Parker Colorado Community & Business Directory
Things to Do, Events, Volunteer, Neighborhood and supporting local business
The Parker Recreation team feels fortunate to have been able to offer the Barker Days event for so many years. With the recent renovation to H2O’Brien Pool, the Town of Parker can no longer hold this type of event in the pool facility because of the risk of damage to our new amenities and pump/filtration system. Please continue to enjoy the USMC CPL David M. Sonka Dog Park with your puppy pals!
Aside from Day Camp, masks are not required in Parker Recreation facilities. If you feel more comfortable wearing a face covering, please continue to do so. Refer to the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) for further guidelines. Douglas County has eliminated reduced capacity limitations. Parker Parks and Recreation will continue to use thorough cleaning and sanitization procedures and ask that staff and patrons continue to follow good hygiene practices and stay home if feeling ill.
| Monday – Friday 5 a.m. – 10 p.m. The pool closes at 9 p.m. | Saturday – Sunday 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. The pool closes at 4:30 p.m. |
For the foreseeable future, Group Fitness participants, including Aqua Aerobics, will continue to register for classes and all guests check-in with a valid ACTIVENet (Parker Rec) account and ID. Click here to create an account. If you have a Parker Recreation membership, passes, or have registered for an activity or league, you already have an account.
The Recreation Center Indoor Pool has a capacity limit and there may be wait times during peak hours.
Visit the Parker Recreation memberships and passes page for costs associated with daily, 10-visit, and 20-visit passes and memberships.
Recreation Center Child Care hours are Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to noon and evening hours Monday through Thursday from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Daily time limits are 75 minutes for ages 3 to 18 months and two hours for children over 18 months. Child Care follows the Douglas County School District’s closure and delayed schedule policy. During DCSD delayed start or snow day, Child Care will open at 10 a.m. Click here for additional Child Care information.
Please adhere to the Patron Code of Conduct (PDF).
The Town of Parker is excited to welcome Lucky the Leprechaun back to our community this year for his second annual appearance around St. Patrick’s Day!
Lucky will be strolling (and hiding) around Mainstreet the Saturdays before and after St. Patrick’s Day (March 12 and 19) from noon to 4 p.m. While Lucky is in Town, residents and visitors are invited to participate in a game of “Seek Out the Shamrocks,” as our favorite Leprechaun will be hiding 17 shamrocks throughout the community.
Can you spot Lucky and find the shamrocks? If so, you might win a prize! Just post a photo of either a hidden shamrock or Lucky himself on the Town’s Facebook page @TownOfParkerCO) by 10 a.m. Monday, March 21 to be entered into a drawing for a prize basket. Community members are eligible to enter multiple times as long as they spot Lucky the Leprechaun on different days and seek out multiple shamrocks!
For more information, about this fun St. Patrick’s Day activity, visit www.ParkerOnline.org/Events or call 303.805.3253.
18425 Pony Express Dr, Parker, CO 80134
St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Thursday this year, which was all the motivation Barnett & Son needed to host a 3-day celebration to showcase some of their favorite Irish and Scottish-inspired beer styles. Usual suspects Saoirse Irish Red, and Falling Skye Scottish Ale will join a batch of Mo Chroi Irish Black Ale made for the holiday, with a green beer on tap for good measure. The long weekend will include daily performances by the Celtic Steps dance group and Centennial’s Reed School of Irish Dance, and live music by Juice O’ The Barley on Friday and Saturday.
Mo Chroi Irish Black Ale gets its color and full body from the unplanned addition of Roast instead of Special Roast malt to a batch of wheat. The final beer struck a balance between deep malt flavor upfront and clean, subtle bitterness on the finish that characterizes many Irish-style ales, so it earned a place in the annual St. Patrick’s Day lineup.
Keep the specialty glass while supplies last, buy a special t-shirt made for the occasion, and come hungry for Irish-inspired eats prepared by three food trucks: The Family Meal will serve on Thursday, Schnitzelwirt on Friday, and Uncle Tapas on Saturday.
The Celtic House Pub is located at 16522 Keystone Blvd., Parker, CO.
They don’t have any events listed on their socials or website but we assume they’ll have green beer & Guinness on St Paddy’s Day
ood ole St. Paddy’s Day shenanigans!!! We will have all the green beer for your drinking pleasure, a 2022 Limited Edition T-shirt (while supplies last), and Irish Dancers at 2:00 pm. Gather up all your Irish drinking gear and get on down to the taproom, it’s going to be a good time……CHEERS!!
18921 Plaza Drive, Unit 104
Parker, CO 80134
12365 Pine Bluffs Way
Parker, Colorado 80134
(720) 851-5302
We’re celebrating a little early….
We are honored to host the Castlewood Lion Bag Pipe Band. Please come show some support and enjoy some traditional and not-so-traditional music.
Followed by Irish Dancers from Reeds School of Irish Dancing (around 4 pm)
We will have beer, snacks and plenty of entertainment. Wear your green and join us for a fun St Patty’s celebration!
An Irish friend of mine (Lorna O’Brien) let it be known that Corned Beef and Cabbage is NOT a traditional Irish meal, but Shepherds Pie is.
These handheld individual shepherds pies look great and I love the Cilantro Clover accents on the top.
Cream Cheese Crust
Ingredients
4 oz. cold butter (1 stick)
4 oz. cream cheese
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup whole milk, plus 2-3 tablespoons
Shepherd’s Pie Filling
Ingredients
1 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 lb. ground lamb
2 medium carrots, diced
1 medium Yukon gold potato, diced (or 1/2 cup leftover mashed potatoes)
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon flour
1 can dark beer (such as Guinness)
Splash heavy cream
CLICK FOR SHEPHERDS PIE DIRECTIONS
Looking for traditional Saint Patrick’s Day fare? You’re in luck! Soda bread, corned beef, shepherds pie – oh my! See the full gluten-free menu below.
| Irish Soda Bread Authentic Irish Colcannon Traditional Shepherd’s Pie Slow Cooker Corned Beef & Cabbage Irish Cream Macarons |
Tips for Saint Patricks Day from the Parker PD
Denver’s Saint Patricks Day Parade is March 12, 2022
Colorado has some great things to do for free throughout the year and some of our favorite Denver Bucket List destinations.
The Scientific & Cultural Facilities District is a voter-approved special district in the seven-county metro area that provides a stable source of supplemental funding to more than 300 scientific and cultural organizations inside the district’s boundaries. The SCFD collects a one-tenth of 1 percent sales-and-use tax (or one penny on every $10 spent), providing approximately $40 million each year to area cultural attractions both small and large.
Museum Admission is free on the dates listed below. To add a temporary exhibit, IMAX or Planetarium show, purchase tickets at the Museum on the Free Day; upgrade rates apply. Reservations and amenities (lunchroom, coat and lunch storage, bus drop off, etc.) for school groups are not available on SCFD Community Free Days.
Due to COVID restrictions, most of the Free Days require tickets or sign-ups that must be secured prior to your visit. Please click on the venue name to check the ticket/sign-up requirements.
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
2001 Colorado Blvd.
Denver, CO
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver | (303) 370-6000
A special note: Families who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits can visit the museum any time throughout the year and pay just $1 per person (up to 10 family members) when they show their EBT card. Admission can not be paid with the EBT card; it is simply proof of program participation.
The Scientific & Cultural Facilities District is a voter-approved special district in the seven-county metro area that provides a stable source of supplemental funding to more than 300 scientific and cultural organizations within the district’s boundaries. The SCFD collects a one-tenth of 1 percent sales-and-use tax (or one penny on every $10 spent), providing approximately $40 million each year to area cultural attractions both small and large.
Satisfy your science curiosity in a safe environment during our SCFD Free Days. The Museum is currently operating under limited capacity for all guests as we follow local and state guidelines. We encourage you to check back before every free day for the latest recommendations and reserve your tickets in advance.
2300 Steele St., Denver | (720) 337-1400
Free Day tickets are only available through this system, they no longer accept walk-ins on Free Days.
Step 1: Check the chart below for lottery open dates.
Step 2: During the 5-day lottery registration period, click HERE to enter the lottery.
Step 3: Winners will be notified by email, so check your inbox daily for your vouchers.
Step 4: If you win, you MUST click the link in the email to reserve your tickets and entry time.
Step 5: On your designated Free Day, bring your tickets to the Zoo—and have a great day!
THE FINE PRINT: You may register to win (5) free tickets per transaction. Limit one registration per person, per Free Day. Vouchers and tickets are available ONLINE ONLY. No tickets will be available at the Zoo gate. All guests must have a timed ticket for entry, including children 2 and under. Tickets are valid only for the specific Free Day and entry time you reserved.
| FREE DAY | LOTTERY OPENS | LOTTERY CLOSES | WINNERS NOTIFIED |
| Friday, January 7 | Sunday, December 26 | Thursday, December 30 | Friday, December 31 |
| Saturday, January 22 | Monday, January 10 | Friday, January 14 | Saturday, January 15 |
| Sunday, February 6 | Tuesday, January 25 | Saturday, January 29 | Sunday, January 30 |
| Sunday, April 10 | Tuesday, March 29 | Saturday, April 2 | Sunday, April 3 |
| Saturday, October 8 | Monday, September 26 | Friday, September 30 | Saturday, October 1 |
| Tuesday, November 1 | Thursday, October 20 | Monday, October 24 | Tuesday, October 25 |
| Sunday, November 13 | Tuesday, November 1 | Saturday, November 5 | Sunday, November 6 |
Friday, March 4 and Friday, April 8: Friends of Dinosaur Ridge. Explore the home of the world’s first Stegosaurus discovery and see dozens of other fossils and prehistoric tracks at the top-rated dinosaur track site in the U.S.
Wednesday, March 16 and Saturday, March 19: Denver Botanic Gardens. Immerse yourselves in flora from every corner of the globe as your family enjoys acres of natural beauty.
Friday, March 11 and Friday, April 8: Four Mile Historic Park. Take a trip back to Colorado’s pioneer days as you walk through the park featuring historically accurate replicas, a working farm, and the site of Denver’s oldest standing structure. 715 S. Forest St., Denver | (720) 865-0800
Sunday, May 1 and Monday, May 23: Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Enjoy a full day of exploration as your family wanders through exhibits that take you through all aspects of the natural world from the days when dinosaurs walked the earth to modern space exploration.
Visit the Denver Art Museum and enjoy free general admission all day!
Please note: Free Days do not include admission to Whistler to Cassatt.
History Colorado Center
1200 Broadway, Denver | (303) 447-8679
A special note: Families who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits can visit the Museum any time throughout the year and pay just $1 per person (up to 10 family members) when they show their EBT card. Admission can not be paid with the EBT card; it is simply proof of program participation. History Colorado Center offers free admission for all active duty, National Guard and Reserve military personnel and their families every day!
Always Free: Aurora History Museum, Hudson Gardens, and Museum of Outdoor Arts.
Additionally, you can request free passes for a variety of area museums through the Culture Pass offered by your local library. Passes are for general admission for a specific day and are very limited in quantity.
Participating venues include Butterfly Pavilion, Clyfford Still Museum, Denver Firefighters Museum, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, History Colorado Center, Molly Brown House Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, and Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum.
Tours at the Denver Mint are free. Learn how to make reservations here.
Hudson Gardens in Littleton offer free admission every day.
The Aurora History Museum offers free admission every day.
The National Park Service will have five entrance fee-free days in 2022. The free admission days are designed to encourage discovery and visitation of the country’s variety of national parks. With at least one in every state, national parks are accessible places to visit to refresh body, mind and spirit.
The free entrance dates for 2022 are:
“Whether on an entrance fee-free day or throughout the year, we encourage everyone to discover their national parks and the benefits that come from spending time outdoors,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. “National parks are for everyone and we are committed to increasing access and providing opportunities for all to experience the sense of wonder, awe and refreshment that comes with a visit to these treasured landscapes and sites.”
Participating Parks include:
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Colorado National Monument
Dinosaur National Monument
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
Hovenweep National Monument
Mesa Verde National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
Plains Conservation Center
21901 E. Hampden Ave, Aurora
303-326-8380
Clyfford Still Museum
1250 Bannock Street, Denver
720-354-4880
COLORADO RAILROAD MUSEUM
17155 W. 44th Avenue, Golden
303-279-4591
FOUR MILE HISTORIC PARK
715 S. Forest St., Denver
720-865-0800
2nd Friday of every month (except holidays) from 12-4 pm
You can visit the historic music venue most days to hike, walk the steps or just sit and enjoy a latte or read a book.
These events are planned by various organizations. If you would like to participate or volunteer, please contact them directly.
Held weekly Mother’s Day through October, the 60-booth Parker Farmers Market fills Mainstreet on Summer Sundays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The market sells fresh produce, bakery goods, and other food products along with many handcrafted items and ready-to-eat food. Venture out and enjoy the atmosphere of downtown Parker, local shops, and the great Farmer’s market fare. Mainstreet will be closed on Sundays during the market.
On the last Friday of each month you can join the Parker Chamber on Mainstreet for a fun evening of wine sampling, meeting the shopkeepers on Mainstreet and getting to know your neighbors.
The Parker Chamber’s FREE Movies in the Park series kicks off in July at O’Brien Park. Movies are rated G and open to the public. Entertainment begins at 6:30 p.m., with the movie beginning at dusk.
A new venue for the free summer concerts sponsored by Parker Arts. This new park located at the Library is host to the concerts in the park this year. Parking is available at the library and across the street at the PACE Center.
Parker Days runs Thursday sneak-peek through Sunday the 2nd weekend of June.
Celebrate Independence Day with the Town of Parker at Salisbury Park on July 4 from 6 to 10 p.m. Come and enjoy family fun including live music and free children’s games and activities. Live music and festive concessions will be available and the grand fireworks display will begin at 9:30 p.m. The event is free and on-site parking will be available for $5, cash only. For more information about the event, parking, maps, event programs and suggestions on fireworks-viewing locations
Downtown Parker, Colorado
O’Brien Park
Hosted by the Cherry Creek Valley Rotary Club of Parker, this is their largest fundraiser where 100% proceeds go to various charities.
With admission, you enjoy unlimited sample-sized pours!
Disclaimers:
* This is a 21+ Event only; no children are allowed
* No Smoking Please
* No Pets Please
* This is a rain or shine event and all sales are final
* Tickets most likely going on sale June 3rd 2022.
Come downtown to O’Brien Park for the Parker Artists Guild’s Art in the Park event in August 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. At Art in the Park, you’ll enjoy entries from more than 100 local and regional artists with a variety of works, including photography, pottery, glass, wood, jewelry, all painting media and much more. Admission is free and there will be an art station for kids, food, and entertainment. More information on the guild can be found here.
There really is no such thing as a no-kill shelter because sometimes by the time an animal is brought to the shelter, it’s health is too bad and the shelter has to put the animal down. However several shelters in Colorado have a 90% or above save rate. Those are listed below.
Arapahoe County’s shelter is run by the Humane Society of the South Platte Valley. It serves Englewood, Littleton, as well as South Platte County and Cherry Hills Village, approximately 78,000 people. In 2013, the shelter had a 96% save rate.
The county shelter in Archuleta County has a partnership with the Humane Society of Pagosa Springs. They serve 12,000 people. In 2013, they had a combined 97% save rate.
The Boulder County Humane Society is a leader in the Denver Metro area has this mission:
In August 2004, a group of animal welfare industry leaders from across the nation met at the Asilomar Convention Center in Pacific Grove, California. Their purpose was to build bridges across varying philosophies among those involved in animal welfare, to develop relationships and create goals focused on significantly reducing the euthanasia of healthy and treatable companion animals in the U.S.
A common vision for the future was adopted – the Asilomar Accords. The Accords set forth guiding principles for animal welfare organizations to work together to save the lives of all healthy and treatable companion animals. The document aims to cut through the rhetoric of ‘no kill’ vs. ‘open admission’ shelters and to dispel the murkiness of what defines adoptable animals. To achieve this, there is a national effort for all organizations that shelter animals to utilize the same statistical record keeping. Having standard language that all shelters can use will help us to compare the work that we do at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley with other shelters here locally and nationally as well.
For the past several years, we have collected and reported our statistics according to a nationally recognized formula, the Asilomar Accords. Aimed at providing a consistent and transparent way of understanding the outcomes of the animals coming through our front doors, we measure our success through the number and percentage of lives saved. The live release rate represents the percentage of animals who leave our building alive through reunification if they are lost or stray or through adoption into a new home. In 2013, we achieved a 92% live release rate.
Working with the Metro Denver Shelter Alliance, we track the statistics of more than 20 animal welfare agencies in our area. Through the Alliance, we look for trends and emerging needs so collaboratively we can identify ways to save more animals’ lives.
The Brush Animal Shelter serves 5,000 people, but it does not accept animals surrendered by their families. In 2013, it reported a save rate of 91%. (Because the shelter does not publish comprehensive statistics, this listing is unconfirmed.)
Cedaredge and Orchard City are served by two organizations: Cedaredge animal control which takes in dogs and Friends of Cedaredge Animal Control which takes in cats. They serve 5,000 people. In 2013, the save rate was 94% for animal control and 97% for the Friends group.
Chaffee County’s two shelters are run by the Ark Valley Humane Society. They serve 18,000 people. In 2013, the save rate was 98% in one shelter and 96% in the other. For more information, click here.
Clear Creek and Gilpin County have a joint shelter. Together, they serve 15,000 people. In 2013, their combined save rate was 99%. For more information, click here.
Teller County is served by two shelters: Teller County Regional Animal Shelter and the City of Cripple Creek’s animal shelter. They serve a combined 23,000 people. TCRAS, which does not accept cats, saved 98%. The Cripple Creek Animal Shelter saved 100% in 2013.
Eagle County Animal Services serves the unincorporated county and the cities of Avon, Basalt, Eagle, Gypsum, and Vail. They serve 52,000 people. In 2013, the save rate was 90%.
Frederick’s shelter is run by the Longmont Humane Society. It serves 9,000 people. LHS also provides sheltering services for Longmont County, an additional 86.000 people. In 2013, the combined save rate was 93%.
Garfield County and Glenwood Springs both contract with Colorado Animal Rescue to run their shelter. The shelter serves roughly 66,000 people. In 2013, the combined save rate was 96%.
Clear Creek and Gilpin County have a joint shelter. Together, they serve 15,000 people. In 2013, their combined save rate was 99%.
Garfield County and Glenwood Springs both contract with Colorado Animal Rescue to run their shelter. The shelter serves roughly 66,000 people. In 2013, the combined save rate was 96%.
The Grand County Animal Shelter serves 15,000 people. In 2013, the combined save rate was 99%.
La Plata County’s animal shelter is run by the La Plata County Humane Society. It serves 51,000 people. In 2013, the save rate was 91%.
The Leadville – Lake County Animal Shelter serves 7,300 people. In 2013, the save rate was 96%.
The Lamar Animal Shelter serves 7,800 people. Their save rate was 99%. The Lamar Animal Sanctuary is a private shelter that also takes in animals, with a saving rate of 98%.
Animals in Las Animas County are taken to Noah’s Ark. The county has 16,000 residents. In 2013, the save rate was 90%.
Longmont’s shelter is run by the Longmont Humane Society. It serves 86,000 people. It also serves Frederick which has an additional 9,000 people. In 2013, the combined save rate was 93%.
Morgan County’s animal shelter is run by the Fort Morgan Humane Society. It also serves Fort Morgan, Log Lane, and Wiggins. It pulls animals from Brush as well. It serves 28,000 people. In 2013, the save rate was 93%.
The Second Chance Humane Society provides sheltering services for San Miguel County and Ouray County with the exception of Telluride, which has its own shelter. They serve a combined 12,000 people. In 2013, the save rates were 99% and 100% respectively.
The Pitkin County animal shelter is run by Animal Animal Shelter. They serve 17,000 people. In 2013, the save rate was 95%.
The Rifle Animal Shelter serves 9,000 people. In 2013, the save rate was 97%.
Rio Blanco County is served by two shelters and has a population of 6,700 people. The Rangely Animal Shelter reported a save rate of 99% The Meeker Animal Shelter had a 100% save rate but does not accept cats.
Routt County has a population of 24,000 people. It is served by the Steamboat Springs Animal Shelter. In 2013, it reported a 99% save rate. For more information, click here.
The Second Chance Humane Society provides sheltering services for San Miguel County and Ouray County with the exception of Telluride, which has its own shelter. They serve a combined 12,000 people. In 2013, the save rates were 99% and 100% respectively. For more information, click here.
South Platte County’s shelter is run by the Humane Society of the South Platte Valley. It serves Englewood, Littleton, as well as Arapohoe County and Cherry Hills Village, approximately 78,000 people. In 2013, the shelter had a 96% save rate. For more information, click here.
Summit County Animal Control & Shelter serves 28,000 people. In 2013, the shelter had a 97% save rate. For more information, click here.
Teller County is served by two shelters: Teller County Regional Animal Shelter and the City of Cripple Creek’s animal shelter. They serve a combined 23,000 people. TCRAS, which does not accept cats, saved 98%. The Cripple Creek Animal Shelter saved 100% in 2013. For more information, click here.
The Second Chance Humane Society provides sheltering services for San Miguel County with the exception of Telluride, which has its own shelter. They serve a combined 7,600 people. In 2013, the save rates were 99% and 100% respectively. For more information, click here. The source of this information is the Saving 90 website whose goal is to encourage the pet-loving community to support this idea. specific information for 2013 in Colorado for each shelter can be found here. This data hasn’t been posted on Colorado.gov since 2013 so there could be more shelters that have now reached the 90% mark.
The Cat Care Society operates a limited-admission cage-free shelter for homeless and abused cats while providing community outreach programs to enrich the lives of people and cats. Cat Care Society is 100% funded by private donations, from people just like you.
Cat Care Society (CCS) was founded in 1981 by Linda East, DVM and Lynn Rowe. CCS is a nonprofit organization that was established in order to improve the quality of life for homeless, injured and abused cats in the Denver metropolitan area. The Society’s goals are:
The shelter provides a temporary refuge for up to 45 adult cats until an appropriate and permanent home can be found for each. Veterinary care, premium diet and human interaction are lovingly provided.
A large number of phone calls received each day from people who have found abandoned, abused or injured cats needing good homes indicates a strong community need for our services. CCS receives an average of 70 phone calls for assistance daily. Sadly, more than half of these are from owners needing to give up their cats. For these cats, they provide information about placing the cat and referrals to other area shelters. They also provide this same information to people who have found a cat when we are at or over our capacity and cannot take the cat. Many calls involve behavioral problems or questions about feral (wild) cats. Behavior counseling and printed articles on a wide variety of topics are available. Humane traps are also available for rent.
Cat Care Society is supported by a number of loyal members and contributors, without whom we could not operate. We receive no government funding. In addition, our volunteers assist with many fundraising activities each year such as book sales, Meow Mart, Cajun’s Closet Thrift Store, our holiday gift and bake sale and much more.
The other way to help is to adopt one of the beautiful loving cats that are housed at the Lakewood center.
Cat Care Society
5787 W. 6th Ave.
Lakewood, CO 80214
(303) 239-9680
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