We've grabbed the bull by the horns for this, our nineteenth annual Best of Denver issue, a celebration of everything that's wacky and wonderful about this city. For 51 weeks a year, Westword raises olé hell; on the 52nd, we stop to honor hundreds of truly worthy people, places, policies and, yes, pizza joints.

But before you plunge into the pages that follow, a few red flags. The Best of Denver 2002 is not for beginners: If you're new to town or need a refresher course (you've forgotten how to find Confluence Park or the Cherry Creek Tattered Cover, for example), a visit to our Best of Denver archives should come in handy; you'll find them here.

And while we¹ve asked our readers for their opinions on dozens of categories, the majority of the Best of Denver 2002 belongs to our highly opinionated editorial staff. Remember, when turning a beast into the best, the pen is mightier than the sword.