Here we go again! It's time to gear up for art and culture in the Grand Valley for the summer season. I was checking out everything that's going on in the next couple of months, and I had to chuckle. The variety here is overwhelming! From symphony concerts to a festival named after a headless chicken AND everything in between. And it's all so easy.

Let me explain. After living in Denver for 20 years, I was used to having to psych myself up to attend a public event like a concert, art festival or play. Not that they weren't great; they were. It was just a matter of facing the long lines, crowded restrooms, endless concessions and impossible parking. And usually the price of admission was fairly steep. It was all fun but exhausting.

When I moved here 10 years ago, my family and I decided to venture forth to some local events. We were dumbfounded. Not only were the concerts/festivals/plays/art openings fabulous, but they were EASY! No lines (well, MAYBE 4 or 5 people), parking within a block or two MAX, restrooms where you could actually wait to go 'til you HAD to go (instead of planning a half-hour before), awesome seats, affordable tickets, great entertainment and really nice people. We were in heaven! Still are.

The percentage of world-class entertainment and art may not be as high. But the fun factor and talent of artists and performers is huge. This is the way I like to experience life. Up close and personal. And you never know what you might find -- or who you might meet. One thing for sure: It is never dull. There's a Grand Junction Symphony Concert coming up, and -- believe it or not -- the Mike the Headless Chicken Festival. (These are just two of many events; just check this website's event calendar for more.) The GJSO presents "A Night of Chamber Music" this Thursday, May 13, at 7:30 p.m. at the Recital Hall at Moss Performing Arts Center at Mesa State. Small group ensembles will take to the stage and perform some of their favorites. The music is spectacular, and it's a wonderful way to get to know the musicians who perform in the GJSO. AND it's a fundraiser for them. So go! Tickets are just $20 per person (incredible) or $5 for students (ridiculous!), and are available by calling 970-243-6787.

Then, on May 14 and 15 it's the annual Mike the Headless Chicken Festival in Fruita. Sounds incredibly bizarre, and it is -- but it's a ton of fun, too. You'll find everything from great live music, artery-clogging food (always delicious) from a large variety of vendors, a 5K run, a big-hair contest, car show and even a lawnmower race. Yes. That's right. A lawnmower race. It's fun for the entire family, and it gets underway Friday night at 4 p.m. in downtown Fruita (about 11 miles west of Grand Junction on I-70). Admission is free, but the event will cost you a ton of laughs. If you want to find out the history of Mike the Headless Chicken, who was real and actually lived 18 months without his head (I sometimes feel like I lost mine YEARS ago), go to www.miketheheadlesschicken.org.

Well that's about it for now. It's great to be back, and I'll talk with you more next week. In the meantime, get yourself to the Grand Valley, where entertainment and art is not just great -- it's easy!