THE GOVERNOR'S NEWSLETTER |
Calling All Coloradans to Celebrate Colorado Starting July 25th, 2025 |
I am thrilled to announce the return of Celebrate Colorado from Friday, July 25th through Sunday, August 3rd, 2025!
Celebrate Colorado with friends and family at more than 500 upcoming festivals, county fairs, art exhibitions, farmers’ markets, concerts, and other community events. A wide variety of celebrations highlighting Colorado's culture are happening all across the state. Visit the Celebrate Colorado map for inspiration on how to join in on the festivities.
August 1st marks the 149th anniversary of Colorado’s entrance into the Union as the 38th state, now celebrated as Colorado Day. In honor of Colorado Day, statewide celebrations will take place starting tomorrow, July 25, 2025 through August 3, 2025. Celebrate Colorado is a great opportunity to come together and show support for local businesses and community organizations.
Every year we get to come together and celebrate everything that makes Colorado great. As we inch closer to our sesquicentennial, we are ramping up the festivities, building more community, and celebrating everything that makes Colorado unique. I encourage all Coloradans to get out into the community to enjoy festivals, farmers markets, and support local businesses!
|
Thank you to the over 84,000 people who responded to our bridge survey! Coloradans overwhelmingly do not want a walkway at the Colorado State Capitol. A Zen saying goes, “Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself.” While many of my achievements as Governor required significant effort, such as successfully implementing free preschool and full-day kindergarten, there have also been moments when inaction was best.
One famous example from my first term was when a 20-ton rock fell onto State Highway 145, north of Dolores, on May 24, 2019, damaging the road. Instead of opting to blow up the rock, I left it in place and rebuilt the road around it, which saved taxpayers over $1 million and created an attraction.
Fast forward to this week: by deciding not to construct a pedestrian walkway at the state capitol based on strong public input, we preserve the integrity of the Capitol and save millions of dollars.
Sometimes, leaving a rock in place or choosing not to build a walkway isn’t just the easier option; it’s the right one because spring will come and the grass will grow. I am thrilled with the high level of public engagement around Colorado 150/America 250 planning! Let’s make this birthday special in so many ways that do not include a walkway.
|
Washington Post Editorial Board on My Let’s Get Ready Initiative: How to track educational performance? Here’s a good start. |
As the Chair of the bipartisan National Governors Association (NGA), I launched the Let’s Get Ready! Initiative to empower students with the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to thrive after graduation.
This week, the Washington Post Editorial Board commended my Let’s Get Ready initiative, writing:
“What are the best ways to measure whether an education system is preparing students for life after high school? That’s a difficult question to answer because of a lack of quality data. Thanks to the National Governors Association, that could soon change.
“Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) focused his year-long term as chair of the bipartisan association on reframing how states measure and track educational readiness from kindergarten through 12th grade. He convened seven meetings around the country to hear from experts on which metrics, beyond literacy and math, matter most to prepare children for long-term success. The result is a report that he will unveil next week in Colorado Springs at the annual summer gathering of governors, which he shared with The Post’s Editorial Board.
“The governor’s view is that states value what they measure; therefore, they need to more carefully track whether young people are getting the tools they need to thrive. “We don’t want states to achieve success by reducing standards,” Polis said.
“The NGA plans to launch a pilot project this fall to help five states build out customized dashboards over 18 months, with hopes that others will follow. Applications will open after next week.
“Polis, who is halfway through his second term as governor, issued a data-focused executive order earlier this year to compel five state agencies to share data so that Colorado can create a cradle-to-career coordination system that tracks how kids are doing, longitudinally, from pre-K through high school into higher education and the workforce.
“At a time when the Trump administration is seeking to eliminate the federal Education Department to return as much power as possible to the states over setting standards, governors feel a sense of urgency to better track student progress. Knowing which states are doing the best job will allow for easier imitation and for the scaling up of good ideas. Competition between schools, districts and states will lead to more students being ready for whatever the future might hold.”
|
Celebrate Colorado Day!
🌟Colorado Governor’s Residence - August 1st, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
🌟Colorado State Capitol - August 1st, 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Celebrate Colorado's 149th Birthday at the Colorado State Capitol, with performances, pets, snacks, and cake! Festivities are from 10am to 3pm!
🌟Denver Union Station - August 1st, 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Celebrate Colorado history with the inaugural Colorado Day Celebration on Friday, Aug. 1st, highlighting and honoring our state’s rich history and the vital role Denver Union Station plays as the travel and community hub for our Capitol City.
🌟History Colorado - August 2nd, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Celebrate Colorado with a free event
at the History Colorado Center! Arts and crafts, live performances, and snacks are just the tip of the snow cone at this carnivalesque gathering fit for an entire state.
🌟Center for Colorado Women's History - August 2nd, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Ring in Colorado’s 149th birthday with a
free celebration
at the Center for Colorado Women’s History! Live performances, art and food vendors, vintage collaging, and games will be available outside in the gardens surrounding the museum. Inside, guests can enjoy free General Admission to the museum. |
|
More Celebrate Colorado Events:
-
August 1, 4–9pm - State 38 Distilling in Golden will host the release of the 5th Annual Colorado Day Whiskey—a straight wheat whiskey finished in a spiced rum peach liqueur barrel, featuring a limited-edition label by local artist Jesse Crock.
-
August 1, 5-8pm - Denver Milk Market will celebrate with the Market Art Walk, celebrating Colorado artists with an art show, live music, and food.
-
Dozens of farmers’ markets across the state to buy local food and support farmers and ranchers.
-
County fairs and rodeos all over the state
-
Free concert series in Breckenridge, Beaver Creek, Cedaredge, Colorado Springs, Lakewood, Loveland, Minturn, Salida, Steamboat Springs, and Denver at the Levitt Pavilion
A list of discounts through Celebrate Colorado: |
|
| | |
|
|
|
Stay Updated with Governor Polis! |
|
|
This email was sent by: Colorado Governor's Office Proper
200 E Colfax Ave Denver, CO, 80203, USA
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
