Behind the Scenery
Bringing the Colorado Experience to You
Thanks for stopping by the newest edition to the Parks, Open Space, & Cultural Arts website, Behind the Scenery. This space is dedicated to keeping Adams County residents updated on all the exciting things we are working on in the Parks, Open Space & Cultural Arts department. You may have heard about our community events like the Adams County Fair, our beautiful art projects, or our trails and open space properties, but we want to take a look Behind the Scenery of what we are planning next and highlight some of the work our staff do on a daily basis for our residents. This page showcases those projects and more as we work hard to significantly enhance quality of life, enrich communities, and INSPIRE!
We will update this page monthly to keep you in the know. Thanks for taking a look Behind the Scenery!
Cultural Arts
The Cultural Arts team brings art to the forefront of Adams County communities through commissions for the Adams County Public Art Collection, programming, and site-specific installations. This summer, the team engaged artists for Adams County Pride, the Adams County Fair, and Festival Latino, giving residents the opportunity to engage with large-scale installations and interactive art. One group of artists, the bARTer collective, joined Adams County at Pride, Fair, and Festival Latino, and headed to Launch Pad Brewery in Bennett with one goal; to tell the story of our residents through art and written word. The bARTer collective asked attendees to share their proudest failure, and in return, attendees were able to take a handmade artwork home from the event. Learn more about the bARTer collective on their website, or check out examples of art at events like Pride and Festival Latino!
Looking for art in your neighborhood park? The Cultural Arts team is working to bring new works to both the Adams County Fairgrounds at Riverdale Regional Park and City View Park in Welby. Local artist Pard Morrison will soon be installing a sculpture series at City View Park, and several artists are soon to move into the artist selection panel process for the Adams County Fairgrounds Gateway mural. Curious who sits on an artist selection panel, or how to get involved? Check that out here!
The Cultural Arts team is also continuing programming for poetry and the spoken and written word through the Adams County Poet Laureate program. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to engage with Adams County Poet Laureate Aerik Francis at one of their upcoming events!
Parks, Open Space & Trail Operations
The Parks, Open Space & Trail Operations team is responsible for maintaining the outdoor spaces in Adams County’s park and trail system, allowing residents the opportunity to find solace outdoors by engaging with parks, open spaces, and trails right here in Adams County. At the Adams County Veterans Memorial, the team cleaned up and improved the roundabout at the entry to provide a cleaner, more maintained appearance to enhance the visitor experience at the Veterans Memorial. Elsewhere in Riverdale Regional Park, the team completed landscaping improvements along the Al Lesser building and addressed issues with drainage from the building’s roof in the process. The maintenance building at Riverdale Regional Park also saw changes as several hundred square feet of sod was removed and replaced and converted to additional staff parking in an effort to reduce the amount of turf watering, mowing, and ongoing maintenance.
Water conservation and watering have been a constant thought for the Parks, Open Space & Trails team this summer, with three department-maintained parks placed under watering restrictions requiring staff to be strategic and proactive in maintaining greenspaces. The drought conditions also affected the division’s mowing and spraying operations for maintenance and noxious weed control. County-maintained native areas are typically mowed twice a year, with the first cut taking place in May after the native grasses have gone to seed. However, due to a lack of moisture, many of the native grasses did not recover or produce the growth normally expected. Because of this lack of native grass growth, the team dealt with a significant increase in noxious weeds and prioritized the removal of those weeds identified on the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s noxious weed list.
In addition to drought-related concerns has been that of vandalism in parks, with Gateway Park experiencing significant vandalism and theft. As a result of this vandalism and in an effort to utilize resources strategically, Gateway Park will be transitioning towards a more sustainable landscaping approach with xeriscaping and drought-tolerant plantings being installed this fall.
Special Events
For many Adams County residents, summer is full of family traditions, making new memories, and spending time with neighbors and friends at the Adams County Fair. This year’s fair provided a backdrop for memories that will last a lifetime for over 170,000 guests, the majority of whom call Adams County home. Fairgoers experienced a new layout featuring ample greenspace with the new Great Lawn allowed visitors to spread out and relax on a newly-turfed ground. Fairgoers and 4-H families visited new, state-of-the-art barns, and those who parked on-site took advantage of the new, closer-to-the-action parking lots on-grounds. As part of the department’s celebration of America’s 250th and Colorado’s 150th anniversaries, the Adams County Fair celebrated its agricultural roots by hosting a Youth Rodeo on Wednesday night, drawing families and spectators from across the county.
The Adams County Fair is not only a summer staple on residents’ calendars, but it is also gives local businesses an opportunity to grow and connect with Adams County residents. Local restaurants and businesses set-up shop over the five-day fair, providing a unique opportunity for the department to support local businesses. The 2026 Adams County Fair also saw a record number of sponsorship contributions from businesses here in Adams County, highlighting their excitement to connect with Adams County residents.
In September, the Special Events team hosted the fourth-annual Festival Latino, drawing over 10,500 guests to celebrate the rich history and culture of our Latino residents. Live music and entertainment took over two stages, local businesses and vendors connected with residents, and again, a new layout was utilized allowing for closer parking and an easier flow within the event.
Looking ahead, the Special Events team will continue to work on year-round rentals like quinceañeras, weddings, family gatherings, and more. Interested in booking a space? Call 303.637.8000.
Business Administration
The Business Administration team has been busy supporting the work of the department over the summer. As the work of the department is in high gear, the Business Administration team is involved in each project and event, working behind the scenes to complete requisitions, onboard staff, submit invoices, and, most importantly, to answer the questions of all visitors and walk-in guests.
Over the last couple of months, the Business Administration team processed 235 invoices, assisted over 480 visitors in-person, and processed 27 requisitions. The team supported the personnel of the department by onboarding seasonal staff for the Parks, Open Space & Trails Operations team, allowing their work in our parks to continue without delay. The Business Administration division is also responsible for administering the Open Space Sales Tax Grant Program, having recently finalized the Spring 2026 Competitive Grant Program by awarding 22 grants totaling over $12 million in sales tax funds going back to municipalities and special districts investing in open space projects for Adams County residents.
This fall, the team is looking forward to the Fall Open Space Sales Tax Grant Program, onboarding a new Parks Planning & Development Specialist, and staff for the Parks, Open Space & Trails Operations teams.
Planning, Design, & Construction
The Planning, Design, & Construction division led the charge on the Riverdale Regional Park Improvements project, which were completed just before the Adams County Fair. The last touches of the Riverdale Regional Park Improvements project include the final landscaping and lighting throughout the entrance to the park, as well as picnic tables in the new shelter overlooking the new Brantner Gulch.
With this year’s drought conditions, the Planning, Design, and Construction team is continuing to focus efforts on water-efficient irrigation methods. Enhancing irrigation systems will increase functionality and reduce water waste, energy use, and retroactive maintenance. Ongoing conservation of water and sustainability of natural areas of the parks and open spaces across the county remains a top priority, and these efforts will take place in the winter months while irrigation is shut down for the season.
With the Riverdale Regional Park Improvements completed, the team is setting its sights on bringing another amenity to the parks system: Riverdale Bluffs Open Space. A groundbreaking ceremony was held in August, and the Riverdale Bluffs Open Space project has been making progress on the grading and preparation of the E-470 Trail. The details of the bike trail design are developing, and collaboration with the Cultural Arts team is taking place to incorporate design elements and special features. Read more about the Riverdale Bluffs Open Space project here.
Fall is the perfect time to focus on planning for upcoming projects, source grant opportunities, and strengthen the development of community engagement and feedback. These efforts will help with the guidance for the future of parks and open space needs.
CSU Extension
Adams County’s CSU Extension team travels the county providing educational programming, resources, and services to residents. If you’ve heard of 4-H, then you’re partially familiar with the work of Adams County’s CSU Extension Team! Over the last couple of months, the 4-H team has been busy, with over 100 projects and several members qualifying for the Colorado State Fair after showing here at the Adams County Fair. The team also showcased their first ever Beyond the Clover program, an accessible livestock show, at the Adams County Fair this year.
The Adams County 4-H team will be holding their annual Open House on Wednesday, Oct. 21 from 5-7 p.m. in the Exhibit Hall at the Adams County Fairgrounds where residents can explore all that 4-H has to offer, from decorating cookies to raising livestock to showing off your cat! The event is free and open to all!
Outside of the work completed by the 4-H team, residents will find CSU Extension staff in local schools, with STEM & Health and Wellbeing Specialists holding programming at Adventure Elementary, Montview Elementary, and Dupont Elementary Schools, and STEAM programming in eight classrooms across Adams County’s many districts. The team has also engaged the county’s homeschooling community by teaching soil health classes for a homesteading homeschool group.
CSU Extension programs aren’t only for the youngest in Adams County, though. The team worked with HOAs across the county at a Waterwise Gardening/Landscaping Conversion event in Westminster, where about 40 HOAs were represented. Adams County’s CSU Extension has collaborated with Commerce City to build a new pollinator garden, held an organic farming class at Berry Patch Farms with a CSU professor, and recruited Colorado Master Gardener volunteers, receiving over thirty applications for just 15 spots!
Looking ahead, the CSU Extension team is looking to engage with Adams County residents through a needs assessment looking at both state-wide and county-specific needs and wants. CSU Extension will be moving to hold community conversations through November. To find and join in a conversation, call 303.637.8000 and ask to speak to a member of the CSU Extension staff!
Riverdale Golf Courses
With summer winding down, the Riverdale Golf Courses remain in their busy season. Golfers and guests alike continue to rave about the exciting changes both on the courses and in the clubhouse. After playing through the construction, golfers have been reaping the benefits of improved playability and have enjoyed the surprising modifications to the courses. The new covered patio has been a hit over the summer, allowing patrons to sit outside in an expanded seating area, and this fall, guests will be able to gather around the new fire pit after playing a round. Golf Course staff will use the fall and winter months to tackle water-efficient irrigation and maintenance projects, including the increase of irrigation lake storage to fight drought conditions.
