YOUR CITY SPOTLIGHT ON THE HERE AND NOW
AUGUST 12, 2026
Highlights
GOLDEN HOUR MASHUP Join us at local businesses August 12 and September 16!
DROUGHT RESTRICTIONS REMAIN IN EFFECT Amended order runs through Saturday, October 31.
SCHOOL’S OUT CAMP OPEN FOR REGISTRATION Sign up for extra fun during Jefferson County School Breaks.
GOLDEN HOUR MASHUP: SHOW US HOW YOU’RE GOLDEN WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 6:00–9:00 P.M. Join us on Wednesday evenings, each with a unique theme, starting August 12. Businesses across town are hosting live music, pop-ups, special menus, and locals-only deals, with every stop offering something different. This month’s theme is about showing your Golden spirit—whether that’s hometown pride, your favorite Golden gear, or a little extra sparkle. Find participating businesses and locations at www.cityofgolden.gov/goldenhourmashup.
August
15-16 September
Golden Fine Arts Festival | 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. More than 100 juried artists fill downtown Golden and Parfet Park for a weekend of fine art, live music, and food vendors along Clear Creek. Visit www.goldenfineartsfestival.org for details.
14
Cookies With Councilors: Welcome Back School of Mines | 7:00–8:00 p.m. This special edition at Scully’s Café (1812 Miners Spur Rd.) welcomes School of Mines students, offering a chance to meet City Councilors and learn from fellow community members how to get involved locally.
September
16
Golden Hour Mashup: Where the West Lives | 6:00–9:00 p.m. This month, break out the boots and hats for a western-themed evening of local flavor and small-town charm. Businesses across town are hosting live music, pop-ups, special menus, and locals-only deals, with every stop offering something different. Find participating businesses at www.cityofgolden.gov/goldenhourmashup.
September
20
20th Annual Golden Gallop | 7:45–9:00 a.m. Golden’s biggest annual race will take place for the 20th year running! The same great course will go through downtown under the Golden ‘Welcome’ arch, with the start and finish at Golden High School. To register, visit www.runsignup.com/Race/CO/Golden/AnnualGoldenGallop.
September
Community Meeting: Keeping the Lights On | 5:00–7:30 p.m. Join neighbors at the Golden Community Center for a conversation about home energy resilience. Explore backup power options from small power stations to whole-home systems, talk with experts, and hear how Golden residents have approached real-world installations.
Monday
Wednesday
Sunday
28 Monday
Looking for even more activities?
Check out the City calendar at www.cityofgolden.gov/calendar
CITY NEWS AND
THINGS TO DO!
New 19th Street HAWK Signal: What to Know The City of Golden, in partnership with Colorado School of Mines, has installed a new pedestrian crossing signal on 19th Street. Located midway between Elm Street and Illinois Street, the new signal aims to make crossing safer. A HAWK signal stays dark until someone activates it, then moves through a set sequence so everyone knows when to go. For Vehicles: Dark: proceed normally Flashing Yellow: slow down, a pedestrian has activated the signal Solid Yellow: prepare to stop Solid Red: stop completely while pedestrians cross Flashing Red: stop, then proceed with caution only when the crosswalk is clear, as you would at a stop sign For Pedestrians: press the push-button and wait for the walk symbol. Cross only once traffic has stopped.
Highway 58 Sound Wall Complete The first sound wall in the City’s highway noise mitigation program was completed in June on the north side of Highway 58 just west of Washington Avenue. Residents in the alley behind it are seeing noise reduced by an average of 4 to 7 dBA, and by as much as 11 dBA in some spots. As one nearby resident told City staff, “I love it! I can finally have a conversation with my daughter in my back yard.” Design work on the next wall, covering Highway 58 west of Washington Avenue, begins in late summer.
STAGE 1 DROUGHT RESTRICTIONS REMAIN IN EFFECT Golden continues to experience drought conditions, including historically low flows in Clear Creek, and a few storms don’t end a drought. The amended Stage 1 Drought Order runs through Saturday, October 31, 2026, limiting outdoor irrigation to two watering events per property each calendar week, regardless of zone, system type, or plants. Watering is permitted only between 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. the following day. Thank you for helping protect Golden’s water supply.
STORIES IN THE SKY DRONE SHOW Saturday, September 12 | 7:00–9:00 p.m. Ulysses Sports Complex Fields Five hundred drones take to the sky above Golden in a choreographed show telling the story of Colorado, part of the America 250 and Colorado 150 celebrations. Come early for live music and food trucks, spread out a blanket, and settle in as the light fades. The show begins after dark, so bring a jacket for the evening chill.
School’s Out Camp Days Open for Registration The Golden Community Center’s state-licensed day camps for ages 5–12 are now open for registration on Jeffco School’s Out days in October, November, and December. Campers stay busy with arts and crafts, gym and sports, swimming, and more. Register today at rec.cityofgolden.gov.
September Swim Lessons Swimmers of all ages and abilities can build skills at the Golden Community Center’s indoor pool complex. Group, private, and semi-private lessons are available for ages 6 months and up, taught exclusively by trained City staff. • Ages: 6 months and up • Session 1: Monday, September 7–Saturday, October 3 • Registration: Opens two weeks before each session start date • Fees: Group $82 resident / $102 non-resident, Private $190 resident / $210 non-resident • Register at rec.cityofgolden.gov
Watch Out for Scam Letters Recently, residents have received fraudulent letters that mimic official City of Golden letterhead, often claiming to be about delinquent fees. A few things to know:
1. 2. 3.
The City will never ask you to wire funds. Never pay fees by prepaid debit card, gift card, or cryptocurrency. When in doubt, contact the City of Golden directly at (303) 384-8024 to verify any claim about taxes or fees. Report suspicious letters to the Golden Police Department non-emergency line at (303) 980-7300.
THE BROAD STROKES
What Else is Going on in Golden Right Now? Limited Spots Available at Rooted Beginnings Preschool for 2026–2027 School Year: A few openings remain for the 2026–2027 school year at Rooted Beginnings Preschool, conveniently located in its own dedicated wing of the Golden Community Center. The play-based program helps children build curiosity, creativity, and confidence in an environment where they feel safe and supported. To learn more or schedule a tour, visit www.cityofgolden.gov/community/preschool. Clear Creek Trail Open House | Thursday, August 13, 5:30–7:00 p.m., Golden Community Center: Review updated design plans for the Clear Creek Trail, formerly the Peaks-to-Plains Trail, between the Billy Drew Bridge and Ford Street. Construction is not yet funded or scheduled. Can’t attend? A survey is available at www.GuidingGolden.com/p2p-downtown-golden. New Trash and Recycling Provider Starts September 1: Beginning Tuesday, September 1, 5280 Waste Solutions becomes the City’s provider for residential Pay-As-You-Throw trash, recycling, and compost collection, selected through a competitive process. Questions and service requests can go to the City’s hotline at (303) 277-8727. Community Clean-up Days | September 19–20, 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m., 1300 Catamount Drive: Clear out unwanted household items at this free annual event, formerly called Community Pride Days. Bring a state-issued ID showing a City of Golden address as proof of residency. Water bills are not accepted. See accepted items and restrictions at https://qr1.be/73LTCO.
North Ford Complete Street Open House | Thursday, October 1, 5:30–7:00 p.m., Golden Community Center: Review draft engineering plans for accessibility, connectivity, and safety improvements along North Ford Street between State Highway 93 and 10th Street. The plans reflect the community’s preferred alternative from the earlier analysis. Can’t attend? A survey is available at www.GuidingGolden.com/north-ford-complete-street. New Paid Parking App Available in August: For those who scan the QR codes at pay stations to pay for parking, nothing will change. For anyone who uses the Honk Mobile app to pay, the City’s managed parking contractor is switching to a new paid parking app, InFlow, in August. The Honk Mobile app will keep working for the next several months during the transition. Learn more at www.ParkGoldenCO.com. Practice Fire Drills at Home, Too: Colorado law requires schools to hold their first fire drill within ten days of classes starting, but home is where people face the greatest fire risk and where drills are rarely practiced. Residential fires claim about 2,500 lives each year nationwide. Teach children the basics: Get Low and Go!, Know Two Ways Out, Close Before You Doze, and Get Out, Stay Out! Google Fiber Construction Underway: Google Fiber has begun installing infrastructure in Golden. Residents may notice utility locates, drilling, excavation, and crews working in public rights-ofway, with schedules varying by neighborhood. The company operates under a license agreement with the City, the same arrangement used for utilities such as Xcel Energy and Comcast. For questions, call (877) 454-6959 and choose option 3 when prompted. Docked Bike Share Study Continues: The study continues through December, with findings presented in a final report. No decision has been made on a docked bike share program. Questions? Contact City Planner Grace Fleming at gfleming@cityofgolden.gov.