Art Street

More than an alliance of convenience, RiNo Neighbors bridges the gap, real or imagined, between the Upper Larimer and River North arts communities, which are separated physically by the railroad tracks but have much in common spirit-wise. One of the alliance’s first collaborations, a two-part Get to Know RiNo Open Studio Tour and Sunday Brunch, kicked off in May on the east side of the tracks; today the west-siders get their turn as they open their doors to the public for a Father’s Day event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., complete with a pancake breakfast and free Novo coffee.

“We served about 700 pancakes last time, to about 400 people,” says RiNo spokesman Tracy Weil, whose weilworks live-in gallery and studio space is included on the tour. “We wanted to do something down-home, and a pancake breakfast seemed like a homey and approachable way of trying to build community.” RiNo folks will be flipping flapjacks and handing out tour maps in the party tent, 36th Street and Chestnut Place, throughout the day, but other sites along the way include the Ironton Studios and Gallery (“Ironton has every tool on earth,” Weil notes as a come-on to celebratory dads), Susan Wick’s completely original Z Wick Place and the uber-cool Taxi complex.

Admission (and ’cakes) are free; go to rivernorthart.com to plot your course in advance.
Sun., May 17, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Sun., June 21, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., 2009