Festivals in Globeville

The eastern European immigrants who settled Globeville in the 1880s are long gone, but they left a robust legacy of their native cultures in the neighborhood. To experience the ethnic churches, food, crafts, dancing, singing and beer! of the old country, attend one or all of the church festivals.
The first of these celebrations will be the 15th Annual Orthodox Food Festival at Holy Transfiguration of Christ Orthodox Cathedral, 349 E 47th Avenue (at Logan Street). This grand event will be held only one day, Saturday, July 21, 2018, from 11:00 am to 7:30 pm. Bring Tupperware and stock up on astounding array of cuisine from Romania, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine, Eritrea, Italy, Greece and Mexico, as well as grilled lamb, hot dogs, craft beer and Slivovitz (Slovenian plum brandy). 
There will be live entertainment, games for children, crafts, and an exhibit of iconography. The jewel in this festival is the beautiful (and newly painted) Orthodox Cathedral. Any building that's one-hundred-twenty years old has stories to tell (their three bells were a gift of the last Czar) and a tour of the cathedral is one you will remember. Globeville Orthodox Festival

 

Take a tour of the historic cathedral

So much food, such variety!

The next big thing is the Polish Food Festival at St. Joseph Polish Parish at the corner of 46th Avenue and Pearl Street - this is the red church spire visible from I-70. Check the program for prices of food and Polish beer, and the schedule of entertainment. Polish Food Festival

 

Krakowiacy Polish dancers

Celebrations for the festival at Holy Rosary Church are still in the planning stages. Save the date, Saturday October 6th. There will be food! Check the website for information. Holy Rosary Denver

Queen of the Holy Rosary - Kraljica sv. Roznega Venca

The dedication program is written in Slovenian. The community of Southern Slavs wished to both celebrate their religion and preserve their culture in their new country. (And working twelve hours a day, six and seven days a week didn't allow much time for learning English).

Slovenes and Croats had been arriving in Globeville since the late 1880s and found low-paying, industrial jobs in one of the area's three smelters, its foundries, brickyards, railroads and meatpacking plants. At the urging of Bishop Nicholas Matz, Catholics attended St. Joseph's Polish Catholic Church in the neighborhood, but Slovenes and Croats didn't contribute financially, since they were saving to build a parish of their own. In 1918, new bishop Henry Tihen gave his approval for a Slovenian church and the fund raising continued in earnest. Money was raised in the lodges; St. Jacob's Croation Lodge, KSKJ, the Western Slavonic (WSA) and the American Fraternal Union. And there were concerts, plays, and a week-long festival to raise funds.

Ground for the new parish was broken in May 1919 and construction moved swiftly. The parish was dedicated on July 4th, 1920 to the Queen of Holy Rosary - Kraljica sv. Roznega Venca.

Today, a new group of immigrants shares this devotion to the Queen of Holy Rosary. A bi-lingual Mass will be held on the feast day of the parish, Saturday, October 7th at 7:00 pm with refreshments and fellowship in the parish hall. Holy Rosary Parish is located at 4688 Pearl Street in Globeville.

 

A Slovene Glee Club gave concerts to raise money

Photo ® Betty Zalar Praprocki

 

Father Cyril Zupan celebrates May crowning at Holy Rosary

photo ® Mary Lou Egan

 

Potica!