The 2021 ColorFest activities will be swinging into action beginning this Friday evening, September 17 with the Passport to Pagosa Wine & Food Festival. The food festival kicks off at 6pm in the athletic field at town park on Hermosa St. Tickets for this event are sold out. However, for those who did purchase tickets, there will be a special check-in area for reserved seating, sponsors and pilots. General admission ticket holders will proceed to the main entrance gate where you will be admitted, receive your wine glass and move onto enjoying great food, wines and music. Dreem Machine will be the entertainment all evening long. Bring your taste buds as you will be voting for the coveted “People’s Choice” award. Food and desserts as well as a large selection of wines will be on hand.
On Saturday morning, beginning at about 7:30am, over 35 hot air balloons will take to the skies in the downtown area. They will launch from the vacant lot adjacent to the resort hotel facility and the bank. Spectators will be able to view the balloons from numerous locations around town. Do not park on Hot Springs Blvd. and block traffic. There is plenty of parking downtown to enjoy the balloons. Aspen House Services will also be hosting the Color Run which starts off in Town Park at 7:00am. This fun run/walk is along mostly paved walkways downtown along the San Juan River. Watch the balloons launch as you get doused with color at 5 stations! The more white you wear, the more colorful you’ll be. You can register the morning of the event.
Saturday afternoon brings the Bands and Brews event beginning at 4pm Local and regional breweries will share their craft brew creations and also vie for the “People’s Choice” and “Brewer’s Choice” awards. There will be a special check-in area for those people who bought their tickets in advance. Same day registrants will check in and can do so with cash or credit card. ID will be checked for the beer tasting tickets. Beer tasting tickets are available for $30 which includes a taster glass. If you do not want to sample the beers but would like to still attend, general tickets are $10. Attendees can also purchase wine by the glass. Children can have a great time at the Bounce House that will be at the event and there will be an array of food vendors to satisfy your hunger. The musical line-up starts off at 4 p.m. with Lisa Saunders and the Caborado Band. Their range of musical talent and energy will wow you.
At 6 p.m. Felix y Los Gatos will perform and close out the evening. Another high-energy group with a wide range of musical talent will get you dancing. The hot air balloon night glow will start forming a little after 7pm. The silhouettes of the balloons is a spectacle to be seen. Viewing of the hot air balloons can be seen from Hot Springs, Hermosa or the sidewalks along Hwy 160.
Sunday morning concludes the ColorFest activities with another hot air balloon morning launch; this time on the west side of town. Beginning again at about 7:30am, the balloons will launch in the areas of the PLPOA recreation center, Crossroads Christian Fellowship and vacant lots and parking lots around the area.
The weekend is filled with music, fun and lots of activities. However, there is time to try and get a drive in to view some colors. Although the colors are not in full gear, they are peaking out and changing a little bit on the surrounding passes. For more information about the event of to purchase tickets, visit www.pagosachamber.com and click on the ColorFest graphic under Chamber and Community News.