Olde Golden Christmas
On Friday, November 30, 2018, thousands of celebrants will usher in the Christmas season the old fashioned way by walking together from the Foothills Art Center to 10th and Washington, carrying candles, singing carols and sipping hot cider. The crowd will gather at 6:00 o'clock in the evening at the Foothills Art Center at 15th and Arapahoe Streets, where the Golden Chamber of Commerce will distribute (for a price) candles and glow sticks, and the Golden Lions club will serve hot beverages and cookies, complements of the Safeway store. At 6:30 Santa Clause will lead the assemblage, with candles and glow sticks in hand, down the Washington Avenue hill and through downtown Golden.
At the visitors center, there will be caroling, free Christmas cookies, cider, reindeer, and eggnog. In Parfet Park (across from the visitors center), entertainers will sing and dance.
On the avenue, there will be a host of collateral events before, during and after the candlelight procession. Shortly after 7 pm, Mayor Marjorie Sloan and a lucky Golden Child will throw a magic switch to light thousands of holiday lights along the Clear Creek trail, followed by a fireworks display launched from the roof of the Golden Hotel. Downtown Businesses will sponsor other special events along the procession route.
The Golden History Center at 923 10th Street will offer extended hours and free admission to its exhibit of Golden's Epic Events; there will be roasted chestnuts and warm cider in the Clear Creek History Park, where the Pearce/Phelps cabin will be open and decorated in period style right down to goodies baking in the cabin's wood-fired oven. Just follow your nose down the Clear Creek Trail from the History Center, across the Billie Drew foot bridge and into the park.
Santa and the reindeer fly over the Howdy Sign to celebrate an Olde Golden Christmas
