CONIFER —With a wide, wildflower-filled field and a backdrop of pine-dotted rock formations, Meyer’s Ranch is not a bad spot to host a summer concert.
“Evergreen has their lake — now we have this,” said Conifer resident Carol Pehrson at the July 23 show.
The concert was one of a series that draws families, picnickers and vendors to the meadow behind the yellow Midway House across U.S. 285 from Meyer Ranch Open Space Park.
Conifer-area residents Jeanne Boyd and her teenage daughter, Jessica, started in 2012 to give their community something similar to the popular summer concerts at Evergreen Lake.
“By the last show (in 2012), we had close to 600 people and we just couldn’t believe it could be any bigger than that,” Jeanne Boyd said.
But it has gotten bigger: In addition to the series of seven concerts, Meyer’s Ranch has been host to weddings, retreats and even a circus.
Activity continues to increase as the venue expects to host the Conifer Mountain BBQ Challenge on Aug. 14-15, and its first music festivals in September, which will include some camping and is expected to draw up to 2,000 people.
“That will be a defining event to see how large a crowd (will be drawn compared to) what we’re doing on Thursday nights,” said Norm Meyer, who owns the property.
The increase in activity at Meyer’s Ranch is evidence of Meyer’s commitment to leaving a legacy in and where he grew up.
Earlier this year, Meyer and the Conifer Historical Society , the home on the adjoining property that is on the National Register of Historic Places and which has become an iconic structure in the community.
Now, Meyer is in the process of buying his siblings’ shares in the estate with the goal of having both the events venue and the house serve the community long into the future, possibly under the direction of a nonprofit or historical preservation organization.
“I will have gone full circle here on the ranch, moving here when I was 1 year old to getting it set for the long haul,” Meyer said. “It’s been a pretty adventurous life, a lot of hard work and a lot of wonderful times.”
Heather Gutherless is a Jefferson County planner who has been . She said she has heard wide appreciation for Meyer’s Ranch.
“A lot of people mentioned it during the visioning process as far as a great thing in the community and something they would like to see more of,” she said.
The county granted special events permits for the concert series and other events. Gutherless said the summer will serve as a test for possibly rezoning the land to serve as an events center.
But community help will be needed to make that vision a reality and continue the Music at Meyer’s Ranch concerts.
Jeanne Boyd said she has been managing the nonprofit for three years and with kids in college and a new marriage, she is in a new chapter of her life and is ready to pass the torch on to someone else.
“I think (Norm) needs a little bit back now from the community,” she said. “If people really want this to be in the community, then we need a volunteer base to keep it going.”
Josie Klemaier: 303-954-2465, jklemaier@denverpost.com or twitter.com/JosieKlemaier
Music at Meyer’s Ranch
The next concert is Aug. 6, with My Old School opening for Mass Hipsteria. The gates open at 4 p.m. and music begins at 5 p.m. Admission is free and parking is $5. For more information, go to .
