The Outdoors Pageant remodeled Denver’s Civic Middle from June 1 to 2. The park was crawling with hip festivalgoers, full of lots of of cubicles that includes native companies, outside organizations, occasions, audio system, sports activities, and two nights of stay music.
The Civic Middle hosts many festivals and occasions all year long. When it’s not in use, although, it and close by downtown Denver grapples with urgent societal points like drug use, crime, and homelessness. And like many different main cities, Denver’s towering workplace buildings have been scuffling with low occupancy charges since COVID.
Denver mayor Mike Johnston says he’s working to alter that and construct a “actually vibrant Denver.” This month’s Outdoors Pageant and others prefer it are a part of his plan to revitalize this space that’s in determined want of latest life.
“Giant festivals introduce (or reintroduce) individuals to Civic Middle and Downtown Denver. The evolution of Civic Middle will probably be pushed in response to neighborhood wants and can embrace bodily adjustments, community-based activation, and enormous occasions just like the Outdoors Fest,” Johnston’s workplace instructed GearJunkie.
That’s why Outdoors Pageant will doubtless return to Denver’s Civic Middle in 2025. It represents a strategy to reshape downtown Denver’s struggling picture — not less than partially, in keeping with the Mayor’s workplace.
When Outdoors CEO Robin Thurston took to the stage on Sunday evening to thank the competition crowd, he wrapped his feedback by saying, “See you subsequent yr, identical time, identical place.”
Denver’s Crown Jewel, in Want of New Life
In 1912, Robert Speer, Denver’s then-mayor, thought the Civic Middle Park would “do greater than anything to promote Denver — appeal to the vacationer, well being and residential seekers.”
Right this moment, it’s the busiest occasion park in Denver. Based on Johnston’s workplace, it’s usually booked each weekend for occasions of all sizes from Could to October. However the metropolis has struggled to scrub this park up for years. In 2022, Civic Middle Park reached a historic low when it needed to be closed for a number of weeks whereas hazmat cleanup crews eliminated human waste, used needles, and different rubbish.
The park’s present state of degradation pushes tourism elsewhere within the metropolis — despite the fact that the Civic Middle is dwelling to the Denver Artwork Museum, Public Library, Cultural Complicated, the U.S. Mint, and different sights. For years, and particularly since COVID, downtown Denver has skilled financial decline that town has been working to appropriate.
At Outdoors Pageant, Civic Middle Park was nearly unrecognizable. It was clear. There have been households, {couples}, faculty and highschool college students, vacationers, and locals. The group was numerous.
For 2 full days, it felt like Mayor Speer’s 100-year-old imaginative and prescient for the Civic Middle and its Park was alive and effectively.
However as Mayor Johnston’s workplace factors out, it’ll take extra to make an actual and everlasting change.
“The inaugural Outdoors Pageant was an unbelievable success with nice turnout and assist — and it actually introduced nice power to downtown and reintroduced individuals to Civic Middle Park,” Johnston’s workplace stated. “Nevertheless, we all know from many years of labor and funding within the park {that a} single occasion is not going to change a park’s tradition.”
For Mayor Johnston and the Metropolis and County of Denver, the Outdoors Pageant enormously affected native and vacationer perceptions of this park, however it’s removed from a panacea for its issues.
Outdoors Pageant: The Civic Middle’s Latest Hope
Between Saturday and Sunday, the Outdoors Pageant had 18,000 attendees — 20% of whom traveled from out of state for the occasion. Shaun White, Jeremy Jones, Quannah Chasinghorse, and Diana Nyad gave talks on the Denver Artwork Museum to rooms that have been at 100% capability. The Artwork Museum additionally hosted 21 different audio system and 20 journey and outside movies over the weekend.
On Saturday morning, The North Face held its Tred Tour, and over 100 runners took to Denver’s streets. At the side of the competition, Denver’s Huge Gear Present additionally featured 80 exhibitors who showcased their branded gear, attire, and extra.
When requested in regards to the competition’s financial affect, Outdoors didn’t reply. Johnston’s workplace stated it was too early to inform.
Nevertheless, early projections on the Colorado Financial Improvement Fee in 2023 estimated that 10,000 attendees would generate an financial affect of about $4.7 million. By 2027, Outdoors hopes to have 70,000 attendees on the competition — which might generate roughly $54 million.
Having drawn so many vacationers from out of state and locals, it undoubtedly stimulated town — notably the areas across the Civic Middle. Throughout the competition have been scores of native meals vans, all serving lengthy strains of consumers. And small native companies, like Treehouse Cyclery, had cubicles the place they may get their names out.
“Bringing occasions that draw Denverites again downtown and again to Civic Middle Park is a key a part of [building a truly vibrant Denver],” Johnston’s workplace stated. “Particularly post-pandemic.”
Outdoors Pageant 2025?
There appears to be little doubt that Outdoors Pageant will return to Denver. Not solely is it in alignment with Colorado’s persona, however Outdoors, the Metropolis of Denver, and Governor Jared Polis all appear to see the advantages of constructing this a staple occasion of town.
“Colorado’s nice open air is a part of who we’re, and our thriving outside recreation trade shouldn’t be solely numerous wholesome enjoyable, but in addition an financial engine for our state,” Governor Polis stated when he introduced Outdoors Pageant in January 2024.
Taylor Shields, director of communications for Go to Denver, was extraordinarily excited by the turnout and success of the occasion. Based on her, Outdoors Fest has a standing invitation within the metropolis.
“We have been thrilled to welcome and sponsor the inaugural Outdoors Pageant, which introduced so many outside manufacturers, world-class audio system, and friends to town,” stated Shields. “Denver is the outside capital of the nation, and the outside is ingrained in all the pieces we do right here, which made town a pure host. We stay up for welcoming them again subsequent yr and much into the longer term.”
If reviving downtown Denver is the aim, Outdoors Pageant made an affect for 2 full days. It gained’t remedy town’s woes. But when this primary occasion was a sign, town is banking on its proximity to the outside, music, and leisure may assist get its core again on observe.
