Archive: What's Happening in Golden?  

  
3/10/10

The days are already noticeably longer, but the dramatic change will come this weekend, when Daylight Savings Time goes into effect.  As of now, they're predicting nice weather this weekend--sunny and in the 50s on Saturday!

While you're waiting for all that spring-like stuff to happen, you might enjoy whiling away some time looking through historic photos of Golden.

3/9/10

Parents may be starting to think about how the kids will be occupied over the summer.  Our annual list of Golden summer camps is now available.  We have some great options, suitable for kids of various ages.  The Golden Community Center offers full-time daycare, and takes full advantage of the recreation facilities available.  The Clear Creek History Park offers a great pioneer skills camp.  Foothills Art Center offers many art classes for kids during the summer.  The Colorado School of Mines offers sports camps.  Check the list to see the full range of options.

3/8/10

Are you familiar with Golden Freecycle?  Freecycle is a global grassroots movement to help people give away their excess stuff and, at times, find stuff they need.  There are nearly 5000 Freecycle groups, and, happily, we have an active one here in Golden.  In the past year or so, members have given away furniture, TVs, computer equipment, clothes, construction materials, kitchen appliances, and much more.

Members post items they would like to get rid of and generally the first person to respond gets it.  The "giver" leaves it out somewhere like near the front door, and the "getter" picks it up and carries it home.  No payment and no social interaction.

To learn more about Golden Freecycle, visit their Yahoo Group page:  http://groups.freecycle.org/GoldenCoFreecycle.  

3/6/10

I've been asked to stop showing "Golden in Winter" for a while, so for the next week I'll be showing "Golden in Spring."  We're not quite there yet, but I took a lot of pictures last spring that I can use now...enjoy the foretaste!

3/5/10

There's a First Friday downtown tonight...come down for some free entertainment:  live music and free carriage rides!

3/4/10 The Lookout Mountain Nature Center has programs all year round, including many for children.  If you're feeling a bit of cabin fever, this makes a nice outing.  You can walk around their 110 acres of ponderosa pine forest or just spend some time in the Nature Center itself. What's Happening Archive

3/3/10

Several new classes are starting Wednesday at the Community Center, including three tumbling classes for small children and two hula-hooping classes--one for kids; one for adults.

3/2/10

The City is hosting an open house tonight to gather citizen input regarding a possible local (within Golden) bus.  The bus service would be designed to work with the light rail service that's coming in 2013.  Come tonight if you want to have a say about the routes and stops. Decisions are made by those who show up!

2/28/10

Denver Restaurant Week is happening right now, and several Golden restaurants are participating:  

• The Briarwood Inn
• Table Mesa Grill at the Table Mountain Inn
• Bridgewater Grill at the Golden Hotel
• Grappa Mediterranean Bistro.  

For those who are unfamiliar with the tradition:  restaurants offer special meals, generally three courses, for $52.80 for two (or $26.40 for one!).  The 5280 number is based on the elevation of Denver.  It's a good opportunity to try some good restaurants for very good prices. 

2/26/10

This is the last weekend for the play at Miners Alley, Habeas Corpus, and the first weekend for the new play at the Heritage Square Music Hall:  The Pinch Hitter.

In case you missed last weekend's Buffalo Bill's Birthday party at the Buffalo Rose, there's another one this weekend!  Last weekend's was a benefit for Buffalo Bill Days (our big summer event at the end of July).  This weekend's is associated with the Buffalo Bill Museum on Lookout Mountain.  On Saturday, there will be a party at the Buffalo Rose, attended by lots of re-enactors.  On Sunday, the party will move up the hill to the Buffalo Bill Museum.  

2/25/10

The high school band, orchestra, and choirs will be performing tonight (Thursday) in the beautiful auditorium in the new high school.  Hear some talented teenagers and see the new high school at the same time!

For those not musically-minded, you can watch the City Council meeting on cable channel 8 or live, on the city's website.  They'll be discussing medical marijuana regulation, the planned renovations to Jackson Street, and working with the School of Mines regarding their expansion plans.  After the regular meeting, there will be a study session with the Golden Urban Renewal Authority to discuss their current and future projects.

There's a party at the Mountaineering Museum tonight (Friday), to celebrate their second anniversary.  If you've never been there, this would be a particularly good night to visit, because they're going to have actors assuming the roles of various famous explorers and talking to the guests.

2/15/10

There's a really fun and engaging show right now at Foothills Art Center:  Timmy Flynn's Hardware Store.  It includes a lot of hardware-inspired art (picture sculptures made of wrenches and photographs of elaborate gear works).  Golden's own Meyer Hardware helped with the show, and it includes some of their artifacts, such as their original 1940's-era cash register.

See it soon, because it only runs through February 28th.

2/12/10

There's been some great jazz lately at the Golden Hotel. Teresa Carroll will be performing with a 3 piece band this Saturday night from 6-9.  Their music is sort of reminiscent of a big band sound.  They've played there several times now, and are developing quite a local following! Time draws short if you want to see either of the plays in town.  The Heritage Square play, That Was Loud, This is Now, ends of February 22nd.  The Miners Alley Play, Habeas Corpus, will run until February 28th.

2/10/10

The Golden Library is holding its annual sale of romance novels, Sunday 2/7 - Saturday 2/13. They do this every year to coincide with Golden's Heart and Soul month. At 25 cents each or 5 for $1, it's a great chance to get your year's supply laid in!  Not that any of us read those.

2/9/10

Golden inspires many photographers, and it's always a pleasure to see their work. One particularly talented guy has started a blog so others can enjoy his work. Check out agoldendiary.com to see Andrew Terrill's breathtaking Golden scenes!  This header photo is one of Andrew's!

2/8/10

Tonight is the Scrambowl at the Golden Bowl.  This is a fund-raiser to help pay for the lights that decorate South Golden Road during the winter holidays.  Many local businesses and organizations participate, including Golden.com.  Last year our team (of 16 year old girls) came in dead last.  We're hoping to do as well this year.

2/4/10

There's a First Friday celebration downtown tonight.  Come down for free carriage rides, live music, wine tasting, refreshments in many of the stores, and two museum exhibit open receptons! Foothills Art Center will be opening Timmy Flynn's Hardware Store, and the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum opens "When This You See, Remember Me." Click on the flyer to learn more.

1/31/10

This is the week to be educated in Golden.  

• The rec center is offering Hunter Education on Monday and Tuesday nights.
• Foothills Art Center is offering "Artistic Journaling" and "Introduction to Acyllics" on Tuesday.
• The library is offering "Mouse Basics," introductory computer training, on Wednesday.
• The rec center is starting several tumbling and hula hooping classes on Wednesday.
• Lookout Mountain Nature Center is offering a wildlife tracking program on Thursday.

You really can learn something new every day!

1/29/10

Golden Sweets and Baby Doe's Clothing are also raising money for Haiti.  See our previous entries to learn more about those fund-raisers!

1/27/10

Golden Sweets and Windy Saddle are also raising money for Haiti.  See yesterday's write-up to learn about the Golden Sweets promotion.  Windy Saddle is devoting next Monday to Haiti, and we'll detail that later in the week.

1/25/10

Several Golden businesses are raising funds to send to Doctors without Borders, to support their work in Haiti.  Golden Sweets is selling chocolate golden coins for 50 cents apiece, and the full amount goes to Haiti.  Linda List is the owner of Golden Sweets.  Her step-daughter, Lisabeth, is a member of the Doctors without Borders relief team in Haiti.

Baby Doe's Clothing and Windy Saddle Cafe are also planning fund-raisers, so we'll write about them later in the week.

1/24/10

For three years now, the Golden Urban Renewal Authority (GURA) has been offering grants to help our downtown businesses get websites.  The program has been very much appreciated by the business owners.  Many business owners are responsible for every aspect of keeping the business going.  They don't have time to learn website development and can't afford to hire someone to do it.  The GURA grants have enabled them to get on the web.  The following are some of the businesses that have received the website grants:

As a result of this program, downtown Golden has an extraordinarily strong presence on the web.  Sites like GOLDEN.COM and 2hourvacation.com and goldencochamber.org are able to provide links to these small businesses, and of course, the search engines also bring visitors.  Travelers to Golden often browse our shopping and dining possibilities long before they arrive in town! 

1/22/10

Sunday is the last day for several things:  free yoga week at the rec center, the Lakota Artifacts exhibit at the Buffalo Bill Museum, and the Video Art Marathon at Foothills Art Center.  If you've been meaning to try any of those, this is your last chance!

1/21/10

We're sorry to see that one of the coolest stores downtown, Pickets, will be closing soon because Sharrill, the owner, has decided to retire.  Great deals will abound as she winds down, but get there soon!  See her website to get some idea what she carries.

1/17/10

It's ski season in Colorado!  If you find yourself blessed with more visiting friends and relatives than you can accommodate, you may find our Golden Lodging Guide useful.

1/15/10

Are you planning anything fun this weekend?  Miners Alley is opening a new play--a comedy.  Performances will be Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings from now till February 28th. If you're thinking of eating out, we can offer several sources to help you pick a restaurant. Downtown restaurant descriptions Map showing downtown restaurants All Golden Restaurant Dining Guide, by location All Golden Restaurant Dining Guide, by restaurant type

1/14/10

The new City Council members will be sworn in tonight (Thursday the 14th).  You can attend in person or watch it live on Comcast Channel 8 or on the City's website.

1/12/10

Westernaires is a youth organization based at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds.  More than 1000 Jefferson County kids, ages 9 - 19, participate in mounted drill teams.  Many of the senior teams will be performing at the National Western Stock Show over the next two weeks.  If you attend any of the rodeos or Wild West shows, one of the highlights of the show will be these precision teams performing amazing feats at full gallop!

1/10/10

If you like to know what's going on in the city, consider attending some of the meetings at City Hall this week.  

• The Golden Urban Renewal Authority board meets on Monday night.  GURA is charged with keeping our historic downtown attractive and economically vital, and they do a stellar job.
• The Economic Development Commission meets Tuesday.  EdComm works to maintain the economic viability of the entire city (not just downtown).  Among other things, they are responsible for our very successful "2 Hour Vacation" local tourism campaign.
• The Golden Vision 2030 Committee will meet on Wednesday.  This group is developing a plan for how Golden should develop over the next twenty years
• The Golden City Council meets on Thursday.  They will be swearing in the new councilors who were elected last November.

1/09/10

We've been running a survey for the past month, asking Golden.com visitors what they like and don't like about the site, and whether they've been able to accomplish their goals when they visit.  

In general, people are very happy with the site.  They like the pictures, like the calendar, and find it easy to navigate.  Some people are frustrated over things we don't have on the site.  Some of what they want just isn't available online, such as the public notices, Golden Transcript articles, and police blotter.  We had a suggestion this week, though, that we can do something about:  list events at the Golden recreation center.  New classes and ongoing events are now included in the Golden.com calendar.

Thanks to everyone who visits the site.  Please share it with your friends & neighbors in the Golden Community.

1/8/10

According to our local historian, Rick Gardner, the Buffalo Rose recently celebrated its 150th birthday.  This might be a good weekend to visit.  They have live music both Friday and Saturday nights.

1/6/10

The Golden History Museums will be hosting a party for Shannon Voirol, to honor her seven years of service as the Executive Director for the Astor House, Clear Creek History Park, and Golden History Center.  Shannon resigned the position in late December to spend more time with her new baby.  Stop by the History Center at 923 10th Street on Thursday, 4:30-6:30 to wish Shannon luck (and meet the baby!)

1/5/10

Planning our biggest summer event, Buffalo Bill Days, is a year-round job.  The big multi-day event won't happen until the end of July, but the committee has been busy organizing it ever since the 2009 Buffalo Bill Days ended.  It has become a tradition to celebrate Buffalo Bill's birthday every February at the Buffalo Rose.  The party is a lot of fun and it's also a fund-raiser to help pay for the summer event.  This is an early warning, so you can get it on your calendar:  Buffalo Bill's Birthday party will be held February 20th this year.  Learn more by reading Ed Dorsey's article in yourhub.

1/2/10

If you're looking for ways to save money in this post-holiday period, remember the Golden Library.  They offer free lectures, free book clubs, free computer training classes--and of course, free magazines, free books, and free use of computers.

1/1/10

2009 was a rough year for much of the country.  Golden fared better than most cities, largely because of good planning on the part of city staff and city council.

You can play a part in defining the next twenty years in Golden.  The Vision 2030 team is now developing the plan that will guide our policy decisions in the next twenty years.  The team has interviewed more than 350 residents in the past several months, and now needs people to watch the interviews and extract the values and preferences expressed by the interviewees.  The city is conducting focus groups on January 12th and 26th and February 2nd.  Sign up for one of the sessions...you'll find it interesting, and you'll receive $10 in Chamber Bucks as a thank you!

12/31/09

A "blue moon" happens when two full moons occur in a single month.  We're going to have one tonight.  You could step outside and look at it and still be in bed by nine--Happy New Year!

12/25/09

For the past couple of weeks I've been inviting people to take a survey about Golden.com.  The results have been very interesting, and I appreciate people taking the time to respond.  I've made some changes as a result of some things I've learned.  There have also been a few things I couldn't change, much as I'd like to.  For the most part people seem happy to have the site available.  They like the photos and they like the events calendar.

For those who don't know, I'm a Golden-based website developer.  I do this site for fun, as a service to the community.  The site is not affiliated with the city, the chamber, or any other "official" organization.

I have posted the survey results that I've received to date.  If you haven't been surveyed, or have more to say to me, feel free to send me email at barb@golden.com.

To all who visit Golden.com, and especially those who recommend it to their friends--thanks!

Barb Warden
Webmaster - Golden.com 
SEE SURVEY RESULTS

12/24/09

Christmas is upon us!  

• Many of the downtown stores will be open till 4 on Christmas Eve.
• Safeway will be open until 6 on Christmas Eve and 9 - 3 on Christmas Day.
• King Soopers will be open until 8 on Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas Day.

12/21/09

If you'd like to buy some Golden-themed Christmas presents, here are a few leads:

Golden Posters (available at the Visitors Center and local framing galleries) Golden Christmas Ornaments (available at the Visitors Center, Avenue Gifts, and Creekside Jewelers) Historic photos (available through the Golden Landmarks Association) Golden Jewelry (Creekside Jewelers) Golden t-shirts (Avenue Gifts and the Visitors Center) Jewelry, lotions, and artwork made by Golden artists at Bella Notte. Paintings and prints of Golden scenes at Spirits of the Wind Gallery. Books about Golden History at Clear Creek Books.

12/17/09

This weekend is your last chance to see the Christmas play at Miners Alley.  In fact, judging by their website, Friday may be the only night with tickets still available--but call the theater to check.   "The Haunted Man" (a Charles Dickens story) will play at Heritage Square Music Hall through New Years Eve. Heritage Square Children's Theater will show The Christmas Rescue through December 30th.

12/16/09

Thirsty Third Thursday at the Mountaineering Museum has been growing in popularity.  Acoustic music, local beer, and a fun group.  Tonight, the Golden Cultural Alliance members are meeting there for their holiday celebration, so show up, and hobnob with the cultural types!

12/14/09

Golden High School will be offering some good music this week:  a holiday concert by the vocal groups on Tuesday night, and a jazz band concert on Wednesday night.  

12/12/09

Don't miss the annual Historic Homes Tour on Sunday.  We weren't sure it would happen this year, after the change in museum management at the History Museum, but the DAR has organized one.  This year, report to the American Mountaineering Center.  You'll have the opportunity to tour the Center (which originally served as Golden's High School) and will be given a map to the homes on this year's tour.

12/09/09

The Golden Civic Foundation held their annual grant presentation breakfast this week.

Every November the Civic Foundation holds a fund-raising dinner and auction.  Scores of businesses and individuals contribute items to the auction and hundreds attend and bid.  The proceeds of this auction are distributed a few weeks later in the form of grants to Golden non-profit organizations, schools, and the police and fire departments.  Watch this highlights video to see who benefitted this year!

12/7/09

12/6/09

Many of the downtown stores are open on Sunday at this time of the year, and the free carriage rides continue!  The holiday plays at Heritage Square and Miners Alley are both good, and both have Sunday evening shows.

12/5/09

12/4/09

Tonight's the big night!  The Candlelight Walk will take place in Downtown Golden.  A big group of people (really big--like, thousands) will meet at the top of the hill near Foothills Art Center.  Some bring candles and some buy them on the spot, but candles are optional.  Everyone walks down Washington Avenue to the Visitors Center.  The Mayor flips a switch and the holiday lights come on.  Many of the lights have been on for a couple of weeks, but we haven't yet lit the giant evergreen at 10th and Washington.  This one is strung with colored LED lights--more than 2 miles of lights, in fact!

This event is a lot of fun even if you don't actually walk down the hill with the crowd.  The stores downtown have all their holiday decorations up and musicians and refreshments.  The museums and library are open and offering special events.  There will be singers and dancers entertaining people down by the creek.  It's a quintessential Golden event.  Don't miss it!

12/1/09

We've been inviting Golden merchants to submit gift suggestions in many price ranges.  In spite of the slow economy, some  people on your gift list likely fall into the "they don't need anything, but I have to buy them a present" category.  There are alternatives to the generic, pre-boxed gifts from big box stores!  

Pickets and Bella Notte sell lots of interesting, hand-made items.  Meyer Hardware sells classic wooden sleds, Radio Flyer wagons, hunting and fishing supplies, house wares, and power tools.  Silver Horse has lots of fun Western gifts.  Baby Doe's has boutique-quality women's clothing at very reasonable prices.  Avenue Gifts has a huge selection of things, and they gift wrap for free!

11/30/09

Plan to spend Friday night in downtown Golden.  If you have little kids, they can visit Santa at the Foothills Art Center and pet reindeer at the Visitors Center.  If you like music, you can sing carols with the crowd as they walk down Washington Avenue, then listen to to musicians down near the creek and in several of the stores.  If walking in a group isn't your thing, get a table in one of the restaurants along Washington Avenue and watch the crowd pass by.

11/28/09

Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend.  This Friday will be the Candlelight Walk--one of the biggest events of the year in Golden.

11/25/09

Head down to the Golden Hotel tonight for some really great jazz! 

11/22/09

GOLDEN.COM compiled a pictorial timeline of Golden for the 150th Birthday Celebration back in June.  For those who missed the big event, we've now made the show available online!

Brief History of Golden in Pictures

Prehistory -  1869 1870 - 1890s 1900 - 1950s 1960 - Present

We also had a great parade downtown to celebrate the Sesquicentennial, and that's also available for your viewing pleasure! 

11/20/09

The Golden High School production of A Midsummer Night's Dream is delightful.  The final two performances are Saturday at 2 and at 8.

Head downtown for the pre-Thanksgiving Holiday Open House, running both Saturday and Sunday..  Several of the stores are featuring extended hours, special sales, and refreshments, and there will be free carriage rides!

11/19/09

The neon sign shown in today's header is a genuine Golden historic artifact.  The sign originally hung near the arch on Washington Avenue.  Rick Gardner posted an interesting article on the subject on YourHub. The Downtown Merchants get a head start on the holiday season every year by holding an open house the weekend before Thanksgiving.  Come downtown this weekend for extended hours and special sale prices.  Wouldn't it be great to be finished with your shopping before Thanksgiving?

The School of Mines is hosting a lecture about renewable biofuels on Friday afternoon at 4.  The public is welcome and the event is free.

11/18/09

The Downtown Merchants get a little head start on the holiday season every year by holding an open house the weekend before Thanksgiving.  Come downtown this weekend for extended hours and special sale prices.  Wouldn't it be great to be finished with your shopping before Thanksgiving?

11/16/09

Both of our theaters have started their Christmas plays--"It's a Wonderful Life" at Miners Alley, and "The Haunted Man" (a Charles Dickens story) at Heritage Square Music Hall.  Go early--these plays often sell out! In addition, Heritage Square Children's Theater opens its Christmas play on Saturday.  They offer two shows every Saturday and sometimes have mid-week shows if requested by large groups.  These plays are funny and delightful and interactive and kids love them. Finally, the Golden High School is performing A Midsummer Night's Dream this week, Thursday through Saturday.

11/14/09

The Golden Civic Foundation auction is tonight.  The theme this year is "Then and Now," celebrating Golden's 150th birthday.  Scores of people and businesses contribute to this auction every year and hundreds participate as buyers.  The proceeds will be distributed as grants in December to Golden's non-profit organizations.

11/13/09

Higher Grounds is hosting an Equadorian craft show from 4 - 6 Friday afternoon.

Bell Middle School is the site for an "artisan show" Saturday 9  - 4.

11/10/09

11/9/09

This will be a good week for performing arts in Golden.  The schools will present their Annual Golden Area Vocal Festival Monday night at the High School, and the Golden Area Instrumental Music Festival on Tuesday--also at the High School.  

This weekend, both Heritage Square and Miners Alley will be opening their Christmas shows.  The Christmas shows and always excellent and often sell out, so it's best if you can get your tickets early.

11/8/09

Sorry!  We mistakenly reported earlier that today would be the last day for the Environmental Film Festival.  In fact, it ended last night.

Get out and enjoy the nice weather!

11/7/09

Good news for old car lovers!  There will be an unofficial Golden Super Cruise on Saturday night.  See their website for details.

11/6/09 Tonight is First Friday Downtown! Enjoy free live music, free carriage rides, and extended shopping hours with Golden's downtown merchants.  5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.  See the flyer for more information!

11/5/09

Dr. Julie Maiers of Sirona Physical Therapy is offering a FREE class on Balance and Core Strengthening.  The class begins today, 10-11 AM, and will run for 4 weeks.  Learn more.

The Colorado Environmental Film Festival begins tonight (Thursday), and runs through Sunday.  The event offers world-class environmental films, including a number of children's films.  The festival opens Thursday night with a screening of Tapped, which spotlights the big business of bottled water.  All events take place in the American Mountaineering Center, at 10th & Washington.

This will be a First Friday, so plan to head downtown for free carriage rides and live music!

11/4/09

Thanks to everyone who ran for the City Council Ward positions.  The winners of the election were:  Marcia Claxton, Joe Behm, Bill Fisher, and Bob Vermeulen.  The two term extension questions were both voted down.

11/3/09

The polls are now closed.  Election results will be posted as they become available on the Jefferson County Elections page.

11/2/09 Tuesday November 3rd is election day for four Golden City Council positions.  If you haven't voted yet, find your ballot and do it!  It's too late to mail ballots, but you can drop it off at City Hall or go to the County's drive-through ballot box at 100 Jefferson Parkway. If you haven't yet decided how to cast your votes, check our Fall 2009 Election Page for links to the Candidates' websites, the Golden Transcript's articles about each candidate, and other useful information.

11/1/09

Today at 2 pm is the final performance of Picasso at Miners Alley.  The Heritage Square play, The Villain Pursued Her, runs one more week and ends next Sunday.

Last week's massive snow storm was hard on our fall foliage.  Fortunately, we took a lot of photos in early October, before we began running the Halloween series on Golden.com.  So now we'll have a month of early fall photos, full of the leaves that were buried under the snow!

10/31/09

Enjoy some spooky Golden ghost stories!
Rick Gardner has just added 3 to Yourhub!  

10/30/09

10/29/09

The public schools will be closed again Thursday because of the snow.  Here's the official announcement:  www.jeffcopublicschools.org/closures/index.html. 

We're almost to the end of our special Halloween-themed header pictures.  In case you missed any of them, you can still check the archive!

10/27/09

You've probably noticed that the summer Movies in the Park are wildly popular.  A group of movie-loving Golden people are hoping to establish a year-round cinema, using the auditorium in the American Mountaineering Center (10th and Washington).  It's in the planning phases now, but they hope to start soon.  They definitely want help in organizing this project.  If you're interested in movies or just want to do something fun to help the community, consider attending their meeting this Thursday.  To learn more about their progress to date, read their most recent meeting minutes.
Weds:  The public schools are closed today.  Here's the link on the district's website that will show whether the schools are closed tomorrow:  www.jeffcopublicschools.org/closures/index.html

10/26/09

Dr. Hildreth from Sirona Physical Therapy is offering a FREE prenatal exercise class at the recreation center starting today (Tuesday) from 11-12 at the Golden Community Center.  The class will be once a week for four weeks.  Learn more.

10/25/09

10/21/09

10/19/09

10/10/09

We hope you're enjoying the "Halloween Scenes in Golden" series in the headers we'll be running on Golden.com throughout October.  Inspired by the Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations, many of our headers will be featuring skeletons hanging out in some of our favorite places around town.  (You may have to look carefully to spot them!)

10/9/09

This weekend is homecoming at the Colorado School of Mines.  The parade will run downtown at 10 AM Saturday morning, followed by a football game at noon (also at Brooks field).
If you're a chili fan you're in luck this weekend.  We're having 2 chili cookoffs on Saturday.  One is being held at the Golden City Brewery and benefits the Golden Christian Action Guild.  The other will be held in the parking lot behind Foss Building Liquors.

10/8/09

This weekend is homecoming at Golden High School.  The  parade will be Thursday afternoon at 5:30 in downtown Golden, followed by a 7:30 football game at Brooks field on the CSM campus.  

10/5/09

Tuesday night, 6-8 pm, is the Candidates Forum for this fall's City Council election.  The forum will be held in City Council chambers at the City Hall--911 10th Street.  It will also be broadcast live on cable channel 8, and recorded for later viewing on both Channel 8 and the city's website.

10/4/09

BUY LOCAL FIRST! Vintner's Cellar Winery in downtown Golden recently got set up to do online wine orders, so the next time you need to send a gift to someone far away, consider wine as an alternative to flowers!

10/3/09

Tonight is the final Golden Super Cruise of the year.  Classic car owners like Golden, so we'll probably continue to see great cars over the winter, but we won't see concentrations like this again till spring!

10/2/09

There's a First Friday celebration tonight.  Come downtown for wine tasting, free music, guest artists, and of course free carriage rides! Baby Doe's will be celebrating their 10th anniversary, which is a huge milestone for a small town retailer!  Our newest store, The Green Paw, will have its ribbon-cutting celebration! Tomorrow morning is the last Farmers Market of the season, so come buy produce, have a breakfast burrito, get some fresh bread, etc.  If you don't do it now you'll have to wait for May!

10/1/09

The Diary of Anne Frank opens tonight at Golden High School.  Performances are 7 pm Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, and a matinee 2 pm performance on Saturday.  Don't miss this opportunity to see a moving story, some very talented young people, and the new high school.

Tomorrow is a First Friday downtown, so work that into your plans, if possible.

9/28/09

There are lots of free activities available this week.  Monday night there's a free introduction to yoga class at the library.  Tuesday, there's a free prenatal exercise class at the rec center, taught by Dr. Hildreth of Sirona Physical Therapy.  Wednesday there are free kayak lessons on Clear Creek.  Thursday offers a free children's program on bats at the Lookout Mountain Nature Center.  This will be a first Friday, so we'll have free carriage rides downtown!

09/26/09

Sunday is expected to be clear and near 80, but the rest of the week will be substantially cooler, so if you still have summer things on your to-do list, do them Sunday.  Should be a beautiful day down by the creek.

 09/25/09

It's the 2nd to last Farmers Market of the year...you should go!  Saturday morning 8-1, just West of the library, 10th & Illinois. 

09/22/09 Our newest downtown store, The Green Paw, has made a couple of cute TV commercials.  We're hoping they'll be the first of many Golden businesses and non-profits to introduce themselves via video! The Golden Urban Renewal Authority (10th & Washington) has several inexpensive, web-friendly video cameras to loan out if you'd like to test your skills as a cinematographer!

09/19/09

The weather forecast says most of the week will be chilly and rainy, so this might be a good day to do something outdoors.

09/18/09

It's another good weekend for music-lovers.  The Clear Creek Concert Series continues at the Golden Hotel with Coral Creek playing on the patio overlooking Clear Creek.

Acousticalley is offering two exceptional shows:  Cosy Sheridan on Friday night and Dan Navarro on Saturday night.  Both concerts will be held in the Miners Alley Playhouse, which is a great, intimate venue.

We only have three more Farmers Markets this season, so get over there Saturday morning!

09/14/09

09/11/09

We're past Labor Day now, so it's time to get serious about this fall's City Council elections.  Golden is divided into four wards and two districts.  Two years ago, we voted on our district representatives.  This year, we're voting for ward representatives.  Our election page will help you find which ward you're in, and provides names of the candidates and links to their web sites (if they have them).

If you like the way Golden is run, it's important that you participate in this election.  And if you don't like the way we're headed, it's even more important!  Learn more about this fall's election.

09/09/09

The Chamber is hosting 3 ribbon cuttings on Thursday afternoon, all in the business area near Golden High School.  The reception will start at 4.  The ribbons will be cut at 5;15 (Pedal Pushers), 5:30 (Golden Grounds), and 5:45 (Empanada Express).  Check out the bike shop, have a latte, and leave with empanadas for dinner!

09/07/09

The Golden library will be re-starting the homework help days, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 3-5PM.  Golden school children are welcome to come to the library for free tutoring provided by Colorado School of Mines students.

09/03/09

We'll be celebrating First Friday downtown this week.  Lots of live music, free carriage rides, and special events offered by the merchants.  Come on down!

The Farmer's Market on Saturday morning will be fun, as always.  Come for breakfast, take a carriage ride, chat with neighbors, stay for lunch, take a walk along the creek, and leave with fresh bread and lots of local produce.  There's only another month of Markets before they close up for the season, so don't miss your chance to enjoy this community event.

Saturday night is the monthly Super Cruise, which seems to get better every month.  This is the second-to-last cruise for the year, so again, come see it while it lasts!

The play at Heritage Square will end this weekend.  This is part of the very funny "Loud" series, so make a point of seeing it before it's too late!

08/28/09

Tonight is the final movie in the Movies and Music in the Park series for 2009.  Come down to Parfet Park and watch Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix!

There will also be lots of live music downtown.  Rob Drabkin will be performing in Parfet Park before the movie.  Vintner's Cellar, the Golden Hotel, and the Buffalo Rose will also have music going.

08/24/09

08/23/09

Sunday is a good day to hang out on the creek.  Watch the tubers and kayakers.  Bring a picnic and enjoy lunch in Lions, Parfet, or Vanover Park.

Take an art walk:  the Civic Foundation's website has a printable map showing the names and locations of the bronze sculptures downtown.

08/21/09

There's a party at the visitors center tonight.  Dinner is provided and people eat at tables on the visitors center deck and down below, around the pathways that along the creek.  It's a lovely event and the public is invited.  There is a $25 charge, since this is a benefit in support of the visitors center.  5-8 pm.

There's lots of free live music tonight, as is typical of a Friday night in Golden.  Vintners Cellar winery is hosting John McKay.  The Clear Creek Concert series at the Golden Hotel is featuring Ayo Awosika.  John Common will be playing in Parfet Park, prior to the free movie--Kung Fu Panda.

08/18/09

Enjoy the waning days of summer.  Most kids will be starting school on Thursday of this week.

08/17/09

08/14/09

The Farmers Market will have special extended hours on Saturday, in honor of the Arts Festival (and the 35,000 people who are expected to visit it!)  They usually fold up at 1, but this weekend they will stay open until 4.

To bookend the weekend, there will be Movies and Music in the Park on Friday night and a Jefferson Symphony Orchestra concert in Parfet Park on Sunday night.  Both are free.

08/09/09

The Colorado Railroad Museum hosted a great party Saturday night.  If you've never been there, you're missing out...and they're open today!  Just head East on 10th Street for a couple of miles, and you'll find it.  There's a special display of toy trains this weekend, and Spike the Railroad Depot Dog will be on hand, meeting, greeting, and signing autographs.  Learn more.

08/08/09

08/07/09

Friday will be a First Friday (carriage rides & live music downtown) and it's also the first of four free "Movies and Music in the Park" evenings in Parfet Park.  More.

08/05/09

Enjoy a free kayaking lesson in Clear Creek on Wednesday night (or just watch those who do).  On Thursday night, Foothills Art Center kicks off a film festival.

08/02/09

Today is a perfect day to spend down on the creek, kayaking, tubing, or just watching:  mid-80s, sunny, and breezy.  Tonight you could go see the play at either Miners Alley or Heritage Square.

08/01/09

Visit the Farmers Market Saturday morning from 8 - 1.  More live music (courtesy of Vintner's Cellar), and tons of fresh produce and other locally-grown food.  Come for breakfast, meet your friends there, and stay for lunch!

The monthly Super Cruise happens this Saturday, and should be even better than usual.  Our local group is hosting "Roddin' the Rockies" this weekend, based in Golden and featuring scenic cruises on Lookout Mountain and out to Central City.  Expect to see even more classic cars than usual!  They're having a special celebrity guest:  Paul Le Mat, who played John Milner in American Grafitti.  Learn more.

Remember!  Leadership Golden applications are due today!  Fill out an application at their website if you're interested!

07/30/09

Vintner's Cellar will host guitarist Jim Tabbot on Friday evening.  Stop in and enjoy a glass of wine and Jim's music.  No cover charge.

The Clear Creek Concert series continues Friday night on the patio at the Golden Hotel.  This week's group is Riverbend.  No cover charge.

07/28/09

07/26/09

Sunday starts with a community worship service in Parfet Park at 9, followed by a Mutton Bustin' contest for small cowpokes-in-training at 10 in Lions Park.  There will be a car show along Washington Avenue all day Sunday.

Learn more about Buffalo Bill Days at their website.

07/25/09

Saturday is the biggest day of Buffalo Bill Days, starting with the pancake breakfast at the fire station, then the parade at 10.  At noon, there's a Wild West Show right in the middle of downtown, at 12th and Washington.

07/24/09

With Buffalo Bill Days going on, the music is non-stop in Parfet Park this weekend.  In addition, there will be live music Friday night at Vintner's Cellar and on the patio at the Golden Hotel.

07/23/09

07/21/09

Kids' summer camps topics this week include science, pioneer life, and recycled art.

The town is now gearing up for the biggest public event of the summer--Buffalo Bill Days.  Parfet Park is the center of the action, but several other places downtown will also host special events.   We'll give more information about Buffalo Bill Days later in the week.

07/19/09

Clear Creek and the paths along either side are really buzzing this month, especially on weekends.  Make a point of coming down just to watch all the people in kayaks and inner tubes.  There are many great vantage points, including the bridges spanning the creek and the benches that face the creek. 

07/18/09

Saturday starts with the Farmers Market.  After that, you could wander across the bridge and meet the 4H members who are showing their cattle at the Clear Creek History Park from 10 to 2.  You could also take a class in cooking over a woodstove at the History Park.  There are two session, at 10 and 2. 

The city is hosting another in the series of neighborhood block parties.  These are a fun way to be included in Golden's long-term planning.  What do you like about Golden as it currently is, and what should we be improving?  How would you want Golden to look for your grandchildren?  If you haven't been to one of these events yet, you really should make a point of going.  They make public input not only painless, but fun and interesting.  Besides--they feed you lunch!  You can attend any of the gatherings.  This one happens to be in the Heritage Dells neighborhood.  Just go South on Heritage Road and turn West on Kimball.  

07/17/09

Vintner's Cellar offers live music, as it always does on Friday night, and the Clear Creek music series continues Friday evening on the patio of the Golden Hotel.

The weekend is your last chance to see the play at Miners Alley.  The Saturday evening show (7:30) has a few seats left and there is a wait list for Sunday afternoon.  Over the River and Through the Woods is a comedy and has received good reviews.  And the theater is air conditioned!  

07/14/09

The American Mountaineering Museum has established a fun new event:  Thirsty Third Thursdays.  For only $1 admission you can listen to live music, check out the museum, drink local beer, and mingle with like-minded people.

07/13/09

The Golden Transcript included an interesting article last Thursday.  The article reports that there is a company that provides kayaking lessons every Wednesday on Clear Creek in downtown Golden.  The instruction is free.  If you need equipment, you can rent it from the company for only $10.  Read the article to learn more!

Golden's own Jubilant Bridge is playing a free concern Tuesday night in Lions Park.

07/11/09

Miners Alley is showing a good play:  Over the River and Through the Woods.  Tonight's performance is at 6.  Next weekend will be the last opportunity to catch this comedy.  Learn more.

07/10/09

On Saturday, the city is hosting another in the series of neighborhood block parties.  These are a fun way to be included in Golden's long-term planning.  What do you like about Golden as it currently is, and what should we be improving?  How would you want Golden to look for your grandchildren?  If you haven't been to one of these events yet, you really should make a point of going.  They make public input not only painless, but fun and interesting.  Besides--they feed you lunch!  Learn more.

The Railroad Museum is celebrating its 50th birthday this weekend.  They often run a train through the grounds on weekends, but this will be something really special.  On Saturday from 10-12 they'll have a special program that includes an entire parade of their historic trains!  Learn more at their website.

07/08/09

We're having a lot of free live music this summer.  Thursday night there will be musicians playing on the patio of the Golden Hotel from 4:30 till 10.  Friday night Vintner's Cellar will have music from 7 till 10. 

07/06/09

Golden offers a lot of great summer camps for kids.  This week, they can learn martial arts, pioneer skills, theater skills, and photography.  See below for details and links to more information.

07/03/09

July 4th begins with a Farmers Market just West of the library, between 10th St. and Clear Creek.

The 4th of July festivities will begin at noon, in Lions Park. There will be live entertainment, food vendors, and FREE rides for young children.  After dark we'll have fireworks!

Heritage Square is celebrating the 4th too, with Native American singing, dancing, and story telling as well as Wild West Gunslingers!

This is also the weekend for the Golden Super Cruise, so we'll have lots of classic cars to ogle on Saturday.

06/29/09

Another good weekend coming up.  This will be a First Friday, so the downtown merchants will be offering lots of free live music and refreshments.  In addition to the usual First Friday stuff, the Chamber will be hosting the annual Block Party, which is held in the parking lot between 12th & 13th on Arapahoe.  Free hot dogs provided by MillerCoors, music, free horse-drawn carriage rides, local business booths, free Chipmunk Express train rides, plus all the First Friday events at merchants up and down Washington Avenue and its side streets.

Saturday is the 4th of July, and as you would expect, Golden does a thorough job of celebrating it.  The Lions Club hosts an event in (where else?) Lions Park.  There are festivities all day, with live entertainment, food vendors, and FREE rides for young children.  After dark--the fireworks!

This is also the weekend for the Golden Super Cruise, so we'll have lots of classic cars to ogle on Saturday.