The event was founded in 2019 by Joy Meadows, a Golden local who was inspired by a similar gathering in the Scottish Highlands (the breed’s birthplace).
The 2026 Goldens in Golden celebration transformed the streets of downtown Golden into a vibrant river of fur and wagging tails, drawing record-breaking crowds for what has become a global pilgrimage for dog lovers.
Held in honor of International Golden Retriever Day, this year’s event solidified its status as a premier community festival, featuring thousands of retrievers participating in a morning of friendly greetings and all the headscratches they could want.
To manage the unprecedented turnout, organizers successfully implemented an expanded schedule that included multiple group photo sessions under the iconic “Howdy Folks” arch and the highly anticipated election of an Honorary Canine Mayor. See more photos from the event below.
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People traveled from as far as Australia and Japan just to walk their dogs down Washington Avenue.
Photography by: Brandon Johnson (@bjohnsonxar)
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Brandon Johnson has been a freelance photographer for Denver Westword since 2018. In his role, Brandon captures and documents local events and concerts across the Denver metro area. His previous photography work includes contributing to Live Nation Colorado, 303 Magazine and Alive Coverage. While attending the University of Arkansas, he discovered his passion for photography through frequent visits to a local music venue and working for the school newspaper. www.bjohnsonxar.com
