Happy Tuesday, Bucket Listers!
This is a big week around Denver, as the whole city will be prepping for the upcoming holiday weekend and unofficial start of summer with Memorial Day on Monday.
Here at Bucket List Community News, it’s an important week for another reason: the Denver Community Film Festival is on Thursday, May 21st! Join 600 community members and over 20 local organizations at the Elitch Theatre in the West Highland neighborhood for a screening of the documentary “Truth Be Told” by Brian Malone.
We’ve got an amazing event on the horizon. If you’re still in need of a little convincing, here are five reasons why you (yes, you!) should come to Denver Community Film Festival on Thursday:
1.)
We’ll be there!
Come hang out with the Bucket List Community News team in person. One of the best parts of these events is getting to meet our readers, supporters, and community members face-to-face. Whether you’ve been following along for years or just discovered us, we’d love to see you there!
We spend a lot of time highlighting the people, places and events that make Denver so special, and getting the opportunity to connect with the community in person is always one of our favorite parts of the job. Denver Community Film Festival is a great opportunity to put faces to names and hear what local stories and issues community members care about.
If you’ve ever wanted to say hello, share a story idea or just chat about Denver, here’s your chance.
2.)
Check out the Elitch Theatre
If you’ve never been to the historic Elitch Theatre, this is the perfect opportunity to check it out.
Opened in 1890, the theatre was one of the crown jewels of the original Elitch Gardens before the amusement park moved downtown in 1995. The space is widely considered the first summer stock theater in the United States and the home of Denver’s first professional theater. It quickly became a cultural hotspot, hosting national touring performers and even showing the first motion picture in Colorado in 1896.
After sitting abandoned for years, the theatre recently reopened to the public and is excited to welcome the community back within its historic halls. To learn more about the Elitch Theatre, check out Bucket List’s recent story about the space here.
3.)
It’s a great way to connect with your community
Community is at the heart of this event. If you’ve been looking for a way to get out and connect with your neighbors, community leaders and local organizations, this is your chance.
Before the screening, attendees will have the opportunity to mingle with some of the local nonprofits, newsrooms, community organizations and RNOs that are doing important work around Denver. For those who are interested in getting out and deepening their connection with their city and local community, make sure to stop in!
The Denver Community Film Festival is an event that will bring people from all corners of the city into one room. Whether you’re interested in local news, neighborhood advocacy, arts and culture, or just looking to meet more people in your area, there’s a good chance you’ll leave with a few new connections and a stronger connection to your city and local community.
4.)
It’s free (but donations are appreciated)
Let’s be honest: finding affordable things to do around Denver isn’t easy nowadays. That’s part of what makes Denver Community Film Festival so special.
The event is free to attend (but a $10 contribution is appreciated with 20% going to community journalism), making it an easy “yes” for a Thursday night out. You’ll get to experience a thought-provoking documentary, a town hall with some of your local journalists, and see one of Denver’s most historic buildings and spend the evening with like-minded people who also care about the local community. If you ask me, that combination is pretty hard to beat. To claim your ticket, make sure to head to this site and RSVP while they’re still available!
5.)
Learn more about – and support – local news
At a time where trust in journalism is wavering and misinformation is everywhere, events like Denver Community Film Festival are more important than ever.
The film on display, “Truth be Told” by Brian Malone, takes viewers inside newsrooms across Colorado, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how local journalists report, verify information and connect with their communities.
One of the most valuable things about events like these is the opportunity to close the distance that can sometimes exist between the public and newsrooms. DCFF creates a space where journalists and community members meet face-to-face to dispel any misunderstandings and build trust. Attendees will have the chance to meet local journalists, ask questions, hear directly from community organizations and better understand the people behind the stories they read and watch.
In a time where trust can feel fractured, simply bringing people into the same room and encouraging open dialogue can go a long way.
Whether you’re coming for the documentary, historic venue, free entertainment or to connect with local newsrooms and organizations, the Denver Community Film Festival promises a meaningful night out.
In a city that feels increasingly fast-paced and disconnected, events like this offer a rare opportunity to slow down, meet new people and engage more deeply with your local community. It’s more than just about watching a film. It’s about residents, journalists, nonprofits and neighbors getting together all in one space to engage with and learn from each other.
If you’ve got some free time on Thursday evening, we would love it if you came down to the Elitch Theatre to join us. We promise it won’t disappoint.
Do you have a listicle in mind? Any ideas can be sent to ryland.c.scholes@gmail.com. And don’t forget to check out our events calendar on our website to see what else is happening in our area.
See you next Tuesday with another Bucket Listicle.
Ryland Scholes
Production Manager & Senior Reporter/ Bucket List Community News
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