Virtual Events
6-6:55AM Virtual Dynamic Circuit
8:30-9:30AM Virtual Power Training
10-10:55AM All Levels Yoga Virtual
12-12:30PM Mondays with Mayor Weinberg
4-4:30PM Kids Martial Arts Class
Real World Events
9:15-9:45AM Toddler Time @ Golden Library
10AM, 1PM, and 4PM Wild West Short Tour
1AM and 1PM Wild West Walking Tour
10:15-10:45AM Let’s Dance @ Golden Library
6:30PM Downtown Development Authority Meeting @ City Hall
The DDA will consider a grant request from Mesa Meadows, which will be repainting the Foss building at a cost of $55,722. They have submitted a Public Benefit Grant Application for $27,860, or 50% of the project cost. The standard limit for exterior improvements is $2500, but the DDA occasionally agrees to exceed that. They have also received a grant request from Visit Golden, which proposes to conduct an economic impact analysis to quantify the value of tourism and visitors to Golden. The study will cost $13,900. The Legacy Fund, which is co-managed by the DDA and GURA, still has about $75,000. The GURA board has recommended that the amount be contributed to renovation of the public restroom in Parfet Park.
The agenda includes preliminary comments on the 2023 budget, which the board will discuss in October and November. Staff is asking whether the DDA wants to discontinue giving arts & culture, special events, and community partnering grants, with the suggestion that all such future needs may be covered by the City’s new lodging tax grant program and need no longer concern the DDA. Learn more….
7-8PM Golden Anti-Racism Collective General Meeting
Golden History Moment
44 Years Ago, the Golden community was getting ready for an untested new event: Oktoberfest. Golden had a big German population, and then—as now—was always ready to drink beer. The event was conceived as a fund-raiser for the Golden Chamber. It was held indoors, in the vacant Hested’s department store and was planned for Friday night and all day Saturday.
The Old Heidelberg Inn (which used to stand near Heritage Square) catered the dinner of brats, sauerkraut, and other German delights. Coors Brewing and Coors Distributing helped sponsor the event and, of course, provided the beer.
The following week’s Transcript reported that our first Oktoberfest had been an unqualified success. An estimated 8,000 people enjoyed the dinner, beer, and polka dancing. In fact, the dinner was so popular that people waited in line for more than an hour to get their food. Friday night, the organizers had to return three times to the Old Heidelberg to get more food.
The Chamber immediately began planning for a repeat in 1979. They promised more food, more beer, more souvenir mugs, and more fun! The event was so popular that it continued every year until 1993.
This Saturday, September 24th, the big downtown Oktoberfest will be revived, after a hiatus of nearly 30 years. The event will be hosted by Golden-based apparel company, YoColorado and will benefit the Golden Civic Foundation. There will be games, live music, great food, and beer provided by event partner, AC Golden Brewing Co, Coors’ small batch, local craft brewery.
Entertainment will include live, traditional Polka music, mechanical bull riding, stein-holding competitions, a cowboy dunk tank, and a costume contest. Eight beer varieties will be available to choose from, including an exclusive Wild West Oktoberfest specialty beer brewed by AC Golden brew masters just for this event. Pete Coors and Mayor Weinberg will kick off the event at 1PM with the ceremonial “first pour.” This shindig will be held in the Foss lot, from 1-6PM. Tickets are limited to 1,000, so buy yours before they run out!
Thanks to the Golden History Museum for providing the online cache of historic Transcripts, and to the Golden Transcript for documenting our history since 1866!
