Golden Retrievers Gather in Colorado: ‘World’s Largest’ Breed Meetup

GOLDEN, Colorado – Venus wore a mini pink cowgirl hat and a bandana to match. Blanche was dressed as Cupid, complete with wings. Libby, in her mermaid fin, paused to scratch an itch.

No matter how their humans dressed them, a remarkable range of golden retrievers was on display in Golden, Colorado, this weekend. The city-run “Goldens in Golden” event – billed as the “world’s largest unofficial gathering” of the breed – convened thousands of dogs and people on a sun-drenched day.

“Favorite day of the year,” said Kim Kenney, whose dog Libby sported the mermaid outfit.

For Americans feeling worn down by a relentless news cycle, Saturday’s festivities offered a welcome break, as dog owners basked in the unconditional joy of man’s best friend.

Golden retrievers “bring a lot of warmth and happiness to our family,” said Eli Amaya, who has dogs named Miso, and Soup.

With some 20,000 residents, Golden is a quaint former gold-rush town in the Rocky Mountain foothills. On Saturday, Main Street buzzed with barks, collar jangles, and the crinkle of plastic doggy bags.

Leashes crisscrossed and tangled as goldens made new friends. Tufts of fur rolled down the sidewalk like tiny tumbleweeds.

Launched in 2019, the annual Goldens in Golden event runs close to International Golden Retriever Day in early February. Organizers estimated some 16,000 people and 5,500 canines attended Saturday. While the claim of being the “world’s largest” gathering is difficult to definitively verify, the event clearly draws a substantial crowd.

Rizzo, a therapy dog, carried his leash in his mouth as if walking himself.

“He loves people more than dogs,” said Alicia Gillespie, a school principal from Nebraska.

Rizzo offered a tail-wag in response when asked for comment, declining to provide a last name because, as Gillespie pointed out, he doesn’t have one.

Elsa, a crisis response dog, has deployed to places like California to help flood and wildfire survivors. Dogs like her are “so smart. They find the people that need them,” said Wendy Guy from Arizona, who works with a nonprofit called HOPE Animal-Assisted Crisis Response. Elsa remained calm, sniffing the air.

The event was a welcome study break for some students at Golden’s Colorado School of Mines. Noah Rupp, who studies mechanical engineering, bent down to pet a copper-coated golden.

“I think I need to get a golden retriever,” he said.

Some other breeds joined the gathering, including a small, shivering Italian greyhound and a husky disguised as a golden – complete with a faux pair of floppy ears.

Despite the lively mix, the dogs all seemed to get along, commented Joe Erio, standing next to his white-muzzled golden named Sam. Perhaps, he suggested, politically polarized Americans could learn a thing or two from their furry friends.

“Not a single dog fight yet,” Erio said.