Arts Festival Media Center and Media Parking
The Arts Festival Media Center will be at the Inn at Cherry Creek
233 Clayton Street (outside the front entrance; refer to Festival VIP sign).
Temporary Media Parking will be located at 2nd Avenue and Columbine, behind the Inn at Cherry Creek and the Cherry Cricket.
Free All Day Parking will be located at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center West Deck Parking Garage.
2007 Cherry Creek Arts Festival Overview
Janus presents the 17th annual Cherry Creek Arts Festival (CCAF) on July 6, 7, and 8 with the theme of “My Art.” Centrally located on the neighborhood streets of Cherry Creek North, this outdoor Arts Festival boasts the rare opportunity for 350,000 annual visitors to meet and talk with exhibiting artists, sample fine cuisine, visit special exhibits, enjoy live performances and create their own works of art.
The Cherry Creek Arts Festival is one of the nation’s most competitive juried art events, inviting only 232 artists from the 2,400+ applicants. The 13 media categories represented include: ceramics, digital art, drawing, fiber, glass, graphics and printmaking, jewelry, metal works, mixed media, painting, photography, sculpture and wood. Arts Festival information is available by calling 303.355.2787 or by visiting www.CherryArts.org.
Arts Festival Fast Facts
Times
- Friday, July 6: 10 am – 8 pm; Festival Nights 6 pm to 10 pm
- Saturday, July 7: 10 am – 8 pm; Festival Nights 6 pm to 10 pm
- Sunday, July 8: 10 am - 6 pm
9 am - 10 pm Accessibiliy Hour
CCAF is fully accessible during all hours to disabled visitors and senior citizens, but this time is specifically designated for individuals with mobility concerns.
Location
Denver’s Cherry Creek North: 2nd and 3rd Avenues, from Steele to Columbine Streets.
Admission
Admission to the Festival is free for the public due to the support of CCAF’s family of sponsors and donors.
Transportation and Parking
- The best way to get to the festival is by walking or biking.
- In the interest of safety however, bicycles are prohibited within the Arts Festival site. Transportation Solutions, a local non-profit organization, operates a valet bike corral at The Cherry Creek Bike Rack located at Second Avenue and Detroit Street. Bike Denver will staff a bike corral on Third Avenue and Steele Street and will have bike parking available from 10 am to 8 pm during the entire Festival. The suggested donation is $1 per bicycle and goes directly to fund their programs.
- Festival guests are asked to respect Cherry Creek North neighborhood hosts and respect parking signs. There are four $5 on-site parking options, each benefiting the festival:
The Janus building garage at 151 Detroit Street
The Clayton Lane garage at Second Avenue and Columbine Street
The Whole Foods garage at Second Avenue and University
Standard Parking at 175 Milwaukee Street
- The Cherry Creek Shopping Center also offers free parking at their West Deck garage.
Arts Festival Rules
- In the interest of safety, bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades, large signs and placards that may endanger or inconvenience the public attending the festival are prohibited within the Arts Festival site.
- With the exception of aid animals, we ask patrons to not bring their pets on the Festival Grounds. This is not only for the safety of other patrons, but for the safety of the animals.
- Smoking is not permitted inside any structure or in any seating area on the Arts Festival grounds.
- The Festival reserves the right to decline admittance to anyone who violates the reasonable policies established for public safety, or to restrict admittance to certain areas.
- All packages are subject to search.
NEW Attractions at the Festival!
2007 Festival Feature on Fillmore Plaza
Australia’s Sway Pole presented by Stapleton is the Festival Feature for 2007. This unique group comes all the way from Melbourne, Australia. Festival goers will watch in awe as the troupe performs a remarkable style of work that fuses theater, dance and circus perched atop 15 foot high flexible poles. The performers bend and sway in the air, captivating and engaging the audience.
Artist Preview Event
- CCAF will host its first-ever “Artist Preview Event” on Thursday July 5, 2007, from 7 pm to 10 pm. The public is invited to participate in this exclusive sneak-peak at 29 of the visual artists juried to exhibit for the 2007 show.
- The Artist Preview Event, held on Cherry Creek North’s Clayton Street, will feature gorgeously lit streets and artist booths, spirited beverage opportunities, strolling entertainment and more! Admission is FREE to the public.
Fireworks Display - "Fireworks Spectacular"
- When: 9:30 pm, Saturday Night, July 7, 2007
- Where: Cherry Creek North
- Join us for our first-ever fireworks show presented by Macy’s! Top off your Festival Nights experience with a spectacular fireworks display choreographed to music. You'll be entertained as the Cherry Creek Arts Festival celebrates our nation's Independence Day.
- Fireworks Simulcast Enjoy the fireworks choreographed simulcast music in two ways:
·Watch the fireworks directly from Fillmore Plaza
·Watch the fireworks from afar and DOWNLOAD the fireworks music from http://podcast.cherryarts.org/ -- another history-making endeavor of the Cherry Creek Arts Festival!
Podcasting
- The Arts Festival has set up a new and worldwide stage for this year's festival — your iPod. You will be able to get FREE audio and video podcasts that provide sneak previews of this year's festival, a cool mixed-media guide, plus fun behind-the-scenes features. And you don't need an iPod to enjoy them — the videos and audio podcasts can be delivered directly to your computer or laptop — or even through email!
- The primary and background purpose for the podcasting program is to tell the year-round story of the Cherry Creek Arts Festival's extensive education and outreach programs. Current education videos available are the CCAF's “Mobile Art Collection" and "African Rhythm Synergy." Coming soon is the "Student Art Buying Program" video.
- Visit http://PODCAST.CherryArts.org to check out the latest podcasts.
Back from Last Year
Poster Debut Party
Join us on June 12th at FastFrame of Cherry Creek where we will officially debut the original 2007 commemorative poster artwork. Meet Poster Artist Stephen Sebastian and enjoy live music, hors d’oeuvres and beverages. The annual commemorative poster continues to be one of the most collected items of the Cherry Creek Arts Festival.
Festival Preview Celebration (by Invitation Only)
- Plan on attending a fun summer evening of fine art, great music and fabulous food on Tuesday, July 3rd at the Loews Denver Hotel. This invitation-only event is the Festival's annual thank you party for corporate sponsors, VIP patrons and key supporters.
- The Festival Preview Celebration is presented by Volvo, hosted by Loew’s Denver Hotel and in association with Mirassou Winery.
Opening Gala
- This is an exclusive opportunity to preview and purchase art, and to enjoy exquisite cuisine and world-class entertainment. The Opening Gala provides an additional opportunity for visual artists to sell their works and build their patron bases, provides an exclusive arena for our VIP festival patron contributors, and financially benefits the year-round art education and outreach programs of the Cherry Creek Arts Festival.
- The Opening Gala begins with an elegant reception on Clayton Lane, followed by an exclusive art buying opportunity on Clayton Street, dinner and a special program at the JW Marriott Denver at Cherry Creek.
- The Opening Gala honors 2007 Distinguished Patron, Lisa Herzlich. Past honorees include Mayor Wellington E. Webb, Barry Hirschfeld, Linda Goto, Mayor John W. Hickenlooper and Bill Charney (the founder of the Cherry Creek Arts Festival).
- Included with the Opening Gala package are pre-event invitations and Arts Festival VIP amenities.
- The Opening Gala is presented by Woodward Wealth Management and hosted by JW Marriott Denver at Cherry Creek. Sponsored by Barefoot Bubbly Champagne, Classic Residence by Hyatt in Highlands Ranch, Mirassou Winery and special thanks to Pepsi Bottling Company, Heineken, and AmCap Incorporated.
- Opening Gala information and tickets can be found
here.
Art Auction
The Art Auction presented by Qwest Broadband features over 140 works of art generously donated by exhibiting artists available for bidding by the public. To participate, visit the Art Auction tent on St. Paul Street or post a bid online at
www.cherryartsauction.org. Proceeds benefit CCAF’s year-round education programs.
Festival Nights: Music on Fillmore Plaza
- Location: Janus Main Stage
- Schedule:
·Friday, July 6th, 6 pm, the Michael Friedman Jazz Quintet
·Friday, July 6th, 8 pm, Triple Nickel
·Saturday, July 7th, 6 pm, Lao Tizer
·Saturday, July 7th, 8 pm, Opie Gone Bad.
- Festival Nights is presented by Heineken and Pepsi Bottling Group.
Arts Festival Emerging Artists Program
This program is not only a unique opportunity for up-and-coming artists to exhibit their work to the public, but also a chance to establish contact between the public and new and diverse art forms that have not yet been enjoyed at this event. This year eight Emerging Artists will exhibit their work on 3rd Avenue between Fillmore and Milwaukee.
Artivity Avenue presented by Frontier Airlines
- Visit Milwaukee Avenue and experience Artivity Avenue, a full city-block of interactive “My Art” themed activities for the entire family to enjoy.
- At the Creation Station children can engage in many interactive art projects with involvement from the Children’s Museum of Denver, Denver Botanical Gardens, Pathways Therapy Center and Colorado Parent Magazine.
- Anything can happen at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center Family Stage throughout the day, as the live entertainment — including musical performances, dance troupes, puppet shows and magic shows — provides an endless variety of entertainment and amusement for all ages.
Culinary Art
- Enjoy a delectable array of cuisine on Culinary Row.
- Located on St. Paul Street between Second and Third Avenues, experience treats from some of Denver’s most popular eateries. Selected by a jury, these restaurants highlight specialty menu items at reasonable prices. It is the perfect opportunity to try something new or seek out an all-time favorite!
- Guests can choose from the following award-winning eateries:
3 Sons Italian Restaurant
Alpine Sausage Company
Barry’s Ice Cream
Berrie Kabobs
Big Mike’s Original BBQ (1st Place in 2004)
Bombay Station
Caribbean Cuisine (2nd Place in 2003; 3rd Place in 2004)
D&B Concessions
Del Mar Crab House
Espo’s Cucina Dolce (1st Place in 2003; 2nd Place in 2004; 2nd Place in 2005)
Fire Wok Noodles
India House
Nonna's Chicago Bistro
*Old Tyme Kettle Korn
Pearl Street Grill
Philadelphia Filly
Polidori Sausage
Purple Avocado Catering
Shrimp Shack
Sister’s Pantry
The Fire Within
Waffle Brothers
Wok & Roll Teriyaki
*All culinary booths are located on St. Paul Street between Second and Third Avenues EXCEPT Old Tyme Kettle Corn, which will be located on the corner of Second and Fillmore near the Janus Main Stage. Old Tyme Kettle Corn will provide “late night snacks” during the Festival Nights Series. 2007 Cherry Creek Arts
Festival Sponsors
Janus presents the 2007 Cherry Creek Arts Festival sponsored together with Bank of the West, Frontier Airlines, Qwest and the Rocky Mountain News.
Associate sponsors: Cherry Creek North, Cherry Creek Shopping Center, FASTFRAME of Cherry Creek, Heineken, IdÈe-Force Communications, Pepsi Bottling Group, Scientific & Cultural Facilities District, Volvo, Colorado Homes & Lifestyles, Mountain Living, Denver’s 7, Alice 105.9, KOSI 101, Studio 1430—KEZW AM, and 99.5 The Mountain.
Supporting sponsors: Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado, Loews Denver Hotel, Macy’s and Stapleton.
Authorized suppliers: Allstate, The Art Institute of Colorado, Bing Energy Drink, BurstMarketing, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Classic Residence by Hyatt in Highlands Ranch, Henry Wurst, Inc., Mirassou Winery, Renewal by Andersen and Woodward Wealth Management.
Community partners: Out Front Colorado, Rubottom & Kaplan, and Woodrow & Sobel P.C. Cherry Creek Arts Festival Organization
The Essence of CCAF
- CCAF is a year-round 501(c)(3) non-profit arts services organization that presents an award-winning annual civic event. For three days during early July, the nation's #1 outdoor Arts Festival (as ranked by four independent industry publications) is presented in Denver's prestigious Cherry Creek North neighborhood. Visitors enjoy free access to a diverse array of art forms in a unique setting.
- Boasting attendance of 350,000+, the Arts Festival features over 230 of the nation's finest visual artists; eight performance stages presenting a broad range of entertainment; a much emulated and internationally renowned environmental recycling program; an award winning volunteer program with over 1,200 volunteers working in 23 different committees; and a successful sponsorship program with a 91% retention rate.
- The Cherry Creek Arts Festival continues to be a vital part of Denver’s annual cultural and economic landscape, contributing approximately $20,000 annually to local non-profits and $250,000 in tax revenues CCAF’s overall economic impact is $11-13 million each year.
- The Arts Festival is hosted by the Cherry Creek North Business Improvement District and receives no commission for the sale of artwork. CCAF is entirely dependent upon donations, sponsorships and grants, in addition to support from the City and County of Denver and the SCFD. On an individual level, the public can support the Arts Festival by purchasing official Cherry Creek Arts Festival posters and merchandise for sale throughout the year, as well as beverages for sale on-site. Individuals and businesses are also invited to participate in the Arts Festival's†Festival Club†and Donor programs.
- Four full-time employees fulfill the agency’s educational mission during the year through art education and outreach programs that touch 20,000 Coloradoans annually. Collectively known as Arts in Action, this includes the Mobile Art Collection, the Alliance Project and the Artist in Residence program. It also sponsors lesson plans for teachers that fulfill Colorado Arts Education and National Arts Standards.
Awards, Recognitions and Accomplishments
- Since its inception, the Cherry Creek Arts Festival has contributed a positive economic impact of over $100 million to the local Denver economy. Contributing to this figure is money from sales tax on exhibited art, festival-related merchandise, food and beverages, as well as spending at area stores, restaurants, hotels, gas stations, etc.
- Since 1991, CCAF has won over 100 International Festivals and Event Association (IFEA) awards for highest overall quality in event programming, content, promotional programs and marketing materials. The prestigious Gold Grand Pinnacle, the highest honor in the special events industry, has been awarded to CCAF four times in the last six years: 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2005.
- In September 2005, CCAF was awarded the 2005 Gold Grand Pinnacle at the 50th Annual IFEA Convention in San Antonio, TX, rating CCAF the BEST FESTIVAL in its budget category in the world
- In September 2005, CCAF received nine different "Pinnacle.” The Arts Festival was awarded the Gold Grand Pinnacle Award, 3 Gold Pinnacle Awards, 3 Silver Pinnacle Awards and 2 Bronze Pinnacle Awards for its volunteer program, merchandise, marketing materials as well as the over all event. The Arts Festival competed with over 1,510 entries from the world's top festivals and special events.
- In 2005, the ArtFair Sourcebook, a leading publication of the exhibiting visual artist industry, rated Cherry Creek Arts Festival as the #1 outdoor visual arts festival in the nation.
MyArtsFestival
- This web tool will help visitors plan a customized festival itinerary for an unforgettable experience. Guests can scope out the artists, highlight performing artists, browse stage schedules and select restaurants for sampling. To learn more visit here.
CCAF is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit art services organization whose mission is to provide access to a broad array of arts experiences and support arts education in Colorado. Along with the arts festival itself, CCAF fulfills its year-round art education and outreach mission through programs including the Mobile Art Collection, Artist in Residence programs and the Student Art Buying Program.
CCAF produces its signature cultural event for Colorado annually during the 4th of July weekend. The arts festival weekend event is a world-class and award-winning celebration of the visual, culinary and performing arts, and enjoys an attendance of 350,000 visitors over the 3-day event. CCAF gives patrons the FREE, rare and special opportunity to meet and talk with international visual artists, sample fine cuisine, visit special exhibits and artist demonstrations, and entertain their families with interactive 'Artivities' and exciting performing arts.
Special Thanks to our 2008 Sponsors: Janus presents the Cherry Creek Arts Festival sponsored together with Official Sponsors Bank of the West, Qwest and the Rocky Mountain News.