I haven’t been to Boulder Colorado in years. Ten years ago or so, I used to come here on business when I had a client in Boulder at the time via my former agency life. I’d stay at the historical Hotel Boulderado (it’s still here, and still charming) and typically meet with clients for drinks and dinner along the busy and active Pearl Street, which is lined with funky, trendy and gluten-free cafes and restaurants. There are also loads of shops and galleries but among them all in the summer is an active street life scene, where entertainers, musicians and performers show off their talents for tourists and locals alike.
On my earlier trips, I recalled an incredible demonstration by someone who refers to himself as Zip Code Man aka David Rossteicher. Some of us may know that that a code starting with 101 something is somewhere in NYC, 941 something could be San Francisco or 024 something could be the greater Boston area.
Any idea where 12095 or 76705 is however? This man’s memory is phenomenal and he’s still lurking in Boulder’s streets performing. Having memorized between 35,000 and 40,000 zip codes out of the 70,000 or so in the states, when I got called on, he managed to get the codes of two small towns where I had lived in southern Africa, a suburb of London and my home town, which is pretty small.
This 80301 man is also known by others around the country now. Imagine being able to get small towns in Texas, Montana, Maine, Arkansas and Georgia all correct on the first go? His act is also charming and funny and he always leaves a crowd begging for more.
This time, I saw a number of high school and college aged kids performing in the streets, which is a great way to build confidence as well as get practice in front of small and large crowds. From violin and guitar to saxophone and trumpet, they could be found.
I love street acts because they feel so genuinely passionate and pure.
I came across a contortionist on my most recent trip, who has apparently been performing in the Boulder area for about 30 years. A regular on the Boulder busking scene circuit, he’s known as “Ibash-i” and is originally from St. Kitts, a tiny Caribbean island nation.
I can’t imagine how many times this man has been photographed. Counter this with the youthful contributions of those playing instruments along the streets who are much newer to the outdoor performance scene.
They even have a piano on the main drag for anyone who wants to come up and play…
As always, I loved the summer outdoor performers which are such an integral part of Boulder’s culture. While I love diversity and change, it’s good to know that the things that are this great and ‘work’ for a culture don’t.
For more blog posts on the Boulder/Denver area, go here.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
