Many of you who know me are aware of my love for all thing’s inspirational and a good Facebook quote to start my day. This morning I came across one of my favorite Helen Keller quotes. “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
With 2020 in full swing I’m reminded of the power collaboration is having on the work we do at Smedley Events. Below are some highlights on how collaborative events can bring communities together and create successful outcomes for all involved.
Denver Pops Experience
The Denver Pops are a community-based nonprofit that have been bringing classical music to Denver through familiar tunes (think Wicked, Star Wars and the Beatles) for the last 40 years!
Collaboration
To celebrate their 40th Anniversary we created the Denver Pops Experience, a pre-show event (from 3 p.m. – 4 p.m. at each concert) where local non-profits were invited to showcase what they did to support the Arts & Culture scene in Denver. Guests of the concert get to interactive with the nonprofits (Apron Artist Project let’s attendees decorate a piece of fabric that is being stitched together for a Community Quilt), be entertained before the show (Art from Ashes brings youth poets from their Phoenix Rising workshop) and learn how they can get more involved. It’s a win-win-win scenario for all! By the end of this season the Denver Pops will have collaborated with 19 different nonprofits through the pre-show experience.
Learn More
Join the Denver Pops for their next concert on Saturday, February 29th and see collaboration in action at the pre-show experience.
Entertaining Made Simple
Smedley Events and This is How I Cook have teamed up for an inspirational event on how you can sharpen your in-home entertaining skills with simple and on trend tips. At this unique participatory dining event attendees will get hands on experience in Menu Selection & Food Preparation, Table Design & Décor and Music & Conversation. Followed up by a three-course meal they had a hand in preparing.
Collaboration
In November I moved into a beautiful new home on my family’s property in Centennial, CO. This new Smedley Cottage comes with a spectacular 10’ kitchen island and views of protected open space that will take your breath away. I knew I had to find a way to share this with others and that’s when I called my neighbor, Abbe. Abbe is the hunger inducing creator of This is How I Cook, a blog that provides free recipes for delicious family food from around the world. Abbe and I sat down to create our first collaborative event infusing both of our expertise, and our common goal of creating community around a dinner table.
Learn More
Get your tickets to Entertaining Made Simple on Saturday, March 28th at Sumac Hill Farm.
Poudre RiverFest
The Poudre RiverFest is a free, family-friendly event in Fort Collins, Colorado, that celebrates the Poudre River, promotes restoration, and educates people about our river corridor, an important natural resource. The festival features hands-on activities for children and adults to explore the role of the river an important habitat for wildlife, a lively recreation area, and a source for clean drinking water.
Collaboration
The current iteration of the Poudre RiverFest was first held in May of 2014 in the wake of the devastating high floodwaters of 2013. A group of local nonprofits decided to pool their resources and bring together their unique expertise to create a festival focused solely on the Cache la Poudre River, where people can learn about the river, get their hands dirty and raise a glass to this natural treasure. We are working with the local organizing committee (listed below) to put on the 2020 event and bring the Fort Collins community together!
Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed
National Association for Interpretation
Poudre Heritage Alliance
Wildlands Restoration Volunteers
Learn More
You’re invited on Saturday, May 30th from Noon – 6 p.m. at New Belgium Brewery for a day of celebration, restoration and education along with live music, food trucks and New Belgium Craft Beer.