For those living in the North Park community, both the wonder of the season and hard times of the holidays can happen all at once. In spite of the natural beauty of North Park, the isolation, winter weather conditions, and sparse population can make for a very lonely time of year. For over 25 years, the Stockman Bar and Grill in Walden, CO has made a point of keeping its doors open on Thanksgiving to provide some holiday spirit (and spirits) to locals and wayward travelers alike.
What’s Happening for Thanksgiving at the Stockman Bar and Grill in Walden, CO
Being home for the holidays is often a time many of us take for granted. For those who can’t make the trip to spend with family, or find themselves alone for most holidays, there’s not a lot of options at this time of year. North Park has a long history of bachelor frontiersmen, miners, ranchers, and other people working far from their families. The remoteness of North Park can also mean people having to choose between a sometimes treacherous drive through the mountains, or spending time alone in Walden.
How It All Began
This tradition started many years ago when Dean and Linda Blevins decided to open the doors of their business so everyone could still celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. Linda, the Boss at the Stockman, has been putting Thanksgiving dinner together for years so that no one has to be alone or go hungry for the holidays. Anyone who wants to drop by for a hot, home-cooked holiday meal is welcome. Dinner is a traditional roasted turkey with all the fixin’s, served buffet style.
Everyone is asked to bring their own dish to contribute to the potluck event if they can. Dinner is free, but there’s a charge for drinks. Dinner starts at 4p.m. and lasts until the food is gone.
Not only is the Stockman providing food for those who attend the dinner, but Linda wants to make sure that others who can’t make it to the event are also taken care of. People who are working, the elderly, disabled and housebound, and passing travelers who are far from home are all welcome. The Stockman also provides Thanksgiving Dinner to the prisoners at the county jail and law enforcement officers who are on duty.
Call the Stockman Bar in Walden, CO About Delivery Options
For those unable to leave home to attend, the Stockman also delivers. A hot, homemade Thanksgiving meal will be delivered to anyone who is unable to come and get it themselves. In years past, the Stockman has delivered food to workers at the local gas stations, the Family Dollar, and other businesses that are required to be open during the holidays. If you find yourself stuck at work for Thanksgiving, you shouldn’t have to miss out on the festivities.
For info about deliveries, call the Stockman Bar and Grill at (970) 723-8499.
Working on Thanksgiving for a Good Cause
While many businesses are closed for the day, or others gearing up for the onslaught of customers at Black Friday sales, the people at the Stockman Bar and Grill are hard at work getting ready to serve their community. Linda makes around 70-100 meals for Thanksgiving dinner.
Not only does the Stockman Bar and Grill Thanksgiving dinner provide a way to bring people together during the holidays, it also works to give more back to the people of North Park.
Bring Your Donation
Visitors are asked to provide a donation for the event. Proceeds go to the Dean Blevins Memorial Fund, which provides an annual scholarship of $800 to a local high school graduate. Donations also go towards purchasing school supplies as well as gifts for families in need with the Christmas Giving Tree.
The folks at the Stockman Bar and Grill don’t just stop with Thanksgiving. Linda does this again for Christmas and Easter, every year! Like a Boss!
The Stockman Bar and Grill Welcomes You
Come for the delicious food and stay for the holiday cheer. Not only is the Stockman Bar brining people together who might otherwise be alone for Thanksgiving, but the Blevins family is giving visitors a chance to donate to some great causes.
The Stockman Bar has long been a place where potlucks, fundraisers, and charity events have brought people together for a good cause. Most recently, they hosted the drive to get one of North Park’s own sons a kidney (link opens to Facebook).
Thanks to the Blevins family, the Stockman Bar and Grill makes a time that would be difficult for some feel a little bit more like home.
Everything You Need to Know
Where is this happening?
Stockman Bar and Grill
441 Main Street
Walden, CO
When: November 23, 2023
Time: 4p.m. until the food is gone!
What you need to bring:
- Yourself. Your appetite.
- A dish if you wish.
- Donations are appreciated and encouraged.
- If you forget your sense of holiday cheer, one will be provided
You Don't Have to Spend the Holidays Alone
Many people have mixed emotions about the holiday season. Some get to spend time with friends, and indulge in some holiday cheer with family as the nights continue to get longer and the weather gets colder. For others, the holiday season can feel alone, isolated, and anything but festive. To some, the holidays become reminders of what is missing in life. For many, that can be a very tough experience.
If you are alone or stuck at work, home, or a hotel on Thanksgiving Day, it doesn't have to be so hard. The Stockman Bar and Grill is there to make what could be a bleak day a little bit brighter. Come for the inviting atmosphere, the delicious food, and stay for the company!
A Little About the Stockman Bar and Grill in Walden, CO
The Stockman Bar and Grill has been around for generations and has seen the ebb and flow of the prosperity of the area since it opened its doors in 1958. The Stockman competed with other bars over the years, through the rise of the mining industry, forestry, oil and gas booms and busts, and has also witnessed the decline of a mountain community.
The bar itself might seem a little familiar. The 1864 Brunswick mahogany bar was imported from England to Leadville until it was parted into thirds in the 1920s. The second piece can be found at the Lone Cone Restaurant and Bar in Norwood, CO and the third piece works as a set piece in Hollywood, and has appeared in several westerns over the years as a bar back. Bars like this are icons of the Old West and very few of them still exist outside of museum pieces.
The Stockman Bar and Grill Today
The Stockman Bar is part biker bar, cowboy bar, hometown watering hole, and main hotspot for Walden nightlife for travelers and locals alike. In the summer there’s usually a game of horseshoes going on out in the beer garden from open to close.
In the summer months, a food truck puts food on the menu to go with cold beers, spirits, and wine. Specials change all the time, from steaks and whiskey to pizza night. The Stockman hosts live music and dancing. Over the years it has become known as the heart of nightlife in Walden, CO year round.
The Stockman Bar and Grill has been in the Blevins family since 1986. The building was originally the local post office. In 1958 the building became the Stockman Bar and Cafe.
A Family Business
Jenny Blevins is the current owner of the Stockman Bar and Grill, having inherited it from her father, Dean Blevins, after his passing in 2020. Not long she took ownership, the pandemic hit. The Blevins family faced the challenge of keeping this family business operational during lockdowns and mandates over the next few years.
Today they are going strong. This family owned and operated business is working to keep some traditions alive, along with starting some new ones. Stop by to show some love to the Stockman Bar and Grill as well as the North Park Community this holiday season.
Check out this blog post for other things going on in North Park for November 2023!
