Weekender - Memorial Day Ed.!

Holiday+Weekend+Awesome Weather = Keri actually weeping tears of joy. Serious. I am so happy I have been doing little "I PPH Holiday Weekend" dances since I got up this morning.
I want to go do everything. I want to start now. (and by "do everything" I probably mean "sit in the shade of my taco-shaped cowboy hat in my lounge chair next to the Tree House pool with a cooler of adult beverages and stare at the water." But you probably got that, right?)

There are TONS of fabulous things happening around town this weekend, so put your wallet away and prepare for frugal fun!

5/29 - First and most important things first - Memorial Day is a time to honor those who have served our country so bravely. Denver's annual Memorial Day Parade is this Saturday beginning at 10a.m. The parade route is posted here. Head on out for a wonderful way to kick off your summer and honor those who defend this life we are so lucky to lead. And this weekend, don't forget to hug a Vet - say thanks, and celebrate all they have done for us.
________________________________
5/28-5/31 - The 12th annual Downtown Denver Arts Festival kicks off Friday afternoon at the Denver Pavilions and runs throughout the long Holiday weekend. Over 125 Colorado artists will showcase their works in booths around the festival. Check out the festival website for more information.
________________________________
5/28 -Friday Night Live at Tony's Market Bistro is a fabulous way to enjoy some VERY reasonably priced drinks along with the music of LC Jazz Trio from 6p.m.-9p.m. Friday evening, and their rotating list of happy hour bites is always a step above your normal bar nosh! See here for current info.
_______________________________
5/28 - If you are in Boulder, get your weekend started right with F.A.C. at the Millennium Harvest House this afternoon! Live music starts at 5:30 and the atmosphere is 100% family friendly (even your well behaved pooch can join in the fun!). Get all the info here, and get ready to soak up some sun and enjoy some music in Harvest House's gardens this summer!
________________________________
5/29 -5/31 - More from Boulder: it's time for the Boulder Creek Festival - long one of my favorite events and a total "never missed" when I was teen aged-Northern-burbs-Keri. This one is just flat out F.U.N., like only Boulder can have fun. Great music, vendors, AND a rubber ducky race down Boulder Creek. Sigh, I can almost taste the Rolling Rock of my not-quite-of-age summers long ago. But I digress. Get all the info here and head out for a great festival.
________________________________
5/29-5/31 - Old South Gaylord's annual Memorial Day Weekend Festival kicks off each day starting at 7a.m. with a pancake breakfast, and the fun runs each day Saturday- Monday with loads of family-friendly free entertainment, vendor and artists booths, and sales in the shops around the neighborhood. Grab all the info here, and then head for the shuttle lot at South High to head for the festival. (Parking in that 'hood is a nightmare, even on non-festival days - but the shuttle lot makes it a snap to get in on all the fun!)
________________________________
5/29- Speaking of Festivals :4 Stages. 20 Bands. 1 Day of Rock! Saturday is the Denver Day of Rock, at stages located downtown - A full day of loads of music, all free! Check out the line up and stage locations here, and Rock on, Denver!
________________________________
5/29 - Stapleton's first Sweet William open air vintage, antique and art market is this Saturday (they run every last Saturday of the month all summer long) from 9a.m. - 2p.m. Enjoy live music and shop (or just look) at the treasures offered by the vendors. Get more info here.
________________________________
5/29- Your kiddo can build his or her very own Nascar style wooden race car this Saturday from 10a.m. -11a.m. at Lowes Build and Grow Clinic. Just go here to pick your location and register.
________________________________
5/30 - The Denver Cruisers are expanding their schedule of bike rides this summer to include not only their themed Wednesday rides, but also Sunday Funday Rides. These are not themed, just a chance for a relaxing bike ride with other folks who love bikes on Sunday afternoons, and the first one is this weekend! The rides start at 2pm at the Great Divide Tap Room (22 and Arapahoe) - find more info here.
________________________________

Farmer's Markets:
Denver Urban Homesteading's market -Saturdays 9am-2pm. (The DUH farmer's market is now also open Wed, Thur, Fri 1-6, too!)
Cherry Creek Farmers' Market - Saturdays 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. (Wednesdays start up in June)
Boulder County Farmers' Market - Saturdays 8a.m.-2p.m.
Southwest Plaza - Saturdays 8a.m.-2p.m.
Southlands - Saturdays 8a.m. - 1p.m.
Highlands Ranch - Sundays 10a.m.-2p.m.
City Park Esplanade Farmers' Market - Sundays 8:30a.m.-12:30p.m.


Still searching for the perfect fun and frugal weekend activities?
Try these sites:
Denver365 Free Events page
Tattered Cover Bookstore Events
Denver Public Library Events

If you have an upcoming event you would like listed in The Weekender (or any other tips for DiD,) email the details to Keri@ItsTheAltitudeDenver.com and don't forget to share your hot tips for frugal goings on around town with other Dealers in the comments below.

SF Market Holiday Weekend celebration coupons

Before you head out shopping, print these Sunflower Market Coupons for some of your favorite summertime celebration eats!

Double Ad Wednesday Preview!

Don't forget to check Sunflower Market's circulars and plan ahead to take advantage of the great deals in both tomorrow during Double Ad Wednesday!

Understanding your Credit - Free Class at DPL!

Understanding how credit works is a BIG part of insuring the health of your financial situation.

Take advantage of this free class at the Denver Public Library tomorrow (Tuesday, May 25) evening and get your questions answered:

"Understanding the ins and outs of responsible credit use is a very important part of managing your money. This interactive presentation will cover the pros and cons of using credit, credit reports and scores, explain the terms used in credit applications and describe the difference between good and bad debt. Check out the free Education Cents program online at www.educationcents.org. Keyboard/mouse/Internet skills required."
Time:
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Location: Central (Central Branch) 4th floor computer training classroom.

No registration required. The class is on a first come, first serve basis. Seating is limited, please arrive early.

Weekender

Beautiful, Beautiful Colorado Weekend Alert!!
I am so excited about the fabulous weather in store for the next few days, I am tempted to just grab the picnic basket and sunscreen, stuff my doggie under my arm, and go sit in Wash Park all weekend long, doing not-a-dang-thing.

BUT - if you are looking for fun and frugal activities happening around town this weekend, there are some great ones to be had:

5/21 - It is Third Friday in the Santa Fe Arts District tonight. A monthly event designed to be more intimate than First Friday, allowing interested collectors and patrons to get closer to the art and the artists. This go around Blue Moon Beer will also be there hosting a final round of its Color Your Moon Coloring Contest as well. Go to the Santa Fe Arts District website for details about Third Fridays.
_____________________________
5/22 - Saturday is the 7th annual Five Points Jazz Festival (isn't that crazy, it feels like this has been part of Denver's Festival calendar for longer than that!)
From 1:00-8:00pm the Five Points neighborhood plays host to great live jazz music, lectures and presentations, as well as activities and a festival marketplace. You can find a schedule of performances and events, and directions to the Festival here.
_____________________________
5/21-5/23 - It is time for Belmar's "Here Comes the Sun" sidewalk sale, running all weekend at Belmar! All the merchants are celebrating the sun by displaying their goodies out on the sidewalk at sale prices. Also there are balloon twisters, face painters, activities and other fun to add to the celebration, making it a great way to spend a sunny afternoon! See Belmar's website for more details.
_____________________________
5/22- The Denver Public Library hosts Chef Shellie Kark for a series of cooking demos and conversations that will demonstrate new shopping and cooking strategies to make you feel better, healthier and help you live a more sustainable life. She’ll cover food rules like: Eat Your Colors and Eat All the Junk Food You Want...As Long As You Make It Yourself, and others described in the new book Food Rules by Michael Pollan. The demos and talk run from 10:30-Noon at the Central Branch of DPL. See their website for directions.
_____________________________
5/22 - The Lowes Build and Grow Clinic this weekend gives you and Jr a chance to build a working wooden ping pong ball catapult (um, that seems like a good idea... ::snicker, titter, giggle:::) Go here to find a location near you and register for the workshop, which will run from 10:00-11:00 am.
_____________________________
5/23 - It is also time for AirLife's 13th annual Memorial Run and Walk, this Sunday from 7:00 am- 2:00 pm at Hudson Gardens. There are 5k and 10k runs, a 5k walk, and even a free fun run for the kiddos (they get to run with Denver sports mascots too!) This one always has TONS of family friendly activities, and offers lots of chances for your little ones to get up close and personal with EMS equipment and personnel. Food, drinks (beer this year, YAY,) activity booths and all your usual Festival Fun can be found - as well as plenty of free fun for the fam. There is also an EMS volleyball tournie that starts at 10:00 am, and let's just say that I hear the guys are not fond of playing with their shirts on, ladies. (I hear Kenny Loggins "Playin' With The Boys" in my head right now....)

Eh? Lost my train of thought there. Anyway, check out all the info here.
_____________________________
5/23 - The Bear Creek Swim and Tennis Club (3180 S. Pierce St, Lakewood) is hosting an open house this Sunday from 1:00pm-4:00pm. This is your chance to check out the club, grab some food, and take a dip in their pool, all at NO COST and no commitment! See their website for directions and details.
_____________________________

Farmer's Markets:
Denver Urban Homesteading's market -Saturdays 9am-2pm. (The DUH farmer's market is now also open Wed, Thur, Fri 1-6, too!)

Cherry Creek Farmers' Market - Saturdays 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. (Wednesdays start up in June)Boulder County Farmers' Market - Saturdays 8a.m.-2p.m.

Southwest Plaza - Saturdays 8a.m.-2p.m.

Highlands Ranch - Sundays 10a.m.-2p.m.

City Park Esplanade Farmers' Market - Sundays 8:30a.m.-12:30p.m.

Still searching for the perfect fun and frugal weekend activities?

Try these sites:

Denver365 Free Events page

Tattered Cover Bookstore Events

Denver Public Library Events

If you have an upcoming event you would like listed in The Weekender (or any other tips for DiD,) email the details to Keri@ItsTheAltitudeDenver.com and don't forget to share your hot tips for frugal goings on around town with other Dealers in the comments below.

Sunflower Market Double Ad Wednesday Preview

Ahhh, SF Market Double Ad Wednesday is almost here again and this week's circular is out for preview.

So along with some of my favorite deals from last week:
-b/s Chicken Breasts (or thighs) - $1.88 lb
-Ruby Red Grapefruit - $1.00 for 6 (yep - 6!)
-Mangoes - $1.00 for 2
-Green Peppers, Cucumbers, 1 lb bags of whole Carrots, Mangoes, Cilantro, Parsley or Radish bunches - $1.00 for
-2Bulk Raw Almonds - $3.99 lb

You can also score with these fabulous prices from this week:
-b/s Chicken Breast tenders (these are so easy to work with, it can really cut down on prep!) - $1.88 lb
-Mahi Mahi - $3.88 lb (great price for something different and yum for dinner!)
-Lemons - $1.00 for 3
-Champagne Mangoes $1.00 for 3 (which would be awesome with the Mahi Mahi!)
-SF Market Hummus - $3.99 (This has been a close 2nd fave to my beloved liquid cheese lately)
-7th Generation Cleansers - $2.99 each

And other great prices on things your family uses every day - Check out both ads here and make your shopping plan for tomorrow's Double Ad Wednesday!

Great deal on Family Fun Magazine

A Stolen Moment from the fabulous folks over at The Thrifty Couple (one of my favorite daily reads, BTW,) for a deal of the day magazine (Quoted from The Thrifty Couple):

"So here are the details for this awesome deal of the day – 1-year subscription for $3.65 TODAY ONLY – Tuesday, May 18th – HURRY!!
Here’s how the deal works, head over to BestDealMagazines.com and add Family Fun to your cart. It will show up at $3.99 in price. But we are going to maximize by adding a coupon code for an additional 15% off!
When you check out, use PXSS523 for an additional 15% off which gives a final price of:
$4.29 – 15% = $3.65 + Free Shipping!! ($0.40 / issue)
Compare to the retail of $39.50 and Amazon.com’s current discount price of $9.95! I’d say this is an awesome deal! That’s an amazing savings of over 91% off!!"

Now that is a great deal on a great magazine!

We all scream..

WOO HOO ICE CREAM! It is free scoop day at Haagen-Dazs tomorrow, Tuesday, May 18th from 4pm-8pm.
Just stop by any Haagen-Dazs ice cream store and pick your FREE scoop flavor.
You can pick from:
Chocolate
Coffee
Vanilla

YAY!

Great deal on delivered organic veggies!

If you have ever wanted to try Door-to-Door Organics, then today's Groupon is for you!!
1/2 off a small box of organic produce, delivered right to your door!
$17.00 will get you a box of produce that normally goes for $33.79, that includes a mix of seasonal organic produce, locally grown when possible, delivered on a specific day (so you know it is coming.) Here is an example of the current "small box" to give you an idea of how much you get.

Get all the details here.

Weekender

Yeah yeah, "yay weekend" and all of that - but let's call a spade a spade and say what I really mean here, OK?
YAY FOR SOME SUN!!!
True, Friday evening looks like it will be one more rainy night, but we can all hunker down in a favorite neighborhood HH (I smell a LaLa's night in my future,) knowing that Annie was telling the truth and the sun will, indeed, come out tomorrow!

So what's up around town this weekend:

5/14 - Start the weekend a little early if you are downtown for lunch hour today. Join in the fun at Skyline Park at the Tattered Cover Downtown Spelling Bee! Teams of Adults compete in the bee, spectators can also earn prizes!! See the invite here and then get to Skyline at 11:30a.m. for the start of the event!
______________________________
5/14-5/15 - Kaiser's Colfax Marathon is this weekend, but you don't have to be one of the runners to participate. City Park is also the site of a Sports and Fitness Expo with vendors, samples, and activities for the whole family from Noon to 7 p.m. on Friday and 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. Saturday. Go to their website to learn more about the weekend's events, or to pick out a place along the race route to cheer those runners on!
_____________________________
5/15 - Families can get a free DNA Identification and Biometric Fingerprint Profile Kit to every parent and child on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m at Alpine Buick/GMC, 8120 W. Tufts Ave. See the website for complete information about this great offer, and thanks to the lovely Annie for the Hot Tip!
_____________________________
5/15 - If you are in the market for maternity clothing, or baby and kid clothing and gear, there is another MOPS sale this weekend, this one hosted by the Cherry Hills Community Church from 8:30a.m.-1:30p.m. There is a $1.00 admission fee. Check out their website for directions and more information.
_____________________________
5/15 - Hooray for the first Town Celebration of the season! (Growing up, our little Town Days festival was tiny Keri's favorite event of the year!) This Saturday is Erie's 14th annual Town Fair, and the celebration stretches through downtown Erie with games and activities for the kids and live music on the stage all at Coal Creek Park. The town has a full day of events planned!
_____________________________
5/15- The 3rd Saturday of each month, Jonesy's EatBar hosts an Artists' Collective from Noon-3:00p.m., featuring local artists working with a wide variety of tools and mediums, along with music provided by Rockstar Aaron, and (of course) brunch available should you decide to take the "free" out of the free event for yourself. This month they are also collecting Children's' Bike Helmets and other bike safety equipment at the event, so bring your item to donate and head for Jonesy's to support local artists this Saturday!
____________________________
5/15-5/16 - Highlands Ranch is having their 5th Annual Music Arts Festival this Saturday from 11:00a.m.-8:00p.m., and Sunday from Noon -8:00p.m. at Civic Green Park. The festival features free live music as well as a festival marketplace with vendors, food, and activities. Check the full schedule here and take the whole family out for some music and free fun!
_____________________________


Farmer's Markets: (more to choose from every week!)
Denver Urban Homesteading's market -Saturdays 9am-2pm. (I hear this is expanding to weekdays as well - more to come soon)
Cherry Creek Farmers' Market - Saturdays 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. (Wednesdays start up in June)Boulder County Farmers' Market - Saturdays 8a.m.-2p.m.
Southwest Plaza - Saturdays 8a.m.-2p.m.
Highlands Ranch - Sundays 10a.m.-2p.m.
City Park Esplanade Farmers' Market - Sundays 8:30a.m.-12:30p.m.

Still searching for the perfect fun and frugal weekend activities?
Try these sites:
Denver365 Free Events page
Tattered Cover Bookstore Events
Denver Public Library Events

If you have an upcoming event you would like listed in The Weekender (or any other tips for DiD,) email the details to Keri@ItsTheAltitudeDenver.com and don't forget to share your hot tips for frugal goings on around town with other Dealers in the comments below.
Happy Weekend!

Hump Day Blues?

Well turn that frown upside-down and head for Flying Dog Brewery's new tasting room at 2330 Broadway in Denver for their grand opening party, featuring free beer and snacks from 5pm-7pm. Now I am not really one to understand why anyone would ever move a company away from Colorado, so it smarts a bit that these guys took their brewing to the East Coast a while back, but the fact that they all still call Colorado home, coupled with the opening of this tasting room is enough to start the healing (I guess.)
Besides - it is free beer - so go check it out!

SF Market Double Ad Wednesday preview

Just in case we aren't all buried by the snow that is supposedly coming over night, (RUN OUT AND GET T.P. AND MILK NOW - Fight people for it if you have to! Ok, j/k,) take a look at what Sunflower Market has to offer tomorrow for Double Ad Wednesday:

From last week:
Blackberries - $0.88 - 5.6 oz containers
Cauliflower - $1.50 a head
Grape or Cherry Tomatoes - $1.50 - 10 oz containers
Earth's Best Organic Baby Food - $0.79 a jar
Cliff or Mojo Bars - $0.89 each

And this week:
b/s Chicken Breasts (or thighs) - $1.88 lb (but you could run to Albies today and save 10 cents on that price!)
Ruby Red Grapefruit - $1.00 for 6 (yep - 6!)
Mangoes - $1.00 for 2
Green Peppers, Cucumbers, 1 lb bags of whole Carrots, Mangoes, Cilantro, Parsley or Radish bunches - $1.00 for 2
Bulk Raw Almonds - $3.99 lb

Check out both Circulars here and make your plan to save at Double Ad Wednesday!

Melon head?

Can't Elope?

How about Cantalope? Whole Foods is having a one day sale on Cantalope today - they are 99 cents each!

Smash-tastic freebie!

Register here for National Burger Month and grab great giveaways during May, including free Smashfries (mmmm, Smashfries. So. Good.) this week!

Weekender

Ooooo, the weekend is upon us!! Well, almost, but I just couldn't wait to get started - Oh how I LOVE the weekend, let's start it today!

What is fun and frugal around town this weekend? Here are a few ideas for you:

5/6 - Playing hooky? Well then the LEAST you can do is get a little culture, and Denver Public School's annual Shakespeare Festival is a perfect place to do it! Free to the public, this event features DPS students from kindergarten (seriously, how cute is that? ) through 12th grade doing scenes from Shakespeare's works, along with "The Challenge Bowl" in which students compete against each other in a trivia contest about the famous bard. The fun starts at Skyline Park at 10 am with opening ceremonies, then a parade to the Performing Arts complex where the performances begin at 10:45 and last until 3:45. Get the info about the fun here.
______________________________
5/6 - Grab your girlfriends and head to historic downtown Golden for some ladies only fun this evening - Stop in at any of the local vendors and purchase an invitation packet for only $12.50 and "sample" all there is to offer. Everyone with a bracelet & map will receive free samples, tasty treats & beverages from dozens of participating merchants. The event runs from 4pm - 8pm, so kick off your weekend a little early! (For more info email: info@foothillsartcenter.org)
______________________________

5/7 - It is First Friday in Denver's art districts, with lots great 'hoods to choose from. Go here for a good list of them.
______________________________
5/7 - Looking to add the perfect furry friend to your family? Well, Family Fun Fridays at the Dumb Friends League allow you to do just that, while taking 50% off the adoption fee, and letting your two-legged little ones engage in some fun animal related games and activities. Check out the Dumb Friends League website for details.
______________________________
5/8-5/9- Denver's annual Cinco De Mayo Celebration at Civic Center Park is taking place this weekend, with food, music, vendors, childrens' activities and so much more. Take a look at the event website for specific schedules, directions, and all the information you need to enjoy this big, lively event!
_____________________________
5/8 - Garage sale season is officially upon us, and there is no better way to welcome it then by attending or participating in the neighborhood-wide Wash Park Garage Sale this Saturday from 8a.m. - 2p.m. All homes in this area are welcome to participate by setting out your items for sale in your front yard or garage. A list of participating homes is posted online at http://www.denverlifestyle.com/
_____________________________
5/8 - Free yoga? Sign me up!! Ever Saturday at noon, Root Yoga Center. offers a FREE one-hour community class. It’s open to all abilities and different instructors teach each week. 1539 Platte St, Suite 207. Here is their website.
_____________________________
Farmer's Markets: (more to choose from every week!)
Denver Urban Homesteading's market has been my favorite Weekender topic for a while now, and there is NO reason not to show this market the love just because the outdoor varieties are starting back up. Saturdays 9am-2pm.
Cherry Creek Farmers' Market - Saturdays 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. (Wednesdays start up in June)Boulder County Farmers' Market - Saturdays 8a.m.-2p.m.
Southwest Plaza - Saturdays 8a.m.-2p.m.
Highlands Ranch - Sundays 10a.m.-2p.m.

Still searching for the perfect fun and frugal weekend activities?
Try these sites:Denver365 Free Events page
Tattered Cover Bookstore Events
Denver Public Library Events
As always, tell me all the (many) things I haven't listed in the comments section and give your fellow Dealers a chance to get in on the fun. Happy weekend!

Sweet Giveaway!!

Head's up, the beautiful and fabulous Veronica, one of Denver's super Stylin Stella and Dot Independent Stylists, is having a giveaway over on FB. Check it out and enter here.

Grocery Grabs!

Don't forget about Double Ad Wednesday at Sunflower Market (can you say blackberries? Yum !) Check out both ads here.

In addition to that, Albertsons has b/s chicken breast for $1.77 lb - which is stock up pricing!!

Albertsons has some good coupons on the front of their circular this week as well, so be on the look out in your mail.

The Weekender post is coming on Thursday - a special early edition. Meanwhile, I am off to San Francisco for a few days to visit all my favorite haunts there.

Free Admission at the Childrens' Museum

Tonight is a Target Free First Tuesday at the Childrens' Museum - with free admission from 4-8p.m.
Check out their website for all the info.