Avalanche Watch Party on Auraria Campus for the Win

The first watch party on the Tivoli Quad for game one was an absolute blast, and the Avs will continue to host watch parties here through the series.

The quad is set up with three screens: two on each side and one in the middle on a stage with a gigantic sound system and red and white lights. Fans can watch the game on any of these screens, but the real action is on the middle one, where Avs staffers emcee the experience from the stage, throwing prizes into the crowd and announcing winners of such raffle prizes as signed hockey sticks, pucks and jerseys.

And whenever the Avs score a goal, a handful of Avs hype men and women come out to a rendition of the Planet Funk song “Chase the Sun,” to which the thousands in the throng chant, “Hey, hey, hey!” — just as fans are doing inside Ball Arena. There’s even a version of beloved mascot Bernie.

While admission is free, the party includes a lineup of food trucks where you can purchase hot chicken, tacos, gyros, cheesesteaks and other options, along with funnel cakes the size of dinner plates. There are also beer and seltzer stands and free water stations — along with plenty of Ball Corporation aluminum cups from which to enjoy Denver Water’s finest.

Except for sealed water bottles, you’re not allowed to bring in food or drink. Chairs, blankets and large bags, including backpacks, are also not permitted inside the party grounds; to enter, you have to get past a security check-in. Fortunately, there are sunscreen lotion stations.

This was very fun pic.twitter.com/ZkrvnM81LS

— Conor McCormick-Cavanagh (@ConorMichael28) June 16, 2022

But the real draw is the chance to watch the game outdoors, for free, with thousands of fellow fans.

During the game one watch party, the only snag was that the live videostream occasionally lagged and dipped into lower resolution for a couple of seconds, only to buffer and return. But those moments actually recalled illegally streaming Avalanche games during the regular season, since Altitude isn’t available on Comcast. And here it was kind of fun, because everyone in the crowd got to collectively curse. And then cheer.

When, within the first two minutes of overtime, Andre Burakovsky nailed the game-winning goal for the Avs, the watch party became absolute pandemonium, with cans and cups hucked in the air, streaming trails of beer and water.

The Avs are hosting a watch party in the same spot for each remaining game in the series. On Saturday, June 18, gates will open on the Tivoli Quad at 3 p.m. for the 6 p.m. puck drop. Local mega DJ/producer GRiZ, the self-proclaimed “Good Vibes Rainbow Boy,” will perform at 4:15 p.m.

Find more information here…and go, Avs!