Veny Musumecci enjoys heating metal to 1,600 degrees, pounding it with a hammer on a base, then shaping it into hinges, nails or hoof picks.
The blacksmith has been giving demonstrations of the 1800s craft for four years at the Taste of Colorado.
“I like to talk metal,” Mesumecci said today during the 25th anniversary of the Denver Civic Center event, which unofficially marks the end of summer.
The Taste of Colorado began in 1895 in Denver and was first named the Festival of Mountain and Plain. The carnival was created to boost city dwellers’ spirits after a silver crash.
In 1902, because of declining attendance, the festival fizzled out but was revived in 1983 by the Downtown Denver Partnership to celebrate the opening of the 16th Street Mall. It was renamed the Taste of Colorado.
Twenty-five years ago, the first Taste featured three stages, 45 vendors and 30 restaurants. Today, there are are seven stages, 250 vendors and 50 restaurants.
Usually, the festival has no competition but this year’s Democratic National Convention, which drew thousands of people to downtown last week, delayed the opening by a couple of hours.
The Taste of Colorado began Friday and runs through Monday. Hours today and Sunday are 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Monday 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“We were pleasantly surprised with the crowd last night,” said spokeswoman Patty Johnson of the people who gathered to watch a concert Friday performed by Little Feat.
Sunday’s headliners will feature Herman’s Hermits with Peter Noone and The Fabulous Thunderbirds. On Monday, Heidi Newfield and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy perform.
This year’s festival features gold panning, a fossil hunt for families, a live raptor, jugglers, clowns and a ventriloquist for children.
But one of the most popular draws is food, and lots of it — from gourmet rigatoni alla Bolognese and grilled salmon with peach sauce to fried alligator, pickles and plantains to Gyros, Indian kheer (pudding), burritos and veggie dogs.
There is no entrance fee, but the food ticket price is 8 tickets for $5 (cash only).
Vendors and artisans are displaying a variety of goods and art that range from cotton bed sheets to straw hats from New Zealand to ancient Polynesian jewelry to stainless steel wind spinners.
And yes, there is a variety of jewelry, paintings, clothing, accessories and hammocks.
Annette Espinoza: 303-954-1655 or aespinoza@denverpost.com
