Buffalo Bill Days in Golden draws visitors, sparks controversy | Arts & Entertainment

GOLDEN — American frontiersman William “Buffalo Bill” Cody may have died more than 100 years ago, but every year the town of Golden — where the Army scout, buffalo hunter and showman is buried — celebrates the legendary figure.

More than 30,000 people were expected to attend Buffalo Bill Days, a free three-day community event that ended Sunday.

Golden has celebrated Buffalo Bill for decades, from horseback riding in the 1940s to Lookout Mountain where Cody is buried.

It is the largest festival held in Golden.

“We keep coming back because it’s a great event and we’re proud of it,” said Buffalo Bill Days volunteer Renee Marcellis. “People have a great time here.”

Although inner tubes were not allowed in Parfet Park, river inflatables dominated this year’s event.

In May, the Golden City Council approved an ordinance limiting the sale of recreational floats by licensed organizers during peak days.

That meant visitors to Clear Creek, one of Colorado’s most popular whitewater rafting adventures, had to bring their own inner tubes to float down the river.

If the new ordinance was intended to protect and manage the number of people on Clear Creek — as city officials have argued — the river showed little sign of deterring floaters Saturday.

Mitch and Beth Battilla, owners of Adventure West, said that despite Saturday’s ban, they have ferried people up and down the river who showed up hoping to rent but left only to return with an inner tube purchased at Target.

What’s been lost in all the talk of the controversy, Mitch Battilla said, is how dangerous a Class II river like Clear Creek can be without safety gear and a little education.

“It’s not a lazy river,” Battilla said.

On Sunday, the river flow reached 131 cubic feet per second, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. When the river flow reaches 225 cubic feet per second, indicating a faster speed, Battilla requires all of his tubers to wear a life jacket.

The Battillas credit organizers like his for keeping the river safe.

“Safety in numbers and education on the creek is really paying off,” Battilla said, adding that there have been no recent deaths on the river in Golden.

With spring snowmelt increasing the volume and velocity of many Colorado rivers, the state has seen an alarming number of water-related deaths.

No statewide authority tracks water-related deaths.

But Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials became so concerned that they began keeping a tally of water-related deaths a few years ago.

In the days leading up to July 4, state officials urged people to wear life jackets while on the water. By then, the state had already recorded more than 20 water-related deaths.

This year, the number of water-related deaths appears to be on track to surpass last year’s, when 32 people died. In 2022, Colorado set a record of 42 water-related deaths.

It’s not just river safety that concerns residents of this Jefferson County community of 20,000. Visitors to the river often take home souvenirs but leave trash behind.

Joseph Helwink, who lives just down the path from the river, said he picked up two bags of trash last week.

“It’s really boring,” Helwink said.

Helwink said he was not aware of the new order.

Todd Deutsch too.

The Arvada resident said he usually goes down the river in Boulder, but took his children to Clear Creek on Sunday.

“I think they’re concerned about safety,” Deutsch said. “If you let people decide, they’re going to make bad decisions.”

Keith Dauper, an avid swimmer, and his family brought their own tubes Sunday to beat the heat as temperatures soared to 90 degrees. While the order doesn’t impact him as a tube owner, the Denver resident is concerned about the impact on business.

“We want to promote tourism,” Dauper said. “We want people to come to Golden. It’s a hidden gem.”