Do You Like the View From the Top? Check Out Colorado's Scenic Waterfall Hikes

Sometimes the best satisfaction at the end of a tough hike, besides that “ah, I’ve made it!” moment, is being greeted with amazing views. And nothing quite adds to the views of stunning mountain valleys and peaks like a tall, cascading waterfall. Colorado is filled with beautiful mountain waterfalls that are not to be missed. From one of the state’s most visited waterfalls, Hanging Lake in Glenwood Springs, to the tallest free falling falls in Colorado, Bridal Veil Falls, check out a sampling of some local favorites that are well worth the trek after the jump.  

 

Gay Rights Icon Clela Rorex Announced as CinemaQ Closing Night Guest

Nearly 40 years after the first same sex marriage license was signed in the country, Boulder County continues to make waves in the marriage equality debate. The closing night film of the CinemaQ Film Festival, Limited Partnership, follows the story of Richard Adams and Tony Sullivan, who, in 1975 in Boulder CO, became one of the first same-sex couples to be legally married. The former Boulder County Clerk, who issued the original license, Clela Rorex, and Filmmaker Thomas Miller will be at the Sie FilmCenter Sunday, July 27 at 7:15pm to present the film, Limited Partnership, and discuss the topic, which remains relevant today.

Featuring archival footage from History Colorado, Limited Partnership, is the 40-year love story between Filipino-American Richard Adams and Australian Tony Sullivan. After applying for a green card for Tony based on their marriage, the couple received a denial letter from the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Outraged at the tone, tenor and politics of the letter and to prevent Tony's impending deportation, the couple sued the U.S. government, filing the first federal lawsuit seeking equal treatment for a same-sex marriage in U.S. history.

"Limited Partnership is the perfect culmination to our festival," says Denver Film Society Development Associate, Patrick O'Brien. "CinemaQ celebrates the diversity and breadth of the community, while tackling topical issues."

Stonewall Fitness: LGBT Bootcamp in the Park

By David Smith

LGBT Bootcamp in the Park is a weekly fitness class for the LGBT and allied community. It is open to everyone and all levels of fitness! Be sure to invite your friends and get ready for a workout! The workouts consist primarily of cardio as well as resistance training and core workouts. Individual, partner and group exercises as well as fun games and exercises to challenge you and have fun!

Regardless of your fitness level, the workout is your own and you can participate at your own level. The goal is that you push your limits and challenge yourself. Most importantly it's to HAVE FUN!

$10 suggested donation for the Bootcamp and we will meet at the Cheesman Park Pavilion.

Afterwards we'll go and get us some tasty brunch at a local restaurant nearby. Unless we do a picnic in the park!

If money is an issue then pay what you can! This workout is for everybody and regardless of your financial restrictions you can still get a challenging and fun workout!

**If the pavilion is occupied, we will meet on the Northeast side of the pavilion by the flower beds**

Find more information at www.stonewallfitness.com and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/stonewallfit.

Colorado's Ultimate Summer Concert Season

From unforgettable shows at the legendary Red Rocks to a three-night stand from jam band legends Phish, Denver is the center of the live music universe during the summer of 2014.

Things to do in Denver When You're Gay: You're Invited to the Five Points Jazz Festival

The Five Points Jazz Festival, now in its 11th year, brings people together for a day of food, fun and fantastic music. 

The free festival takes place the third Saturday of May each year and celebrates the history of Denver's Five Points neighborhood. Once known as the Harlem of the West, Five Points was home to several jazz clubs which played host to many of jazz music's legends such as Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and many more. 

Since its inception in 2004, the Five Points Jazz Festival has grown each year in size and popularity. In 2013 more than 16,000 people attended the festival to hear more than 20 local bands on six stages. On May 17, 23 bands are scheduled on seven stages. You won't want to miss the Main Stage headliners, the Nelson Rangell quartet and the Brad Leali Orchestra.

Exciting New Developments Take Shape This Summer In Colorado

New activities, festivals, culinary offerings and more are the buzz this summer in Colorado. Throughout the state, visitors and locals are invited to see and experience what’s new, from taprooms and distilleries, to museum exhibits and a variety of events, along with the opening of the much-anticipated Union Station in Denver, Colorado is the place to be this summer for all things innovative and fun.
 
Following is a sampling of what’s new in Colorado this summer. For more information on Colorado or for a free copy of the 2014 Official State Vacation Guide, visit www.COLORADO.com.

Colorado Chocolate Festival This Weekend!

A deliciously delightful way to spend a weekend!

Say Hello To Summer Over Memorial Day Weekend in Denver!

Denver Day of Rock (a free music festival in downtown Denver) is the centerpiece of the long weekend, with art, pro sports and great hotel deals adding to the fun.

Stonewall Fitness: You Are Cordially Invited to Bootcamp 'n Brunch!

By David Smith
Bootcamp n' Brunch is a weekly fitness class for the GLBT and allied community that takes place Sundays at 10am at Cheesman Park ($10 suggested donation). It is open to everyone and all levels of fitness! Be sure to invite your friends and get ready for a workout! The workouts consist primarily of cardio as well as resistance training and core workouts; individual, partner and group exercises as well as fun games and exercises to challenge you and have fun! Regardless of your fitness level, the workout is your own and you can participate at your own level. The goal is that you push your limits and challenge yourself. Most importantly it's to HAVE FUN!

Every 1st Sunday of the Month all BnB Proceeds will be donated to a particular cause! Find more info here.
 

Take a New Look at the Old West in Denver; Where to Eat, Drink and Sleep in the Historic Mile High City

Denver’s history may be short, but it is certainly colorful. In 1857, not a single person was living in the Colorado Territory at the confluence of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek. Then gold was discovered. In just three years, more than 100,000 men and women passed through the boom town called Denver, seeking their fortune in the great "Pikes Peak or Bust" gold rush. 

The railroads came next. In the 2,000 miles of wilderness between St. Louis and California, the two most opulent railroad stops became Denver and San Francisco.

In this golden age, Denver was a city of dreams filled with cattle barons and overnight gold-rich millionaires – the “Queen City of the Plains.” The wealth of the mountains was poured into parks filled with lakes and flower gardens and linked by 17 tree-lined boulevards. Colorado marble and granite was used to construct banks, hotels, and mansions and Denver boasted the highest building and the first elevator west of the Mississippi River.

Today, at nearly the same pace of the gold rush, these wonderful old structures are being restored or transformed into hip breweries, chef-owned restaurants, bakeries, cafes, museums, and trendy boutiques.

Here's where to take a new look at the Old West in Denver.

Get Active With Colorado's Culinary Offerings

Colorado is home to farms, ranches, breweries and wineries that have partnered up with active tours to provide one-of-a-kind experiences. From a jeep tour combined with a wine tasting and yoga followed by a locally-brewed beer, to biking from vineyard to vineyard and a mushroom festival featuring foraging hikes, experience Colorado-grown adventures across the state. Below is a sampling of tours and festivals that not only get the blood pumping but also stimulate the taste buds. For more information, visit www.colorado.com.

Colorado Chocolate Festival Brings Chocolatey Goodness!

Once again, Mother's Day weekend is ushered in by the popular Colorado Chocolate Festival! Held at the Denver Mart Friday and Saturday, May 9-10, the seventh annual event features the best chocolatiers and chocolate vendors from around the region, sampling and selling chocolates of all kinds - and more!

Last year, more than 25,000 samples of chocolates and sweets were consumed by attendees at the Colorado Chocolate Festival. This year, organizers expect that number to rise. Attendees may also purchase pre-packaged chocolates from the booths, to take home, or give as gifts for Mother's Day.

Special guests are Master Pastry Chef Johannes Busch from Johnson & Wales University and award-winning chocolatier, Robin Autorino of Robin Chocolates. Chef Busch will judge the Chocolate Cake competitions, and will do a live demo on how to make "soft caramel in chocolate shells" Friday evening at 7:00pm. Robin Autorino will demonstrate how to prepare ganache, a chocolate-and-cream based cream used to fill truffles and pastries, at 1:00pm on Saturday. Autorino, who was recently named one of the Top 10 Chocolatiers in North America by Dessert Professional magazine, will also have a booth at the festival both days, sampling and selling her prize-winning truffles. Both demos are free with fair admission.

Chocolate and Beer pairing classes and samples are also on deck, with Chocolate Therapist Julie Pech, both days. And annual favorite events, such as the Chocolate Crown contest to eat the most Hershey Kisses in 1 minute, and the kids' Chocolate Pudding Eating Contest return on Saturday afternoon. Winners get bragging rights and Golden Tickets, worth money at any booth in the festival.

Guns For Everyone to Offer Free Concealed Carry Class for the LGBT Community

Well, it ain't Drag Queen Bingo! 

On April 26, Guns For Everyone will be hosting a free Concealed Carry class for members of the LGBT community. At the end of the class, participants will receive a certificate that allows them to apply for their Colorado Concealed Handgun Permit. Space in the class is limited, so sign up while the signin' up is free! 

And after the class ends, the plan is for everybody to go hang out at Hamburger Mary's - so maybe there will be some Drag Queen Bingo involved after all!

Bearracuda Returns This Friday Night!

Bearracuda is back at Tracks on March 21 for a VERY special night of music with the Denver debut of special guest DJ Steve Sherwood from San Francisco!

Sponsored by SCRUFF and MileHighGayGuy, Bearracuda is the largest attended bear dance party in the U.S. - now in 38 cities across the world.

Marriage Equality Rally at the Capitol Today

One Colorado and their coalition partners invite the community to take part in today's Marriage Equality Rally today at noon on the west steps of the Capitol. 

On the heels of the recent announcement that nine Colorado couples are filing legal challenges to Colorado's same-sex marriage ban, One Colorado says they are ramping up efforts to win the freedom to marry for all couples across our state.

Denver Gay Professionals Networking Event at Cadence Union Station

The Denver Gay Professionals' next networking event takes place Thursday, March 27 at Cadence Union Station. Be among the first to explore this new luxury apartment development by Zocalo and enjoy a fun evening of networking, jazz, and cocktails Denver Gay Professionals.

Click here to RSVP BY FACEBOOK or here to RSVP BY EMAIL.

Out and About Colorado: Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site

Federally-recognized Arapaho and Cheyenne lands, 1851-1861.

Map courtesy of the National Park Service.

Whether it was for California's gold fields or Oregon's verdant farmland, pioneer families traveled the Oregon Trail in the 1840s, moving across traditional Native American lands to new domains. Settlers and American Indians competed over scarce resources, increasing tensions. The U.S. Army attempted to secure peace with treaty negotiations at Fort Laramie in 1851.

Negotiating with representatives from the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes, treaty commissioners granted lands to the tribes stretching from the North Platte River south to the Arkansas River. This territory encompassed over 44 million acres. In return for allowing roads and travelers to pass freely, federal representatives guaranteed the Native Americans supplies along with protection from settlement.

However, discovery of gold near Pike’s Peak brought fifty thousand miners and traders to Colorado in 1859 alone, where they occupied the legal homeland of the Cheyenne and Arapaho. Many Coloradans started advocating for a revocation of the 1851 treaty, asking the federal government to recognize mining claims rather than removing settlers.

Subsequent talks with a minority of the Cheyenne and Arapaho chiefs produced the 1861 Treaty of Fort Wise. Under this treaty, tribal lands were reduced to an area between the Big Sandy Creek and the Arkansas. Tribal territory declined to less than 4 million acres. These reductions in tribal lands, along with continued incursions by settlers, set the foundation for conflicts over land, property, and survival.

To find out more about the 1851 Fort Laramie or the 1861 Fort Wise Treaties, go to www.nps.gov/sand or visit the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site outside of Eads, Colorado.

Call For Actors & Directors: Denver Element and Theatre Out Team Up For Production of 'The Only Thing Worse You Could Have Told Me'

Theatre Out Denver and The Denver Element have announced they they will be producing 'The Only Thing Worse You Could Have Told Me' at Crossroads Theatre from May 8-17. 

The show is a series of 14 monologues and 10 characters and will be produced as a community building experience to help fulfill the mission statement of The Denver Element with participation available for several actors/directors. Producers will be looking for a number of actors and directors for the production. If interested you are invited to send an email with your area of interest, headshot and/or resume to TheatreOutDenver@yahoo.com. Deadline for submissions will be March 10th.

Out and About Colorado: 8 Hair-Raising Adventure Sport Activities in Gunnison-Crested Butte

The Gunnison-Crested Butte Valley in southwest Colorado is a hot spot for world-class professional athletes and locals who embrace the area’s enormous outdoor playground for recreational pursuits. With hundreds of miles of trails, mountain ranges galore, numerous waterways and a ski area with the most lift-served extreme terrain in North America, the options are nearly limitless for visitors to also get a taste of extreme adventure.  

Here are eight ideas for those who want to get a little out of their comfort zone.

Things to do in Denver When You're Gay: Love is a Drag

Looking for a good time today? Check out Love Is A Drag at Tivoli Turnhalle today from noon-5pm.

Events will include a Drag Workshop, Sex Trivia, and a Drag Show. Admission is free and so is the pizza but bring plenty of singles as tips for the performers will be donated to Rainbow Alley!