If your idea of heaven on earth includes hundreds of wagging tails and happy pups everywhere, Golden, Colorado, was the place to be last weekend. On Feb. 4, more than 1,000 golden retrievers and their owners gathered to celebrate National Golden Retriever Day in Golden, Colorado. This annual event, known as Goldens in Golden, is held on the Saturday closest to National Golden Retriever Day (Feb. 3). It features photo ops, contests and other activities for the dogs and their humans.
The event is organized by the Golden Visitors Information Center and includes a parade of all the participating dogs through downtown Golden. The organization took a group photo at the “Welcome to Golden” arch, which Visit Golden, CO shared on Facebook.
“Our official 2023 Goldens in Golden photo,” wrote Visit Golden. “Thanks to the absolutely GOLDEN crowd – people and pups – who attended!”
Local businesses and golden parents who attended used the hashtag #goldensingolden to share memories of the event.
“It’s the most GOLDEN time of the year,” wrote The Golden Mill on Facebook, highlighting their dog-friendly patio and a happy hour featuring a local brewery’s beers with lab-inspired names.
Various activities, such as agility courses, obedience demonstrations and a costume contest, followed the parade. In addition, vendors were selling pet-related items such as treats and toys, and nonprofit organizations, including the Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies, Foothills Animal Shelter and Morris Animal Foundation, attended as well.
The organization said that the dogs and the city shared more similarities than just their names.
“Golden Retrievers and Golden, Colorado really complements one another!” Megan Pinson of Visit Golden told 9 News. “Goldens love our hiking trails and walking paths and enjoy socializing in our dog-friendly beer gardens and patios. After the Goldens in Golden event, we encourage people and their pups to enjoy a Golden day together, and of course, come back throughout the year to enjoy all Golden offers.”
Ready to plan a trip with your pup to next year’s Goldens in Golden? For information on upcoming events, head to VisitGolden.com.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories.
