As our temperatures rise, the opportunities to enjoy our mountain summer are heating up, too. This month ends on a high note with the first Hops Drops Music Festival, and July begins with the longstanding tradition of the Freedom Run for Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice. Back after the COVID-19 hiatus is the beloved Evergreen Garden Tour, which happens every two years. You won’t want to miss this unique opportunity to explore these home gardens and enjoy the hospitality of their creators. If you’re a golfer and would like to play a round at the beautiful Hiwan Golf Club, you can do so while benefiting the INSPIRE Special Needs Program.

It’s time to get out your calendar and make plans to “get your summer on” in Evergreen!

June 25 Hops Drops Music Festival Comes to Buchanan Park

Nationally and locally celebrated musicians and a beer festival will combine for a fun day at Buchanan Park on June 25 from noon – 9 pm. Formerly the Evergreen Music Festival, Hops Drops is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting arts programs in the Evergreen community.

The daylong event will showcase 10 bands and 11 breweries. General admission is $35 per person. A $55 ticket includes entry, a souvenir tasting glass and unlimited beer tastings from noon – 4 pm. VIP passes include admission, beer tasting, premier stage seating, a designated private bar and restroom facility, free food bites and photo booth access. Organizers are also selling prime parking spots for attendees. Front row parking passes are $50 for a spot near Buchanan Recreation Center. Premier parking is available for $20 in the Castle Court office complex.

For a complete schedule of activities and more details, go to hopsdropsevergreen.com

Begin Your July 4th With the Mount Evans Freedom Run

Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice invites you to participate in its 40th annual Freedom Run on Monday, July 4 starting at 8 am at Evergreen Middle School. This community tradition is open to all, whether you fitness walk, run, stroll or cheer from the sidelines. The scenic 5K (3.1 miles) course follows gently rolling terrain through residential areas. The registration fee is $40 for adults and $20 for youth under the age of 18. Prices increase by $5 beginning on June 29.

Participants can register online at FreedomRunRace.org through Tuesday, June 28 at 5 pm or in person at the Mount Evans office, 3081 Bergen Peak Drive through Friday, July 1 at noon. The office is open from 8:30 am – 5 pm Monday through Friday. Onsite registration on race day is open from 6:45 – 7:45 am at the middle school.

Due to the generosity of the event sponsors, every dollar raised from race registrations will go directly to support in-home health care across our mountain community. The race is presented by The Zendig Family. Major sponsors of the Freedom Run are Brian Himmelman – State Farm Insurance; Buffalo Park Dentistry; Caldwell Insurance Agency -American Family Insurance; Climax Molybdenum; First Bank; Highlands Wealth Management Group; Alan Horowitz; LAM Tree Service; Lifetime Windows & Siding; Curt and Carol Linke; LIV Sotheby’s International Realty; Gordon and Rees Scully Mansukhani; Olde’s Garage; Pete and Meryl Sabeff; Sally Stearns; and Team Evergreen Cycling. For a complete list of sponsors and for more information about the race, go to FreedomRunRace.org.

Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice provides home health care, palliative care, hospice, bereavement assistance, Camp Comfort for children who have lost a loved one, as well as ongoing emotional support for members of our mountain community. To learn more, go to mtevans.org.

The Evergreen Garden Tour Returns July 16 in All of its Splendor

We all know that mountain gardening has its challenges. We’re always trying to learn what grows best in our region, how to plant the right combinations in our gardens, and how to make the most of our shorter season. The Evergreen Garden Tour is a great opportunity to experience area gardens grown and presented by local residents. These displays showcase the education, creativity, functionality, artistic expression and, of course, beauty associated with gardening and regional horticulture.

This year’s High Altitude Garden Tour takes place on July 16 from 10 am – 3 pm and will highlight six gardens throughout Evergreen. Docents will be in the gardens to answer questions and provide guidance. Artists and musicians will also be on hand to enhance your experience. Proceeds from the tour benefit the nine Evergreen public gardens maintained by the Club.

Tickets for the tour are $20 for adults and children over the age of 12. Children under 12 are admitted free of charge. Tickets may be purchased in advance through Evergreen Garden Club (bit.ly/3zu3nYr). They are also available through Nellybelle General Store or Sundance Gardens with cash or check. On the day of the event, tickets will be available at the Evergreen Fire/Rescue station at 1802 Bergen Parkway or at any of the gardens featured on the tour (via cash or check).

Attendees are asked to bring their advance ticket voucher to obtain garden admission wristbands, event brochures and a map of the featured garden locations. All ticket holders will be entered into a raffle for fun garden prizes.

Local businesses sponsoring the garden tour include The Canyon Courier, Creekside Gardens, The Evergreen Gallery, The Holly Berry, Annell and Steve Hoy, Jared’s Nursery, Java Groove, Nellybelle General Store, Steven Parks Goldsmith, Sundance Gardens, and the Village Gourmet. For more information about the Garden Club and its work in the community, go to evergreengardenclub.org.

Tee Off for Special Needs on July 18

The July 18 Andy Smith Golf Tournament at Hiwan Golf Club is a fundraiser organized by Mountain Foothills Rotary to benefit the Evergreen Park & Recreation District INSPIRE and Special Olympics programs, which provide opportunities for developmentally disabled individuals. Evergreen Christian Outreach and the Mountain Foothills Rotary Foundation are also event beneficiaries. Golfers will take to the tees for a 7:30 am shotgun start, with registration beginning at 6 am. The cost to participate is $170 per golfer, $680 per foursome and includes breakfast and lunch. You can register online at bit.ly/3NGiOAZ

Mark Your Calendars for Summerfest, July 23-24

A cornerstone of the summer festival season, Center for the Arts Evergreen Summerfest draws artists from across the region offering nearly 100 booths for attendees to peruse. The two-day festival also features an outstanding lineup of live music from local favorite bands, food trucks and spirits vendors, and a children’s craft and activity area, all set in a beautiful landscape. Summerfest runs from 10 am – 5 pm at Buchanan Park. For more information, go to evergreenarts.org and stay tuned for more details in next month’s Community Matters column.