Let’s kick off the summer with a great big ‘Thank You!’ to May’s Volunteer of the Month, Jen Heieck.
Jen and her family moved to Colorado last year from Los Angelos, CA. Jen is both a stay-at-home mom to daughter Olivia (20 months) and a Rodan + Fields skincare business owner. Her husband Ted owns a Conference Calling company headquartered in CA. Jen keeps MOD Moms members connected through organizing the monthly happy hours and breakfasts, and helps the board in myriad ways.
“I was the VP of New Membership for much of the last year, which meant that I spread the word about MOD Moms to moms throughout the community (you may have seen our new brochure), and welcomed new moms to the organization (you may have had a phone call from me!),” Jen says.
Jen is a natural people-person and organizer. We are so lucky to have her energy, creative vision and positive spirit helping our members feel welcome each week! Like many of us, Jen joined our group to find a community.
“I joined MOD Moms just before moving to Colorado, so a little over a year ago. I knew that with Ted’s travel schedule it would be important for me to find my ‘village’ as quickly as possible, and MOD Moms helped to make that happen. Thanks to MOD Moms, I have never felt alone, even though I parent alone about half the time,” Jen says.
Jen loves meeting up with other moms for the monthly happy hours and breakfasts, and enjoys spending time with the awesome 2015 playgroup.
“MOD Moms has given much to me in my new life in Colorado, so much of my desire to volunteer is in wanting to give back to such a great organization. And I would love for everyone to be able to find their ‘village’, whether they just moved here or have lived in the community for years,” Jen says.
Thank you for all that you do to make this a great community, Jen!
The MOD Moms Volunteer of the Month will receive a $25 gift certificate to use at OMNI Resorts, one of the many great MOD Moms partners. The gift certificate can be used at any of the OMNI restaurants, the Mokara Spa or the hotel!
MOD Moms simply cannot function without all of the dedicated, hard-working volunteers who make the events, clubs, playgroups, partnerships and behind-the-scenes stuff happen. Thank you to all of you fantastic women who help make this group a wonderful place!
MOD Mom’s wants to belatedly shine the April Volunteer Spotlight on Vidya Jayakar, our new Director of Membership Cards. Vidya jumped right into the role creating new, personalized digital cards for all of our new and returning members.
Vidya and her husband Jai, both originally from South India, are long-time residents of the Superior/Boulder area. A computer engineer, Vidya is currently staying home with her two boys, Deeran (3.5) and Taran (10 months).
Vidya enjoys spending time with the 2015 MOD Moms playgroup, the Working Moms club, and the Philanthropy group. With her family, Vidya loves likes being outdoors — hiking, camping, gardening, and sampling great local restaurants.
Thank you for all that you do to make this a great community, Vidya!
The MOD Moms Volunteer of the Month will receive a $25 gift certificate to use at OMNI Resorts, one of the many great MOD Moms partners. The gift certificate can be used at any of the OMNI restaurants, the Mokara Spa or the hotel!
MOD Moms simply cannot function without all of the dedicated, hard-working volunteers who make the events, clubs, playgroups, partnerships and behind-the-scenes stuff happen. Thank you to all of you fantastic women who help make this group a wonderful place!
Summer is the perfect time to entertain, especially in Colorado. We have access to great outdoor venues and weather that opens up more space for entertaining than during the winter months. When I think of a summer BBQ, I think outside.
Everyone’s event space is different, but it always adds something special if you can enhance it a bit from the everyday norm. For a party that may linger until the evening hours, a great way to bring your space to life is add specialty lighting. This does not have to be anything expensive, you most likely have Christmas lights collecting dust in storage that you could re-purpose in this way. Whether you wrap trees or string overhead, the lights add an ambiance that will definitely increase the space value and make the event seem a bit more intimate.
Of course, every BBQ needs to have good food! A BBQ offers so many options of what to provide for your guests, or you can opt for potluck style. Whether you grill everything yourself or cater it from a nearby BBQ joint, it is one of the most straightforward menus.
(c) Jessica Diamond
I love to display menus for events like this, and one way I do this is by using chalkboards. I LOVE chalkboards for event planning and especially since they are still on trend with a lot of styles. Whenever I see a chalkboard on sale, at a garage sale, on a buy/sell group, I will usually buy it because they are so versatile for these occasions. I display the menu on a larger style chalkboard near the food.
If you are interested in using chalkboards, I feel obligated to tell you about the chalk marker, quite possibly one of the greatest new inventions! I don’t have the best handwriting, but chalk markers make writing on chalkboards SO much EASIER. You can buy chalk markers at any craft store. Trust me, if you have a chalkboard, you need some of these!
Signage goes a long way toward increasing the sophistication of an event. So, whether you use a chalkboard or create signage of your own it can definitely create that WOW factor for your guests.
For this summer BBQ, I used a combination of chalkboards and customized signage that I created and printed. You don’t have to be a graphic designer to whip something up and with a little practice; you would be surprised at what you can create. There is a free program called PicMonkey, that is super-easy to use. If you watch a few YouTube videos, you will be all set to create some simple signs. Of course, there are also plenty of printable party signs and enhancements that you can purchase on Etsy if you would rather go that route.
(c) Jessica Diamond
In addition to great food, I really love the look of a great table setting as well. You can certainly have a BBQ and just pull out a stack of paper plates, but there are also a lot of ways you can spruce up the event that don’t add a ton of cost. Now, this (pictured event) was a BIG party for over 100 people, so we opted for disposable tableware.
When planning your event, it is great to establish a theme or color scheme and choose the elements with this in mind.
We opted for a blue/gingham/rustic feel for this gathering. We covered the tables (because, they were those ugly plastic ones…) with white tablecloths to give us uniform look. Then I alternated pieces of colored burlap and blue gingham as table squares. For the plates, I found a blue gingham paper plate that matched perfectly with the color scheme. I wanted the table setting to feel a little “upscale” since this was an adults only event, but had to keep in mind the quantity of people.
(c) Jessica Diamond
I also knew that I wanted to incorporate the rustic style of mason jars. Now, as an event planner, I actually own over 100 mason jars. I know, kind of crazy! Hopefully your BBQ won’t require you to purchase quite so many, but they are a great investment and something you will use again and again.
**Buying Tip: Walmart actually makes their own version of mason jars and sells them by the case. These are the cheapest I have been able to find. In addition you can buy the traditional ones at Michael’s by the case with a 40% off coupon, which is also a good deal. You can also find mason jars at Hobby Lobby or online from spots like the Fresh Preserving shop.)**
We stuffed the mason jars with a blue handkerchief for a napkin and upgraded to the “fancy” silver plated plastic utensils. The combination really looked great!
(c) Jessica Diamond
The last touch to the tables was flowers! Did you know that you can buy flowers in bulk from Sam’s Club? You can! That is where we ordered these flowers! These arrangements were relatively simple to construct. For vases, we used a LARGE size mason jar. Then we stuck a combination of sunflowers and baby’s breath in the vase.
(c) Jessica Diamond
Keep in mind, you do have to order the flowers a little bit in advance to make sure they will have the quantity you require. To finish it off, we tied a bow of raffia around the top of the vase. Voila! Beautiful tables, complete.
For the drink areas, we set up a few tables and layered different drink dispensers. What do a mean by layering drink dispensers? Well, it makes the visual more appealing when items are layered at different eye levels versus having them all lined up in a straight line.
(c) Jessica Diamond
I will often wrap books (Harry Potter books work great for this!) in coordinating paper and use them to achieve different heights for a display.
We spiced up the store bought lemonade and tea by adding fresh berries as well as descriptive labels for each dispenser. To spruce up the front of the drink stations, we draped a burlap banner labeled “DRINKS.” I use this burlap banner all the time and just change the letter stickers (yes, they are removable stickers) on the banner depending on the occasion.
(c) Jessica Diamond
As the event comes to a close, I love to send guests off with a little something to remember the occasion. This is by no means necessary, but it is a nice gesture if you can fit it into your party budget.
In this instance, we decided to give each departing guest a small package of brownie bites. The brownie bites were from Sam’s Club and I packaged them in a small cellophane bag, tied securely with a blue gingham ribbon. They were displayed in a basket alongside a chalkboard (of course!) with instructions for guests to take one on their way out.
(c) Jessica Diamond
So, what makes a good party?
The people you surround yourself with, of course!
What makes a pretty party? Well, a lot of the details that I shared with you here today. By creating a subtle, but consistent color scheme or theme you can really turn even a simple BBQ into a coordinated event. I’m looking forward to the snow finally leaving for good, moving into my new home, breaking out my boxes of mason jars and having you mamas over for a mommy date!
Share your tips and tricks for a summer BBQ or what you loved from this post in the comments below.
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About Guest Blogger Jessica Diamond
I am so excited to be sharing a post with Mod Moms! My name is Jessica Diamond. I joined MOD Moms as soon as we relocated to Colorado last year. MOD Moms was instantly a great group of moms to connect with and share information. I am so looking forward to getting out to more events and meeting more awesome moms!
Since moving to Colorado, I have started a local resource blog, Mom Knows – Boulder County. I thought it was the perfect way to share all the information I was discovering, as well as to offer tips on a few areas where I already had some experience. I hope you’ll take a look and find it useful!
Before we moved to Colorado, I owned and operated an event/party planning business – Simply Perfect Parties. I started the business because I LOVE throwing parties and could really entertain everyday! With relocating, renting, trying to buy a house and getting the family settled here, I have not had the time to relaunch the business. However, I still think about parties all the time! Since we are headed into warmer weather, I am going to share with you some easy ways you can throw a summer BBQ that is sure to impress your guests.
MOD Mom’s wants to belatedly shine the March Spotlight on Tricia Dunham, our Vice President of Registration extraordinaire.
Tricia works tirelessly behind the scenes at MOD Moms to make sure that all of our members (new and returning) get their memberships processed in a timely fashion.
It’s an often-hectic volunteer job, but Tricia handles it with great aplomb. She likes to stay busy and engaged in our community. Mom to boys Ronan (9) and Iain (6), Tricia works as a project manager for Healthcare IT, a hospital system. Additionally, she serves on the Open Space Advisory Committee for the Town of Superior, enjoys MOD Moms’ Working Mom’s Club, Wine Club, Book Club and Movie Club, while also making time to cheer on her favorite New England sports teams with her husband Sean and the boys.
Thank you for all that you do to make this a great community, Tricia!
The MOD Moms Volunteer of the Month will receive a $25 gift certificate to use at OMNI Resorts, one of the many great MOD Moms partners. The gift certificate can be used at any of the OMNI restaurants, the Mokara Spa or the hotel!
MOD Moms simply cannot function without all of the dedicated, hard-working volunteers who make the events, clubs, playgroups, partnerships and behind-the-scenes stuff happen. Thank you to all of you fantastic women who help make this group a wonderful place!
Spring Break is fast approaching and we are heading to Virginia. My travel companion is my 4 year-old daughter, Maddie, who will be embarking on her 12th and 13th flights. She loves to travel!
She will be armed with her backpack filled with activities and books to help her pass the time (when she gets tired of the people watching and chatting with strangers). The activities are a mix of exciting new things and familiar, comfortable things.
Her backpack will have a play dough busy box, five different busy bags with activities and art supplies, a kids magazine, her journal with stickers, some tiny fruit erasers, a few of her favorite books, and her favorite baby doll Aja.
Travel BagTravel Kit
A Busy Box
The play dough busy box is a 5×7 inch plastic box with a lid from the Dollar Store. It’s got two tiny play dough containers and a Coral Reef set of “Toob” plastic figures. I cut up some straws and pipe cleaners and put them in Ziploc bags. We did a Christmas version of this and it was a big hit on our last flights.
Play Dough Box
Busy Bags
The busy bags are great because they are small and thin. I attached a loop of ribbon, so that they are easy to grab out of the backpack. These busy bags have a mix of different puzzles and activities. Target’s Dollar Aisle is a great place to find these tiny treasures. I found foam tangram puzzles, sequencing puzzles, number puzzles. I also loaded 2 of the bags with different crafty supplies. Tiny colored pencils (from Michael’s Easter section), stickers a notepad, markers, scotch tape, craft sticks, pretty twine and some washi tape. I figure we might make some really interesting things with all these supplies!
(They can easily be tucked into your purse individually, so you can use them whenever your tiny traveler is feeling like they need something else to do.)
Journal, Magazine, and Paperback Books
We’re bringing new Maddie’s journal (with lined pages). We started one last year and it’s a fun book to look back on her adventures throughout the year. I usually write the date and a few words and she adds her special drawings, scribbles, paintings, and letters. We are also bringing our new National Geographic Little Kids magazine and a few paperback books. The magazine is a new one for us. It’s tiny and should be perfect for reading on the plane.
Reading and Writing Fun
I hope some of these ideas are useful to you and your tiny travelers this Spring Break!
It’s a nice phrase to hear once in a while, isn’t it? And really, do we say it often enough? Especially to the other women in our lives who build us up, who make us laugh, who bring us food when we’re housebound with sick children? I’m not sure I do.
MOD Moms is kicking off a year of gratitude in 2016 by recognizing some of the amazing women who make our lives better. Our Volunteer of the Month will receive a $25 gift certificate to use at OMNI Resorts, one of the many great MOD Moms partners. The gift certificate can be used at any of the OMNI restaurants, the Mokara Spa or the hotel!
MOD Moms simply cannot function without all of the dedicated, hard-working volunteers who make the events, clubs, playgroups, partnerships and behind-the-scenes stuff happen. Thank you to all of you fantastic women who help make this group a wonderful place! We literally cannot do this without you!
To that end, we’d like to offer our first Volunteer of the Month award to Kate Carter. Shortly after moving to the area, Kate took charge of the awesome 2015 playgroup. Thanks for organizing and helping the 2015-er’s develop a great sense of community, Kate!
Has it ever happened to you? A rare date night (or morning or afternoon) rolls around, you grab your partner, kiss your kiddos, head out the door and then … you scramble for something to do?
“So, what do you want to do?”
“Not sure, what do you want to do?”
“Mmmm…”
…
Enter the Date Box.
Filled with 52 cards of interesting, fun, adventurous and/or romantic things to do, a few gift cards and a handful of great “babysitting coupons”, the Date Box is a springboard for quality time.
I created this for my busy husband for Christmas (thanks for the idea, fellow MOD Mom, Lisa!). And so far, when we’ve been able to find the time, we’ve enjoyed the way that it encourages us to try new things.
I’m a bit nerdy, so, my definition of interesting and romantic might not be your cup of tea, but that’s just it … a box like this can be tailor made for you and your loved one.
In fact, I like the concept so much, I’m making one for the kiddo.
Thanksgiving. Roasted turkey. Mashed potatoes. Pumpkin pie. A time for families to gather around the table. For some of our community members, though, the table is empty and the holidays can be a harsh reminder of the challenges of hunger and food scarcity. I am thankful that our local food pantryCommunity Food Share helps to ease that burden. I am also grateful that MOD Moms has developed a partnership that enables even the smallest kiddos, like my little guy, to volunteer and give back to the community that gives us so much.
Next week, we all have the chance to help Community Food Share promote their largest annual food drive — the “Let’s Bag Hunger” campaign in area grocery stores November 15th – 25th.
I spoke with MOD Mom Laurie Cook who is helping to mobilize MOD Mom greeters.
Why do you think this event is important?
I feel that Community Food Share (CFS) is an important organization all year long as they strive to ensure that all people in Boulder and Broomfield Counties are food secure. CFS collects donated food from many sources. They sort, package and distribute food to local nonprofits that in turn distribute food to their clients, free of charge. CFS also operates an in-house client distribution program. The “Let’s Bag Hunger” Event, which we have been asked to assist with as greeters, is CFS’ largest annual food drive and requires many volunteers. I feel that as we begin the holiday season, shopping to buy food for our own Thanksgiving and Holiday meals, we need to remember that not everyone in Boulder and Broomfield Counties is as fortunate as we are. I think this event is important as it allows us to give back to our community as we give thanks for all we have. This opportunity is also great as it is one that children can easily participate in along side their parent(s).
How do you think volunteering benefits kids?
My parents volunteered and expected my sister and I to do the same. I have the same expectation for my 10 year old son, Jack. I think that children receive many benefits from volunteering. It teaches them to be grateful for what they have. It lets them know that the world is bigger than their home, their neighborhood and their school. It makes them understand the feeling of community as they interact with and impact others. It provides them with learning experiences they might otherwise not have. They learn responsibility and gain a sense of accomplishment. How good will they feel to know that thanks to them some local families will have food on their tables during the holidays?
What kind of commitment does it involve for families?
If families are interested in participating as Greeters for the “Let’s Bag Hunger” Campaign, they need to contact Nina at CFS at 303-652-3663 ex 202. The campaign runs from November 15th through November 25th. Each time slot is 2.5 hours. As a Greeter, you and your children will hand out grocery bags to shoppers as they enter the store while saying something like “Please consider donating to Community Food Share’s Food Drive as you shop today.” The bag will have a printed list of items needed.
Who can do it?
Parents and children. It will be up to the parent to decide if she feels her child is old enough to participate.
Why is it important to you to help MOD Moms in our philanthropy efforts?
Because to me, volunteering is a responsibility for all of us and who better to do it with than the wonderful moms and kids of MOD Moms.
* * *
HOW YOU AND YOUR KIDS CAN HELP
Our role is to be “Greeters” at participating grocery stores.
Weekends and evenings are most important for staffing volunteers, but anytime you are available is helpful.
Weekday evening time slot is 4:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday time slots are: 9:00 am-11:30 am, 11:30 am- 2:00 pm, 2:00 pm-4:30 pm and 4:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Please contact either Sue or Nina at Community Food Share (303-652-3663 ex 202) let them know that you are part of the MOD Moms team, tell them your preferred location, date and time. They will do their best to accommodate your schedule.
Participating Stores
Niwot Market 79th & Niwot Rd. Niwot
King Soopers Gunbarrel 6560 Lookout Rd. Gunbarrel
Lucky’s Market 3960 N. Broadway Boulder
Alfalfa’s Broadway & Arapahoe Boulder
King Soopers Sunrise 30th & Arapahoe Boulder
King Soopers Table Mesa & Broadway Boulder
King Soopers 1375 S. Boulder Rd. Louisville
Alfalfa’s 785 E. South Boulder Rd. Louisville
King Soopers 287 & Baseline Lafayette
King Soopers 120th & Sheridan Broomfield
King Soopers 287 & Miramonte Broomfield
Leaves. Big piles of them, scattered around my yard in heaps of reds, yellows and browns. We meant to bag them, but little Wolf is having too much fun. Rake in hand, I watch my now 5-year-old with a lump in my throat. Where has the time gone already? The days can be so very long sometimes, but these years, they are short.
Gleefully shrieking, my kiddo chases the neighbor’s fluffy grey kitten in a wild rumpus: jumping, hiding, darting under, over and through the crunching leaves of our maple, cottonwood and honey locust trees. I find them everywhere these days. Leaves are smooshed into my carpet, hanging on my refrigerator, even piled inside of my re-usable shopping bags.
But I don’t begrudge them, they are a reminder of how quickly the seasons of our lives are changing and a reminder to be grateful. These piles of leaves remind me that through these five years of parenthood, I have been surrounded by an amazing tribe of other people who have helped make my everyday journey brighter, more vivid and so much richer. I consider myself deeply blessed that in addition to dear friends and family (near and far), I found this group — MOD Moms.
To be honest, though, MOD Moms found me. We met at a local Starbucks on a hot summer day late in my pregnancy. With an iced decaf something in my hand, I bumped right into the woman who built the tribe that has become such a significant part of my life. We chatted, she raved about her moms group and I rolled my eyes. I didn’t have time for that kind of thing. I had moved here recently and was commuting to Fort Collins to a job that I loved. No, I didn’t quite have childcare or meal trains or any of that stuff lined up yet. No, I didn’t really know any other parents in the area yet — but it would all happen soon. She smiled and handed me her card, just in case.
Months later, the complicated realities of loving, caring for and nurturing a tiny person overwhelmed me. How did other moms do this? I reached out to parent friends online and I rummaged for that MOD Moms business card. For someone like me, who has never been good at asking for, or accepting help, the group has been revolutionary. A lesson in interdependence. From a ready-built online community full of folks with helpful advice (vital to me when my infant struggled with a milk protein intolerance and projectile vomited each time he ate), to play groups which helped this kind of shy girl meet new people and helped my sweet, introverted child make wonderful friends, to the regular activities, parties, moms’ nights out, as well as the amazing support for families via meal trains and care trains.
It’s so integrated in my life these days, such a part of our daily lexicon, that I often take MOD Moms for granted. It’s easy to forget that this group isn’t something that just sprang out of the ground. Rather it has been lovingly built and tended by a dedicated network of volunteers who deeply believe in the value of a strong community for parents. And for that, I am grateful.
Last weekend, I really appreciated that community. My husband had been traveling all week for an important conference, and the little guy had been under the weather. My work was piling up and my energy was waning. At our house, my spouse is the fun one — and I like it that way just fine. He puts up the decorations for every holiday and makes everyone go out and admire them, he drives the joy and spirit for our celebrations. I generally tag along for the ride and bake the treats. By Sunday, when Wolf’s sniffles subsided, he was really ready for Halloween fun, and I am very thankful that MOD Moms had my back in a serious way: Trunk-or-Treat.
We didn’t build a trunk, I couldn’t rally that much … but we did bring some donations. And we had a blast. An honest-to-goodness blast. Holiday fun. Memorable fun. Dressed up fun (I even wore a partial costume) — at the tail end of a long week when I really just felt like phoning it in.
Thanks, MOD Moms for helping me pull that off. Thanks MOD Moms for helping me build so many other memories through the years.
Thanks for helping me slow down, enjoy the seasons, and savor my leaf piles.
Last week’s 90-degree days may have disguised it a bit, but Fall is officially here! Personally, it’s my favorite time of year: brilliantly colored crunchy leaves, pumpkins to carve, apples to pick and corn mazes to navigate. When the weather chills a bit, I’ll grab some butternut squashes from local farm stand and whip up some soup, bake some apple turnovers and I might even try my uncrafty hand at a few fall crafts with the little guy.
Best of all, we’ll get out and enjoy some of the many area autumnal happenings. Check them out and feel free to add some of your own ideas in the comments section!
Exploring a corn maze.
Pumpkin Patches / Corn Mazes
Cottonwood Farms
Open daily September 26 – October 31, 10am – 6pm
Cost: Free admission, pumpkins, squash, corn, etc. available for purchase. Hayrides available on the weekends for $3/ person. This small farm is fun, free and really great for little ones. It features a small hay bale maze, a corn maze, a pumpkin patch, farm animals and a pumpkin patch.
Picking the right pumpkin at Cottonwood Farms.
Rock Creek Farms
Open:September 26 – October 31
Cost: Free admission, parking, and family fun area (bounce houses, farm animal viewing, straw bale maze). Fees for pumpkins, fall decorations, food/beverages, corn maze, and hayride (kids under 4 – FREE, ages 4 – 11, $6, ages 12 & up, $9) (CASH OR LOCAL CHECKS ONLY! No credit cards).
Anderson Farms
Open September 23 – November 1
Cost: Children 3 & under: FREE, Monday – Thursday: $10, Friday – Sunday: $13 Includes: Corn maze, hayride, pumpkin cannon/launching, kids’ pedal carts, mine cars, barrel train, rainbow maze, farm animals, tire mountain and play fort. Pumpkins are not included, but can be purchased at an additional price. Other activities available for additional fees: Gem mining, gourd launching, s’mores, pony rides, face painting, general store, Ducktona halfpipe duck races, campfire site rentals, and the concession stand.
Miller Farm
Open Labor Day – Mid-November
Cost: Children 3 & under: FREE, ages 4-12 – $15.00 per person, ages 13 and up – $20.00 per person or a family of four is $65.00. Each additional person over the first four is $15.00 per person. *Special rates for groups of 10 or more, homeschool and school groups. ** Special WAGON SALE: Load a wagon full of pumpkins, gourds and winter squash plus whatever other goodies available that day for only $30.00. Includes: admission price includes 5 bags of picked produce per person. Also included: kiddie play area, a giant jumping pillow, trains, planes, space ships, tractors, a fire truck, a monster truck, peddle tractors, a petting zoo, a corn maze, a dirt hill, a hay pyramid, and the “cars” from the movie Cars.
Sunflower Farm
Open: September – December, Monday -Friday 9am-1pm; Closed Saturday & Sunday
Cost: $10/person; Babies under 12 months free This wonderful 50-acre home is open to the public on a limited basis. You will find baby animals, pony rides, huge shade trees with incredible tire swings, an old abandoned airplane, sandboxes, sidewalk chalk, bicycles, tractors to explore, hammocks, free-roaming chickens, giant tree houses, and a zipline, among many other things to explore. In addition, there are plenty of private hidden spaces for you and your family to reconnect and enjoy each other. Please purchase your tickets online in advance. No on-site ticket sales will be offered.
7th Generation Farm
October Hours and Activities
You Pick Pumpkins: Monday – Thursday 12:00pm – 6:00pm
Fall Festival: Saturday – Sunday 9:00am – 6:00 pm Corn Maze, Hay Bale Maze, Farm Animals, Tractor Rides, Face Painting and so much more!
Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Branch Pumpkin Festival
Cost: Children 2 and under are free, $5 Child (ages 3-12)/ $4 Member Child, $7 Adult, $6 Member Adult. *Corn Maze tickets can be added for an additional $6 per adult or child. Includes: All activities within the festival and entrance to the pumpkin patch (pumpkins available for extra fee): antique tractor exhibit, tractor hay rides shuttle to the parking lot, pony rides, mini maze, jumping pillow, bouncers and obstacle courses, carnival games, express face painting, monster hand craft, giant Jenga games, carving demonstrations, photo opportunity with live bull. Other activities available for additional fees: corn maze, mechanical bull ride, hamster balls, corn stalks, food or other purchases from vendors, and pumpkins (prices vary by size – average price is $8).
Denver Botanic Gardens Corn Maze
Open: Fridays (4pm – 9pm), Saturdays (10am – 9pm), and Sundays (10am – 5pm), September 18 – November 1. Includes: Corn maze entry, one hayride, barrel train ride (for children 12 and under) and unlimited jumping on a giant pillow. Pony rides and hamster balls are available for an additional fee. An array of food vendors sell favorite fall foods such as funnel cakes, hot dogs, freshly squeezed lemonade and kettle corn.
Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Ranch (and farm stand)
Longmont Pumpkin Festival:Saturdays and Sundays in October 9am – 6pm
Free admission and parking. Guests PAY PER ACTIVITY on weekends. (Activities require between 1-5 tickets per activity, per child. Tickets cost $1/each) Pony Rides, Mini Airplane Rides, Carousel Car Ride, Painting Pumpkins, Petting Zoo, Hay Maze, Corn Stalk Tunnel, Balloon Typhoon, Bouncy Castle, Inflatable Obstacle Course, and Fire Truck Slide. Food Vendors are also present on weekends: Fresh spun cotton candy, hand-dipped caramel apples, hot dogs, corn dogs, brats, snow cones, big hot pretzels, pop corn, and so much more!
Self-Guided Fun and Tours, Weekdays ($8/ person). Includes: Paint-A-Pumpkin (guests get one pie-pumpkin per child to paint), Inflated Jumping Obstacle Course, Balloon Typhoon (inflatable giant pumpkin with balloons floating around inside. See how many balloons you can grasp before the pumpkin’s typhoon steals them away!), Uncle Oscar’s Hay Maze, Viewing Zoo (guests receive a small baggie of feed for the animals in the Petting Zoo.While the Petting Zoo is not open during the week, during the weekdays, guests may feed the animals by hand through the big wire fence).
Mile High Farms
(East of Aurora)
Open Saturdays and Sundays in October, 10am – 6pm
Cost: Children 3 & under, FREE; ages 4 – 12 yrs, $10; 13 yrs and older, $13; Senior Citizens and military personnel with ID, $10. Includes: Corn mazes, tractor hay ride to pumpkin patch, play castle & jumpy castle, Grover’s Garden (Farm Animals), barrel cart rides, IMAGINE stage performances, and Farmer’s Playground.
The Fritzler Corn Maze
(south of Greeley)
Wednesday & Thursday 5pm – 9pm (beginning October 14th)
Fridays, 5pm – 10pm (September 19 – October 31), Saturdays, 11am – 10pm, Sundays 12pm – 5pm (No haunted corn maze) Cost: Varies by activity – http://www.fritzlermaze.com/admissions Amazing corn maze (and haunted corn maze). Additional activities available: ATV mini rollercoaster barrel train, go-cart pedal carts, pillow jump, pumpkin/corn cannon launcher, corn box, hay bale climb, ball zone, slide mountain, spider’s web. For the bigger kids, check out the Alcorntraz / Zombie Paintball Slayer and the Verti-Scope.
May Farms
Byers (east of Denver)
Weekends in October, 10am – 5pm
Cost: Children 5 and under, FREE; 5 yrs and older, $10; all proceeds benefit The Country Kids Foundation. Many activities and concessions require tickets. Tickets are $1 each, required ticket amount varies by activity. Free activities: corn maze, hay rides, barnyard, and tricycle rides. Ticketed activities: barrel train rides (2 Tickets), pumpkin patch (1-10 tickets), pumpkin cannon (6 pumpkins for 5 tickets), corn cannon (2 ears for 1 ticket), feed the fish (fish food 2 tickets), face painting ($7-12; cash or credit only). Food and beverages available for purchase.
Fruits and Vegetable Picking & Farm Stands
Berry Patch Farm
Brighton, CO
Open for picking: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday 8am – 1pm (or until ripe berries / produce is picked). Pick your own: raspberries, herbs, flowers, some produce.
Whimsy Farm
Poor weather devastated berry crop. No fruit currently available. Hosting some fun events, including yoga and a tree climbing clinic (see below).
Erie Miners Blast
Saturday, October 3, 2015, 11am – 5pm
Cost: Children under 3 yrs old, FREE, $10/ child ages 3 yrs and up Includes: haunted house, gourd launcher, hayride, maze, inflatable slide, pedal cars, crafts and more! Each child receives a complimentary pumpkin. Also featuring food vendors, root beer garden, vintage cars, tractor pulls and a petting zoo.
Berry Patch Farms Harvest Festival 2015
Saturday October 10 & Saturday October 17, 10am – 3pm
Cost: Children 2 & under, FREE, ages 3 and up, $8/person. Senior citizens and military personnel with ID: $6.00. Includes: music, piñatas, hay ride, straw maze, craft, and mural coloring. For an additional fee, guests can purchase pumpkins, and face painting. Featuring: Musical guests: Paris Swing Band: 11-2 pm (10/10); Almost There: 11-2 pm (10/17), Pinatas: 11, 1 & 3 pm (both dates), Absorka Alpacas (both dates), Bee Hive/honey demo (both dates), Kraut Burgers from Laurels & Sandwiches from Great Harvest of Arvada.
Thorne Nature Experience Fall Festival and FREE JEFF AND PAIGE CONCERT! (must pre-register)
Monday, October 12, 10am-2pm Ongoing activities including bird watching, face painting, dip netting in the mini wetland, and nature explorations. 12pm: Concert by Jeff & Paige. This event will mostly be outdoors, rain or shine. Please plan for the weather.
Includes a ceramic piece, pizza dinner, a craft and face painting. (Wear costumes if you want!) *Parents get a 2-for-1 drink special at Aji (www.ajirestaurant.com/) and ZEAL (www.zealfood.com) (limit 2 rounds).
Bug a Boo
Butterfly Pavillion
Saturday October 17 and Sunday October 18th, 9am – 5pm Costume Parade, Indoor Trick-or-Treating, Cockroach Races, Face Painting, Kids Crafts, and more.
Trick-or-Treat Street
Denver Children’s Museum
Friday, October 23; Saturday, October 24; & Sunday, October 25, 9am – 7pm Trick-or-Treat fun and festivities included with admission (no scary costumes, please).
Monster Dash
Louisville
October 24
5K and 10K 3:00pm start, Kids’ Fun Run 4:15 pm start. Festival 1:00pm – 6:00pm.
“Dances with Branches” Tree Climbing Clinic
Whimsy Farm
Boulder, Saturday, October 24 12:30 – 3:00pm
Ages: 7 & up
Cost: $35 / person (family rates available). Registration required.
Boo at the Zoo
Saturday October 24 and Sunday October 25; Saturday October 31 and November 31
*Included in price of regular admission/membership
More than 25 trick-or-treat stations, many animal displaces and family-friendly entertainment.
Boo After Dark
Denver Zoo
Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31
$17 for adults; $12 for children (2 and under are free). *Purchase your tickets online before October 23rd and receive $5 off. (Membership does not cover admission to this after-hours event.)
More than 25 trick-or-treat stations, many animal displaces and family-friendly entertainment.
Kids Night Paint “Full Moon” POSHsplat. Boulder
Monday, October 26, 5:30-8:00 pm
Cost: $24/kiddo, pizza available for additional $6 (plus tax)/kid
Ages: 4yrs old and up (drop off)
Overnight at the Museum – Denver Museum of Nature and Science
October 30-31, 6 p.m.–10 a.m.
Ages: Families with K–8th Graders
Cost: $65 adult member, $80 adult nonmember, $55 junior/child member, $70 junior/child nonmember An enchanting evening awaits your whole family at this spook-tacular sleepover. Ooey-gooey activities, ghostly good times, and trick-or-treat trivia are followed by camping out in the diorama halls. Wake up to breakfast, an IMAX film, and time to explore the temporary exhibition The Power of Poison.Includes pizza dinner, evening snack, and hot breakfast.
Halloween Kids’ Fest
Denver Aquarium
Friday, October 30, 10am – 2pm, Saturday, October 31, 10am – 3pm Activities included with admission fee (kids in costume get 1/2 price off ticket price with paying adult): games, crafts, trick-or-treating, and more!
Munchkin Mascarade(Trick or Treating on Pearl Street Mall)
Saturday, October 31, 2015 2pm-4pm
Boulder Kids can dress up in their favorite costumes and travel store-to-store along Pearl Street’s pedestrian mall to trick or treat.
