked for a long time and we need to get back to the basics.

Kenny Nguyen – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: We can help homelessness with affordable housing and better wages, because the reality is that people are just unable to afford homes. We need more housing units to help people make sure that they can afford a home and have options so they can purchase or even rent homes or apartments.
• Infrastructure: The reality is that we don’t have public transit that supports us. A lot of folks use RTD, I use RTD. Unfortunately, it’s not accessible for a lot of Broomfielders. We want to make sure Broomfield is on the Green Path of carbon emissions. I would also encourage more charging stations for electric vehicles.
• Development: My goal is more density in units. We need to focus on apartment complexes, duplexes, and townhomes that are maybe not as large but they are more attainable and affordable.
• Cost of living: Folks are seeing crippling effects of inflation and interest rates. We have to increase wages, make sure that people can afford those homes. There’s crippling inflation and interest rates, people buy a home and they’re unable to afford a mortgage.
• Education: Working with our local schools, teacher unions, and our educators to fund programs that are fair. We have to work together from local, state and federal and ideally, find the right partnerships. How do we get more pre-K teachers and educators?
• Crime & Mental Health: We have to find better ways to address gun violence. Having mental health providers, police officers on patrol, and de-escalation. We’ve had some successful gun control legislation like red flag laws and getting guns from people who are more dangerous. I would also invite experts, police officers, folks to brainstorm together.

Broomfield City Council – Ward 2

Paloma Delgadillo – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: I believe in funding our health and human services department and ensuring people who are unhoused, and those being on the brink of being unhoused, are able to access free services. I want to ensure that we are not making homelessness a crime, luckily this is the case. In Broomfield, if someone is camped out where they should not be camped out, it does not lead to criminal punishment.
• Infrastructure: I am on the record of supporting denser development. It’s necessary not only to have regulatory solutions, but also to have more people. There are people who cannot afford a car, much less two cars for a household and so I think expanding public transportation is extremely important for us.
• Development: Our goal is about 40% open space. Having access to the outdoors, open space, is beneficial for people and public health. We have plenty of single family options, I would argue that what we don’t have is townhouses and more of those denser developments.
• Cost of living: Safe and dignified housing is a human right. It’s unconscionable the inequality we have in America. Obviously, that is not something under my control as a city council member. However, I do support continuing to fund those public services and public utilities that help improve people’s quality of life.
• Education: I would defer a more robust answer for school board candidates and people who are much more informed about this. I would point to funding community services such as library programs, making sure that we have low cost and free preschool available to young families.
• Crime & Mental Health: I believe in the Second Amendment and I do believe that we need common sense regulations. I think it’s impossible to ignore the link that poverty and a scarcity of resources have a detrimental effect on mental health. Giving people access to safe housing is important to ensure they are taken care of. 

Broomfield City Council – Ward 3

Jean Lim – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: In Broomfield when a resident or someone is concerned about an unhoused person, they can report it to the city and a cross-sectional team goes out to see if they can assist that unhoused person. That team effort has been successful so far in trying to find the unhoused person the resources that that person needs to find housing somewhere and to otherwise be set on a better path to sustainability. 
• Infrastructure: Public transit is essential to meeting not only the needs of those who have to commute to work and in and out of Broomfield, it’s essential to meet our green greenhouse gas goals, which we set in 2020 in Broomfield. Our BRT service has not developed fully yet. We need BRT service on Colorado 7. 
• Development: We have a process of reviewing development in Broomfield which keeps the character while at the same time providing for housing needs. We have recently revamped a lot of the code which had not been reviewed for a long time, as far as zoning landscape code, where parking and biking requirements. 
• Cost of living: I’m very proud of the efforts that council has made with our inclusionary housing ordinance. We have secured funding from residential developers for either the on site units or for cash in lieu. For cash in lieu, we have established the Broomfield Housing Alliance which will use to look at developments in Broomfield that can address the needs of our demographics.
• Education: The Colorado preschool initiative as a statewide initiative, it was adopted on the premise that the state would be able to fund it and Broomfield has six school districts. Broomfield has never been in the service of providing education, so I don’t think that Broomfield has a role in this statewide initiative.
• Crime & Mental Health: We have enhanced our mental health services that are available to Broomfield residents, in particular in the past four years through the pandemic. We have made use of the funding grant and internal funding grants and now the opioid money that’s available to enhance mental health resources for Broomfield residents.

Peter Crouse

• Unhoused: I don’t have a plan for homelessness. The answer to homelessness is a multi-jurisdictional question that’s going to involve the resources of cities, counties, states and actually the federal government. It also has to do with health care in the country, which I don’t view as being as complete as it should be.
• Infrastructure: We have to build appropriate density. Density allows living near retail so people can shop and walk without having to travel great distances, density allows people to park their cars, to ride their bikes, and to walk. The word density is a boogeyman, it creates fear in people. When they hear density, they think poverty, crime, crowding and I don’t think those align.
• Development: There are those who would like to make Colorado so expensive that you build a financial fence around Colorado. I don’t think that that’s the right way to approach population growth. If you look at 96th Avenue in Broomfield, that is a model development of how we can move forward to provide adequate housing that’s affordable, as well as putting it around workplaces so that you have workforce housing and people don’t have to travel great distances to work. 
• Cost of living: We have to be very careful about what kind of municipal laws we pass regarding housing standards and electricity. We have got to ultimately move away from hydrocarbons, because the air pollution that comes with hydrocarbons has negative consequences. We want to reduce that air pollution. The move to electrify things has consequences in housing cost, you have to be careful.
• Education: I don’t think local governments should be expected to fill that gap. I think that unfunded state mandate is one of the things causing friction between the municipalities and the state level government right now. I’m not sure how to address that unfunded mandate.
• Crime & Mental Health: The responsibility for controlling guns is going to come down to voters in this country and voting in national politicians that align with their views on gun control. I really don’t think that the local communities are gonna have a lot to do with gun control. I don’t have a magic bullet answer on what to do about mental health issues. It’s so tied to families, poverty and poverty is so generational.

Broomfield City Council – Ward 4

Laurie Anderson – ENDORSED

• Unhoused:  Continue providing a more tailored approach to the unhoused, working with unhoused individuals on a case by case basis to figure out where they are from and what they need to get back on their feet. Broomfield’s unhoused population is low, so we should use this to our advantage by providing this more tailored, personalized approach.
• Infrastructure: Those before us have done good work to begin expanding public transit and walkability, we should continue this work. We have walkable developments, more bus stops and expanded RTD coverage in development, hopefully to be completed in the next couple of years. We need to work to keep these projects on track. 
• Development: We need to build developments with unique character, such as the upcoming town square.
• Cost of Living: Broomfield has already done work on figuring out what affordable housing is needed and how to provide more of it. We should follow the work that came before and stay on this course to provide affordable housing for Broomfield families. We have homes in the pipeline, we are building for density and plan to have RTD coverage by 2026.
• Education: Advocate with the state to ensure that the most needy families are prioritized, and seek more funding for early education.
• Crime & Mental Health: Identify when someone is having a mental health crisis as opposed to committing a crime, and expand programs and services to assist people undergoing mental health crises. Right now, our biggest issue with regards to mental health is lack of resources. Most of this is handled at the state level, so we must advocate for more state support and resources.

Broomfield City Council – Ward 5

Adam Gobetti – UNQUALIFIED

• Unhoused: We need to help the unhoused population, not just tuck them into a corner and forget about them. The issue really comes down to mental health. We already have mental health resources, we need to do a better job of informing people and expanding access. We need to do targeted investments to improve these resources. Do what we can to make sure people don’t wind up unhoused in the first place.
• Infrastructure: We need to focus on what can be done at a municipal level, such as advocating for smarter design and working with RTD and county authorities to encourage more public transportation. 
• Development: We need to be careful with what we build and why, and focus on growing slowly. 
• Cost of Living: Affordability/Cost of Living: We need to spend less money on big projects and focus on saving money for Broomfield families. To do this, we need to reduce taxes for those in Broomfield. We need to make it less expensive to live and do business in Broomfield. Don’t add costs to housing and don’t make it more difficult for builders to create housing. 
• Education: Education is a matter for the school board, not the city council. This doesn’t mean that nothing can be done, but it means that city council is incredibly limited in this area.
• Crime & Mental Health: Mental health drives a lot of other issues, such as crime and suicide. Broomfield’s police department is fantastic and needs to be supported. We need to invest in solutions to mental health and crime problems that aren’t entirely police oriented.

Heidi Henkel – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: There are a number of compounding issues behind this problem that need to be addressed. We need to expand affordable housing, mortgage assistance, and other housing support services so that people who are struggling don’t slip into homelessness. We need to get the unhoused wrap-around support services they need, such as mental and physical health care.
• Infrastructure: Work on rezoning to improve walkability and public transportation, reduce parking spaces, increase walkability between commercial and residential areas. This is all about planning, we need to build with walkability and public transit in mind first and foremost. If you build density, transportation will come.
• Development: The key to this is public input. If we are people powered, we’ll be able to build smartly and preserve Broomfields unique character. People are moving to Broomfield because of affordability, open spaces, and the tech scene, among other factors. We need to keep all of these in mind while growing and developing.
• Cost of Living: We should build partnerships to develop more affordable housing, reduce cost of living and support Broomfield families. Broomfield should retain its land use authority because it can move quickly to build affordable housing. We need to work to make home ownership more attainable for people, and work regionally to raise the minimum wage across Boulder County and surrounding counties. 
• Education: We need to provide more preschool and childcare resources for Broomfield families. 
• Crime & Mental Health: Work at the state level to pass a bill requiring firearm education before any firearm purchase. This will significantly increase gun safety, and weed out people who are looking to purchase a firearm just to hurt others. Make sure people are keeping their firearms locked up, and work to reduce firearms being stolen from cars and homes. Expand red flag laws to ensure that people going through a mental health crisis have some sort of intervention before purchasing a firearm.

Broomfield Ward 5 (Recall) | Vote: No

Todd Cohen – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: We have a robust Human Services Department that provides services. The city also has a hotel voucher program to temporarily get people out of public spaces and provide shelter especially in times of severe weather.
• Infrastructure: We can pressure RTD to live up to their promises, they have failed. We’re unfortunately a public transit desert in many ways. I would like to see more safe, dedicated bike lanes rather than relying on paint on a pavement.
• Development: Stick to our 40% open lands goal. It provides spaces for both mental health spaces and wildlife. We are emphasizing density, particularly in the Highway 7 corridor. The future is more townhomes, more dense housing developments around transit areas.
• Cost of Living: Beyond the basic problem of supply and demand, we need more housing. The market is not going to solve that. It’s partly the density that you require, we need to build our way out of this with more housing options.
• Education: The state doesn’t have enough resources for schools, roads, or sewers. It doesn’t have enough resources for preschool. Unfortunately, TABOR has starved schools, roads, and education to a Mississippi level.
• Crime & Mental Health: young people are not feeling hopeful at all, and if you don’t have hope you turn to other means. Lockdown drills, home prices out of reach, student loans making college unrealistic, why is it surprising that we have mental health challenges and anxiety?

Maria Boutrous – UNQUALIFIED

• Unhoused: We need to take an individualized, tailored approach, by providing mental health and economic support services to the people that need it. Many with mental health issues, such as schizophrenics, are chronically unhoused, and we need to focus on giving them the support and resources they need.
• Infrastructure: Broomfield has been giving RTD money for years without a noticeable increase in service. We need to reevaluate where our money is going, and what will have the best impact on increasing public transit availability. Crime puts a big damper on public transit use, so by combating crime we would encourage more people to use public transit. 
• Development: We need to be smart about developing the last twenty percent of available land in Broomfield, as the city’s large amount of open space is one of the main things that draws people to the city.
• Cost of Living: We need to reduce the mill levy, and other taxes and regulations that make it difficult for builders to create housing in Broomfield. This will increase the amount of affordable housing, specifically middle housing like townhomes, and reduce cost of living for average families. Specifically, we need to target  high property taxes that make life more expensive for Broomfield families.
• Education: This is not something the city council can realistically address, this issue is best left to the school board. 
• Crime & Mental Health: Crime is a huge mental health burden on Broomfield families. We could do a lot to address the mental health crisis by reducing property crime, such as vehicle thefts, so families have less to worry about, and by fighting to lower the cost of living. In order to reduce crime, we need to work with Broomfield police and give them the resources and support they need.

Boulder Elections

Boulder Mayor

Aaron Brockett – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: We need more permanent housing to get people off the street and provide wraparound substance abuse and mental health services. We should also create programs with transitional choices like tiny home villages which are proving to be successful in Denver. We can help pay for this with funding from proposition 123 which was passed last year and provides millions of dollars for homelessness supportive services.
• Infrastructure: We need to move in a sustainable direction by creating more “15 minute neighborhoods,” where people can walk, bike, and take the bus to most of their daily needs. We are working to accomplish that by rezoning some of our old strip malls and business parks, so they become vibrant, mixed-use neighborhoods. We got a $25 million grant to increase transportation between Longmont and Boulder. I will seek out every opportunity to add transit options and bike infrastructure if I’m re-elected.
• Development: It’s about locating denser development in places that can support it, where there are services, bikeability, and transit. That goes to some of the rezoning I’ve been talking about, but some of that new development can really create beautiful communities. You can add new development in ways that actually enhance a community’s character.
• Cost of living: We have to create substantial affordable housing. Right now we are working on projects to clear out  regulatory obstacles to more affordable and attainable housing, and I am in full support of those. The rezoning that I was talking about will come with a 25% affordable housing requirement. We can expect substantial amounts of affordable housing from that. We also have to look at changing permit and fee structures so that affordable housing is easier to create.
• Education: I have been disappointed at the rolling back of universal preschool programs. We had a positive alternative in the potential creation of an early childhood education district, but I was disappointed that they didn’t move forward. One thing we can do at the municipal level is to provide support for early childcare expenses. Our Human Services department has a child care affordability fund that we use to support small family-owned childcare, as well as people who need help paying for childcare.
• Crime & Mental Health: Better mental health support is critical. Currently Colorado ranks 49th in terms of funding and it affects everybody in the community, people with houses, people without houses, youths, and seniors, everyone. We need to partner with our nonprofit and county governments to provide additional resources and funding. The largest cause of gun violence is suicides. We need to provide mental health resources to help keep that from happening.
• Policing: I was excited to support the Reimagine Policing program. It moves us away from primarily arresting people who commit crimes and more into a focus of how to prevent crimes from happening in the first place. So it puts police more in a partnership with the community and finding out the reasons why crime is happening and working toward changing the environment such that it won’t reoccur in the future.

Bob Yates 

• Unhoused: I put together an eight point plan that addresses some problems and consequences of homelessness in Boulder. We need to be compassionate and provide services that unhoused people need — mental health treatments, substance-abuse treatment, temporary and permanent housing. We need to be sensitive to community values because we have homeless people living in parks and other public spaces, which is illegal and unhealthy for them and for our housed community. 
• Infrastructure: Our public transportation is operated by the regional transit district, the RTD. The city does operate one bus line, the HOP, and we’ve had discussions over the last few years about possibly expanding the HOP bus lines, because RTD is simply not able to provide adequate transit service to our community.
• Development: Boulder’s growth within the last 20 years has been very slow and steady. We add about 200 to 300 housing units per year. About half of those incremental units that have been added in the last few years have been permanently affordable and are restricted for low income families. So we have been growing very slowly but steadily.
• Cost of living: There are a number of state and federal programs that help the city create permanent affordable housing for families with low income at or below 60% area median income. If a family makes 70%, there are no such programs. The city needs to be creative. One program I put together with the former mayor was a middle income down payment assistance program.
• Education: This is a state program, so I’m not sure it’s appropriate. The city is not involved with education. I think it’s great that the state has stepped in to provide some preschool education, but the city is not in a position to get into the education business to fund education services. This is something the city should not be involved in. We should leave that to the school district and to the state.
• Crime & Mental Health: Colorado ranks at or near the bottom of mental health funding compared to other states. The city doesn’t have a health department and so while the city can certainly be helpful in various ways, we need to look to the state and the county to provide treatment. For gun violence, I am proud of the fact during my years on council, we passed two sets of gun gun violence prevention measures.
• Policing: I am happy with the plan. It passed unanimously a couple weeks ago and that tells you a lot. There’s not a whole lot that nine members of the council can agree on, and I think that’s a tribute to the police chief, and I think it’s a tribute to the process. I was part of that process of community engagement understanding what it is that the community expects from the police department. It is my understanding that the understanding police plan that we approved a couple weeks ago is being held up nationally as a role model.

Nicole Speer – QUALIFIED

• Unhoused: My plan is to focus on evidence based solutions to end homelessness. There are a few things we know that work, one of them is prevention focused, and it is providing cash emergency assistance to people who are on the verge of becoming homeless. You can, for relatively small amounts of money, actually prevent somebody from falling into homelessness.
• Infrastructure: I would advocate for moving towards universal design standards for our streets. Which go beyond ADA accessibility. Maybe neurological disorders, sensory processing disorder and mental illness. Make more spaces for them, like how we provide ample seating for people who can’t really walk very far before they take a break. How are we using trees and plants to dampen noise and provide shade for cooler spaces. Those are things I’d push for.
• Development: I’ve been here almost 20 years and you know, the character has changed quite a bit. We have gotten quite a bit wealthier, housing prices have gone up quite a bit. A lot of the homes are doubling in size. I think we need to think about how we want to change moving forward. Are we comfortable with that change? Is this what we really want to be?
• Cost of living: One thing is to increase the amount of affordable housing. We are beginning to look at — and I am fully in support — is putting housing fees on single family homes that are doing additions or large renovations. Homes that are getting bigger. These homes that I just complained about above are changing the character of our neighborhoods.
• Education: I was a little disappointed that our county commissioners did not choose to pursue the creation of a child care district. I think that is an interesting solution to some of the childcare issues we’re facing, and I would really like to see that revisited in the coming years.
• Crime & Mental Health: At a local level we’re doing what we can to restrict availability of guns. We really need some sensible gun safety legislation. As far as Mental health goes, I always think it’s important to remember most people with mental illnesses are not committing crime, and also people with mental illnesses are more likely to be victims of crimes. We are one of the lowest when it comes to mental health care. I would love to see the county and state invest more in mental health services, a lot of it comes down to prevention.
• Policing: Where the Reimagine Policing policy ought to be taking us is to where we’re partnering with the community to reduce crime and reduce the need for police intervention. That is where I see the role evolving to prevent crime. More investment in social services. If you have enough money to put food on the table, we know there is no reason to go try and steal food from the grocery store. We know that investments really make a difference.

Paul Tweedlie – UNQUALIFIED

• Unhoused: You can make a distinction between the homeless, who are raised in Boulder, and have fallen on hard times, and they have been helped by the city’s housing department. I think it’s like six people. Transients, illegal camps, these guys don’t belong in Boulder, they need to leave.
• Infrastructure: I think there are some problems. I was excited to see a new route has been added and also I see encouraging signs like E-bikes around town and now E-scooters. We need to make sure we have safe bike and foot paths where people can get to where they need to be. 
• Development: There’s the super rich who come from out of state with millions, if not billions, and that puts pressure on the housing market. What we really need is low income housing so that the people who work in Boulder can live in Boulder. So I would try to encourage the development of  low income housing.
• Cost of living: There’s not much you can do about the rising cost of living. There’s a 600 acre area just north and east of the city which you know can be chopped up and then we can develop that area for more low income housing. The first thing would be to follow the plan that’s already in place.
• Education: It sounds like a failing for families. I don’t know what to do, the housing and school system are already under a lot of pressure. I’d encourage more home schools, I’d support these programs.
• Crime & Mental Health: Crime is a real problem and it’s highly associated with drugs. There is such an access to drugs. Fentanyl is killing our kids. Absolutely heartbreaking. To address the crime I think we first need to address illegal drugs.
• Policing: It was a great plan. They’re looking for more officers to hire, but they’re having trouble hiring more officers. I believe the city Council has a duty to set the tone, they need to set expectations in Boulder. If you break the law, you’re gonna get fined and ticketed if it’s a misdemeanor. If you don’t pay your fine, you’re going to jail.

Boulder City Council – At Large

Aaron Neyer

• Unhoused: We need transitional housing so homeless people have a place to go. Right now we’re saying ‘you can’t be here,’ but the truth is they don’t have a place to go. We need to recognize our society, and the inequity that’s built into our society, is creating this problem. 
• Infrastructure: We need to make it more appealing to not use a car, to do that people need to feel safe. Right now a lot of people don’t feel safe when not in a car. We do that by creating more protected bike lanes.
• Development: Duplexes and triplexes allow for more infill and housing. We start like really thinking how we can intelligently build out.
• Cost of Living:  We should create more affordable housing, and more middle income housing, to start creating a little more economic diversity. I know people who live in duplex and triplexes and they really enjoy the community feel.
• Education: I know there’s really great preschools here yet a lot of people struggle sending their kids to preschools. I would like to see Boulder play more of a role in how we are shaping the education system. But I’m not well researched enough to know what the solutions are.
• Crime & Mental Health: I learned about a program where they trained a number of mental health responders so if someone is caling 911, the operator that receives it can determine if this is a mental health crisis. I’m curious if we could do something like that in Boulder, that would be really cool.
• Policing: The struggle is when somebody is having a mental health break down, they get the police called on them. We should emphasize things like community mutual aid and trained mental health responders.

Jacques Decalo

• Unhoused: Expand facilities and programs that currently help the unhoused, such as turning night shelters into daytime or even 24 hour shelters. Give unhoused people the support they need to find both temporary and long term housing, particularly employment. Enforce the camping ban, but provide areas where the unhoused can stay, receive support, and access services. 
• Infrastructure: Work on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis to figure out which can accommodate more density. Make Boulder friendlier to bikers by building protected bike lanes and fixing potholes. Work to accommodate e-bikes and make public transit more reliable and frequent. 
• Development: Keep Boulder diverse, natural and beautiful. Make our neighborhoods more walkable and friendlier to public transit. Boulder shouldn’t sprawl. 
• Cost of Living: Make Boulder an affordable place to live for everyone. Focus on building inclusionary housing while also helping housed people stay that way. Make use of vacant and underused spaces, like empty offices, to build more housing.
• Education: Work with what we have, use universities already in Boulder to expand early education programs. Give lower income Boulder residents more opportunities for early childhood education. Philanthropy can help us bridge these gaps and provide for Boulder’s children.
• Crime & Mental Health: Take a holistic approach to policing, focus on preventative measures. Get input from the community on what they’re worried about and what needs fixing. Address what leads people to crime, provide support and expand opportunities for people.
• Policing: Continue to support Reimagine Policing. Invest in our police, make sure our bike paths and public spaces are safe, well-monitored, and held to a safety standard put forward by the chief of police. We also need to work with our local businesses to help them feel safe. 

Jennifer Robins

• Unhoused: We can’t group the unhoused into one group. We have families that are experiencing homelessness. We have individuals experiencing homelessness. I think Boulder does a good job working with a portion of the unhoused community who are actively working towards to exit homelessness. For those living in the encampments, we believe we need to continue outreach to get them involved with coordinated entry and the mini mini services that are offered through outdoor city.
• Infrastructure: Transportation accounts for 29% of the greenhouse gas emissions. There are many people in our community that have to drive to work, to shop, to go to school. It comes back to rezoning housing and areas that we have mass transit and walkable, mixed use neighborhoods. We need to increase the safety and usability of RTD, increase our bike share, and incentivize eBike purchases.
• Development: I would support strategic zoning reform to allow for slightly higher densities and gentle infill in certain areas. These areas can include our vacant or aging businesses and industrial districts, where we can rezone to create multi unit housing. I think it’s crucial work with our existing neighborhoods to accomplish all of this.
• Cost of living: The market is in the business of profit it’s not in the business of affordability so in Boulder we’re going to have to regulate in order to get the affordable housing that we need. We need to focus on continuing our inclusionary housing policy and leveraging that cash to let our Boulder housing partners with the county to create truly affordable housing.
• Education: I went back to work after six weeks with both of my kids and they had to go directly into private daycare so I am very aware of how families struggle. We need to continue looking at working with our community partners or existing nonprofits to help that situation, as well as potentially providing tax rebates for in-home daycare.
• Crime & Mental Health: We need to implement a caring yet efficient strategy for addressing crime. Mental health is a huge issue right now. Public safety is the job of the city and health is the job of the county. The county really needs to step up and provide supportive services.
• Policing: Police need to be staffed to be staffed to be successful. I went on a ride along about two weeks ago with the police and I was able to see how all of the different teams within the police department work together so efficiently. We had mental health calls. I was able to see how they worked with the downtown Ambassadors on Pearl Street.

Ryan Schuchard – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: We need to focus on four key areas: people, prevention, places, programs and spaces. Increase the use of non-police responses when dealing with those suffering mental health issues. Prevent people from slipping into homelessness. Establish a more accessible network, such as day shelters. Make sure our public spaces have the things people need to get through their day, such as public toilets and drinking fountains
• Infrastructure: Consolidate the city’s resources and bureaucracies for the purpose of building more walkable, public transit friendly infrastructure and codify our goals in this area. We need to focus on making Boulder resource and space efficient. Lastly, we need to build a full grid of transportation modes that aren’t centered on cars, and build a public transportation network that is more robust, efficient and reliable.
• Development: Our problems with development come from our attachment to and reliance on cars. Decoupling from cars would give us space for more people and room for safer modes of transit. Reducing our dependence on cars would make our city more inclusive and solve a lot of our issues with development.
• Cost of Living: We need to increase the quantity of middle housing, such as duplexes, triplexes, townhomes. Reform zoning to make it easier to build middle income housing. We need to reduce and eliminate parking mandates in order to incentivize building more housing. We need to practice strategic development in the large tracts of land open to us, such as the airport.
• Education: We need to make the cost of living work better for those in the education system, namely teachers. We also need to expand resources for working parents. 
• Crime & Mental Health: We need to expand our network of mental health and substance addiction support services.
• Policing: Address the epidemic of drug addiction, mental illness, poverty, and desperation, which are fueling an increase in violent crime. We need to fix the congestion problem in our courts, in a way that protects civil liberties while reducing costs and breaking the cycle of people reoffending. Become more sophisticated about dealing with transportation related crime, such as bike theft.

Silas Atkins – QUALIFIED

• Unhoused: A holistic approach to support the unhoused and help struggling people stay housed. Take both the short and long term into account, and expand our perspective to work with regional authorities. Take inspiration from successes in Denver to create safe public spaces and provide services to those who need them most. Expand temporary housing solutions such as hotel room stays and repurposing empty commercial space. 
• Infrastructure: Incentivize housing density and placing housing along transit corridors. In order to depend less on cars, we need people to live closer to where they work and give them greater access to more means of transportation. We can achieve this by changing our zoning laws and taking cues from infrastructure changes that are working in other parts of the state.
• Development: Boulder is not full, it only feels so because we have cars everywhere. Reduce conflict between different modes of travel by splitting them up. Increase public transit and dense housing to make Boulder a more pleasant, environmentally friendly place to live.
• Cost of Living: Make it easier for things to get built. Support working families by raising the minimum wage and providing direct cash assistance to those that need it. Work to create neighborhoods of mixed income levels, economic segregation benefits no one.
• Education: There is very little we can do to work with the education system on the local, city level, as this is largely handled on the state level. The best way to proceed is to reach out to experts on this matter and figure out what we can do, if anything, to help ease families burdens. It will take expert advice and out of the box thinking to tackle this problem on the local level.
• Crime & Mental Health: Take the existing police budget and reinvest it into proven, nonviolent solutions, such as the care team. The last thing the Boulder Police Department needs is more money and more officers, as it has been proven that approaches like this do nothing to make our citizens and public spaces safer.
• Policing: The reimagined policing plan was a bad idea for Boulder.

Tara Winer – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: We have a day center that we’re working on. Right now, people have the option of staying in the Boulder Shelter for the homeless. But that is during the night, they need to go somewhere during the day where they can access services, use the bathroom and the showers, and have lockers for their possessions. We need more transitional housing with more services.
• Infrastructure: We have a car culture. To get people out of cars, transit has to be fast, reliable, and inexpensive. That, of course, falls under the purview of the RTD. However, we do have Via, they run the hop and they do a good job. I think the best options we might have even for the disabled are probably E-bikes. I want to put infrastructure with protected bike lanes into Boulder.
• Development: Colorado in general has a housing shortage but we also have a labor shortage. So, to me, they’re inter-twined. Having housing that the labor pool wants is going to be crucial for us to solve some of our labor shortage problems. I don’t have to tell you how expensive land is here, making housing that is affordable is pretty difficult.
• Cost of living: Two types of affordable housing in Boulder. Deed restricted permanently affordable housing, and there is housing that is affordable or attainable. We have a lot of the deed restricted permanently affordable housing units in the pipeline. I would say we’re really good at that. What we don’t have is a lot of affordable housing that’s outside that. We have very little middle income housing stock.
• Education: You know, in a world where we have unlimited funds, yes, they could. But, we have limited funds. Personally, I don’t know. I feel like the state should’ve done that. It’s not fair to keep asking local governments to keep paying for everything.
• Crime: I want to talk about mental health. We have Mental Health Partners. It’s the county that’s supposed to be in charge of mental health so a lot of my job is to beg the county commissioners and the state to do something to help us. Mental health is part of the county’s purview, and it affects our cities so much. I will say that Mental Health Partners did recently get a grant that was awarded to them to purchase a facility.
• Policing: I was part of the subcommittee for the Reimagine Policing plan and I thought the policing plan was great. I think we have some problems because we have a shortage of police officers. We are about 20 police officers down so we’re having trouble keeping up with all the things that police officers need to be involved with. So the reimagining plan called for 205 police officers and we can’t even find staff and retain them. We really need more police officers.

Taishya Adams – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: Resources, people, programs and initiatives we know what works, investing in what works, and being led by those who are most affected by this topic. Like Streetscape, for example, and their four point plan.
• Infrastructure: Funding for our transportation system is going to be the number one most important goal. We have new funding opportunities through both the inflation reduction act, and Boulder’s own climate tax. How do we leverage these historic investments to make sure we are reducing our own carbon footprint emissions, and increasing our biodiversity. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention people with disabilities. I believe in balancing people and the planet.
• Development: We can’t just have housing everywhere. It really needs to be balanced with the habitats of other species and of course the natural resources we manage. As a former commissioner for Colorado Parks, and Wildlife, I am aware of this fresh perspective and proven expertise in balancing the needs of outdoor recreation, which is one of the cornerstones of Boulder. That’s why I came here. The character also evolves as we evolve.
• Cost of living: Increasing the minimum wage. Honestly, I think it’s problematic when our government is only focused on one dimension of our lives. Affordability is not just in housing, We’re going to have a 25% increase in our water bill. Water affordability is going to be a conversation we’re going to be having Not to mention transportation affordability. I know we have some programs, but not to meet the demands. It is a holistic viewpoint that moves the bar.
• Education: One of the issues is staffing and retaining early childhood staff in challenging work conditions. Demand is high and inventory is low. This is one of the challenges of unfunded mandates. I’m going to bring expertise to this council, understanding the federal, state, and local level to work with various departments to put money in the hands of families.
• Crime: What we do have is to work with health and human services that we currently have and make sure they are resourced. Our Health and Human Services department just became at parity with our police budget. Two years prior to that I think it was 2/3 the budget. So you get what you pay for. You get what you invest in. We invested in policing, which unfortunately is a reactive strategy. Thankfully, Chief Herold is working to be more proactive.
• Policing: I’m an inaugural member of the police oversight panel, so I’ve looked under the hood in ways most in our city have not, and by that I mean audio tapes, video, tapes and documents opportunities to meet with the chief and staff and officers and community members. I’ll bring that experience in the expertise to this conversation around policing and Reimagine Policing, I think the current reimagining police program gets it right as it relates to transparency, and as it relates to an effort to be more proactive rather than be reactive.

Terri Brncic – QUALIFIED

• Unhoused: Need to stop thinking of unhoused people as a uniform group with the same needs. Housing alone will not solve the problem, many are suffering from mental health disorders. We need to expand our mental health support services and transitional housing to help the chronically unhoused. However, Boulder can’t do this on its own, and we need to pressure the county and state to step up and help us.
• Infrastructure: Focus on our e-bike infrastructure and safety policies. Make sure that e-bikes are encouraged and safe to use for everyone. Increase bike security so people will be more likely to buy and use bikes. Target parking minimums to reclaim space and start building for the future. 
• Development: We need to expand density in moderation. Don’t want Boulder to be all high rise apartment buildings, but need to build targeted, intentionally walkable neighborhoods along transit corridors. 
• Cost of Living: Need to make the best use of our scarce land by building more affordable housing and expanding housing density. We have to make sure that, in the process of building out, we focus on housing that is affordable rather than high end housing like townhomes. 
• Education: We need to increase the minimum wage to make things easier both for educators and for families. This is the main thing we can do to address this issue at the local level. 
• Crime & Mental Health: Work on lobbying the county to expand mental health resources in Boulder. Our police force is progressive and doing well, we need to support them.
• Policing: I support Reimagine Policing, we have one of the most progressive police chiefs in the country and we should support her. The chief has expressed a desire for change and is currently on a good course, we should support her while also keeping an eye on her progress.

Tina Marquis

• Unhoused: Support current efforts, and expand with new projects such as a day center for the unhoused population. Work to connect people to the resources we have. Expand collaborations with municipal partners to increase affordable housing and provide support to those who are struggling. 
• Infrastructure: Reduce barriers to accessing public transportation in order to increase use, which will hopefully lead to increased frequency. Work with RTD to expand public transportation options. Create safe routes for people to walk and bike on. Expand density where it makes sense, in places where people can realistically walk and bike around. 
• Development: Don’t build just for the sake of it. Focus on providing opportunities for middle and low income families, such as providing more middle income housing. In general, focus on building housing that caters to a diverse range of socioeconomic groups. 
• Cost of Living: Help people stay in their homes. In general, focus on helping people who are struggling to afford basic necessities, both by providing services through the city government and by partnering with nonprofits. 
• Education: Focus on working with existing providers and services rather than creating new taxes or boards. Could consider a citywide early childhood care tax, but must look at the need for it in Boulder. Would prefer a city tax rather than county wide tax. Try to meet families needs without adding too much administrative complexity. 
• Crime & Mental Health: Reduce the usage of guns and support gun safety. Guns should not be in the hands of people who would not be responsible firearm owners. Work with the county to address mental health support services in Boulder. 
• Policing: The reimagined policing program provides a nice balance between the need for public safety and our city wide values of social justice and equity. Focus on preventative rather than reactive policing. 

Waylon Lewis – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: We’ve been stuck in the status quo that is bad for all of us. Bad for the homeless, bad for the rest of the general public. It’s been expensive, we’ve tied the hands of the police, and expect them to solve everything. I am a rare candidate not allied with either of the major slates who work to form coalitions. (I’d work), to solve this based on what’s worked and what hasn’t in other cities.
• Infrastructure: I would add electric buses and smaller vans more frequently to all the major routes. RTD is not always a dependable partner. We need regular clean buses and protected bike lanes, as well as adequate access and parking for those who do need to drive. This will take cars off the road reducing traffic. We have to take both climate change and our ability to get around the city safely and quickly seriously.
• Development: We’ve lost affordability, our schools are emptying out. Police officers, teachers, healthcare workers can’t afford to live in Boulder. We need to redouble our efforts on affordable housing in beautiful fun ways that keep Boulder feeling like Boulder. I’d often say let’s make Boulder weird again.
• Cost of living: What Boulder has done with affordable housing is pretty impressive. Still, our goal is nearly double where we’re at now. The model that BHP and others are focusing on is working. We need to focus on missing middle income housing but that will take focus and support from the City Council.
• Education: If parents can’t afford to live in Boulder, let alone work in Boulder that doesn’t work for any of us. To keep our economy strong we need to fill the gap with nonprofit and city run daycare as well as pushing both regionally and state and federally to get the support we expected, and that our citizens need. Families are vital to Boulder and we’re losing them every single day.
• Crime: Boulder has shown leadership on addressing gun violence, especially since the tragic shooting at King Soopers. There’s only so much we can do without federal and state support. Mental health and addiction care are both vital for reducing crime.
• Policing: We are gifted with an ethical and progressive police chief. Our role in City Council will be to both support the police and get them clear direction, neither of which they’ve never really had over the last years. The Reimagine Policing document is one I support, and it includes encouraging community, policing and mental and addiction care, so that police aren’t saddled with responding to everything, including situations they may not be equipped for.

Boulder City Ballot Measures

2A – Sales Tax Allocation: Extension of the existing .15 % City Sales and Use Tax with 50% for General Fund Purposes and 50% to Support Arts, Culture and Heritage (Compromise Measure) | Vote: Yes

302 – Public Space: A citizen initiated Charter Amendment to prohibit items located on city property within a radius of five-hundred feet from any point on a school property line or within fifty feet on both sides of any multi-use path or sidewalk with prioritized removal | Vote: No

2B – Election Rules (Petitions): A Charter Amendment to sections 27, 37, 39, 46, and 57 to: Remove the requirement that people who wish to sign petitions in support of mayoral or City Council candidates do so in person before the city clerk. Allow the city clerk additional processing time to reduce the need for overtime or weekend work to process paper petitions.  Clarify language providing that state law governs amendments to the city’s Charter | Vote: Yes

Erie Elections

Erie Ballot Measures

3A – Home Rule: Shall the Town of Erie proposed home rule charter be adopted? | Vote: Yes

3B – Mayor and Council Compensation: The Mayor shall receive as monetary compensation the sum of twelve hundred dollars ($1,200) per month, and each Council Member shall receive as monetary compensation the sum of seven hundred dollars ($700) per month. Both amounts shall be adjusted annually according to the consumer price index (CPI) for the Denver-Boulder-Greeley area, or such successor index promulgated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. | Vote: Yes

Lafayette Elections

Lafayette City Council – At Large

Crystal Gallegos – QUALIFIED

• Unhoused: Make sure the people who are unhoused know resources that are available, but we don’t want to strain those organizations as well. I’m thinking specifically of Sister Carmen as one that does great work. We need to make sure they are financially able to continue to assist people.
• Infrastructure: When RTD was free for everyone, as a mom who spends a lot of time driving to various schools, I did notice the program cut down on vehicular traffic immensely, especially near schools, which in turn helps with our problem with emissions and deteriorating roads.
• Development: My biggest concern with population growth is its impact on education. We seem to be building a lot of large density housing, but not really planning for children and schools.
• Cost of living: I just wanted to mention I’m not a homeowner, I am someone who rents. That does make me pro affordable housing. We need to think about education and infrastructure as well. If we continue to build large density housing, we need to make sure we’re considering those as well.
• Education: I’m the parent of a four year old who was promised four days a week of preschool and then they retracted that decision. We need to work with the district to see if there are ways we can implement those additional days that were promised.

David Fridland – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: It’s a lot about working directly with services and support networks that we have around us: Boulder County, our local PD,  Sister Carmen or our mental health services through the city and through the county. Getting them housing, if we can. It’s definitely inspiring to see what the new mayor of Denver is doing.
• Infrastructure: The basic infrastructure of our community needs to be top of mind: roads, safe sidewalks, multimodal transportation, making sure there’s bike lanes, making sure there’s bike and walking paths. All of it has to be addressed. Specifically for mass transit we need to work directly with RTD to make sure our community is getting served. I hear from a lot of people that RTD is a challenge in Lafayette.
• Development: People have been moving to the Front Range, and Colorado generally, since the mid-90s. I love that we have new neighbors, new ideas, new energy. We need to make sure we do it in a balanced way. We need to start thinking about how to build in a balanced and responsive way to the community that lives here already. More density, especially around transportation corridors, is really important. 
• Cost of living: Lafayette has done a pretty good job with affordable housing. We have Willoughby Corner being built. We have been leaders in terms of increasing the housing stock. A lot of it is larger than one community. We need housing stock across the income spectrum. We can do what we can do in Lafayette but it has to be more regional, state-wide support from the county, from the state. We all need to be rowing in the same direction.
• Education: Our role would be helping support local school districts to make sure folks that can’t afford preschool are getting support. We are more of a connector in helping understand the problem, and helping our community and our residents get what they need.

Eric Ryant

• Unhoused: It is a continuing problem and lots of citizens are concerned about it, so I do plan on addressing it.
• Infrastructure: I’m pro-business first of all. Any way to generate either income for the city or make it more affordable to live like the Willoughby Corner center that we’re putting up, I’m all for it. I think that affordable housing is an important issue that I am firmly for.
• Development: I’d have to get with CDOT. I want to see extensively what kind of plans they have with the roads. There’s several projects here in Lafayette that have been delayed or are taking forever, so I’d see what they’re planning to do to help us with the influx of people moving in.
• Cost of living: Inflation is a tough battle, for increasing the minimum wage, once something is in writing with Boulder County I’d probably sit down with all our local business leaders and get their thoughts because I think it is difficult to live in Lafayette. That’s why we’re putting up affordable housing, and we have to allow our local workers to be able to live locally.
• Education: I don’t represent myself. I represent the community, so if we feel that there’s any issues, I am there to approach it and try to find a good, long-term solution to the situation.

Gala Orba 

• Unhoused: The city of Lafayette is currently being sued because we have no homeless shelter. I’d like to open a homeless shelter, and I’m already looking at spaces. I’m going to pick four of them, and then I’m going to take them to the Council. I’d also like to create some permanent housing for the homeless. It’s been proven that the best way to solve homelessness is to give homeless people a place to live.
• Infrastructure: We’ve got space on Public Road and other areas where we could have more economic development and small business, however the rent is pretty high. It’s hard for people to get their foot in the door and start small businesses. I will always be a candidate for the little guy. I believe small business is the heart of our country.
• Development: We’re balancing urban growth in general. We just need a little help with the economy. I think those people who move here could potentially help us. I don’t look at it as a problem.
• Cost of living: There is affordable housing that is public housing but then there are landlords who are already helping with this phenomenon. For all the towns in the area and in this county I feel like Lafayette is the most hospitable to people who are lower income. That said I am focusing on the homeless more so than affordable housing.
• Education: Everybody deserves help with quality help with childcare. I’ve been impressed with the city of Lafayette’s commitment to after-school programs for middle and high school kids. It’s been beautiful to witness. The city has focused on middle and high school kids this past year, and done really well, so it’s time for us to build upon that success and focus on a younger population. There’s been lots of studies as far as how early childcare and head start programs are incredibly beneficial for successful students and successful lives.

JD Mangat – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: We have always had folks experiencing homelessness in Lafayette, but lately it’s becoming more and more an emerging issue. Unfortunately we don’t have a housing and human services department currently within the city. My long-term goal is to create and develop that internally. The goal is to provide the unhoused population with the resources they need to survive and thrive.
• Infrastructure: During my time on counsel we’ve built a comprehensive plan for the entire city. We need to focus heavily on multi-modal transportation. I know that the state is working on the RTD across Baseline, but we can’t just rely on that. I’m a big fan of micro mobility, the electrification of smaller vehicles, scooters, and bicycles. We have a lot of areas that are missing bike lanes. The city is not as connected as it should be.
• Development: I think people make the mistake of thinking we are growing like crazy. We’re really not. Our intent is not to expand our borders, it is to meet further growth with infill. That’s going to be tough when it comes to traffic congestion, water, and city services. Any time your population grows I think problems grow with it.
• Cost of living: This is the number one issue I’m campaigning on. Lafayette made history this year by creating Willoughby Corner. There are a lot of different levers we can pull in partnership with the state that we can work with to increase affordable housing, like how we opted into Proposition 123. I’m hoping Willoughby Corner is just the tip of the iceberg.
• Education: I think there’s a need for free full-day childcare. I’d be willing to do what I can do in my capacity to advocate for it, whether it’s on a state level or a different level. That’s a huge need in our city, as all Coloradans would probably agree. 

John Watson – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: I would definitely want to address that issue and look at possibly having some type of affordable housing.
• Infrastructure: I’m a huge supporter of the infrastructure. I definitely want our businesses to continue. I do know that part of the problem that I see is that we are getting ready to lose our King Soopers. It looks like a gaping hole in the north side of town there. At the same time I don’t want another Dollar General or something like that. I’d like a grocery store, whether it be a mom or pop, or somebody else that would be paying taxes.
• Development: I think that it’s not as prevalent because we are kind of close to our maximum threshold as far as population-wise. We will need to look at different aspects and considerations, but I think diversity is a very fundamental part of who I am and what I represent, and I would like us to be welcoming and inviting, not become exclusive.
• Cost of living: I do believe that we should have a living wage. I’m completely on board with supporting people having living wages. I myself have lived here going on 18 years and I could not afford my house when we had it appraised and refinanced. I could not afford my house today.
• Education: I don’t have a lot to do with it as far as a city council member, but I would definitely support those types of endeavors.

Tim Barnes – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: Unhoused have different categories. Those who have immediate needs, say triage, you help them with medical emergency services. The other piece is to help people manage work their way through this system of services that exists, maybe with a mentoring program.
• Infrastructure: The whole metro area has been designed around cars. So we have a hard problem and infrastructure problem that impacts all of these other issues like affordable housing and whatnot. We need to separate car traffic. There has to be a physical barrier, there’s way too many accidents.
• Development: I sit on the sustainability resilience Advisory Committee. Resilience is key. That means taking stock of what you currently have, and what are the missing components. The problem is with development is that it has been low density.
• Cost of Living: The definition of affordable housing is too narrow. Accessory dwelling units, condos, apartments, they all play a role. But right now it’s cost prohibitive to build an adu and keep the rent reasonable.
• Education: I hear there is a direct economic correlation to early education and the economy. There’s a direct correlation. You pay for it, but your economy does better. Municipalities can can contribute but I don’t think they should be the lead.

Louisville Elections

Louisville – Mayor

Chris Leh – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: We need to build more affordable housing. There are a variety of places where we can establish some permanently affordable housing. And, one such place is doing some transportation-oriented development near our bus rapid transit close to McCaslin Boulevard.
• Infrastructure: The idea of transportation-oriented development is critical here because it provides the kind of density that helps reduce carbon footprint and provides opportunities for people either not to need cars because they can use the bus or to use whatever transportation they have more sparingly, which helps to cut down greenhouse gasses. 
• Development: We’re going to be doing some changes to our land use planning code and processes. I think that that will certainly provide, we hope, expedited, clear, consistent, fair, predictable sorts of standards for folks to develop too. Those standards will be very much informed by our desire to maintain the small town feel of the city, which I believe we can do.
• Cost of living: We need housing stock that augments our single-family homes, because that’s a majority of housing in Louisville, and it’s not going to work for everybody. Part of being a small town is having diverse housing that includes workforce housing, that includes affordable housing. I don’t think you should have to have double income, no kids to be able to move in, and I don’t believe you should have to move out when you turn 65. 
• Education: We’ve seen a decline in the number of people who are in elementary and middle school. I think it is directly related to the cost of housing for young families. We can help with that, to the extent, we may be able to fill some of the gaps involving some of our local preschools, Montessori schools and others. We may be able to provide some incentives to assist those folks.
• Crime & Mental Health: We’re about to do a pilot program, which is a continuation from previous work that we have done to provide a mental health trained professional to accompany officers on certain calls to help de-escalate issues. Part of the goal is to keep folks who need treatment out of the criminal justice system.

Josh Cooperman 

• Unhoused: In Louisville, at the moment, homelessness is not a serious problem. As a first step, the city council should have a special study session where they have a discussion about homelessness in Louisville and try to really gather as much information about what the status of homelessness is. I think the city could consider repurposing one of the many empty office buildings in town as a homelessness services center, if that were really appropriate.
• Infrastructure: We do have pretty good infrastructure for pedestrians and bicyclists, but it could definitely be improved. There are a number of intersections which are just not good for people to cross. One of them is South Boulder Road and Main Street. I think the city should definitely prioritize making some of these crossings safer.The city is thinking about the possibility of underpasses, and I hope we can figure out how to fund those.
• Development: We have seen population growth over the last decade At the moment, the population in Louisville is leveling off. Some people think that Louisville shouldn’t grow very much, that’s key to maintaining the character of Louisville. I understand that to some extent, but I also feel like if Louisville doesn’t grow a little bit, we’re displacing that growth somewhere else where it’ll probably be less sustainable.
• Cost of living: As a resident I advocated for affordable housing before the city council because I think we all have an obligation to provide housing for people. If you go into neighborhoods they’re designed in that suburban way where people have to get in their car to access any services, that’s a really unsustainable model. 
• Education: In Louisville, the local government is not really involved with education. The Boulder Valley School district is the district we have here, and we certainly coordinate with them on certain things, but we’re not providing any funding or anything like that. Aside from the property taxes, of course, funding them.
• Crime & Mental Health: People are not particularly concerned about crime in Louisville, but that’s not to say that there aren’t any issues. The police department has been exploring mental health support as part of their work. There was discussion about a pilot program in the coming year, which I think the city council will fund, to provide for mental health providers or support through the police department. And I think that’s a great program.

Sherry Sommer – QUALIFIED

• Unhoused: Sometimes I feel like it becomes a problem that gets out of hand because there’s no real way to address it on a smaller level. I think that housing is part of this equation. We can’t do everything, but we can do what’s within our means and the scale of our town to provide avenues where people can afford their housing.
• Infrastructure: We have a transportation master plan, which we’re working on. I think in order to expand walkability, we need to be focusing on the areas where there’s barriers, like the high traffic streets, like South Boulder Road, Centennial and Bella Vista. There’s a component of this that’s enforcement as well. I would love to be able to generate more sales tax revenue so that we can hire more traffic enforcement police officers.
• Development: We need to consider the scale and mass of our existing town and work in that guideline. So, for example, one way we can do that is with our existing neighborhoods, we can work on zoning overlays, which will set standards that are more in conformity with the pr-eexisting neighborhoods.
• Cost of living: The demand to live here is so huge. There’s no way that we can outbuild the demand. A lot of people that I talk to are concerned that they won’t be able to stay in their homes very long because the property taxes are getting so exorbitant. We really need to think about our existing residents too and how affordable our town is for them, that’s part of what a local government does.”
• Education: I’d like to learn more about the issue. I don’t know a way the city can do that.
• Crime & Mental Health: I am really happy that our police department has had people who assist with mental health crises, and it’s not treated in the same way as crime is. There are other interventions. I really support that because mental health has really suffered after the pandemic and then the Marshall fire.

Louisville City Council – Ward 1

Caleb Dickenson – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: Dealing with this issue is certainly incredibly important to the region and that we have a lot of partners in Boulder County and our neighbors that we need to be supporting in our joint efforts. To find a home for every human is really important to me.
• Infrastructure: Public transit is a very difficult topic because we don’t have our own transit system. We rely on RTD and they have their own metrics for how we get routes and how many buses we get and those kinds of things. But they measure our ridership. It’s important we’re using the transportation provided so that they can see that we want it. And if we’re not using it, they’re not going to be providing it. And that’s how that system works.
• Development: The unique feel of Louisville is in the people and the place and our small business owners and great little shops and restaurants. Continuing to develop our commercial areas and adding some more residents to our community is not going to negatively impact who we are. In the end, we’re a community of people. And, if development brings some more density and some more people, I welcome those new neighbors and jobs.
• Cost of living: People are finding it very difficult to live here when they’re not in their peak earning years. We have to continue to partner with developers who can bring true affordable housing to our community. We need a variety of housing stock for empty nesters and young people who want to live in the community. We need to add places for people to live so we can have more diversity in the type of people that can live here.
• Education: I think the increase in property values is creating a very big increase in property taxes, of which in the city of Louisville, half of it nearly goes to the schools. I would certainly hope that if there’s one benefit to this rising property value, that we are able to do a better job funding our schools. 
• Crime & Mental Health: We’re not talking about defunding the police, we’re talking about funding it differently. We need mental health experts on the police force. Currently, many of our calls to our law enforcement agents are around domestic abuse. They need the skills to communicate with someone and help them in a crisis moment and de-escalate. It’s having officers that are trained in mental health first and foremost.

Louisville City Council – Ward 2

Deborah Fahey – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: The city of Louisville doesn’t have a lot of programs available for actually directly assisting, but we do have plans to increase affordable housing, and we’re cooperating with Boulder County. We have an inter-governmental agreement with them to help with housing issues and homelessness throughout the county.
• Infrastructure: We’re making the streets more bike and pedestrian friendly, putting in right turn lights at major intersections. We’ve got a plan in place to put underpasses under Highway 42 on South Boulder Road, places where there’s a lot of transportation issues. We’re also providing issues or assistance for electric bike purchases. We’re planning on one of those e-scooter programs where you can ride them to the bus stops.
• Development: We’re in the process of a housing study, and that’s going to determine what we do, but the plan right now is to increase the amount of housing that’s available, requiring that some of it be low or middle-income housing and putting it close to transit stops. We have a historic preservation tax where if you are willing to preserve your home or business, either one that’s more than 50 years-old, we will give you up to $1 million dollars in assistance.
• Cost of living: We have an inter-governmental agreement with Boulder County on low and middle-income housing. They took over all of our structures that we own about, about 10 or 15 years ago now, and in exchange, they built a housing unit that’s over 200 units that are income-restricted in some way, and they’re also net zero buildings.
• Education: I’m not sure how we could, we’re all pretty financially restricted right now. We are in the process statewide, again, of changing funding for various things, but Louisville as a city is also trying to deal with recovery from the Marshall Fire. We lost over 600 homes in the Marshall Fire, and mine was one of them. We’re still dealing with the flood. Our funds for financially supporting anything are very limited.
• Crime & Mental Health: Through our Boulder County Health and Human Services division, we have health issues for the schools in all of the schools, for all of the Boulder Valley School District. We’ve also got charitable organizations that are funding mental health assistance, and some of that is even coming as a result of the fire.

George Colbert

• Unhoused: Nobody should have to sleep on the streets. I want to make sure that we have resources for those folks who may be on the verge of homelessness, and make sure that they have vocational training with school education. Whatever we can do to help make sure that they’re still part of the workforce, and that we’ve got affordable housing for everyone.
• Infrastructure: Our transit system currently is pretty great. Obviously, everything can get better. When I moved to Louisville, I was really impressed with the walkability that existed already. However, just recently, I was using one of our crosswalks at night and was almost hit by a car. I think we need to really focus on making sure that crosswalks have the right lighting, they have the right warning system, and that our citizens are actually using those in the right manner.
• Development: We need to make sure that the infrastructure that does come in is in line with our small-town charm, and absolutely imperative to the way of life that we have here. We want to keep that, but we also have to be open to reasonable sustainable growth.
• Cost of living: My vision for Louisville includes developing partnerships with the property developers, employers, and nonprofits to create permanently affordable housing by incentivizing affordable housing development and streamlining building codes. We can make Louisville accessible for all income brackets.
• Education: Every child should have access to early education. It is disappointing to see that the projected availability for the preschool program is not going to be met. Local governments indeed play a role. Community partnerships with businesses, local organizations, and charity groups is important and instrumental. Creating some of that public private partnership, we can pull resources to supplement the shortfall.
• Crime & Mental Health: When we discuss crime prevention and reducing gun violence, including suicides, mental health becomes paramount. Individuals who engage in violent behaviors, including self-harm, often suffer from mental health issues. By ensuring timely intervention and adequate support, we can reduce the risk of these tragic outcomes. It’s essential we enforce rigorous gun background checks that must include a comprehensive assessment of an individual’s mental health history. 

Louisville City Council – Ward 3

Barbara Hamlington – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: That collaboration with the county and the state is necessary to develop comprehensive solutions for the growing population of unhoused people in our community. I would advocate for solutions such as an affordable living wage and affordable housing in our community. In order to address challenges the unhoused population face, it requires multiple solutions.
• Infrastructure: Public transit would be best served by collaborating with the county and the state as well. I’m advocating for multimodal transportation for residents. I’m not only looking at it from a walkability standpoint, but I’m considering other options as well to encompass all abilities and ages, ensuring that our crosswalks are safe, that there’s good visibility for both the pedestrian and the vehicle.
• Development: Our economy relies on sales tax revenue to provide the residents with the services that they expect of the city. There are ways to go about strategic development within the city that support our sales tax revenue and also maintain the charm that residents appreciate. Proposition 123 that we recently discussed the city council, was a housing commitment that we all agreed to put forth in order to qualify applications or projects in Louisville, really for affordable housing.
• Cost of living: Some of the things that interest me are re-imagining land use and zoning, particularly in our areas where we have commercial vacancies that have not been filled for some time, for example, along the McCaslin corridor. I envision how it could be used for mixed residential and commercial use, close to public transportation. I also am advocating for accessory dwelling units.
• Education: The local government can help educate the community about that resource to ensure that all residents are aware that they can apply for it. There could be local programs that are supplemented by local government funds, through grant applications, to help families get access to preschool education and care.
• Crime: I’m going to focus my answer on our children. I think collaboration between the city departments, such as the police department, and the Boulder County School District to ensure that our children feel supported and have the resources they need to be successful. They will realize they have partners within the entire community who want to ensure that they have the resources they need to be healthy and successful.

Dietrich Hoefner

• Unhoused: Homelessness is an issue that we need to address in close coordination with our neighboring and adjacent communities along the front range. Louisville has a relatively small percentage of individuals experiencing homelessness. Solutions include addressing the overall shortage of housing and affordable housing units, ensuring access to social services, and engaging on this issue with compassion.
• Infrastructure: Louisville is certainly a suburban community and we do need to appreciate that many folks are going to continue to get around with cars. We need to have a transportation network that works well for folks and is safe for them. I’ve been concerned we’ve had a handful of pedestrian incidents with car collisions. We have room to improve street design and street safety to reduce the frequency of those types of incidents.
• Development: We do have opportunities to redevelop existing sites, and in some cases, we have opportunities to shift land uses potentially from underutilized commercial zone spaces to potentially allow mixed use residential and increase the number of units at a reasonable pace. Louisville’s small-town character and historic downtown are the feather in our caps, we need to be careful that whatever we do, it’s consistent with that character.
• Cost of Living: We’re in the process of developing a housing needs assessment and strategy framework that will help identify steps that can be taken in response to the housing needs. I see this as another region-wide issue. It’s across the Front Range that we have a shortage of housing, a shortage of affordable housing. And I think this is one where we’ll have to work with our neighbors, we’ll have to work with the state.
• Education: Respectfully, I would run that question to the Boulder Valley school district. As the city government, we don’t have a lot of direct oversight of local schools.
• Crime: I think we’ve been reasonably successful with community policing. That means not only having police visible around town, but also having police have good relationships with the community, and with city leadership, so they feel like trusted community members. Louisville has obviously taken steps on gun legislation within the city. I think that’s something we’ll continue, but until there are solutions at higher levels of government, it’s going to be a difficult problem for individual jurisdictions to tackle.

Louisville Ballot Measures

Louisville Open Space Tax: Additional %.125 sales tax (10 yr) to fund open space management and wildfire mitigation and an extension (10 yr) of the extant %.375 sales tax. | Vote: Yes

Longmont Elections

Longmont Mayor

Ethan Augreen – UNQUALIFIED

• Unhoused: We need to get rid of government policies that create more homelessness. For example, the lockdowns that resulted from the poorly understood health scare. I oppose bringing the train up from Denver because Denver has an even larger homelessness crisis. I think it’s important for the city to have a dedicated team that performs outreach and helps homeless people. I also support creating an alternative-to-police model like Denver’s STAR program. 
• Infrastructure: I ride the bus all the time, and I want to make sure it reaches people in the more rural areas of town. But we need to bring RTD to the table and ask what we can do to expand transit. I would also support putting a referendum on the ballot to repeal the train tax we have been paying for a train that doesn’t exist, and try to claw back any taxes we’ve already paid. 
• Development: I would listen closely to what the community wants and make sure the city’s plans match it. There’s a need for affordable housing, but we also need to protect our open space. I don’t think anyone wants to continue the sprawl that we’ve seen. I would support building more apartments or condos in that area to densify housing, but I would also work to limit sprawl. 
• Cost of living: We have an opportunity to support the modular housing industry and I would work to attract a modular housing manufacturer to town. The cost of construction has increased significantly, that’s the number one factor that’s causing housing to be more unaffordable.
• Education: The idea of creating an Early Childhood Development Special District encompassing the St. Vrain and Boulder Valley school districts should be explored further. As mayor, I will be eager to support the District and help bring this promising idea to fruition. As a general libertarian principle, I don’t think it’s wise for a city government to be directly involved with preschool. Let’s leave early childhood education in the hands of qualified and trained education professionals. 
• Crime & Mental Health: We don’t need new gun laws. The state has already provided tools like red flag laws. I also don’t think that criminals should have guns. I believe the Second Amendment is an important right because it gives citizens the right to defend themselves. We should also look at creating a law enforcement advisory board so the public can give feedback. We should hire more social workers and case managers to create a better safety net for people who suffer from mental illnesses.

Joan Peck – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: We have a project hopefully ready in 2024, for affordable housing with wrap-around services — addiction services, mental health — permanently there. We need to have everything in the same place so people don’t have to go all over the city.
• Infrastructure: We do have Ride Free Longmont but the challenge is RTD sets those routes. As we grow, the routes do not cover what we need. RTD did give us a grant to look into micro-transit. I am still working on the passenger rail district board hopefully we will get a Northwest corridor for passenger trains.
• Development: We do need to urbanize. I know that’s difficult for some people who have lived here for a long time. It is a challenge to keep our community feeling. We need to have a rental market for people. Longmont is doing a great job of building what we need to get people into housing.
• Cost of living: We used to have an inclusionary zoning ordinance years ago which gave us an affordable inventory. The city council, a few years back, got rid of that. All of our affordable units went to market rate, leaving a big gap. We need to keep people who shop and work in our community here.
• Education: Some of the conversations that I’m having with organizations are can businesses open up preschools in their facilities for their employees? Longmont Housing Authority is going to include a preschool within their housing project.
• Crime & Mental Health: A couple years ago I made a motion that half of the marijuana tax must go into an affordable housing bank. It also goes into mental health. We need universal healthcare, the cost to get mental healthcare for a family is overwhelming. 

Terri Goon – UNQUALIFIED

• Unhoused: Get the government out of the housing business altogether. That would make homes more affordable, there would be less regulation and less requirements. Homelessness is a tragic situation with a lot of factors like mental health and drug abuse involved. Keeping the government out of it would give people more money to invest in the causes they care about. 
• Infrastructure: I do not support expanding public transportation. Government doesn’t need to be in the business of bussing, especially during times of potential pandemics. Sidewalks are another story, and I think we need some stronger regulations around scooters and micro-transit options on sidewalks to improve walkability. 
• Development: Longmont is a beautiful place. Colorado is as well, and people are going to want to continue moving here. And I don’t envision the government doing anything about that. Developers should be able to create homes for people who move here in a way that makes the homes sellable. 
• Cost of living: It’s sad when kids and their families can’t afford to live here, but addressing affordability is not within the scope of the government’s duties. The government needs to stay out of the housing market and allow the market to adjust. We need to do something about Colorado’s construction defect law so we can build more condos. 
• Education: There is no such thing as free preschool. All of our taxes went up and we’re supposed to be incentivizing parents to cart their children to preschool. We should be educating more of our children at home. Keep more of your tax dollars in your pocket and maybe we won’t have to have two parents working.
• Crime & Mental Health: Mental health is a big problem, and I could see the government working to implement mental health resources until private sources come along. We’ve filled our jails with people who need mental health treatment, and it’s all because we don’t have enough resources in this state. For guns, we should have data about who has been in a mental health facility and restrict their ability to purchase firearms based on their level of threat.  

Longmont City Council – At Large

Rebekah Venturella – QUALIFIED

• Unhoused: We really have to get creative with our space, to be creative with multifunctional housing. We also need a space, something that’s open 24 hours versus Boulder’s shelter, which  is just for the evenings, and then you have homeless people on the streets in the day.
• Infrastructure: Having a car is expensive. Gas is expensive. Having more transit will be amazing, and the railway, I know they’re working hard on that. We need to be looking at that high density housing where we’re not just putting in houses and lawns, let’s make this a city. Let’s build this community in a tight, tight knit way and make it walkable.
• Development: I like the affordability option, where people are able to buy a home, and they’ll build credit, and then they can pay into it. And then they get that generational wealth, build that equity. That will give people more of a route here, versus just a fast in-and-out. Really looking at the whole picture, not just the immediate fix now.
• Cost of Living: Affordable housing is a necessity, it has to be, because it’s so expensive. Even if you wanted to buy a house, your interest rates are so high, it’s unreal. TABOR and HH are coming up. I built good relationships with state legislators, a lot of people lose sight of that city-to-state connection.
• Education: If we can get TABOR repealed and that money to help boost our education, that’s going to create a ripple effect so kids are getting better at education, they’re getting cared for, that’s going to help with people’s concern with homelessness, it will empower students and kids as they grow up. We’ve all got to buckle down and try to work this out together. It can’t just be our state legislators doing it all. We have to be pushing things here.
• Crime & Mental Health: I’ve got gun violence in the family and mental health struggles as well. I think we need a survivor in that chair. Suicide rate is a higher than that other shootings rate so we need to put more money into the budget for mental health services and we need an intensive outpatient program.

Sean McCoy – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: We’re trying to figure out how to navigate the issues surrounding clearing encampments and providing people with adequate shelter. We’re exploring the use of pallet homes and trying other Housing First approaches. I think the biggest thing is to listen to the community and respond to their needs accordingly. 
• Infrastructure: Investing in public transit is one way to resolve the climate issues attached to car-centric development. I’m a big supporter of the rail station that we’re building. In the same notion, we also need to tackle the construction defects issue in Colorado so we can build more apartments and condos to provide more people with homeownership opportunities. 
• Development: We won’t build our way out of this problem. There’s not enough land; there’s not enough water, there’s simply not enough resources to do so. We also need to start thinking about what Longmont’s ideal size is. That way we can continue to provide the services that people depend on like fire and police, while also preserving the town’s unique character. 
• Affordable housing/Cost of living: We’ve been working on this in the city for a while. That’s one reason why we had to take over the Longmont Housing Authority. In my mind, they basically forced us into this situation because of their negligence. Right now, we’re exploring the use of ADUs, but we know they won’t work everywhere. I also plan to work with homeowners associations to reduce barriers to building more affordable housing where appropriate. 
• Education: If we shift money over to support the state’s preschool education program, then something else in Longmont will get underfunded. If you never want to be able to sell a bond again, this is a great way to do it. We don’t want to overtax anybody but stepping in to help fund the gap would force us to tax a certain part of the population over others, kind of like how metro districts work. 
• Crime & Mental Health: When we look at the evidence of the gun violence epidemic, it’s sad. It’s an expensive issue for cities. We can work with insurance companies so people have to take out a policy to buy a gun. Maybe AR-15s and other weapons of war will become so costly that it dissuades people from buying them. I’m not against somebody having a gun for hunting purposes or for safety purposes. I’m against people acting like their Second Amendment rights trump my right to life.

Steve Altschuler – UNQUALIFIED 

• Unhoused: If the homeless that we’re talking about are disabled or veterans, then we need to step in and help them. The same goes for someone who maybe lived in Longmont for an extended period of time and paid taxes. Otherwise, we’re going to attract people from all over the country if we just give out subsidies to anyone who asks.  
• Infrastructure: I’m not a big fan of building high-density housing to improve walkability. People want to live in Longmont because it’s more of a bedroom community and is more affordable than other places like Boulder or Denver. I would support building more walking and biking trails for people to get to King Soopers or other stores. 
• Development: Right now, city council seems focused on acquiring as much land as possible to build as much housing as it can. I don’t think this is a way to maintain the character of Longmont. I could see us building a few more townhome communities to give people a way to step into homeownership, but we also need to focus on connecting these communities to the rest of Longmont. 
• Cost of living: One way to make housing more affordable in Longmont is to get rid of the city’s affordable housing requirements. All they do is drive up the cost of construction for developers. I think a smarter way to make housing more affordable is to stop taxing people so much and allow the city’s residents to keep more of their income. 
• Education: There are things that people should be personally responsible for, and their children are one of them. I think our government should be primarily focused on providing fire and police services, not universal daycare. Hiring government employees to fix this mess will just increase taxes for the rest of us. 
• Crime & Mental Health: Criminals will always find a way to get guns, so the answer isn’t to take guns away from reasonable and law-abiding citizens. Places that have the toughest gun laws, like Chicago, also have some of the highest rates of gun violence. On mental health, we need to make it easier for people who need treatment to get treatment.

Longmont City Council – Ward 1

Diane Crist

• Unhoused: Property taxes push people out, creating more homeless. This is kind of a whole enchilada here. Historically, we’ve been through times like this before —  the 1970s, the 1930s — significant things need to happen. We need Reaganomics to bring down inflation, deregulate, lower our taxes, and balance our budgets.
• Infrastructure: On the Transportation Board we started talking about Vision Zero because we have a safety issue with the way transportation is right now. It’s very centralized. And that just doesn’t work. The big initiative that we picked was Vision Zero. We’re working on developing that within the city, which is zero traffic deaths.
• Development: High density housing is meant to be more affordable, but it’s from isolated services. The thing we need most is for transportation services, which could connect quite easily at a commercial center like the blighted Safeway. It’d be a nice five errand stop and you could catch a bus there, which makes things a lot more affordable.
• Cost of living: We’ve got to put a break on property taxes. The Gallagher Amendment was written back in the 1970s in a similar economic climate. It was repealed, and the idea was we would replace it, but what we did was we removed it without replacing it. In the meantimeI’m asking the city council to consider property tax rebates.
• Education: It’s a frustration to those who work in government funding. We need to not vote in the initiatives on the ballot this year. We need to give it three years and see where we are financially. Currently, we don’t have any childcare facilities on the north end of town, but there are empty storefronts that can be brought into condition. The real road forward is to trim down the expenses. We have to partner with the private sector.
• Crime & Mental Health: Often we try to come up with a micro solution to what’s a macro problem. There’s a homeless engagement professional, a liaison that keeps tabs on that community. That seems to be helping that community find the services they need. I’m not in favor of needle exchanges.

Harrison Earl – QUALIFIED

• Unhoused: It’s important to remember that we’re talking about human beings when we talk about the unhoused. I would work to connect them with better services and resources. I would look to other communities to find ways we can work collaboratively to solve the problem.
• Infrastructure: One of my key objectives is to make sure we have a livable Longmont. Part of being in a livable community is having a public transit system that works for the community and isn’t only built to serve Main Street. I love the idea of microtransit as well. We should also work to improve our sidewalks and build more protected bike lanes to help the city meet its Vision Zero goals. 
• Development: Parks, greenspaces and open areas are what make Longmont a phenomenal place to live and I want them to be enjoyed by future generations. There are ways we can support more growth without sacrificing open land. We should look at certain areas close to downtown that can accommodate more multi-family housing.
• Affordable housing/Cost of living: We need more supply in the community, and that includes more subsidized properties and market-rate homes. Longmont has historically built either single-family homes or apartments and nothing in between. We need to diversify housing stock, one way to do that is speed-up the approval process for developments.
• Education: There’s a group in Longmont that has been pushing for an early childhood education program and a regional tax to support it. While I’m not in favor of new taxes, I like the idea of expanding public education and would support those ideas.
• Crime & Mental Health: The mental health challenges we’re facing are much bigger than the City of Longmont can handle by itself. We need federal and state officials to dramatically increase the funding we receive for supportive services, and should be sending trained professionals to help these individuals instead of police officers. I would support programs like gun buybacks to reduce the number of guns on the street.

Nia Wassink – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: I’ve spent a lot of my career working with the homeless community. First and foremost, housing is the solution. People can’t get into stable employment, substance use treatment, or mental health support services unless they have housing. Right now, we’re relying on the kindness of our faith community and that’s non sustainable.
• Infrastructure: Longmont has grown in a lot of fantastic ways. We were recently named by People For Bikes as the #10 city for our infrastructure. And a lot of folks are looking at multimodal solutions for themselves. I think we have a duty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make our streets safer for pedestrians. That’s why I support our Vision Zero goals. 
• Development: One of the things that really appeals to the people of Longmont is the city’s diversity. We have amazing cultural art centers and we’ve created a city that allows people from different socioeconomic backgrounds to live here. If we don’t have a diverse housing stock, then become a city that only appeals to the elite. We need to balance our green spaces with housing that people can afford. 
• Cost of living: There isn’t a silver bullet for this problem. We need to do it all by addressing zoning issues, supporting accessory dwelling units, and supporting infill development so that folks aren’t pushed to the outskirts of our city. We need townhomes, apartments, condos, and single-family homes. We need to figure out where we can put them so they don’t disturb our community environment. 
• Education: I was part of the Early Childhood Alliance for Boulder County that was pushing for a special district to provide more education funding for kids. We are heading toward an early childhood education crisis in this country. Funds from the American Rescue Plan Act are about to run out. The local government must play a role in the solution.
• Crime & Mental Health: We have amazing programs in Longmont like the Restorative Justice Program, but we need to do a better job of addressing the underlying needs of young adults. Crime is a symptom of deeper issues. We need to improve our services for people who struggle with their mental health, and raise salaries for social workers and mental health clinicians.

Longmont City Council – Ward 3

Gary Hodges – UNQUALIFIED

• Unhoused: The city published a pamphlet that has a half-dozen shelter options, food options, and resources for people who don’t have to be living on the streets. It’s really about vagrancy.
• Infrastructure: Public transit is fine, but we’re a relatively small town. I think RTD more broadly will almost always say “no” to expending resources here. We need to look at other options like expanding specialty lines to football games or to the airport, or at beautifying our existing public transit stops with public art to encourage more use. 
• Development: Longmont is going to continue to see growth and I am not opposed to the idea of adding more affordable housing, fundamentally. We need to identify an end game because the blind pursuit of affordable housing can have major consequences.
• Cost of living: It’s expensive because a lot of people want to live here. Something that the city council needs to address is the increasing local utility costs. Electricity prices have increased this year and could increase next year. The city has a plan to draw 100% of its power from renewable energy sources but we can’t shut down our coal-powered energy plants. It’s just fantasy.
• Education: Our role would be to lobby state lawmakers for a solution to the problem, and partner with surrounding communities to send letters of support for different pieces of legislation. I am not sure that we can do anything at the local level to address this issue. 
• Crime: This is not something that the city council can solve. It must come from the state. People don’t feel as safe as they used to. That’s been caused by the push for reduced sentencing at the state level by Attorney General Weiser. I’m not going to ask the police to crack skulls, but we need to get back to community-value policing, go after the criminals, and protect rights of law-abiding citizens. 

Ron Gallegos 

• Unhoused: I don’t think there need to be any more large shelters built because between half or three-quarters of the unhoused population are lacking the necessary mental health support they need. We can thank Ronald Regan for that. I would support building a temporary housing community with shipping containers that is managed by a third-party. 
• Infrastructure: We need to have more owner-occupied, mixed-use, and condo communities in Longmont so that people don’t have to drive to get their basic necessities. If you live near where you work, then people don’t have to use cars as much and that would make Longmont safer for pedestrians. 
• Development: We need to start talking about the sustainability of our community. Longmont is in “maintenance mode.” We should be looking at new infrastructure to accommodate growth. We could increase fees for park space and make other fees for water, stormwater, and sewage go away. I would also encourage mixed-use development in places that have been traditionally commercial or retail areas. 
• Cost of living: We need to streamline the building relationship between developers and the planning community to get them all marching in the same direction together. The last thing we should do is shove a top-down solution on the community. Instead, we should get a bottom-up solution with a lot of buy-in. 
• Education: Education isn’t the city’s area of expertise. That’s why we have a school board. We’ve got enough on our plate to fill it, and then some. We don’t need to be looking out for any other problems. 
• Crime: We don’t have any mental health professionals listed on Longmont’s staff. Nor should we. That doesn’t mean we can’t be supportive, but we need to stay in our lane. Gun violence is a similar issue. That’s a federal, not a state or city-level issue. Policies like extended waiting periods seem to be popular with the public, but I don’t think gun buybacks are something Longmont should consider.

Spencer Adams – NO REPLY

Susan Hidalgo-Fahring – ENDORSED

• Homelessness: I have been working on streamlining the way our Neighborhood Impact Teams work with other community organizations to connect people with services. We need to remember that many of our unhoused neighbors are living in flight-or-fight mode and don’t always have the ability to think about finding services when they don’t know where their next meal is coming from.
• Infrastructure: We need to have more options for people who rely on public transportation. Our transportation department recently acquired a grant to support micro-transit. We can’t have people waiting at a bus stop for 30 minutes. We increase the frequency which our public transit operates. I’m also glad to support our Vision Zero goals of making our streets safer for pedestrians. 
• Development: The people who work in Longmont should be able to live here as well. But a lot of the jobs that we have are so-called working middle class jobs and those are the people who are struggling most to afford housing. I support building more affordable or attainable housing for these folks.
• Cost of living: One way to make housing more affordable for all is to raise the minimum wage. We have to make sure it aligns with our cost of living. This is something I’ve advocated. Providing housing is one part of the solution, and making sure people can pay for that housing is the other. 
• Education: One of Longmont’s priorities is early childhood education and that goal has been in place before the state’s push for universal early childhood education. We want to expand those services. We have to make sure these services are affordable for impoverished families.
• Crime: I work to educate the community about the mental health services that are available to them. We also want to make sure we’re sending the right responders to the scene. On gun safety, we need to tighten up our red flag law and start holding people accountable for gun crimes. 

Longmont Ballot Measures 

3C – New Library Funded by Mill Levy and Sales Tax Increases | Vote: Yes

3D – New Arts & Entertainment Center Funded by Mill Levy and Sales Tax Increases | Vote: Yes

3E New Recreation Facilities Funded by Mill Levy and Sales Tax Increases | Vote: Yes

Superior Elections

Superior Ballot Measures

301 – Home Rule Charter: Shall the Town of Superior form a home rule charter commission for the purpose of drafting a home rule charter? | Vote: Yes

Thornton Elections

Thornton Mayor

Jan Kulmann – UNQUALIFIED

Julia Marvin – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: We need to expand services that we have to help people at the moment, we have our cold weather program where we provide vouchers when it gets really cold. I would like to see that program expanded to include the summer we’re starting to see more and more days of nearly 100 degrees or higher.
• Infrastructure: We need to be putting more resources into making sure that our roads and our sidewalks are all well maintained.We really need to start looking at some alternatives besides RTD. We need more Micro Mobility public transportation options.
• Development: Community feel is what people really love about Thorton. People do wish we had more small businesses, coffee shops, restaurants, it adds to the character. Do we really need a gas station on every corner? 
• Cost of Living: We should create a housing inventory for the city to figure out what we’re missing, where the gaps are, and then create a housing strategic plan. We could be doing inclusionary zoning policies that would require developers to allocate a certain percentage of affordable housing units. And that’s something that the current council has no interest in.
• Education: Making sure that we’re paying our early educators living wages is incredibly important. The City could invest in public after school programs that the city runs, we should be investing and expanding those more
• Crime & Mental Health: if someone’s in crisis usually the initial call is going to be 911. So to have some mental health professionals that can be sent out in those situations is crucial. There was a lot of success working with cities to provide mental health counselors that were embedded in the police departments.

Thornton City Council – Ward 2 

Angie Bedolla – DID NOT REPLY

Roberta Ayala – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: I’ve seen it in my neighborhood. I live by a pretty big park and there are folks camping there. We don’t really have much funding for our homeless outreach team. We have to fund mental health and human services. I worked in human services, we need those folks, we need to pay them so they stay.
• Infrastructure: I grew up in the original neighborhood of Thornton, it’s more walkable. Other places, you’re getting a little bit into the food desert area, where there’s a lot of housing but not any resources nearby. Roads are built for the car, not for the person. There’s tons of accidents. A lot of neighbors reach out to me as a community leader because they’re frustrated. We can build it so it’s safer for our community.
• Development: I think we haven’t been balancing, we’ve been concentrating more on developers. Our current Council is more interested in pandering to developers with corporate profit interests. Their campaigns have been bankrolled by developers. How do we fold our community into these conversations? I want to get Thorton back to a city that represents people, not corporate profit.
• Cost of Living: Housing that is built for people, affordable housing, isn’t going to be the developer’s top priority. Typically they push housing that is affordable, into the denser, older neighborhoods, and then the luxury apartments and single use McMansions north, and that’s not sustainable. Part of my platform is that we need housing everywhere.
• Education: I sent my son to the Thornton Rec Center, preschool program, and it was fairly affordable. I was pretty much a single mom at the time. We should keep those programs affordable, even though it was just a few days a week. I’m a fan of education as early as you can.
• Crime & Mental Health: We have a progressive and well funded police force but we’re asking our police department to do a lot of things that they are maybe not best trained to do. We started a responder program, but we have to look at adding more resources because a lot of the unhoused folks in Thornton are having mental health issues.

Thornton City Council – Ward 3

David Acunto – REFUSED INTERVIEW

Mark Gormley – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: We have a capitalist system wrapped around what is supposed to be our democratic system and we should be taking care of everybody. We don’t have enough money for support programs. We want to give everybody what they’re asking for, because the need is out there, but where’s the money coming from? 
• Infrastructure: A number of people I’ve spoken to have voiced their desire for better eating establishments. Thornton does a really good job with green spaces, and trails, and we need to make sure that we maintain the ones that exist, and continue to develop those and make sure that the green spaces and trails are in the interest of the citizens and not the developers.
• Development: We don’t have enough affordable housing, specifically what I mean is the other three Wards all have a lot more apartments. So anybody starting out new is not going to be able to afford these single family homes that are cropping up endlessly.
• Cost of Living: In my case, KB Home was able to roll up all the infrastructure expenses into bonds, and when they walk away, they leave the bonds behind for the homeowners to pay, and then they call it property taxes when it’s really infrastructure expenses that are put into these bonds.
• Education:  It would be wonderful if we had the ability to do this, to accommodate people’s needs. I’m all for public education. We’re going back to the whole funding issue. I’m wondering if we have the facilities for such a thing.
• Crime & Mental Health: In the 1980s, Reagan started closing down a lot of mental facilities across the country. We’re not putting the resources into it, and then many wonder why we have so many homeless. A lot of this because they have no alternative. Mental health resources can help prevent crime because people aren’t putting in a situation where they need to perpetrate crime.

Thornton City Council – Ward 4

Christopher Russell – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: My solution is to increase funding for our HOT team, our homeless outreach team here in Thornton, which is understaffed. We need to get communities together, so that we’re not just moving the unhoused across city lines, but actually providing help.
• Infrastructure: Where I live, off Highway 7, there are few bus routes. I believe that the city should run a study and consider running our own mass transit bus system. Spend some money on additional bike lanes and connecting trails.
• Development: Simply by building townhomes, condos, those are higher dense, but they are housing that is innately more affordable.
• Cost of Living: If we are going to erect condos or townhomes we need to designate 20-30% of those as affordable units that have a certain limitation on the price.
• Education: My wife’s level of frustration was through the roof because we couldn’t get answers right away and right deadlines were coming and you had to commit. There needs to be dedicated personnel that can help review and take in information for the betterment of the program.
• Crime & Mental Health: I am a big advocate for having a universal health care system. I think that we start at the top with our federal government. I think the American population in general needs better access to medical treatment across the board, not just mental health. 

Nicole Matkowsky – DID NOT REPLY

Dacono Elections

City Council – At Large

Daniel J. Spagnuolo – DID NOT REPLY

David O’Day – DID NOT REPLY

Doris Crespo – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: We don’t have a lot of unhoused people around our area, so I’d definitely look more into it and do a lot more research into it if it was something affecting Dacono.
• Infrastructure: I think we have a plan with a lot of development coming to Dacono, so I’m really excited about that, definitely more housing and more businesses. I’m really looking forward to growth in that way.
• Development: I think we all definitely have to work together. I think we are going to have a lot of growth in Colorado.
• Cost of living: Who’s not struggling to pay for housing right now? That is something we should all be concerned about. I believe working together with different people, different organizations, I think we could all help with that.
• Education: I agree there is that problem. I would have to do a lot more research on it to make a decision.

Mike Mathiesen – DID NOT REPLY

Rick Gerk – QUALIFIED

• Unhoused: Currently the issue is not afflicting Dacono to where it’s a high priority. I haven’t heard of it in my community or other communities within Dacono.
• Infrastructure: We’re not going to build another King Soopers on the south side of 52. We need to be reasonably thinking about the direction we want Dacono to go. What’s attainable, and set those sights in a realistic manner.
• Development: As a council member your responsibility is to think about the current residents. I have an appreciation for people who have been here for a number of years in the original, central part of the city, and then be mindful of where we want to be in the future. I think the balance for that seems to be a sticky point for our city.
• Cost of living: Home prices and living prices in Dacono are much lower compared to Erie, to Thornton, to Broomfield. Dacono is pretty well primed to support any kind of person who wants to move here, we have housing options for anybody who has any sort of respectable income to support and sustain themselves.
• Education: Childcare is very hard to get into, the affordability is beyond many, so I do think there is an issue. There is a big gap between availability of childcare providers and then a big gap between what people can actually afford to pay. I think it’s a multi-layered issue. I do feel for families.

Dacono Ballot Measures

City Manager Selection and Role – Shall the City of Dacono Home Rule Charter be amended to require the City Council to appoint and remove the City Manager and other appointed officers by resolution and require the City Manager to devote their work primarily to the City and not hold any elected or appointed office or otherwise engage in activities contrary to the interest of the City? | Vote: Yes

Open Government Training for Councilmembers – Shall the City of Dacono Home Rule Charter be amended to incorporate an Open Government Policy; require councilmembers and members of boards and commissions to attend periodic training regarding open government; include requirements for open meetings, notices, and agendas; provide that special meeting notices may be delivered to councilmembers by email; limit discussion and formal action at meetings to items included on meeting agendas except when an emergency requires immediate action; and require disclosures when relatives of councilmembers and members of boards and commissions appear before such bodies? | Vote: Yes

Pro-Term Mayoral Selection – Shall the City of Dacono Home Rule Charter be amended to provide that councilmembers take office at the first regular or special meeting following certification of the results of their election; a Mayor Pro-tem shall be appointed by the city council following certification of the results of each regular or special election; and the Mayor Pro-tem may be replaced at any time with another councilmember by at least four (4) affirmative votes of the council? | Vote: Yes

Tax Levy for Library Shall the City of Dacono, Colorado be included in the High Plains Library District, for which the current rate of property tax levied is 3.177 mills? | Vote: Yes

Westminster Elections

Westminster City Council – At Large

Amber Hott – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: We have navigators who go into the unhoused community, build relationships, and offer assistance. The issue that we have right now is they only had two navigators, and one of them recently quit. One or two people cannot help the amount of unhoused people we have in our community. I would speak to the navigator that we currently have to find out what their needs are.
• Infrastructure: Any future development needs to be mixed use so amenities are within walking distance and building roads and sidewalks that are safe for people to walk. Also, there are areas where our sidewalks don’t continue. There are people who are pushing a stroller, maybe they’re in a wheelchair, what happens when the sidewalk just stops?
• Development: We need to continue to protect our open space. We need to look at the characteristics of the neighborhoods that are already there, and do what we can to make sure that whatever we’re building fits. Things, like duplexes and fourplexes, you can build them in a way that they look like single family homes.
• Cost of living: We have a development called the Uplands Development. We were supposed to have 600 affordable units, that has dropped down to 300. It took a long time to get through the processes with the city. If the developer comes in and their main concern is making the max amount of money, I’m gonna think twice about approving when we have developers that invest back in our community.
• Education: I’ve been building relationships with the people on the school board. When I’ve been talking to principals, educators, superintendents, really wanting to understand how we can partner to help our kids. One of the areas that they need help with is they don’t have enough space for their preschool. We don’t just have areas without grocery stores, we have areas where we don’t have enough childcare.

Bruce Baker – UNQUALIFIED

• Unhoused: We need to remind the counties it is their responsibility. The path we chose more than a year ago hasn’t yielded the results we had hoped for. We need a different strategy.
• Infrastructure: One of the problems is that there’s nothing to walk to in this area. The Uplands is on Federal Boulevard, which has bus transit. The closest grocery store is on 104th. That’s two miles, one each way. Two miles doesn’t suit anybody’s definition of walkability.
• Development: Westminster is a completely car dependent community. If you want to have private green spaces, lawns, landscapes, you need space. You end up being car dependent. Mass transit does not work with low density housing. You need points of origin and points of destination on the lines. We don’t have that, we’re not built that way.
• Affordable housing/Cost of living: Affordable housing is more of a scam to get the city to relax our housing codes and requirements so corporations can make bigger profits. The Uplands is just a prime example of this.There’s not going to be any affordable housing there at all. Anyone who thinks so is really nurturing a fantasy. They’re gonna make as much money as they can.
• Education: The problem is way too big than even the state government and sometimes you have to scratch your head, and say ‘how carefully did they look at this before promising?’ Here’s where promises far exceeded capabilities.

Claire Carmelia – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: This is of extreme personal importance to me. I’m passionate about ensuring we do the most that we can in a compassionate, humane and holistic way. I believe that we need to partner with others for better solutions that work in a broader way for the Front Range. I have been having discussions with our neighbors in Arvada, Lakewood, and Thornton, trying to gather ideas of how they are tackling the issue.
• Infrastructure: I could not afford a car until I was 27, and that was very limiting. I believe that we need more mixed use zoning. We should make sure that it’s not just a subdivision out in the middle of nowhere, the only way to and from via car. Hopefully we’re having houses to the same places as restaurants and entertainment, and then folks can walk to where they’re going.
• Development: It comes down to planning smart. Where do we put housing and what kind of housing do we select to be built? Housing can be planned around transit, RTD stations, etc. We’re trying to avoid building on spaces that have not been built before.
• Cost of living: We all live in Westminster for a reason. It is a beautiful city with gorgeous views. We want to protect our parks and open spaces. That is a priority and always will be. I think that we need to build smart and plan ahead because growth is just a part of life, and trying to inhibit growth, inhibits our economy. It also pushes current residents out because if they ever want to downsize, there is no available property for them.
• Education: It’s prudent upon local government to find solutions, even when perhaps before there weren’t any. With that said, I don’t know exactly what we can do. But with the many schools that recently shut down, we now have available buildings and lands that I would like to see used for the community. I really hope that they end up being used in some way for the kids.

Jeff Jones – DID NOT REPLY

Karen Kalavity

• Unhoused: Luckily I’m not one of them, but I could have been. I had a foreclosure during the 2011 recession. We should have some housing available for people to live in for a year, not just the night when it gets cold. 
• Infrastructure: Focus on pedestrian oriented neighborhoods rather than just transit oriented neighborhoods. Focus on neighborhood design that accommodates walkability first. We need public transit throughout the city, not just to downtown Denver.
• Development: I’m fighting against the Uplands Development as a city council candidate. We need to protect our open space, and concentrate our density development in a place like the new downtown.
• Cost of Living: It shouldn’t be 300 units of all the same kind of housing, it should be intermixed with other housing. That reduces stigma and allows people to work within their community. Any new construction needs to incorporate least 15% truly affordable housing.
• Education: With declining enrollment they are closing lots of elementary schools. Maybe those buildings could be used partially as pre-K facilities.

Kristine Ireland – UNQUALIFIED

• Unhoused: The city has gotten a hotel for these people, spending a million dollars a year, but the problem has not changed. I think you can give too much and people will become not self-reliant. It’s not good for people to be given everything. They need to get ways to help them learn how to do a resume, get a job, those kinds of things I would be willing to advocate for.
• Infrastructure: We’re really spread out, and people have to get to work. You can’t expect people not to work. I mean, my husband works outside of the city, he has no choice and sadly enough a lot of our city employees live outside the city. The number one problem we can address is to hire within so people can be closer to work.
• Development: I think we just need to stop it, and address how we are changing our suburb into Denver. We didn’t move here to be Denver. We moved here to get away from traffic and high density. I like Boulders’ approach to caring about people’s sunshine, they won’t build anything if it blocks your sunshine.
• Cost of living: The number one problem with housing being affordable is the taxes — property taxes, water rates, and sales tax. Corporations have been buying up single family homes and turning them into rentals. Westminster has the highest rent costs in the entire state of Colorado, but letting corporations buy up these houses, we’re gonna have a problem until 2030.
• Education: I haven’t ever thought about this one too much. I have children, my own. Some went to preschool, some didn’t go to preschool. I would have to look into that more, because no one’s brought that up to me at all in this city.

Richard Seymour – UNQUALIFIED

• Unhoused: The answer is not more government assistance, that’s already been tried. As a city, unlike a county, we receive no human services dollars. We have to find a creative way to address homelessness in our city. It’s a continuum of compassionate care with mental health, co-responders in our police department, homeless navigators who do the follow up contacts, and we have a budget for temporary bed sites. Those who don’t want to take advantage of the services just move from one place to the other.
• Infrastructure: This is the western United States. It is not high density Eastern, or Western corridors. That creates an issue as far as moving people out of cars. We’re hoping that either Front Range Rail or RTD  will have a stop at the new downtown, which we have a spot carved out for. We also have a development at our train station at 71st. and Irving that is part of the end of the D line where we have two developments going in there.
• Development: Our current Council just updated our comprehensive plan, which took a very hard look at our number one resource: water. We asked staff to reduce the density on some parcels to make sure that what we did build, we had water for. No water, no building. We want to maintain unique neighborhoods, unique styles, a little bit of everything for everybody, to keep our suburban mix.
• Cost of living: Inventory over time will help with the cost. There’s no immediate short term fixes. Westminster has two remaining large parcels to build everything from single family homes, paired homes, townhomes. Entry level homes should be 30% of the healthy market. Because of our state legislature unwilling to fix this or address it, it’s less than 3% of our market.
• Education: Local governments absolutely cannot fill that gap. Governor Polis over-promised and under-delivered.

Timothy Pegg – ENDORSED

• Unhoused: We got to make progress on the high rent in the metro area. Westminster can do its part and will help with some of the homeless folks. Some of them have problems with drug use or mental health so I think there needs to be updating of our knowledge constantly about the best ways to get those folks the help they need.
• Infrastructure: I would make sure that we’re doing things with transit oriented developments so we aren’t incentivizing people to drive when places can be accessed on foot and by bus. I can think of a couple city policies that are, in effect, paying people to drive. We’re shooting ourselves in the foot and we need to stop.
• Development: I think accessory dwelling units are a great way to do that. They don’t really change the neighborhood character, but there’s an opportunity to develop more. Additionally, we have some city owned open space we shouldn’t sell off.
• Affordable housing: Accessory dwelling units: granny cottages, that type of construction gives homeowners an opportunity, and will soften price pressure on the housing market. It’s a win-win for young families, or an aging relative, they can live in your backyard. They’re not competing with someone else for housing, and they’re close to someone who can help take care of them.
• Education: Unfortunately, I’m not really familiar enough with the specifics on that.

William “Scott” Shilling – UNQUALIFIED

• Unhoused: Now for those that are truly homeless, I don’t know. I want to try and figure out how to help them without subsidizing them with taxpayer money. I’d like to hear what the proposals are. I’m okay to help them. But vagrants, I want to make it uncomfortable so that they move on someplace else.
• Infrastructure: This is a suburb. A suburb is traditionally single family housing, cars are just part of that. If you want to get into a discussion about cars hurting the environment, I can get into that. I’m not going to bring in more high density apartments and things of that nature. We want to keep this community more of a sober, classic suburb of single family units.
• Development: Westminster has a certain amount of open space. Simply gobbling up all of the open space and shoving in high density apartments is not where I want to take us. Westminster’s population is currently about 125,000. I want to keep it right in that range, and make sure we keep our open spaces open. And guess what? It’s full.
• Cost of living: You cannot have taxpayers subsidize other people’s lifestyles. Employers are going to need to raise their salaries to pay people a living wage. A lot of it depends on the administration who’s in charge, and what they’re doing to stop inflation, and stop illegal immigration. It starts at the federal government.
• Education: Schools in Westminster are more controlled by the county. The county is the one responsible for that, the state and county. I don’t want to get into schools. There’s so many people breathing down schools’ necks. I don’t need the City Council of Westminster also breathing down the necks of the schools. It’s a county and state issue and I don’t want to subsidize the county or the state with city money.

Westminster Ballot Measures

3L – Wards: Shall the Westminster City Council propose by 2026 a system of electing some or all City Council members from geographic wards rather than at-large? | Vote: Yes

3M – Budget Control: Shall the Westminster City Charter, Section 9.6 Budget Control, subsection (2), be amended to change the City Manager’s budgetary control from the departmental budget level to the fund level, in order to allow for more effective financial management? | Vote: Yes

3N – Budget Procedures (Timeline): Shall the Westminster City Charter, Section 9.2 Budget Procedures, be amended to provide current year expenditures as of July 31 rather than September 1st, in order to provide the community with a more consistent basis of comparison of City expenditures? | Vote: Yes

3O – Budget Procedures (Appropriation): Shall the Westminster City Charter, Section 13.3 Contracts, subsection (h), be amended to allow the City Manager to designate an individual to certify an appropriation has been made before a contract, agreement, or purchase order is executed, in order to provide more effective management of financial controls? | Vote: Yes

3P – Public Announcements: Shall the Westminster City Charter, Section 17.5 Definition of Publication, Mailing of Notices, be amended to change the requirements for the publication of notices and ordinances from newspaper publication only to allow for either newspaper publication or publication on the City’s official website, or both, in order to allow for notices to reach more people, more effectively, and more quickly? | Vote: Yes

School Board Elections

Boulder Valley School District

District A

Jason Unger – ENDORSED

• Book Bans: I’m concerned about not just banning books but anti-equity policies around the country. Parents in BVSD have a right to opt their kids out of lessons. Where I draw the line is when parents impact or censor what other kids are learning.
• Early Education & Healthy Meals: Colorado passed a ballot initiative to have all kids have access to healthy breakfast and lunch. As a teacher in Compton, I could see the advantage that early education provides. The state program’s goal is the right goal.
• DEI & Education: Diversity of teaching staff is important as well so people can see themselves in teachers. Some schools have a DEI committee and I think that’s a model. I’m supportive of all efforts to promote diversity and ensure welcoming environments.
• Mental Health: With a ratio of 450 kids to each counselor we need to do everything we can as a district to lower that ratio to bring in more counselors, both on the career and guidance side but more so on the mental health side.
• Drills & Anxiety: We can’t ignore the fact that these are real threats that we have this real issue and so we have to prepare for these things and do so in a calm and measured way, not with alarmist language. I feel like the district has fairly good plans in place.

Neil Fishman – QUALIFIED

• Book Bans: I’m opposed to banning books. Kids need to see themselves in their educational materials. I was engaged very directly to make sure progressive standards were the ones ultimately accepted by the State Board of Education for the K-12 for the entire state of Colorado for social studies standards.
• Early Education & Healthy Meals: I was not pleased to see we had these great plans but not the resources available to implement the plans fully like we had hoped. I think the voters need to pay attention to the crying need for it and pass Ballot Issue II, it would help us.
• DEI & Education: It’s integral. The absence of it leads to problems in terms of having safe and welcoming schools. A huge part of the learning process is feeling comfortable and safe in the environment you’re learning in.
• Mental Health: One shining spot right now in BVSD is the Wellness Center model. In its first year almost one out of every two kids in the school spent time in the Wellness Center. BVSD has expanded it to five additional schools.
• Drills & Anxiety: we really need to begin to be thinking outside the box. be aware, alert, and have kids be a part of our eyes and ears on the ground. They’re very connected to their surroundings, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t include them in the solutions that we try and come up with.