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Signature Events

Golden loves a good party, and we host several every year, thanks to hard work on the part of the Chamber of Commerce, our service clubs, and countless enthusiastic community volunteers.

January: Colorado Cowboy Gathering
2024 Dates: 1/11-14
(on hiatus for 2023)
Golden has become home to the annual Colorado Cowboy Gathering which has grown over the last two decades into a four-day event celebrating the cowboy life and culture. Well-known and lesser-known cowboys (and girls) educate, entertain, and enlighten the public with poetry, song, and verse. Attendees can experience an authentic chuckwagon meal cooked on site at the American Mountaineering Center in cast iron pots and dutch ovens at a real chuckwagon. Themed Session Matinee programs are plentiful for the kids. The Gathering is a real family event. www.ColoradoCowboyGathering.org

Colorado Cowboy Gathering


January: Ullrgrass
2023 Dates: 1/27-29
Who says it’s too cold for an outdoor party? Dress the part in Viking regalia and celebrate the Norse God of winter, bluegrass music, and craft beer. The family-oriented eent also includes games and craft activities for kids, an Ullr-egg hunt, Ullr costume parade, and a variety of tasty treats from on-site food trucks.  www.ullrgrass.com

UllrGrass Music Festival - Golden Colorado


February: The Colorado Environmental Film Festival (CEFF)
2023 Dates: 2/23 – 26
The CEFF includes local and national feature length and short films for all ages, thought-provoking dialogue, festival celebrations for both filmmakers and audience members, children’s films, a filmmaker forum, and information from a variety of environmental groups. The festival presents informative and entertaining films that explore interconnected ecological, social, and economic themes. Audiences have the opportunity to be more than passive viewers – they will leave inspired, surprised, motivated, entertained, and transformed. www.ceff.net

Colorado Environmental Film Festival


February: Buffalo Bill Birthday Celebration
Buffalo Bill is so popular around these parts that Golden celebrates his birthday three times! At the Buffalo Rose and the Rock Rest Lodge, living history performers in authentic western wear depict Buffalo Bill and the western characters associated with him. Costume contests, birthday cake, and music complete the party atmosphere. The Buffalo Bill Museum has contests and games, too.

Buffalo Bill's Birthday Celebration


April: Taste of Golden
paused for 2023

This event showcases Golden’s local restaurants and catering services, including its breweries, micro-brews, and distilleries. A Silent Auction and live music add to the festivities. www.goldencochamber.org

Taste of Golden


April: Colorado School of Mines E-Days
2023 Dates: 4/14-16

Fireworks in April…..it must be E-Days. Every spring the Colorado School of Mines students unwind and celebrate Engineer’s Days for three days. Activities include Casino Night, an ore-cart pull, field day, soap box derby, musical performances, a car show, a carnival, a cardboard boat race at Clear Creek, and more. The whole event culminates with the fireworks which the whole community can enjoy. www.mines.edu/Traditions

Colorado School of Mines E-Days


April: Annual Easter Egg Hunt
2023 Date: 4/8
The Downtown Merchants Association and the Kiwanis Club work together to make the Saturday before Easter a fun community event. The day starts with a brief and very intense Easter Egg Hunt in Parfet Park. The crowd then strolls up and down Washington Avenue, meeting the Easter Bunny and various other characters (Mother Goose sometimes makes an appearance). Cart rides drawn by Newfoundland dogs are popular with little children.

Golden Family Easter


May – October: Golden Cruise
Last Tuesday of the month, May – September
The family friendly Golden Cruise ride starts and finishes in the outdoor common area between the Armory Building and Calvary Episcopal Church . New Belgium Brewing Company serves up the beer, and Bob’s Atomic Burgers provides their fabulous hamburgers. Each week has a costume theme, and live music adds to the festivities.

Golden Cruise



May – October: Super Cruise Nights
First Saturday of the month, May – October
A large group of classic car owners converges on Golden the first Saturday of every month, May through October. They meet in the afternoon, in the South Golden Road area. Many gather near the Sonic Drive-In, an appropriate place for classic cars, but there are far too many to fit in that one space, so you’ll find them all up and down South Golden Road. At 7:30, they form a parade and cruise to downtown Golden. The cars are incredible, and people really enjoy walking around, looking at them, and talking with the owners. www.goldensupercruise.com

Golden Super Cruise


June:  GoldenGrass Music Festival
2023 Dates: 6/2-5

What better way to kick off the summer than with a music festival at a lovely beer garden next to the hills of the mesa! New Terrain Brewing Co. and Coral Creek Music have an impressive line-up of multiple bands. Beer tent and food trucks are on site.  newterrainbrewing.com/golden-grass/

GoldenGrass Music Festival at Cannonball Creek Brewing - Golden Colorado


June – early October: Golden Farmers Market
2023 Dates:  Every weekend June 3 – October 7 except the last weekend in July, Buffalo Bill Days
The Farmers Market has been running for several years now, and has been a huge success. It’s a good place for Saturday breakfast and lunch from late spring through mid-fall. Vendors sell local produce, flowers, plants, and prepared food. The market is held in the parking lot next to the Golden Public Library. Since it’s right next to Clear Creek, many people include a Creek walk as part of their experience.  goldenchamber.org/farmers-market

Farmers Market - Golden Colorado


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June:  Golden Summer Jam
2023 Date: 6/22
Sponsored by the Golden Civic Foundation, the Golden Summer Jam takes place at the Colorado Railroad Museum with live music, food and fun for all ages. Ride the Galloping Goose Railway, visit the Spark City Children’s Museum bus, and experience a musical instrument “petting zoo.” It’s the perfect opportunity to connect with Golden families and residents and celebrate Golden’s small town, friendly atmosphere.  www.goldencivicfoundation.org/summerjam/

Golden Summer Jam - Golden Colorado


June:  Artsweek Golden
2023 Dates:  6/24-25
ARTSWEEK GOLDEN is a week-long celebration of the arts orchestrated by Foothills Art Center in partnership with arts-oriented organizations in beautiful Golden, Colorado. Foothills Art Center traces its roots to 1968 when a group of artists formed to renovate the historic First Presbyterian Church into a thriving regional arts center.  https://foothillsartcenter.org/art-events/artsweek/


4th of July in Lions Park
7/4/2023
The Golden Lions Club puts on a great community party every 4th of July in Lions Park. The event includes free rides for children and free live music. People come with picnics or buy food from the vendors. The Golden Civic Foundation and the City contribute financially to the events, and the Lions sell raffle tickets so people can win prizes contributed by local merchants. The day culminates in a great fireworks display. www.goldenlionsclub.org

4th of July in Lions Park


July: Buffalo Bill Days
2023 Dates:  7/28-30
Scheduled every year for the last weekend in July, Buffalo Bill Days starts on Thursday with a golf tournament at Fossil Trace, and continues on Friday night with rides and vendors in Parfet Park. On Saturday morning, the Volunteer Fire Department provides a fund-raising pancake breakfast. A big parade through the downtown area follows, with many Golden businesses and non-profit organizations participating, plus a few organizations from the surrounding metro area. A stage in Parfet Park hosts live music all weekend. Learn more about it at the Buffalo Bill Days web site: www.goldenbuffalobilldays.com

Buffalo Bill Days


July, August, and September : Movies and Music in the Park
2023 Dates: 
The City of Golden presents live music and outdoor films for families to enjoy in Parfet Park, on 10th Street. Families can bring a picnic dinner and settle in for an evening’s entertainment under the stars.

Movies and Music in the Park


August: Fine Arts Festival
2023 Dates:  8/19-20
The Golden Fine Arts Festival, an August event, has grown in both size and prestige every year. The event is located on 11th Street, next to the Clear Creek History Park. Admission is free, and includes live music and a children’s art center. Food vendors are available, as well as free horse-drawn carriage rides. Many area organizations offer special events to tie in with the festival, such as the arts and crafts exhibits at the Clear Creek History Park. www.goldenfineartsfestival.org

Golden Fine Arts Festival


August: Pops in the Park
2023 Date:  
Every year, at the conclusion of the Golden Fine Arts Festival, the Jefferson Symphony Orchestra performs a free concert in Parfet Park.  Bring a blanket or a lawn chair (and a picnic, if you wish!) and enjoy this free family-friendly event.

Jefferson Symphony Concert in Parfet Park - Golden Colorado


September: Thomas the Tank Engine Visits the Railroad Museum
2023 Dates:  9/9-10, 9/16-17, and 9/23-24
For three weekends each year, Thomas the Tank Engine, the star of a popular children’s show, visits the Colorado Railroad Museum. The event is wildly popular and draws thousands of children. www.coloradorailroadmuseum.org

Thomas the Tank Engine Visits the Railroad Museum


September: The Golden Gallop
2023 Date:  9/17

The Golden Gallop is Golden’s biggest annual race. It starts beneath the Welcome arch and ends in Parfet Park. There are both 5K and 10K routes, plus a Kids Fun Run. It benefits the Golden Schools Foundation.  goldengallop.com

Golden Gallop


October: “Knock Your Boots Off” Beer Tasting and Chili Cook-Off
2023 Date:  10/14
The month of October and chili just seem to go together! Sponsored by Coors Distributing Company and the Golden Chamber of Commerce, Goldenites have been perfecting their chili recipes for this annual event. Plenty of beer provided by Coors helps cool down your taste buds from sampling the chili made by local competitors. Store specials, entertainment, and downtown festivities complete the event. www.goldencochamber.org

"Knock Your Boots Off" Beer Tasting and Chili Cook-Off


October:  Golden Civic Foundation Auction
2023 Date: 

This annual event is hugely supported by the community: businesses, non-profits, and individuals donate items for auction, and hundreds show up to bid at the auction. The reason this event is so popular? Because 100% of the money made at this auction is given away to Golden’s schools, museums, cultural organizations, and other non-profit organizations. www.goldencivicfoundation.org

sig-GCFAuction2


October: Halloween Trick-or-Treat Street
2023 Date: 
The Golden Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Merchants Association offer safe trick-or-treating every Halloween. Children are invited to come downtown after school, walk Washington Avenue to show off their costumes, and visit the stores for a special treat. Participants as well as spectators add to the fun of this community event. www.goldencochamber.org

Halloween Crazy Days


November and December: The Polar Express
Late November through late December 

This event debuted at the Railroad Museum in 2014, and was an immediate sell-out. Such popularity means that the Polar Express will be with us for many years to come. Families love sipping hot chocolate as dancing chefs tell the story of The Polar Express. Afterwards, they enjoy a train ride which includes many delights and surprises.

Polar Express at the Railroad Museum



December: Olde Golden Candlelight Walk
2023 Date: 
This event started many years ago when a hundred or so locals gathered near the Foothills Art Center to walk down Washington Avenue carrying candles and singing Christmas songs. Word has spread throughout Colorado, and now thousands show up, still carrying candles and still singing, and still walking downhill from Foothills to the Visitors Center. When the group reaches the Creek, the Mayor flips a switch and all of the holiday lights along Clear Creek go on, eliciting gasps of admiration and much applause. Many groups participate in this event: There are crafts and campfires at the Clear Creek History Park, roasted chestnuts and music at the Pioneer Museum, musical performances at the Rotary Amphitheater (on the Creek, behind the fire station), reindeer to be petted at the Visitors Center. All in all, it’s a short (2 or 3 hour long) winter carnival. This event occurs on a Friday night–generally the first weekend in December. www.oldegoldenchristmas.com
See a wonderful video of the Candlelight Walk produced by the City.

candlelight2


December: Olde Golden Christmas
2023 Dates:  
On each of the Saturdays before Christmas, the Golden Chamber of Commerce hosts special Christmas events all day in the downtown area. Every Saturday morning starts with a parade. The parades last about half an hour and include Santa Claus, local bands, local businesses, local scout troops, etc. The Christmas activities continue both Saturday and Sunday, with strolling musicians along Washington Avenue, free horse-drawn carriage rides, and tasty treats provided by the stores. It’s fun, and it really does make Christmas shopping in downtown Golden even more appealing! www.oldegoldenchristmas.com
See a video showing a Saturday morning Christmas parade, produced by the City.

Olde Golden Christmas