February: The Colorado Environmental Film Festival (CEFF)
The CEFF includes local and national feature length and short films for all ages, thought-provoking dialogue, festival celebrations for both filmmakers and audience members, children's films, a filmmaker forum, and information from a variety of environmental groups. The festival presents informative and entertaining films that explore interconnected ecological, social, and economic themes. Audiences have the opportunity to be more than passive viewers - they will leave inspired, surprised, motivated, entertained, and transformed.  www.ceff.net

April – October: Golden Cruise
2013 Dates:  5/28, 6/25, 7/30, 8/27, 9/24, and 10/29
The family friendly Golden Cruise ride has outgrown their old home in the Woody's parking lot, but don't worry! The fun has moved down the road to the Farmer's Market parking lot just west of the Golden Library! Now sponsored by your friends at the Golden Civic Foundation, the Ride has room to grow, so bring your friends!

Once again, the New Belgium Brewing Company will be serving up their fabulous Fat Tire Amber Ale plus a wonderful summer surprise beer. What's new this year, is that under the auspices of the Golden Civic Foundation, volunteers from Golden's nonprofit organizations will be helping out with set-up, tear-down and acting as course safety marshals in exchange for a cut of the beer proceeds. This is a great chance to support all the fine folks doing wonderful things in our town, so grab your kids and some friends and join us on the last Tuesday of the month from April through October!  They need signed waivers this year, so save yourself a little time and fill this out before you come to the cruise: www.goldencivicfoundation.org/waiver-1.pdf.

May - October: Super Cruise Nights
2013 Dates:  6/8, 7/6, 8/3, 9/7, 10/5
A large group of classic car owners converges on Golden the first Saturday of every month, May through October. They meet in the afternoon, in the South Golden Road area. Many gather near the Sonic Drive-In, an appropriate place for classic cars, but there are far too many to fit in that one space, so you'll find them all up and down South Golden Road. At 7:30, they form a parade and cruise to downtown Golden. The cars are incredible, and people really enjoy walking around, looking at them, and talking with the owners. www.goldensupercruise.com

June: Golden Music Festival (formerly called the Summer Solstice)
2013 Dates:  6/14 - 6/16
The annual Music Festival at the Clear Creek History Park has been so popular that this year we're expanding it to three days.  Spread your blanket on the natural hillside amphitheater at Clear Creek History Park in Golden, Colorado, and enjoy live bluegrass, Americana, and folk music. Local beer and food will be available.

June - early October: Golden Farmers Market
2013 Dates:  6/1, 6/8, 6/15, 6/22, 6/29, 7/6, 7/13, 7/20, 8/3, 8/10, 8/17, 8/24, 8/31, 9/7, 9/14, 9/21, 9/28, 10/5
(Every weekend except the last weekend in July, Buffalo Bill Days)
The Farmers Market has been running for several years now, and has been a huge success. It's a good place for Saturday breakfast and lunch from late spring through mid-fall. Vendors sell local produce, flowers, plants, and prepared food. The market is held in the parking lot next to the Golden Public Library. Since it's right next to Clear Creek, many people include a Creek walk as part of their experience. 

4th of July in Lions Park
7/4/2013
The Golden Lions Club puts on a great community party every 4th of July in Lions Park. The event includes free rides for children and free live music. People come with picnics or buy food from the vendors. The Golden Civic Foundation and the City contribute financially to the events, and the Lions sell raffle tickets so people can win prizes contributed by local merchants. The day culminates in a great fireworks display. www.goldenlionsclub.org

July: Buffalo Bill Days
2013 Dates:  7/24 - 28
Scheduled every year for the last weekend in July, Buffalo Bill Days starts on Thursday with a golf tournament at Fossil Trace, and continues on Friday night with rides and vendors in Parfet Park. On Saturday morning, the Volunteer Fire Department provides a fund-raising pancake breakfast. A big parade through the downtown area follows, with many Golden businesses and non-profit organizations participating, plus a few organizations from the surrounding metro area. A stage in Parfet Park hosts live music all weekend. Learn more about it at the Buffalo Bill Days web site: www.buffalobilldays.com

August: Movies and Music in the Park
2013 Dates:  8/2, 8/9, 8/16, 8/23
Fridays in August the City of Golden presents live music and outdoor films for families to enjoy in Lions Park, on 10th Street. Families can bring a picnic dinner and settle in for an evening's entertainment under the stars.

August: Fine Arts Festival
2013 Dates:  8/17 - 18
The Golden Fine Arts Festival, an August event, has grown in both size and prestige every year. The event is located on 11th Street, next to the Clear Creek History Park. Admission is free, and includes live music and a children’s art center. Food vendors are available, as well as free horse-drawn carriage rides. Many area organizations offer special events to tie in with the festival, such as the arts and crafts exhibits at the Clear Creek History Park. www.goldenfineartsfestival.org

September: DocuWest Film Festival
2013 Dates:  9/11-15
This festival has been voted the best in Denver! The films are shown at the Foothills Art Center, the American Mountaineering Center, and other venues in the historic downtown. www.docuwestfest.com

September: Thomas the Tank Engine Visits the Railroad Museum
2013 Dates: 9/14, 15, 21, 22, 28, & 29
For three weekends every September, Thomas the Tank Engine, the star of a popular children’s show, visits the Colorado Railroad Museum. The event is wildly popular and draws thousands of children.  www.coloradorailroadmuseum.org

December: Candlelight Walk
2013 Date:  11/29
This event started many years ago when a hundred or so locals gathered near the Foothills Art Center to walk down Washington Avenue carrying candles and singing Christmas songs. Word has spread throughout Colorado, and now thousands show up, still carrying candles and still singing, and still walking downhill from Foothills to the Visitors Center. When the group reaches the Creek, the Mayor flips a switch and all of the holiday lights along Clear Creek go on, eliciting gasps of admiration and much applause. Many groups participate in this event: There are crafts and campfires at the Clear Creek History Park, roasted chestnuts and music at the Pioneer Museum, musical performances at the Rotary Amphitheater (on the Creek, behind the fire station), reindeer to be petted at the Visitors Center. All in all, it's a short (2 or 3 hour long) winter carnival. This event occurs on a Friday night--generally the first weekend in December.  www.oldegoldenchristmas.com 
See a wonderful video of the Candlelight Walk produced by the City.

December: Olde Golden Christmas
2013 Dates:  11/30, 12/7, 12/14, 12/21
On each of the Saturdays before Christmas, the Golden Chamber of Commerce hosts special Christmas events all day in the downtown area. Every Saturday morning starts with a parade. The parades last about half an hour and include Santa Claus, local bands, local businesses, local scout troops, etc. The Christmas activities continue both Saturday and Sunday, with strolling musicians along Washington Avenue, free horse-drawn carriage rides, and tasty treats provided by the stores. It's fun, and it really does make Christmas shopping in downtown Golden even more appealing!  www.oldegoldenchristmas.com 
See a video showing a Saturday morning Christmas parade, produced by the City.

Throughout the Year: First Fridays/Street Fairs
2013 First Fridays:  1/4, 2/1, 3/1, 4/5, 5/3, 11/1, 12/6
2013 First Friday Street Fairs:  6/7, 7/5, 8/2, 9/6, 10/4 (October is tentative)
First Friday is held year-round, on the first Friday of the month. During the summer, one block of Washington Avenue is a street fair. Winter’s First Fridays are usually quieter affairs but the stores stay open late, offering discounts, host visiting artists and wine tastings, and the lines are very short (or non-existent) for the free carriage rides. 303-279-3113.
www.goldencochamber.org

Old Golden Christmas

Candlelight Walk

Halloween

Scrambowl

Golden Easter

Golden Cruise

SuperCruise

Farmers Market

4th of July Picnic

Buffalo Bill Days

Movies in the Park

Fine Arts Festival

First Friday Street Fair

Thomas the Tank Engine