Western Welcome Week Parade 2022

Wow, it feels like it was only a year ago that we posted about the Western Welcome Week parade in Littleton. That's probably because it was only a year ago. It's an annual event, after all. The truth of the matter is, this is an event that my family and I always try to hit. It's been a tradition for us for over twenty years, so of course, I'm going to do another post about it.

The Western Welcome Week parade is one of the biggest parades in the Denver area. As usual, there were tons of community organizations, floats, classic cars, equestrians, and marching bands making their way down Littleton Blvd. One of the things that makes this parade unique each year is the sheer number of marching bands that take part.

Usually, things get pretty toasty sitting out on the street watching a parade in the middle of August. However, this year we had an unseasonably cool morning for the parade, with high temperatures in the mid 70's. It was a very comfortable morning. Next year, I'm sure we'll be sweating buckets again.

Enjoy a few shots from this year's parade.

Western Welcome Week Parade 2021

I love parades! The Chicago suburb where I grew up always had a huge 4th of July Parade. In fact, every town in our area had their own big 4th of July parade. When I moved to Colorado, though, I was surprised that most towns didn't have such a celebration. I later found that was because they would have other summer parades instead. One of the biggest parades in the Denver area takes place each August in Littleton at the end of Western Welcome Week. 

The event dates back to 1929 and originally was intended to mark the 100th birthday of Littleton's founder, Richard Little. Over the years, the event has become an annual week-long celebration of the community and its western history.

The parade goes right down Main Street, through downtown Littleton, and always features a wide range of representatives from the Littleton community. You'll see police and fire departments, cub scouts, karate schools, theater groups, churches, and many more community organizations represented. There are also always plenty of equestrian entries in the parade; very appropriate considering our region's western heritage. Then there are the marching bands! All of the Littleton high schools bring out their bands and are joined by bands from neighboring communities like Centennial, Highlands Ranch, Aurora and Elizabeth. This year the long-distance travel award went to a band that came all the way from Pueblo.

Of course, last year the Western Welcome Week Parade didn't happen. I admit to having had a bit of an emotional swell as I watched this year. Seeing everybody back smiling and clapping and cheering was kind of magical. I took a ton of pictures, but I'm just going to share a handful here. It was an awesome celebration and it felt so good to be back!

Downtown Littleton - Mid-Century Modern Architecture

Littleton Boulevard is the main drag through downtown Littleton, and the hot spot for finding examples of mid-century modern architecture in the area. However, there are also a few great examples if you wander a few blocks to the north or south.

At the corner of Powers Avenue and Prince Street you will find the building that originally housed the Circle Savings and Loan. This brick structure is unique for its curved features and for the fact that it sits diagonally on the lot, facing the corner. The southwest side of the building also features a sunken garden. The structure was built in 1970 and designed by Laramey and Butts. The building currently houses an accounting office. You'll find it at 5583 S Prince St in Littleton.

Head south on Prince Street a few blocks and you'll find the Littleton National Bank building, which is now a Chase Bank location. Designed by Barker Rinker Seacat, it is one of downtown Littleton's most imposing structures. The hooded windows are one of the most notable features of the building. The impressive structure stands tall at 5734 S Prince St, on the corner or Prince and Alamo.

Littleton Blvd Side Streets - Mid-Century Modern Architecture

Today we continue our look at mid-century modern architecture in Littleton with two buildings that technically aren't on Littleton Blvd, but are just a few steps down its side streets.

We begin at 5723 S Gallup Street with a building that is appropriately called The Gallup Building. It was designed by Eugene Sternberg, the architect responsible for the Courthouse Building covered in a previous post. 

Sternberg is possibly most famous for designing the mid-modern housing development Arapahoe Acres in nearby Englewood. Though not quite as dramatic as his Courthouse Building, the Gallup Building still has an eye-catching roof and windows. I also appreciate the raised and sunken entryways.

One block over, at 5804 S Datura Street, you will find the building which was originally home to the Arapahoe County Bank. The building, designed by Earl Chester Morris, now houses a different sort of bank...a food bank. The unique zig-zag roof is probably the most interesting feature of the building. Morris himself lived in Littleton and is buried in nearby Littleton Cemetery. His headstone is, like his buildings, a unique design that is easy to spot.

Pumpkins in Downtown Littleton

I'd always intended this blog to cover some of the goings-on in the Denver area. But, 2020 being what it is, there haven't been any goings-on. Well, at least one tradition has still managed to happen this year...the pumpkin displays in downtown Littleton. Each year, many of the local businesses put together themed pumpkin displays on several of the downtown corners. It looks like this year many of the displays had a theme of famous movies or TV shows. 

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.

Superheroes. 

Little Shop of Horrors.

Finding Nemo.

I'm not sure what this one is...but it involved pigs.

You can check out these displays yourself along Littleton Boulevard, but hurry as the pumpkins do start to rot as the days press on.

Reinke Brothers

Halloween is just a few weeks away! At this time of year, there's no better place to visit than Reinke Brothers, right in the heart of downtown Littleton. To say this is the ultimate stop for ghoulish gear in the Denver area is a big understatement.

The history of Reinke Brothers spans over 50 years. It begins with the store's namesakes creating their own makeshift haunted houses and charging neighborhood kids pennies to ride through in a shopping cart they caught while fishing. The first official Reinke Brothers haunted house took up residence at Englewood's Cinderella City mall in 1984. However, as long as I've been in Colorado, the brothers' have been a fixture of downtown Littleton, in a store with a haunted house facade.

If you think the outside of the building is wild, wait until you see the inside. There are thousands of costumes for sale, from floor to ceiling. The store also features a wide variety of horror props, and supplies for performers such as jugglers, magicians and clowns.

The store also continues to celebrate where it all began. A portion of the store contains the Reinke Brothers Haunted Mansion, which seeks to terrify Denver area residents each fall. Even when it's not Halloween season, the store features many large and scary figures, some of which may even start to talk to you when you aren't expecting it.

Even if you find the building too scary to enter, you can still enjoy the outside of the store, which features a few slightly macabre murals...and one of John Lennon. Go figure.

You can find Reinke Brothers at 5663 S Prince Street in downtown Littleton. As their sign says "It's not just a store, it's an adventure."