Cheap Checklist
PAPER CUTS
Time to gather up all those financial documents, bank statements and bills you have piled up around the house. Metro Denver Crime Stoppers, along with community partners, are joining forces for their annual Shred- a- thon on Oct. 3 from 7 a. m. to noon. Bring your personal documents to be shredded at no cost. Each car can shred up to three trash bags/ banker boxes of documents. There are four drop- off locations: Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office HQ ( 13101 E. Broncos Parkway in Centennial); Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office ( 200 Jefferson County Parkway in Golden); Westminster Police Department ( 9110 Yates St.); and Iron Mountain ( 3576 Moline
St. in Aurora). Volunteers will be on hand to help keep participants safe and the lines moving. All Shred- It employees are licensed and bonded and each location is supervised by law enforcement officers. Donations are encouraged and will go directly to support the mission of the Metro Denver Crime Stoppers.
TACO TIME
Get the salsa ready for National Taco Day. Taco lovers and bargain hunters alike will have much to crunch on Oct. 4. Fuzzy Taco Shop is celebrating the food holiday with select tacos for only $ 1.50 each, all day. Next, On The Border is offering seasoned ground beef or chicken tacos for $ 2 each. Those wanting a little fancier feast at the restaurant can bite into a Southwest chicken or brisket taco for $ 4. And Chuy’s is letting customers add a crispy beef taco to any dine- in entrée purchase for just $ 1. For a no- cost bite, Taco John’s is offering fans a free
Beef Stuffed Grilled Taco by downloading its app. And Del Taco dishes up a free taco with any purchase via its app. More deals and giveaways may be available at other local taco shops. fuzzystacoshop. com; ontheborder. com; chuys. com; tacojohns. com; deltaco. com
CH RISTMAS PRESENTS
Those who love everything and anything Christmas can unwrap an early present almost from their couch. Hanzon Studios, working with DCPA Off- Center, brings the popular Camp Christmas immersive experience straight to homes this year from Nov. 12 to Jan. 5, 2021. Customers ( aka “campers”) can access online content and receive up to five delivered packages that come with a wide variety of
Christmas- themed activities. The digital experience takes place on a web- based app where campers can explore an expansive fictional land, featuring fantastical places, such as Sweetsville, Fairy Forest and Treehouse Village. Each location will feature multimedia content about the stories, history and traditions surrounding the season, as well as inhome activities. Campers can earn badges and track their progress. Sign- up for the Camp Newsletter by Oct. 4 for discounted pre- sale tickets, before they go on sale to the general public on Nov. 1. camp- christmas. com
FREE FALL
Autumn may be sweater weather, but it also means the leaves are piling up. What do you do with all of those leaves, after you’ve made a big pile and jumped in them a few times? Head to Denver’s annual LeafDrop. Weekday drop- off sites will be open from Oct. 5
through Dec. 4. ( Weekend sites are open in November.) Leaves collected through the program will be turned into a highquality compost and sold to residents next May. The collection service is free, but only open to Denver residents. Instead of plastic, paper bags are preferred because they can also be composted. Leaves cannot be dropped off at the sites, except for specified dates and times. ( Otherwise, it’s considered public dumping.) By the way, pumpkins are accepted for composting, too. For a full review of the drop- off schedule and requirements, go to denvergov. org/ LeafDrop.
OODLES OF SAVI NGS
Noodles & Co. is celebrating 25 years of serving up oodles of tasty noodles throughout October. On Oct. 6, Noodles Rewards members can save 25% on any order. With no purchase requirement, customers can feed the entire family at a discounted price. Plus, members will enjoy 25 days of free delivery, starting Oct. 7. With so many options for noodles, sauces and proteins, bargain hunters can definitely create the perfect bowl with a side of savings. Sign up for Noodles Rewards by Oct. 5 to be eligible for either offer. noodles. com/ rewards
STRAW MAN
Halloween may look different this year, but scarecrows will still be part of the landscape in Arvada. The city’s annual Festival of Scarecrows showcases scarecrows of all shapes, sizes and costumes on Oct. 10 from 10 a. m. to 2 p. m. in Arvada Olde Town Square ( West 57th Avenue and Olde Wadsworth Boulevard). Businesses, organizations and families are invited to enter for the chance to win prizes by creating their own scarecrow.
( The entry fee ranges from $ 10 to $ 20. Entries must be received by Oct. 7 to be on the map.) Plus, the Great Pumpkin Contest starts its weigh- in at 1: 30 p. m.
Attendees can vote for their favorite scarecrow and buy pumpkins, gourds and cornstalks. facebook. com/ events/ 1047481905702764
THAN K YOU The Fall Festival at Fritzler Farm Park
( 20861 CR 33) in LaSalle offers lots of familyfriendly outdoor activities. Since 2000, the Fritzler family has welcomed young and old to their farm park. Their iconic
15- acre corn maze designs are only part of the fun, as the seasonal event offers more than 25 attractions. Kids will enjoy the barrel train, pedal gocarts, pumpkin cannons and more.
To give back to the community, Fritzler is hosting a Heroes Weekend on Oct. 10 and 11. Military, firefighters, police and EMTs receive free admission. Show proper ID at the front gate for the complimentary admission. fritzlerfarmpark. com
STUDENT FEES
Every budget- conscious student knows “free” is always a good thing, especially because it means saving money for more important expenses. To inspire more Coloradans to continue their education, all 32 public colleges and universities in Colorado and several private institutions will allow students to apply for free on Oct. 13 as part of the third annual Colorado Free Application Day. The statewide push is designed to increase Colorado’s college- going completion rates. Despite being one of the most educated states in the country, Colorado sends just 56% of high school graduates to a college, university or certificate program. By removing financial barriers for students, Colorado can increase the number of students who complete their programs and enter the workforce with a degree or competitive skills. Nearly 75% of Colorado jobs require postsecondary education. highered. colorado. gov/ coloradofree- applicationdayis- october- 13- 2020
G HOST TOWN
Fall fun is in the air. Castle Rock will celebrate all things not- sospooky at Spooktacular 2020 on Oct. 24 at Philip S. Miller Park ( 1375 W. Plum Creek Parkway). Family- friendly costumes are encouraged. Activities include games, prizes, food and, of course, candy. Due to the pandemic, safety and social distancing measures will be in place. The event will be held outdoors at the amphitheater and inside the Millhouse, so dress accordingly. Attendance is limited to 250 participants per each time slot ( 11 a. m. to 12: 30 p. m.; 1 to 2: 30 p. m. and 3 to 4: 30 p. m.). Cleaning will take place between time slots. All attendees ( regardless of age) must be registered. Registration is open. crgov. com/ 2453/ Spooktacular
SAFETY SEATS
Halloween is full of spirits — and not just the kind that go bump in the night. The Sawaya Law Firm is sponsoring free cab, Uber or Lyft rides on Oct. 30 and 31. Just get a safe ride home and keep your receipt. For reimbursement ( up to $ 35), send your receipt, along with a copy of a valid ID, to Halloween: Free Cab Ride Program, The Sawaya Law Firm, 1600 Ogden St., Denver, CO 80218. You must be 21 or older. The deal is only good for a one- way ride home within the metro area.
For questions about the community program, contact Jozie LaViolette at jlaviolette@ sawayalaw. com. sawayalaw. com/ resources/ freecabride- program