5280 Magazine – May 2018

MAY 12

BIRDING BONANZA

From late March to

October, broad-tailed

hummingbirds flock to

North Cheyenne Cañon

Park, outside of Colorado

Springs, drawn to the

open space’s thousands

of wildflowers. The

Starsmore Visitor and

Nature Center wants

to give you an intimate

look at these brilliantly

colored birds. During its

North Cheyenne Cañon

Hummingbird Festival,

guests can learn about

the animals’ migration

patterns, hike through a

portion of the park with

certified interpretive

guides, and make feeders

that attract the nectar-

obsessed creatures

to their backyards.

cheyennecanon.org

COLORADO

BOOKSHELF

Boulder

illustrator

Amanda Lenz’s

Colorful Colo-

rado Coloring

Journal, out

May 1, features

64 detailed

line drawings

of local flora

and fauna in

their native

settings—so

you can get

close to the

elk in Rocky

Mountain

National Park

without risking

life and limb.

Clockwise from top: Courtesy of the Museum of Boulder; iStock; Jason DeWitt/Courtesy of Something Independent

Find more

events in

the Calendar

on page 120

and online at

5280.com/

events.

INVENTION CONVENTION

When the Wr ight takes place in

early May, nearly 19 months will

have passed since the popular event

last honored innovative outdoor companies.

hat’s a long hiatus for the typically annual

summit, but organizers had a good reason for the

wait: After six years in Denver, they’re relocating

to Colorado School of Mines in Golden. he

move embodies their intention to celebrate

entrepreneurs from all corners of the West, not

just major cities. he format of the event will shift as well, expanding from one to three days

and adding panel discussions and keynote speakers. One element won’t change, though: the

signature award ceremony, during which 13 inalists present 90-second video clips about

their missions before judges award $5,000 to one winner. Watch for well-known brands

such as outdoor apparel company Strafe Outerwear and Weston Snowboards. thewright.co

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

Despite its rising stock of restaurants and proximity to gorgeous trails, Boul-

der has lacked one crucial attraction: a general-interest museum that merits a

visit. hat’ll change when the Museum of Boulder reopens at Broadway and

Pine Street. Formerly known as the Boulder History Museum, the institution previously

had just 1,500 square feet to display its artifacts; now, it’ll have 7,200. he much larger

digs will start of by hosting three interactive exhibits (about Da Vinci machines, NASA,

and the mechanics of sports) as well as a Google-sponsored makerspace. View all of it for

free on opening day from 1 to 5 p.m.—but make sure to come back in November for the

launch of the Boulder Experience Gallery, a permanent installation chronicling the city’s

milestone moments, from the 1859 discovery of gold in what’s now known as Gold Hill to

the founding of the University of Colorado in 1876. museumofboulder.org

Best Bets

Your short list of Colorado’s coolest May events.
—SHANE MONAGHAN

MAY 19

MAY 1–3

SAVE THE DATE

A rendering of the upcoming

Boulder Experience Gallery

MAY 18–

JUNE 30

CREATIVE OUTLETS

To provide frazzled city-

goers with brief artistic

reprieves, the Denver

Theatre District and other

community partners are

teaming up with British

artist Stuart Semple to

produce six public art

projects in downtown

Denver. The new effort,

Happy City: Art for

the People, will feature

installations such as an

“emotional baggage

drop” at Union Station,

where you’re matched

with a stranger with

whom you can share your

worries—confidentially,

of course. denver

theatredistrict.com

44 |^5280 |^ MAY 20^18