Started in 2017, Barbarian Feast is now the must-have ticket of the season. While we took a brief break during the pandemic, this will be our sixth year of holding the events under the tents at Grimm Brothers Brewhouse in Loveland, Colorado. Offerings always include axe throwing, a live drummer(s), belly dances by Troupe Sidysaan, a photo booth, and more. These talented people in entertainment donated their time to this
When we moved to Loveland from the Denver suburbs in 2003, people thought we were moving to the ski area just east of the Eisenhower Tunnel. The city wasn’t well-known at the time. Ryan, who grew up in Colorado, hadn’t heard of Loveland. However, when we visited Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2004, everyone knew Loveland, Colorado. This is an art city, and it’s been this way for a long
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
Originally published in the Berthoud Weekly Surveyor on December 22, 2022. In 2020, an Amazon truck lived in my neighborhood. I walk the dog multiple times a day and there it would be, lurking around the corner each time I left the house. I started to think that the driver was just going around the block, again and again. Then, I started to talk with friends and family and realized
When we grew tired of city life in Denver, we bought the 1998 book, “100 Best Small Art Towns in America” by John Villani. Ryan went to art school and I am a writer. We wanted a town that was inspiring and creative. We decided to visit the Colorado art towns listed in the book. Loveland is number 8. Better yet, this city, and its longtime, vibrant, sculpture scene, inspired
Most longtime citizens of HeidiTown know that I live in Loveland, Colorado. We moved here in 2003 from Denver, and have seen the area undergo a lot of changes. One of the best things that has happened to this region’s holiday season is Loveland Wonder Winterlights. This extravaganza makes this city one of the finest when it comes to holiday happenings, and worth a visit to Loveland. Located at Chapungu
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
This summer, Rialto Theater, Loveland’s 102 year old, downtown jewel, will present the Trailhead Sessions. This will be a new series of four concerts featuring soulful harmonies, toe tapping blues and throw back vibes. By the way, Rialto Theater is one reason we live in Loveland. When we first drove through, we were so pleased to see an historic theater still open in downtown. When Rialto Theater staff asked me
“What the world needs now is love, sweet love.” -Hal David, 1965 After the last couple of years, we could use a festival dedicated to love. That’s what the Sweetheart Festival is all about. I am excited about the event. Not only is it here in my town of Loveland, but it’s also something for me to anxiously anticipate, and I love anticipation. Love is defined as “an intense feeling
