Cheyenne Frontier Days Evokes the Old West

"The Daddy of 'Em All" provides a lot of rodeo action and bang for the buck

I've been to the National Western Stock Show any number of times. I've also seen rodeo action at the Greeley Stampede, in Steamboat Springs, Snowmass and elsewhere in Colorado and Wyoming. And in late in winter, I've visited the Old West Museum in Cheyenne's Frontier Park with its wonderful carriage collection and celebration of the rodeo lifestyle. But until yesterday, I'd never been in Cheyenne for Frontier Days, the world's largest outdoor rodeo -- which is kind of embarrassing to myself since I live just 90 miles away and have intended to go for years.

Finally, that situation was rectified at yesterday's opening of the 114th Cheyenne Frontier Days, whose slogan is "The Daddy of 'Em All." The day began with a terrific parade highlighted by horses, carriages, wagons, vintage autos, marching bands and more. Elected and appoint officials, as well as the Frontier Days committee chairs, paraded on horseback or in antique carriages to validate Wyoming's nickname, "the Cowboy State."

Then off to Frontier Park for a behind-the-chutes tour and a chance to walk on the soft earth of the rodeo grounds, see the chutes up close and hear a good explanation of rodeo events. Yesterday's rodeo, played before an audience that nearly filled the 17,000-seat stadium featured three rounds each of steer wrestling, team roping and bareback bronc riding. Last night, Brooks and Dunn played during their final tour, and later in the week, the bull riders (below) take over for two nights of adrenalin action.

I was impressed with the Indian Village. The dancers were wonderful, and the emcee, Sandy Ironcloud, a Northern Arapaho who teaches at the Wind River Indian College, not only introduced the Little Sun Drum and Dance Group (many of whom are her relatives), but also explained the dances, the symbolism and the costumes. The Indians (and they don't appear to want to be called Native Americans) bring what Sandy Ironcloud calls "our babies" to dance and carry on the traditions and share them with us too. Her words were very inclusive, embracing and inviting. Click on the arrow below to see a short video, one of a series of eight that I found on YouTube.



From a consumerist viewpoint, I was also so taken with how much at Frontier Days is free or inexpensive that, when I came home yesterday evening, I wrote a post for MileHighOnTheCheap.com, a site in partner, citing all the free and bargain activities and attractions. Click here for that post.
Cheyenne Frontier Days continues through Sunday, August 1 this year. I will have lived in Colorado for 22 years on August 15, and you can bet that it won't be another 22 years before I return to Frontier Days.

Big Doings in Small Wine Country Town

Renewed Town Plaza to premiere in pocket-size Palisade, the unofficial capital of Grand River wine country

In Europe and in the longer established wine regions of North America, vineyards surround charming towns boasting a few lovely little inns and a handful of terrific local restaurants, cafes and bakeries. Rather than centuries or even decades old, Colorado's wine industry has mushroomed from virtually nothing to significance in just over 20 years. Of the state's two American Viticultural Areas, the Grand River AVA centers around the Town of Palisade.

Palisade is stunningly set between the signature Book Cliffs and the soaring Grand Mesa and with the Colorado River (originally called the Grand River) flowing by its doorstep. Surrounded on three sides by orchards and vineyards, it is working hard to retain its agricultural ambiance and also boosting the appeal of the town itself with much-needed visitor-pleasing amenities. The centerpiece is the renewed Town Plaza at Third and Main Streets. The dedication, which is open to the public, will be on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. and will include live music, food and refreshments.

Town-center improvements include more parking, landscaping, railroad buffering and most importantly, an inviting public gathering place for festivals, events, markets, or just meeting friends. The one-acre Plaza features new trees, shrubs, 15 planting beds, a two-tiered seating wall with a sandstone veneer and improved lighting and electrical service. The Plaza also is the venue for local artist Lyle Nichols's sculpture “Harley,” to be unveiled May 10, 2009. Eventually, a town clock will be located nearby, thanks to the generosity of the Palisade Lions Club.

Palisade has several appealing bed-and-breakfast inns (A DiVine Thyme, Dreamcatcher, Palisade Wine Valley Inn, The Orchard House and Vistas & Vineyards), an unremarkable motel (the Mesa View) and since last summer, a sizable inn set in the middle of vineyards. The 80-room Colorado Wine Country Inn has more rooms than all the B&B's combined and provides in-town lodging for visitors attending the town's myriad special events (see below) or creating their own special events (weddings being a specialty).

Among the upcoming events on the Palisade calendar are the Peach Blossom Art Show (next weekend, April 17-19), the Grand Valley Winery Association's Spring Barrel Tastings (April 25-26 and Mary 16-17), the Palisade Bike Festival (bicycles, not motorcycles, May 8-10), Palisade Bluegrass & Roots Music Festival (June 23-13), Parade of Roses (May 30-31), the 41st annual Palisade Peach Festival (August 13-16), Ravenshire Renissance & Pirate Faire (August 21-23) and the Colorado Mountain Winefest (September 17-20). For Coloradans and visitors alike, Palisade is easy to reach. It's right off I-70 and railroad tracks run right through town. Amtrak trains, of course, do not stop in Palisade (the old depot now houses the Peach Street Distillers, which makes vodka and Colorado's first bourbon in the middle of wine country), but the California Zephyr does serve Grand Junction, just a dozen miles away.

Palisade has scenery that won't quit, vineyards and wineries, orchards and fruit stands, a handful of neat shops, galleries and eateries, places to stay, easy access and terrific festivials other special events. All it needs now, IMO, is a few more really good restaurants -- and locals and visitors to patronize them.

Wyoming Town Honors Rodeo Star

Tiny Kaycee dedicates Chris LeDoux Memorial Park this weekend to big local star

Chris LeDoux was a rodeo star on horseback and on stage. He won the Professional Rodeo world championship in bareback riding in 1976, and he played to capacity crowd concerts at Cheyenne Frontier Days beginning in the mid-1990s. He was inducted into both the Cheyenne Frontier Days and Pro Rodeo Halls of Fame. A highlight of his music career was a top ten hit sung with Garth Brooks, "What You Gonna Do With a Cowboy," and his records sold more than six million worldwide. He died in 2005 at age 56 of a rare form of liver cancer. 

This weekend,  Kaycee, Wyoming (70 miles north of Casper, population 300) is dedicating the new Chris LeDoux Memorial Park in downtown on land that LeDoux and his wife, Peggy, purchased many years ago. They raised five children on a ranch outside of Kaycee. It dedication includes the unveiling of a monumental life-and-a-half size bronze called “Good Ride Cowboy” by sculptor D. Michael Thomas of Buffalo, Wyoming (45 miles north of Kaycee). He began the project shortly after LeDoux’s death. “Chris’s passing hit me like a ton of bricks right in the gut. I always had an idea there needed to be a monument of this fellow. He was Mr. Wyoming,” said Thomas.

Thomas’s 2,300-pound bronze depicts LeDoux spurring for a coveted world champion’s buckle. The base depicts LeDoux’s guitar. Kaycee locals and legions of LeDoux fans raised the funds required for the sculpture. A Cody mold maker, the Caleco Bronze Foundry in Cody and finisher Clay Ward of Deaver, Wyoming, were involved in taking the project for concept to completion. The dedication takes place tomorrow, June 19, and while it's way  late for most people to head for Kaycee, the festivities give an iea of how a small town can celebrate a significant local person. The celebration starts at 10:00 a.m. and includes free food and beer prior to the unveiling of the bronze at 3:00 p.m. Afterward, LeDoux’s band, the Western Underground, will play a free concert following the ceremony.

Big Snow & Big New Lift at Whistler

Peak2Peak gondola a technological wonder and a skier's dream

The new Peak2Peak gondola that will be inaugurated on Friday, December 12, links two on-mountain stations on Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains, for the first time enabling people to ski/snowboard both mountains in a day without having to return all the way to Whistler Village. As if to bless the new lift (right, photo by Ian Anderson), the snow gods have been depositing fat white flakes on North America's biggest resort.

This state-of-the-art Doppelmayr 3S tri-cable gondola is a transport lift like no other. Its 16 Sky Cabins cross 2.73 miles (4.4 kilometers) from mountain to mountain. Between its farthest-apart beefy towers, built to withstand wind and weather, is the world’s longest unsupported span: a stunning 1.88 miles (3.024 kilometres) above Fitzsimmons Creek. It is also the world’s highest lift of its kind crossing the valley floor at a maximum of 1,427 feet (at 436 meters). The cabins were unveiled in September, and load testing began on October 1. Since then, skiers and riders have been salivating.

A Super Launch for a Super Lift

I wish I were going to the Peak2Peak launch but can only be there vicariously via a live webcast of launch ceremony -- and so can you. It will be transmitted beginning at 10:30 a.m. PST on http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/webcast. The official ribbon cutting is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. at the gondola terminals on both mountains.

The first cabin to take off from Blackcomb to Whistler will ferry 22 locals who were nominated as "the most deserving" in the resort's Ride of Their Life contest. In the first cabin from Whistler to Blackcomb will be auction winners who bid for the places, with auction proceeds going to the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation that supports community organizations throughout the Sea to Sky Corridor. The day will be full of festivities from breakfast to "grand" après-ski celebrations.

Preview Colorado Ski Season at Ski Expo This Weekend

Lively ski and snowboard show offers deals, steals and snow-oriented entertainment

The 2008 Colorado Ski & Snowboard Expo kicks off at noon today, November 7, at the Colorado Convention Center and runs through Sunday, November 9. Exhibitors include Colorado mountain resorts selling discounted season passes and multi-day ticket packs, as well as overnight lift/lodging packages. Also, ski tour operators will be promoting their travel packages and destinations, and equipment and accessories manufacturers will be showing their hottest and best gear. Other then the Ginzu Knife people, hucksters of various products and services unrelated to skiing but present at every show will be sprinkled among the snow-related exhibitors -- providing a bit of diversion.

Kids, who are admitted free, love to troll the show for stickers and posters, get autographs or ski stars, snarf up candy (as if they didn't get enough on Halloween) and gawk the the entertainment. There's high-flying action of Honda's “Rocky Mountain Snowdown” that I saw on Channel 7 News early this morning. Youngsters can also try skiing or snowboarding at the the Kids Snow-Play area. For some people, the icing on the snow-oriented cake is Colorado Ski & Golf’s annual multi-million dollar ski and snowboard sale with bargains galore on equipment, clothing and accessories. For others, the sale is reason enough to go.

The Colorado Convention Center is at 700 Fourteenth Street, Denver. Show hours are Friday, November 7, 12:00 noon - 10:00 p.m.; Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.; and Sunday: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Cash-only tickets are $12 at the door; $10 with a coupon that you can print out or from King Soopers and the Denver Post, and $9 if purchased online here. Children under 12 are free. It's good that there are discounts to the show, because parking is $10 (you have to pay the eight-hour minimum), but if you go Sunday, there is more available street parking (but less stuff on sale from Colorado Ski & Golf). A free subscription to Ski, Skiing or TransWorld Snowboarding comes with paid admission to the show.

Mexican Day of the Dead, Colorado-Style, Coming Up

Merry skeletons and plastic flowers contrast with Anglo Halloween

Right after Halloween with its spooky undertones and trick-or-treating comes El Diá de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead celebrated in Mexico, in Mexican-American communities and in parts of Central America. Actually, it is two days (November 1 and 2) and is the time when families celebrate "with" their deceased relatives by visiting cemeteries, straightening out graves, leaving bread and other favorite foods and beverages, replacing faded flowers (usually plastic, because fresh don't last) with new ones and keeping a companionable vigil that includes a merry picnic with their departed loved ones. It is a respectful day but one when happy memories are recalled.

Although the holiday is a melding of indigenous pre-Hispanic and Catholic traditions, the most distinctive iconography is of skeletons in everyday clothing and common settings. Decorating "sugar skulls" is part of the ritual. It is interesting that while Anglo Halloween traditions involve going out and getting stuff (i.e., candy) from other people, the Mexican tradition is to stay with the family, living or not, and give something to the deceased.

My husband and I fortunately happened to be in San Jose del Cabo during the Day of the Dead a few years ago, so of course, we visited the local cemetery. A display on the town plaza explained what the celebration was all about, and vendors of plastic stood set up at the cemetery gates. We walked through the graveyard, watching families perform and sensing that it was wonderful for families to remember the departed joyfully and respectfully.

I'll be right here, north of the border, for the rest of the week, but "Day of the Dead Changes, Grows" in today's Denver Post reminded me that we don't have travel from Colorado. "As it traveled north from its rural Mexican roots, the Day of the Dead has evolved from a simple Memorial Day-type family picnic to honor loved ones, into a lively public celebration of art and culture," wrote reporter Kristen Browning-Blas.

She also provided some background on the celebration and listed local places to see and get a taste of it. I think I'll try to get to the Longmont Museum & Cultural Center (right) and/or CU's Museum of Natural History to check out their displays. Longmont's collaborative exhibition was done with Ciudad Guzmán, its sister city in Mexico, and includes a series of special events, most were last week and earlier this week, but a couple, including a family celebration on November 1, are still to come. Check the museum's calendar for details.

In "Celebrating the Day of the Dead's Delicious Side" in today's San Francisco Chronicle by Gaby Carnacho, who grew up in Tijuana, who wrote, "Brightly colored tissue paper cutouts, or papel picado, decorate cemeteries as well as the homes of the deceased person's family as a signal to the soul that festivities await them on earth. The most significant offerings, though, are the food and beverages that people put on the altars; the deceased's favorite beer, candy and street foods are put on display while those keeping vigil often enjoy more traditional foods."

Maybe I'll be in Mexico or perhaps San Antonio or El Paso sometime in the future, but meanwhile, celebrations and displays right here in Colorado will hold me.

Jessye Norman in "Nabucco" Concert At Masada

American-born diva, Biblical story, Israeli mesatop venue -- coming this June

The first Society of American Travel Writers convention that I attended was in Israel in the fall of 1983. The trip was full of memorable experiences and sights, and when I learned that Jessye Norman (right) will give a concert performance from "Nabucco" at the fortress of Masada this June, two memories came flooding back.

One was from a day trip from Jerusalem that included a visit to a magnificent Roman amphitheater in Caesarea. Our guide, whose name I think was Yossi and who was then old enough to have had personal memories of World War II and Holocaust horrors, told of a Berlin State Opera performance there of "Nabucco." The Giuseppe Verdi opera is set during the Babylonian captivity. Sharing the stage with the Berlin company were legions of locally cast spear-carriers. He said that it "was the first time that the Germans played Jews and Jews played Babylonians." The word "healing" was not yet in vogue, but I couldn't help but think that this performance with all of its symbolic layers must have been a positive event for all involved.

A group of us spent three days hiking and camping in Judean and Negev Deserts. On our last night, our little convoy of Army surplus personnel carriers drove up to the back (west) side of Masada, the fortress overlooking the Dead Sea. We camped at the foot of a 375-foot-high ramp (story below) and hiked up before sunrise and before hordes of tourists disembarked from the aerial tram that comes up from the east. In short, we had mesatop to ourselves. A handsome young Israeli soldier, surely selected for his resemblence to Sal Mineo in the 1960 movie "Exodus," told the Masada story. Totally captivating. We made our way down the ramp and returned to camp before the first tourist-toting tram unloaded.

Masada is as iconic in Israel as a combination of Lexington and Concord, Valley Forge, Fort McHenry and perhaps Gettysburg in the US -- maybe more so. Herod the Great fortified Masada, also in the first century B.C., in case of a Jewish insurrection. In 66 A.D. the Jews in fact did begin revolting. A group called the Sicarii, whom newscasters might today describe as extremists, defeated the Roman garrison at Masada and took over the mesatop from which they then attacked Roman forces. The Romans tried repeatedly to uproot the Jews and finally succeeded after they built the ramp, hauled a battering ram up it and breached the walls. When the Romans entered the fortress, they found that the 900 Jews had burned all of their supplies and committed mass suicide. I can only imagine what today's media would make of such an incident, but Masada remains an Israeli symbol of Jewish survival, and soldiers are sworn in there. What a fitting setting for "Nabucco."

The "Nabucco" Weekend features sunrise performances of Verdi's "Nabucco" directed by Israeli conductor Daniel Oren on an elaborate stage at the foot of Masada, June 3 and 5. The gala concert featuring American soprano Jessye Norman accompanied by the Israeli Opera Orchestra will br on June 4 atop Masada.

Packages revolving around this performance are now available, start at from $668 per person, double occupancy for one night and the performance $1,769 pp/do for a weeklong country tour (May 31 to June 6) with the "Nabucco" weekend at the core. These prices are for foreign visitors only, and it is unclear whether Israeli citizens actually pay less. For package details, click here. When you go to the website and hear the "Nabucco" soundtrack, you'll want to book immediately. I sure did.

Oberammergau? Book Now!

Bavarian village produces Passion Play every 10 years. Hurry to attend in 2010

Half a million people make a religious or theatrical pilgrimage to the Bavarian village of Oberammergau every 10 years to witness the spectacle of the renowned Passion Play that has been put once a decade for 375 years. It is an astonishing feat for a mountain hamlet of 5,200 inhabitants to put on a five-hour spectacle depicting the last days of Jesus. Nearly half of the residents are involved in some way -- on the open-air stage, in the orchestra or behind the scenes.

Something like 100 performances will be put on next year between May 15 and October 3, and if you want to attend, book now. I mean now. Yesterday, I met Mike Adams, managing director of Germany TourComm, who said that individual tickets are already sold out and that if the world economy were stronger, tickets in conjunction with tour operator-based packages would most likely be gone by now too. But the economy is weak, and tickets are still available in conjunction with a lodging package that can be as short as one night. Click here for US tour operators booking one- and two-night Passion Play packages. The Passion Play website also links to tour operators in other countries.

The Passion Play was first performed in the town cemetery in 1634. The story never changes, but the precise words, the music, the sets, the costumes and even the supporting roles have evolved over the centuries. The photo (above right) by Thomas Dashuber shows a rehearsal of the 2010 production. Thanks to Passion Play Oberammergau for its use.

Go Fly A Kite in 35 Countries

International festival promotes peace and sustainability -- and is all sorts of fun


I found out about the One Sky, One World festival when researching free and inexpensive activities for Mile High on the Cheap. The inspiration was the historic 1985 summit meeting of Presidents Ronald Reagan of the U.S. and Mikhail Gorbachev of the U.S.S.R. that marked a significant step toward peace between the super-powers. The spirit of that meeting inspired One Sky One World (OSOW) founder and Colorado kite maker, Jane Parker-Ambrose to create a kite commemorating this new promise of global harmony, with the flags of the U.S. and U.S.S.R. joined on the face of the kite. Halley's Comet, which revisited the Earth in 1986 for the first time in 76 years, is shown as a portent of peace. On a people-to-people visit to Moscow in the 1985, Jane presented her kite and a letter of friendship signed by some 300 kitefliers from the US, Canada, Japan and the United Kingdom to the Soviet Women's Peace Committee.

This gesture of global goodwill gave birth to the idea for One Sky One World, also known as World Kite Day and always held on the second Sunday of October. Since its inception in October 1986, hundreds of thousands of people have attended One Sky One World events in more than 30 nations. The 24th annual One Sky One World will take place on Sunday, October 11, 2009 -- and for the second time, Denver will be part with a full-day celebration at the Stapleton neighborhood's Central Park. Click here for the schedule of events. Denver joins such other cities as varied as Long Beach, Washington, Minneapolis, Montreal, Medellin and Berlin in flying kites and other kite-ly activities.

The OSOW's mission is to focus individuals and communities around the world on the needs for friendship and peace between all peoples and to protect the environment. The name of the organization expresses this theme and connotes the purpose metaphorically. One Sky One World's organizational purpose is to develop awareness of and respect for human and cultural diversity, nature and the environment at home and around the world. Details of the events in various cities differ, but they include public education in the technology of kites, art, history, and participation in age old practice of flying and building kites generates a greater sense of global community, enjoyment of nature and greater appreciation for all life on earth.

It will provide an opportunity, in these troubled times with wars, nuclear standoffs and natural disasters, for people to spend a few idealistic hours to think of a better, more peaceful world -- and to have a fun time flying kites.

Cheyenne Frontier Days Begins July 18

The rodeo, carnival and cultural fest nicknamed "the Daddy of 'Em All" starts this week

I live in the university town of Boulder, known for liberal politics, concern for the environment, political correctness and an enviable lifestyle, but the longer I've been in Colorado (going on 20 years now), the more I also appreciate the parallel universe of ranching, Western country tradition and the hard work and commitment that go with that life -- not lifestyle, but life. The annual National Western Stock Show in Denver and Cheyenne Frontier Days, coming right up in my neighboring state to the north, perpetuate and honor the skills and the traditions, and help the rest of us have a glimpse. Cheyenne Frontier Days start July 14 and run through July 27. Rodeo, entertainment, rodeo, midway, rodeo, Indian Village, rodeo, Western art show, rodeo, parades, rodeo, food and rodeo are the main attractions. The website contains a schedule and prices.

Boulder Celebrates the Fourth in Style

Close-to-home entertainment, music and great fireworks on Independence Day

We rarely go far for any holiday, because Boulder knows how to celebrate. My husband and I, often with friends, have have cobbled together our own Fourth of July traditions from the city's many options. For years, a goup of us would meet at Chautauqua Park for a picnic and the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra's free afternoon concert of Sousa marches and other lively songs. That event no longer takes place. Instead, the orchestra plays a concert on the evening of the 3rd in the historic Chautauqua Auditorium, a National Historic Landmark with great acoustics. My husband and I and good friends are taking a picnic and going to the concert.

We usually take a morning hike on the 4th. The most appropriately named destination areound here is the Fourth of July Mine in the Indian Peaks Wilderness, west of town, but tomorrow, we will more likely to stay closer to home. In lieu of the afternoon picnic in Chautauqua Park, we might veg out a bit at home. Then, friends are coming over for hors d'oeuvres and drinks before we all walk up to the University of Colorado's Folsom Field for free entertainment and fireworks University of Colorado photo).

We are carpooling with neighbors this evening, so it seems as if we will leave about smallest possible carbon footprint for our Fourth of July activities.

Kansas Pilgrimage Places for "Wizard of Oz" Fans

Two Kansas sites celebrate the movie released 60 years ago

The foodie in me has been focusing on August 15, 2009, as what would have been Julia Child's 99th birthday, but movie goers note it as the 60th anniversary of the "The Wizard of Oz." According to the Wonderful Wizard of Oz website, "The official premiere [of the movie] was at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on August 15, attended by most of the cast and crew and a number of Hollywood celebrities. Notably absent, however, was Judy Garland — she was on the East Coast with Mickey Rooney, rehearsing a vaudeville act."

The magical journey of Dorothy and her dog, Toto, to the Land of Oz began as a fantasy novel written by L. Frank Baum, illustrated by W.W. Denslow and published in 1900. It was the bestselling children's novel for two years and was produced as stage musical shortly thereafter. Baum died in 1915, but his dream story lives on and on -- nowhere more so than in Kansas where the fictional Dorothy lived. .

Oz Museum

The Oz Museum, a storefront in downtown Wamego, Kansas, nine miles north of Interstate 70, is "dedicated to all things Oz." It lays claim to 2,000 artifacts. The collection includes original Baum books, objects from the 1939 movie and Oz-related merchandise produced over the years. There are also earlier silent films, including one with Oliver Hardy of Laurel and Hardy fame as the Tin Man, and much later adaptations such as "The Wiz" starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. The Oz Museum (511 Lincoln, Wamego; 785-456-8686 or 866-458-TOTO) is open daily except major holidays.

Other Ozian Things to Do Nearby

Immerse yourself in Oz on the weekend of October 3-4 when Wamego celebrates Oztoberfest, a festival complete with vendors and live performances of "The Wizard of Oz" in the town's Columbian Theater. Cyclists can also take part in the Yellow Brick Road Bike Ride, which begins and ends at Wamego High School on Saturday, October 3. Choose from three routes varying from 15 to 50 miles. Fuel up on breakfast served from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. and start pedaling. Net proceeds from the ride help fund the WAM-SAG-MAN Recreational Trail between Wamego and a connection with the St. George and Manhattan Linear Trail.

I suspect that Aunt Em was a teetotaler, but these days, the Oz Winery is operating a few doors from the Oz Museum The tasting room pours samples and sells wines labeled “Witch in a Ditch,” “A Witch Gone Good,” "Lion's Courage," “Run, Toto, Run!” and even "Auntie Em's Prairie Rose." The winery is at Oz Winery 417A Lincoln Avenue, Wamego; 785-456-7417.

Dorothy's House

I think of it as dueling Dorothys. Miles and miles from Wamego in southwestern Kansas, not far from Oklahoma, is the town of Liberal, location of Dorothy's House, built in 1907, donated to the Seward County Historical Society, moved to its present location on the Coronado Museum grounds and furnished to replicate the house shown in the movie "The Wizard of Oz." Former governor John Carlin recognized the house as the official home of Dorothy Gale in 1981.

The museum now includes The Land of Oz attraction, comprising "5,000 square feet of animated entertainment - good and bad witches, the Munchkins, talking trees, winged monkeys, and of course, Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and Toto, too." Visitors can wander down the Yellow Brick Road with Dorothy, Auntie Em or Uncle Henry as their tour guide. The complex is at 567 East Cedar Street, Liberal; 620-624-7624.

The museum also seems to host an OzFest in mid-October, but the most recent information on the website is from 2007, so if you're interested, call to check details before heading out.

2009 Indian Market in Santa Fe

The most renowned market for Native American arts surpasses its billing

Even before I moved out West, I had heard about Indian Market, the place to see the very best of Southwestern art. Since I moved to Colorado in 1988, I've been wanting to attend Indian Market in Santa Fe. New Mexico's historic, beautiful and arts-obsessed capital city has hosted it since 1922. It is famous throughout the Southwest for the quality of art. Winning a ribbon in one of numerous categories in this juried event is a high honor for any artist. My husband and I went with our friends, Dick and Sally Moore, who live in Albuquerque and are Indian Market regulars.

Indian Market now dominates downtown, radiating out from the Plaza to adjacent side streets in all directions. Tens of thousands of visitors, from serious collectors of Native art to casual visitors, are drawn to booths set up by more than 1,200 artists from some 100 tribes. The crowds were too thick for me to photograph with my modest camera and modest stature. Nearby galleries host demonstrations where visitors can watch artists at work. Pottery. Jewelry. Paintings. Photography. Woven works. Wood carvings. Sculpture. Indian Market has it all in glorious abundance. Now that I finally got there, I wonder what took me so long. Here are just a few snapshots of the event.


Miss Indian America, a green-eyed beauty from California, was on hand for Indian Market. She probably had some official functions, but we encountered her window-shopping.

Several stages scattered around Indian Market enable musicians and dancers to perform their arts too. Families of potters often start their children young and display their efforts at Indian Market.

Twelve-year-old Jamie proudly holds a blue ribbon and the pot for which he won it. He is a beginning potter and admits that his parents helped.

Dusty Naranjo of Espanola, New Mexico, uses traditional Santa Clara techniques to render contemporary themes in clay.

This man looked almost like a sculpture as he quietly and stalwartly surveyed the crowd.

Artworks range from simple, like these flat kachinas...

...to works of astonishing complexity and sophstication like "Quest," a towering piece by Adrian Nasafotie, a Hopi artist. He displayed the 57-inch tall woodcarving, which he crafted from a single piece of cottonwood, on a turntable so that it could be seen from all sides.

One of many renditions of Koshari, the mischievous clown of Hopi and other Southwest Indian tradition. This piece was made by Joe Cajero, a renowned sculptor working in Placitas, New Mexico.

Tradition meets technology.

Oreland C. Joe of Kirtland, New Mexico, is a multi-talented artist. He is a sculptor, jeweler, musician and songwriter, and he told the story of a frog who nearly died but was revived as a medicine being, with a balance of masculine and feminine meaning he was both a warrior and a protector. Unfortunately, the ambient crowd noise drowned out his story-telling, so I hope I remembered it correctly. Even without being able to understand his words, just watching this brief video will give you an idea of how generously many Indian artists share the stories of their people or talk about their art.

Some people just aren't interested in Native art or stories, no matter what -- at least right now. But just give him time...

Fortunately, Rocky the bomb-sniffing dog didn't have much work to do. Note his Santa Fe PD badge.

Four hours and change, and I was in overload mode, but I'm hoping to return -- maybe in 2010. Guaranteed that it won't take me another 21 years to get back.

Krazy About "Kooza"

Cirque de Soleil touring show now dazzling Denver

My name is Claire, and I'm a Cirque-a-holic.

Fortunately, Cirque de Soleil sends a touring show to Denver practically every year, sets up it yellow and gold "Grand Chapiteau" tent in a Pepsi Center parking lot and dazzles Denver audiences. "Kooza" premiered last night for its month-long run, and my husband and I were there. (In the spirit of full disclosure, we have seen every Cirque show that has come to Denver, including "the horse one," and when we were at a convention in Las Vegas a few years ago, seeing three resident Cirque shows was one of the redeeming features about being there).

"Kooza," like other Cirque shows, has a story line -- usually a bewildered wanderer led into a magical world -- but this is a thin thread really links incredible acrobats, trapeze artists, tightrope walkers, jugglers, dancers and comedians and allows audiences to relax and breathe between the show's heart-stopping acts. See the trailer by clicking here.

Show after show, act upon act, these are universally performers. Hint: Go to "Kooza," if only for the two amazing men whose act involves a pair of giant "hamster wheels." Take a look at the YouTube video that just hints at the power of this act. Every ride at neighboring Elitch's pales beside the apparatus on which the perform.

Cirque is celebrating its silver anniversary this year. It traces its origins to Baie-Saint-Paul, a small town northeast of Quebec City, where Gilles Ste.-Croix founded a street theater that he called Les Échassiers de Baie-Saint-Paul (the Baie-Saint-Paul Stiltwalkers). These gifted street performers played to local and tourist crowds, striding on stilts, juggling, dancing, breathing fire and playing music. One of the locals who was enchanted by the troupe was Guy Laliberté, who with Ste.-Croix and others founded Cirque du Soleil. Their dream was to take a Quebec-based company around the world.

Fast-forward to 2009, and the dream has come true -- and way more. Twenty resident and touring troupes are electrifying audiences in North and South America, Europe and Asia. Cast and crew are astonishingly international, representing 40 countries. Unsurprisingly, many are from Eastern Europe and China, where circus arts and acrobatics are widely taught and the talent pool is deep.

"Kooza" will be in Denver through September 20. Tuesday through Friday ticket prices are $60-$130 for adults, $38.50-$87.50 for children to age 12 (slightly higher on weekends). Westword is promoting a 25th-anniversary special at 25 percent off,; I think you have to register to obtain tickets at this discount. The apaper is also running a contest for free "Kooza" tickets. Otherwise, buy on-line or call 800-678-5440.

A Taste of Eastern Europe in Denver

Upcoming food and cultural festival in Globeville spotlights 120 years of history

While researching the Orthodox Food Festival & Old Globeville Days for Mile High on the Cheap, I found out that the Globeville section of Denver is a 120-year-old community with deep roots in Eastern Europe. Located in the shadow of the elevated sections of Interstate 70, it is mainly known as the site of of the National Western Stock Show complex.

Globeville might not have gotten much respect in recent times, but its history is long by Western standards and represents a tapestry of the American experience. Immigrants from Russia, Poland, Romania, Serbia Ukraine and Greece settled there and found community through the shared Eastern Rite religion. Later, they were joined and often replaced by people from such different places Mexico and Eritrea, and African-Americans too. Workers lived in the neighborhood was an important part of Denver's industrial landscape, and when industry and commerce changed and when Interstates 70 and 25 were routed by it, Globeville suffered. But as happens so often, houses of worship that cannot easily be moved provided a bit of a counterweight through good times and bad times.

According to Father Joseph Hirsch of the Holy Transfiguration of Christ Orthodox Cathedral, "since Globeville's incorporation as a town and subsequent annexation into the City and County of Denver, there has been a Summer celebration of some kind or another. For most of that time, the main Homecoming event has been the annual Picnic held by the 109-year-old [now 110] Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Cathedral. In recent years, the District Attorney of Denver, Bill Ritter, now Governor of Colorado, promoted a Globeville Community Day which positively impacted the neighborhood but did not involve much participation from those outside of the neighborhood. In 2004, the Orthodox Community agreed to combine the Annual Orthodox Picnic with the Community Days celebration and to provide a free public celebration both for the residents and friends of Globeville as well as an opportunity to reach out to and inform the entire Front Range."

And that's what's coming up on Saturday, July 18, 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Sunday, July 19, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. when the the sixth annual Orthodox Food Festival & Old Globeville. Admission is free to this event that will feature ethnic foods, music, folk dancing international crafts and for the first time, an art show. There will also be inside tours of the historic and elaborate cathedral, which from the outside looks like a modest church. "Boogie Under the Stars" takes place Saturday evening from 7:30 to 9:30.

9News' Susie Wargin, whose own Denver pioneer heritage is anchored in old Globeville, wrote, "Inside St. Joe's, beautiful stained glass windows align the east and west walls. However there is one window on the west side, featuring the mother Mary with her mother, that shows exactly where I came from. My great, great grandfather Jan Wargin's name adorns the bottom of the stained glass. The word in my family is Jan was a founding member of St. Joseph's and helped fund construction while working at the Globe Smelting and Refining Company. It's a church that has always been very special to our family even though we are all in different locations now."

In the classic American tradition, some stalwarts like Father Hirsch, members of the Globeville Civic Association and Margaret and Robert Escamilla, the successful plaintiffs in Escamilla vs. ASARCO that has been called a landmark victory for environmental justice never give up on their community and just when a neighborhood is thought to be down and out, it is "discovered" by artists and urban pioneers who appreciate history, diversity and low prices, and the process of renewal begins. Globeville is on the rise. New sidewalks, undergrounded utility lines, zoning changes that favor local businesses and other quality-of-life enhancements are in place. The first major sign of gentrification is the multi-use TAXI development, an ambitious project whose first phase includes 43 residential lofts with 130,000 square feet of commercial and office space on an 18-acre site. Globeville's new second identity is RiNo (RIver NOrth), and the incipient arts district.

The festival is in large part a tribute to those who held on and made a historic community better, and all are invited to help celebrate. The event appropriately will take place at the Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Cathedral and Globeville-Argo Park at 47th and North Logan, Denver. For more information, call 303-294-0938.

Staycationing on Independence Day

We don't tend to go anywhere on Independence Day Weekend, but a lot of people come to Boulder, as well as Denver and the Colorado Mountains. Boulder celebrates its Sesquicentennial this year, with a ceremonies and patriotic music at Chautauqua Park. It is capped off with a great ground show and spectacular fireworks at the University of Colorado's Folsom Field. For a list of free or low-cost daytime events in the Denver/Boulder metro area, click here, and for local fireworks, click here.