What's Happening in Boulder County!
On Saturday, December 7th plan to take the whole family to the 26th annual Lights of December Parade. All of the floats are created by local groups and businesses. Lots of people including Santa will be be here to help celebrate the light. Come early and stay late to shop, dine and explore. Parade route. Parade is tonight at 6pm.
On Saturday, December 7th plan to take the whole family to the 26th annual Lights of December Parade. All of the floats are created by local groups and businesses. Lots of people including Santa will be be here to help celebrate the light. Come early and stay late to shop, dine and explore our vibrant downtown. Parade route. Parade starts 12/7 at 6pm
Looking for some light? Boulder County’s Annual Lighting of the Menorah is happening on Pearl Street on Monday, December 2, 2013 at 5:30pm. There will be live music, food, and the lighting of the menorah. Learn more here.
Take the whole family to see the Mozart’s Magic Flute presented by the Boulder Opera Company. This relative newcomer to the Boulder arts scene has already pleased many audiences and works to make opera relevant to children. The Magic Flute is their latest production and will play from December 8 through 15 in Boulder and Broomfield. More information and to purchase tickets go here.
The lighted star on Flagstaff is a familiar symbol in Boulder. First turned on as a Christmas decoration in December 1947, the star survived several controversies to become what it is today—part of the area’s history and culture.
In April 1948, the Boulder Chamber of Commerce converted the star into an Easter cross. Then, for two decades, the long string of lights alternated between the two symbols.
Pranksters also saw uses for the bulbs and wires. In 1951, students from Colorado A & M (now Colorado State University) reconfigured the display into the shape of an “A.” In 1958, Colorado School of Mines students strung the lights into an “M.”
In 1955, 1956, and 1960, someone, or some group, painted the bulbs red, speculated to have been part of a Communist conspiracy. In 1969, the star/cross was changed again—this time into a gigantic peace sign.
Finally, some Boulder residents had had enough. They filed a complaint with the Boulder Human Relations Commission on the grounds that the star and the cross (both considered Christian symbols and located on city park property) violated the U.S. Constitution in its separation of church and state. Although the lights had sparked a controversy, they stayed on.
The debate resurfaced a year later. In 1970, the same group brought to the Boulder City Council a resolution banning all lighted displays on Flagstaff Mountain.
Of the Flagstaff star a Boulder City attorney stated, “It is our job to guarantee rights of free speech, but that does not mean that one is guaranteed a platform which gives him a captive community audience.”
The termination of the cross was something people could accept, but the possibility that the star might have to come down caused an uproar among the majority of Boulder citizens. Eventually, the council determined that the cross had to go, but the star represented “a sense of community.”
In 1980, the star served yet another purpose. It was left on month after month as a reminder of the Americans held hostage in Iran. This ongoing use of electricity, however, upset environmentalists who removed the bulbs, chopped down the wires, and publicly announced that the man-made object disturbed wildlife and wasted energy.
Even so, the majority of Boulder’s residents still wanted their star, and, once again, they rallied to its defense. It has survived the test of time and appears to be here to stay.
Content courtesy of historian Silvia Pettem’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=205902184203
There are so many great coffee shops in Boulder. If you want a list of where you can go head to Yelp. They provide a great list of coffee shops in town with ratings. Try something new maybe.
History Buff? Love Boulder? Check Out Historic Boulder On Foot.
Historic Boulder Walking Tours are a great way to get to know the history of our town! Interested in going on a walk with an Historic Boulder guide? Schedule a walking tour and step back into Boulder’s past. Contact Lori Hunter to schedule your walking tour today at historicboulder.org. Enjoy!
The Boulder Symphony presents Mayhem on Canyon Boulevard, a Halloween Spooktacular!
This is a family-friendly event. Kids are free. It features an instrument petting zoo. Costume contest. Murder Mystery. More information on their Facebook Page. October 26, 2013 at 2pm.
Want to ensure a smile today? Head up to Nederland to enjoy an afternoon of exploring the town including taking a ride on the Carousel of Happiness. This carousel has been lovingly created and is housed in the sweet mountain town of Nederland, Colorado. This magical menagerie featuring 56 whimsical, hand-carved animals on a restored 1910 Looff carousel, turns to the music of a 1913 Wurlitzer band organ. This carousel is a delight for children and adults alike. More details at their website.
BoulderCounty365 