The future of the longtime Arvada Harvest Festival and Parade is in question after the city declined to approve permits for this year’s event, citing serious operational, financial, and public safety concerns.
The century-old festival, led by volunteers, has historically called Olde Town Arvada home, but operational challenges have led it to different locations in recent years. After the 2025 festival returned to Olde Town, the city said it will no longer permit the event under its current model.
Arvada City Manager Don Wick sent a letter to the Arvada Harvest Festival and Parade Committee in March, saying “significant changes must be made before the City will approve future permits.”
The city said it absorbed around $40,000 in costs for staffing, traffic control, barricades, engineering, permitting, and cleanup last year and said the model is financially unsustainable for taxpayers. The letter also said festival organizers were unresponsive during the permit process, had no reliable point of contact, and changed parade details without notice…