You’ve heard of Facebook and MySpace and Twitter — have you heard of Ning Networks?  It’s been described as a build-your-own social network platform where interest groups – such as people who are looking for free stuff to see and do in Colorado — can share ideas, photos, and so on.

We’re giving it a try so that we can hear your ideas.  You can post free things on our Event calendar, participate in a discussion in the Forum, and post photos of free events, tours, and activities in Colorado.

To get started, visit Colorado-for-Free Ning Network, sign up for free as a member of our network, and start sharing.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

They’re billing it as the “Celebration of the Century” and residents of the Uncompahgre Valley — including Montrose, Olathe, and Delta — are well aware of the impact made in the 100 years since a 6 mile tunnel was dug through hard rock allowing some of the water from the Gunnison River to “escape” the Black Canyon and flow into the fertile but extremely dry valley. 

Come join the fun in Montrose with a Turn-of-the-Century Parade down Main Street, special displays by blacksmiths, boot makers, and other trades from 100 years ago, enjoy horseshoe, tug-og-war, and pie-eating events, or check out a demonstration with mules and draft horses digging a canal.

There will be a re-enactment of the 1909 Tunnel Opening Celebration which featured President William Howard Taft ringing a bell (and others ringing bells across the valley), plus a “Grand Pyrotechnical Display” (now generally known as a “Fireworks Display”).

In addition, both Black Canyon National Park and Ridgway State Park are offering free admission on this special Saturday.  And if all this isn’t enough to get you to visit Montrose, there is also the Black Canyon Car Club Car Show in town (Centennial Plaza downtown), and a Volunteer Fair at the Library. 

More history on the Gunnison Tunnel can be found here.

You’re never too old to enjoy a visit to the zoo!  And you can prove it on your next birthday with free admission on your special day, a free souvenir button (woohoo!), a free Jr. ice cream cone (yum!), a free spin on our Conservation Carousel (whee!), and, if you can make that someone special you’ve brought along feel guilty about not spending any money on you yet for your birthday, there’s even a 10% discount on a purchase at the zoo gift shop.  Yes!!

You’ll need to plan ahead just a little bit to enjoy your free celebration with the critters, but it’s simple.  Just go to the Birthday page on the Denver Zoo’s site and register your birthday information (and don’t forget to register everyone else in your household — they love the zoo too, don’t they?).  Print out the ticket/confirmation message, bring along your photo ID, and it’s time to celebrate another year.

Feeling down about your newly-acquired age?  Consider this:  the oldest documented tortoise lived to be 188.  And there was a koi (you know – one of those carp you see in ponds in Japanese gardens) which lived to be 226.  I’m sure the Denver Zoo must have some tortoises and koi around for you to visit.

I just learned of another great resource for finding things to do around Colorado — some free, some not –  as well as shopping deals and freebies:  Tip’s Colorado.  I liked the shopping savings tips in particular — I’m an “office supplies junkie,” so the spiral notebooks for 1¢, 20¢ pack of Crayons, and free dry-erase markers caught my eye.  Then there was that photo of all the free stuff Tip had acquired — chocolate candy bars, Jello, lotions, shampoo, a shaver, deodorant — all of life’s necessities!

Free is great — and nearly-free is pretty darn good too.

I don’t usually feature a guidebook when talking about free things to see and do in our gorgeous state, but I have to make an exception.  I’ve just scanned through a 2-volume set called Colorado Scenic Byways by Jim Steinberg & Susan Tweit, and have already started a lengthy list of must-see road trips within our state.

This is an interesting and unique pair of books.  Both share this basic concept:  explore the officially-designated Scenic Byways within Colorado.  One book is a spectacular hard-bound, coffee-table volume which features photography which will inspire you to hit the road and see these views up close and personal.  The other book is soft-bound — easy for carrying with you in your car — and focuses on maps, details about each Scenic Byway driving route, nearby side-trips, places to eat or stay, photo opportunity notes, and special events you might want to attend along the way.  This take-it-with-you guide also includes enough of the quality photography in each section to keep you inspired.   

I like to think I know several regions of Colorado extremely well, having lived in Colorado my entire life and having traveled along many of these Byways in the past.  Hah!  I definitely need to get out more!  I had no idea what I was missing until I scanned these 2 volumes.  Road trip! 

Are the books free?  No.  Is the scenery free?  It certainly is.

For the thrify-minded, here’s a thought.  Buy the set, give the 248-page hard-bound volume as a special gift to someone who’ll fall in love with Colorado (and love you for the gift), and keep the 80-page  travel guide for yourself so you can enjoy some new-to-you Colorado scenery for free!

A reader and contributor to Colorado-for-Free just sent us a note saying he received a coupon for a free buffet for 1 month at Woody’s Wood-Fired Tavern because he signed up for their email club.  I see that they promise not to…

…sell your information to anyone by the name of “Crazy Doctor”, “Ductile F. Supplanted”, or any other crazy spammers.

That sounds fair.

I wonder if Woody’s is planning any locations over here on the Western Slope?  It appears that the Woody’s in Golden — which I fondly remember as a gathering spot after climbing — is owned by different people than the locations offering this particular deal, so I don’t think the coupon will work in Golden.

This is making me really hungry for pizza.  I’m heading to our local pizza place as soon as they open for lunch!

July 4, 2009
Isn’t this summer flying by! It’s time once again to think about how we’ll celebrate our nation’s birthday. There are hardly any towns in Colorado that don’t have some sort of festivities for Independence Day 2009, so I’ll just give you a sampling of choices.

Arvada - Fourth of July Festival - car show, live music, amusements, food and  fireworks display.  Events begin at 3:00 PM at the Lutz/Stenger Sports Complex on W. 58 th Ave. at Oak St. just west of Kipling (parking lot opens at 2:00 pm).  Family-friendly events include:
· “Hot Times, Kool Cars” classic car show
· The KOOL Cats, 17th Avenue Allstars and the Aquasonics on stage
· A Kid’s Park, with bounce houses, caterpillar crawl, face painting, sports games
· Child identification DNA Kit
· Fire truck and emergency vehicle display

Boulder - Ralphie’s Independence Day Blast - University of Colorado Campus - Folsom Stadium
8:00 PM – Gates Open; Master of ceremonies and welcome; Skip-It’s jump rope team
8:30 PM – City Open Space & Mountain Parks sing-along
8:45 PM –  Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra
9:15 PM – Boulder’s 150th Birthday Celebration
9:30 PM – Fireworks display

Estes Park - Pancake breakfast, car show, horse show and fireworks - 800-44-ESTES

Frazer - 4th of July Celebration & Run for Independence - Fireworks, rodeo, live music, 5-mile Run for Independence, barbecue, carnival games, pancake breakfast and more.  Fraser Sports Complex -  800-903-7275

Golden - Golden Lions July 4th Community Festival @ Lions Park, 10th and Maple St. Food, beverages, entertainment, live bands, fireworks show around 9:30 PM. The Golden Lions Club is giving back to the community again this year with FREE RIDES for all the kids, including a trackless train ride.  www.GoldenLionsClub.org

Granby - Agate Ave., Main Street
10:30 AM  - Biggest Small Town Parade in Colorado
11:30 AM –  BBQ
7:00 PM – BBQ
800-552-6557

Highlands Ranch - Enjoy an old fashioned Fourth of July at the Highlands Ranch Community Association’s celebration at the Town Center, 9288 Dorchester Street, from 8:30 AM – 9:00 PM. Independence Day 5K Run/Walk and the July 4th Parade. Live music, rides for the kids, a hot dog eating contest, food and merchandise vendors, and fireworks after dark.  303-791-2500

Niwot - 4th of July Parade Marches On - The parade starts at 11 AM. It will be preceded by a pancake breakfast at the Niwot Market in Cottonwood Square

Ouray - Parades, kids’ games, fireworks and more - Main Street -  970-325-4746

Salida - Historic downtown Salida has a daytime parade, food, fun and nighttime fireworks extravaganza, all in Riverside Park (F Street).   719-539-2068

Steamboat Springs – Cowboy’s Roundup Days & 4th of July Celebration - downtown parade, fireworks, cattle drive through town and rodeos.  7/3 through 7/5/2009.   877-754-2269

In the “every little bit helps” department, all National Park Service sites that charge entry fees will waive them for the weekends of:

June 20 and 21 (Happy Father’s Day!),
July 18 and 19, and
August 15 and 16, 2009.

Here in Colorado, these free admission weekends will apply to:

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Colorado National Monument
Dinosaur National Monument
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
Great Sand Dunes NP & Preserve
Hovenweep National Monument
Mesa Verde National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park

See you on the trails!