New Broomfield Venue Is Putting Community First

Palisade Park Amphitheater is Broomfield’s newest music venue, and it's taking an unconventional approach by leading with accessibility and community rather than profits.

The vision for the amphitheater is to create community through music, art, recreation and more activities, and this summer, the venue is doing just that with free events.

The venue, which can host roughly 1,200 people plus additional multi-use fields outside the fenced amphitheater, has dedicated this summer to hosting free events. Palisade Park Amphitheater head producer Kris Severson is proud of this accessible, family-friendly approach. “Whenever people come, they're just like, ‘Oh my God, this is the most amazing thing in the world.’ The kids can run around, it's safe, it's clean and it's brand new. Everything looks good, and the music's been amazing. So I've been really proud of the productions we've done,” Severson says.
Severson, a seasoned event producer with experience in major sporting events like the Olympics and FIFA World Cup, met the amp's developers, Garrett Baum and Bill Branyan of Urban Frontier, during a golf tournament. Urban Frontier was already establishing the venue in partnership with the local government. The casual connection grew, and by January, Severson officially signed on to help build out and produce. He now flies out to Colorado from his residence in Salt Lake City to help run the venue, hosting its opening night on June 5.

Among the growing list of events are Thursday Community Markets, which grew from a partnership with the Holy Comforter Episcopal Church. The church was looking for a fresh start for their farmers market and Palisades stepped in to adopt and expand it, helping preserve a neighborhood tradition and give vendors a lively new stage to connect with visitors.

And then there are the concerts, which have included local classic-rock act Velvet Daydream. These concerts are memorialized backstage, where a tradition has taken root for artists to sign the wall following their performance.
Already the Palisades has established a diverse group of artist performances. The lineup showcases genres ranging from Americana and country, to rock, reggae and bluegrass. Upcoming performances include Derek Dames Ohl, known for his old-school folk and roots sound, and Bradman and Friends, offering a blend of Americana and West Texas folk rock.

Grassroots stages like Palisades are hubs for community-driven culture and emerging talent, but operating comes with its challenges.

In June of this year, the National Independent Venue Associated published a national economic-impact study for 2024, The State of Live, which found that independent stages generated $153.1 billion in total economic output, including indirect effects from fan spending, tourism, and local businesses. It would appear to be a thriving industry, yet 64 percent of stages were found to be not profitable.

Stephen Parker, Executive Director of NIVA, says that this report shows the need for empowerment of independent stages. "Independent venues are more than stages for entertainment; they are economic engines and cultural lifelines," Parker told NIVA. "This report underscores the urgent need for policy reforms and public investment to sustain these indispensable community anchors." While Severson admits it has been hard to get the word out, the number of visitors increases weekly and he is optimistic about the venue’s growing success as a community center.
"Broomfield is starved, just absolutely starved for some authentic, cultural entertainment and centered gathering place for people to go,” Severson says. “It's always a surprise to people that it's here.”

Family and community are at the heart of the amphitheater's mission. Pre-show traditions include sending well wishes to the venue's neighbors — the kids at Children's Hospital Colorado North Campus. "Every day when we host a concert, before we kick it off, we stop and wave to the kids. We wish them well, and we say, we hope the healing power of music helps you heal and that you will be here enjoying it with us soon,” Severson says.
The final performance of the summer is scheduled for September 13 with headliner Tommy Castro, a multiple award-winning guitarist and vocalist known for his soulful sound and high-energy live shows.

In the future, the Palisade Park Amphitheater team envisions even more for the space — with potential for outdoor movie nights, yoga sessions and perhaps circus-style performances. "It’s really a palette to paint with,” Severson says.

Severson is hopeful that Broomfield and the greater Colorado community will come out to support the venue and enjoy all the events it has to offer this summer and fall. “When the sun is setting and you're sitting on that hilltop, watching live music, it couldn't be a better environment for people to enjoy,” he says.

Read more about upcoming events on the venue website.