5280 Magazine

Founded in 1993, 5280 is the largest local magazine in Colorado. The magazine's stories often make national headlines, and since 2005 5280 has been nominated for four National Magazine Awards. Get 5280 Magazine digital subscription today.

5280 Magazine

5280

A Perfect Match

SPOTLIGHT

ON 5280.COM

Spray It, Don’t Say It • Deciphering Denver’s street art.

A(I) For Effort • A new artificial intelligence is poised to change higher ed forever. Are Colorado colleges ready?

AT ALL COSTS • Four ways to save some green by going green, just in time for Earth Day.

NOT SO JERRY JEANS • It’s a closing day tradition at Colorado’s ski resorts to dress up like Jerrys, mountain town slang for inexperienced flatlanders (read: Texans) known to tuck their jeans into their ski boots and straight-line it down every black diamond they see. But a new breed of outfitters is making denim outerwear built for adventuring, including on the slopes. Now you don’t have to wait until the end of the season to bust out your blues.

In Due Time • Philip Sidney Van Cise took on mobsters, con men, and the KKK. A new book finally tells his story.

Taking Lunch • Bodega Denver’s stacked masterpieces and inventive sides are worth a midday trip to Sunnyside.

An Icon, Reimagined • Tom’s Starlight, which replaced the beloved Tom’s Diner this past fall, sheds its greasy spoon past for a swanky future.

GETTIN’ GOOGIE WITH IT • A California-born, Jetsons-forward architectural style, Googie lives on in Denver, thanks to efforts to protect buildings such as the one occupied by Tom’s Starlight. The modernist aesthetic—characterized by sharp angles, geometric shapes, and upswept roofs—was a prevalent look for drive-ins and diners along roadways in the Mile High City from after World War II to the early 1970s. While many examples of the style have disappeared or remain threatened due to development, some have been given second lives. Here, three places to spot these blasts from the past.

Man Of Purpose • Why did a Boulderite named Wynn Bruce set himself on fire in Washington, D.C.?W

50 Things Every COLORADO Kid Must Do! • With cultural experiences that range from world-class to delightfully weird and the recreation-rich Rockies just a Thule-adorned Subaru ride away, young Denverites have no excuse to sit at home behind screens.

1→5 Complete These Quintessential Rocky Mountain Quests

6 Have A Real Tea Party

7→8 Shop Where Fantasy Becomes Reality • Spider-Man, Princess Leia, Harry Potter, Tiana: Children’s heroes often belong to science fiction and fantasy worlds. Luckily, Denver has two retailers that have been bringing a multitude of imaginary universes to life since before it was cool to debate Marvel vs. DC. We created trading cards for each store.

9→12 Rock Out & Camp Out • When you think “music festival” (Coachella! Bonnaroo! Lollapalooza!), you probably don’t think “kids.” But at many of Colorado’s multiday bluegrass shindigs, you’re likely to see plenty of mini hula hoopers grooving alongside their parents. In fact, children 12 and under get in free to the following four fests, which offer budget-friendly camping and attractions specifically for the next generation of music lovers.

13→16 Earn Your Après • In Colorado, everything tastes better if you devour it after an adventure. We rounded up four perfect play-and-partake pairings.

17→18 Volunteer To Feed Your Peers

19→22 Make A Splash • Just because we live in a landlocked state doesn’t mean there’s not watery fun to be had. These are some of our favorite bathing-suit-required pursuits and where to try them.

23 Bust Mutton At The National Western Stock Show

24→33 Visit Niche Museums •...