With Cinco de Mayo this weekend, I want to explore an area of the city that is rooted in Denver’s Chicano history: La Alma Lincoln Park. This neighborhood on the West side of Denver was a primary setting for Denver’s Chicano Civil Rights Movement back in the 1960s and 70s. In 2021, the City formally recognized the area’s historical significance by making it Denver’s second-ever historic cultural district. Next time you’re in the area, don’t miss these community gems.
⛱️ Enjoy Prime Patio Dining
Hidden behind a brick wall on Santa Fe sits arguably one of the best patios in the entire city at El Noa Noa. It’s an outdoor oasis shaded by mature trees and soaring umbrellas. On the weekends there’s live music, and the menu touts real deal “Denver-style” Mexican fare — we recommend the Combination Grande.
La Alma Lincoln Park neighborhood boundaries. (Denver Maps)
🎶 Support Denver’s Young Musicians
First Fridays are a big deal in this neighborhood, but we suggest wandering off the Santa Fe main drag and heading over to Youth on Record for their monthly open mic. All ages and levels of musicianship are welcome to take the stage. YOR is also a nonprofit you can support year-round, employing working musicians to teach and support the next generation of artists in Denver.
✊🏽 Honor Denver’s Chicano Community
The Westside was the epicenter of Denver’s Chicano Movement, and that spirit is alive and well at Su Teatro, one of the oldest Chicano theaters in the country. The neighborhood’s namesake park — expansive, shady, and perfect for a leisurely springtime walk — is also worth a visit to take in Emanuel Martínez’s iconic “La Alma” mural.
The Chicano Humanities Arts Council, Colorado’s oldest Latinx nonprofit arts organization and cultural center, recently returned to its roots on Santa Fe. And don’t forget a stop at Museo de las Americas, a Mile High institution celebrating global Latin American art and heritage. (This Friday the museum will offer free admission all day long to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!)
