Reading article after article about the potential demise of the beer festival has got me thinking, and I have decided that it’s not all doom and gloom. Yes, the pandemic spelled the end of some beer festivals, but in the years before COVID arrived on the scene, there was already festival fatigue among brewers. I count myself lucky to have lived through the heyday of craft beer, having gone to
Hummingbirds fly through the air, a breeze blows gently from the creek, and a riot of colorful flowers spring from pots and gardens everywhere in the village. It’s just another summer day in Keystone, Colorado. The Colorado Rocky Mountains may be known as a skiers’ paradise, but they are also heavenly during the summer months. And there’s no excuse not to go, at least once—Keystone has five festivals, mostly free,
I have never been more excited for summer than this year. Ryan says I am like this every year, but this is different. The winter seems to have been extra cold, extra snowy, and just extra wintry. The fact is, my toes are pedicured and my flip flops are on, and they aren’t coming off unless I need to put on my dancing shoes for the free Friday Fest in
Last year, I attended Sweetheart Festival on both days of the event. Both times I was so proud of what is on offer in my hometown of Loveland, Colorado. Sweetheart Festival is a spectacle for the eyes as well as the heart. And don’t forget the other senses; they are all engaged at this fiesta of love. The heart of the festival is at The Foundry in downtown, a big
I have not written a “year in review” post, and I’m not going to do it. Now that isn’t to say that there weren’t highlights. Most were animal-related. For instance, meeting kittens and puppies at Animal Aid of Colorado on assignment for Berthoud Weekly Surveyor. Meeting this cat in Chadron, Nebraska, outside the Bean Broker Coffee House and Pub. Meeting all the animals on the farm at AJ Farms 605
Want to taste the best of the best Colorado wine? Get tickets to Colorado Uncorked at History Colorado on November 4, 2022. I got a sneak peek (or should I write, “sneak taste”) of the Colorado wines that were chosen to be in this collection of 12 wines. An esteemed 19-person panel made up of sommeliers, chefs, writers and wine experts from across the country picked these wines from 270
NOTE: This post will continually be updated as more Downtown Beer Week information is revealed. Keep checking in! Beer isn’t just a drink—it means a lot more to many of us—playing a big part in the story of our lives. For instance, during my college days, in the late 1990s, a lot of hours were spent with friends at Boundary Bay Brewing in Bellingham, Washington. As brewery lovers, Ryan and
October 10, 2022: Tickets for the feast are officially SOLD OUT. It is time—time to eat with your hands and a knife, dress in furs and embrace your inner barbarian. Since 2017, the Barbarian Feast, a beer dinner like no other, is a hot ticket, selling out each year. I am married to the man (Ryan Schlaefer) who thought up the Barbarian Feast. It had been in his mind for
It’s Loveland Oktoberfest at Fairgrounds Park, a time to celebrate the end of summer with good friends, a few pints and a little polka. September 16-17 Friday (4 p.m. to 10 p.m.) & Saturday (12 p.m. to 10 p.m.) Fairgrounds Park 700 S Railroad Avenue, Loveland, Colorado FREE EVENT OktoberfestLoveland.org Loveland Oktoberfest on Facebook Each year, this event gets a little better, and this September is no exception. Loveland is
If you’ve been a citizen of HeidiTown for any length of time, you know that I love dogs. There is something about a dog that brings out the best in me, in fact, all animals have a positive effect on me, but especially dogs. I believe that we have a responsibility to ensure the best life for dogs. However, the mass breeding industry that produces puppies at a startling rate
