Central Denver Park District
Civic Center
Civic Center is one of the United States premier examples of the City Beautiful era of art and architecture that flourished in the early 20th century. This spacious plaza, surrounded by monumental government and public buildings, is the civic heart of Denvers downtown. The State Capitol and the City & County Building form the east-west axis. Other institutions such as the Denver Art Museum, Denver Public Library, Colorado State History Museum, Colorado State Judicial Building, and the Wellington E. Webb Municipal Offic Building, complete the collection of civic institutions centered around the park.
Historically, the space has been used for major public events and celebrations representing the diversity and cultural heritage of Colorado and Denver. From its earliest days of free public concerts in the 1920s, to contemporary events such as the community vigil in memory of the Columbine tragedy, the space has been associated with milestone events in the history of the city and state. Many events, such as Cinco de Mayo, Peoples Fair, Theatre in the Park, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Taste of Colorado are traditionally held annually in Civic Center. These events are free and open to the public.