JOSIE RUSSELL I 303MAGAZINE.COM I APRIL 16, 2020
Though Colorado’s stay-at-home order is currently scheduled to last until April 26, Governor Jared Polis emphasized in a recent press conference that “we can’t simply go back to the way things were months ago” once it’s over. Since citizens will be expected to yield to the local and national government’s social distancing entreaties for months, local organizations are forestalling their event calendar to accommodate. One of these is Denver’s Levitt Pavilion, an outdoor music venue that hosts 50 free concerts a year. It has delayed the start of its summer concert series so that its kick-off events will now occur in July rather than May.
According to Westword, Levitt Pavilion Denver’s executive director, Chris Zacher, sent a message to the venue’s benefactors clarifying that staff will put into place additional precautionary measures to protect performers, workers and audiences from COVID-19’s spread. These measures include installing hand sanitizer stations and encouraging concert-goers to socially distance throughout its spacious lawn, which functions as the outdoor seating area.
He also explained that some of the early summer events that cannot be postponed to later in the year will instead be rescheduled for 2021.
Levitt Pavilion Denver is a non-profit organization that relies on the social and financial support of individuals, corporations and foundations to run its programs. To ensure that it prevails in spite of the economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, it launched its 2020 Spring Fund Drive, which aims to reach $10,000 in donations. Keep in mind that each year, Levitt Pavilion Denver foregoes $36 million in potential revenue by choosing to put on dozens of concerts for free, instead of charging attendees for tickets.
The organization does more than put on concerts, though. The money it raises also goes towards community programs like BandStart, which provides free music lessons to Ruby Hill elementary students.
In addition to subsidizing Levitt Pavilion, fans of the venue can show up virtually in support of its community by tuning in to the “Levitt in Your Living Room series,” which streams daily each afternoon on the organization’s Facebook. This series streams a mixture of live concerts from some of Denver’s best musicians and recordings of previous concerts at the Pavilion. April 16’s performance features Jen Korte, who will go live at 5 p.m.