Golden kicks-off Olde Golden Christmas with Shop Small® event & parade

Golden kicks-off Olde Golden Christmas with Shop Small® event & parade
Local shops to offer Small Business Saturday sales and promotions
to ring in the 2013 holiday shopping season

GOLDEN, Colo…Kick-off the holiday shopping season in historic downtown Golden on Nov. 30 during the Shop Small® Holly-Day event, prior to the first Olde Golden Christmas parade, with free entertainment, extraordinary deals and small town charm.

Golden’s historic downtown will be buzzing with excitement starting at 8 a.m. on Small Business Saturday as local stores plan to open early and offer exceptional one-day-only holiday deals and sales.

Experience the perfect local holiday shopping experience with dozens of one-of-a-kind shops offering fine art, outdoor gear, clothing and accessories, pet supplies and more.

Shoppers will be greeted with free refreshments, stocking stuffers and friendly smiles. Free gift wrapping will be offered from 8 to 10:30 a.m. at the Buffalo Rose Event Center, and free parking will also be available throughout the day.

Small Business Saturday is one of the busiest holiday shopping days of the year. The day was founded by American Express to encourage consumers to do their holiday shopping at local businesses. Small Business Saturday is the biggest shopping day of the year for small businesses.

Golden has over 500 locally owned small businesses. Small businesses in Golden accounted for over $70,000,000 in total sales in 2012.

“We want to offer a relaxed, pleasurable shopping experience for consumers who want an alternative to the big box craziness,” said Jenifer Doane, Community Marketing Manager. “Golden shops are offering amazing deals for anyone who comes to Golden prior to the parade.”

Whether you’re looking for handcrafted candles for mom, power tools for Dad, eco-friendly pet toys for your furry friend or classic toys for the kids, Golden is a festive alternative to the mall and a great place to buy local and support small businesses.

Shoppers will find deals at local shops and restaurants comparable to those offered on Black Friday. Local retailer, Roger Tapia, owner of Creekside Jewelers, plans to offer 40 percent off all watches on Small Business Saturday.

“It’s important that consumers support local shops. For every $1 spent, .70 cents stays in the community,” Tapia said. “Plus shoppers can enjoy the Olde Golden Christmas parade and activities while in Golden.”

Olde Golden Christmas also starts on Nov. 30 with the first parade of the season at 11 a.m. Parade goers can watch Santa zoom around in his sidecar motorcycle, heckle the Grinch® as he drives by in his corvette, or cheer on elves as they race on unicycles during the Olde Golden Christmas parade.

This old-fashioned holiday parade bursts with Colorado charm and is a perfect family-friendly tradition. The parade travels down Washington Avenue in downtown Golden. Free community activities, such as horse drawn carriage rides, Newfoundland dog cart rides, Victorian carolers, pictures with Santa will follow the parade. All parking in Golden is free.

For more information about Golden’s Shop Small Holly-Day event or Olde Golden Christmas, please visit www.VisitGolden.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Joy Meadows, joy@meadowspr.com, 303-522-9045