Downtown Englewood will come alive with the sounds of Colorado’s vibrant music scene as Indiewood – a brand-new all-ages street festival – debuts on Saturday, June 7.
The day-long event, which will take place from 1-7 p.m., will include a blend of live music, local art and food in the area west of Broadway along Old Hampden Avenue. Tickets are $24.68 for adults, $19.53 for Englewood residents and Swallow Hill Music members, $9.23 for kids 4-12 and free for kids 3 and under. Englewood residents can enter their zip code to get the discounted price.
Barry Osborne, marketing manager for Swallow Hill Music, which is a nonprofit music organization based on the Denver-Englewood border that’s co-hosting the event with the Englewood Cultural Arts Commission, said there will be various music acts and artisan vendors at the event.
“Festival goers will be right around the corner from a great stretch of Englewood’s shops and restaurants,” Osborne said.
Denver band Kiltro will headline the event and the musical lineup also includes Yarn, Rootbeer Richie & The Reveille, Sunstoney and Barbara.
This is the first time this event will be held, and Osborne said the idea for Indiewood was born from a longtime desire to strengthen ties between Swallow Hill Music and the Englewood community.
“We know that Englewood residents make up a large and vital portion of our community, whether it’s through our music school or as concert attendees,” Osborne said. “We’ve always wanted to be involved with the City of Englewood in a more formal way, but the right idea never seemed to present itself.”
Osborne said thanks to Martin Gilmore, a Swallow Hill instructor and Englewood resident who also serves on the city’s Cultural Arts Commission, Indiewood will be able to take place.
Along with music, food and shopping, Indiewood will feature an interactive art experience called the “Garden of Connection: A Vibrant Story of Imagination at Little Dry Creek.”
This installation is led by award-winning artist Cal Duran. Osborne said the project explores native plants, animals and the importance of water, encouraging people to reimagine a connected future for Englewood’s Little Dry Creek Park.
“We’re excited about some artistic elements that we feel will pull the entire festival experience together,” Osborne said.
Additional surprises are in the works — though specifics remain under wraps for now.
“You’ll just have to stay tuned,” Osborne said.
Swallow Hill’s return to festival programming marks a new chapter for the organization, which previously hosted popular events like Blues & Brews and Brewgrass before the pandemic.
“Englewood and the stretch of South Broadway that’s adjacent to where the festival takes place is just down the street from us — we’re your neighbors,” Osborne said. “That fun and surprising mix of shops and people reminds us a little bit of us.”
And while Swallow Hill is often associated with folk, blues and bluegrass, Indiewood offers a broader musical spectrum.
“Indiewood gives us the opportunity to work with artists and genres that people might not immediately associate with Swallow Hill,” Osborne said.
For the Swallow Hill team, Indiewood is about creating something meaningful for the community.
“When you put on a festival like Indiewood, you’re really building a small city to bring people together and create something that’s a little magical,” Oborne said. “Hopefully we’re able to pull folks out of their everyday lives a little so they can be with friends and family and enjoy themselves.”
Ultimately, Osborne hopes the festival sparks joy and connection.
“I hope they have fun and feel welcome. I hope they discover their new favorite band, and create some new memories with friends and family,” Osborne said.
For more information visit swallowhillmusic.org/indiewood/.
Tagged: City of EnglewoodDowntown EnglewoodSwallow Hill Music
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Originally from Oklahoma, Elisabeth Slay has been a reporter for the last 11 years. During that time she's worked for various publications across Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado covering local news. She...