Arvada Celebrates

Arvada Celebrates. Historic Olde Town Walking Tour. , Arvada Celebrates , In the fall of 1925, Arvada prepared to celebrate two major events: The bountiful harvest and the completion of the last section of the “paved” road from Denver to Grandview (part of early Colorado Highway 72). , Harvest Festival , On October 17, 1925, the governor would inaugurate the road by driving through a paper gateway on Grandview Avenue. Free pie coupons would be dropped from an airplane. Visitors would be entertained with speeches, band music, and street dancing. Canned goods, produce and farm animals would be presented in hopes of winning blue ribbons. The Arvada High School football team vowed to trounce the alumni. , Fall Blizzard , Undaunted by the early major blizzard on the night of October 16, Arvadans shoveled the streets and the festival went on. Even though the football game and the governor’s appearance were cancelled and pie coupons were tossed from the roof of the bank, Arvada’s first Harvest Festival was a huge success. Celebrated today in September, it is one of the oldest such festivals and parades in Colorado.