Boulder Creek Festival: all it's quacked up to be
Food, art, live music, dance — and rubber ducks. What more could you want from a Memorial Day weekend?
The Boulder Creek Festival offers all that and more.
With 10 event areas and more than 500 vendors of all kinds the May 23-25 festival is jam-packed with activities and the most unusual and varied range of wares you are likely to find anywhere in Colorado.
The free festival follows the Boulder Creek from Ninth to 14th street between Canyon and Arapahoe. Don't miss the art show tent, which features everything from handcrafted jewelry to stunning photography of the front range.
You'll also want to take time to lend an ear to the phenomenal acts at the Band Shell. Local favorites include The Wendy Woo band and the ever-popular Hazel Miller. Be sure to find a cart selling cinnamon-roasted almonds — one of the festival's famous treats.
Other specialty areas to check out are the "Outdoor Adventures" section and the Community Dace Stage. If you are bringing your little ones, the Kids Place is located up near Ninth Street on the north side of the Creek.
Perhaps the highlight of the festival is the Great Rubber Duck Race, which takes place Monday, May 25, at 4 p.m. This bright and whimsical race features thousands of cheerful rubber duckies ferociously competing against the tides of Boulder Creek.
The recommended entry fee is just $5, and the benefits go to the Boulder EXPAND program, which provides recreational opportunities for people with disabilities. This year's prizes include a trip for two to Cancun, Mexico, and two round-trip tickets to anywhere Southwest Airlines flies, along with gift certificates to a variety of local businesses.
Festival hours are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Sunday. There is a range of public parking in the area, but it does fill up. Also not all vendors accept credit cards, so bring cash or be prepared to stand in an ATM line.
- by David Zindell, Denver Reporter for HelloMetro
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