Valley to host Memorial Day events

VALLEY — Memorial Day is an opportunity to honor those who have served this country, especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Several celebrations are scheduled throughout the San Luis Valley this Memorial Day weekend, some patriotic, some historic and others “just for fun.”

Following are events planned this weekend in the San Luis Valley:

Homelake observes Memorial Day

MONTE VISTA — Colorado Veterans Community Living Center at Homelake will host a Memorial Day Observance on Monday, May 29, at 10 a.m. at the Homelake Cemetery, 3749 Sherman Ave., Monte Vista, featuring Honor & Color Guards, USS General Patrick Bell Tolling, wreath presentations, Ft. Garland Memorial Regiment and keynote speaker State Senator Larry Crowder.

The Homelake History Center & Museum will be open following the service until 12:30 p.m. 

Cinnamon rolls will be served following the observance in the Old Dining Room. Please join us in honoring all military troops and veterans.

For more information please call Pam Self at 852-5118.

Ceremony set in Alamosa

ALAMOSA — The public is invited to join in Memorial Day ceremonies at the Alamosa cemeteries on Monday, May 29, beginning in the Alamosa Cemetery on south State Avenue at 10 a.m. and concluding in the Spanish Cemetery on the Co-op Road.

Encampment set

FORT GARLAND — Fort Garland Museum will hold its annual living history military encampment on Memorial Day weekend, May 27 and 28. 

Throughout the weekend the Fort Garland Memorial Regiment and the Artillery Company of New Mexico will present activities and displays that depict 19th century garrison life at Fort Garland. On Saturday afternoon at 1 there will be a tea served by the Ladies of the Garrison.

On Saturday night at 8 p.m. there will be a Regimental Ball open to the public, to participate you must be attired in period costume. Sunday morning at 9 a.m. there will be a flag raising ceremony followed by a non-denominational service in the Soldiers Theatre. The event ends Sunday at 1 p.m.

Admission is free to residents of the San Luis Valley.

For more information call Fort Garland Museum at 719-379-3512.

Taste of Creede is this weekend

CREEDE—The 29th Annual Taste of Creede will begin with vendors and artists lining Main Street in Creede on Saturday, May 27

The day begins with the Silver Chef Competition, which is sponsored by Shamrock Foods who supply all of the necessary ingredients for the mystery dish. Chefs from around the area sign up for the event and vie for the top spot. A long table of fruits, vegetables, spices and other culinary goods is laid out underneath a large canopy right in the middle of Main Street. Shamrock Foods selects a main meat that is to be prepared by the participating chefs who will also have to complete two side dishes for the judges.

On Sunday, there will be the annual Artist Quick Draw competition where local and traveling artists showcase their talents and draw on the spot in the middle of Main Street. The event is sponsored by the Quiller Gallery in Creede and will feature Artist Charles Ewing and his feature painting Dialog with Integrity.

For a full list of events, please visit www.creede.com or call the chamber at 658-2374.

The National Small Print Art Show will have its opening reception May 27 at 4 p.m. at the Creede Repertory Theatre. At the opening reception, visitors will get their first glimpse of the varied art, meet some of the artists and learn about some of the various print making techniques.

Museum plans opening day festivities

SAGUACHE — The Saguache County Museum is “Back in the Saddle” with its 59th Opening Day Celebration on Sunday, May 28th. Saguache County also celebrates its 150th birthday.   

The pancake breakfast kicks off the day in the Otto Mears Park Pavilion from 7-11 a.m. with pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee for $5 a person.

At 8 a.m., Gaylon Myers will conduct a Cowboy Prayer Service in Otto Mears Park. 

At 9 a.m. the museum opens for its 59th year. New to the museum this year is a display of Gotthelf furniture in the Virginia Sutherland Room, a renovated Mineral Room with a new blue light, and a Memorial Case honoring Jim Coleman.

Admission to the museum is $7 for adults and $1 for each child 12 and under.

Visit the vendors in Otto Mears Park and in the Saguache Community Building, beginning at 9 a.m.

The Happy 150th Birthday Parade honoring Saguache County starts at 11 a.m. on Fourth Street. Larry Ward, long time Saguache County rancher, will serve as the parade marshal.

Enjoy a hot dog lunch at the Otto Mears Park Pavilion from 12-2 p.m. for $5 a plate.

The kids will have fun at the Fish Pond in the park.

Friends of the Library will be serving their famous root beer floats in the museum yard.

Everyone is invited to Saguache County’s 150th Birthday on Sunday afternoon, May 28th, at 2 p.m. in the Community Building. Enjoy cake, cupcakes, and brownies, along with lemonade and iced tea. Elvie Samora, and others, will provide the entertainment.

For further information, contact Dorraine Gasseling at 719-256-4281.

Railroad season opens

ANTONITO — The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad will begin its 47th season on May 27 with trains departing from both Antonito, Colorado and Chama, New Mexico.

Opening day on May 27 will offer the added thrill of two special double-headed trains. Locomotives 315 and 463 will pull the opening day train from Antonito to Chama, while two K-36 locomotives will pull the first train from Chama (one will return after hauling the train up Cumbres Pass). There will be three steaming locomotives together at the Osier lunch stop. For the first time ever, there will also be a special Opening Day Osier Dinner Train featuring a prime rib dinner, a John Denver tribute concert by Chris Collins, and sunset on Toltec Gorge.

The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is owned jointly by the states of Colorado and New Mexico and is considered to be a “Williamsburg on wheels,” a rare National Historic Landmark that moves, re-creating the thrill of traveling by steam railroad through some of the most spectacular scenery in the Rocky Mountain West.

See www.cumbrestoltec.com or call 1-888-286-2737.

ALAMOSA — The Rio Grande Scenic Railroad also opens its season this weekend with trains departing Alamosa at 9:30 a.m. Excursion trains travel over La Veta Pass to the town of La Veta and back. This is the longest and highest standard gauge railroad in Colorado. Traveling choices include retro dome cars, club cars and open-air cars.

See www.coloradotrain.com or call 877-726-7245.