Oktobrewfest at Lincoln Park!

We are looking forward to one of our favorite Downtown Greeley events this weekend, Oktobrewfest in Lincoln Park.  This will be our 11th consecutive year in attendance and we will be adding the 11th stein to our collection!  Maybe you have kids?  Bring them!  Maybe you don't like beer!  That is ok, all designated drivers receive a non-alcoholic beverage.  The entire family can come down and enjoy traditional German food and music and also other forms of delicious eats and great music.  If you do love beer, this is the place for you!  Greeley now has 5 breweries (I think) and they are all award winning in their craft.  Plus Ft. Collins, Longmont and other Colorado cities send their best brewers as well.  Also available for tasting will be samples from Syntax Spirits and perhaps a winery or two.  There is no cover charge, so what have you got to lose, come on down and check it out!  Click on the word "Oktobrewfest" above for the full line-up of bands, breweries, costs, VIP tent information and more!

2004 mug

Stein Collection

These bubbles are the most fun you will have all year!  It is so hard to stand up in one of these, but you will split a side laughing so hard while you  try!

Your kids will burn off steam in the bounce houses while you sip your pint with your friends!

They can win some carnival type games.

There are bubbles, and bubbles = happiness!

Blayne Chastain will win you free beer with Beer Pong!  He is really good!

Amazing Weekend!

Our weekend began with my First Friday Art show at Saint Patrick Church.  It was a very fun evening of art, food and live music!  I felt so encouraged and supported in my artistic endeavors by not only my family and friends but by other artists.  Greeley is an art town and I have found that the artists here are more than willing to offer help and suggestions and encouragement!  Here are a few of my favorite photos from my show.

 Saturday morning began with our kiddos' first soccer games of the fall season.  The Greeley Recreation department does a pretty darn good job of organizing hundreds of kids into their youth soccer, football and baseball programs which are all going on now.  Monfort park is jammed full of teams playing and parents and families watching.  It is a lot of fun!

Everett and teammate Peyton on defense!

Cecily loves to play keeper.

 Right after the soccer games we headed to the Boulder Reservoir for the annual Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies Reunion (GRRRR).  Over 100 hundred goldens bring their owners for a picnic and epic ball retrieval contest.

My brother tossing balls for a group of eager dogs!

The kids had the most fun on this log.

 We rolled back into Greeley around 4 PM, but we weren't off to home quite yet.  First we had to do our part at the Greeley Chalk-a-lot!  It was just such a blast!  There was music playing with quite an eclectic collection of songs and many folks were singing along.  It was well organized and as soon as we grabbed some vivid colors we got right to work.

I incorporated a tar patch into my drawing.

Each member of our family did a smaller box within our 6 foot spot.

Our friends Blayne and Phil with Cloudgate got aerial footage of the event with their octo-copter!

After church on Sunday we had out Fall Kick Off party to celebrate back to Sunday School and Small Groups beginning.  We had lunch a bounce house and face painting!  Much fun was had by all.  We need the work week to recover from our weekend.  There is always so much to do in and around Greeley!

First Friday Art Night

Downtown Greeley is a happening place during the summer with Friday Fest happening on the 8th street plaza EVERY Friday!  But the first Friday of every month, year 'round is a night where 21 different businesses, churches and art galleries feature the opening of a new art show, usually of a local Greeley artist. 

3 paintings by Kelly Cook, Bee Button Book by Kimberly Destree

Armando Silva's Billie Holiday

 My husband and I found posters and prints of art that we thought looked nice when we first bought our home 10 years ago.  They were often art pieces from a place we visited or something that we saw in someone else's home that we liked.  There is nothing wrong with those pieces and many of them we still love, but over the last few years our walls have become covered more and more by the art created right here in Greeley.  It is so fun to have pieces from someone in your hometown, and to get to know those artists by attending the First Friday shows as well as art fairs.

Betony Coons

  So if you have never checked out First Friday, come out on September 5th from 5-8 PM.  Get yourself a piece of local art, lovingly made right here in Greeley!  The list and map of venues can be found here, and a hard copy of the map can be picked up at any of the venues or at the DDA office located at 802 9th Street.

David Mash

Kelly Cook

Lamp created by Rick Destree

Jo Lee Parker's poster hangs in my husband's studio as inspiration.

Rose painting inspired by Salvador Dali painted by Stephanie Newton and Dyana Wyeno