Boulder and the Denver Metro area are two destinations with a staggering array of off-site venues. Within their respective lineups, each has a fantastic portfolio of arts attractions that accommodate group gatherings of all types and sizes.
From a gala or a banquet at the newly opened McNichols Civic Center Building in Denver to a reception or general session at the historic Boulder Theater, groups can count on added inspiration when networking away from the host hotel during meetings in the Rockies.
Denver Metro
An only-in-Denver option for off-site group events is the Clyfford Still Museum, a boutique single-artist facility showcasing all of Still’s works and featuring 19 skylights that fill the second-floor galleries with Colorado sunlight.
“All events include private access to the entire museum—a great experience for all art lovers,” said Lydia Garmaier, the venue’s director of visitor services and events. “Our jewel-box setting offers a beautiful lobby area for a seated dinner or passed hors d’oeuvres.”
Trained gallery guides are available for Q&A sessions during events, and during the summer the forecourt area can be booked for outdoor gatherings.
RedLine, a contemporary art center, features rotating exhibits and hosts everything from receptions to annual fundraisers.
According to Louise Martorano, the venue’s executive director, contemporary art table installations are available instead of traditional table dressing to elevate the aesthetic experience of any seated event.
Among the gathering spaces here are a reception area, an area with floor-to-ceiling windows that’s connected to a patio and a main exhibition hall.
In September 2016, Denver Arts & Venues reopened the historic McNichols Civic Center Building with renovations to allow for more diversity in event programming, according to Amber C. Fochi, marketing and communications coordinator for Denver Arts & Venues.
The building’s second and third floors showcase rotating art exhibits and there is space on-site to accommodate meetings, galas, meal functions and other private events.
“All three floors boast open floor plans and flexible spaces with exposed ironwork,” Fochi said. “The space serves as a blank canvas for any type of event.”
At the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, home to the Colorado Ballet and Opera Colorado, there are two standout spaces for group events.
The Chambers Grant Salon, accessed via a glass and terrazzo staircase from the main lobby, is “a preeminent location for social events,” said Fochi, who added the salon offers a full bar, kitchen and a stage for presentations or small performances.
The opera house’s Studio Loft, a performance and event space with a cathedral ceiling, exposed brick, a dance floor and audiovisual system, accommodates a large variety of events and has its own private street entrance.
Denver’s Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, a spectacular venue for live music, is also available for group events. Spaces here include the Rock Room—built around one of the famous red rocks—and the open-air Upper Terrace, from which attendees can enjoy views of rock formations and the Denver skyline.
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Elsewhere in the Denver Metro area, planners will find more arts attractions that double as off-site event venues.
Aurora is home to the Vintage Theatre, a performance venue that also hosts events ranging from meetings to general sessions, and the Stanley Marketplace.
The Stanley Marketplace houses 50-plus independently owned Colorado businesses, including eateries and shops, as well as the recently opened Hangar at Stanley, which adds a certain character to events with its steel beams, polished concrete floors, large wooden wire spools and 30-inch light fixtures.
Boulder
Downtown’s Boulder Theater, one of the city’s largest venues that has been entertaining the community for over 80 years, offers a calendar of events that includes live music, movies and stand-up comedy.
“The Boulder Theater is a beautiful and flexible Art Deco event space that’s a world apart from hotel ballrooms,” said Cheryl Liguori, CEO of Z2 Entertainment, which operates the theater. “The colorful auditorium, lobby and mezzanine offer a different experience.”
Events frequently held here include meetings, cocktail receptions, seated galas, presentations and themed group gatherings, including gaming or movie nights, and disco parties.
The Fox Theatre is a smaller venue that over the years has welcomed acts “on the cusp of mega-stardom,” including Radiohead and the Dave Matthews Band, according to Jake Hiersteiner, general manager of Z2 Entertainment, which also operates the Fox.
“We have a lobby space that is great for mingling,” he said, and added there is also a tiered auditorium with no bad sight lines to the stage, and a “green room” under the stage that accommodates speakers and other presenters for group events.
Built in 1920 as a church, eTown Hall is now a multipurpose venue with a cafe, bar, recording studio, AV post-production suites and a 220-seat performance venue.
According to Facility Director John “Digger” Pelaez, eTown Hall has several spaces that can be used together and/or alone, depending on group size and the technical needs of the event.
The main hall can be configured with seating or a lounge/open floor plan for larger groups, and the cafe and bar area, which has a removable stage, and dedicated sound, lighting and video, is used for smaller groups.
Located at the foot of Boulder’s Flatirons is the circa-1898 Colorado Chautauqua National Historic Landmark, which, according to Marketing and Development Director Ann Obenchain, “offers year-round education and enrichment through the arts and nature.”
Chautauqua works with all-inclusive groups that book on-site lodging as well as outside groups looking to rent space for a reception or meeting.
“We have over 40 miles of open-space hiking trails at our doorstep, and cultural programming and dining on-site,” Obenchain said. “Chautauqua is a perfect match for businesses seeking a non-traditional setting that incorporates heritage, culture and the outdoors.”
Popular event spaces here include the Community House, which was built in 1918 to serve as the “living room” to the original tent residents of the Colorado Chautauqua, and the Grand Assembly, which features hardwood floors, a gas fireplace, bay window, grand piano, wrap-around indoor balcony and a large covered porch.
And the newly renovated Dairy Arts Center, according to James Goldmill, the venue’s marketing manager, can accommodate most reception and meeting needs.
Spaces available for group gatherings here include the lobby, an art gallery, three theaters and a cinema space.
