September in Denver is all about beer, with a calendar packed full of events all staring Hops, culminating in the behemoth beer festival that is The Great American Beer Festival.
As a lead-up (and down) to GABF, Avanti Food & Beverage in LoHi will be hosting a series of ticketless events throughout the week of September 23-27.
It all starts with a Kickoff Party on September 23rd featuring Odell Brewing. From 8pm until close, look forward to keg tappings (mmm … ‘Myrcenary‘), more beer, and giveaways!
And let the good times keep on rolling…
On September 24 at 10pm, Avanti is throwing the GABF After Party featuring Dogfish Head to celebrate the brewery’s 20 off-centered years with the first nationwide tapping of their 20th Anniversary Beer ‘Higher Math’. Also enjoy beers from Dogfish Founder Sam Calagione’s personal stash, including limited bottled beers: 2006 120 Minute IPA, 2006 Fort, 2006 Raison D’Extra, 2007 Immort Ale. And, as a bonus, get a Dogfish signature glasses with any “vintage beer” purchased!
Friday happy hour! On the 25th, Avanti is hosting an extended happy hour from 1-4pm with Ratio Beerworks brewers on hand to discuss their beers.
And, to finish off the week of festivities, enjoy the calm after the storm at Avanti on Sunday, September 26 with a Hungover Sunday Funday. Enjoy “BroMosas” (craft beer mimosas) specials plus creative beer Bloody Mary offerings that will satisfy the hair of YOUR dog!
TopTender303, the 4-week bartending competition to find Denver’s best bartender, kicked off with a bang last Tuesday night!
The competition was stiff, with 10 bartenders from Denver’s top watering holes throwing down their best drink-making moves in a 2-round showdown: Drink of Choice and Mystery Box,featuring the TOP SECRET spirit of the night provided by Beverage Distributers Company.
The Goal: Make the cut to Week 2 of TopTender303, and one step closer to the $500 grand prize.
Pre-competition, the tenders were relaxed and socializing.
While sharing some funny tidbits about their times behind the bar, Conner had us all laughing after revealing his most annoying request to date was some dude asking him to charge his e-cigarette at the packed Cold Crush bar.
When asked about strangest drink requests, Chad spoke up, “Chambord and Sprite, to which I asked, would you like a side of diabetes with that?” Apparently the customers were not so amused, responding with a hostile “Yes” after a few seconds of death staring.
Then it was Game Time, and Vodka was the star.
The first round, Drink of Choice, started with a mad dash to the fully stocked ingredient table, containing basically anything and everything that the bartenders could use to make their drinks, and with only 20 minutes to get it done, it was a hectic round.
The Mystery Box was an entirely different beast. Given a box filled with random ingredients, the bartenders had another 20 minutes to make their final drinks including at least three mystery box ingredients. There was some intense creativity going down. See the photo below, those are Cheetos sprinkled on top (…and it was de-lish-ous).
It was a pretty epic show, with the bartenders in the center of the room surrounded by friends and fans from the industry watching and cheering as the competitors made it happen.
It was a hard decision when it came time to make the cuts.
Both rounds of drinks were sampled by attendees, who voted for their favorites, as well as a panel of judges that helped make the final decision as to who would be moving on to Week 2. Although extremely talented, Kyle Faulhaber, Danny Hampton, and Ryan Buchanan won’t be moving on.
So, after an awesome night of intense competition and delicious beverages, we’re looking forward to Round 2 of TopTender303, going down at NATIV Hotel on Tuesday, September 8, where the remaining 7 bartenders will battle it out using yet another TOP SECRET spirit. DON’T MISS IT!
To all those who work in the Service Industry: this one’s for you. Welcome to NATIV Industry Night, the Tuesday night party dedicated to the Service Industry.
NATIV Industry Night is a weekly celebration that kicked off in early July as a way to say thanks to the people who feed us, cloth us, beautify us, pamper us, etc. day in and day out.
Now’s your chance to get special treatment: live music, food & drink specials and the occasional surprise giveaway!
The party starts at 7 pm at Pourtions Keg + Kitchen, NATIV Hotel’s on-site bar and restaurant with a 20-tap, self-pour beer wall. Start the night off with $3 sliders, $5 wines, and $5 specialty cocktails, while grooving to an acoustic set from 7-9 pm.
Then it’s on to the main event at The Lobby Bar, where there’s more live music and more specials! Drink up with $3 domestics, $4 imports, $4 wells, and $100 bottles all night long. And, you’ll never know what other awesome surprises may be in store for you throughout the night.
So come get some much-needed R&R tonight at NATIV Industry Night! You deserve it.
When: July 3-5, starting at 10 am. Where: Cherry Creek North, from 2nd to 3rd Avenues between Columbine St. and Steele St. What: The signature festival is a cultural celebration of the visual, performing and culinary arts. It’s a great experience for the whole family with the Artivity Avenue, a full block of interactive activity for youngsters, the Cultural Pavilion, where performing arts come to life, and the Culinary Avenue, featuring some tasty snacks and live cooking demonstrations from popular eateries around Denver. Free for all who wish to attend.
When: Friday, July 3, 4-8 pm. Where: Ridge Street Arts Square, Breckenridge, CO. What: A celebration of street, pavements and graffiti arts featuring guest artists specializing in each media. Also on the schedule is live music (starting at 8 pm), a chalk art contest, and stenciling workshops including kid’s graffiti. No admission fee.
When: Friday, July 3, beginning at 8 pm. Where: Civic Center Park (Colfax & Broadway). What: Start your 4th of July early at the 6th annual FREE community celebration featuring a concert, light show, and fireworks. The concert will feature Funkiphino and 101st Army Concert Band from Buckley Air Force Base. Lawn seating will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis so get there early! Attendees are welcome to bring their own picnics, but concessions will be available as well.
When: Saturday, July 4, kicking off at 1:30 pm. Where: Along 23rd Avenue, from Dexter St. to Krameria St. View route here. What: Celebrate Independence Day with family and friends by watching the 6th annual Park Hill parade featuring more than 50 groups including floats, marching bands, costumed characters, classic cars and more! The parade will run along 23rd Ave., with viewing areas available along both the north and south sides of 23rd. Get there early to set up blankets and chairs, then relax and enjoy the fun!
When: Saturday, July 4, starting at 7 pm. Where: Sports Authority Field at Mile High. What: Watch the Outlaws, Denver’s professional lacrosse team, face-off against the Boston Cannons this 4th of July. Then after we take home the big W, enjoy the fireworks show- pyrotechnics paired with visuals on a 220-foot wide, HD screen! Tickets start at $28 available for purchase here.
When: July 10-12; Friday 4- 10 pm, Saturday 11 am- 10 pm, Sunday 10 am- 5 pm. Where: TEV Edelweiss festival grounds in Morrison, CO. What: Celebrate traditional German culture with food, entertainment, music, dance and beer! There will be activities for children and a real German all-you-can-eat Frühschoppen (brunch) for $15 on Sunday morning from 10 am- 2 pm. Price of admission: Friday & Saturday $5, Sunday $3 (or $1 before noon); children 12 & under are free.
When: July 10-12; Friday 5- 10 pm, Saturday 10 am- 10 pm, Sunday 10 am- 7 pm. Where: Clement Park, Littleton, CO. What: Experience the largest Irish celebration in the Rocky Mountains with traditional Irish music performances and dancing, Irish drama and storytelling, crafts, games and food and drinks. Known throughout the west for its display of kilts, bagpipes and Irish step dancing, this year’s Irish Festival promises to be a memorable weekend. Price of admission: Friday $10 (or free before 6 pm), Saturday & Sunday $13; children 12 & under are free. Tickets are available online here, King Soopers/Ticket West outlets, and at the event gates.
When: Friday, July 10, starting at 9 pm. Where: VIE Nightclub Denver. What: Meet the person you’ve been stalking on Tinder! Or find your match among Denver’s hottest singles. Show your Tinder app at the door to skip line/cover. And join us as we celebrate Stephanie (a.k.a Sirvo’s fearless leader) turning 27 with bottles galore and beats provided by DJ GARMAN!
When: Saturday, July 11, 12- 4 pm. Where: Millenium Harvest House in Boulder CO. What: Third annual celebration of the best & baddest IPAs organized by The West End Tavern. Try IPA’s from 30+ breweries, enjoy live music from The Goonies & Sixty Minute Men, and food from The West End Tavern. Tickets are $35; 100% of proceeds to benefit Safehouse.
When: Sunday, July 12, 11 am- 6 pm Where:The Breakers Resort Denver What: To celebrate the opening of the Riviera at the Breakers Resort, a lounge and internet cafe, 303 Magazine is throwing a series of pool parties throughout the summer. The next one is just around the corner, and will be featuring DJ Kate Elsworth on the 1’s and 2’s. Tickets are $26 and only available online. Get them here ASAP because they’re going fast.
When: Wednesday, July 15, 6- 9 pm. Where: The Omni Interlocken Resort in Broomfield, CO. What: Ten beer-savvy chefs from around the town will compete to create up to 20 dishes to be paired with one of 20 award-winning beers. On the day of the event, chefs will be preparing then serving their dishes alongside samples of each beer. A panel of food and wine experts will name the winners for “Best Chef” and “Most Creative Chef”, and attendees will also get to cast their votes to decide the winner of the “People’s Choice Chef”. Tickets are on sale here for $75.
When: Thursday, July 16, starting at 6:30 pm. Where: Galvanize Platte in Denver, CO. What: Colorado’s premiere startup party where members of the Galvanize community, local startup scene and all who are interested come together to enjoy conversation, cocktails, giveaways, and interactive demos from presenting startups including yours truly. We’ll be showing off Sirvo and giving away some free shwag, so come and support us! Tickets are available for $15 here.
When: July 17-19, starting at 5 pm. Where:Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO. What: If you like electronic music, this concert is definitely for you. The greatest EDM artists from around the globe travel to Colorado to play for thousands of enthusiasts under the open sky at Red Rocks. The lineup includes Tiesto, Kaskade, Above & Beyond, Benny Benassi and many more. Get your tickets here before they sell out!
When: Thursday, July 23, 6- 10 pm. Where: The Galleria at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. What: Enjoy bites from over 40 of Denver’s best independent restaurants, then wash them down with cocktails from Denver’s top mixologists and craft beer from our favorite breweries. And like every BigEat, expect surprises and countless fun to benefit EatDenver. Tickets are available online for $55 here.
When: July 25-26, 7- 10 pm. Where:The Mile High Station in Denver, CO. What: The Summer Brew Fest at Mile High Station will celebrate craft beverages from around Colorado and beyond, not to mention live local music, food, and other vendors. Tickets are available online for $35 here, or on the day of for $45. Proceeds benefit Swallow Hill Music Association.
When: July 25, 7- 8 am. Where: Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO. What: Get your yoga on in one of the most awe-inspiring venues in the world. After the event, visit the Top Plaza for goodies from participating sponsors. Tickets are $12, available online here; $1 per admission will go to the Whole Planet Foundation.
When: July 31, starting at 7 pm. Where: Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO. What: Gather your friends and family and head up to Red Rocks to enjoy this classic. Tickets are $12, available online here.
You’ve probably seen quite a few Now Hiring signs since summer started, and whether you’re looking for a summer gig or something more permanent, here’s why you need to capitalize ASAP.
Employment on the rise. The job market isn’t as bleak as it was once was with job growth reaching a 15-year high in 2014, and projections of stable or even increased growth throughout 2015. And it’s looking like the economists are going to be right! According to the Manpower Group nearly 25% of U.S. employers expect to add to their workforces during the upcoming months, which evens out to about 16% after adjusting for seasonal variations.
Even more so when it comes to summer jobs. Looking for some extra cash this summer? If so, the time is right with 80% of employers expecting to hire the same, or more, seasonal employees as 2014. The industries expected to add the most summer positions are hospitality and retail, with eating and drinking establishments alone projected to add at least 500,000 jobs this summer season.
Competitive pay. If you’re worried about getting stiffed at your summer job when it comes to your paycheck, think again. Summer employers are expected to pay an average hourly wage of $11.52, up from last year’s $10.39. In fact, 53% of employers plan to pay summer works $15 per hour or more.
Potential for long-term. On average, employers are expected to fill at least 35% of their summer positions with previously hired workers. That means that landing a job this summer could mean you’re set for the next few if need be. Not to mention, work experience is a valuable commodity these days and goes a long way in either turning your summer gig into a full-time job or securing your next position.
Flexible work schedule. Summer means vacation for many whether it’s getting outdoors more often than not or going on trips with friends and family. Since most summer positions are part-time, averaging 27 hours per week, you can still find time for both work and play!
Need help getting the ball rolling? Sign up for Sirvo beta to find your next job.
