Golden's holiday season officially begins on Washington Avenue on December 4, when Santa switches on the lights after the Candlelight Walk. The four weeks before that mostly happen somewhere else. Pull up the addresses for this November's events and they gather a block or two off the main street: Ford Street, Arapahoe Street, and Miners Alley. The fall's biggest changes to downtown landed there too.
So this season's calendar works better as a map. Here is what has changed around downtown since late summer, and how the November dates follow those same few blocks.
Ford Street got a new anchor
The largest change downtown this fall is at Clayworks, which is turning a formerly industrial area into a new campus. The Clayworks project update says its first phase is complete and that the building took its first tenants in mid-September 2026. The building is part of the new CoorsTek global headquarters campus.
Two pieces of the site are already open to the public, and a third is on the way:
- New streets. The new 8th Street and the extension of 9th Street are finished and open.
- A plaza. The Clayworks plaza is complete, with Colorado-inspired landscaping and outdoor spaces that the developer describes as a gathering place for tenants and the wider community.
- A coffee shop on the way. Sweet Bloom Coffee is building out a first-floor café, and Clayworks is aiming to open it before the end of 2026.
That last one is the one locals will care about most. In August 2026, Sweet Bloom was named Best Coffee Roaster in the U.S. and Canada at the Global Coffee Awards. The Sweet Bloom locations page lists the Golden café at 800 Ford Street, Suite 102, as "opening soon," and doesn't give a date. Until it opens, the closest Sweet Bloom is in Lakewood at 1619 Reed St., open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Clayworks is still finishing up inside. Final interior finishes are underway and is scheduled to wrap in winter 2026, so expect some construction activity around the site into the holidays.
Two dining rooms off Washington closed in October
The other October change is on the cross streets. Nosu Ramen at 700 12th St. and Abejas Bistro at 807 13th St. have both closed, the Denver Post reported on October 26. Abejas served brunch and dinner from that 13th Street space for 11 years. It first closed temporarily over building issues, and the closure became permanent a few days later. Nosu had been on 12th Street since February 2020. Westword reported that the owners pointed to rising operating costs and the price of extending the lease after six years.
No new tenant has been announced for either address. If either one was your go-to for a holiday brunch or a cold-night bowl of ramen, it's time to rethink your December plans.
Washington Avenue gained a shop
Washington Avenue had an addition this fall. Stay Golden Mercantile moved downtown from Morrison over the summer and held its grand opening on October 10 at 1106 Washington Ave., Suite 102, GoldenToday reported. The Golden Chamber describes it as a locally owned shop selling curated gifts and home goods with a Colorado and Golden focus, which makes it a handy stop on Small Business Saturday.
The Miners Alley block could someday host a holiday market
A plaza proposal for this block is still undecided. The lot in front of Miners Alley Performing Arts Center has 35 public parking spaces. Golden's Downtown Development Authority has been looking at whether it could become a public plaza for events, artist showcases and holiday markets, the Golden Transcript reported. On October 10, the DDA held a block party in that lot, which sits between MAPAC, Foothills Art Center's Astor House campus and the 1100 block of Miners Alley.
DDA members told the Transcript that nothing is decided and that they wanted to "take the temperature" on whether the public supports a plaza at all. The city and DDA's public survey ran through October 31. If you want to keep following it, the board meets on the third Monday of each month at City Hall. Meetings are open to the public and streamed on the city's website.
For this season, that block already works as a holiday hub. The parking lot is still a parking lot, and the two buildings beside it carry much of the November calendar.
November, block by block
Here are the dates, sorted by where they happen:
| Where | What | When |
|---|---|---|
| The Golden Mill, 1012 Ford St. | The Miracle Shop toy drive | Nov 15 to Dec 10 |
| Astor House, 1133 Arapahoe St. | Foothills Art Center's 51st Holiday Art Market | Nov 20 to Dec 29 |
| Miners Alley, 1100 Miners Alley | It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play | Nov 24, 25, 27, 28 at 7:30 p.m.; Nov 29 at 2 p.m. |
| The Golden Mill | Thanksgiving Eve Boombox Bingo | Nov 25, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. |
| Parfet Park and Clear Creek Trail | The Great Turkey Chase | Nov 26, 8:30 to 10 a.m. |
| The Golden Mill | Thanksgiving community table | Nov 26, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Golden Pantry and Thrift, 1401 Ford St. | Small Business Saturday sale | Nov 28, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Miners Alley | Who's Holiday | Dec 1 and 2 at 7:30 p.m.; Dec 5 at 2 p.m. |
A few details are worth knowing before you go.
The Golden Mill's toy drive comes with a perk. Bring a new, unwrapped toy and you get a free drink. The donations go to The Miracle Shop, an annual pay-what-you-can toy shop for families who are having a hard time this year.
The Astor House galleries are closed right now. Foothills Art Center has the galleries shut while it installs the market. They reopen November 20 with a member preview. Admission to the Holiday Art Market is free. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. It's closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, and it closes at 2 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
The two Miners Alley shows are for different crowds. It's a Wonderful Life runs Thanksgiving week. Who's Holiday is an adults-only holiday comedy, so book a sitter for that one.
The Turkey Chase is a three-mile out-and-back. It starts at Parfet Park and runs along Clear Creek Trail on Thanksgiving morning.
Small Business Saturday has no coupon book this year. Visit Golden says there are no printed coupons for November 28. Each participating business posts its own specials and in-store events. Golden Pantry and Thrift is offering 15% off purchases, and the money supports its food pantry and social programs.
Three of the eight listings are at The Golden Mill, and two more are at Golden Pantry and Thrift and the Astor House. For November, Ford Street and the Miners Alley block are where most of the action is.
December 4: everything comes back to Washington Avenue
The Candlelight Walk brings the season back to the main street. Here is the evening in order, from the official Visit Golden page:
- 5:00 p.m. The free shuttle starts at the Splash Lot, 3151 Illinois St. It drops riders at the top of the hill at 18th and Washington and picks up at the bottom, on the north side of 10th Street across from Parfet Park. It runs until 9 p.m.
- 6:30 p.m. The walk starts at Washington Avenue and 15th Street.
- About 6:50 p.m. A 30-minute holiday performance in Parfet Park.
- About 7:20 p.m. Santa helps switch on Golden's 45,000 holiday lights along Clear Creek and through downtown.
- After the lights. The Golden History Museum & Park and the Golden Public Library stay open late. The History Park has a luminaria walk, blacksmith demonstrations, a bonfire, dancing, and free cocoa from the Golden Lions Club.
Commemorative battery-operated candles go on sale November 27 at Baby Doe's Clothing & Accessories while they last. That's the day before Small Business Saturday, so you can pick one up on the same trip downtown.
The rest of the Olde Golden Holidays calendar also stays on Washington. The Holiday Parade brings back its themed format this year with "Western Winter Wonderland," on December 12 at 10:30 a.m. between 10th and 13th Streets. Jingle on the Avenue follows on December 19 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with holiday characters, music, crafts and Santa. These pages went up in the spring, so check the details again closer to each date.
Putting it together
Plan November around Ford Street and the Miners Alley block: a toy for The Golden Mill, an afternoon at the Astor House market, a radio play at Miners Alley, then shopping on Washington when Small Business Saturday arrives. On December 4, take the shuttle from the Splash Lot and walk down the hill with everyone else. Keep an eye on 800 Ford Street too. When Sweet Bloom opens there, it gives Ford Street one more reason to walk a block off Washington.
I love Golden this time of year, and I'm happy to swap holiday plans or answer questions about what's changing downtown, whether you're a longtime Golden resident or thinking about a move to the Golden area. Jaclyn Broesel is always glad to talk about the places that make these neighborhoods home. Let's Connect.
