Hundreds of golden retrievers gather in Golden, Colorado for annual celebration

GOLDEN, Colo - A rare sighting was up near the mountains in Colorado this weekend — hundreds upon hundreds of golden retrievers. 

The city of Golden hosted its annual Goldens in Golden event on Saturday, inviting golden retrievers and their human parents for a massive celebration. 

The annual event, which is said to celebrate "these popular pooches with lots of fun, fanfare, fluff and photo ops," took a break during the pandemic and came back in full swing this year. 

Event organizers told Denver’s CBS4 they estimated more than 2,000 golden retrievers attended, which may even be an unofficial record for the largest gathering. 

Golden is an old mining town that sits in the foothills of the Rock Mountains about 20 miles west of Denver. It houses the Colorado School of Mines, Coors Brewery and an arching ‘Welcome to Golden’ sign, which is where hundreds of pups gathered and posed Saturday for a photo. 

Local businesses reportedly got in on the fun, too, and offered "hot dogs" and pupcakes. Some hotels even offered pet-friendly packages. Event organizers also offered free "pup cup" treats. 

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The event coincides with International Golden Retrievers Day, which is held every year on Feb. 3. 

Golden retrievers are consistently one of the top dog breeds in the United States, according to the American Kennel Club. 

This story was reported from Detroit.