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February 12, 2007
Snowmass celebrates 25 years of Fat Tuesday Revelry in 2007
Snowmass Village, CO. Wintery Colorado may seem like an unusual location for a Mardi Gras celebration, but the resort town of Snowmass Village hosts one of the oldest Mardi Gras festivals in the Rocky Mountains. New Orleans natives have made a pilgrimage to Snowmass, slopes for Mardi Gras since 1980, bringing a hefty dose of purple, green and gold spirit with them. Snowmass locals quickly caught on and created an official event that celebrates 25 years of Fat Tuesday revelry on February 20, 2007.
"We plan to make this quarter-century anniversary one of the best parties of the season for the whole family," says Susan Hamley, Marketing Director for the Town of Snowmass Village. "From mask-making for kids to crawdad boils, king cakes and late-night revelry, Snowmass offers the ultimate Mardi Gras mountain destination."
This dawn-until-wee-hours authentic fete draws over 3,000 visitors annually and includes traditional Mardi Gras elements such as a madcap costumed parade, king cake giveaway, bead throws, crawdad boils, Hurricane drink specials, and celebrations late into the night.
Snowmass kicks off the celebration early this year with the first of the season's Bud Light Big Air Friday competitions on February 16. Regional athletes huck their best moves off a 40-foot jump followed by music, prizes, and fireworks. On February 18, the Snowmass Poker Run takes over the mountain with participants seeking out the best poker hand as they ski all over competing for a $1,000 cash prize. That evening a free 7 p.m. Bud Light Hi-Fi concert takes place on the Snowmass Village Mall with The Samples, while during the weekend and President's Day Lift Ops will be vying for bragging rights in a Crazy Hat Contest.
Fat Tuesday, which this year coincides with President's Week, starts at dawn on February 20 with the Mother of All Ascensions, a costumed uphill snowshoe race that regularly draws over 250 competitors and also celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. The race begins at 8,500 feet in altitude and traverses up an additional 1,741 feet for $15,000 in prizes. Starting around the noon hour, local restaurants such as Zane, The Cirque, and Big Hoss Grille offer Cajun food, hurricane drink specials, and crawdad boils.
The afternoon is filled with festivities including a Kids' Carnival with mask-making, face painters and stilt-walkers, the coronation of a local King and Queen and a bead throw with nearly 29,000 bead necklaces thrown into the crowds. King Cake giveaways include the grand prize of a snowboard, and the Red Cross will be raffling off a snowboard and Jagermeister jacket as well. The annual parade is filled with floats, bagpipers, a marching band, dancers, cheerleaders, stilt walkers, clowns, costumed revelers and more. Cash prizes will be awarded for best costume, best float, and best use of this year's theme "Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler."
After the parade, the parties move indoors to local hot spots such as Zane's Tavern, Mountain Dragon, Big Hoss Grille, and the Cirque, who are celebrating with live music, Mardi Gras giveaways, and Fat Tuesday drink and food specials.
For additional media information, visit www.snowmasspress.com/mardigras.
Book Lodging for Mardi Gras in Snowmass
Posted by jmidthun at February 12, 2007 12:08 PM
