Shade was at a premium at Civic Center, but that didn’t stop thousands of people from gathering in downtown Denver on Saturday for a little art, music and outdoor fun.
“It’s so solid,” said recent Denver transplant Ben Atkins, a beer in his hand as he sat under a tree and soaked in the melodies drifting his way. “It’s exactly what I wanted to do today.”
“There’s so much stuff going on,” said Atkins’ girlfriend, Jay Bobadilla. “We’ve done the loop all the way twice, and we’re going to do it again. Every time, we’ve seen something new.”
People’s Fair, Denver’s family-friendly celebration of art, community and diversity, is celebrating its 45th anniversary this weekend, with organizer Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods expecting more than 200,000 visitors by the time the party ends Sunday evening.
Judy Hall of Denver has been coming to the fair with her daughter Michelle Linder since the days when the event was held on the grounds of East High School.
“Every year we try to do something special together,” Linder said.
“Everyone is so nice,” Hall said. “You sit next to wonderful people, great conversation.”
On Saturday, the mother-daughter duo tried their hand at designing their own brightly colored silk scarves. Silk Art Co., one of the dozens of art vendors that lined “Fine Art Avenue” by the Denver Art Museum, came all the way from Georgia for their first People’s Fair, offering festivalgoers a hands-on lesson in a water-marbling technique that transfers colored dye onto plain-white scarves.
“I think it’s your masterpiece,” Linder said as her mother’s scarf — all aswirl in blues, purples and yellows — came out of the tray.
“I love it,” Hall said.
Under another stand of trees, Denver muralist Tommy Nahulu led a group of budding painters attempting to do their best Monet impressions. The sounds of a Journey cover band bled over from a nearby stage.
“None of these are going to look the same,” Nahulu told his pupils, demonstrating how to add a tree line to their French landscapes. “None of them should look the same. Make it your own.”
New this year, Art in the Park was the festival’s take on the popular wine-and-painting classes offered around the metro area. Nahulu, who has been involved in People’s Fair in a number of capacities over the years, said sharing his love of art through the one-hour classes had “just been a dream.”
“This is a community fair — People’s Fair has always been about community, and I love it,” Nahulu said.
If you go
People’s Fair continues 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday at Civic Center in Denver. Entry is free, with tickets for rides, food and beverages available for purchase at multiple locations throughout the fairgrounds.
