Pagosa offers a plethora of events and activities to keep you busy. If you haven’t already noticed, our community’s population explodes over the holiday weekend.
The 36th annual Park-to-Park Arts and Crafts Festival is already underway. Over 60 vendors are showcasing their handcrafted work in Town Park and across the bridge in Mary Fisher Park.
New to the holiday activity lineup this year is GECKO’s 3k and 5k noncompetitive fun run/jog/walk starting at 8 a.m.
You can support the Pagosa Pregnancy Support Center by attending their pancake breakfast at the Parish Hall on Lewis Street before the parade kicks off.
The daring men in their flying machines, the San Juan Formation Flying Team, will kick off the Pagosa Springs Rotary Club’s Fourth of July parade festivities as they fly over the start of the parade at exactly 10 a.m. This group of experienced pilots with diverse aviation backgrounds is always a thrill to see in the skies above Pagosa. The team will fly over the parade route not just once, but twice. The parade will travel through downtown Pagosa Springs on U.S. 160, stopping just before the Forest Service building. This year’s theme is “Service Above Self.”
Celebrating 65 years is the Red Ryder Round Up Rodeo, beginning at 2 p.m. on the Fourth of July at the Western Heritage Rodeo Grounds off of U.S. 84. Cowboys and cowgirls will compete for prizes and prize money in this sanctioned rodeo series. You will be treated to a daily specialty act, as well as mutton busters and a variety of 65th anniversary celebrations. The rodeo will also be held July 5 at 7 p.m. and July 6 at 2 p.m.
Additionally, beginning at 2 p.m. on July 4 is the annual free Pagosa Springs Community Band concert. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs to the back lawn at The Springs Resort and enjoy patriotic music played by our many talented musicians.
Weather and fire danger permitting, fireworks are set to go off just after sunset in downtown Pagosa Springs near the athletic fields at the high school.
You can see firsthand the amazing talents of Pagosans when you attend Curtains Up Pagosa’s rock opera production of “Jesus Christ Superstar” tonight or Sunday at the Pagosa Springs High School.
Other not-to-miss productions are the Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts’ “Beauty and the Beast,” “25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee” and “Les Miserables.”
And, if you prefer to get away from it all, there is always hiking, fishing, biking and camping in the mountains and wilderness surrounding our beautiful town.
To find out all of the activities happening in Pagosa Springs, check out the Chamber of Commerce’s Holiday Planner on the back page of this week’s PREVIEW.
One thing’s for certain … we have plenty to celebrate this Independence Day.
Terri Lynn Oldham House
