Stilettos, cycling shorts and Jeremy Bloom…Fashion Under the Flatirons at the Boulder Theater

What do you get when you highlight more than 20 fantastic Downtown Boulder retailers on a catwalk featuring the latest in spring fashion all while dining on delicious treats from some of downtown’s best eateries?... Downtown Boulder’s inaugural Fashion Under the Flatirons event!

As added bonuses, Jeremy Bloom (Colorado native, former CU Buffs football player, ex-NFL player, World Cup freestyle moguls champion skier & Olympian) will emcee the event AND a portion of the evening’s proceeds will benefit Impact on Education.

The Downtown Boulder, Inc. (DBI) event team is busy finalizing details, sending out collateral and selling tickets. The event was developed late last year with the intent of shining a spotlight on the Downtown Boulder retail scene. Walking around our 49 block district, you will find no less than 54 apparel & accessories stores catering to fashionistas who want to look good at work and at play. Whether your style is casual, sporty, trendy or elegant, Fashion Under the Flatirons will showcase something for everyone at a variety of affordable price points. In addition to the runway show, guests will enjoy beauty stations and a silent auction filled with more fabulous items from downtown businesses.

Facts-at-a-glance:

Thursday, March 11 | 7:30 p.m. | Boulder Theater (2032 14th Street)

Ticket prices:
$35 – General Admission
$50 – Reserved seating (includes one drink ticket & goody bag)
$100 - VIP seating (includes runway seat, VIP service, two drink tickets & goody bag)

Tickets on sale now through the Boulder Theater Box Office!

Insider tips:

• During the runway show, keep your eyes opened for a senior citizen model. Through Bloom’s Wish of a Lifetime Foundation, we are hoping to grant a wish to a local area senior who wants to strut down the catwalk. Click here to learn more about Wish of a Lifetime.
• Check your gift bag for a one year subscription to 5280 Magazine – one of our generous media sponsors!
• All attendees will also receive a 20% off savings card for use at all of the retail businesses & restaurants featured in the runway show/at the event (valid March 12 -14. Some restrictions will apply.)
• A limited number of VIP tables of four are being offered at $440 through the Downtown Boulder office – not available through the Boulder Theater box office. Get all of the perks of the VIP tickets price- early admittance, a VIP service (mini-massage, updo/blowout or make-up session, two drink tickets) and enjoy a reserved table next to the runway! Call 303.449.3774 or email events@dbi.org for more information.

Fashion Under the Flatirons is presented by Downtown Boulder, Inc. and sponsored by Flatirons Bank, Goodness Knows, Studio One Dental, 5280 Magazine, the Camera

Boulder Adventure Film Festival Opens Tonight!

On Thursday night, Boulder's Adventure Film Festival returns to town, opening at the Boulder Theater. This homegrown event is sponsored by Patagonia for its fifth year in Boulder and the tour now also features stops in Chamonix and Chile. The featured films showcase exploration, surfing, climbing, biking, skiing and more. Also included in the line up are films that tackle topics as broad as the environment, global awareness and social issues while always maintaining a distinct theme of adventure.


The top 30 films of the festival are hand-picked and showcase locales everywhere from Jackson Hole, WY to the Andes. Films range from "No Impact Man," which outlines attempts of a Fifth-Ave. (NYC) family who strives to yield a life with no net environmental impact for a year, to "Over the Bars" a montage of downhill mountain bike crashes recorded over the last ten years. The entire list of films is featured on Adventure Film Festival's site. The films are generally short, and shown in conjunction with others, giving the event an eclectic fast-paced feel.

Films will be shown later this week at b.side lounge as well as Patagonia, and REI on 28th Street. The event will culminate on Saturday night, 10 p.m. with an after party at b.side lounge. Tickets are available online now, or at Patagonia and The Boulder Theater in Downtown Boulder.

Lights...Camera...Don't Mess Up: The Shoot Out Boulder

The Boulder Shoot Out is back in town this weekend for some hot, fast-paced film-making action in this one of a kind festival. In a nutshell, the crazies that volunteer for this contest have 24 hours to shoot a seven minute video to showcase their film-making talent and speedy sense of work. But there’s a catch: to put the participant’s creativity to the test (because just plain film-making doesn’t cut it these days I guess) all videos must include 11 items to be announced just before the 24 hour count down. One of these items must be shown within the first 30 seconds and any five must be filmed in one location. And if that weren’t enough, all videos must be edited in-camera, meaning the film must be shot in sequence and presented as completely raw footage.

Now, if you’re artistically challenged like myself, there are great ways to experience The 24 hour Shoot Out Film Festival without ever touching a camera. The ten best videos will be presented at the Boulder Theater this Sunday at 1 p.m. Click here for tickets. Or, if you’d like to be a little more involved, head down to the courthouse today at 4 p.m. with a head shot and cell phone to be a “Shooting Star” and help the filmmakers complete their masterpieces.

The contest kicks off today in Downtown Boulder outside the courthouse at 6 p.m. (be there at 4 if you want to sign up as a shooting star or filmmaker). The Shoot Out Boulder will test the determination, imagination and ability to pull an all-nighter (thank you college!) in this fast-paced, muddle of a contest. Don’t miss the 6th annual Shoot Out 24 Hour Filmmaking Festival Boulder this weekend only!

-Claire Little

Ignite Boulder 6: Bringing in Down(town)

Ignite Boulder 6: Bringing in Downtown from Downtown Boulder on Vimeo.

Ignite Boulder was back at the Boulder Theater last night, selling out the venerable establishment and packing its 850 Art Deco seats. With the beer a flowing and a damn good looking crowd, local blog/startup impresario Andrew Hyde kicked off the now sixth incarnation of the self-professed Geek-fest, noting for the first time that the gals outnumbered the guys. Then Ef Rodriguez (@pugofwar) took the stage, a red guitar in had, and led us through heartbreak in the age of twitter to get the flaming ball rolling.

From Jen Wu's ignite on Food Porn (check out her awesome blog userealbutter.com) through Ryan Wagner's exploration of life through video games the speakers and the crowd bonded over brews and the soft lights of their PDAs. Sari Levy brought down the house with an alternative energy idea that mines the jackpot of Alabama's wealth(umm..fat), Naomi Meredith tried to keep up with her own slides though insults and friendship with old Willie S, and then Jen Newell's interactive Swedish lesson twisted our tongues. Christina Sagray's classy look at Classic literature through the eyes of modern chick flicks, folks were rolling in the aisles and shouts of encouragements rang out through the night.

Mountain Standard Time entertained the crowd at intermission, while parts of the funds from the night were going to be donated their way to offset their loss of equipment from theft in Eastern Colorado.

After the break, a sober Vennessa Scheinder regaled us with her DUI experiences (blow then hum...); Luke Tilsley taught us kissing; H. Clisbey gave us her look at bizarre beliefs and crazy people; George G. Smith, dressed in argyle for the ladies, taught us how to Master Debate; and Robot, fresh off the playa at Burning Man, taught us the ins and outs and fire appreciation that is 40,000 drug-crazed freaks in the desert. Huffington Post refugee and current Camera correspondent Dave Burdick used Ghostbusters to show what he learned about his craft, and the night ended with poignant take on Risk and reward from Emmy-winning mountain filmmaker Michael Brown, with film clips of his trips to high altitude locales like Everest with blind man and documenting tragedy and camaraderie of climbing the worlds toughest peaks.

Leaving the packed house, Hyde reminded all of his upcoming BoCo Conference in October so be sure to check it out for more music, conversation and community. A big thank you to all who made it the night happen, it was awesome to it see it in our vibrant Downtown and especially the amazing people that make it what it is.

Viva Ignite.

- Eli

ZimFest 2009 is Here!

For over 18 years the Zimbabwean Music Festival has brought a weekend of African song and dance, workshops, art, film and much much more to Boulder! Over 500 people of all ages and skill levels will register for lessons and workshops on marimba, mbira, singing, dance, drum, hosho and more. Many others will attend the over 50 hours of concerts held at Boulder Theater, Boulder County Farmer's Market and Boulder's Central Park.

The evening concerts kick-off tonight at the Boulder Theater with youth talent featuring Kutandara Youth Ensembles, Shumba Youth Marimba and more. On Friday Aivani Masango's Pachedu and Julia Chigamba's Chinyakare Dance and Drum are headlining. Check out a video of Pachedu and Chinyakare. The evening concerts will wrap up on Saturday with Panjea and The Bongo Boys of Zimbabwe. For a full list of all performances at Boulder Theater click here.

That is certainly not all for ZimFest concerts however! Outdoor concerts will be held Today through Saturday in Boulder's Central Park from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

No tickets are necessary for the afternoon concerts, but you can get your evening tickets at www.bouldertheater.com or a 3-Day pass at www.2009.zimfest.org. For a payment of $15 at registration you can sign up for countless instrument, dancing and singing workshops. Also, if you're interested in African music and culture and have some extra time on your hands, click here to help out and volunteer.

For a complete list of the various and numerous activities including not only concerts but soccer games, art fairs and film screenings, see the festival guide. Don't miss the 2009 ZimFest hitting town TODAY!

-Claire Little

Help Boulder Filmmakers Make it Big! Vote!

If you were perusing the bricks last week you may have run into John Goldman and Anna Salim, two Boulder High Alumni, lugging around their camera equipment and crew. The two hit Downtown Boulder favorites such as Old Tibet, Boulder Book Store, and Boulder Theater to film a short promotional trailer for Goldman’s feature project Paul Sussman’s Eleven-Step Guide to Self-Actualization. Goldman (director/writer) and Salim (producer) entered their work in a Netflix and Film Independent contest for first-time filmmakers. Among 2,000 other aspiring filmmakers Goldman and Salim’s film has now made it through to the semifinals with nine other contestants.

From June 5th – June 10th the trailers with be posted online for the general public to whittle down to just five. The films of those five trailers will then be viewed and judged by a panel of accomplished filmmakers and industry executives chaired by actor Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men). Winners will receive a $150,000 cash production grant as well as filming resources for the total value of a $350,000 grand prize. The winning production will also be sold over Netflix.

Goldman remarks, “I’ve had a big crush on Netflix for years. My friends thought I was crazy, but I knew all those little red love letters were a two-way street. I’m so excited about this opportunity, I have to say, my queue runneth over.” Colorado has also expressed its pride in Goldman. The Colorado State Film Commissioner Kevin Shand adds that “this is just another example of the talented filmmakers we have here in Colorado.” Goldman is just one more person helping to put Downtown Boulder on the map.

Don’t forget to vote for your fellow Boulderites come June 5th!

- Claire Little

E Town's /Jax's Dinner & Show event this Sunday in Downtown Boulder

Downtown is filled with excitement and activities this Memorial Day weekend and one not to miss is E Town’s Dinner and Show event on Sunday, May 24th! The event starts at 5 p.m. with an amazing three course meal at the nationally renowned Jax Fish House (the evening’s menu was prepared by TV’s Top Chef, Hosea Rosenberg) and is followed by reserved seats at the E Town show with Nick & Helen Forster (host & co-host), Jorma Kaukonen (legendary guitar player) and Guggenheim Grotto (Irish pop/folk act) at the Boulder Theater. Tickets are $50 per person. Tickets and dinner reservations are available by calling Jax Fish House Boulder at 303-444-1811.

E Town is a lively weekly radio broadcast heard from coast to coast on National Public Radio (NPR) as well as other public and commercial stations. Boulder & Denver listeners can tune in on KBCO FM, KGNU-FM & AM and KUNC-FM. The shows are taped in front of live audiences at venues around the country - and mostly right here in Downtown Boulder at the historic Boulder Theater. Each show features performances from top musicians and conversations with a wide variety of authors, poets and policy-makers about various topics that promote a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable world. Former interviewees include: Jimmy Carter, Jane Goodall, Ralph Nader and Michael Moore just to name a few. Prior musical guests include well known names such as Ben Harper, Blues Traveler, Chris Isaak, Emmylou Harris, Jason Mraz, Mary Chapin-Carpenter, String Cheese Incident and The Samples.

To learn more about E Town, listen to a mp3 of a prior show or download an E Town podcast online at Etown.org. For tickets and dinner reservations for this Sunday’s Dinner and Show event, call 303-444-1811. For a complete listing of happenings and businesses in Downtown Boulder, check out BoulderDowntown.com.

- Terri Takata-Smith