Annual Events

Monthly events

Thirsty Third Thursday (though every Thursday is a blast in the Members’ Bar).
Trivia night
Book Club
Who Knew - lecture series
Unveiling college windows - anytime

Description: If you can’t find your institution’s seal already memorialized in stained glass in our college room, you can co-ordinate with your institution, order a seal and have it installed.

Anecdotes: The Pomona College seal was added about 2005 - amazing interactions with the college, and a fun alumni gathering when it was unveiled.

January

New Year’s Day Brunch/Open House
Description: New Years Day each year is a day the Club says thank you to our members and their families with an open house, wonderful buffet brunch, mimosas, egg nog, black-eyed peas and fellowship. It’s a great opportunity to meet other members and their families and celebrate the new year.

Anecdotes:

Twelfth Night
Description: The longest tradition in Denver, antedating the Stock Show, 12th Night recounts last year’s events - set to song. Talent is absolutely NOT required, though certainly welcome. Rehearsals begin the first Monday after January 1st. Rehearsals are M-Th that week, M-Th the second week, the second weekend is dress rehearsal on Friday, show on Saturday. Third week - rehearsal Wednesday, “rehash” 1 and 2 on Friday and Saturday of that week. This is absolutely the best way to quickly make 40-50 new good friends. Also, your guests will see you in a whole new light.

Anecdotes: 12th Night strengthened my marriage by awakening in my husband an appreciation of poetry and musical performance.

February

Valentine’s Dinner Dance
Description:

Anecdotes:

Lobster Palooza
Description: Friday night Lobster dinners (in remembrance of Lent)

March

St. Patrick’s Day

Squash Tournament

Oxford-Cambridge boat race watching party
Description: watching the annual Oxford-Cambridge rowing competition. Grads often wear regalia, particularly those with boating blazers.

April

Old Fools Dinner
Description: Typically held on April Fools Day, this is an exclusive dinner planned by the most recent Fool for all old fools.

Anecdotes:

Easter Brunch
Description: Brunch on Easter Sunday, complete with Easter bunny.

Squash Banquet
Description - banquet for squash competitors after final match. Typically April, could be May. Black Tie.

May

Kentucky Derby “Fascinator” watch party
Description:

Assistant Fool Dinner
Description: About a dozen years ago a bunch of Ass Fools got together and decided that we deserved our own dinner and our own pin. The Fool dinner is April 1, so we went with May - but we can’t do the 1st - because one of the originators of the dinner has a conflict every May 1st. Yes, it’s me, Samantha Morris. May 1 is my son’s birthday - so we do our event on the first thursday after the 1st! We buy our own dinner, and we share a GIANT bottle of wine (we pay corkage to the Club) - and yes, we drink the entire thing. We pin the latest Ass Fool and tell stories about our shows. When we started our pin was a smiley face - for one year only. Then we got serious - and Ashley Hofwalt found the perfect pin - a pewter dung beetle. After all, we deal with all of the shit. This is a highly coveted honor in the Club now - or at least we tell each other that, every year.

Cinco de Mayo -
Description: On or close to May 5th.

Mother’s Day Brunch

Pool Calcutta
Description. Pool tournament where players and others can purchase an interest in various players. Handicaps apply so any skill level can play. Date varies, can be in April.

June

Surviving Spouses Lunch

Staff Appreciation Event - varies depending on year

Board and Spouses Dinner

July

Central City Opera -
Description - off site, box lunch and drinks provided.

New Member Dinner

U Club Cabaret
Description: A night of UClub members belting out a collection of songs with different themes each year. Dinner and a show! Themes have included Disney movies, Standards, James Taylor and Carole King and so many others. Long time members Bob Kapelke and Brenda Taylor have co-directed the show since the beginning.

August

Founders’ Society Dinner
Description: multi course dinner paired with wine.

Chatham Artillery Punch Mixing and Dinner
Description: Punch mixed on a Thursday night, Dinner the 2nd Friday after the mixing. Dinner is Georgia low country faire.

Anecdotes:

El Camino
Description: A leisurely if lengthy Thursday walk, organized usually by Joe Hughes from Boulder to the University Club. Several stops along the way for refreshments. Some participants start in Boulder, others join in along the route. Wear comfortable shoes!

Anecdotes: Joe walked the Camino de Campostello in Spain and was greatly moved by the experience. This isn’t quite the same, but it is a lovely bonding experience.

September

Legacy Society Dinner

Poetry contest (and story telling, optional)
Description: Carefully prepared yet somewhat random instructions are distributed immediately before the event. Winner is declared at Annual Meeting where the winning poem is read and the winner is Poet Laureate of the club for a year.

Anecdotes:

Past Presidents’ Dinner

Dart Tournament (September or early October)

October

Annual Meeting
Description: Dinner, meeting, and throwing of oyster crackers. Black tie. Members only. Clams are presented, Poet Laureate announced.

Anecdotes: Bragging rights to the president with the shortest business meeting. Typically is under 5 minutes. This might be the most mischievous meeting you’ll ever attend.

Halloween Party (on or near October 31)

November

Shore Dinner (Friday in early November)
Description - seafood extravaganza

Fish Dinner
Description: dinner for recipients of the 12th Night “fish” award, hosted by the most recent recipient.

Thanksgiving dinner

December

Gingerbread House Decorating
Description: College room tables are spread with Gingerbread house pieces, construction-worthy frosting, and a wide variety of candy. Santa often arrives.

Anecdotes: The Walcott children realized that if you build a gingerbread house, and have all the candy you want for decorating, you can stash a great deal of candy within the house, the Halloween stash having been consumed already. They saw it as a Halloween Redux with less effort.

Sam and Giles’ Big Adventure (Bad holiday tie competition)
Description: Once upon a time Samantha Morris and Giles Fox decided that the Club needed a less formal holiday event - one which didn’t require a date. So - the luncheon was born. There is always the fabulous Club eggnog, clam chowder and the bad tie competition - which has morphed into bad holiday attire competition. For those who must go back to work - we have you in and out in an hour. For those who can (and everyone should) take the afternoon off, we adjourn to the Fox Den and enjoy holiday cheer and cocktails and conversation.

Anecdotes: The event title is always Sam and Giles’ Big Adventure: (followed by a clever take on a movie title). Some past titles include - Murder on the Eggnog Express; Harry Potter and the Chamber of Nog, you get the idea.

This event is a great example of how members can create traditions and new events at the Club! We will celebrate our 22nd annual event in 2021!

High Tea (2-3 dates TBD)

Oxford-Cambridge Holiday Dinner

12th NIght writers Weekend
Description: Saturday after the Fool is announced, (often mid-month, about 11 am - 3 pm), typically by invitation only. This was once a mountain weekend retreat, but now is typically in the Members Bar, and here, members write the 12th Night Show (though many write material in advance, all year long, as the muse strikes).

Holiday Dinner and Dance (Black tie)
Description: Traditionally the club president, or “king” announces the 12th Night Fool.

Anecdotes:

Christmas Eve Dinner
Description:

Anecdotes: Partridge in a Pear Tree! The Dickens singers entertain each year - and get everyone involved in singing and acting out the various gifts. For years, the Atkinson/Morris families attended - with generally around 15 people. We ALWAYS had “Five Golden Rings”. We should find out if others have always had the same part for years!