Toy Story

Lucas Richards, Denver artist and creator of the Horndribbles line of plush stuffed animals, has enjoyed watching his brand grow since he started the project a decade ago with a few friends, a pile of felt and googly eyes and little more than a dream. Since then, Horndribbles have been exhibited at galleries across town, delighting the nostalgic hipster audience with their weird shapes, unique back stories and hand-crafted quality.

From 5 to 7 p.m. tonight, the Children’s Museum of Denver will be the site of Return of the Horndribbles, a celebration of the brand and its new mission statement. Richards has found a manufacturer in Los Angeles that will facilitate larger production orders as he endeavors to reintroduce Horndribbles to children. “I couldn’t think of a better venue than the Children’s Museum for where we’re going,” he says. “We’re also debuting a line of picture books, starting with Zapp and the Oogah-Oogah Nut.”

Both the toys and the books are designed to appeal to a younger audience, he says: “I love the nostalgia of a lot of people my age in Denver right now, but often, they’ll buy something at a gallery only to leave it untouched on their shelves when they take it home. I want kids to interact with these, create memories and make new nostalgia.”

Meet (or reacquaint yourself with) the Horndribbles at the Children’s Museum, 2121 Children’s Museum Drive; admission is free. For more information, go to mychildsmuseum.org or call 303-433-7444.

Mon., April 15, 5-7 p.m., 2013