Youth on Record is no stranger to putting ourselves out there and trying new things. We’ve been called mavericks. We’ve been known to push the boundaries of our sector. And our 16 LIVE series, which launches tomorrow, August 20 at 5 pm and continues through October 15 in Glenarm Plaza, is no exception.

We’re bringing together DJs, dancers, artists, young creatives, local businesses, and the community for six free Thursday night parties on 16th Street. Each night has its own theme, its own lineup, and its own personality. There will be DJ battles, dancing, live performances, a silent disco, and plenty of opportunities to just show up and have a good time.

But the real question is, why are we putting our time and energy into a downtown DJ Dance Battle?

Our why for this series starts and ends with Denver’s youth. 16 LIVE is providing more than 20 of Denver’s Rising Creatives with paid training and paid experience in live event production, event marketing and promotion, creative direction, and live sound. They’re working alongside our team and professional artists and production crews to learn what it actually takes to produce a large-scale public event series in downtown Denver.

That outcome would be enough to make this series worth it. But there’s an added bonus. We get to build a creative community on 16th Street!

My favorite nights in Denver are the nights when people are out in the streets, dancing, singing, and connecting with each other. We need that vibrancy. We need to dance and sing and be silly and let loose. We need experiences we can just pop into without much pre-planning and without having to spend money. Lord knows how much planning you all have to do, how many logistics you have to navigate, and how much you’re spending just to survive right now.

So, 16 LIVE brings us all together to just vibe. And...

Young Denverites are working, getting paid, and building real experience. And...

Our community is coming together for a good time. And...

Downtown gets to feel like a place where you can stumble upon some music, stay for a while, dance with a stranger, and remember why living in a city can be fun.

It’s a win-win, and well within Youth on Record 's track record of innovation. 

We’ll see you on 16th Street!