Wake-Up Call: We're bullish on Denver

Thirty years ago, Denver boosters were so worried that the city was considered a cowtown that they launched a campaign to appear more cosmopolitan, banishing any bovine connections. Westword responded by adopting the cow (and its bullish brethren) as a mascot for our annual Best of Denver, which celebrates everything that's...

By Patricia Calhoun

January 13, 2009

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Thirty years ago, Denver boosters were so worried that the city was considered a cowtown that they launched a campaign to appear more cosmopolitan, banishing any bovine connections. Westword responded by adopting the cow (and its bullish brethren) as a mascot for our annual Best of Denver, which celebrates everything that's great about this city -- Western-influenced or not. (We're already rounding up categories for our Best of Denver 2009, which will be published March 26, and you can vote in our online Readers' Poll right now.)

Despite our Best efforts to celebrate Denver's frontier heritage, this city is still self-conscious about its cowtown reputation. But not today. Today, on Dress Western Day, the National Western Stock Show Parade will march from Union Station to the State Capitol, led by former Denver resident Baxter Black and featuring a bunch of boosters -- who'll all be wearing boots and hats, even if they park them in their closets after today.

But right now, Denver is on the mooove.

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

Contact: Patricia Calhoun

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