Strawberry Days – 114 Years of Fun in Glenwood Springs
There are some events up here that have some serious staying power. I just reported on FibARK and thought WOW! That is a really longtime festival but then as I researched more into Strawberry Days it hit me! 114 Years of celebrations!!! So there must be something to it. According to their website it began in June, 1897.
Glenwood Springs was a rough-hewn town seeking to refine itself. The luxurious Hotel Colorado and the Hot Springs Pool had replaced brothels and gambling halls. Polo was surpassing poker in popularity, and in general, Glenwood was becoming a tight-knit community dominated by hardworking families. The first strawberry picnic was a small neighborly gathering, a chance to get reacquainted with old friends and make new ones, an opportunity to share the bounty of the strawberry harvest and celebrate the warm days ahead.
As the years passed, those humble community picnics gained momentum, and it wasn’t long before Strawberry Days was an event that drew crowds from as far away as Rifle. Women competed for best strawberry pie; the famous “Human Fly” from Kansas awed onlookers as he scaled tall buildings in downtown Glenwood; and carnivals captured the imaginations and pocket change of the youngsters.
Not much has changed in 114 years. Now the crowds flock to Glenwood Springs from Denver and beyond. Though the Human Fly is long extinct, mimes, magicians and storytellers mesmerize audiences instead. As for the carnival, it is a blur of flashing lights and loud music that continues to lure for a few moments of exhilaration.
Since those early days, new traditions have evolved. Dueling for the most popular award are the Artisan’s Fair and the Main Stage Entertainment. The craft fair features over 150 crafts from people from around the country. Applicants are juried, and only the best of the best make it into the space-limited fair. All crafts are American handmade items. Offerings include hand wrought jewelry, hand thrown and painted pottery, mouth blown art glass, fine woodwork from furniture to accessories, custom quilts, leather goods and much, much more.
Schedule of Events
Friday, June 17
| Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 9 a.m. | Valley View Hospital Auxiliary Pie Day | First United Methodist Church 824 Cooper Avenue |
| Noon – 10 p.m. | Food Booths Open | Sayre Park, Baseball Field |
| Noon – dusk | Artisan Fair & Farmer’s Market Open | Sayre Park |
| 3- 10 p.m. | Brown’s Amusements Carnival Open | Glenwood Springs Mall |
| 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. | A Vision Quest | Sayre Park, Jack FM Main Stage |
| 4 – 9:30 p.m. | Beer Garden Open | Sayre Park, Baseball Field |
| 4-5 p.m. | Call 811 Before You Dig! Presentation | Sayre Park, FamilyFest Stage |
| 4:45 p.m. | Glenwood Springs Percussion Ensemble | Sayre Park, Jack FM Main Stage |
| 5 – 7 p.m. | Miss Strawberry Days Fashion Show/ Strawberry Princesses | Sayre Park, Jack FM Main Stage |
| 8 – 8:30 p.m. | Crowning of Miss Strawberry Days | Sayre Park, Jack FM Main Stage |
| 7 – 10 p.m. | Ashley Red | Sayre Park, Jack FM Main Stage |
Saturday, June 18
| Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 10 a.m. | Strawberry Days Parade | Grand Avenue |
| 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. | Food Booths Open | Sayre Park, baseball field |
| 10 a.m. – dusk | Artisan Fair & Farmer’s Market Open | Sayre Park |
| 10:00 a.m. – 10 p.m. | Brown’s Amusements Carnival Open | Glenwood Springs Mall |
| 11a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Slightly White | Sayre Park, Jack FM Main Stage |
| 11:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Strawberry Princess Celebration/ Valley Dynamite All Star Cheer | Sayre Park, FamilyFest Stage |
| 12 -12:30 p.m. | James Lee Karate Presentation | Sayre Park, FamilyFest Stage |
| 12 – 9:30 p.m. | Beer Garden Open | Sayre Park, baseball field |
| After the parade | Strawberry Days Kiwanis Ice Cream Social | Sayre Park, baseball field |
| 12:30-2 p.m. | Glenwood Idol | Sayre Park, FamilyFest Stage |
| 1 – 2:30 p.m. | Steve Skinner with Louie Girardot, Frank Martin and Captain X | Sayre Park, Jack FM Main Stage |
| 2-3:30 p.m. | Glenwood Springs Center for the Arts Wizard of Oz Mural Painting | Sayre Park, FamilyFest Stage |
| 3 – 4 p.m. | Fifty50 | Sayre Park, Jack FM Main Stage |
| 3:30 – 5 p.m. | Village Inn Pie Eating Contest | Sayre Park, FamilyFest Stage |
| 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. | The Missing Link Band | Sayre Park, Jack FM Main Stage |
| 5 – 6 p.m. | Holy Cross Electric Safety Demonstration | Sayre Park, FamilyFest Stage |
| 6:45 p.m. | Winner of Glenwood Idol Performs | Sayre Park, Jack FM Main Stage |
| 7 – 10 p.m. | Sina and the Big Bang | Sayre Park, Jack FM Main Stage |
| 8:30 – 9 p.m. | Zumba | Sayre Park, Jack FM Main Stage |
Sunday, June 19
| Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 7 a.m. | Strawberry Shortcut | Centennial Park – 9th St. & Grand Ave. |
| 7 – 11 a.m. | Annual Rotary Pancake Breakfast | Sayre Park, baseball field |
| 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Food Booths Open | Sayre Park, baseball field |
| 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Artisan Fair & Farmer’s Market Open | Sayre Park |
| 10 – 10:45 a.m. | Earthbeat Choir | Sayre Park, Jack FM Main Stage |
| 10 – 11 a.m | Clean Energy Economy for the Region/ Solar Energy International Present: Good Clean Energy Fun! | Sayre Park, FamilyFest Stage |
| 10:45 – 11:30 a.m. | Mixed Emotions/ Jeff Van Devender | Sayre Park, Jack FM Main Stage |
| 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Elstun Magic Productions | Sayre Park, FamilyFest Stage |
| 11:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Glenwood Dance Academy | Sayre Park, Jack FM Main Stage |
| 12 – 6 p.m. | Beer Garden Open | Sayre Park, baseball field |
| 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. | Brown’s Amusements Carnival Open | Glenwood Springs Mall |
| 12 – 1:30 p.m. | Defiance String Band | Sayre Park, FamilyFest Stage |
| 12 – 12:30 p.m. | Glenwood Springs Center for the Arts Junior & Senior Dance Companies | Sayre Park, Jack FM Main Stage |
| 12:30 – 2 p.m. | All the Pretty Horses | Sayre Park, Jack FM Main Stage |
| 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. | Elstun Magic Productions | Sayre Park, FamilyFest Stage |
| 2:30-3 p.m. | Stagedoor Theatre | Sayre Park, FamilyFest Stage |
| 2:30 – 4 p.m. | Rock Dogs | Sayre Park, Jack FM Main Stage |
| 3:30 – 5 p.m. | Acoustic Mayhem | Sayre Park, FamilyFest Stage |
| 4:30 – 6 p.m. | Texas Flood | Sayre Park, Jack FM Main Stage |
