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In its 84th year, Littleton’s Western Welcome Week is pretty much what it is: An old-fashioned community festival featuring more than fifty tried-and-true events stretched out over a couple of weeks, with no changes needed. Everyone can use a little good, clean fun from time to time, and Western Welcome...

By Susan Froyd

August 2, 2012

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In its 84th year, Littleton’s Western Welcome Week is pretty much what it is: An old-fashioned community festival featuring more than fifty tried-and-true events stretched out over a couple of weeks, with no changes needed.

Everyone can use a little good, clean fun from time to time, and Western Welcome Week’s got it by the wagonload: parades, art exhibits, live music, pancake breakfasts, barbecues, fishing derbies, car shows — you name it. If it’s folksy, it’s sure to be part of the festivities. The only thing about it that’s not completely in step with the fest’s back-in-time mentality is its 2012 theme — “Fun and Fit” — and even that will play out with something as sweetly corny as City Council members taking to their bikes in the August 18 Grand Parade through downtown Littleton. Can a surrey with the fringe on top be far behind?

“We offer something for everybody,” says fest director Cindy Hathaway. “Everything is low-cost or free and family-oriented. And it’s structured so you can do many things in one day. Just come on down!” Western Welcome Week kicks off today with a Bag of Books Sale at Bemis Library, 6028 South Gallup Street in Littleton; a couple of art exhibits; and, in the evening, the annual Carousel of Music in Geneva Lake Park, 2255 West Berry Avenue. For information and a complete schedule of events, visit www.westernwelcomeweek.org.
Aug. 8-19, 2012

Susan Froyd started writing for Westword as the "Thrills" editor in 1992 and never quite left the fold. These days she still freelances for the paper in addition to walking her dogs, enjoying cheap ethnic food and reading voraciously. Sometimes she writes poetry.

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