Our Look Back at 2024

As you blast off into 2025, take a look back at the past year.

December 31, 2024

The cover of the December 26, 2024 issue. art by Bradley Hansen

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Denver is an easy city to make fun of, but we'll defend it until we're dead and buried. The people here can be awkward, friendly, rude, aloof, selfish, well-meaning or just really, really high on anything from legal weed to legal mushrooms to legal ketamine.

Mix it all together, and we have a Mile High stew full of good news, bad news and hilariously weird news...from driving a Chrysler through the endless16th Street Mall construction to UFOs over Red Rocks. And we wrapped them all up in these features:

"The Most Denver Stories of 2024"
A look back at some of the wackiest articles Westword published over the past twelve months.

"The Most Colorado Story of 2024"
The Colorado Republican Party gained ground and national attention in 2024.

"The Most Aurora Story of 2024"
Colorado's third-largest city made the biggest headlines this year.

"The Biggest Denver Culture Stories of 2024"
The Mile High City got straight to the art over the past year.

"The Biggest Denver Food Stories of 2024"
The local dining scene provided plenty of food for thought over the last twelve months.

"The Biggest Denver Music Stories of 2024"
Take note of all the action on the local scene over the past year.

"Musicians Over Fifty Performed Some of the Best Concerts in 2024"
Mick still has the moves, and he's not alone, says Music Editor Emily Ferguson.

"The Best Bites We Tried at Denver Restaurants in 2024"
Eat up! Food & Drink Editor Molly Martin dug into some great dishes this year.

"The Ten Best New Denver Restaurants in 2024"
Season's eating! This was a very good year for diners.

"Colorado's Best Cannabis Strains of 2024"
Welcome to the really high Mile High City.

And a bonus:

"Music to My Ears: I Took My Year-in-Review Assignment a Little Too Far"
Jason Heller looks back at 22 years of Westword stories.

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.

A message from Patricia Calhoun: If you value independent journalism, please consider making a contribution to support our continued coverage of essential stories and to investigate issues that matter.

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