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Fast Facts
Weather
Attractions
Events
A Mile High…..and Climbing....
Denver is the culture and adventure hub of the Rocky Mountains. The Mile High City is in the midst of a cultural and culinary boom that has everyone talking. From celebrated restaurants to world-renowned museums, upscale shopping to remarkable theater, Denver's renaissance has travelers flocking to this iconic western city to experience all the city has to offer.
The culinary scene in Denver continues to draw national attention, as some of the nation's hottest young chefs gravitate here to open their own visionary venues. In chic neighborhoods like the Highlands, LoDo (short for 'lower downtown'), Golden Triangle and Cherry
Creek, culinary pioneers are serving all varieties of cuisine, from Asian, Latin fusion to South American haute cuisine, not to mention authentic Italian and native Colorado fare. Restaurants, galleries and shops pepper Denver's 20 diverse neighborhoods. From the stately Victorian mansions of Capitol Hill and the rich African-American culture of historic Five Points, to the quaint, tree-lined streets of Old South Gaylord and Old South Pearl, Denver's laid-back attitude and high-class are exemplified in the art districts and communities surrounding downtown. Meanwhile, the heart of downtown Denver is still the 16th Street
Mall, a mile-long pedestrian promenade lined with restaurants, shops and seasonal programming. Free hop-on-hop-off shuttle buses leave either end of the Mall every 90 seconds, making everything downtown easy to reach. At the northern end of the Mall is LoDo, a hip historic district with a vibrant nightlife. LoDo is overflowing with more than 200 bars, lounges, brew pubs, jazz cafés, restaurants and music clubs. In 2007, the neighborhood welcomed the stunning new Museum of Contemporary Art | Denver, attracting some of the nation's top talent and offering a staggering rooftop view of the Denver skyline. Nearby, the Cherry Creek Shopping District is a village within the city, filled with nearly 500 shops, independent boutiques, cafés, restaurants and galleries. It's where Denver comes to browse, to sip, to see and be seen.
You may also want to check out Denver's music scene, with some of the best sounds - from top acts to independent artists - that can be heard across the nation. Open year-round and celebrating its 68th year, the Red Rocks Amphitheatre welcomes a new music season each summer along with outdoor films every Tuesday night.
For the more sports-minded, Denver also offers MLB's Colorado Rockies who play at the centrally located Coors Field in LoDo. Denver hosts seven professional sports team in total, including the NHL's Colorado Avalanche, the NFL's Denver Broncos and the NBA's Denver Nuggets. For great hotel rates, a calendar of events and more information on Denver, visit www.VISITDENVER.com or call 1-800-2DENVER.
Fast Facts
1) Denver truly is one mile high. The 15th step on the west side of the State Capitol Building is 5,280 feet above sea level, as is the purple row of seats around Coors Field.
2) Denver was born during the great "Pikes Peak or Bust Gold Rush" of 1859 when some flakes of glacier gold were found where the South Platte River meets Cherry Creek
Weather
Denver has 300 days of sunshine a year - more hours of annual sun than San Diego or Miami Beach. The average daily temperature during the summer is 84°F, and with the Mile High altitude of 5,280, sunscreen is a must! Outdoor cafés and golf courses are open year-round, but are particularly popular between May and September. And with such reliable weather, Denver is
fast becoming a destination-wedding Mecca.
Attractions
Museum of Contemporary Art | Denver - A spectacular new building designed by David Adjaye, Denver's newest museum offers five galleries with changing exhibits.
303.298.7554 • www.mcadenver.org
Denver Art Museum - The largest and most comprehensive collection of art between Kansas City & the West Coast with more than 30,000 objects. 720.865.5000 • www.denverartmuseum.org
Denver Museum of Nature & Science - Incredible dinosaur exhibits, an IMAX theater, amazing gems and Egyptian mummies, Space Odyssey, and the world's most advanced digital planetarium. 303.322.7009 • www.dmns.org First Friday Art Walk q Galleries all over the city keep their doors open late and treat visitors to special exhibits, food, and music. www.denver365.com
For great hotel rates, a calendar of events and more information on Denver, visit www.visitDenver.com or call 1-800-2DENVER.
2010 DENVER EVENTS
Cinco de Mayo Celebration May 5-9, 2010
The nation's largest celebration of its kind.
800.2DENVER • www.VISITDENVER.com
La Piazza dell'Arte June 5-6, 2010
Artists transform Denver's Larimer Square into a beautiful street
museum of bright and colorful chalk art images.
303.685.8143 • www.larimerarts.org/la_piazza_dell_arte.html
PrideFest June 19-20, 2010
One of the nation's top 10 GLBT events in the country.
303.934.8045 • www.denverpridefest.org
Cherry Creek Arts Festival
July 3, 4, 5, 2010
More than 350,000 visitors annually enjoy the visual, culinary and performing arts and interactive activities for the whole family. Experience Colorado's signature and award-winning cultural event!
303.355.2787• www.cherryarts.org
Denver Outlaws MLL Lacrosse, May through August, 2010
Watch the Denver Outlaws at INVESCO Field at Mile High Stadium. Season runs through July 25. 720-258-3606; www.denveroutlaws.com
Colorado Rockies, April through September, 2010
Watch the 2007 National League Champions all summer long at Coors Field. Season runs through September. 303-ROCKIES; colorado.rockies.mlb.com
Annual Downtown Denver Festival of the Arts, May 28-31, 2010
Nothing paints a better picture of fun than a festival filled with more than 150 of Colorado's most esteemed artists. This popular art event formally known as the Colorado Arts Festival will showcase paintings, sculpture, photography, glasswork, woodwork and more. Because each artist will be on-site, visitors also have the opportunity to speak one-on-one with the creators of the works on display. www.downtowndenverartsfestival.com
Capitol Hill People's Fair, June 5-6, 2010
Experience Denver's most eclectic neighborhood festival in Civic Center Park. Features include live entertainment on multiple stages, hundreds of arts and crafts booths and a food bazaar. 303-830-1651; www.peoplesfair.com
City Park Jazz Summer Concert Series, June 6 - August 8, 2010
Every Sunday evening Denverites prepare for the work week by relaxing and listening to jazz in at the historic City Park Pavilion. 303-744-1004; cityparkjazz.org
Highlands Street Festival, June 20
Over 35,000 visitors attend this free event annually to listen to live music, taste local cuisine and sip micro-brews. Live music on 3 stages and over 125 vendors. www.highlands-square.com/Fair
Juneteenth, June 19, 2010
Celebrate and share in the vibrant African American culture with food, music and a parade in the Five Points neighborhood. 303-832-3770; denverjuneteenth.org
Cherry Blossom Festival, June 26-27, 2010
Celebrate Japanese culture with exhibits and demonstrations, live entertainment, contemporary and traditional art, and delicious Japanese delicacies at Sakura Square. 303-295-1844; www.tsdbt.org/cherryblossom
Denver Black Arts Festival, July 9-11, 2010
For over 24 years the Black Arts Festival has enriched and entertained Denver with its heritage celebration. www.denbaf.org
Colorado Irish Festival, July 9-11
Experience the largest Irish celebration in the Rocky Mountains with traditional Irish music performances and dancing, Irish drama and storytelling, crafts, games and food and drinks at Clement Park. 303-561-4007; www.coloradoirishfestival.org
9th Annual Dragon Boat Festival, July 24-25, 2010
Set sail for summer fun at Sloan's Lake Park where vibrantly decorated dragon boats race in an exciting pan-Asian sport. The weekend is filled with cultural entertainment including an Asian marketplace with great food and gifts, stage performances featuring Japanese Taiko drum groups, martial arts and other cross-cultural collaborations. 303-722-68 cdbf.org
Colorado Scottish Festival & Rocky Mountain Highland Games, August 14-15, 2010 Join this Celtic celebration featuring pipe bands, drumming, Scottish athletic competitions, highland dancing and folk music. 303-238-6524; www.scottishgames.org
