There's something that everyone from gearheads and grease monkeys to Snoop Dogg and Ice-T can agree on: The hottest way to blaze around town is chillin' in a lowrider. So cruise on over to Six Flags Elitch Gardens today for the 2003 Lowrider Invitational. "These are the top five lowriders in the state of Colorado," says Mike Cordova of the Colorado Lowrider Alliance, organizer of the new event. "They're in pristine condition. There is a lot of attention to detail in these vehicles, lots of chrome and gold plating."
The show will include two Chevrolet Impalas, an El Camino, a Monte Carlo, a Toyota truck and four lowrider pedal bikes. "Chevy is the most popular brand for lowriders because of their engineering, their body and the awesome way they look when they're all done up," explains Cordova.
The Lowrider Invitational runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. today -- but you have to pay your way into Elitch's in order to see it. So after checking out the souped-up cars and listening to live music that will include DJs and mariachi bands, you can take a few spins on the Mind Eraser, let your legs dangle dangerously off the Flying Coaster or cool off in the Island Kingdom Water Park.
"Elitch Gardens attracts a wide variety of crowds," says Cordova. "Everyone goes because they love to ride the rides, but I think our show will be a nice treat for people to stumble upon."
Admission to Elitch's is $35.99 for those standing 48 inches and above, $20.99 for shorties under 48 inches or those 55 to 69, and free for people seventy and over. Buy-one-get-one-free tickets can be purchased in advance at all King Soopers locations or online at www.sixflags.com/ parks/elitchgardens/home.asp; full-price tickets are available at the gate.
"I've always loved lowriders," says Cordova. "There is a lot of pride in showing them off. It's fun to share something that people don't often see." -- Julie Dunn
A Joyful Noise
SAT, 7/19
Since 1968, Madame W.M. Andrews -- the "Gospel Queen of Denver" -- has been the area's best gospel DJ, blessing the local airwaves with fervent, old-school gospel of the most righteous kind. For her devout listeners, her Gospel Chime program, which airs Sunday mornings on Boulder's KGNU radio, remains both a pre-church warm-up and Sunday sustenance all its own. And when Andrews isn't spinning her favorite songs, she's singing them. As a member of the Heavenly Echoes and as a solo performer, Andrew has used her muscular, Mahalia Jackson-style voice to heal souls and raise goosebumps across Denver.
Starting at 6 p.m. this evening, dozens of Madame Andrews's most vocal supporters will be singing her praises at New Beginnings Christian Church, 5500 East 26th Avenue, at an Appreciation Praise Service for her 35 years of ongoing service.
Ye of little faith -- as well as those of you deep into the Good Book -- will surely benefit from this musical celebration. -- Marty Jones
Farm Fresh
THURS, 7/17
Volunteers at one of the area's few organic farms get down and dirty all summer long for the sake of pesticide-free veggies -- and you can enjoy the fruits of their labor at Down Home at DeLaney, the second annual fundraising fete at DeLaney Community Farm, tonight from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Get down with a barbecue and cocktails, live bluegrass, an art auction and a chance to celebrate the success of an urban farm with a 141-year history. Proceeds benefit Denver Urban Gardens, a nonprofit that operates more than seventy community gardens and parks around the city. "We want to get people out there to see what's going on," says DUG staff member Beth Kivett. "It's amazing to see what the volunteers have done."
DeLaney Community Farm is located at 170 Chambers Road, Aurora. Tickets are $80 each (half of that is tax-deductible); for more information and a map, call DUG at 303-292-9900. -- Kristin Jones
Talking Shop
Firefly Furnishings gives kids a room of their own
The concept of the young sophisticate has recently taken on a whole new meaning. We could be talking about a three-year-old, because like it or not, today's toddlers, color-coordinated right from the womb, seem savvy about nearly everything. That's an urban reality that wasn't lost on entrepreneur Juli Adams, a business-world dropout and mother of four, and interior designer Sandy Jostad, who specializes in spaces for kids. Their new shop in Lowry Town Center, Firefly Furnishings, takes it to the limit, serving as both a showroom and a mini-design center that caters strictly to families seeking stylish and personality-tailored rooms for everyone from toddlers to teens. Walk in the door, and you might exclaim (as one young customer recently did), "Mommy, I could live here!" Firefly displays completely customizable, hand-built furnishing and accessory lines not previously available in the metro area, as well as unique bedding stitched from fabrics not offered in the retail market. Round cribs? Not a problem. Wacky postmodern looks for high-schoolers? It's all here. Adams and Jostad say Firefly can arrange just about anything -- from wall murals to the ultimate cowboy theme room. And you can go as far as your budget allows, ordering a few pieces in special colors or signing on for a top-to-bottom, in-home design consultation. It's your call.
Firefly Furnishings is located at 200 Quebec Street, Building 500, Unit 105. For more information, call 303-364-4049. -- Susan Froyd
Hit the Bricks
The Pearl Street Mall is playing your song
On the surface, the notion that anyone would need to bring in entertainers to the Pearl Street Mall seems absurd. Because such folks flock there during the summertime, officials probably couldn't keep them out if they tried. Yet Downtown Boulder, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting the city's center, is indeed importing talent under two separate programs this summer. Out to Lunch lures musicians and street performers such as magician Brian Dino, who will prestidigitate on the 1200 block of Pearl Street on Thursday, July 17; the Rebecca Folsom Band, slated to play on the 1300 block on Friday, July 18; and the Spin Guy, a yo-yo master who strings along on the 1100 block on Tuesday, July 22. There's also Bands on the Bricks, a free concert series that will present the venerable Freddi-Henchi Band at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 23, in front of the Boulder County Courthouse. This is the ninth year for Bands on the Bricks, and Downtown Boulder program manager Rosemary Lindsay thinks the current lineup is the best and most popular to date: A June 18 appearance by Chris Daniels & the Kings drew a crowd of 1,200. As for Out to Lunch, it's designed to give those who come downtown on weekdays a taste of the fun to be had on weekends. As Lindsay says, "It's intended to let people strolling along the mall bump into a wonderful experience."
Or maybe a yo-yo master. -- Michael Roberts