Early Spring Sunshine Boosts Bars and Restaurants Across Front Range

Unseasonably warm weather brings an early start to patio season, providing a much-needed financial lift to local businesses.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 4:19am

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Local restaurant owners in the Denver metro area say the early arrival of spring weather is providing a much-needed financial boost during what is typically their slowest time of the year. Patios are packed, reservations are full, and extra staff have been added to keep up with the surge in foot traffic. This early start to patio season is a welcome relief for small businesses struggling with tight margins and overall declines in consumer spending.

Why it matters

The early spring sunshine is a springtime gift for local restaurants in the Denver area, who are facing tighter margins and overall declines in consumer spending. An extended patio season can provide a critical financial boost during the typically slow season, helping small businesses that are the backbone of the local economy.

The details

Restaurants in Larimer Square and Olde Town Arvada are reporting packed patios, full reservations, and the need to add extra staff to keep up with the surge in customers. Scott Rash, general manager of Tamayo by Chef Richard Sandoval, said the restaurant has been busy for the past month and a half, with reservations completely booked from Friday to Sunday. Scott Spears, owner of School House Kitchen and Libations in Olde Town Arvada, said the early arrival of spring and the designated drinking zone in the area have been good for business, despite the overall economic challenges.

  • Temperatures have broken records on multiple occasions in the Denver metro area this year, leading to an early arrival of spring.
  • The designated drinking zone in Olde Town Arvada began last fall, and is now paying off sooner than expected thanks to the early spring weather.

The players

Scott Rash

The general manager of Tamayo by Chef Richard Sandoval, a restaurant in Larimer Square that has been busy for the past month and a half due to the early spring weather.

Scott Spears

The owner of School House Kitchen and Libations in Olde Town Arvada, who says the early arrival of spring and the designated drinking zone in the area have been good for business.

Colorado Restaurant Association

An organization that stated that local restaurants need every dollar they can get right now, amid rising costs and overall declines in consumer spending, and that an extended patio season is a springtime gift for local restaurants.

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What they’re saying

“It fills up quickly, and then it continues through happy hour, all into the evening and even to the later parts of the evening, because it's staying warmer at that time.”

— Scott Rash, General Manager, Tamayo by Chef Richard Sandoval

“People want to come out. They want to sit on the patios. They want to enjoy a cocktail, just to be outside enjoy the sun.”

— Scott Spears, Owner, School House Kitchen and Libations

“Local restaurants need every dollar they can get right now, amid rising costs and overall declines in consumer spending. An extended patio season is a springtime gift for local restaurants.”

— Colorado Restaurant Association

What’s next

As the warm weather continues, restaurant owners will be closely monitoring customer traffic and sales to see if the early spring boost can be sustained throughout the summer months.

The takeaway

The early arrival of spring weather in the Denver metro area is providing a much-needed financial boost for local bars and restaurants, which are typically struggling during this time of year. This extended patio season is a welcome relief for small businesses facing tight margins and overall declines in consumer spending, and highlights the importance of supporting local, independently-owned establishments in the community.