by Kyle Stinnett
Get ready for Kremmling Days this year as go “Back to the beginning – Our Western Heritage.” The tradition of Kremmling Days has a respectable history. It has been celebrated since 1950 when the Kremmling Volunteer Fire Department started a day for fun and frolic. However, it is a popular belief that Kremmling Days originated from Railroad Days, a three day celebration first held over the 4th of July in 1906. Over time, Kremmling Days has become the Kremmling Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual event that occurs on the third Saturday of June, usually in conjunction with Father’s Day weekend. This year’s activities will launch on Friday afternoon and continue to Sunday.
Friday, June 17 BBQ and Live Music
The weekend kicks off Friday, June 17 at 4 p.m. with food and artisan vendors, Community BBQ hosted by Kremmling Preschool, live music, beer garden, and kids zone.
The entertainment begins on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. when the KidsZone is set-up at the Town Square. The KidsZone is for all ages and will feature many fun activities this year. Accroding to Chamber Director Brittany Vanderlinden, “The Chamber likes to keep things fresh by switching things up. This year all the Kids Zone will be free. It was a goal our goal to raise enough money to make this happen for our community. This year we accomplished that. We are going to have a 4 and under area to keep the little safe and they will have a waterslide, toddler dry bounce house. The rest of the Kids Zone will have a giant slip n slide, water slide, obstacle course and a bounce house. Bring clothes and towels; kids are going to get wet. We will also have new yard games throughout Town Square.”
While the kids are entertained in the KidsZone, parents can enjoy live music and a cold beer as they can shop the vendors in the park. The expanded beer garden will now include the playground area and grassy areas in the Town Square. It will open at 4 p.m.
Kremmling Preschool, with the help of the Kremmling Rotary, will have the community BBQ Friday at 6 p.m. They are serving $7 burger and $5 hot dogs; this comes with chips. Drinks are additional for $1. All proceeds go to the Kremmling Preschool.
Vanderlinden states, “Friday and Saturday night at 6pm we will have live music. Friday will be Silver Moon Rider and Saturday is Whiskey Road. Both are amazing bands, bring your dancing shoes!”
Saturday, June 18 Pancake Breakfast, Parade and More
Friends of the Library will have Pancake Breakfast Saturday and Sunday from 7:30-10am. They are also having a Baked Food Sale Saturday.
Saturday morning begins with a pancake breakfast at 8 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. at the pavilion in Town Square. The pancake breakfast is a fundraiser for Friends of the Grand County Library.
The Mustang Mile is at 9:45 a.m. Runners wishing to participate should meet at 9 a.m. under the Pavilion in the Forward Motion Park in front of the high school. The registration is $20 and the mile will end at the Town Square. Racers will catch the enthusiasm from the crowd along the parade route as they cheer them on to the finish line.
Parade Details Parade line-up begins at 8:30 a.m. at the high school and the parade will begin at 10 a.m. It proceeds from the high school down Highway 40 (Park Avenue) and will end just past the Town Square. Bill Wyatt and Tom Cary, the parade announcers are stationed at the Town Square, but anywhere along the parade route allows for good viewing. Floats and participants in the parade often throw candy to those along the parade route so bring bags to collect candy.
Those who have not already registered with the Chamber of Commerce can still join the parade by filling out the parade application located on the www. kremmlingchamber.com website under events and turning it in with their $5 to the Chamber.
The Grand Marshals of the parade this year are Gary and Jennifer Bumgarner. Gary and Jennifer have both lived in Kremmling since their early 20’s. Gary was born and raised here in Kremmling, while he met his beautiful bride at a youth group service here in town and have lived here ever since. Gary was a County Commissioner for Grand County and recently served and capped out a 16 year term with the Kremmling Memorial Hospital District dba Middle Park Health. The community nominated them the Grand Marshals Royalty this year for the parade will be King Levi Edson and Queen Cora Farley and Attendants Maddie Probst and Emily Osborne. All members of the royalty court are 2022 West Grand graduates and were chosen on the basis of their community involvement and academic achievement .
The Kremmling Firefighters still continue the tradition of the Kids’ Games on Saturday after the parade at 11 a.m. The games are fun for all ages and are classic favorites of foot races, bucket brigade, sawdust pit, egg toss and mini ]firefighter challenge.
The Beer Garden opens once again at 11 a.m. on Saturday. This in the expanded beer garden those enjoying a cold drink from the beer garden can also eat it with their meal as it approaches noon.
The Horseshoe Tournament will be held at the Grand Adventure Brewing Company. Sign-ups will begin at 11 a.m. with a calcutta following sign-ups. The action will begin at noon. There is a $10 entry fee.
Cliff Golf begins at 11 a.m. at the Kremmling Cliffs. Registration begins at 9 a.m. at the Kremmling Chamber Center and an award ceremony is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in the Town Square. Prizes are awarded for those closest to the target for first, second and third. A horseshoe tournament will be held on Saturday, June 18 at Kremmling Fairgrounds horseshoe pits. Sign up at 11 a.m. and the tournament begins at 12 noon.
Vendors will be offering food and merchandise throughout the day and the KidsZone will continue. The Heritage Museum in Kremmling will be offering free tours throughout the day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday night will be rocking with A.M. Whiskey again from 6-10 p.m. It’s time to kick up your boots as you enjoy all of the festivities in Town Square.
SUNDAY, June 19 Father’s Day Pancake Breakfast/ Church Service
The weekend winds down with a pancake breakfast in the park at 8 a.m. followed by a Church Service in the Town Square at 10 a.m. The service is hosted by some of the community churches. Everyone is invited to attend.
Vanderlin concluded “We are excited for this year’s Kremmling Days Celebration. We have had amazing community support and we can’t thank everyone enough for going above and beyond. We will have food trucks, artisan vendors, Cliff Golf, Cow Pie Bingo, parade with our new addition of the bike parade as our grand finale. Beer garden, Live Music, Yard Games, Firefighter games, face painting and whole lot of Kremmling fun! We look forward to seeing everyone this weekend, fun starts at 5 p.m. Friday.”
