125th Anniversary Jubilee
Wednesday, August 7
10:00 am to 8:00 pm
In the late 1800s, as Denver was evolving from a frontier settlement, the citizens decided they wanted trees and gardens in their dusty town, they wanted parks. So in 1899 City Landscape Architect Reinhard Schuetze drew up the plans for Washington Park. 125 years later, this verdant urban forest is alive with bloom and birdsong and the collective effervescence of nearly a million visitors a year.
Photography and Essay Contest May 15-June 30. Visit the respective website for details. www.FansPhotoContest.com and www.FansEssayContest.com.
A 125th Commemorative Tree Planting took place on May 24.
8 trees were planted:
- 1 Tulip tree
- 1 Briotti Horsechestnut
- 2 Princeton Elm
- 1 Gladiator crabapple
- 1 English oak
- 2 Redmond linden
Wednesday, August 7th party activities:
- Free day at the Rec Center (must have an ID)
- 10:00: Loop Road Walk with dog parade and South High Drum Line. MEET AT LOUISANA & FRANKLIN ENTRANCE TO THE PARK
- 10:00-12:00: Open House at the VOC. The headquarters of Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, which is celebrating their 40th anniversary this year, is in the beautiful historic Bath House of Washington Park, built in 1911 as an amenity to the swimming beach on Smith Lake that opened that year. VOC
- 10:00- 1:00: Copsicle Cruisers see video – BOATHOUSE PLAZA
- 10:00 -7:00: Trishaw rides for older adults from Cycling without Age CPR News Story about Cycling without Age: 2 trishaws with pilots offer rides around the loop road, BOAT HOUSE PARKING LOT
- 10:30: Washington Park Family Photo by drone photographer. GREAT MEADOW
- 11:00: Outdoor yoga class by Garry Appel – LAWN SOUTH OF REC CENTER
- 11:00-5:00: Displays of Washington Park History with over 80 photographs from the Denver Public Library Collection and original artifacts from History Colorado. BOATHOUSE
- 11:00-5:00 Educational Booths, BOATHOUSE
- 11:00 -1:00: Open House at Fire Station 21 which opened at the corner of Virginia Avenue and Franklin Street 100 years ago in 1924. Engine 21 ran out of this station until 1975 when a new station was built at the same location. FIRE STATION
- 11:00-1:00: Open House at the Eugene Field House. The former home of children’s poet Eugene Field was moved to Washington Park in 1927 as Denver’s first preservation project. Molly Brown helped pay for the move to the park where the home operated as DPL’s smallest library branch until 1970. It currently serves as one of seven Park Ranger Offices and currently serves as the Park Ranger’s Headquarters. EUGENE FIELD HOUSE
- 11:00-2:00: 2 Food Trucks, BOATHOUSE
- 11:00-1:00: Crafts for Kids BOATHOUSE
- 11:00 -2:00 Face Painting BOATHOUSE
- 11:00-3:00: Climbing Wall NEAR EUGENE FIELD HOUSE
- 11:00 -3:00: Rocky Mountain Wildlife Alliance with live animals (raptors), BOAT HOUSE
- 11:00-3:00: Forestry Education with climbing arborist, bucket truck, Tree Jeopardy. WEST OF BOATHOUSE
- 11:00-3:00: Lawn Bowling and croquet lessons on the historic Lawn Bowling Green founded 100 years ago LAWN BOWLING GREEN
- 11:00-4:00: Public Voting on Photography Contest finalists, BOATHOUSE
- 11:00-5:00:
- Displays of Washington Park History BOATHOUSE
- Explore Booths at the BOATHOUSE PLAZA
- 12: 00-1:15: Lunchtime Jazz with the The Joe Anderies Quartet which was formed from summer and fall yard concerts during 2020/21. From these sessions Joe pulled together a full on album project featuring the group and original compositions (influenced by Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Hubert Laws and Lyle Mays). From hard driving swing to Latin and contemporary sounds, the Joe Anderies Quartet will deliver a joyful and revitalizing experience! This special group for the Wash Park 100 celebration will feature international pianist/composer Rob Mullins also with Gabe Rupe on bass and Lance Croucher on drum set! BOATHOUSE
- 12:30-1:30: History Talk from Phil Goodstein. From the beginning, promoters were sure that Washington Park would be the gem of South Denver. Learn how it emerged. Find out who John W. Smith was, the Smith of Smith Lake. How deep is the pond? What about ice-skating on and swimming in it? How did English literature shape Grasmere Lake? Why was there once a wild caiman hunt in that part of the park? For that matter, are there ghosts in Washington Park? All of these subjects and more will be part of a wide-ranging, anecdote-filled talk by Phil Goodstein, Denver’s leading historian. Since the 1980s, he has sporadically given tours of Washington Park. He is the author of The Haunts of Washington Park. Besides telling the park story, it includes the surrounding homes, businesses, and institutions which have been at the center of Washington Park. BOATHOUSE
- 3:00- 5:00 Fishing with Park Rangers SOUTHEAST EDGE OF SMITH LAKE
- 3:00- 5:00: MV Garden and Park scavenger hunts MOUNT VERNON GARDEN
- 3:00-5:00 Tennis Fun for kids. Learn to play for 10 and under. Rackets provided TENNIS COURTS by Louisiana Street
- 4:00-5:00: A walking tour of significant trees led by Sonia John. BOATHOUSE
- 4:30: -7:00: Food Trucks PLAZA
- 5:00 Executive Director of Parks and Recreation Jolon Clark and
Deputy Director Scott Gilmore: Welcome remarks, announce contest winners of Photography and Essay Contests BOATHOUSE PLAZA - 6:00- 8:00: WASH PARK BAND. This award-winning band has been delighting crowds since 2009 with dance music from the 70s to the top 40 hits of today. BOATHOUSE
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