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What better place to talk cool cars than leaning under the hood of a classic car or street rod against the cool mountain backdrop of beautiful Gunnison, Colorado? Combine that camaraderie with an arts and crafts festival and a wood carving competition across the street for a winning combination of the 22nd annual Gunnison Car Show, High Octane Arts & Craft Festival and Carvin’ Up Colorado on
Aug. 20 – 23.
Last year, not only did the Gunnison Car Show become one of only 25 car shows in the nation selected to present the prestigious Lee Iacocca award, it was the first car show in the United States to be carbon free. Using data from MIT and University of Washington and the guidance of staff from www.carbonfund.org, organizers determined the event’s carbon footprint. In response, the Gunnison Car Club has purchased carbon-offset credits that are used to plant trees. The club also is working with food vendors to reduce solid waste.
22nd Annual Gunnison Car Show, August 21 – 23
Sponsored by the Gunnison Car Club, the weekend event includes a cruise-in, a free street dance on Gunnison’s Main Street, an open car show, poker run, and breakfast cruise to Crested Butte. The theme “Cool Cars. Cool Mountains.” celebrates the combination of Gunnison’s comfortable August temperatures and the many custom and collector cars on exhibit.
“The show is all about family fun,” says Gunnison Car Club President Mike Callihan. “In addition to hundreds of great cars, there are many, many fun things for the entire family to enjoy.”
· Get things rolling with a ‘50s-style cruise-in and concert by The Mezcal Brothers Band on Friday, Aug. 21 from 5 – 9 p.m. A portion of Main Street will be closed to regular traffic during the event, so there’s plenty of room for more than 150 show cars to park where they can be viewed by the public.
· The full car show runs from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 22 at beautiful Jorgensen Park. Surrounded by trees, green grass and water, this is an “open” event, which means any vehicle in any condition—from barely moving to full blown restoration—is welcome. It’s not unusual to see exotic, one-of-a-kind custom street rods, high performance sports cars, tricked out pickup trucks and a gaggle of British cars all parked together on the lawn. Food, music, games and contests are also a big part of the day that typically showcases more than 300 vehicles. Judging of the cars continues until midday, when an awards ceremony is held followed by a poker run through the streets of Gunnison.
Something new for Saturday evening is a “Cars in the Stars” program at the Gunnison Valley Observatory, which has the largest research quality telescope available to the public. The telescope will tour the night sky looking at features that share their names with cars: Galaxy, Polaris, Vega, Saturn, Taurus, Pulsar, Nova and many more. Reservations are required and seating is limited.
· On Sunday, Aug. 23, approximately 125 cars leave Gunnison at 7:30 a.m. to drive the scenic 28 miles to Crested Butte’s Elk Avenue, the town’s colorful historic business district. Elk Avenue is closed to traffic on this morning so that the vehicles are available for viewing while their owners enjoy a gourmet breakfast at one of Crested Butte’s fine restaurants.
Admission to Gunnison Car Show events is free to the general public, but there is a registration fee for cars that are entered. Car show proceeds are donated to community causes. For more information and to register, check out the Gunnison Car Club’s website at www.gunnisoncarclub.com.
High Octane Arts & Crafts Festival, August 22
The Gunnison Country Chamber of Commerce invites arts and crafts lovers to experience the High Octane Arts & Crafts Festival being held in conjunction with the Gunnison Car Show on Aug. 22. The festival showcases arts and crafts from around the region in at least 65 booths and will be held from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. in Legion Park, located across the street from Jorgensen Park. More than a dozen food booths and fun for the whole family are on tap. Call (970) 641-1501 or visit www.gunnisonchamber.com.
Carvin’ Up Colorado, Aug. 20 - 22
Nine wood carvers from Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, New Mexico and Iowa will transform tree stumps into works of art over a period of three days in Legion Park. Watch wildlife, American, Native American and Western themes take shape as the artists use only the stumps to created sculptures starting at 8 a.m. each morning of the event, which wraps up with judging at 5 p.m. on Aug. 22. All works become the property of the City of Gunnison to display in Legion Park or at other community sites. For more information, contact (970) 641-0435.
Visitor Information & Personalized Vacation Packages
To find out more about Gunnison-Crested Butte’s summer calendar of events or to book personalized vacation packages, call the Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association’s official reservations center at (800) 814-8893 or visit www.GunnisonCrestedButte.com. During the summer, air access to the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport is provided by United Airlines.
About Gunnison-Crested Butte, Colorado
Gunnison-Crested Butte is nestled among almost two million acres of pristine wilderness in southwest Colorado. Winter sports enthusiasts know the area for its world-class alpine skiing and snowboarding at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice fishing. Gunnison-Crested Butte is also a haven for outdoor summer activities. In the warmer months, visitors can choose from recreational activities such as hiking, climbing, mountain biking, boating, whitewater rafting, kayaking, fly-fishing, camping and horseback riding.
Year-round visitors enjoy distinctive restaurants, unique shops and stimulating cultural opportunities, and have a wide range of lodging options — from rustic inns to guest cabins and bed-and-breakfasts to full-service resort hotels.
Recognized as the “Official Wildflower Capital of Colorado” by the Colorado Legislature and one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s “Dozen Distinctive Destinations” in 2008, Crested Butte is the site of rich mining, ranching and skiing heritage and home to the Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. Only three miles up the road is the resort village of Mt. Crested Butte, home to the ski area, an active base area, the area’s conference center, and outstanding hiking and biking trails.
Gunnison, a real western town located 28 miles from Crested Butte, is home to the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport, Gunnison Whitewater Park, Gunnison Valley Observatory, Pioneer Museum and Western State College, a four-year institution offering majors in the liberal arts and sciences and professional fields. Both Crested Butte and Gunnison have thriving historic central business districts packed with shopping and dining opportunities.
In Gunnison County, visitors will find the Curecanti National Recreation Area, where dinosaur fossils were recently discovered; the Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado’s largest body of water and home to the largest Kokanee salmon fishery in the United States; and The Black Canyon of the Gunnison, one of our country’s newest national parks. Gunnison County includes the quaint and historic towns of Pitkin, Gothic, Tin Cup, Marble, Powderhorn, Almont and Crystal, plus the better-known communities of Gunnison, Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte. Gunnison County is part of the West Elk Loop and Silver Thread Scenic & Historic Byways.
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