Labor Day is right around the corner, and with the start of school looming shortly thereafter, people tend to think summer and the activities that go along with the season are over.

Not so in Pagosa Country.

We still have a fairly large event listed on our calendar every weekend until the end of September and here is the scoop on all the activities. Plan ahead now, call your friends and family members to have them plan to come to Pagosa and help keep our summer momentum going.

The weekend of Aug. 22-23 is for our sporting enthusiasts. Saturday, Aug. 23, is the date for the United Way Golf Tournament and the first Annual Michael Valdez Memorial Bow Shoot. The golf tournament will be held at the Pagosa Springs Golf Club beginning at 9 a.m. The cost to enter the tournament is $75 and this includes green and cart fees, lunch and lots of fun. Yearly members of the club will receive store credit for green and cart fees. When you golf at this event, know that the funds raised are staying in Pagosa assisting United Way agencies. To register, call Karen Davison at 264-1215 or the golf club.

The Memorial Bow Shoot will take place at 700 Honeybee Place at the Hockett Property near Stevens Lake. This tournament is in honor of one of our young adults, Michael Valdez, who was an avid hunter. Included in the events will be men’s and women’s compound and long bow: fingers and release. There will also be a boy’s and girl’s category, with fingers and release. There will be prizes in each category, great home cookin’ and lots of talent and fun for the participant or spectator. If you have thought of getting into bow shooting, this would be a great event to attend — and, you can talk to the experts. The scholarship fund supports students wanting to enter a college, junior college or vocational school. For more information, contact Leon Valdez at 883-3035.

Labor Day weekend

The Four Corners Folk Festival returns to Reservoir Hill for its 13th season. Festivities begin Friday, Aug. 29, with a three-day weekend of music, children’s activities, and late-night stage jams. The festival is highlighted this year with an appearance by the legendary Earl Scruggs on Sunday evening. However, other popular artists such as the Ollabelle, the Waifs and Boulder Acoustic Society will grace the stages. Local favorite Chris Thile, formerly with Nickel Creek, joins the festival with his new band, the Punch Brothers, on Saturday evening. For more information, go online to www.folkwest.com, or call for tickets at (877) 472-4672.

FolkWest also has scheduled a special musical evening Thursday, Aug. 28, at the high school auditorium. Two of the weekend’s festival performers — The Infamous Stringdusters, and Anne and Pete Sibley — will be on stage beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets, for this event only, are available at the Chamber, Moonlight Books and www.brownpapertickets.com for $15 for general seating or $10 with a Four Corners wristband. This event would not be possible without the generous sponsorship of Wilderness Journeys and Pagosa Central Management. Proceeds from this benefit concert go to the Pagosa Springs High School Fine Arts Magnet Academy. For more information, call 264-2228.

Also during the Labor Day weekend, we will have the 12th annual Sidewalk Sale, with sale sites all around town. Merchants will be gearing up with their fall and winter merchandise and will put on some great sales. Typically, there are several stores that seem to have a perpetual sidewalk sale. But, on this weekend, tables inside and outside retail stores will have special merchandise for your shopping and saving pleasure. Don’t forget to shop local and “Shop Pagosa First” with all the great deals to be had around town from Thursday, Aug. 28, to Monday, Sept. 1.

Parelli Savvy Days

After a three-day Labor Day weekend, there is still no rest, as the Parelli International Horsemanship Center hosts its annual Savvy Days conference Sept. 5-7. This weekend brings close to 1,000 horse enthusiasts to our community. Many of the attendees arrive Thursday to enjoy the community, shop and get ready for an early-morning registration on Friday, Sept. 5. This is notice to the restaurants that facilities should be busy Thursday and Friday evenings. The Parelli center has an evening planned for the attendees Saturday, Sept. 6. Make sure you are staffed, have ordered enough food, and continue to treat our visitors to a dose of Pagosa kindness. Some of the downtown merchants will also be open later in the evenings to accommodate shoppers who are in classes all day.

ColorFest weekend

The hot air balloons, wine festival and many more activities are planned for the Sept. 19-21 weekend. This week’s article provides a brief synopsis of events as we now know of them.

The balloons will grace the morning skies on Saturday in the downtown area, and on Sunday at Stevens Field Airport.

Friday evening will bring the wine festival, and we will celebrate our restaurants with what was previously known as “The Taste of Pagosa.” Combining the wine and food festivals, we will now call the event “Passport to Pagosa: Wine & Food Festival.” At this time, we have around 12 restaurants that have committed to the event. The Passport Festival will be held on the athletic field adjacent to Town Park. Tickets are already available at the Chamber and future articles will explain the intricacies of this expanded food and wine festival.

Saturday during the day will also bring a new event to the community: The Band & Brew Blowout. Six different bands will compete for prizes, including recording time and $1,000 first-place prize. At the same time, we will host at least eight regional breweries at the concert — Pagosa’s own beer fest! Children’s activities and food vendors will also be on site to make this a very high-energy day.

On Saturday evening, beginning around 5 p.m., the festivities move out to the Stevens Field Airport where the balloon glow will be held. In addition to the popular glow, which starts at dusk, there will be other events such as a remote control plane exhibition, paper airplane contest, and static displays with small plane and emergency service demonstrations. Food and music will be available at this event, as well.

On Sunday, Sept. 21, poker players from near and far can play in a Texas Hold’em Tournament. Entry forms are available at the Chamber and participants can vie for three gift packages awarded to the top three players. The tournament will be held in the tent at the athletic field in the park and will be held rain or shine. Food and beverages will also be available.

The Pagosa Springs Arts Council will hold its Artist Studio Tour Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. at local artists’ homes and galleries.

There are lots of events to partake of this weekend, while still leaving time to take a leisurely hike to see the first vestiges of fall color. For more information, contact the Chamber at 264-2360.

Mountain Chile Cha-Cha

Saturday, Sept. 27, brings a mini marathon and music to our community. The day starts off at 9 a.m. with a 15-, 7- or 3-mile race up, down and around Reservoir Hill. There is a $1,000 purse and all money collected goes to the GECKO (Give Every Child Knowledge of the Outdoors) organization headed up by local entrepreneur Morgan Murri. Check out the Web site, www.joingecko.com, for race and organization information.

After the race, stay downtown at the athletic field and enjoy another day of music, food and fun at the annual Mountain Chile Cha-Cha. There will be a chile cookoff, music, food vendors, a beer garden and chile roasting. Popular bands, Euforquestra and Nosotros, will perform under the tent. It’s just another day for locals and visitors to enjoy our great community during a beautiful time of the year.

No wonder National Geographic Adventure named Pagosa Springs as one of the 50 top places in the United States to play where you work!

Membership news

Two new members join us this week.

The Pagosa Artisans Co-op is located at 150 Pagosa St. The facility houses artisans displaying various mediums of work. There is still rental space available where you can gather with talented individuals and share a common artistic goal. For more information, contact Patti Rios at 946-7765, or drop by the delightful co-op.

We also welcome Glenn Hieronymus and Hieronymus Life Elixir. This wellness tea was crafted by Captain Glenn Hieronymus and contains organic herbs and spices. It has been enjoyed by numerous well known celebrities, and Captain Hieronymus has also been featured on the Food Network. For more information about improving your life and health, contact Hieronymus at 903-5311.

We have a number of businesses renewing this week and we thank them for their support. They include: Fireside Inn Cabins; the Inn at the Springs; Sportsman’s Supply Campground and Cabins; Pagosa Peak Rentals; Jann Pitcher Real Estate; Mountain Eye Care; The Tile Store; Chavolo’s Taqueria; Summer Phillips/Goldsmith; Chris Pierce and Arborological West; and FolkWest.

Our Chamber friend renewing this week is our wonderful and knowledgeable Friday Visitor Center volunteer, Jean Sanft.

We apologize that we have been having Web site and e-mail problems. We are working diligently to rectify them. If you have any questions or you would like to enter an event, call us at 264-2360.