Event Spotlight - Buffs Kickoff Weekend

Waking up this morning the mercury read about 47 degrees. As I looked outside I saw a swatch of yellow in the ash tree in the back. Autumn is on its way and so is that most American of American rituals - football season! All around the Front Range gridders are finishing up two-a-day practices and readying for a season that starts with sweltering heat and ends with snow.

Although Boulder is Mecca for the endurance athlete, football still commands great attention. Boulder High and Fairview begin their fall campaings this Thursday & Friday evenings, respectively, near Downtown at Boulder High's Recht Field. The CU Buffs also kick off their season against the Bobcats of Montana State this Saturday. This will be the beginning of a new era at CU. New head coach Dan Hawkins takes the reigns of a program that has had its share of adversity over the years. There is quite a bit of excitement on the Hill about the new coach and Athletic Director Mike Bohn. The optimism any preseason brings is palpable - everyone's record is 0-0 (zero and zero)!

Although the bulk of the excitement and action will be at Folsom Stadium on Saturday afternoon, Downtown Boulder will play a big part in launching the 2006 CU Buffs' season. Begin your Labor Day weekend by catching the following events on Friday, September 1st:

Colorado Daily's Welcome Back Edition Bash

A concert and festival (including a beer garden) celebrating the return of CU Boulder students and the first CU Home Game. Musicians Jonah Smith and James Hunter will perform, followed by the CU Band. September 1st, 4pm - 7:30pm, on Pearl Street Mall.

Buff Stampede on the Mall

Come march with your CU Marching Band, in front of the Courthouse every night before Game Day, at 7pm. Visit these restaurants for CU Band Specials: Juanita's, Pasta Jay's, Rhumba, Old Chicago, Lazy Dog, and BJ's Restaurant and Brewery.

While Downtown, check out the banners on the light poles. They highlight the wealth of talent and quality student athletes produced by CU over the years in all their men's and women's sports.

Downtown and the University of Colorado are two of the places that make Boulder such a special place. Downtown is excited about the upcoming CU Season and all the festivities in Downtown designed to celebrate it.

See you Downtown!

2006 University of Colorado Buffaloes Season Schedule

Sep 2nd, Montana State - Boulder 1:30 p.m.
Sep 9th, Colorado State - Denver (Invesco) 3:00 p.m.
Sep 16th, Arizona State - Boulder 5:00 p.m.
Sep 23rd, Georgia - Athens, GA TBA
Sep 30th, Missouri - Columbia, MO TBA
Oct 7th, Baylor - Boulder TBA
Oct 14th, Texas Tech - Boulder TBA
Oct 21st, Oklahoma, - Norman, OK TBA
Oct 28th, Kansas - Lawrence, KS TBA
Nov 4th, Kansas State - Boulder TBA
Nov 11th, Iowa State - Boulder TBA
Nov 24th, Nebraska - Lincoln, NE 1:30 p.m