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Representing Boulder’s most iconic properties, Marybeth brings a unique perspective as a trusted agent and developer, supported by The Agency’s unparalleled international network. Her record-breaking sales reflect a foundation of passion, expertise, integrity, and relationships built over decades. Give us a call to connect and learn more.
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Adventures with Flat Rylee
While creating our April issue this month, I’ve had a small companion by my side. I received a letter in the mail from my niece that included a little paper doll named Flat Rylee, along with a note asking if she could tag along on whatever adventures my month might hold.
If anyone remembers when they were a kid, the 1964 book Flat Stanley introduced us to a character we could send off to friends and family to experience new adventures.
At first, I was a little apprehensive about how I would show Flat Rylee a good time, but bringing her along as my sidekick while creating our April issue turned out to be the perfect way to show her around town. Every month is a little different—telling new stories and creating new features—but this one felt just right for Flat Rylee to come along for the ride. She even has a few things to say.
•
Hi! My name is Flat Rylee and I am visiting from Arizona. I have had so many new adventures in Colorado this month while spending time with my Aunt Kelsey!
She has been teaching me about how a magazine is created, and I have been joining her at many photoshoots for this month’s issue. The features this month share stories from just a handful of the creative neighbors in the community. Clearly, we were only scratching the surface—this town has so many more incredible people!
I tried so many new things, from learning about metalsmithing and jewelry making to trying uni (that’s sea urchin!), using an antique printing press, and attending an event at the Boulder Theatre. Not to mention all the outdoor adventures Colorado has to offer—hiking, skiing, and playing in the snow! There’s not much of that where I come from.
Thanks for showing me so many adventures, Boulder!
See you next time, Flat Rylee
•
Now I can confidently send Flat Rylee back home to Arizona with all kinds of new stories and adventures to share with her class. Thank you to our wonderful community for letting her tag along this month. This April issue will be the perfect keepsake for her to bring back and share all of her Colorado adventures.
KELSEY HUFFER, EDITOR
April 2026
PUBLISHER, SALES DIRECTOR
Andy Manz | amanz@citylifestyle.com
PUBLICATION DIRECTOR
Chantel Ellerington
chantel.ellerington@citylifestyle.com
MANAGING EDITOR
Kate Manz | kmanz@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Kelsey Huffer | kelsey.huffer@citylifestyle.com
COPY EDITOR
Tony Firestine | anthonyjfirestine@gmail.com
INTERN
Edson Graycar | edson.graycar@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Tony Firestine, Colin Gbolie, Willow King, Meredith Rowe, Linden Butrym, Emily Canova, Payton Shoup, Jill Adler Grano
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Poppy & Co. by Kelsey Huffer, Amanda Proudfit, Annabelle Sadler, Cary Jobe, Casey Wilson, Rae Scott, Rebecca Caridad, Alex Beal
18th street modern farmhouse elegance // magnetic, resort-style living another listing by jennifer egbert — intrigued? reach out for details
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city scene
WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN
1: The second annual Sandwich Ladies Face Off between Lindsay Shaw of Lindsay’s Boulder Deli at Häagen-Dazs and Marcy Miller of Organic Sandwich Company will wrap up in April after a month of friendly competition of serving the best grilled cheese and tomato soup, benefiting Voices for Children, CASA of Boulder County, and Blue Sky Bridge. They launched the competition with two CU student bands, Sniff and Katire. There will be an official panel of judges, including the renowned John Lehndorff, on the final day of the competition, April 12th. 2: Sawyer Cass, Samuel Hardman, Colin MacInnes, Parker Ellis, Connor Murdock 4: Cesar Palacio Narciso, Ben Anderson (sitting), Alex Harwood, Mateo Candelaria 5: Let’s go! 6: All smiles
1: The inaugural Human Advantage Summit, presented by Shining Mountain Waldorf School, brought together educators, parents, and thought leaders at the Boulder Theater to explore how creativity, empathy, and courageous thinking remain essential in an increasingly digital world. 2: Meg Gardner, Rob Magliaro, Dr. Manya Whitaker, Pascal Finette 3: Meg Gardener, Keith Connaghan, Rustin Coburn 4:
Dr. Manya Whittaker, Lisa Modica, Nita June 5: Bridget Law & Friends 6: Guests 7: Leah Colby Alexis, Chrissy Godbout
Photography by Poppy & Co. by Kelsey Huffer
1: Whittier Elementary School’s Silent Auction, hosted by The Velvet Elk, was a smashing success. Sara Groem and Sue Timbo, along with their auction committee, raised $65,000 for the PTA that will fund enriching educational opportunities for students, as well as the paraeducators who provide invaluable supervision and support. We feel so grateful to be a part of such a generous community that rallies together in support of our children. (Hollis Daniel, Emily McAteer, Ashley Chaffee) 2: Becky Armstorng, Maggie Patillo, Dave Loose, Colleen Loose, Gaurav Kukreja, Oren Manor, Sara Anderson, Tyler Anderson, Thomas Sauder, Aaron Patillo 3: Kent McClannan, Maurie Marcil 4: Lucas Ketzer, Whittier Parents and Alumni 5: Diana Poulden (DJ Miscape) 6: Whittier Parents and Alumni (heads or tails game) 7: The Auction Committee: Becky Armstrong, Lina Day, Suzanna Paisley, Allie Kukreja, Jessica Fox, Kent McClannan, Jessica Jacobson, Sarah Halpern, Rafe Furst, Verity Noble, Sara Groem, Jodi Sklawer, Sue Timbo, Colleen Loose, Diana Poulden
Boulder Startup Week Returns May 4-8
The 17th annual Boulder Startup Week returns May 4-8. Five days of learning, connecting, and making things happen for founders, investors, builders, and the startup-curious. Sessions across downtown Boulder focus on real progress, genuine connections, and celebrating what makes our ecosystem unique. Free, inclusive, grassroots—by the community, for the community. BoulderStartupWeek.com
With the MICHELIN Guide expanding statewide in Colorado, Boulder’s dining scene remains firmly in the spotlight. From chef-driven tasting menus to long-standing neighborhood favorites, the program highlights the experiences shaping the city’s evolving food culture. For Boulder, this moment reflects the strength of a restaurant community that continues to shape how the city eats, gathers, and celebrates.
OAK at Fourteenth,
Photography by Lucy Beaugard
SWEPT
Boulder
Hale
Berkeley
Arvada
SWEEP ING
Big Ideas, Open Minds: The Conference on World Affairs Returns
The Conference on World Affairs engages audiences by connecting local and global perspectives on the most pressing issues of our time. The 78th annual conference will take place April 13–16, 2026, on the University of Colorado Boulder campus and at the Limelight Hotel. Free and open to all, CWA features more than 75 speakers, in-person and livestreamed sessions, and will feature Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. Learn more at Colorado.Edu/CWA
Urban Field Pizza Unites Local Pizzerias for Pizza With Purpose
Urban Field Pizza founded Pizza With Purpose, an initiative that officially launched on February 9 (National Pizza Day), uniting local pizzerias to fight food insecurity. Along with Rosalee’s and Antonio’s Real New York Pizza, the three restaurants collectively raised $1,650 for local hunger relief. On September 5 in Longmont, the coalition will debut the Colorado Pizza Festival, bringing together 20+ pizzerias for a statewide celebration benefiting hungerfocused organizations.
Co-founder and Culinary Director
Chef Nick Swanson
Starring Candace Orrino
May 1-24 AT THE DAIRY ARTS CENTER
“The play has a hypnotic suffusive effect that left me on the verge of tears for hours afterwards… it conjures a world of compassion.”
— THE GUARDIAN
New York Times Critics’ Pick
Ryan Dart Celebrates New Album Release in Boulder May 2
Ryan Dart celebrates the release of his new album , If Love Don’t Break You, with a special show at Roots Music Project in Boulder on Saturday, May 2 at 8 p.m., joined by Heavy Diamond Ring. Bringing his Rocky Mountain grit and soulful storytelling to the stage, Dart delivers songs rooted in real life. The 14-track album, featuring special guests Richard Bowden, Bridget Law, and more, blends heartbreak, resilience, and hope from a seasoned songwriter shaped by love and loss.
S ing is Believing
When gifted learners find their people, remarkable things happen.
At Mack, friendships grow through shared curiosity - in the lab, at the pond, and across our 23-acre campus. Our inquiry-driven IB program challenges K-8 students to think deeply while small classes and dedicated teachers ensure each child is known and supported.
Schedule a tour and see how connection fuels learning. MackBoulder.com
Photography by Lisa Siccilliano
A Disciplined Approach to Managing Wealth
Examples include resource partnerships, timber investments, venture capital, private equity and hedge funds, philanthropic guidance and charitable administration. We can manage assets and meeting agendas, record minutes and decisions, and implement trustee decisions.
We customize to the individual needs and goals of each family member as well as the family as a whole.
Examples include assistance in selling or acquiring businesses, monetization strategies to diversify low-basis securities, programs to address excess industries weightings, equity research efforts to analyze private companies where clients have commitments.
Boulder County Farmers Markets Celebrates 40th Market Season
On Saturday, April 4, the Boulder Farmers Market will return to 13th Street in Downtown Boulder to kick off its 40th anniversary season. Boulder County Farmers Markets—the 501(c)(3) nonprofit that organizes the seasonal farmers markets in Boulder and Longmont, in addition to a year-round Food Hub—was formed by a group of local farmers in 1987 who banded together to ensure the markets could thrive for decades to come. Learn more at BCFM.org
Radna Segal Takes City of Boulder Grant to Garzón, Uruguay
Boulder artist Radna Segal was granted a City of Boulder Professional Development Grant and traveled to Garzón, Uruguay, to present her solo exhibition. The international project was presented in collaboration with CU alum Ivan Martinez and his gallery, La Galerilla—marking its second time exhibiting at the space. On April 11, Radna will lead a hands-on workshop in Boulder at 941 Pearl St., teaching participants to write their names in ancient Mongolian calligraphy and create a personalized keepsake to take home. RadnaSegal.com, Instagram:@radna.segal
Your child’s potential is your most precious asset. Give them more than just a standard education. Give them the Waldorf Advantage. Now is the time to invest in the skills, creativity, and resilience they’ll use for a lifetime.
PHOTO BY POPPY & CO. BY KELSEY HUFFER
Photography by Whitney DeVoto
for Smarter Structures Modern Markets
EXPLORING 351 EXCHANGES, SELF-FUNDED ETFS, AND LONG-SHORT STRATEGIES WITH YOUNG GLOBAL WEALTH STRATEGIES
ARTICLE BY TONY FIRESTINE
In an era of sudden market swings, volatility has become part of the investment landscape. For John Young, founder of Young Global Wealth Strategies, the conversation isn’t about chasing the next surge. It’s about managing risk thoughtfully, especially when wealth is tied up in a single stock.
“The market definitely has a volatile tilt to it currently,” Young says. After several strong years that inflated asset prices, combined with disruptive forces like artificial intelligence and an unsettled political backdrop, “there are lots of components in this stew that make it very interesting.”
That “interesting” environment can be especially unnerving for investors holding concentrated positions, whether from equity compensation, a long-held tech stock, or the sale of a business. Even when a company feels like a sure thing, concentration carries real risk.
“If you look historically, you’re more likely to pick a loser than a winner,” Young explains. And even winners don’t rise forever. A steep decline can be difficult to recover from. “If you lose 50% of that stock, it requires a 100% gain to break even.” For long-term goals, that kind of imbalance can be disruptive.
One lesser-known strategy Young discusses with clients is a 351 exchange into a self-funded ETF. In simple terms, it allows an investor to contribute appreciated stock into a newly cre ated exchange-traded fund structure, alongside other assets, to diversify without immediately triggering a taxable event.
“You’re contributing that appreciated stock and, in exchange, you’re able to diversify inside the ETF with other holdings,” Young says. “Your cost basis carries into those other positions, so you’re not triggering a taxable gain at that contribution.”
The structure cannot be built entirely around a single stock; the appreciated position can represent only a portion of the portfolio. The remainder is filled with other assets, creating immediate diversification. From a lifestyle perspective, Young sees flexibility as one of the primary advantages.
“You can reflect the values or where you want to diversify your portfolio,” he says. Investors can emphasize certain sec tors, avoid others, or lean into themes that align with their out look—all while avoiding the potential shock of a large capital gains bill that might accompany an outright sale.
Another tool in the toolkit: long-short strategies. Often associ ated with hedge funds, long-short funds can offer a way to partic ipate in market movements while managing downside exposure.
“The long position would lose value, but the short position could potentially gain value,” Young explains. In volatile mar kets, that dual structure can provide a measure of balance. Certain strategies may also generate losses that can offset gains elsewhere in a portfolio, creating additional tax efficiency.
Young is quick to emphasize that these strategies aren’t about speculation; they’re about alignment. “We try to marry risk with allocations and portfolios,” Young says. The focus is on understanding a client’s time horizon, goals, and overall exposure, then selecting tools—whether a 351 structure, a long-short fund, or other approaches—that smooth the ride.
Celebrate With Us
Looking ahead, he sees a broader shift among sophisticated investors. Tax management is no longer just a year-end exercise. More active ETF structures and ongoing adjustments can create what he calls “tax alpha,” using volatility itself to capture gains and losses strategically.
Ultimately, the 351 exchange and long-short funds are simply tools; ones many investors may not know exist. But in a market defined by rapid change, having more ways to diversify thoughtfully can make all the difference between reacting to volatility and navigating it with intention.
For more information and to contact Young Global Wealth Strategies, visit YoungGlobalWealth.com.
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148 Granite Dr, Boulder, CO 80302
5 Beds | 4 Baths | 5,359 sq ft | 1.89 Acres
The Boulder Crest Estate . Set on nearly two private acres just minutes from Pearl Street Mall, this exceptional mountain residence captures sweeping views of Boulder and the plains below. Soaring beamed ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, and rich wood and stone finishes create a warm, refined retreat that blends privacy, scale, and timeless Colorado elegance.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, CALL TO ACTION
The daring charge to inspire world change built on critically acclaimed films.
ARTICLE BY COLIN GBOLIE PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY
OF BOULDER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Once a year, for the past 22 years, individuals in the art and film space from all walks of life and experience levels, congregate for a spectacular celebration of creativity. Knowledge is exchanged, inspiration grows, and an overall bright display of humanity unfolds. That’s right folks, the Boulder International Film Fest is back again and true to form, this year is jam packed with workshops, panels, parties, and of course, stunning films.
As ever, there isn’t a set theme or intentional overarching narrative to the event per se. They more so pick what speaks out to them. “We’re open to all possibilities,” says Kathy Beeck, co-founder of BIFF. “I have to give my sister Robin (co-founder) and her team the credit as they put the program together and the program is the base of everything.” After the works are selected, they step back and observe the throughlines dancing between the selected films, allowing an organic motif to bloom on its own in the mind of the attendees.
This year, the fest will include 70 films from 28 countries. 65% of the films this year come from women filmmakers and subjects, as do 80% of the shorts.
A new piece Kathey was absolutely buzzing to tell me about is actually breaking new ground for the fest. For the first time, they’ll be featuring an episodic series that will be coming out on HBO in April, The Dark Wizard. It chronicles the life of Dean Potter, a thrill seeking, influential/controversial adventure sportsman. It follows his days of being a “van-dwelling dirtbag to global icon. Two episodes will be shown on Friday with two more playing on Saturday night.
Fest is 3.5 days, beginning Thursday afternoon April ninth and concluding on Sunday night of the twelfth.
Among the festival’s offerings will be parties, free music opportunities, and the continuation of the adventure film program. Workshops where attendees
can learn and hone various skills/network with industry colleagues will be in full effect as well.
“We have some great workshops this year” boasted Kathy while referencing Harrison Query, a Boulderite and a Hollywood screen writer who will be teaching a screen writing workshop this year at the fest. To sweeten the pot, Sundance program directors and Oscar nominated filmmakers will be in attendance and participate in these workshops, which just so happen to be free to students! “These things really round out the entire experience.”
“Sometimes it feels like the 5th year and sometimes it feels like the 40th” said Kathy while reflecting on the living breathing
“We first saw it in Telluride and immediately knew it would be perfect for opening night!”
Tuner is Academy Award-winning director Daniel Roher’s first narrative feature. Leo Woodall stars as Niki, a gifted young piano tuner whose heightened sense of hearing draws the attention of criminals. Dustin Hoffman portrays his mentor, Harry Horowitz, and Havana Rose Liu takes on the role of Ruthie, a composition student and potential romantic interest.
nature of the Festival. Ultimately, an amazing team, many of whom are volunteers, drive the festival forward. It brings the community together and celebrates a phrase Kathy’s said to me for the second time now having covered the festival last year, “we think film has the power to change the world.”
To kick off the event, the opening night will feature two gala per-film parties at the Hotel Boulderado and Rembrandt Yard, leading into one of this year’s most anticipated pieces, Tuner
See more about each film in this year’s lineup online at Biff1.com . Hope to see you at the festival!
25 YEARS OF OUTDOOR LIVING
BUILT BEAUTIFULLY
Thank you Boulder County for trusting us with your sacred spaces for the past 25 years. Invest in your future with a luxury outdoor living space certain to inspire gatherings that will create healthier, happier families.
Healing in the Herd
ARTICLE BY WILLOW KING
How Horses Are Changing the Way We Connect
Photo by Cary Jobe
In an age of relentless digital noise, two Coloradobased practitioners are turning to one of the oldest relationships in human history to help people find their way back to themselves. Nick Sharp, a naturebased psychotherapist, and Sarah Hollingsead, a yoga therapist and somatic coach, are both working at the intersection of horses, healing, and the natural world—and the results are quietly remarkable.
The premise sounds simple: spend time with horses, and something shifts. But the mechanism behind that shift is more sophisticated than it appears. Horses are prey animals, finely tuned to read their environment—not just what's happening externally, but also internally. They sense incongruence. They respond to presence, not performance. Bring anxiety you haven't named yet into a paddock, and the horse already is aware. That quality makes them uniquely powerful therapeutic partners, because they mirror back what's actually true, bypassing the polished narratives we tend to offer the rest of the world.
For Nick Sharp, that mirroring is the heart of his work. Trained through the Gestalt Equine Institute of the Rockies and working through an attachment and Gestalt lens, Sharp centers his practice on a concept called contact—a fully attuned, present-moment exchange that he considers the foundational building block of human attachment. Horses, he suggests, create the conditions for genuine contact precisely
because they don't judge. Neither does nature. And in that non-judgmental space, something in us relaxes enough to actually be experienced. Sharp leads immersive retreats, men's groups, and experiential workshops across the country. His upcoming retreat at Bonanza Creek Ranch in Montana—built around the theme of choosing presence—offers participants a container to practice that kind of honest, embodied relating.
Sarah Hollingsead arrives at similar territory from a different direction. At Fertile Sol Ranch, she weaves equine-guided work together with yoga therapy and somatic coaching, calling people back into a relationship with the earth at a time when, as she puts it, so many of us are walking around with our faces in our phones, looking for connection in all the wrong places. Horses, she says, bring us into awe. They interrupt the speed of thinking. They slow everything down long enough for a person to notice their own habits—and to honestly ask whether those habits are serving us.
That slowing down is itself therapeutic. Sessions at Fertile Sol are described as almost timeless, closer in feel to a mini-retreat than a clinical appointment. There's spaciousness to the work. The land, the horses, the breath—they conspire to pull a person out of their head and back into the body, back into the present, back into what Hollingsead calls the rhythm of life.
Photo by Cary Jobe
Photo by Annabelle Sadler
What both practitioners are really offering is a return—not to something new, but to something ancient. Humans and horses have shared the landscape for thousands of years. We've worked alongside them and trusted them. In bringing that relationship back into a healing context, Sharp and Hollingsead are betting that the body already knows how to respond. That wildness, presence, and genuine contact aren't skills to be learned so much as capacities to be remembered. The horses, it turns out, never forgot.
To work with Nick, reach out at NickSharp.Life/Schedule-Call. To work with Sarah, reach out at FertileSolRanch.com/Connect
Photo by Annabelle Sadler
Photo by Annabelle Sadler
Photo by Cary Jobe
8403
brittany place ACTIVE
745
highland avenue ACTIVE
440 japonica way ACTIVE
1505
CREATING COMMUFOR NITY
ARTICLE BY MEREDITH ROWE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY POPPY & CO. BY KELSEY HUFFER
TREVOR HALL
WEAVING
In a world that wants us constantly available and informed, taking the time to step away from our devices and spend hours over days or months making something slowly and intentionally can feel revolutionary. For these creators in Boulder, it's also an opportunity to show love and appreciation for the community around them and oftentimes provides a foil for their “day job.”
Trevor Hall, Weaving
For years, Trevor Hall has been inspired by Kabir, a 15th-century Sufi and Brahmin saint known for composing songs and poetry while weaving. He felt drawn to the artform but didn’t know where to start.
Right before his second child was born, Hall decided to buy a class online and slowly taught himself the basics, weaving a few lines here and there between nursing and naptime. Like so many of us, he was looking for a way to get off his phone and do something tangible, but what he didn’t expect was all of the other benefits it would bring.
“I wasn’t prepared for all the things it would teach me,” says Hall. “I view it as a rebellious act in this day and age, because it's so extremely slow.”
Each piece takes hours upon hours to create, and every time he gives away one as a gift, he sees it as giving a loved one his time. It’s a way to express his gratitude and to process his inner thoughts.
“When I'm weaving, I'm thinking about so much,” says Hall. “When I'm done, and I take it off the loom and release it, I feel like I've let those thoughts or emotions release from my body.”
He’s always used music to express himself, but at the end of the day, it's also his job. Weaving lets him step away from the studio and keep being creative. He especially enjoys creating alongside his sons, who will hop in his lap and help him at the loom.
LETTERPRESS PRINTING MATT BRAUN
In 2008, Matt Braun acquired a small printing press and a few select fonts. This analog shift provided a creative outlet away from the screen to experiment with the fundamentals of typography, composition, and visual hierarchy.
“In a world of infinite digital options, it's rewarding to work within the rigid constraints of the press and the available type you have to make something,” says Braun.
Over the years, it has changed from buying and restoring 100-year-old presses to selling his own prints to making posters for charities to running a project to convert physical type into digital fonts.
His current project focuses on identifying and archiving his collection of nineteenth century American wood type. During the transition to offset printing, a lot of this old type was discarded or used as firewood, so his goal is to preserve the visual history of these typefaces.
While this is mostly a solo endeavor, there are a few other letterpress printers in the area, including Brian Wood, who provides space to house Braun's larger press and additional type at his shop, Dogs and Stars. Steve Matteson also runs the Book Arts League at the Groundworks Art Lab, which is a fantastic resource for anyone interested in trying letterpress.
CONTINUED >
Crafting and DIYing of any sort have always come naturally to Cori wHinton, but for the last few years, crochet has become her favorite creative outlet. Knitting has too many rules for her liking, and with crochet, she can visualize the pieces before she makes them.
Hinton often gets a spark of inspiration from a garment silhouette, color palette, or a gap in her wardrobe. She sees it as a way to express and challenge herself, meditate, connect with the community, and bring joy to everyday life. She also loves that she can create anywhere.
“I work at home on the sofa, in the car on long drives, outside at parks in the summer, and on my lunch breaks at work,” says Hinton. “The world is my oyster!”
Hinton manages the Home Store at Cedar & Hyde Mercantile and is inspired daily by the incredible artisans they carry. She loves to help people curate their homes with beautiful linens, ceramics, and textiles—and she also sells a collection of her crochet pieces in store.
“Now most of the sales have been from customers who have become friends,” says Hinton. “They'll see me wearing a piece or working on something and ask if I'm willing to make one for them. I always say yes!”
JEWELRY MAKING HARVEY HINE
Back in college, Harvey Hine had a decision to make: become a jeweler or an architect. For those familiar with his firm, HMH, it’s now very obvious which path he chose and found great success with. But what you may not know is that he’s also been creating jewelry all this time.
When he chose to pursue architecture, Hine was worried about getting stuck in mass jewelry production. He realized that by keeping jewelry as a hobby, he’d be able to be more creative and has seen the jewelry-making process as the perfect complement to his architecture practice all these years.
“An architecture project takes years in the office and takes a long time to come to fruition,” says Hine. “Jewelry I can make in a weekend, and I can try different things and experiment.”
He’s never sold his jewelry—it’s always been a gift or a donation for fundraising. That way, he’s in full control of the design and process. One of his other hobbies is working on his 1969 Jaguar XKE, which he sees as not dissimilar from jewelry.
“It’s all banging on metal, yeah?” says Hine.
Designs By Sundown was founded in 1985 to make great homes even better with beautiful, sustainable, enjoyable landscapes. We have stayed true to our roots, with a responsive, knowledgeable staff and the highest quality materials and craftsmanship
Modern Rebellion is Being Everything
In a society obsessed with optimization, marketability and specialization, Rebecca Caridad, Queen of the Craft, rebels by containing multitudes. Steadfast from an early age in her multiplicity, she has rejected the common path of “choosing just one thing” by developing her own process and personal growth through widening. Her garden of artistic mediums and creative skillsets is unconcerned with perfection, diverse, and exploding with color and life.
-So! You are a Photographer, a small-batch makeup line creator, a visual artist and a poet - am I missing anything?
I’ve spent time with writing, photography, painting, crochet, punch needle, calligraphy, weaving, I am a planner enthusiast, I love reading, I make QUEENIE balm, I’ve designed a sketchbook easel that I call the CARI, and most recently I have been nose diving into learning to knit.
-Is there any one of these creative mediums that you identify most with? Any one that anchors you to art and to yourself more deeply than the others?
I often hyperfixate when I find a new interest. I like to put my head down and research non stop, gather all the supplies, watch all the videos, and read all of the books. Sometimes [they] are short lived and others have been lifelong explorations. My longest relationships have been with writing, visual art, photography, and fiber art. I’ve had a photography business since I was in my mid twenties that I was lucky enough to travel all around the world with, I’ve written pretty much every day since I was a young teenager, I’ve had some kind of relationship to drawing and painting since I was a baby, and one of my best friends taught me how to crochet when I was in middle school. So, I guess the answer to your question is not really, I feel really connected to all of these identities and have learned so much about myself and the world through them.
-With all this wonderful creativity, I can’t help but picture you as a kid - you must have been zooming around the art table in school! How did you get started? Did it begin with one craft or have you always been multifaceted?
I am the oldest daughter of 9 kids so there was always a lot going on in our house. My first encounters with creativity were drawing and painting. [Art] was a quiet activity that I could do in any corner, it was something that I received praise for from my family, and I was surrounded by creative people. I was lucky enough to grow up in Brooklyn, NY in the 80’s and 90’s to a really artistic mother who always fostered her kids creativity.
Rebecca Caridad and Her Love for Many Mediums
ARTICLE BY KATHY B. ROSS PHOTOGRAPHY BY REBECCA CARIDAD
-Are you a juggler or a farmer? Meaning, do you tend to balance these crafts all at once or do you plant your projects throughout the seasons, each given their own time?
I used to feel like if I was writing then I was betraying my painting practice or if I was painting I was rejecting my reader identity or if I was reading I was abandoning my fiber art projects. Once I re alized that all of these mediums actually fed each other I was able to relax around these ideas. Now, I find that I have seasons. My other mediums usually come and go as I feel inspired. Colder months usually make me gravitate toward fiber art and painting in the studio, while warmer weather makes me want to get out and plein air paint. Luckily my love of photography is usually the way that I share whatever I am working on. I’d be lying if I didn’t wish I had more time.
-I, too, am a multi-hobby creative and I find that it can be difficult to avoid comparing myself to others who seem to be capable of “sticking to one thing”. In a culture so fixated on specialization and “branding”, how do you find the continued confidence to create at your own rhythm and whim?
I have a memory of telling my father all the things I wanted to be when I grew up and he told me that if I wanted to get good at something I’d have to choose one thing. I can still feel how my ENTIRE body rejected that idea. To this day, I still vehemently reject this idea that we have to choose one medium. First, I’ll say I don’t care about being “good” at something. Not to say I don’t strive to learn, because I do and I really value that. I care about making time to be creative, in whatever medium feels most inspiring to me at that time in my life.
For me, the most magical part of being creative is not what I make, but the way the act of creating brings me face to face with myself in the present moment.
I remember times when my fear of not getting something right would make me not want to do it at all. What a loss. It's not just a loss for the creator, but it's a loss for the rest of us that could have seen that expression and benefited from it in some way.
I truly believe that if everyone had some kind of creative practice the world would be a much more compassionate and accepting place. To have a committed creative practice you can’t help but find compassion and acceptance for yourself and your limitations. It’s a hard relationship to explore and in my opinion one of the most important.
I’ve made hundreds of bad paintings now and none of those paintings have killed me. If anything it’s made me a better painter. Creativity offers so many opportunities for failure and discomfort and I think that’s where the magic is, where we grow.
ARTICLE BY EMILY CANOVA | PHOTOGRAPHY BY POPPY & CO. BY KELSEY HUFFER
Forged Community in
Inside Boulder Metalsmithing Association's Welcoming World
Walk into Boulder Metalsmithing Association on any given day, and you'll find something unexpected: a total beginner sitting elbow to elbow with a career metalsmith, both bent over their benches, torches in hand, completely absorbed. This is the magic of BoMA—a nonprofit studio tucked into the NoBo Art District where fire, metal, and community come together in ways that feel increasingly rare.
"You never know who you're going to be at the bench next to, or what you might learn from them," says Executive Director Claire Gormley. "That's the magic of it."
BoMA started in 2009 as a humble meetup group founded by Beth Merckel, where local metalsmiths could get together and exchange ideas in the jewelry metal world. By 2013, the organization became a formal 501(c)(3) nonprofit and launched Enhancing Art Through Metalsmithing, a program training public school art teachers in metalsmithing techniques to bring back to their classrooms. In 2015, BoMA opened its studio doors in NoBo—and just celebrated ten years in the district.
When Beth stepped down as Executive Director in early 2025, Claire stepped in. A metalsmith, jewelry maker, and
small business owner who first came to BoMA as a student and later served on the board, she brings a deep personal connection to the organization's mission.
"I knew there was a big legacy to uphold," she says. "This is such a critical space for local metalsmiths, and keeping that community vibrant and welcoming is my biggest priority."
That commitment shows in the numbers. In 2025, BoMA offered 64 workshops with 356 class enrollments, grew to 273 members, and welcomed 37 artists into its shared Open Studio access—a professional space where metalsmiths work independently with top-quality tools. For 2026, the studio is expanding from monthly to daily Open Studio access to give members even more flexibility.
But the impact reaches well beyond BoMA's walls. Through its Enhancing Art Through Metalsmithing initiative, 12 public school art teachers participated in training last year, collectively reaching 1,131 students with hands-on metalsmithing lessons and projects. Three scholarships helped reduce financial barriers for artists and educators alike.
"Metalsmithing is the ultimate antidote to screen time and our busy world," Claire explains. "It forces you to slow down,
"METALSMITHING
IS THE ULTIMATE ANTIDOTE TO SCREEN TIME AND OUR BUSY WORLD. IT FORCES YOU TO SLOW DOWN, THINK IN THREE DIMENSIONS, AND SOLVE PUZZLES WITH YOUR HANDS IN REAL-TIME."
think in three dimensions, and solve puzzles with your hands in real-time. There's a certain thrill to working with fire and metal—once you get started, it's hard to stop, no matter what age you start at."
That philosophy drives everything at BoMA, from beginner workshops to the soldering stations Claire calls the true heart of the studio. Flammable gases at home present a real barrier for many metalsmiths. By providing a safe, fully equipped bench space, BoMA opens doors for artists that might otherwise stay closed.
The organization takes pride in being community-sustained. 75 percent of its income comes directly from students, studio members, and class participants. Grant funders, including SCFD, the Boulder Arts Commission, and Colorado Creative Industries, help fill in the gaps—but it's the people showing up, sitting down at the bench, and making things that keep BoMA running.
That community extends beyond the studio, too. Jewelry pop-ups at local favorite locations, including an upcoming event at Low Rider in Hygiene, give members a supportive environment to share and sell their work publicly. And, let’s not forget NoBo First Fridays at NoBo Art District, aka the Emerald City, as a place to meet the community.
Claire's goal for 2026 is to surpass 300 members, but the deeper mission stays the same. "We're dedicated to reaching people who felt metalsmithing was out of reach and showing them they have a seat at our benches," she says.
Behind it all is a small but mighty team: talented instructors sharing their craft at every level and a dedicated volunteer Board of Directors. Then there's the unofficial Emotional Support Staff—Claire's two studio dogs and a revolving pack of members' pups who ensure nobody at BoMA takes themselves too seriously.
Whether you're a seasoned metalsmith or someone who's never picked up a torch, BoMA has a place for you.
Visit BoulderMetalsmiths.com to learn more and for class schedules, and follow @bouldermetalsmithing on Instagram for a glimpse inside the studio. Or, better yet, experience BoMA firsthand at their upcoming Art Show “Forged in Community” in partnership with Low Rider and Boulder Lifestyle Magazine, April 10-12 at the Low Rider Gallery in Hygiene. Come meet the artists, support a timeless craft, and see what happens when a community gathers around the bench.
1151 Timber Lane
Finding Serenity Just Minutes from Broadway
ARTICLE BY MEREDITH ROWE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAE SCOTT
Even as Jeremy Bloom was purchasing the land to build 1151 Timber Lane, he knew it was going to be a difficult, if not impossible, project. Boulder County said they didn’t think they’d ever approve a house in that location because of light pollution. To make matters worse, the owner of the land wouldn’t accept an offer contingent upon getting said plans approved. Bloom decided to take the risk and accepted that maybe it would be a bird sanctuary or an incredible place to have a camper on weekends.
“I tried to forget about the land for months and couldn’t,” says Bloom. “It kept haunting me.”
For seven years after purchasing the land, Bloom and the team at Adam Oklesh Architecture battled red tape and the realities of building on a ridge to create what he now describes as a sanctuary. He says they did hundreds of floorplan revisions, used controlled dynamite explosions for an entire month, and even carried the oversized triple-pane windows, custom-made in Poland, through the house because they couldn’t use a full-sized crane.
“It became a game of highstakes Tetris,” says Bloom.
For those who know Bloom, it is unsurprising that he was successful in building the impossible. He’s currently the CEO of the X Games, but before that, he was the youngest male freestyle skier to ever make the US Ski Team. He is a one-time world champion, two-time Olympian, and tentime World Cup gold medalist. If that’s not enough, he was also drafted into the NFL after being a Freshman All-American at the University of Colorado.
“It speaks to who he is,” says Zach Zeldner. “He was challenged to build something there and met it head on.”
Zach Zeldner and Ethan Bullock worked with Bloom to list his home and help him understand the unique market that is Boulder real estate. It’s a small city surrounded by open space. Because of that, land is limited, and there’s a consistent demand from people
relocating for the lifestyle and all it offers. Even in a city full of stunning homes, Bloom’s stands out.
“I don’t think anyone will create anything like this in Boulder again,” says Zeldner. “ It would be virtually impossible to do it again.”
He is, of course, speaking to the complexities of zoning and all the hurdles that Bloom jumped through—but also the experience this home has to offer. It offers views in every direction, a true sense of privacy and solitude, and it’s only eight minutes to Broadway.
“When you move from room to room, you get to engage the outdoors in different ways,” says Ethan Bullock. “The experience evolves as you walk through the house, seeing rock outcroppings, evergreen trees, and even the continental divide to the west.”
For Bloom, it’s bittersweet to sell the property. When he and his then-girlfriend, now wife, built it, the home was their dream. Now, as the realities of life and two young children brought them back into town for more flat land, treehouses, and places to run, they’re excited for the next owners to enjoy the property that’s brought them so much solace.
“I’ve always dreamed about a special place in the world to come and shut the door,” says Bloom. “It’s hard to let go, but I’m so thrilled to hand it off to someone who will really appreciate it.”
For more information, head to ZachZeldner.com/Properties/ 1151-Timber.
From Spain With Love
ARTICLE BY LINDEN BUTRYM | PHOTOGRAPHY BY CASEY WILSON
At Tapas Restaurant Casa Juani, Fine Dining Meets Soulful Authenticity
Just a few nights after it opened in late February, Casa Juani is buzzing with lively chatter from patrons, their cutlery clinking across artisanal plateware displaying collections of vibrant tapas dishes. Spanish wines and creative cocktails in delicate coupe glasses frame the plates resting on light oak tables. Friends and families huddle in camel-hued booths, reaching to sample the feast in front of them. The vibe is decidedly Boulder— hip yet relaxed—but also completely distinctive, a testament to its owners.
Casa Juani is the debut restaurant concept from chefs (and married couple) Eduardo Valle Lobo and Kelly Jeun, Frasca Food & Wine alums who also helmed kitchens in New York restaurants Eleven Madison Park and Del Posto. Serving inventive yet familiar Spanish fare with a focus on fresh seafood, Casa Juani is a love letter to Valle Lobo’s 98-yearold mother, Juanita, who raised him and his three siblings in Madrid. “I get emotional talking about it,” Valle Lobo says. “She stayed home, taking care of the family, cooking seven days a week with super delicious ingredients. She sacrificed a lot for us. It’s what she’s always done.”
Menus reveal Juanita’s influence, from a simple Spanish omelette with eggs, olive oil, potato and salt flakes, to a mushroom, rice and Périgord truffle dish, to croquetas—small, breaded rolls
filled with bechamel sauce and cinco jotas jamón Ibérico, Spain’s most premium free-range ham. This particular pig, Valle Lobo says, is a symbol of Spanish cuisine. The animal grazes on acorns to produce a distinct nutty flavor, and just one leg can be worth up to $1,300. A highlight of Casa Juani’s offering is the marisqueria seafood bar, where chefs prepare raw dishes like razor clams, oysters, mussels with clam ceviche, scallops with onion and tarragon, and a sea urchin custard complemented by ajo blanco and green grapes. Jeun says their many travels to Madrid, where popular markets offer dozens of fresh fish and restaurants showcase seafood in dining rooms, inspired their own display.
“People care about where their food comes from,” she says. “They want to see it. To have a view of the marisqueria in our dining room, it makes it fun and interactive. Guests can be part of the experience.”
Casa Juani seafood, vegetables and meats are sourced from the East and West Coasts, Spain and local farms, including Toohey & Sons and Esoterra Culinary Garden. Sea urchins are overnighted from Santa Barbara, California, where divers caught them the previous day. Every ingredient in the kitchen begins whole, whether it’s spices, ribeye on the bone, or a freshly harvested tomato.
CONTINUED >
“There’s no shortcut to delicious cooking,” Jeun says. “It’s about developing flavors. Food tastes better when you can source it properly.”
Restaurant interiors lean on a Mediterranean minimalist aesthetic, allowing the food to take center stage. Boulder architecture firm Arch11 infused the space with Iberian design flair—earthy and modern with stone and marble accents. Valle Lobo and Jeun found various plates, bowls, and other ceramics in showrooms across Madrid, Barcelona, and New York. Attention to detail is
visible in the plating, where the couple’s culinary creativity shines.
“We’re presenting tapas in a fun way, interacting different seafood and vegetables,” Valle Lobo says. “I'm doing this because of my mom. We want to have good food, good ingredients. Someone told me, ‘The food tastes like my grandma’s.’ It’s incredible. I'm very happy."
CASA JUANI
901 Pearl St., Boulder | CasaJuaniBoulder.com
When Meet Artists
A Watershed School Senior and a Boulder Painter Form a Mentorship that Proves Creativity Is Often Sparked Through Connection
ARTICLE BY PAYTON SHOUP
PHOTOGRAPHY BY POPPY & CO. BY KELSEY HUFFER
Meet Artists
There are always select people in our lives who inspire us to live authentically. To nurture parts of our creative identity and develop parts of who we are. Carving avenues with the tools they give us for the long haul. Consequently, whether it be by chance or by design, we take so much away from the mentors in our lives.
Watershed School in Boulder, Colorado, has fostered so many progressive minds within its walls. Giving its students so many opportunities to learn in unconventional ways while fostering a deeper connection to their community. Sasha Weiner is one of those minds who has not only made the most of her time but also created lifelong friendships and mentorships along the way. Weiner has enjoyed art for as long as she can remember.
When I spoke with Sasha about her connection to making her own work, she informed me that a majority of her initial experience was more based in drawing and watercolor.
“I’ve never been a painter and had never really painted before last year. I had always been more of a pencil and paper kind of artist, so when I took an acrylic painting class, it was something very new, and during that class, we toured my current mentor Jean Pless's art-making space at Studio 6595," says Weiner.
From then on, the experience opened a lot of doors. That tour not only introduced her to oil painting and abstraction in art, but also to Jean, whose work is typically larger-scale oil paintings. “We kind of hit it off right away once we started chatting. She saw me as an artist almost immediately.”
apart a natural landscape. Every time I’m with her, she shares something different with me.”
From sharing homemade meals and tea to listening to classical music as they work, Weiner has been able to observe how fiercely independent Pless is in her everyday life—telling her to be unafraid of “ruining a painting,” and to not hold yourself back from trying out an idea. “In my first few paintings, it felt like I was more designing, rather than just painting. It felt good to have somebody telling you to see where the painting will take you.”
After their first meeting, Weiner was able to reach out and shortly thereafter begin a mentorship with Pless. “Her work was eye-opening. It was so interesting to see how she breaks
Spending this time together has shown up in so many ways for Weiner, whether it be in school or in a more individual manner. Life lessons as much as artistic ones have been shared in such a short period of time. “She has taught me to be more intuitive and firm in my decision-making. Learning to paint through emotion and memory itself has taught me to trust myself and look at things with fresh eyes.”
Being a high school senior, coming into her last semester, there has been some tenderness in what things will look like after the mentorship finishes up. So much so that her senior project was a light-soaked short film. The five-minute interval showcases Pless in “all her greatness.” Small pockets of moments where she reminisces about her life, her process, and what makes her feel unstuck when creating. A quiet bond and loud friendship nurturing itself in Studio 6595.
“We really connect on so many things. I’m actually so sad that I didn’t find her sooner, just so we could spend some more time together. I’ve had so much fun.” No matter how far Sasha goes, her and Jean’s friendship has shown how lucky we are to have such briefly wonderful experiences, with people who teach us so much about ourselves.
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THE PLACES ONE YES EST
TOOK
Photo by Alex Beal
PLACES HON ONE YES ME
Boulder entrepreneur and adventurer Ret Taylor, co-founder of the natural remedies company Ned, has spent years chasing big summits—both in business and the outdoors. But a pivotal moment on Denali changed his trajectory, setting him on a global journey of exploration, humility, and learning to follow what feels true.
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ARTICLE BY RET TAYLOR
TOOK
DENALI - THE FIRST YES
Boulder is a town that loves summits. I love that about this place.
A few years ago, I went to Denali chasing one of my own. At 18,000 feet, two Arctic storms were headed our way: stay and endure, or descend before they hit. Staying was my first instinct. Since I was a kid, doing hard things has been my identity. Endure. Push. Lean in.
But lying in my tent that night, I realized I'd been paddling against the current my whole life, convinced that was the only way. I put the oars down. The summit could wait. I was ready to see where the river took me.
The next morning, we descended. That was the first honest yes.
BOULDER - CLOSE TO HOME
Back home, that yes became practical. I'd spent seven years building Ned alongside an incredible team—a Boulder natural remedies company many of you know. It was meaningful work.
But Denali clarified something. The drive that built the company wasn't the thing I wanted steering my life anymore. I was finally ready to give myself permission to do what I'd always wanted: work with good people to help them quiet the stories that no longer serve them so they can hear their own truth and return to what matters most.
So we sold Ned. Not because it was easy. Because it was true.
SAUDI ARABIA - AT THE BACK OF THE PACK
For years, friends in Saudi Arabia had been inviting me to ride across the Arabian Desert. I'd always had a reason to say no. Now it felt like a hell yes—and I found myself on a motorcycle from Yemen to Jordan, the worst rider in the group by a long shot.
Always at the back, swallowing dust, eating sand every time I went down. And I went down a lot.
The desert humbles you quickly. It stretches in every direction, older than your ambition. Out there, no one cares what you've built. You either pay attention or you eat sand.
And the stars… I remember looking up and laughing again. You can't take yourself too seriously under a sky like that. Turns out humility is a lot more fun than I expected. Riding at the back was exactly where I needed to be.
AFRICA - ON THE TRACK
Another yes led me to Africa to track lions with Boyd Varty, an author whose work had already changed how I saw the world.
Tracking lions is slow and deliberate. You read tiny signs—a bent blade of grass, a faint print in the dust—and you will lose the trail. That's just how it works.
I began to see how often I'd lost my own. Chasing momentum instead of paying attention. When you lose the track, you don't panic. You widen your awareness and return to the last clear track.
That trip came from a vision during a quest in the Utah canyons years before. When I put the oars down on Denali, the river brought me here. It didn't make logical sense. It just felt alive. So I followed it.
UTAH - COME HOME
Eventually, all those yeses led me back to the place that resonates most. The vision quest—except this time I was holding the space for a group I'd brought together. My first time leading one. When the moment came, it felt like a remembering.
On the final night, a rainbow appeared over the canyon. The group came together in ways I couldn't have planned. A thousand small things conspired—not perfect, but just right. I laughed. The same laugh as under the Saudi stars. The one that means something is so clearly true that the only response is joy.
Later, a wish on a shooting star: to keep doing this for as long as it feels like the most important thing I can do. It felt like coming home.
BOULDER - THE REAL SUMMIT
I went to Denali chasing a summit. I came home learning to say yes. Boulder will always love summits. So will I. But the real ones aren't always higher. Sometimes they're just truer.
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- CHRIS SOMMERS, VICE PRESIDENT
COTTONWOOD CUSTOM BUILDERS
OPEN YOUR DOOR
The 2027 Sundance Film Festival is coming to Boulder, and with it comes an extraordinary opportunity for local homeowners: the chance to welcome filmmakers, artists, and audiences from around the world into your neighborhood.
The Sundance Festival Lodging Program invites Boulder residents and property owners to make their homes available as shortterm lodging during the festival period. Whether you have a whole house, a guest suite, or a spare bedroom, participating means earning income while helping create the kind of warm, community-rooted festival experience that Boulder does best.
ARTICLE BY JILL ADLER GRANO
TO THE 2 0 2 7 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL
WHY IT MATTERS
The Sundance Film Festival has introduced some of the most impactful and iconic independent artists and films for over four decades—work that has gone on to shape entertainment and culture for generations. Having that creative energy in Boulder is thrilling, and housing is one of the most important pieces of making it work.
Festival attendees need places to stay, and a robust network of local hosts keeps visitors in town longer, supports our restaurants and shops, and reduces the traffic and congestion that come with commuters driving in from surrounding areas. Your spare bedroom isn't just a rental—it's an economic engine for the community.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE
If your property is located within Boulder city limits, you may be eligible. Single-family homes with no HOA are the most straightforward path, but the program also includes options for condos, ADUs, and other property types. HOA residents should review their governing documents and confirm whether short-term or festival-period rentals are permitted. If you currently hold a long-term rental license, please do not revoke it—we expect that by April, the City will allow property owners to hold both a long-term and a shorter-term festival lodging license simultaneously.
All participating properties must be properly licensed through the City of Boulder. Depending on your situation, you'll need either a standard ShortTerm Rental License or a Festival Lodging License. Details on which applies to you are available through the City's licensing office.
A NOTE ON PRICING
The majority of Sundance Film Festival attendees historically come from within the host state. We can expect most visitors to be driving in from across Colorado—people who are flexible, price-aware, and have options. Hosts who price competitively based on actual market demand, rather than aspirational festival premiums, are far more likely to book successfully and keep guests in Boulder for the full festival run.
A good starting point is to assess what your home would rent for in a typical January, then adjust upward modestly for the festival window. Think of it as smart hospitality, not a windfall—and know that reasonable pricing strengthens the entire festival ecosystem.
A TAX BENEFIT WORTH KNOWING
Under Section 280A(g) of the Internal Revenue Code—sometimes called the Augusta Rule—homeowners who rent their personal residence for 14 days or fewer per year can exclude that rental income from federal taxes. The festival period fits neatly within that window, making participation even more financially attractive. Local taxes still apply, so consult your own tax advisor for specifics.
GETTING STARTED
The process is straightforward: confirm your eligibility, apply for the appropriate City license, prepare and photograph your home, and list it—either through a property manager, on the official Sundance housing site, or on platforms like Airbnb that integrate with the festival's booking infrastructure. If you have questions about eligibility, HOA navigation, or how to get involved, please contact Jill Adler Grano at 303-945-0601or jill.grano@state.co.us Boulder has always been a place that opens its arms to artists, thinkers, and storytellers. The 2027 Sundance Film Festival is a chance to do that, literally, one front door at a time. Jill Adler Grano | jillgrano.com
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY POPPY & CO. BY KELSEY
RADIANCE
May 15–17, 2026 | The Dairy Arts Center
Celebrate renewal and radiance with contemporary masterpieces by Jorma Elo and Nicolo Fonte.
BALLET IN THE PARK
May 30-31, 2026 | The Boulder Bandshell
SEASON 2026/27 OPENER AT CHAUTAUQUA
September 18 | Chautauqua Auditorium
Choreographic works by Jorma Elo, Natasha Adorlee, Ben Needham-Wood
DANCERS' CHOICE
October 24 & 25 | The Dairy Arts Center
THE NUTCRACKER
November 27-29 | Macky Auditorium Concert Hall
December 5 -6 | Vance Brand Auditorium
December 12-13 | The Stanley Hotel To purchase tickets, visit BoulderBallet.org.
BALLET 2026
HUFFER
E F I N E
April Around Town
4th
TEDXCU
3rd-12th
BOULDER ARTS WEEK
Sundays through April
SUNDAYS THROUGH APRIL
JAZZ NIGHT AT C BAR
Spend Sunday evenings at C Bar with live jazz performed by local musicians from the University of Colorado Master’s Program. With music filling the space from 5-8 p.m. each week, it’s an inviting way to ease into the night and enjoy Boulder’s local talent.
Boulder Arts Week invites the community to celebrate the artists, organizations, and creative energy that make Boulder’s cultural scene so dynamic. With a wide range of experiences spanning visual art, music, dance, and more, the weeklong celebration offers countless ways to support and engage with local creativity.
4th
BOULDER POLAR PLUNGE
The Boulder Polar Plunge brings the community together for a fun and spirited event in support of Special Olympics Colorado. Whether you’re taking the plunge or cheering from the sidelines, it’s a lively way to show your support for an important cause. To register, visit SpecialOlympicsCO.org
TEDxCU brings together bold ideas, thoughtful conversation, and voices from across the community for a day of inspiration and discovery. The annual event offers a chance to hear from speakers exploring a wide range of topics, all centered on curiosity, connection, and new perspectives. For tickets, visit TEDxCU.com
9th - 12th
BOULDER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Each spring, the Boulder International Film Festival brings a lineup of celebrated films, filmmakers, and special events to the heart of the city. From April 9–12, this beloved festival returns with screenings and experiences that make Boulder a destination for film lovers and creative minds alike. For more information and tickets, visit BIFF1.com
Photo Credit Maddy B Creates
10th
FORGED IN COMMUNITY | LOW RIDER X BOULDER LIFESTYLE
Experience BoMA firsthand at their upcoming Art Show “Forged in Community” in partnership with Low Rider and Boulder Lifestyle Magazine, April 10-12 at the Low Rider Gallery in Hygiene. Come meet the artists, support a timeless craft, and see what happens when a community gathers around the bench.
17th - 18th
ROOTS MUSIC PROJECTS MODERN JAZZ AND SOUL FEST
Roots Music Project’s Modern Jazz and Soul Fest returns for its second year with a weekend dedicated to rich sound, standout performances, and a celebration of contemporary jazz and soul. The festival offers music lovers a chance to experience an exciting mix of artists and styles in a setting built for connection and discovery. For tickets and more information, go to RootsMusicProject.org
25th
GROWING GARDENS GOAT YOGA
Growing Gardens’ Goat Yoga offers a playful way to spend time outdoors, blending movement, fresh air, and a little farm charm. The lighthearted class is a fun way to connect with the season while enjoying one of the organization’s most unique community experiences. To register and to explore Growing Gardens’ other classes, visit GrowingGardens.org
26th
TULIP FAIRY & ELF FESTIVAL
Spring arrives in Downtown Boulder with the return of the Tulip Fairy & Elf Festival on Pearl Street Mall. This beloved tradition features the colorful Tulip Fairy, pint-sized fairies and elves, live performances, special activities for children, and thousands of blooming tulips that transform the mall into a festive celebration of the season.
29th
CHAUTAUQUA SQUARE DANCE
The first annual Chautauqua Square Dance brings a lively evening of traditional music and dancing to the Chautauqua Community House. With the New Pleasant Valley String Band leading the night, guests can expect square dances, waltzes, two-steps, and more in a spirited celebration of old-time music and community gathering. For more information, visit Chautauqua.com
