Sometime after 2:10 p.m. tomorrow, Rockies fans will hear the first bat-crack of the season at Coors Field. Opening day is upon us, and spring is officially here.
Even without tickets, baseball fans descend on the ballpark and its environs to support the team. LoDo has its Rockies colors flying, and there’s plenty to do outside of the fun inside the stadium.
The day is extra special for the Blake Street Tavern (2301 Blake St.), a pre- and postgame stalwart since 2003. This is the first full Rockies season the bar will see from its new location, even closer to Coors Field.
What owner Chris Fuselier calls “Denver’s biggest opening-day party” starts at 9 a.m. Friday and will take over the pub’s entire floor space and parking lot — including The Basement, Blake Street’s downstairs nightclub area. Radio station “Jammin’ 101.5” will throw an ’80s dance party, and the White Man Junk Band will play in the parking-lot beer garden. That equals about 26,000 square feet of baseball-bash central — room for 1,500 people.
Naturally, cold brews and hot dogs will be everywhere: $3 Coors Light and $4 Blue Moon drafts, plus hot dogs and bratwurst on the grill in the beer garden.
The Blake Street Tavern’s party might be the biggest, but LoDo’s (1946 Market St.) is planning on throwing “the coolest,” says Beth Shaughnessy, director of marketing.
“We are going to have four floors open and rocking all day long,” says Shaughnessy. “It’s going to be crazy down here.”
She says patrons can expect prize giveaways — including tickets to the game — and giant beer specials, like $5 for 24-ounce domestic drafts. And, of course, there’s the rooftop patio that faces Coors Field.
Just across the street from LoDo’s, the Tavern Downtown (1949 Market St.) is swinging for the fences too.
The bar is joining forces with its neighbor, The Cowboy Lounge, to create a massive Rockies rendezvous. The Tavern will open at 9 a.m. tomorrow, luring fans with an outdoor beer station and its own glorious rooftop deck.
Looking for something more family-friendly? Stop at B’s Ballpark Museum (1940 Blake St.). The museum houses the private collection of Bruce Hellerstein, a local baseball fanatic and collector. Beginning tomorrow, the museum will open two hours before every Rockies home game. Take a tour and check out the displays of national and Denver-centric baseball memorabilia. Admission is $5.
Here are a few more places to go to celebrate the first swing.
Beer-lover’s paradise: Falling Rock Tap House (1919 Blake St.) boasts a beer list with more than 200 brews — and it’s just steps away from Coors Field. The dark interior is great for scarfing a burger and sipping obscure suds while TVs keep fans in the game.
The underappreciated patio: Sometimes it seems like Tavern Downtown and LoDo’s get all the rooftop-patio praise, but The Sports Column (1930 Blake St.) has a spacious deck of its own. Soak up the sunshine for long enough, and you might forget there’s a Rockies game happening.
The trendy sports bar: On Larimer Square, Oak Tavern (1414 Market St.) is the leather- furnished, stylish answer to a typical peanuts- and-beer sports bar. For opening day, it’s offering a $5 hot-dog-and-Coors combo, plus ticket giveaways and free drinks.
The hot-dog haven: Situated just a few blocks from Coors Field, Billy’s Gourmet Hot Dogs (2445 Larimer St.) serves up tasty weiners for the discerning sausage lover. There’s TV, too, so the game will be just a glance away. Grab one of the local brews on tap and enjoy the surprisingly expansive patio.
The almost-on-home-plate bar: Jackson’s Sports Bar and Grill (1520 20th St.) is right across the street from Coors Field, practically able to tractor-beam fans inside. Of course, patio tables are available and TVs are everywhere.
