09 25 25 Colorado Tourism Director Tim Wolfe on events for our Sesquicentennial

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
It is Colorado's morning News. Colorado is gearing up for
the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of American Independence and
the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Colorado's statehood next year,
with a number of events and commemorations.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Among them drone shows dazzling the sky, with forty already
planned for select nights next year across the state and
joining us on the KWA commons Beart Health hotline is
Tim Wolfe America two fifty Colorado one to fifty commission
CoA chair and director of the Colorado Tourism Office. Tim,
thank you so much for your time again this morning.

Speaker 3 (00:29):
Well, thank you. I'm super excited to be getting ready
to launch this program.

Speaker 2 (00:33):
Launch is the perfect word for it, for sure. I've
seen a handful of these drone shows that have taken
place for holiday events and things around Denver. But for
those who have maybe not seen one at a sporting
event or other events taking place, explain what one of
these will look like.

Speaker 3 (00:47):
Well, certainly, these are spectacular shows in the sky. There'll
be about fourteen minutes long, and they'll we even all
kinds of different things in the lights to music in
the sky. And these different KI elements of these shows
will be a tribute to our communities Colorado theme, visual
iconic landscapes, historical figures, cultural symbols. There'll be some location

(01:10):
specific animations because these are all over the state of Colorado.
They'll be a small component to the national celebration. And
of course thanking our sponsors, brief intergration of our sponsors
to help that are helping us make this thing possible.

Speaker 1 (01:28):
What kind of planning goes into something like this, Oh.

Speaker 3 (01:32):
My gosh, the planning is tremendous. I mean reaching out
to all these communities. If you get a chance to
look at the calendar, we are in every part of
the state, from MafA County and Craig to the MafA County,
the MafA County Fair, to the Tarantula Festival in Lahunta
and Denver. But it's just working with all of these
communities and working with operations and marketing and pr and

(01:56):
all kinds of things. So we've just got a great
team behind us to make it happen.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
I know, this is one of the many events that
are being planned and have been being planned for the
America two fifty Colorado one to fifty. How has the
preparations been, Has it been something that seems like it's
been going well. Any hiccups, any major events or things
that are being planned for the next year.

Speaker 3 (02:16):
Well, no major hiccups. I mean we are kind of
building it as it goes. I mean it's been a
long time since nineteen seventy six. So this best cluest,
my Clint Centennial is going to be big in.

Speaker 1 (02:27):
You said it, not us.

Speaker 3 (02:28):
We're already Yeah, that's right. The Passport program is already
out there. There's twelve key signature initiatives that are all
rolling and engaged. Nods to the eighteen seventy six exhibition
and educational materials. There's scholarship programs, there's marquee exhibitions, all

(02:51):
of these things. The initiatives are well under their way,
and the Commission's doing just an amazing job just work
these things out and building them out, and they're coming
to life. So if you go to AM two fifty
Coe one fifty, you could see the schedules and you
can see these other signature initiatives take life.

Speaker 1 (03:11):
I imagine with something like this too, you probably get
a lot of input and suggestions from people about how
to honor recognize, remember teach part of Colorado's history in
America's history as well. How do you decide and winnow
down the things you want to have, the things to
have versus the things This is great, but we just
don't have room for it.

Speaker 3 (03:30):
Yeah, it's a super question. Well, the Commission did key
in on those twelve signature initiatives, but really we're planning
the seed for how all of the communities want to
integrate a Colorado's past, present, and future. And so our
education system, the Department of Education is working on updating

(03:52):
a number of different things and building out educational components
for students. There's a film series that in conjunction with
the film office in our office that's working with the
Colorado Department of Education to integrate those things. And you know,
our history is checkered, and we want to make sure
that we understand where we are and where we want

(04:13):
to go and make sure everybody understands that to make
sure that we understand what makes Colorado so special.

Speaker 2 (04:20):
Tim and wrapping up with you again, give listeners all
the information of what they need to know, where they
can find these events and the number of many many
drone shows in fact looks like on the twenty seventh
the Boulder at the CU football game. There'll be one
coming up.

Speaker 3 (04:35):
Yep, we kick it off. No fund intended at the
CU Boulder game. There's nearly one hundred and thirty already planned. Visit.
Denver is working with us closely. There's the Mile High
Holidays Night drone show that starts November twenty second through
the thirty first in twenty twenty five, but the drone

(04:55):
shows kickoff also in Ura in January. There's the first
soccer game, the women's soccer game at Denver that's coming up.
The Tarantula Festival and La Junta the music festivals. Sometimes
Colorado doesn't realize all these great festivals all over the state.
So check it out. AM two fifty CO one to fifty.
They're full schedules there and right now nearly one hundred

(05:17):
and thirty planned for someplace near you, all across Colorado.

Speaker 1 (05:20):
America two to fifty Colorado one to fifty. Commission Co
Chair Director of the Colorado Tourism Offices, Tim Will thank
you