Live Like a Local continued from page 8 get dumped once or twice. Wear cheap sneaks or water shoes, and strongly con- sider a life jacket and helmet. If you bring your own tube, you can put in all the way to Highway 6’s Tunnel One, and some tube rental companies will shuttle you up that far if you don’t like the hike. Either way, be sure to use the takeout at Vanover Park, lest you be sucked into the Coors Brewery and turned into a Banquet Beer. Pick Up Some Picnic Cold Cuts Oliver’s Meat Market 1718 East Sixth Avenue oliversmeatmarketllc.com If you’ve wondered about the glowing red-and-green neon for Oliver’s Meat Market while driving along Sixth Avenue, there’s never been a better time to stop: The venerable family-owned butcher shop celebrated its 99th birthday over Memorial Day weekend, just as sum- mer started to heat up. From rib eyes to spareribs to Oliver’s famous home- made sausages, whatever you throw on the grill will taste that much better when you brag that you bought it local. Put Some Snap in Your Summer Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs 3525 East Colfax Avenue stevessnappindogs.com Summertime is the humble hot dog’s busy season. No doubt you’ll grill a few dozen yourself between now and Labor Day — so why not see how the professionals do it at Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs? Steve’s has won acclaim for its namesake dogs with a smoky casing that “snaps” with every bite, though its smashburger and chili cheese fries never disappoint, either. For a real taste of local technicolor, order the “Blinky” the Clown Reuben Dog, named after Denver’s own Russell Scott, the longest-running television clown any- where, ever...and the father of co-owner Linda Ballas. Indulge in Old-School Ice Cream Magill’s World of Ice Cream 8016 West Jewell Avenue, Lakewood magillsicecream.com Sure, LoHi’s Little Man gets a lot of well-deserved love — but there are some decidedly less trendy creameries that locals have adored for generations. Cap- itol Hill’s Liks Ice Cream has been family owned since 1976; get a scoop of Chees- man, its take on strawberry cheesecake, and add a scoop of Graham Cracker Sta- tion for good measure. Or head a few miles Riverside Cemetery was a last stop for many famous Coloradans. south for a stop at Bonnie Brae Ice Cream, in business since 1986; the shop recently reopened its indoor “dining” for the fi rst time since the start of the pandemic. There’s a reason that lines commonly snake around the block: Everything is delicious, especially when you add Bonnie Brae’s signature chocolate sprinkles. But for the real deal, whether you’re celebrat- ing summer in the city or heading back to Denver after a day in the high country, detour to Magill’s World of Ice Cream in Lakewood, which is celebrating its 41st year. There’s no bad order here, either, but do try a banana split — and make sure that Fido shares in the fun with a doggie yogurt cup. Ride the Cyclone Lakeside Amusement Park 4601 Sheridan Boulevard lakesideamusementpark.com Lakeside Amusement Park, which opened its doors in 1908 and was initially known, in a nod to the Chicago World’s Fair, as “White City,” has been owned by the same family since 1935, when Ben Kras- ner took over. He made several notable improvements in his day, perhaps most famously the addition of the Cyclone, a wooden roller coaster that was rolled out in 1940 and is one of only a few of its era still running today. Sure, thrill rides have come a long way since then, but there’s an earnest charm to screaming at the top of your lungs atop the Cyclone knowing that 12 WESTWORD Summer Guide 2022 westword.com you’re joining in a Colorado tradition. Bet- ter still for this economy, Lakeside sells a spectator ticket for just fi ve bucks, so you can see its Victorian charms without breaking the bank — then buy coupons to ride whichever attractions catch your eye (most likely the Cyclone). Stroll Through Time at Area Cemeteries Cemeteries enjoy a little more cultural cachet the closer we get to Halloween, but they’re a lot more pleasant in the summer months — when many just feel like lush parks festooned with a few too many statues featuring some boldface names. At Fairmount Cemetery in south- east Denver, you’ll fi nd Denver Post co- founder Frederick Bonfi ls, Mayor Robert Speer, and John and Mary Elitch of Elitch Gardens fame, among dozens of others. At Riverside Cemetery, Denver’s oldest, tumbleweeds roll around the graves of John Evans, John Long Routt, Augusta Tabor, Richard Sopris and Silas Soule — the hero army captain who blew the whistle on the Sand Creek Massacre. Or head west to Wheat Ridge, where you’ll see the headstone of Apollo 13 astronaut and congressman-elect Jack Swigert at Mount Olivet Cemetery or brewing magnate Adolph Coors’s grave at Crown Hill Cemetery. Pay your respects to the folks whose names continue to shape the Denver of today and you may fi nd yourself feeling a lot more like a local tomorrow. SKYLER MCKINLEY
