7/29/10

There is no city council meeting tonight.

The Library has a good program for kids at 4:30:  Eric West the NOT Junk Man plays music on instruments made out of recycled objects.  The kids will enjoy it and may be inspired to make some music of their own!

7/28/10

There's a free Creative Dance class for 3 and 4 year olds today at 11 and a free Pilates class for high school students at 3.

7/27/10

This is the night for the Golden Cruise.  This is a group of bike-riders who meet at Woody's Pizza once a month and ride around Golden together.  It's a very mixed group, with all ages and skill levels represented.  They always look like they're having fun!

7/26/10

Thanks to everyone--City Staff, the Chamber of Commerce, the Lions Club, the Buffalo Bill Days Committee, and everyone else--who made Buffalo Bill Days go so well this year.  Downtown was looking its best, and a good time was had by all. 

Things should be relatively quiet for the next ten days or so--just the Farmers Market next weekend--then we'll have another explosion of activity the weekend after next, with Movies & Music in the Park starting, a First Friday Street Festival, Fireworks, and the SuperCruise.

7/25/10

It's not over yet!  There will be a church service in Parfet Park at 9, mutton-bustin' in Lions Park at 10, a duck race at 1, and entertainment in the park all day.  There will also be an antique auto show along Washington Avenue from 10 - 3.

The full Buffalo Bill Days schedule is available on their website.

7/24/10

The Golden Volunteer Fire Department will offer a pancake breakfast this morning, before the Buffalo Bill Days parade.  The fire station is on 10th Street, just West of the Visitors Center.  They start serving at 6 AM and end at 10, when the parade starts.  The line gets rather long during the final hour, so if you can, go before nine.

The parade will be at 10, along Washington Avenue, and the Wild West Show will be at noon, at 12th & Washington.

7/23/10

Lots of live music in town today!

• Lunch time on the patio at the Golden History Center

• Spirits in the Wind at 5

• The Golden Hotel at 6

• Buffalo Bill Days music starting in Parfet Park at 5.

7/22/10

The National Hot Rod Association will be holding their Nationals at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison this weekend.  Their kick-off party will be held in Golden tonight, and Washington Avenue will be closed to traffic for a few hours.  The public is invited, and there will be music and food vendors.  This event is unrelated to Buffalo Bill Days, but if you can't wait for that party to start, head downtown tonight and join this one!

7/21/10

Buffalo Bill Days officially starts today with a golf tournament at Fossil Trace.  Tomorrow's event will be a Chamber luncheon held at the Buffalo Rose.  Most of us will start the celebration on Friday, when the vendors and rides arrive in Parfet Park.  The Buffalo Bill Days website has a full schedule of events.
 

7/20/10

To get you in the mood for this weekend's Buffalo Bill Days celebration, we'll be running photos of the event on this page all week!

7/19/10

Ward One residents are invited to a meeting on Monday evening at Golden Heights Park.  City Councilor Marcia Claxton will be there, along with city staff members and a representative from EDS Waste Solutions, our new single-source trash hauler.  The new trash/recycling system is the main focus of the meeting, but updates on other city projects will also be provided.             

7/18/10

Most of the museums in Golden offer a few free admission days every year.  These are the remaining ones for the rest of 2010.  You might want to put them on your calendar!

July 19: Foothills Art Center
July 24: Golden History Museums
August 2: Foothills Art Center
August 6: Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum
August 21: Foothills Art Center
September 13: Foothills Art Center
September 26: Buffalo Bill Museum
October 4: Foothills Art Center
November 5: Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum (corrected date)
November 13: Colorado Railroad Museum
November 13: Golden History Museums
November/December: Foothills Art Center during Holiday Art Market

Admission is always free at the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum.

7/17/10

The Farmers Market runs this morning from 8 - 1.  There WILL NOT be a Farmers Market next week, because Buffalo Bill Days will be running.  The parade units line up in that area.

Clear Creek History Park, just across the bridge from the Farmers Market, will be showing cattle and teaching pioneer living skills from 10-3.

7/16/10

This would be a good day to have lunch on the patio at the Golden History Center.  On Fridays during the summer they're having free live music.  D'Deli's has a satellite operation there during the summer, so the food is good!

Foothills Art Center is opening the North American Sculpture exhibition tonight.  There will be a reception and award ceremony.  It's free and open to the public, so this is your chance to see the exhibit for free.

7/15/10

Miners Alley is hosting an "Industry Night" tonight.  They'll perform the current play, The Underpants, for their fellow actors from all over the metro area.  The general public is invited to attend for a special reduced ticket price of only $10.  You must call the box office to buy the tickets:  303-935-3044.

7/14/10

It's arts and crafts day at the Golden Library.  They're hosting a cartooning class for younger kids at 11:30, a t-shirt art class for teens at 3, and "UFOs" (Unfinished Objects) for adult crafters in the evening.

7/13/10

A number of interesting restaurants have settled in Golden in the past couple of years.  You won't be surprised to learn that we have six Mexican restaurants and seven Italian ones (including pizza places).  Did you know we also have restaurants serving Japanese, Venezuelan, Indian, Tibetan, Chinese, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern food?  If not, it may be time to expand your dining horizons!

Check our dining guides, arranged either geographically or by cuisine.

7/12/10

We've launched a new page design! The previous design was three years old and it was time to try a new look. We hope you like it. In the past few days we've also launched a new site search program and converted to Google calendars.

If you have comments or spot any problems, we would really like to hear from you: webmaster@golden.com.

Thanks for your continuing visits to www.golden.com!

7/11/10

Should be another nice summer day today.  Try to get out and enjoy it--a walk, a hike, a bike ride, golf at Fossil Trace, swimming at The Splash, or a trip downtown for ice cream! 

Miners Alley and Heritage Square are both running comedies right now, and both offer performances today:  Heritage Square - Loud: This is It at 2 PM, and Miners Alley - The Underpants at 6 PM.

7/10/10

Don't forget the Farmers Market this morning!  Have breakfast down there--a crepe, or a breakfast burrito!  Then enjoy a free carriage ride through the 8th and 9th Street Historic District.  Cross the pedestrian bridge and visit the Clear Creek History Park, where they'll be featuring sheep and goats today and demonstrating woodstove cooking.

Miners Alley opens a new play this weekend--The Underpants, by Steve Martin.  They ran this play several years ago, and it was both popular and very funny.  This one may sell out, so order tickets early.

7/9/10

D'Deli's satellite operation, on the patio behind the Golden History Center, was already one of the coolest places in town to eat--spectacular views of the creek and the mountains, and really good food.  Now they're also offering live music over the lunch hour every Friday through the summer.  (Today's the day!)

7/8/10

City Council will meet tonight for the first time in several weeks.  Among the topics they'll cover are the former Big Tree Mobile Home Park at 22nd and Jackson.  This lot has stood vacant for several years, since the owners ran out of money before they could complete the redevelopment.  The present plan is that senior housing will be built there.  They'll also be discussing zoning changes to deal with "infill" developments, like when someone wants to build a multi-family home in an otherwise single-family home neighborhood.

7/7/10

This past weekend was the biggest ever for GOLDEN.COM.  On the 4th of July alone, we had over 1200 visitors.  We're happy that so many people are discovering us.  We work hard, seven days a week, to make GOLDEN.COM the most complete and accurate source of information about "What's Happening in Golden."  Spread the word--tell your friends and neighbors about us!

7/6/10

As you may notice, we've switched over to a Google calendar.  We like the way it displays just the event name, and gives you the option of clicking on it if you want to see the complete description.  We hope you'll find it more convenient and more readable.

7/5/10

This is a federal holiday (since the 4th of July fell on a Sunday this year), so don't bother checking your mailbox today!

7/4/10

Happy Fourth of July!!  Golden will be full of activity today.  Be sure to visit Lions Park for all the festivities!  Enjoy the day.

The School of Mines Blue Key Honor Society is responsible for operating the giant lighted "M" on Mount Zion.  They've made it red white and blue this weekend, in honor of the holiday.

7/3/10

Last night's street fair was a blast.  In case you didn't get your free carriage ride at that event, you have another chance this morning.  The Farmers Market also provides free carriage rides!

The School of Mines Blue Key Honor Society is responsible for operating the giant lighted "M" on Mount Zion.  They've made it red white and blue this weekend, in honor of the holiday.

Enjoy the SuperCruise tonight, and plan to visit Lions Park tomorrow, for their 4th of July celebration.

7/2/10

Last month we tried something new:  we turned our regular First Friday celebration into a Street Fair, closing off the block of Washington Avenue between 12th & 13th.  It was a huge success.  About 2000 people showed up, and they had a great time. 

Come downtown tonight!  Several restaurants are providing "tasters" for $3.  Based on last month, you may find that one "taste" takes care of your dinner.

• 3 Tomatoes:  2 pork sliders, beans, and Fossil Chips

• Buffalo Rose:  BBQ buffalo burgers

• D'Deli and The Alley:  Pork sandwiches

• Blue Canyon Grill:  BBQ chicken wrap or BBQ pork sandwich

Music provided by Wallace Hound.  Beer provided by Coors!

7/1/10

Many of you know Nancy Smith from her long time involvement with the downtown Golden business community and Baby Doe's in particular.  In July 2009 her son, Dustin Offerson, was in a critical car accident resulting in very serious head/brain injuries. Now Nancy and Dustin's weeks are filled with therapy sessions and doctor's appointments. The system to resolve legal/insurance issues is cumbersome and long. Baby Does will be hosting a fund-raiser July 1st - 5th to help with Dustin's medical expenses.  Many Golden businesses and community members have contributed wonderful items, so stop in and get some great things for yourself while helping a member of the community.

6/30/10

6/29/10

Congratulations to Deacon Bethany Thomas of Calvary Church.  Last night she was awarded the "Service Above Self" award by Golden Rotary.  This award is given to the one individual who, in the judgement of the club, has made the greatest contributions to the community in the past year.

6/28/10

Just a little forewarning:  this coming weekend will be exceptionally action-packed, even by Golden standards.  Friday night we'll have a street fair on Washington Avenue.  Saturday morning is the Farmers Market.  Saturday night is the Supercruise.  All day Sunday is the Lion's 4th of July picnic and celebration, with free rides for young children, culminating in a fireworks display.  Plan to stay in town!

6/27/10

This is the final day for the DocuWest Film Festival.  There will be films shown from 12-2 and from 2-4 at both Foothills Art Center and the American Mountaineering Center.  This is also the second and final day of the German Heritage Festival at the Railroad Museum.  Coors brewed a special beer just for this event.  Some of the old engines will be operating, giving rides around the museum grounds.

6/26/10

Check out Saturday's events:  we have nature, we have culture, and we have beer...something for everyone!  Don't miss any of it.

6/25/10

There are concerts both Friday and Saturday nights at Acousticalley.  "Acoustic Alley" is our ephemeral music venue.  Their concerts are held in the Miners Alley Playhouse, which is a small and fantastic place to attend a concert.  It's "ephemeral" because the concerts are only held on weekends between plays, and there aren't many of those!  The people who run Acoustic Alley really know their music and they're very selective about the people they book.  Both Chuck Pyle and Acoustic Eidolon are well worth hearing, so go to one or both of the concerts if you can!

6/24/10

The Library has a couple of good programs for kids today--making hemp bracelets at 2:30, and cartooning at 5:30.

6/23/10

If you're a crafter, try the UFO meeting tonight.  If you're an athlete, go to the Front Range Running & Cycling Club meeting.  If you're a film buff, go to the opening night of the DocuWest Film Festival!  If you're none of the above, just look around and enjoy the scenery!

6/22/10

Last year, Foothills Art Center sponsored its very first "Docuwest Film Festival."  Astonishingly, in its first year it won Westword's "The Best Film Festival" award.  This year's Festival starts tomorrow (Wednesday) night and runs through Sunday.  With so many short films being shown over so many days, you should try to fit in a few viewings!

6/21/10

The sun won't set till almost 9 o'clock tonight.  Get out and take a walk, and enjoy this beautiful town!

6/20/10

When's the last time you visited Heritage Square?  Head up on Sunday and ogle the Corvettes, then take a ride down the alpine slide!  If you have kids, let them have a few rides in the amusement park. 

6/19/10

6/18/10

Kick off a glorious summer weekend tonight on the back patio at the Golden Hotel.  Enjoy the live music and watch Clear Creek roaring by.

6/16/10

The Golden Library is a hotbed of activity today, with an email class in the morning, an Excel class in the afternoon, and a puppet show at 2:30.

6/14/10

The weather remains a bit forbidding, and the creek is downright scary.  It might be a good day to visit the museums:  Golden History Center, Astor House Hotel Museum, Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, Foothills Art Center, Colorado Railroad Museum, Buffalo Bill Museum...lots of options!

6/12/10

Sunday might be a good day to do indoor activities. The Lookout Mountain Nature Center building is beautiful inside. The Wildflower Festival is a great excuse to go and see it! Fun for the whole family.

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department has restricted access to Clear Creek until further notice due to the dangerous conditions resulting from the spring run-off.  More information is available at http://www.ci.golden.co.us/News.asp?NewsID=765.

6/11/10

If you love cars, then the Wild West Auto Roundup is for you! This event is always well-attended, and the food and entertainment add to the fun all day Saturday.

6/10/10

Make a point of coming downtown to see the creek.  Don't go in or near it!  Just look from the bridge or a high point on one of the paths.  It's impressively high, fast, and loud!

6/9/10

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department has restricted access to Clear Creek until further notice due to the dangerous conditions resulting from the spring run-off. More information is available at http://www.ci.golden.co.us/News.asp?NewsID=765.

6/8/10

The creek is running very high and is quite dangerous right now. The Golden Fire Department is warning people to stay out of it. Golden Fire has asked the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department to close the creek until the water flow is safer. More information is available at http://www.cityofgolden.net/News.asp?NewsID=763.

6/7/10

We may break a temperature record today; might be a good day to go swimming! Several camps with art and history are starting, too.

The Jefferson County Public Library has started its summer reading program. The Golden Library has an interesting drawing class for teens this afternoon.

6/6/10

The First Friday Street Fair was a big success!  More people than anticipated showed up and at least one of the food vendors sold out early.  Everyone seemed to be having a great time.  Looking forward to next month's street fair!

6/3/10

The Clear Creek History Park will be demonstrating and teaching various pioneer skills for the next several days.  Stop by the park to learn about bee-keeping, gardening, and house-keeping the pioneer way.

We're heading into our first wild summer weekend.  Friday night we'll be having the first of our summer street fairs.  This is a much-expanded version of First Friday.  The 1200 block of Washington Avenue will be closed off for traffic and full of food vendors and entertainment.  Of course, we'll have free horse-drawn carriage rides!

Saturday morning is the first Farmer's Market of the season, and Saturday night is the Golden Super Cruise.

6/2/10

Today is the last day for the public schools in Golden.  Students will be dismissed early.  Look for widespread signs of youthful exuberance.

6/1/10

Try to attend the workshop tonight for the Clear Creek Corridor Master Plan.  The planners held a series of public meetings last month to gather ideas from the public.  This will be our first pass at reviewing all of the suggestions.  A lot of interesting ideas are emerging, including the idea of relocating City Hall, so that prime creek-side location could be used for recreation; widening the paths along the creek; and diverting some water from the creek to provide a safer play area for children.

5/31/10

The flags that you'll see all over the city are set up by the Golden Kiwanis club and Boy Scout Troop 130, in honor of Memorial Day.

5/29/10

The city's water park, The Splash, opens this weekend.  In case you'd been considering going to one of those other water parks, consider the price difference!

5/28/10

After an excessively long winter, we've finally reached the opening weekend of summer.  If you're staying around town and looking for something to do, you might enjoy eating at one of the restaurants that have outdoor seating, or just getting an ice cream cone from Golden Sweets.

5/27/10

Heritage Square Music Hall will be opening another one of their very funny "Loud" shows this weekend.  The play will run all summer, but they often sell out, so it's a good idea to buy your tickets in advance.

5/25/10

This is a bicycle-oriented town.  We have four bike shops (which is a lot for a town of 18,000)!  We also have an excellent network of bicycling trails.  And, for the second year, we have a once a month community bike ride.  Tonight is the night to meet at Woody's Pizza.  You'll be impressed with the number of people who turn up, including many families with children.

5/24/10

5/22/10

Learn a pioneer skill today!  At the Clear Creek History Park, they'll be teaching visitors how to cook on a woodstove from 10 to 3. 

5/21/10

The forecast is for gorgeous weather this weekend, so many of us are likely to turn to gardening.  Stop by the Golden Garden Club's plant sale on Saturday morning, at 12th and Washington.  You'll find some great bargains.  If you still need plants, Home Depot has a huge supply at this time of the year, and even the grocery stores have a nice selection.  Buy your plants in Golden, and keep your sales tax in the community!

5/20/10

Get a little foretaste of weekend this evening by going to the Mountaineering Center for "Thirsty Third Thursday."  Acoustic music, local beer, and you get to hang out in the Mountaineering Museum!

5/19/10

Golden Pilates offers a free class for high school students every Wednesday afternoon at 3.  It's a great opportunity to work out in their beautiful studio in historic downtown Golden.  Please call 303-279-8008 to register.

5/16/10

The community center is offering a couple of interesting classes this week: chemicals and croakers... 

Intercambio/Language Exchange has a nice group of people who practice their Spanish/English language skills twice a month at the Golden Library. The environment is casual and perfect for those wanting the opportunity to speak more Spanish/English!

5/15/10

If you want to see the Golden Community Garden today, take a stroll west along Clear Creek until you get to the new bridge and follow the path to your right. Just a short distance up the gentle hill, you'll get a nice view of the garden plots on your right. 

You can end the weekend with a beautiful concert on Sunday afternoon at Golden High School performed by Golden's very own Golden Concert Choir!

5/14/10

Today is commencement at the Colorado School of Mines.  Congratulations CSM graduates!

If you haven’t seen the Golden Community Garden yet, Saturday is the perfect opportunity to take a tour. Some of the plots have flowers, and many are being prepared for the spring planting. You might even see a scarecrow!

The newly-formed Foothills Running and Cycling Club has a couple of riding events this weekend.

You can end the weekend with a beautiful concert on Sunday afternoon at Golden High School performed by Golden's very own Golden Concert Choir.

5/13/10

This will be an exciting night at city council.  They'll be hearing public comment and then voting on the single hauler trash issue.  If the resolution passes, most households in the city will get their trash pickup and recycling services through the city.  Currently, we have an open market system and consumers choose their own trash company.  The goals of the new system are to reduce the number of garbage trucks driving around town and to encourage more household recycling.  

5/12/10

There's a pops concert tonight at the high school.  The price is right and the kids are talented.  You should go!

5/11/10

Please come to the Community Summit at the Golden High School tonight! It will be fun and interesting, and you'll help define how Golden will look in the decades to come.  It starts at 6, and food is provided.

5/10/10

5/8/10

Sunday is Mother's Day!  Here are some free things to do with Mom.

• Take a sculpture tour.  The Golden Civic Foundation's website has a printable map showing the locations of all the pieces in our public art collection.

• Have a picnic in one of the parks.  Parfet, Lions, and Vanover parks all offer lovely views.  If you don't want to pack a meal yourself, bring take-out food!

• Go for a bike ride or check out one of our walking trails.  The City's website offers both biking and walking/hiking trail maps.

The Railroad Museum and Mountaineering Museum are offering free admission to Mothers on Mothers Day, and the Lookout Mountain Nature Center is offering free guided wildflower hikes.

5/6/10

5/5/10

There's a benefit concert tonight (Wednesday) at the Golden High School.  Tommy Staudt will be performing.  Check his website--he's talented!  Some day you may be amazing people by telling them that you heard him at a benefit in a high school!

The $5 admission charge will benefit Habitat for Humanity.  Girl Scout Troop 1967 is organizing the concert.

5/4/10

5/3/10

There are a few tickets left for the Ladies Only Sample Tour this Thursday.  Don't wait to buy tickets the day of the event, as they will likely be sold out by then.  Here's the list of remaining tickets as of 2:30 PM Monday afternoon:

Avenue Gifts– SOLD OUT Baby Doe’s Clothing – SOLD OUT Chelsea of London – SOLD OUT Creekside Jewelers- SOLD OUT Foss Building Wine & Spirits – SOLD OUT Snowdrops and Sage – SOLD OUT Meyer Hardware – SOLD OUT Spirits in the Wind Gallery – SOLD OUT  Table Mountain Vision – SOLD OUT Live Well – SOLD OUT

Del’s Tonsorial Parlor - 7 Foothills Art Center - 7 Gene Bauer Goldsmith – 5  Golden Natural Market - 12 Golden Pilates - 17 Golden Quilt Company - 15 Juna Boutique & Garden Collection - 16 Golden Visitors Center - 8 Nature’s Gifts Candleworks - 5 Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum - 6 Scissors Edge - 2 Urban Escape Day Spa - 16 Vital Outdoors – 1

5/2/10

Dave Powers watched the new FastTracks bridge being installed over 6th Avenue, and sent pictures so the rest of us could see how it looked!

4/30/10

Take advantage of Golden Community Pride days this weekend.  It's a great opportunity to clear out the house, garage, and yard.  See The Golden Informer (p. 7) for the details on drop-off locations.  

When you're tired of cleaning and hauling, head out to South Golden Road to see the classic cars at the Golden Super Cruise.  The cars will make a loop through downtown at 7:30.

4/28/10

4/27/10

Golden Community Pride Days take place this weekend.  This is a great opportunity to get rid of all sorts of stuff--yard waste, construction waste, electronics, pharmaceuticals.  They even offer free curbside pickup of appliances and allow you to bring in hazardous waste, with a coupon from the April Informer.  All services are for Golden residents only.  Learn more on page 7 of the April Informer. 

4/26/10

During the summer, Clear Creek is full of people in kayaks and inner tubes, enjoying the trip from Lions Park down to Vanover Park.  Even in April, lots of people are enjoying the creek--panning for gold, fly fishing, kayaking, or just sitting and watching the water roll by.  The paths along the creek are popular too, filled with people running, riding bikes, pushing strollers, and walking dogs.  

The first of several public meetings about our future plans for the creek will be held tonight.  Try to attend one or all.  For a description of the topics under consideration and the schedule for the meetings, visit www.clearcreekplan.net. 

4/25/10

The City is just starting the planning process for the Clear Creek Corridor, which means the stretch that runs through our city limits--roughly from Highway 6 on the West End to Coors on the East End.  Clear Creek is very central to the life of the community, both from a historical point of view and as the focus of present-day recreation.  

Historically there were industries along the creek--mills, smelters, coal mines, and of course Coors.  Do we want to permit business development or new residential construction on the creek?  Do we want it all developed as park land?  Should we move the city offices to make that land available for recreation?  These are the questions that we hope to answer through a series of three meetings that start this Monday, April 26th.

Clear Creek Corridor Planning Meetings & Topics:
   Monday April 26th:  Neighborhoods
   Thursday April 29th:  Events, History, Education, and the Natural Environment
   May 1st:  The Kayak Course, Trails, and Recreation along the corridor

4/24/10

The City has just re-vamped the recreation center website to allow you to register online for their many classes and events.  They offer an amazing array of classes--yoga and Pilates, swimming, golf, tennis, climbing, dance, and lots more.   They also organize group trips for adults (opera anyone?) and teens (Elitch's, indoor skydiving, etc.).  Check out the options!

4/23/10

4/22/10

April 22nd is Earth Day!  You might want to observe it by attending the community garden meeting this evening at the Mountaineering Center (10th & Washington).  You can apply to get a plot of your own, or you may just want to help some of the organizations who are going to grow food for local food pantries.  The garden meeting is at 7:30.  

If you get to the Mountaineering Center early you can attend the "Thirsty Third Thursday" in the Mountaineering Museum.  Enjoy live music and local beer.  Drinking local beer is eco-friendly, right?  That makes it a good way to celebrate Earth Day! 

4/21/10

Tomorrow (Thursday) the School of Mines is going to be holding another public meeting to tell the Golden community about their long-term plans for growth & expansion.  Since they're squarely in the middle of the City of Golden, they recognize that their plans will affect the rest of us.  They want public input on their plans, and this is your chance to provide it.  If you live near the campus or pass through it regularly, make a point of attending this open house.

4/20/10

G.R.E.A.T. and the City of Golden announced the summer line-up today for Movies & Music in the Park.  Get them on your calendar now!  Learn more....

4/19/10

Governor Ritter is going to be speaking today (Monday) on the Colorado School of Mines campus.  They did ask for reservations, but you could show up at 3 and see if they have space.  It's free and open to the public. 

4/16/10

Golden is fortunate to have a thriving cultural community.  We have an amazing number of museums for a city our size, plus two theaters, a symphony, an art center, and multiple award-winning annual film festivals.  It's a rare day that we don't have at least one cultural event.  Today, for instance, we have two events at the Mountaineering Center and one at Foothills.  These organizations work together through The Golden Cultural Alliance to coordinate events and support each other, and the Chamber of  Commerce and Golden Urban Renewal Authority are strong partners.  Check out the range of our cultural organizations.

4/15/10

At last--flowers are blooming and trees are budding in Golden!  The planter boxes along Washington Avenue are starting to produce spring flowers, as are the gardens around the Visitors Center and the History Center, the Friendship Garden at the West end of the Clear Creek History Park, Coors' gardens along Ford Street, the City gardens in the parks, and of course lots of gardens in private yards.

4/14/10

Try to attend the all-ward meeting tonight.  You'll learn what's happening and what's going to happen in the city and get a chance to talk with your representatives and the Mayor.

4/13/10

The Golden Chamber is hosting a Table Top Mixer this afternoon from 5-7 at the Mount Vernon Events Center.  These are always fun.  You can wander from table to table and get to know some of the local businesses.  There are always restaurants participating, so you may even be able to skip cooking dinner!  The events center is near the Golden Cemetery (see map).

4/11/10

Finally, if the stuff isn't worth giving away, get ready for Golden Pride Days (May 1st & 2nd), where the city provides all sorts of pick-up and recycling services free, for Golden residents.  Learn more.

4/10/10

4/9/10

E-Days continues Friday and Saturday at the School of Mines.  If you live here but don't know much about the school, this would be a good weekend to take a walk around the campus and check out their special exhibits and events.

4/8/10 (part 2 - after 4:30)

City Council is back tonight, after a hiatus of several weeks.  Be a party animal--watch them on channel 8 or on the city's website! 

4/8/10

Golden History Museums is offering a "buy one get one free" deal on this weekend's Tea Time at the Astor House. Tickets must be purchased by 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 8th.
Music Through the Decades Saturday April 10th, Just Desserts, 3:00 p.m. Sunday April 11th, Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. Sunday April 11th, Just Desserts, 3:00 p.m. For more than 10 years, 4-Ever More, a female a capella singing group, has entertained audiences by combining beautiful harmonies with historical narration. This April, the ladies return with a new show, Music through the Decades. Over its 105-year working life, the Astor House saw many guests and boarders and each passing generation brought with it new forms of entertainment. Find out what's "key" when singing a capella and join us as 4-Ever More conducts the audience through history as they perform everything from barbershop to jazz. Location: Astor House Museum, 822 12th St., Golden Call 303-278-3557 between10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to order your tickets. 

4/7/10

The Colorado School of Mines will be celebrating E-Days this week, Thursday through Saturday.  In the past, they've held their fireworks display on Thursday night.  This year, they're doing it Saturday night.  Even if you're not a big fireworks fan, you should make a point of seeing these.  Honoring their past, present, and future connections with the mining industry, CSM uses a LOT of dynamite in their fireworks displays. It's impressive to witness (and hear) close-up. See the complete schedule of events planned for this week's celebration.

4/4/10

4/3/10

4/2/10

There's a first Friday tonight, so come down for the free carriage rides and live music, then stay for dinner!  

3/31/10

Today's photo is one of many that we got from the Denver Public Library to help us construct an overview of Golden's first 150 years.  The pictures were shown, along with a laser light show, in June 2009 for our Sesquicentennial celebration.  You can still see the 150 year overview on the history page.

We'll be having a First Friday downtown this week, and lots of Easter activities around town on Saturday, so plan to stick around this weekend!

3/27/10

3/26/10

3/25/10

The Golden History Center is opening a new exhibit tonight, showcasing some of the most interesting items from their huge collection of Golden artifacts.  The opening reception runs from 6-8.  The exhibit will continue for several months, but this will be a nice chance to hear from the curator who put it together, and socialize with your Golden neighbors.

3/24/10

The Golden Schools are closed on Wednesday because of the snow.  More info...

3/23/10

7:30 PM Tuesday
In the unlikely event that you were still thinking of going to the 2010 meeting--don't!  It ended early because of the snow!

3/22/10

3/20/10

This would be a perfect day to play in the snow; however, if you've had enough of winter and want to get back to thinking about spring, spend the afternoon at the Mountaineering Center (10th & Washington) and visit the Mountain Fest.  They'll be talking about climbing and hiking and all that outdoor stuff. 

3/19/10

3/18/10

Rewind Consignment store is celebrating its grand opening tonight with an open house from 5 to 7 and a ribbon cutting ceremony at 5:30.  This new store carries furniture, art, antiques...the mix changes every day.  If you're a fan of the "shabby chic" look, you'll love this store.  They're located at Arapahoe and 13th, across the street from Calvary Church. 

3/14/10

Did you remember to reset your clocks for Daylight Savings Time?

Monday night, the School of Mines will be holding a public meeting to show their Master Plan to the Golden community.  The school has grown a lot in the past few decades and has plans to grow more.  If you'd like to see what they have planned, or if you'd like to provide some input about plans that may affect you, come to the meeting.  

3/13/10

If you're wondering what to do with a warm, sunny day in Golden, check our Outdoors page for links to lists of parks, trail maps, and other things to enjoy around town.

Don't forget to reset your clocks before going to bed tonight.

3/12/10

The Colorado Clay show is opening at Foothills Art Center this weekend.  There's a reception on Friday evening and the show will then run till May 1st.

3/11/10

If you haven't visited the Blue Canyon Grill in its new location yet, this would be a good day to stop by.  They will be hosting a celebration from 4-6 and a ribbon cutting at 5:30.  Appetizers and beverages will be provided.  Come, and meet the owners and congratulate them on their new place!

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!

3/3/10

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

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

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

Windy Saddle is hosting "A Day in the Saddle for Haiti" on Monday.  The employees are all donating their time, and the restaurant is donating 30% of the sales proceeds for the day to Partners in Health, a non-profit organization that is providing urgently-needed medical to the earthquake victims in Haiti.  Make a point of having breakfast or lunch at Windy Saddle on Monday.  You'll enjoy great food while supporting a worthy cause.

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

Baby Doe's Clothing starts their semi-annual "HUGE SALE" on Thursday.  They get a lot of traffic during sales, and this is giving them a chance to raise some money to help with the Haitian crisis.  Baby Doe's will match funds contributed to Doctors Without Borders, dollar for dollar up to $250 from January 28th through February 7th.  Go see them!  Do a little shopping and/or make a contribution.

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

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

Right now--while it's still cold--is a good time to buy winter clothes.  As it happens, there are some great sales going on downtown.  Baby Doe's has sweaters, jackets, fleece, and coats all 30% off.  Vital Outdoors is offering 30% off all clothing by Patagonia, Columbia, Horny Toad and 30% off winter boots by Merrell, Ugg, Sorel, and Keen.  Lots of other sales going on too.

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

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!

2009 ARCHIVE