Archive for Monday, August 24, 2009
Photo by Joel Reichenberger
Cisco Delliquadri, 7, takes a quick sample of a cake prepared to look like the Depot Art Center building in downtown Steamboat Springs on Sunday.
Block party at Depot Art Center brings end to All Arts Festival
Depot's 100th anniversary takes center stage
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Kirsten Williams, 16, plays the violin Sunday at the Depot Art Center in downtown Steamboat Springs. The Steamboat Youth Orchestra played at the 100th anniversary for the historic train depot.
Willy Gunn, 12, and Jace Smith, 13, play on Sunday at the Depot Art Center in downtown Steamboat Springs.
Steamboat Springs Wearing a red paper party hat, 4-year-old Mikayla Orner smiled as she blew into an orange whistle shaped like a train.
Mikayla, visiting Steamboat Springs from Longmont with her family, was one of many who turned out for the Steamboat Springs Art Council's block party Sunday evening at the Depot Art Center.
The event culminated the inaugural All Arts Festival and served to commemorate the Depot's 100th anniversary. The party included performances by the Steamboat Youth Orchestra and food from Steamboat Smokehouse.
"We thought we'd come by and see what it was like," said Mikayla's father, Martin Orner. "This is a nice spot, a classy event."
Kara Givnish, special events and sponsorship director for the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association, said the All Arts Festival, which drew on collaboration from nearly every local arts group, was a chance for Steamboat to prove it's more than a ski town.
"We're an arts town," Givnish said. ": It surpassed everyone's expectations. I don't think a lot of people knew all the facets of art in Steamboat. And that was brought to the forefront this weekend."
The Chamber estimated that 1,500 people attended the Yampa River Art Stroll, which took place Friday through Sunday. Marion Ayer, the Chamber's finance and human resources director, said her organization still was figuring out attendance numbers for the rest of the All Arts Festival's events, which began Thursday.
At the block party, Patty and Joel Fowler, of Alpine, Ariz., danced to music by Steamboat Swings. A couple of self-described art lovers, Patty Fowler said they were fortunate to combine their planned outdoor activities with some of the weekend's arts events.
"We just enjoyed looking at great art, the artists," she said. "We enjoyed walking by the river. And this is just great."
M.G. Crowder, who moved to Steamboat in June from Alaska, said he attended the block party in addition some of the other All Arts Festival events to get a feel for what's available in the Yampa Valley.
"I like to see what the town has to offer," he said.
Some, however, were interested in things other than the train memorabilia on display inside the Depot or the music being played. Seven-year-old Cisco Delliquadri, who played violin with the Steamboat Youth Orchestra, walked over to where Larry the Camel was standing.
"I wanted to see a camel with two humps, but I like it," Cisco said.
Arts Council Board President Kelly Anzalone said the block party not only culminated the All Arts Festival but served as a kickoff event for fall programming available at the Depot. He said a film and local songwriters series would be offered starting in September.
"The point is to combine these events with the artwork," Anzalone said.




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