Fine Art in the Park, the Arts & Crafts Marketplace, and the Home & Lifestyles area at the 27th annual A Taste of Colorado, will offer a bit of shopping for everyone. Festivalgoers can browse the works of regional artisans and enjoy a variety of exhibits, products, and services to enhance their home and life.

The four-day, free admission, food, music and entertainment festival will take place this Labor Day weekend, Sept. 3 through Sept. 6, in Downtown Denver’s Civic Center Park.

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New this year, Fine Art in the Park presented by K-High Online will display finely crafted, original works in a variety of mediums created by artists from around the country. Reflections in Metal will feature metal art influenced by Native American culture, individually hand-ground and hand-heated to give each piece a unique background and color design. Nelson’s Pottery will showcase its hand-thrown crystalline glazed porcelain. Abstracts by Craig offers acrylic paintings in a range of themes, from organic and industrial, to political and folly. Photographs of nature and digital fantasy creations can be found at POG Images.

Renaissance Builders will showcase its handcrafted pottery, including kitchenware, as well as handcrafted wooden items, including furniture, drums, and more. David Norrie, a self-taught craftsman who has been blacksmithing for more than 30 years, will display his sculptural work and demonstrate metal forging at the festival. Beth Avedis of Ambiance, LLC will feature UV-protected paintings that are created using only museum-quality mediums and glazes. Chris Miles will offer his narrative paintings, inspired by nature and modern art.

Jasell Jewelry is designed through the experiences and world travels of the artists, available in casual, formal, and bold styles. Primordial Persuasions will include Raku pottery in the form of fish, teapots, and vessels. Windows to Africa will showcase its jewelry, designed by Jay Wilkerson. Pyrographics, the technique of burning designs or pictures in wood and other soft objects, will be displayed in Fritz Anders Art. James Sandoval of Traditions Past & Present designs his handmade Southwestern inlay jewelry in sterling silver and 14K gold using only natural stones.

The Arts & Crafts Marketplace is an open-air urban shopping experience, featuring more than 270 booths of talented artists, unique crafters, and merchants of imports from around the world. Exhibitors will be offering home accessories, gift items, clothing, jewelry, children’s toys, face painting, caricatures, and more.

Clothing goes green with recycled wear from JuJu Gear, while Synergy Organic Clothing, Locals Have More Fun, and Hooked Productions - Live the Life You Love Clothing will offer a vast selection of organic and sustainable items.

For those looking to accessorize, Berkshire Bags will feature handcrafted pieces, Mezyana will offer Moroccan handbags, and Beijo - Carry the Kiss will showcase their collectible bags. Mistura crafts one-of-a-kind handmade wooden watches and En Masse Marketing Corp. offers Italian-inspired klick-klock timepieces.

Unique gift and home ideas can be found at Country Memories, offering soap by the slice, or Not the Same, for bath and body needs. Stop by The Magnetic Garden for a dough-made magnet, or consider the intricate wood trivets and baskets of Tear & Share Marketing.

New gourmet edibles at the Festival include Mediterranean sauces, marinades, tapenades, and preserves from Yaffa’s Savory, in addition to barrel-aged balsamic vinegar and truffle oil from Bistro Blends.

Andrea’s Creations will offer handcrafted children’s toys, while Alias Karicature Masters Studio will draw caricatures. The i like book is a year-long structured journal to help parents and/or grandparents build their children’s confidence.

For the outdoors and backyard, consider garden art, wind sculptures, and chimes by Pena Designs, BloomCO, and High Mtn Hoopla. Outdoor chairs and hammocks can be found at Renetto Canopy Chair and Eagles Nest Outfitters - Hammock in a Bag.

The Home & Lifestyles area will feature a variety of exhibitors specializing in home improvement, health, beauty, and kitchen accessories. Home professionals include Renewal by Anderson, Re-Bath of Colorado, and James Hardie Building Products. American Laser Center and The Hollywood Body Laser Center offer skin rejuvenation, laser hair removal, and other services, while Denver Tech Chiropractic aims to assist with troublesome back problems.

Kitchen products can be found at CUTCO Cutlery and Heart of America Sales with Royal Prestige Cookware. En Masse Marketing Corp. will carry indoor smokeless BBQ grills and European gourmet graters. Denver Solar and Wind can help your home conserve energy with its photovoltaic solar and wind turbine energy harvesting systems. Festivalgoers who are looking for an escape can also seek out Global Travel Network.

In addition to the Main Stage, four other entertainment stages located throughout the festival will serve up a continuous menu of music, featuring rock, country, jazz, classic rock, blues, and ethnic music and dance groups.

More than 50 of Colorado’s favorite food establishments will be selling a wide variety of small portions to full meals, ensuring that there will be something for every palate. The Fine Dining area will host some of Denver’s finest restaurants. The Culinary Showcase features local and nationally renowned chef demonstrations creating simple yet elegant meals.

There will be plenty of music, magic, clowns, and puppets on the KidzStage, and the KidZone features play equipment and hands-on craft activities. Kids and adults also can enjoy carnival rides and games Saturday through Monday.

In the Festival of Mountain and Plain area, families can learn about the state’s pioneer past, nature, and the environment. Featured artisans will demonstrate Navajo weaving and culture, spinning, rug braiding, lace crocheting, felting, and quilting, along with the popular blacksmith demonstration. At the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program exhibit, children can learn about birds and their environment, along with their interactions with humans. Free gold panning and educational materials about dinosaurs, volcanoes, rocks and minerals, and energy production and conservation are available at the Colorado Mining Foundation Exhibit.

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