4 APRIL 3-9, 2025 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | W ® 14 BATTER UP! Joyl Watkins and his Diamond Dawgs cart have been a hit since Coors Field opened thirty years ago. BY M.G. MARINI 6 FIELD OF DREAMS A Venezuelan Little League Team swings for the fences in Denver. BY BENNITO L. KELTY 12 YEARNING FOR YARN Andrea Fischer’s colorful creations have been winding their way around Denver. BY KRISTEN FIORE 17 IT’S A PARTY Disco Lines is a major Colorado success story. BY EMILY FERGUSON 12 Culture 14 Cafe 17 Music CONCERTS/CLUBS ................................... 18 23 Marijuana CANNABIS CALENDAR ............................ 24 ASK A STONER ......................................... 24 VOLUME 48 NUMBER 32 APRIL 3-9, 2025 E D I T O R I A L Editor Patricia Calhoun News Editor Thomas Mitchell Food and Drink Editor Molly Martin Music Editor Emily Ferguson Culture Editor Kristen Fiore Social Media Editor Katrina Leibee Staff Writers Catie Cheshire, Jason Heller, Bennito L. Kelty, Hannah Metzger Senior Contributors Alan Prendergast, Michael Roberts Contributors Teague Bohlen, Hyde Chrastina, Jacqueline Collins, Justin Criado, Audrey Ferrer, John Flathman, Susan Froyd, Nick Hutchinson, Danielle Krolewicz, Karl Christian Krumpholz, Kris- ten Kuchar, Skyler McKinley, Abigail Nueve, Ryan Pachmayer, Kristin Pazulski, Adam Perry, Evan Semón, Amber Taufen, Toni Tresca, Kastle Waserman, Helen Xu Music Listings Matthew Jones Editorial Interns Justin Goodrum P R O D U C T I O N Production Manager Michael Wilson Assistant Production Manager Erin Kirk Graphic Designers Kami Miller, Tori O’Connor C R E A T I V E S E R V I C E S Senior Graphic Designer Allie Seidel A D V E R T I S I N G Senior Multimedia Account Executives Amy Camera, Aaron Lembke Multimedia Account Executives Remy Diamond, Trey Konsella, Kirby Quick, William Savoie, Allison Wissink Operations Manager Carver Hodgkiss Digital Sales Coordinator Anne-Grace Hartman Digital and Advertising Sales Manager Taylor Wheeler Advertising Director Teri Driskell C I R C U L A T I O N Circulation Manager Ty Koepke B U S I N E S S Business Manager Sarah Dunahay Financial Accountant Robert Scribner AR Coordinator Stacy Phillips IT Systems Manager Kris Robinson Receptionist Cindy Perez Associate Publisher Tracy Kontrelos Publisher Scott Tobias V O I C E M E D I A G R O U P Editorial Director Chelsey Dequaine-Jerabek Editorial Operations Director Bridget Thomason Director of Membership and Community Development Jennifer Robinson Audience Strategist Allison Stephenson Audience Development Director Dallon Adams Corporate Controller Beth Cook Legal Counsel Steve Suskin Chief Financial Offi cer Jeff Mars Chief Executive Offi cer Scott Tobias V M G N A T I O N A L National Advertising: 1-888-278-9866, www.voicemediagroup.com Senior Vice President of Sales Operations Joe Larkin D I S T R I B U T I O N Westword is available free of charge. Additional copies of the current issue may be purchased for $1, payable in advance at the Westword offi ce. Westword may be distributed only by authorized Westword distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of Westword, take more than one copy of each issue. C O P Y R I G H T The entire contents of Westword are copyright 2025 by Denver Westword LLC. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, with- out the express written permission of the Publisher, Westword, P.O. Box 5970, Denver CO 80217. Back issues may be purchased for $2 each plus postage from the Westword offi ce (issues older than six weeks subject to availability). The Best of Denver 2023 is $6 plus postage. Story reprints are available for $1 plus post- age; call 303-296-7744 to place an order, or check our archives at www.westword.com. Westword (USPS478230) is published weekly by Denver Westword LLC, 1278 Lincoln Street, Denver CO 80203. Peri- odicals postage paid in Denver. Domestic subscriptions may be purchased for $100/year or $50/six months. Postmaster: Send address changes to Westword, P.O. Box 5970, Denver CO 80217. Mailing address: P.O. Box 5970, Denver, CO 80217 Street address: 1278 Lincoln Street, Denver, CO 80203 For general information, call: 303-296-7744 For Editorial, email: [email protected] ON THE COVER PHOTOGRAPH BY VALERIA MOONCH LETTERS T O T H E E D I T O R YOU CAN COMMENT ON ANY STORY AT WESTWORD.COM; SEND LETTERS TO [email protected] Don’t miss a word! The stories in this print edition are just a fraction of the pieces we publish every week on westword.com. For a cheat sheet on all that content, subscribe to our daily newsletter at westword.com/profi le. You can also follow @denverwestword on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. And it’s all free! ILLUSTRATION BY ALEJANDRO RODRIGUEZ-GOMEZ THE BEST OF DENVER, MARCH 27 B R I N G O U T Y O U R B E S T Best cover ever! Jayne Adamson Denver Wow, I’ve just started going through all of the categories in the Best of Denver 2025, but I have to say, you’ve done it again. “Best Meatloaf in an Asian Restaurant” was my favorite...so far. Thanks for all you do! Jack Morrison Denver The Best of Denver isn’t just my favorite issue of the year, reading it is my favorite thing to do all year. I always fi nd surprising new things about this city. It was my guide when I moved here fi ve years ago, and it’s my guide today. You’re the best, Westword! Lacy Peters Denver Being a Colorado native and now fi ve decades into living, I and so many others have always referred to Westword for what you would never fi nd in the Denver Post or Rocky Moun- tain News: This wasn’t my parents’ magazine, it was ours — the young, restless, outgoing ravers of the ‘90’s looking for what’s next and happening for youth and young adults. Well, I am not all those things anymore, but Westword keeps me hip and knowledge- able to things that I still like: music, art, food, stories about local people and businesses. Always a fan and a reader, I still prefer to have the tangible print in my hands. And you can still pick it up for free. Long live Westword. Tyrone Beall Denver Editor’s Note: Producing the Best of Denver is truly the best of times, as we contemplate all the reasons we’re high on the Mile High City and then get to share them with all of our readers. But it’s also the worst of times, as we deal with fallout from the annual issue. So let’s do some housekeeping. First, a warning: Westword does not sell plaques or banners related to the Best of Den- ver. We bestow these honors with no strings attached, and then we give the winners free certifi cates commemorating their awards. If you are contacted by someone offering to sell you a plaque or banner memorializing your win, that someone is not from West- word. Please collect any information you can, and then share it with us at 303-296-7744 or [email protected]. We’ll deal with the scoffl aw appropriately, and also arrange how you can get your free Best of Denver certifi cate. Now, a reminder: If you weren’t able to get a copy of the Best of Denver 2025, we have a limited number available at the offi ce. Sorry, we’ll need to charge you $5 for the issue...and if you want it mailed, we’ll need postage, too. But remember, the entire issue is available online. If you need more information, call 303-296-7744 or [email protected]. And an invitation: Did you love the cover? We did, too. Alejandro Rodriguez-Gomez, a senior at the University of Colorado Denver, won our student contest to create the Best of Denver 2025 cover image. You can see his original as well as all the other entries at a special exhibit in the Dean’s Gallery at the School of Arts & Sciences; there will be a public reception at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 10. Watch westword.com for details. Finally: Our apologies to Stir Cooking School, which should have been listed on the Readers’ Choice poll as the Best Cooking School. We’re already hard at work on the Best of Den- ver 2026, and promise to do better next year! “THE NEXT ACT,” TONI TRESCA, MARCH 20 T R A U M A D R A M A The story of Visionbox’s Jennifer Rincón’s recent drama is more tragic than any play. My heart goes out to her and her family. Thank you so much for this very moving story. Lily Owens Aurora Toni Tresca’s cover article was an incredible piece of writing. Congratulations to him, and my sympathies to Jennifer Rincón. I am so impressed that she was willing to share her story...and go on with a new production! Faith McCall Denver
