The Beet Street Blog

It’s easy to watch the storms, feel the temperatures cool and think that summer fun is almost done here in Fort Collins. But not so fast! Coming up in August, there are still plenty of cultural events to enjoy around the community as well as around Colorado.

Thursday Night Music and More continues through August 13 in the Civic Center Park providing the community with live music, good food and free fun from 6-8pm. August 6 will see Euforquestra, and Interstate Cowboy will be entertaining everyone August 13. The First Friday Art Walk for August will be held on August 7 as usual, and on Saturday August 8, there is An Herb-a-fair, celebrating all things herbal at the Gardens on Spring Creek from 10am to 3pm. There will be classes, demonstrations, a Garden of Eatin’ and you can buy herbs grown in the Gardens Greenhouse. August 8 also sees the return of the French Nest Market, the vintage, handmade, local, unique craft market, held in the Civic Center Park from 9am to 3 pm. Should be a lot of fun for everyone!

August’s Science Cafe will be held on Wednesday August 12 at Stonehouse Grille and will feature Dr. Simon Turner, Professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at CSU. Dr. Turner will be sharing his research and experiences in the ways sheep contribute to the treatment of a variety of human conditions, including osteoporosis, knee injuries and replacing cancerous bone. As always, the Cafe starts at 5:30 for refreshments with the lecture beginning at 6 followed by a discussion period and winds up around 7pm. As always, it is free and we hope to see you there!

That weekend, from August 14 through August 16, the community plays host to Bohemian Nights at NewWestFest 2009 to celebrate Fort Collins’ birthday over 130 years ago. Bohemian Nights kicks off on Friday the 14th in Old Town Square and features Melissa Etheridge and Ozomatli as well as close to 50 other Colorado bands. One particular highlight is the Kids Music Adventure, free and open from 11-5pm on Saturday and Sunday providing an interactive and inspiring experience for young ones. Check out http://www.bohemiannights.org/ for more information.

The following weekend on August 22, is the annual Annie Walk and Pet Fest, a 1.5 mile loop walk starting at Library Park and going through Old Town. Dogs and their people friends get to celebrate the incredible life of Annie, a stray collie mix adopted by railroad workers in the 1930s who would greet passengers as they disembarked the train in Fort Collins. It is Annie who is immortalized in bronze waiting at the doors of the main Public Library on Peterson Street. There’s all kinds of fun planned for the Annie Walk but you need to register at one of the public libraries. Proceeds go towards materials for the Children’s collections at the libraries! Also that day in Old Town Square, the Northern Colorado Greek Festival takes place starting at 11am, featuring authentic Greek food, pastries, music and dancing. I went to this festival last year and it was great fun!

Finally, if you have an urge to get out of town a little, the Archival Art and the Art of Mining exhibition began last week in Georgetown, celebrating 150 years of mining in Clear Creek County and supporting historic preservation and open lands in the Georgetown-Silver Plume National Historic Landmark District. The exhibition is being held in the Hamill House Museum Stables and is on display through August, finishing with a reception on September 5, 2009. You can find out more details here.

So, just because school is just around the corner, don’t think that the summer fun is done! Take a trip down to Georgetown to see the art of mining, hang out at Bohemian Nights, buy some herbs, enjoy art, walk the dog and check out Greek culture in August!

With thanks to teepole and mungobah for their wonderful images!

The Beet goes on!

Kirsten Broadfoot