Fort Collins Natural Areas

Hooray!! Finally I've found the Ft Collins Natural Areas Catalog. Lots and lots of activities for families in there. Some require registration and others do not. I believe all are free. Be sure and check it out!

http://www.fcgov.com/naturalareas/pdf/tracks-trails2010.pdf

More Movies for a Buck

Carmike & Cinema Saver 6 both have $1 movies. Carmike has $1 popcorn and soda too. Both are Tuesdays at 10am.:

http://www.carmike.com/promotions.aspx?id=80
2010 Summer Kid's Series

Wow! Cool off with us this Summer while you enjoy one of your favorite blockbuster films from the past on one of our large screens for only a buck. That's right kids, you can watch a film for only a buck with Carmike's Summer Kid's Series. Also, popcorn and drink are only a buck each. What better way to stay cool on these hot summer days. Series showing at select locations. Please contact the manager at your local Carmike theatre for more details.

http://www.amcentertainment.com/smc/

2010 Summer MovieCamp®

Looking for a cool getaway for gobs of kids this summer? Bring them to AMC Summer MovieCamp and enjoy the magic of movies! Summer MovieCamp will be offered at 10 a.m. each Tuesday morning this summer at participating theatres, from June 15 through August 10. At only $1 admission, it’s an affordable option for summer fun for families and groups. All admission and concession proceeds will benefit two AMC charities, Variety – The Children’s Charity and the Will Rogers Institute.

No outside food will be allowed during Summer MovieCamp but you can take advantage of our KidsPack™ concession combos for $4 – more than 30% off the regular price.*

Advance tickets will be on sale starting June 8 at 214 participating AMC theatre locations and online. Doors will open at 9:30 a.m. and shows will begin at 10 a.m. local time nationwide. See a list of participating theatres or search by zip code to get tickets. Tickets for each week will be on sale approximately one week prior to the scheduled show date.

{Shawn's note: if you look this up, it lists us under Denver. When I wen to the website for the theater here in town, it does list Shrek 3 for this coming Tues}

Summer Fun!

Looking for things to do this summer? Here's a non-inclusive list of fun things to do! (Note: some are free, others are not)

• Swimming:

  • City Park Pool

  • Greeley Funplex

  • Loveland Swim Beach

  • Windsor Lake Swim Beach

  • Horsetooth Reservior

  • Boyd Lake

  • Poudre River (Picnic Rock is great!)

  • Oak St Plaza in FtC has their water park turned on (Fossil Creek and Spring Canyon will be OFF this year due to budget shortfalls)

• Camping

  • Colorado State Parks http://parks.state.co.us/Pages/HomePage.aspx

  • Colorado National Parks http://www.nps.gov/state/co/index.htm

  • Don't forget Junior Ranger Programs while you are there

  • Wyoming is close by for camping opportunities as well

• Various Summer Free Music

  • Ben & Jerry's FAC Concert Series, 7pm Fridays, May 28-Aug 6, downtown FtC

  • Noontime Notes, 11:30-1 Tuesdays, June 1-Aug 10, Oak St Plaza

  • Streetmosphere, 4-8pm Friday, 12-8pm Saturday, 1-5pm Sunday, June 4-Oct 17 (music, theater and performance art, downtown FtC)

  • CSU Concert Series, 6:30-8:30pm, July 7-Aug 11, CSU Lagoon

  • Foote Lagoon Concerts, 7-9pm, June 17-Aug 5, 500 E. 3^rd St, Loveland

• Live Theatrical Performances

  • Tuesday Theater for Kids at the Rialto http://www.ci.loveland.co.us/rialto/rialto.htm#June

  • Shakespeare at Sunset http://sota.colostate.edu/summer-theatre-shakespeare-at-sunset/

  • High Plains Chautauqua (Dr Seuss, Ben Franklin & more!) http://www.highplainschautauqua.org/hpc_description.html

• Sculpture Parks

  • Swetsville Zoo

  • Loveland Sculpture Park

  • Chapunga Sculpture Park at Centerra

• Area Festivals

  • Loveland Cherry Pie Festival http://www.ci.loveland.co.us/Cultural_Services/cultural_services_museum_specialevents_cherrypie.htm

  • Loveland Corn Roast Festival http://www.engagingloveland.org/events/cornroast

  • New West Fest in FtC

• Fort Collins Natural Areas Programs http://www.fcgov.com/naturalareas/

• Gardens at Spring Creek

• CSU Demonstration Gardens at the Old Fort Collins High School (perfect thing to do before Shakespeare at Sunset

• Garbage Garage Programs

• Library Programs – reading programs, puppet shows and more!

• Drive-in Movies

• Fishing

• Train & Trolley Rides

• Discovery Science Center

Spring Break fun at FtC Natural Areas!

Mid-March2010
Naturally Yours


Spring Break is Here! Free Programs and Events

Bobcat Ridge Spring Break "Break" Looking for something to do outside during spring break? Bring your family to Bobcat Ridge Natural Area for hands-on nature explorations, pioneer games, and a fun hike. Arrive anytime between 9:30 a.m. and Noon on Thursday, March 18 or Thursday, April 1. Free--no reservations required. For more information, call 970-217-3075 or email dprice@fcgov.com.


Destination Fort Collins: Spring Break Passport: The Natural Areas Program is excited to be part of the Spring Break Passport program in 2010! Hop on your bike or the bus and spend each day of spring break taking advantage of unique natural areas, parks, museums and other fun destinations around town. The passport program is free, and if you get your passport book (available at all participating organizations) stamped, you are eligible for prizes like a bike and gift cards to local businesses! Pick up your passport at these and other locations:

* City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Program office
* The Farm at Lee Martinez Park
* Fort Collins Museum and Discovery Science Center
* Gardens on Spring Creek
* Lincoln Center
* Northside Aztlan Center
* CSU Environmental Learning Center

Birds and Bugs in Your Backyard March 31

Create a beautiful sanctuary for yourself and wildlife in your own backyard. As part of the City's Residential Environmental Program Series, local experts Dr. Boris Kondratieff, CSU, and Dave Leatherman, retired Colorado State Forest Service, will provide tips to welcome and observe a variety of birds and beneficial insects in your yard. Discover how to assess your current landscape, modify it or plan a brand new one. Wed. March 31, 7-9 p.m. Details >>>
Natural Areas Annual Report

Each year, the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Program reports to the community about its accomplishments, revenue and expenditures. Highlights of 2009 included the opening of Soapstone Prairie Natural Area and more. Read the 2009 Annual Report (pdf) >>> The printed version will be available soon.

Friday Night Astronomy

Join knowledgeable and friendly volunteers from the Northern Colorado Astronomical Society for a free evening of star gazing at Fossil Creek Reservoir Regional Open Space.

* Friday, March 19, 6:30-10 p.m.
* Friday, April 16, 7-10 p.m.
* Friday, May 21, 8-10 p.m.

*This program may be canceled due to cloudy skies or high winds so check the Natural Areas homepage for updates.

Details >>


Thanks for reading! Newsletter comments are welcome. Please contact Zoe Whyman, Natural Areas Community Relations Manager, 970-221-6311 or zwhyman@fcgov.com

Denver Botanical Gardens - Dinosaurs and Corn Mazes

If you have a trip to Denver in mind, you might want to check out the Botanical Gardens and the the Botanical Gardens at Chatfield. Through the end of September, the Botanical Gardens have life-sized dinosaurs and the Chatfield Gardens have life-size insects! And Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from Sept. 4 through Oct. 3 the Chatfield location has a corn maze too. Certain weekends they have other events at the corn maze as well. Check it all out at:

http://botanicgardens.org/content/corn-maze and
http://botanicgardens.org/content/jurassic-gardens-exhibit

Need a Day Trip?

Looking for something to do for the day? Head down to Boulder and check out their open space! http://www.bouldercounty.org/openspace/recreating/ Lots to do, and Walker Ranch even has Homestead Events coming up in July & September (check the calendar or the link for more information).

Lots of other things have been added to the calendar too, so check it out :)

So much going on!

There is so much happening, it's hard to keep up! Here are some highlights:

- Crocs has a warehouse sale going on again this weekend. At the Twin Peaks Mall in Longmont. It runs Thurs 1-7pm and then mall hours on Friday, Saturday, Sunday. We attended last weekend. A HUGE room full of boxes upon boxes of all styles of crocs for $5-10 a pair.

- Fossil Creek Family Bike Fair is at Fossil Creek Park on Saturday from 11am-4pm. Live music, food, bike rides, games, educational booths and more. Info at 970.416.2411 or dk@fcgov.com

- Front Range Village (site of the new SuperTarget, new Counsel Tree Library, etc) is also having summer music on Saturday nights. Check out the info here

- Free summer bowling at Chipper's Lanes. Be sure to arrive EARLY. More info on their website.

- Berry Patch Farms in Brighton has strawberry picking! They're organic and so sweet to the kids. They tell them they have to eat strawberries while they are picking. Costs about $3/pint

- Little Builders exhibit at Longmont Museum open May 26- Aug 2. Children 2 to 7 will create and play as they explore the concepts of construction, motion, and simple machines. Totally free! Reminds me of a Children's Museum exhibit, but closer and cheaper. Worth the trip!

- Loveland also has the annual Cherry Pie Fest.
Cherry Pie Celebration & Street Dance July 10th
Celebrate Loveland's heritage at Peters Park, Loveland Museum/Gallery, 503 N Lincoln Ave, from 6:00-9:00 p.m. with cherry pie, ice cream, and dancing in the street to the music of Shawn Waggoner & the Tumblyweeds and Pairadeux. Admission free, pie & ice cream for sale. For information about the Cherry Pie Recipe Contest, call 970-962-2410.

- and Corn Roast Fest and parade (3rd weekend in Aug)

The Loveland Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Engaging Loveland, Inc., presents the Old-Fashioned Corn Roast Festival, moving back to their original location to the new Fairgrounds Park. Saturday will start with a Pancake breakfast hosted by Loveland Kiwanis at 7:30 a.m. The parade begins at 9:30 a.m. The beer garden opens at 11 a.m. Other events include: “Loveland’s Got Talent” talent contest; live entertainment; corn eating contest; corn recipe contest; and much more. Hot Colorado sweet corn will be sold throughout the event. Kids' amusements, commercial and food vendors will be open all day. For more information please contact, 970-667-6311.

Thanks to Kelly and Gail (and the Coloradoan) for all the great info!