By Lyndsie Ferrell
CREEDE—Main Street in Creede was packed to the hilt Wednesday morning with eager guests lining the street in anticipation of the coming parade. The day was warm, without a cloud in the sky and a light breeze that shifted the smoke coming from several fires in Colorado out of the valley, giving the town a reprieve from the last few days.
Families were adorned in their Fourth of July best, covering the area in red, white and blue colors all up and down the sidewalks. Children could be seen running to and fro waving red, white and blue wands with glittering tassels fluttering in the wind. At 10 a.m. an old fighter plane made two passes over the crowd, marking the beginning of Creede’s Independence Day. The Mineral County Sheriff’s department began the descent from the north end of town riding horses and displaying the state and American flags, followed by the rest of the parade.
Several organizations, local businesses and community figures participated in the parade, throwing candy and toys to the crowd as they passed by. There were close to 50 entries in this year’s parade, making the trip up to the high mountain town worth the drive. This year’s theme was “There is no place like Creede” in honor of the “Wizard of Oz” play that had two showings throughout the week. The parade was a huge success and enjoyed by all who attended.
While the crowd cheered for the annual parade, a select few stayed behind at the Days of ‘92 Mining Arena located behind Basham Park for the state mining competitions that would be going on throughout the day. The competition includes everything from jack leg drilling to mucking and hand drilling events that bring competitors from around the globe every year during the Fourth of July celebration.
After the parade, the crowd dispersed to enjoy the day in Creede. The theatre hosted a matinee of the “Wizard of Oz” as well as a later showing. The shops along Main Street opened their doors, and restaurants welcomed hungry guests. Vendor booths were set up outside the Kentucky Belle parking lot offering everything from tasty treats to homemade gifts and souvenirs.
The day ended with a special Fourth of July rodeo down at the Mineral County Fairgrounds put on by Burris and Sons. Horses were adorned with the Independence Day colors that added to the excitement of the event.
Though the night did not end with the annual firework show, everyone who came out to enjoy the holiday in Creede had a wonderful time. The town was packed with close to, if not more than, 10,000 people.
If there is one thing that is for certain, it is that there is no place like Creede on Independence Day!