Has anyone ever really not had fun playing in the mud? It’s not something most of us get to do very often, which makes the opportunity to splash around pretty rare. That could be part of the reason why Northglenn’s annual Mudapalooza volleyball event has become such big hit in the area.  

“Nobody else really puts this kind of event on,” said Roman A. Ortega, recreation sports coordinator with Northglenn. “We started out with just eight to 12 teams and now we have so many return teams that love participating. I think the most teams we’ve had in one tournament is 63.”  

The 15^thannual Mudapalooza tournament will be held at Northwest Open Space, East 112th Avenue and Ranch Drive, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 22. 

Participating co-ed teams are made up of eight to 12 adults who will play at least three games of mud volleyball each. At the end of the day, the winning team will receive a trophy, some cool prizes and the glory of claiming victory.  

“While the tournament is for adults only, as it winds down you see kids playing around in the pits that have emptied out,” Ortega said. “It’s such a fun event, especially when you see everyone out there playing. That’s what the day is about — having fun with a unique game that’s not played every day.” 

The all-day event isn’t just a field day for those in the pits — there will be a food truck, drinks and other vendors on hand to make the watching more delicious. All beer sales will benefit A Precious Child.  

In all, the aim is to create an exciting summer’s day out. 

“We love giving back and highlighting the sports community,” Ortega said. “When we play, it’s an opportunity to have a brief getaway from life. It’s a chance to get away from our daily routines and even do something a bit out of our comfort zone.”  

Find all the details at www.northglenn.org/mudapalooza. 

MCA Denver explores Indigenous Absurdities 

There are few better ways to connect with someone than to make them laugh. Even if that laugh stings a bit.  

Anna Tsouhlarakis’ exhibition, Indigenous Absurdities, captures that humorous and incisive approach beautifully. On display at MCA Denver, 1485 Delgany St. in Denver, through Sunday, Sept. 10, the show is focused on Indigenous knowledge systems and ways of teaching. Using a range of mediums, including video, performance, sculpture, photography and installation, the work “challenges and expands the boundaries of aesthetic and conceptual expectations for Native artmaking to reclaim and rewrite their definitions,” according to provided information.  

Visit https://mcadenver.org/exhibitions/anna-tsouhlarakis for all you need to know. 

Pick your fighter — ‘Barbie’ or ‘Oppenheimer’ 

If you’re not keeping up with the film community, you may not be aware that the weekend of July 21 is the biggest weekend of the year in 2023 — it’s the release day for Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer”. It’s been built up as a kind of clash of the titans or cinephile’s Christmas, depending on who you ask, but either way, we’re getting two of the year’s most anticipated films on the same day.  

So, which will you see? And if you do a double feature, what is the proper order? Do you start your experience with the neon-pink fun and satire of “Barbie,” or the mind-blowing visuals of “Oppenheimer”? There’s no right answer, but I hope to see plenty of discussion about both options and the films. So, head over to your local theater and I’ll see you at the movies. 

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Jeff Tweedy at the Boulder Theater  

If you’ve followed the great Chicago band  Wilco over the years, then not only have you been treated to a lot of great music, but you’ve been able to witness frontman  Jeff Tweedy’s journey from enigmatic songwriter to beloved cultural figure. He’s made his own music, written three books and even acted a few times. No matter what he’s doing, I always find his work rewarding and worth the time.  

All this makes it incredibly thrilling to have one of indie rock’s leading figures out and about on his own, and Tweedy will be performing at the Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. in Boulder, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 21. This tour is being billed as intimate performances and with opener Le Ren on hand, this is bound to be a special evening.  

Secure tickets at www.ticketmaster.com. 

Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.