Posted inColoradans

Is there a Santa shortage or a holiday party boom? In Colorado, there appears to be both.

On an unseasonably warm early December morning, veteran mountain-man entertainer Randall McKinnon rose at his home in the foothills above Fairplay, still feeling the fatigue of an intense, three-hour performance for about 500 eager fans in Silverthorne the night before.  He piled his gear into his car at about 7 a.m. and wound down U.S. […]

Posted inColoradans, COVID, News

Santa Claus is also working from a ho-ho-home office during coronavirus, thanks to a Colorado entrepreneur

On a frigid December night, Michael Cawthra prepared to embody the spirit of Christmas as he slipped into his plush, red coat with the white, furry trim and the matching red cap. The 66-year-old retired elementary school teacher became a professional Santa Claus in 2008, when friends and relatives noted his graying hair and full […]

Posted inBusiness, Coloradans, Culture, Transportation

Polar Express rings in the holiday season, but wide-ranging themes power Colorado tourist trains year round

Nostalgia for trains years ago launched a scenic railroad industry across North America and savvy train owners now are adding themed excursions to extend the business season and bring in new customers Nowhere is that more apparent than in Colorado, where specialty trains have boosted revenues to maintain the rail lines that once served miners […]