More than 200 professional, amateur and student artists will return to Larimer Square this weekend for the 12th annual Denver Chalk Art Festival.

Over the course of the free, three-day festival (Friday through Sunday), artists work on their hands and knees to transform Larimer Square into a street museum while festival-goers enjoy live music, fab food and refreshing beverages.

For the second year in a row, the Denver Chalk Art Festival kicks-off today with the Friday Night Lights happy hour, featuring drink specials, a chance to watch artists begin their weekend work, an interactive art project and the music of Mistura Fina (featuring jobs guru and my pal Andrew Hudson).

On Saturday, festival-goers can explore Le Jardin Secret – Larimer Square’s new, weekly, French-inspired chefs’ market. The final day of the festival begins with Chalk and Chakras, a free yoga class open to yogis and novices alike. Bring a mat and join the artists for sun salutations and downward dogs in the company of masterpieces.

Here’s the schedule:

Friday – Festival set-up begins at 6 a.m., preliminary artist work begins at 2 p.m.; Friday Night Lights runs from 5 to 10 p.m.

Saturday – Le Jardin Secret chefs’ market launches in the Bistro Vendome Courtyard at 9:30 a.m.; festival runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sunday – Chalk and Chakras begins at 10 a.m.; festival runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information on Summer on the Square, Larimer Square’s seasonal outdoor event series, visit www.larimersquare.com.

Stonebridge Companies president and CEO Navin Dimond and his wife, Rita, were feted last week (and with good reason) during Setting the Table, a table-setting competition and celebration of the couple’s record $1.5 million contribution to the newly named Rita and Navin Dimond Hotel Management Program at Metro State University of Denver.

MSU Denver president Stephen Jordan said that the Navins’ gift, “Will inspire our hospitality program on its way to pre-eminence. (The financial gift) creates a fellows program within our hospitality program.

The event, attended by Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, pitted table-mates against neighboring table teams in setting the most precise and creative table for 10.

With as much humility as I can muster, our table, called The Savoy, took home first place. It didn’t hurt that my “plus one” was Judie Seidel-Davidson, who has spent her storied career in the hospitality industry.

The event took place in the ballroom of the Stonebridge-owned Renaissance Denver Downtown City Center Hotel, a spectacular transformation of the nearly 150-year-old Colorado National Bank building at 918 17th St.. Do yourself a favor and take a stroll through the stunning lobby.

Stonebridge Companies CEO Navin Dimond, Metro State President Dr. Stephen M. Jordan and Rita Dimond. Below right, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper also posed for the fete. (Metro State University of Denver photos)

Patxi’s Pizza, the Bay Area brand famous for classic Chicago-style stuffed pizza and authentic Italian thin crust, celebrates its 10th anniversary on Wednesday, June 4, with celebrations at the chain’s three metro-area locations, including food and drink specials, contests and more.

Patxi’s (pronounced PAH-cheese) co-founders Bill Freeman and Francisco “Patxi” Azpiroz started the 52 Weeks of Giving program in November 2010. The goal of the program is to provide community support to organizations which share Patxi’s passion for education and children’s health and welfare.

Each of Patxi’s 12 restaurants donates 10 percent of all sales from one day to their partner organization. This includes sales from dine-in guests for lunch and dinner, carry-out and delivery orders, as well as all catering sales.

To date, 52 Weeks of Giving has raised more than $440,444 for partner organizations with that shared mission. So far this year, Patxi’s has raised more than $125,167 through 196 events; on track for more than a 66 percent increase from $166,620 in 2013 .

“We are so proud of this program,” Freeman said. “It is so important to us to give back and be an active participant in our communities.”

Ten percent giving days and nonprofit partners for local Paxti’s are:

• Monday, June 2, Patxi’s Cherry Creek, 185 Steele St.: Denver City Lacrosse;
• Wednesday, June 4, Patxi’s Kent Place, 3455 S. University Blvd., Englewood: Children’s Diabetes Foundation of Denver;
• Wednesday, June 4, Patxi’s 17^th Street, 1598 E. 17th St.: Mending Faces.

Hogan Lovells lawyer and Democratic insider Cole Finegan and Congressman Ed Perlmutter (along with other muckety mucks) leaving the reception Tuesday at a Cranmer Park home for Vice President Joe Biden.

Eavesdropping on a trash-talking preschooler during the tornado warnings last week: “I’m going to hit that tomato right in the eye!”

It’s so much more than a series of summer concerts.

If you want to see and be seen, enter the fashion competition, flirt, groove to tunes, dig into a steak and sides and hang with the cool kids, Elway’s Cherry Creek is the place to be Wednesday nights beginning mid-June.

The people-watching alone is the worth the price of admission, which is free.

Elway’s Cherry Creek summer concerts return for the 10th year with live music, cocktails, their signature menu and Colorado evenings in the Elway’s backyard beginning June 18.  These popular outdoor concerts play each Wednesday night through late August kicking off the anniversary year with the return of the Railbenders, with their outlaw country sound, on opening night.

A combination of last year’s favorite bands and a few new acts are on this year’s lineup. Colorado legends, The Samples, return on July 16. Several tribute bands hit the stage this year including The Police cover band Message in a Bottle; Forever in Blue Jeans, channeling Neil Diamond standards; Under a Blood Red Sky who rock out U2 hits and The Long Run, Colorado’s tribute to The Eagles. Newcomers Great American Taxi and The Congress bring Americana jam and Colorado’s answer to The Black Keys. Fans of funk will enjoy Funkiphino while That Eighties Band promise their namesake rock.

Elway’s Backyard is the courtyard behind Elway’s offering specialty cocktails and a patio menu for concertgoers seated in front of the tented performers. Courtyard seating is first come, first served. Patrons can also make reservations to sit on the covered Elway’s patio and enjoy the music as they dine from the full menu. Elway’s welcomes patio seating for dinner and private parties for 20-100 during the concerts. Contact erin@elways.com for reservations.

Elway’s Backyard opens at 5 p.m. Bands play from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Here’s the full schedule:

* June 18 – Railbenders

* June 25 – The Long Run

* July 2  – Funkiphino

* July 9 – Message in a Bottle

*July 16 – The Samples

* July 23 – That Eighties Band

* July 30 – Forever in Blue Jeans

* Aug. 6 – Under a Blood Red Sky

* Aug. 13 – Great American Taxi

* Aug. 20 – The Congress

For more information, call 303-399-5353 or visit www.elways.com.

Thrillist (www.thrillist.com), a national website that has an opinion on all things food and drink-related in the U.S., has bestowed “bests” to three Denver eateries.

Included in The 21 Best Southern Restaurants Outside of the South is Tom’s Home Cookin’, 800 E. 26th Ave., a Denver favorite for Southern fare.

Thrillist recommends the fried catfish paired with green beans and fried okra.

“The name here says it all — this is home cooking, and even if you’ve never met Tom, you’ll be begging to be adopted so you can inhale this instead of whatever you’re hacking at your house. If you can sneak out of the office and make it for the cash-only lunch, you’ll get your choice of one entree (chicken and dumplings, meatloaf) and two sides (collards, mac & cheese). Peach cobbler is not considered a dessert here; somehow it’s a side, which is awesome.”

Sweet Action Ice Cream, 52 Broadway, was included in Thrillist’s 21 Best Ice Cream Shops in America. Here’s the scoop:

“What you’re ordering: Pocky and Red Bean if you’re feeling interesting, Milk Chocolate if you’re feeling boring. Our man in Denver tried every single one of the flavors at Sweet Action, and, although he didn’t care much for vegan Maple Walnut or Vanilla Rose, he can vouch for nearly every other flavor as being worth at least several samples. But as sexy as Salted Malt Butterscotch and Cinnamon Roll sound, the champion of the taste was a simple milk chocolate described as ‘a scoop of goodness…'”

If you prefer drinking your calories instead of eating them, check out Williams & Graham, 3160 Tejon St., the Denver speakeasy that made Thrillist’s  The 33 Best Cocktail Bars in America.

“A cocktail-themed bookstore is the front for this barely-lit speakeasy co-owned by a guy named the 2014 Bartender of the Year by the Nightclub and Bar Awards. Before you order from their finely curated cocktail menu of classic ‘tails (helpfully organized by spirit) and a wealth of specialty cocktails, you first will have to be led through a bookcase that doubles as a secret entrance. Once inside, don’t forget to pair your drink (go for the Sexual Chocolate with rye, vermouth, Cynar, maraschino liqueur, and chocolate mole bitters) with a steak burger that uses beef from a top-notch butcher shop down the street.”

Leading organizations large and small were recognized last week for business excellence and community impact at the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce’s 2014 Business Awards.

The winners are:

* Small Nonprofit of the Year: Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1 of Denver;
* Large Nonprofit of the Year: A Precious Child of Broomfield;
* Emerging Business of the Year: Oakman Aerospace, Inc. of Littleton;
* Green Business of the Year: Goodwill Industries of Denver;
* Minority or Woman-owned Business of the Year: Comedy Works of Denver;
* Small Business of the Year: Weifield Group of Denver;
* Colorado Technology Association CEO Erik Mitisek received the David E. Bailey Small Business Advocate Award, given to a member of the Chamber who assists entrepreneurs and small businesses.

See the conversation on Twitter @DenChamber and with #chamberbizawards.

Le Grand Bistro & Oyster Bar, the French bistro owned by restaurateur Robert Thompson, closed its doors at 1521 Curtis St. Sunday after a three-year run.

According to Internet reports, Thompson said the business was too cyclical depending largely on the popularity of whatever was playing at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts complex.

Instead, Thompson will focus his restaurant repertoire on the opening of Argyll Whisky Beer in the former Las Margaritas space at 1035 E. 17th Ave., and The Griffin on Brighton Boulevard in the fall.