📱 Who’s really behind ‘Do Better Denver’?

🐉 Dragon Boat Festival Looking to Leave Sloan’s Lake

The annual event may be ending its 25-year run at Sloan’s Lake after this year. While organizers admit that moving the festival to a new location will be a blow, they can’t ignore the lake’s growing health and safety concerns — including warm shallow water, toxic algae blooms, and dying fish. [Denver Post 🔒]

📱 ‘I Am Do Better Denver’

Late last week, the local social media provocateurs Do Better Denver — who anonymously post videos and photos of unhoused people and people using drugs in public — made claims that The Denver Post was trying to “dox” some of the account’s contributors by revealing their identities. This led to an outpouring of support for the account, with hundreds of other social media users declaring in solidarity, “I am Do Better Denver.” [X]

⚖️ Colorado Congressmen Sue ICE

Reps. Jason Crow and Joe Neguse have filed a lawsuit against ICE following an incident earlier this month in which the agency denied Crow entrance to an Aurora detention center. The lawsuit alleges that ICE is violating a federal law that allows lawmakers to make unannounced visits to ICE facilities. [Denver Post 🔒]

🏙️ 10 New Projects to ‘Revitalize’ Downtown

Two office-to-residential conversion projects, $7 million to “reimagine” Civic Center’s McNichols Building, and an ice cream shop expansion are just a few of the 10 projects set to receive $100 million in funding from the Downtown Development Authority. Last fall, voters authorized the expansion of the DDA — which collects a portion of the area’s property and sales taxes — to use $570 million in bonds to fund projects that “revitalize downtown.” [BusinessDen 🔒]

Summer is almost over, and we are going to squeeze every last drop of fun out of the season. From evenings alfresco to Insta-worthy iced treats, here are all the things we think you should see, eat, and do this August.

🎢 Support Denver Film at Summer Scream

On Aug. 21 from 6-11 p.m., this one-night, adults-only evening at Lakeside Amusement Park is a can’t-miss item for your summer Denver bucket list. Enjoy the park in all its vintage neon-lit glory — plus yummy snacks, adult beverages, and kid-free lines — during this annual fundraiser for Denver Film.

👙 Pack a Very Colorado Pool Picnic

If you didn’t have an epic pool picnic, then it wasn’t really summer. Grab a shady spot at your favorite local pool (we have recs), then load up your cooler with some delicious local treats. Here’s what’s in ours:

• Sandwiches from Snarf’s
• Matcha lemonade from Queen City Coffee
• Elk Tracks ice cream from Magill’s World of Ice Cream
• Dialed In Gummies from your nearest dispensary

🎵 Enjoy an Evening Show Outdoors

Levitt Pavilion’s free all-ages outdoor summer concert series is the perfect way to soak up what’s left of the season. Check out the rotating lineup every weekend now through September, and mark your calendar for Levitt’s All My Relations Celebration uplifting Native American artists on Aug. 8 and Fiesta Colorado with Mariachi Sol de mi Tierra and Chicano Heat on Aug. 22.

☕ Treat Yo’self at Tablón Coffee

Treat yourself to something sweet and Insta-worthy at Tablón Coffee in Virginia Village or Uptown. We personally recommend a dirty iced chai in one of Tablón’s uber adorable glass jars to-go (bring it back for a discount on your next drink).Then, elevate your experience with something off the Hearth Bakery menu — some of our faves include the brown butter chocolate chip cookie, the blueberry scone, and the chocolate tahini cookie.

🍑 Try a New Palisade Peach Recipe

It’s the most delicious time of the year! Fresh juicy Palisade peaches are on shelves at farmers markets, grocery stores, and roadside stands across Colorado. Might we suggest slapping your peaches on a hot grill and serving them up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream? Yummm.

🎨 Shop Local at Chroma Denver Collective

Join Chroma Denver Aug. 16 for a grand opening celebration in its newer, bigger space at 472 N Broadway. This local artist collective is one of our favorite spots to shop crafts, jewelry, prints, and other handmade trinkets from Denver artists.

Psst! There’s even more where these came from! Tune into the City Cast Denver podcast for more recommendations!