"Nobody comes and ventures this way," Ronnie Van de Sande, owner of Santi – A Healing Collective, told Front Porch this month. She was describing the stretch of East 25th Avenue a few blocks east of Stanley Marketplace. In her view, people come to Stanley, and that's where they stop.
This Saturday, November 14, she and her neighbors are trying to change that. The businesses along East 25th Avenue between Dayton Way and Geneva Street are holding their first winter stroll from 2 to 6 p.m. More than a dozen businesses on the route are taking part. With the stroll, holiday shopping on the Central Park and northwest Aurora border reaches past Stanley's doors and down the block.
Why the Corridor Is Throwing Its Own Party
Carina Rosado, owner of The Denver Village, explained the idea to Front Porch. "We want to bring awareness to the neighborhood of the great businesses we have on this corridor," she said. As the owners have gotten to know each other, she added, "we feel like there's an opportunity for us to collectively work together to bring awareness to what's here."
The Denver Village's event calendar lists the afternoon as the Winter Stroll – Holiday Market. It promises gifts, festive drinks, live music and "community favorites along 25th Avenue." Santi is advertising the same event on its homepage and calls it a holiday shopping day.
The timing is deliberate. Stanley packs its biggest holiday programming into late November and December. Holding the stroll on November 14 gives East 25th Avenue a Saturday of its own, two weeks before Small Business Saturday puts Stanley's shops back at the center of the season.
Who's on the Route
The corridor is mostly a cluster of wellness and community businesses, with few conventional storefronts. That helps explain why foot traffic hasn't drifted over on its own.
- The Denver Village describes itself as a wellness collective. It offers yoga, bodywork, therapy, specialized classes, workshops and events. Rosado's business is the one listing the stroll on its calendar.
- Santi – A Healing Collective sits a few steps off the avenue at 2520 Galena St., Unit 5. Its menu covers skincare, massage, waxing, nail care, ear seeding and lashes.
- Judi's House at 10125 E. 25th Ave. is not a shop. It provides grief support at no cost to Colorado children and young adults ages 3 to 25 and their families. Its place on the route shows the stroll is as much about introducing neighbors to the block as it is about selling gifts.
- Central Park Collective is also named as part of the route.
The route runs east from Dayton Way to Geneva Street. Aurora's street names go alphabetically as you head east, so Dayton is the end closest to Stanley at Dallas Street. Galena comes just before Geneva at the far end.
Making November 14 a Full Saturday
Plenty else is on the calendar that day, and it's easy to stack. Here's one way to build it:
- 9:30 to 11 a.m.: Nature Wanders of Wonder at Bluff Lake Nature Center, 11255 E. MLK Jr. Blvd. It's a mindfulness-focused walk, and registration runs through blufflake.org.
- Midday: Lunch at Stanley Marketplace, 2501 N. Dallas St. Parking there is always free. Lots sit on the north, east and south sides of the building, with street parking on 25th Avenue, 26th Avenue, Clinton Street and Dallas Street.
- 2 to 6 p.m.: Walk east along 25th Avenue for the Winter Stroll, starting at Dayton Way.
If you'd rather stay nearer Park Hill, the Lost Creek String Band plays the Park Hill Library at 4705 Montview Blvd. from 3 to 4 p.m. the same day. The citywide Veterans Day parade and festival is also that morning in City Park.
Stanley Gets a New Kitchen This Month
Stanley is adding a new reason to come in before the stroll even starts. Sorella Italian Kitchen comes from Charles Troup and Chase Devitt, the team behind Boychik, which already runs a location in the marketplace. Hoodline reported in September that Sorella was targeting a mid-November opening, with a counter-service menu of Italian-style sandwiches, pasta, charcuterie and shareable plates. Front Porch's November update also lists the spot as scheduled to open this month. Sorella means "sister" in Italian, a nod to its sibling Boychik.
After the Stroll, the Season Comes Back Inside
East 25th Avenue gets one Saturday. After that, the neighborhood's holiday calendar runs through Stanley and Central Park. Everything below falls within a short drive of the stroll route.
| Date | Event | Where | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri., Nov. 20 | Winter Welcome: holiday lights, live performances, vendors | 7350 E. 29th Ave. | 5–8 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Small Business Saturday: free totes for early shoppers, gift card giveaways, live screen printing at Abstract | Stanley Marketplace | All day |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Old St. Nick and Sensory Santa, both free | Stanley Common Area; Psychology at Stanley, second floor | 11 a.m.–1 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Yuletide Carolers | Stanley Marketplace | 11 a.m.–1 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Family Nature Adventure Day | Bluff Lake Nature Center | 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 28 | Denver Dolls | Stanley West Patio | 6–8 p.m. |
| Sun., Nov. 29 | Vietnamese Santa, free | Stanley Common Area | 11 a.m.–1 p.m. |
| Sun., Nov. 29 | Qigong and Mindfulness | Bluff Lake amphitheater | 9 a.m. |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | First Fridays Creator Market | Stanley Marketplace | Evening |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Bird Walk and Armchair Lecture | Bluff Lake Nature Center | 8 a.m. walk, 10 a.m. lecture |
| Fri.–Sat., Dec. 11–12 | After Hours Market | Throughout Stanley Marketplace | 4–10 p.m. |
You can find the dates from Front Porch in its November through early December events roundup. Stanley posts its own schedule on its holiday page. The Bluff Lake bird walk asks you to register at blufflake.org ahead of time.
Three dates on the table stand out:
November 28 is the busiest day. Stanley stacks a free Santa visit, carolers, an evening vocal trio and Small Business Saturday into one day. Small Business Saturday also kicks off Stanley Bear's Scavenger Hunt for kids. Sensory Santa runs in the same 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. window as Old St. Nick and offers a calmer visit on the second floor at Psychology at Stanley. The Denver Dolls are an all-female vintage vocal trio who sing holiday songs in the close-harmony style of the Andrews Sisters and the Chordettes.
Winter Welcome on November 20 is the Central Park event. It's on the Front Porch calendar with holiday lights, live performances and vendors from 5 to 8 p.m. at 7350 E. 29th Ave. More details are at mca80238.com.
The After Hours Market on December 11 and 12 is the one for late shopping. For two evenings, Stanley fills the building with Denver artists, makers and independent creative businesses. Expect handmade jewelry, ceramics, prints, textiles, vintage finds, candles, plants and stationery, from 4 to 10 p.m. both nights. Stanley's Sip & Shop program lets you carry a cocktail, wine, hot cocoa or mocktail from one of its restaurants while you browse. A valid ID showing you're 21 or older is required for alcoholic drinks.
Stanley keeps its regular hours all season. Some businesses open on Thanksgiving, and the marketplace closes on Christmas Day. Hours vary by shop, so check the individual business before you go.
Part of knowing Northeast Denver is keeping up with the blocks that are just starting to work together, like this stretch of 25th Avenue. If you're keeping an eye on the Central Park and northwest Aurora border this season, for a weekend plan or something bigger later, John Baldree is glad to share what he's seeing on the ground. Let's Connect.
