Roamin' the Range, July 2014

In the warm sunny days of summer, most anything is possible! Get on out there and discover what you’d most like to do.

Colorado Proud, America Strong is the theme for this year’s day-long Wellington Fourth of July celebration. Parade participants line up at Wellington Boulevard and Cleveland Avenue between 7 and 9:30 a.m. for the 10 a.m. parade. Three awards will be presented in each of three categories: floats, walkers and motorized entries, and will be based on originality, creativity, workmanship and overall appearance.

The events of the day include: Pancake breakfast at the Filling Station, 4th and Cleveland, 7-10 a.m.; Northern Plains Car and Truck Show, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. north ball field; vendors, beer garden and food, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; dirt drag races, antique tractor pull and truck show, noon, one block north of Washington Avenue off County Road 7; music by Barely Gettin’ By, 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; and lawn mower races 1 p.m. east side of 6th St. just off Grant Ave. A family fun fest will take place at Library Park noon to 2 p.m. and includes a kids’ zone inflatable area and cake/cookie walk. The Town Board free ice cream social begins at 5 p.m. and a street dance runs 5-8 p.m. in the library parking lot. Fireworks begin at dusk near Library Park, presented by Wellington Fire Department Volunteer Membership and the Town of Wellington. Bring your own lawn chairs. Relax and enjoy!

Reserve your camping spot now for the Rise ‘n Shine arts festival Aug. 15-17 at Grant Farms, 12155 NCR 15 in Wellington. Hosted by Chelsea Glanz, this weekend event, sponsored by Rise ‘n Shine member artists promises to be a transformative experience. The group centers around participatory community building, integrated artistic expression and connecting with the land and local food.

Come and camp on the grounds ($20 for two nights). Take part in workshops by avid agriculturalists, hula, fire and burlesque dances, farm-fresh meals, yoga, meditation and an array of creative activities to expand your mind and inspire your heart. Child care available in the evenings. No dogs. Tickets available for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. An outdoors event. Shade and cold running water available.

“Join the fun and spread the fire,” Glanz said. This growing community of individuals is dedicated to working together to find new ways to engage the public in liberation, healing, self-expression and education through being part of the arts in its many forms. The link below provides additional details:

http://risenshinearts.bpt.me.

Kids ages 7 through 12 are eligible to take part in Kids Do It All: Music Theatre program, University Center for the Arts, 1400 Remington St., Fort Collins July 7-12, 14-19 and 21-26. The week-long day camps lead youth through the entire theatre process culminating in an original play. Info: [email protected].

July 21-23, first though fifth graders can enjoy a fun day of singing games, choir, folk dancing, keyboard improv and movement at University Center for the Arts, 1400 Remington St., Fort Collins Info: [email protected].

Polish up your throwing arm and your aim, then sign up for Wellington’s first Disc Golf Tournament, Saturday Aug. 23. Open to beginning and experienced golfers. Funds raised will help Wellington Area Chamber of Commerce reach out to more business owners and grow membership. To be held at Wellington Disc Golf Course, Third and Mt. Oxford streets. in Wellington. $20 fee. Info.: Ben Parsons, 970-484-3600 or [email protected]. Register at www.wellingtoncoloradochamber.net.

There are only a few days left to visit Fort Collins Museum of Art, 201 S. College Ave. to enjoy Karen Halverson’s photos. “Downstream: Encounters with the Colorado River” traces the flow of the Colorado River from source to mouth and demonstrates how people and the river interact. And don’t miss Colorado photographer Kevin O’Connell’s images that explore how human consumption affects nature. Exhibition closes July 3. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. $4 admission. $2 for seniors and students, $1 for youth 7-18 and free for children 6 and under. Info: ftcma.org.

Kerrie Flanagan, director of Northern Colorado Writers will present her workshop on smart self-publishing between 1 and 3:30 p.m. to the Red Feather Lakes Writers Group on June 28. To be held at RFL Community Library, the class is free and open to the public but space is limited. Call 970-881-2664 to register or for more information. Red Feather Writers Group is open to new members. They meet from 3 to 5 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. To learn more about Northern Colorado Writers visit NorthernColoradoWriters.com.

Music lovers may have a hard time catching all the groups they’d like to hear this summer. There’s a series of concerts Thursday nights at the lagoon at Colorado State University; three days of non-stop music, 5-10 p.m. at New West Fest in downtown Fort Collins Aug. 15-17; plus a series of Bohemian Nights concerts featuring local musicians on Thursday nights from 7-9 p.m. through Aug. 7 in Old Town Square, Fort Collins. Ben and Jerry’s ice cream shop has been sponsoring FAC concerts on the Old Town Square stage 7-9 p.m. and will complete the series on July 4 with “Been There Done That” band playing timeless and soulful rock and roll. Noontime Notes concerts take place on Oak Street Plaza in Fort Collins between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Tuesdays through Aug. 5. And should you get hungry, there’s a Foodie Walk in downtown Fort Collins the third Friday of every month where you can wander from one participating restaurant to another and sample their goodies.

After a successful first summer, Livermore Community Hall will host a Farmer’s Market again this year. Local farmers sell garden produce, Whiskey Belle Ranch beef, eggs and vegetables, Rabbit Creek Emu Ranch oil products, Lagado Alpaca Ranch wool and fertilizer and Tortilla La Esmeralda tamales. Market opens July 3 and continues every Thursday 3 to 6:30 p.m. through Sept. 25. Junk in the Trunk sale the first Thursday of each month. Pre-registration required. $10 for pick-ups, $5 for cars. Throw your garage sale items in the trunk of your car and join us! Livermore board member Rene Lee’s family was instrumental in building the hall in 1948. She organizes the Farmers’ Market to raise funds to support the building. A non-profit 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the hall is the site of dances, weddings, concerts, parties and any gathering people can imagine. Info: Rene at 970-221-0997 or [email protected] to become a vendor. To reach the hall, go north on U.S. 287 to CR 74E, Red Feather Lakes Road. From the Forks building at the junction, go 2 miles west. Hall is on the right.

Fort Collins Fourth of July fun: The day begins with the Firekracker 5k Race at City Park at 7:30 a.m. Golf tournament at City Park, 8 a.m. The 33rd Annual Old Timer’s Base Ball game at City Park’s north ballfield begins at 9:30 a.m. Parade follows at 10 a.m. starting at Jackson Avenue and ending at Howes St. City Park pool open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fort Collins Foxes hosts Loveland Blue Jays (baseball) at 1 p.m., City Park south field. live music 4:15-9:30 p.m. on the hill at the corner of Sheldon and Mulberry Sts. Fireworks begin at 9:35 p.m., City Park.

Red Feather Lakes celebrates on July 5 and 6 with an arts and crafts show from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., kids fishing contest at Ramona Lake 8:30- 11:30 a.m. Historic Robinson Cabin open 9 a.m.-4 p.m., RFL Library Book Sale, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.. Music by Run for Cover, 4 p.m.-8 p.m., Barbecue at POA, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. sponsored by Morning Star Community Church. Parade, 2 p.m. with Veterans’ Celebration to follow. Fireworks at 9 p.m. July 6: Lions’ Pancake Breakfast, 7:30-10:30 a.m. RFL Library Book Sale, 8-11 a.m. POA meeting 3 p.m. Bingo 7 p.m. with raffle drawing during intermission.