What can you do with Mom on Mother’s Day? Brunch is the time-honored option, but eating out on the single busiest day in the restaurant business is hardly low-stress.
Meanwhile, spring is busting out in earnest. It’s time to get out of town.
We poked around and found some other fun, diverting and low-cal activities going on around Colorado on Mother’s Day weekend.
Sheep Dogs in Hotchkiss: The fourth annual Hotchkiss Sheep Camp Stock Dog Trials take place Friday through May 13. Up to 75 dogs and their handlers will go through their paces starting at 2 p.m. on Friday. Shepherds and dog handlers are invited to set up their sheep camp wagons and tent camps to compete for prizes.
There’s also an art competition, barbecued beef and lamb vendors and garage sales around Hotchkiss, a Western Slope town northeast of Montrose. Information: hotchkisschamber.com or 970-872-3226.
Art, Jazz, Wine, Horses, Plants and Rocks in Mesa County: Around Grand Junction, there’s something for every mom. The Downtown Art and Jazz Festival takes over Grand Junction’s Main Street from Friday to May 13, with more than 80 artisans, gallery tours, food, wine tastings and music all day long. Hazel Miller headlines on Saturday night at 8 p.m. Info: visitgrandjunction.org or 800-962-2547.
Horses, rocks and sales
At the Mesa County Fairgrounds, the Grand Valley Dressage Society holds its annual Spring Horse Show Saturday and Sunday, the World’s Greatest Yard Sale takes place Saturday, and the Lions Club flips flapjacks for Mom on Sunday morning, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. If plants are Mom’s thing, the Western Colorado Botanic Gardens holds its annual Plant and Craft Show 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. If she’s a rockhound, the Gem & Mineral Show runs for two days at the Two Rivers Convention Center, and if she’s fond of drama, “Acts of Brevity,” featuring short plays from around the country, runs Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Two Chairs Theatre Co.
Throw Mama From the Train: Rocky Mountain PBS is offering a weekend “Art, Wine and Jazz Train” excursion to Grand Junction for $500, including lodging at the Hampton Inn downtown and tours of four Western Colorado wineries. Ride to Grand Junction on the Amtrak California Zephyr, which leaves Union Station at 8 a.m. Friday, and take a charter bus back to Denver Sunday afternoon. Info: rmpbs.org or 303-620-5626.
Heritage in Pueblo: ethnic food, train rides, living history, a beer garden and live music make up the Heritage Days Festival, put on by the Southeastern Colorado Heritage Center in the Union Avenue neighborhood. Street dances happen Friday and Saturday night from 5 to 11 p.m. and cost $5. Information: theheritagecenter.us or 719-295-1517.
Birds at Mesa Verde: The annual Ute Mountain/Mesa Verde Birding Festival runs Thursday through May 13 and offers tours to a number of habitats, including McElmo Canyon, the Thomas Preserve, sites along the Dolores and Mancos rivers and the Ute Mountain Tribal Park. Among the species expected to appear are many varieties of owls and raptors, road runners and songbirds. Ted Floyd, editor of Birding magazine, gives the keynote. Events take place at the Cortez Recreation Center and Cortez Cultural Center. Info: utemountainmesaverdebirdingfestival.com or 970-565-1151.
Extreme Sports in Buena Vista: For hard-core moms, the Adventure Xstream race series comes to Chaffee County Saturday, with 12-hour and sprint events that combine whitewater kayaking, mountain biking, a trail run, orienteering and map navigation and a ropes course. Mere mortals might enjoy watching the goings-on. Registration information: gravityplay.com or 970-259-7771.
Odds and ends: Carbondale celebrates its town flower with a flea market, parade and music at Carbondale Dandelion Day on Saturday. And on Mother’s Day, all mothers get in free at the Royal Gorge Bridge! Can’t beat that.
A benefit for others
And what will I be doing on Mother’s Day? The day before, on Saturday, I’m either running, walking, strolling or crawling the Mamma Mia 5K in Denver’s City Park. It’s a benefit for HIV CareLink, an Arvada-based charity that helps people with HIV and AIDS. Hot Mamas Exercise Studio does the pre-race warm-up, and the Sharla Jackson Band plays afterward. Info: hivcarelink.org/mamma.htm or 303-382-1344.
On Mother’s Day itself, I’ll be pleased if my children fix me a bowl of Cheerios and tell me they love me.
Lisa Everitt is a freelance writer who lives in Arvada. Contact her at lisaeveritt@comcast.net.
