What's Happening in Golden - Monday, Jan. 5th, 2026

Cliff House Update

Photo by Patrick Klein
Click to enlarge

What's happening in Golden today?

Events for Monday, Jan. 5th

• All day - CURRENT EXHIBITS AT THE MUSEUMS

• All day - Golden History Tours
• All day - Live Workouts with Community Center Pros
• All day - Golden Sports
• 8AM - Municipal Court Criminal Arraignments

• 9:30-10:30AM - Fit and Energize Exercise Class

• 10:15-10:45AM - Let's Dance - Registration Required
• 11AM-2PM - Community Blood Drive
• 12-12:30PM - Mondays with the Mayor
• 2-3PM - Virtual: Active Minds Monday
• 4-5PM - Art 101
• 5-8PM - Monday Market
• 5:30-7:30PM - The Fundamental Principles of Art
• 6PM - Arts & Culture Commission Meeting
• 6-9PM - Teach Me to Play! Mondays
• 6:30PM - Movement Monday Running Club
• 7-9PM - Golden Concert Choir Spring Rehearsals Begin

For more information, click the item above or visit the Golden Today Calendar

2025 Retrospective: October

• The Buffalo Bill Museum hosted Coffee with a Curator.
• Miners Alley Performing Arts Center opened Diva Royale.
• The Railroad Museum hosted Colorado Rails and Cocktails: The American Hobo.
• The Golden Super Cruise ended for the season.
• The School of Mines celebrated homecoming.
• Foothills Art Center offered a youth art workshop, "Making a Point."
• The annual Metro Denver Green Homes Tour and Expo took place.
• The Library celebrated Hispanic Heritage via Alebrijes: Colorful Creatures.
• The Golden Mill celebrated Oktoberfest.
• The Golden History Museum & Park hosted Autumn Fest.
• GURA discussed affordable housing projects at 17200 Colfax and at the Nazarene Church.
• The School of Mines hosted Feel it All - A Journey Through Mental Health.
• Leadership Golden hosted a City Council Candidate Forum.
• The Buffalo Rose hosted a ski film, After the Snowfall.
• The Historic Preservation Board considered a plan to install a different type of roof on a historic home.
• The City held an open house to describe plans to change North Ford Street.
• The City posted recordings of both council candidate forums.
• The History Museum offered tours of the Golden Cemetery.
• The Golden Fire Department celebrated Safety Day.
• The Presbyterian Church hosted an art show for two worthy causes.
• Foothills Art Center offered a clay workshop: Goblins & Ghouls.
• The Horse Protection League held their annual Harvest Fest.
• Golden City Brewery hosted Chili Fest to benefit the Golden Pantry and Thrift.
• The Jefferson Symphony played Beethoven & Brahms for their 73rd season opener.
• The Quilt Museum hosted Sunday at the Museum - Creative Engine: Powering the Exhibits.
• MTAB approved the plan to narrow Ford and Jackson and add a separated bike lane. None of the public concerns were addressed.
• City Council discussed whether they should give all of the $3.15 million that they expect to receive from CoorsTek to the Calvary Church affordable housing project.
• The Chamber hosted VIBE@Five at the Golden Lodge. It was an opportunity to meet the City Council candidates.
• The Planning Commission continued reviewing the draft comprehensive plan. The new version focuses almost entirely on housing--in particular, affordable housing (and how to get more of it). 
• The City hosted a meeting about homelessness in Golden.
• The Front Porch learned about NASA from Dr. Jim Clawson.
• The Library told Colorado Ghost Stories.
• Friends of the Library held their Whale of a Used Book Sale.
• The Chamber reimagined their fall fund-raiser from the Chili and Beer Tasting to Golden FestiFall.
• The School of Mines hosted A Night of Music and Prose with Masakazu Ito.
• The Haunted Pub Crawls began.
• United Fitness hosted Vino & Vinyasa.
• Thousands of people showed up for the No Kings march.
• The Library held a Fright & Write session.
• The Railroad Museum offered their Harvest Haunt Train.
• Miners Alley opened The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
• The Golden Gate Grange held their Holiday Craft Fair.
• Dinosaur Ridge hosted the High School Science Quiz Bowl at the School of Mines.
• Jeffco 4-H had an open house at the fairgrounds.
• The DDA considered a TIF agreement with the Golden Hotel, which is undertaking a $5.5 million expansion. They reviewed a grant request from Miners Alley to establish a comedy festival during the first quarter of the year. The discussed the plan to eliminate 51 parking spaces on Jackson Street and considered a proposal to turn the parking lot by the Astor House into a "cultural plaza" and/or "common consumption area."
• The Arts & Culture Subcommittee discussed the grant applications from Golden's Culturals. The applications were not posted for public review.
• Golden Beer Talks at the Buffalo Rose heard about Jefferson County's wildfire mitigation efforts.
• The Sustainability Board discussed water conservation, pay-as-you-throw waste collection, zero-emissions construction, and EV charging stations.
• The Special Events Review Committee discussed recent and upcoming events and considered a grant request by Foothills Art Center for the Holiday Art Market.
• MTAB reviewed the proposed revision of the Comprehensive Plan.
• The Library hosted a forensics workshop.
• The Lookout Mountain Nature Center hosted a night hike with the theme, "Boo-Logical adaptations."
• The Colorado State Patrol hosted Blue Haunting - a trick or treat event.
• Foothills Art Center held their fall open house & member appreciation event.
• The Golden History Museum offered a tour.
• The VFW offered trunk or treat.
• The Mines Museum held their populara Spooktacular event.
• The American Legion had a Halloween party for children.
• The Methodist Church held a trunk or treat.
• The Golden Mill had their 4th Annual (pet-friendly) Howl-a-Ween.
• The Golden Outpost hosted Fall Fest.
• Eastern Star hosted their monthly pancake & waffle breakfast at the Masonic Lodge.
• The Front Porch held a watercolor class.
• City Council held an executive session to discuss buying property "east of Ford Street near 10th Street within city limits."
• The Community Marketing Board discussed Goldens in Golden and their contract with Datafy - p. 45 (which uses consumer data, including cell phone location, to target advertising).
• The Golden Mill offered Harry Potter trivia.
• The School of Mines hosted a nonprofit pitch and fundraising event for Jeffco-based nonprofits.
• The Front Porch hosted Denver Art Museum Art Boxes.
• Several Golden organizations stepped up to offer food resources during the government (and SNAP benefit) shutdown.
• Earth Sweet Boutique hosted Learn to Make Holiday Cocktails & Mocktails.
• The Library hosted a viewing party to watch "Is Our Constitution Cooked?"
• Early trick-or-treating took place at the courthouse, Mines "Greek Street" and Golden High School.
• Golden Outpost hosted Halloween Scaryoke and a costume contest.
• The Library, the History Museum, and the Fire Department offered "Golden's Little Monster Mash."
• The Downtown Merchants, the Chamber, and the City hosted the big downtown trick or treat event.
• Golden City Brewery celebrated their 32nd anniversary with a Get Your Freak On Halloween Party.

2-3PM Virtual: Active Minds Monday

At Jefferson County Public Library, we foster continuous learning and connections. Keep your minds engaged every Monday! Be sure to explore our website for additional weekly event options, including call-ins and livestreams.
Today’s theme: New York City

There’s no place in the world quite like New York City. From Broadway to Wall Street, Little Italy to Central Park, New York has a history and an energy all its own. Join Active Minds as we virtually visit one of the world’s most important cities. We’ll explore the city’s past and present, as well as the important people and places that have shaped this unique city.

Save your spot for this Zoom program.

4-5PM Art 101 @ Foothills Art Center - Creative Campus

Art 101 is for beginners and artists getting back to their art after a time away. Join artist John Passaro as we explore the basics of creation in an ongoing exciting month-to-month journey. Everyone is welcome. You’ll find us a warm and supportive group enjoying our weekly get-togethers.

Whether you’re looking for a particular medium to express yourself, or if you already work in acrylics, oils, watercolor, drawing, or fabric, the ideas remain the same: color, dark and light, composition, line, and more.

This class meets weekly in January. Register

Location:

Foothills Art Center - Creative Campus
809 15th Street   (Map)

6PM Arts & Culture Commission Meeting @ Golden History Museum

• Meeting Agenda
• Watch the meeting streaming live starting at 6PM
• Attend the meeting @ City Hall Council Chambers - 911 10th Street - (map)
• Send comments on any of the following topics to acc@cityofgolden.net
• Provide in-person comment during the meeting, at 6PM.

The board will approve the minutes from the December meeting. Tonight's topics include the following.

• Commissioner Rick Souders will provide historic background on Golden's Art in Public Places (AIPP) program.
• The board will discuss the capacity, roles, and decision-making regarding Art in Public Places.
• They will then discuss the three-year work plan and priorities for public art.

Location:

Golden History Museum
923 10th Street   (Map)

When:

6PM on Monday, Jan. 5th

5:30-7:30PM Fundamental Principles of Art - January 2026

Whether you’re beginning your artistic journey, returning to your art after some time off, or simply interested in refreshing your basic skills, you’ll find our group of artists welcoming and supportive. We enjoy experimenting in a personal way with the tools of the trade such as color, line, composition, values, shapes, and other essential skills. All levels of experience are welcome. Acrylic, oil paint, watercolor, gouache, and any drawing medium are welcome. We meet on Monday nights from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Explorer & Creator Members $40 / Catalyst Members $80 / Non Members $110. Register

Location:

Foothills Art Center
809 15th Street   (Map)

The Golden Word - 01/04/26

Play now.

Golden History: Nighthorse on the Mesa

Golden Transcript - July 22, 1982
Click to enlarge

In light of Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell's recent demise, I thought you might like to read about the afternoon he spent in Golden in 2003. You might also be interested to learn that he has a permanent presence in Golden....

The July 22, 1982 Golden Transcript featured this photo of Ben Nighthorse (above). They were promoting a show at the Denver Museum of Natural History (now the Denver Museum of Nature and Science) called “Indian Images ’82: The Tribes of the Plains.” The Museum planned demonstrations by “Native American craftspeople [who] make flutes, do ledger drawings, carve pipes, make drums and war bonnets…beadworking and jewelry-making.”

The Golden Transcript didn’t usually promote events in Denver, so perhaps by way of excusing the exotic, far-away location, they added this: (Editor’s note: Two hundred sixteen Golden residents are members of the Denver Museum of Natural History.)

Ben Nighthorse himself came to Golden twenty-one years later, when the Golden Civic Foundation commissioned Nighthorse on the Mesa–the bronze sculpture at the intersection of South Golden and Johnson Roads. Ben Nighthorse Campbell’s face was used as the basis for that piece. By that time, he had served in the U.S. Congress for six years and in the senate for ten years.

The statue’s unveiling didn’t work out quite as anticipated. The Civic Foundation had made arrangements for Senator Nighthorse Campbell and other dignitaries to be at the site of the statue’s new home on a certain day, at a certain time. When the day arrived, the artist said the piece wasn’t quite finished. The Foundation asked him to bring it to the ceremony anyway. The dignitaries waited a couple of hours in the Taco Bell parking lot, but eventually the artist arrived, with his not-quite-finished bronze on a flatbed trailer.

The unveiling took place, speeches were made, hands were shaken, then the artist drove the piece back to his studio in Wyoming. A few weeks later, the piece was installed in the roundabout at Johnson and South Golden Roads.

Originally, the statue was landscaped with a waterfall, but that proved difficult to maintain, so the site has gone xeric. The Boy Scouts and Kiwanis Club surround the Senator Campbell with U.S. flags on holidays.

Weather

Overnight: Partly cloudy. Low around 41, with temperatures rising to around 43 overnight. West southwest wind around 8 mph.

Monday: Sunny. High near 59, with temperatures falling to around 51 in the afternoon. West southwest wind 9 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly clear. Low around 38, with temperatures rising to around 42 overnight. West wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly Clear, 38°F

Tuesday: Sunny, 55°F

Tuesday Night: Mostly Clear, 35°F

Wednesday: Mostly Sunny, 54°F

Wednesday Night: Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Light Snow, 31°F

Thursday: Chance Light Snow, 42°F

Thursday Night: Chance Light Snow, 24°F

Friday: Slight Chance Light Snow then Mostly Sunny, 40°F

Friday Night: Partly Cloudy, 26°F

Saturday: Mostly Sunny, 48°F

Saturday Night: Mostly Clear, 30°F

Sunday: Sunny, 54°F

Supporters

Many thanks to the people and organizations who support What’s Happening in Golden?  If you would like to support local news, please CLICK HERE!

Sponsors:
($100/month and up)
Buffalo Rose, Buglet Solar, Foothills Art Center, Golden Cultural Alliance, Miners Alley Performing Arts Center, The Golden Mill, Golden Chamber of Commerce, Golden History Tours, Miners Saloon, Golden Hayride Outpost, Unite Fitness, Clothilde Elingbow, Michael Mason, Goosetown Station, and Earth Sweet Boutique

Friends:
($50-99.99/month or $550/yr)
Tall Pines Painting, Baby Doe’s Clothing, Goozell Yogurt & Coffee Paul Haseman, Donna Anderson, Carol & Doug Harwood, Stephanie Painter, Greg Poulos, Ann Norton & Jonathan Storer, Mary & Don Parker, Saré Merrigan, The Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, and Vic DeMaria

Supporters:
($25-49.99/month or $250/yr)
Laura King and Scott Wilson, Bobby German and Alison McNally, Forrest Jones, Barry & Liz Bettis, Cheryl & Tom Schweich, Marjorie Sloan, Chris and Joyce Davell, Rick Flint, Forrest Jones, Cynthia Merrill Tamny, Stephen Pero, Meg Van Ness & Steve Kalasz, Steve & Karla Schaefer, Bud Rockhill, Steve Enger, Kristie Brice & Mike Schwartz, The Golden Hotel, Kurt & Janet Siegfried, Ella Lyons & Jeanne Fritch, Robert Thresher, Tonie Mattox, Centennial State Wealth Advisors, and Steve & M.L. Richardson

Members:
($10-24.99/month or $110/yr)
Brad Miller & Julie Bartos, Holly Thomas, Jim and LouAnne Dale, Ann Pattison, Thomas Hoffman, Carol Abel, Brian Quarnstrom, Sandra Curran, Bobby German and Alison McNally, Kathy Smith, Karen Smith, Carlos & Nancy Bernal, Robert Storrs, Michele Sannes, Elaine Marolla, Dixie Termin & Ron Miller, E Tom Hughes, Crystal M Culbert, Patrick A. Madison, Alice Madison & Jim Kalivas, Deb Goeldner, Christopher Ball, 6th Chair Home Services, Dot & Eric Brownson, Rosemary Coffman, Emeline Paulson, Sandy Schneider, Mark and Cathy Pattridge, Cheryl G Leidich, Jen Rutter, Frani R Bickart, Jennings and Litz, Bill Sedgeley, Nancy Hughes, Justin L Wade, Kathi Eggers, Traci Case, Donna Owen, Leslie D Lutz, Karen Oxman, Catherine Skokan, Ross Fraser & KC Gilliland, Lynne Haigh, Elizabeth Hilliard, Frank Young & Terre Deegan-Young, Kathy Hirons & Jack Markin, Jess & Anthony Monasterio, Heather Duncan, Lee Ann & Pete Horneck, Carol Cameron, Cheryl Williamson, San Daugherty, Jim Garner, John and Carol McEncroe, the Golden Welcome Center, the Golden Transcript, Koshare Eagle, Ken and Colleen Krantz, Traci Neuman Lacey, Jo Barber, Jamie Cookinham, Kermit Shields, Meridee Cecil, Vicki Olson, Colleen & Michael Ramey, Nancy & Pete Torpey, Jax Baker, Simon Maybury, Rose McLaughlin, Cameron Chambers, Joyce Gravina, Patrick Klein, Barb Robie, Richard Caldwell, Janice Waring, Sam & Marilyn Baron, Carmen Johnson, Mary Eiberger, Kevin Nichols, Ed & Carol Freza, Laura and Curtis Moore, Ruth Hund, Shelley & Jerry Devitt, Eileen Masterson, Kate Olivier, Amy Korengut, Pam Logan, Clare Shier, Wendy Weiman, and Marge Frueh

Followers:
($5-9.99/month)
Golden Community Garden, Lora Haimes, Mariane Erickson, J.J. Fraser, Mel Perkins, Bob Hamilton, Steve Stevens, Vicki Olson, Emily Kurzinski, Nanette Johnson, Peyton Gibson, Sally Berger, Kristen Morgan, Joyce Sutton, Mary Rains, Craig Champlin, Stan Swisher, Bill Way