June 13, 2025

Through collaborative events and preservation projects, Lavender Hill Cultural District maintains and increases Queer culture visibility in Colorado’s capital city.

Announced in June of 2023, the city’s first Queer cultural district, located in East Denver, strives for celebratory engagement, emphasizes inclusivity and serves as a community and small business resource.

Acknowledging Lavender Hill's history

According to the district’s “About” page, the name “Lavender Hill” is a mashup of a euphemism and color often associated with the LGBTQ+ community and the Capitol Hill neighborhoods that make up the district.

Zach Kotel, the executive director and co-founder of Lavender Hill Cultural District, described it as a historic neighborhood, often called “The Gayborhood,” created from redlining and discrimination within zoning policy.

“Much like many other minority communities, we were kind of delegated to one part of the city and one neighborhood, and accordingly, that's where a lot of our culture and history has happened and so continues to take place in Denver,” Kotel said.

Kotel added that the district’s corridors, on Colfax Avenue as well as Broadway Street and Lincoln Street, have the largest concentration of LGBTQ+ businesses in Denver and have been occupied by clusters of these businesses for decades.

“It's really interesting to see that those businesses kind of aligned with the city's growth over time, and the community has kind of always operated on the fringes where, you know, it's easy to come and go without being seen,” Kotel said.

District happenings

Kotel said that part of the district’s modern mission is to create a place where community members can participate in LGBTQ+ culture-focused experiences and events.

“We're trying to have it be a destination where there's a tangible, visible sense of Queer culture, and where you can go and experience things like drag shows, find resources, you'll see pride flags around you, all that kind of stuff and where the community itself can continue to live and thrive,” Kotel said.

Lavender Hill will participate in several events throughout the rest of Pride Month.

According to their Instagram announcement, Lavender Hill is a Pride in the City sponsor, which Denver Mayor Mike Johnston‘s LGBTQ+ commission organized.

The event’s RSVP form notes that it is free and open to everyone; it will include a market of queer and allied vendors, refreshments, live music and more.

This celebration will take place on June 27 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Truss House, located in RiNo Art Park. Those interested in attending must fill out the RSVP form by June 25.

In addition to being part of this celebration, Lavender Hill Cultural District is a founding member of The Denver Foundation’s LGBTQ+ Giving Circle, one of several identity group giving circles they have that compile resources and give grants to local organizations through democratic philanthropy efforts.

A launch party for the Giving Circle will take place at Champagne Tiger on June 18 from 5 to 7 p.m. The Denver Foundation is working to raise $25,000 in membership dues by June 30.

According to the event page, it is free to attend and will provide more information about the group’s purpose and becoming a member. Those interested in attending must RSVP through the event page.

Lavender Hill is also helping local nonprofits Historic Denver and The Center on Colfax with their Queer Capitol Hill Walking Tours.

According to the booking page, David Duffield, who is the co-founder and coordinator of the Center on Colfax’s Colorado LGBTQ History Project, is leading the Queer history-focused tours.

Kotel noted that the cultural district is working to give the community opportunities to take it year-round instead of just during Pride Month or the summer, while the two nonprofits are spearheading the project and subject matter.

Kotel also shared that they want to offer more specialized tours in the future. “We're working to find more tour guides and expand on some of the subject matter to be more specific to different intersectional identity groups, like a Black Queer history tour [and] trans history tour,” he said.

Available tour dates and spots, as well as additional booking information, can be found on Historic Denver’s designated booking page; tickets are $25 for the public and $20 for Historic Denver and Molly Brown House Museum members.

Additional cultural district contributions

While Lavender Hill often builds connections through events, they are also active through small business and community member-centric support projects.

Kotel explained that Lavender Hill Cultural District serves the community and aids small businesses through a mutual aid model.

Their work often involves listening to the community to understand their needs and finding funds and resources that fit what they are looking for.

They also help businesses that fit these needs connect with local resources as well as find space in, settle into and successfully navigate the nuances of the district.

Kotel mentioned the LGBTQ+ Giving Circle at the Denver Foundation as a way Lavender Hill applies their mutual aid model. He said it allows community members to make financial contributions while ensuring both individuals and local organizations have a say in where the funds go, connecting a community need with the resources to address it.

Some Lavender Hill projects focus on implementing more queer art and storytelling into public spaces.

Kotel and another cultural district board member are also on the Bus Rapid Transit public art selection committee, allowing them to advocate for queer artist-made pieces. Kotel said several million dollars were recently allocated toward putting art on Bus Rapid Transit-related structures.

“As stakeholders in the neighborhood, we were able to get what we're looking for in terms of representation and storytelling, and now, you'll stand on the bus stop and look up, and there's this beautiful piece of art,” Kotel said.

Lavender Hill is also increasing visual art visibility through a partnership with artists while simultaneously supporting businesses impacted by construction.

Kotel said Bus Rapid Transit construction has affected the district’s businesses, leading Lavender Hill to work with local artists on a limited quantity of 2025 Pride shirts; these shirts are only available to purchase at LGBTQ+ businesses on Colfax while supplies last.

Visual art visibility isn’t the only cultural facet Lavender Hill works with; they also strive to preserve LGBTQ+ history and increase awareness.

Lavender Hill has been collaborating with local organizations to preserve Denver’s LGBTQ+ history and make it more accessible. Kotel said Lavender Hill and History Colorado have been working to pinpoint and get historic sites into the National Register of Historic Places.

He added that the collaborators will apply for designation of at least one eligible site and work to obtain state, city or signage-only designation for the others they research.

Kotel’s advice for anyone looking to do work like Lavender Hill’s is to find a niche, consult local organizations for help and take small, planned steps.

“I think people can really do a lot if they make a plan and find some help, and I would say that's been super key to our success,” Kotel said.

Connect with the cultural district

While it is still somewhat in development, those looking to directly support the district’s work and contribute to their operations can join their membership program here. Anyone who purchases a membership before June 30 will get a free T-shirt and additional merchandise with each tier above “District Ally.”

Lavender Hill Cultural District is active on LinkedIn and Instagram, where they post frequent updates and announcements.

Lavender Hill Cultural District amplifies Denver’s LGBTQ+ culture through complementary community efforts

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