Event Description

The Mancos Creative District proudly presents the 3rd annual Mancos BurroFest

What is the Mancos BurroFest?

Burros have inspired artists since prehistoric times and have played an important role in Colorado's mining history. In recognition of this, the Mancos Creative District (MCD) created BurroFest to spotlight the talents of both burros and artists. The event opens at Boyle Park with a Grand Entry and a reading of each of the burro's biographies. The obstacle course and a costume competitions are followed by live burro model opportunities for 15 artists on Grand Avenue. Each artist has been previously paired with a burro partner and the pair is then featured in one of 15 canopies, making them available for live interaction, demonstrations, and conversations with the public.

How can I participate?

Artists

One of the main goals of the Mancos BurroFest is to highlight the work and talents of our area artists. This event provides slots for 15 artists to showcase their work and demonstrate their creative process to the public through the use of live burro models. Artists working in all media are encouraged to participate. Each artist will be spotlighted prior to the event on social media and at the event with their own canopy space, consisting of an adjoining enclosure for their burro model. The public will be invited to visit the artists' canopies upon conclusion of the Trail Obstacle Course to be held in nearby Boyle Park.

Each artist will be paired with a burro that is registered for the Trail Obstacle Course & Costume Contest well in advance, giving the artist the opportunity to complete (or partially complete) a work of art with their burro as the subject prior to the event. Artists may use their canopy space to continue working on their burro piece and to display and sell other finished work. The MCD encourages artists to view this event as an opportunity to gain public exposure by displaying and discussing your work. There is no expectation that the artist will be creating a finished work during the event, however demonstrations are greatly encouraged. The Registration Fee is $50 (non-refundable), which supports the 501(c)3 Mancos Creative District in hosting this event. The registration fee also covers a ticket to the CeleBRAYtion (dinner Friday) and a sack lunch on the day of the event. 

Burro Teams

Due to the nature of the event, it is limited to 15 burros. The event is conducted on a semi-invitational basis, with priority given to burro and handler teams that support the MCD Burro Brigade on a year-round basis by participating in both this event and / or the annual Durango Cowboy Poetry Gathering Parade. Slots not taken during the invitational pre-registration will be open to the general public on a first-come first-served basis. The Registration Fee is $50 (non-refundable), which supports the 501(c)3 Mancos Creative District in hosting this event. Note that all participants must bring their own burro (burros are not provided).

This registration fee covers participation in the following:

• Trail Obstacle Course competition
• Opportunity to win one of several awards
• BurroFest CeleBRAYtion
• Sack lunch following the obstacle course

All registrants will be paired with an artist in advance and are expected to work with and communicate with the artist prior to the event in order to help the artist prepare. All registrants will be expected to proceed to the artist tents on Grand immediately following the awards ceremony so that their burro can serve as a live model for their artist during the live Art Show / Public Interaction portion of the day.

What are the details?

Costumes & Burro Bios

The event begins with the Grand Entry and reading of the Burro Bios (provided by the contestant prior to the event). The burros and their handlers are required to be in costume, adding to the fun and creative flair of the event.

Trail Obstacle Course - NEW! Course Clues! (see below)

Obstacle Description. This will be a bonafide in-hand trail obstacle course with an historic western theme creatively customized to the burro-packing days of Southwest Colorado. The obstacle course will require that the handler has previously trained and worked with their burro to address a variety of obstacles one may encounter on the trail.

Obstacles MAY include:

• Crossings of various types (i.e., water, slopes, bridges, deadfall, etc.);
• Approaching and navigating past or through unfamiliar objects or sounds (i.e., wildlife, boulders, screens / blinds, bulky equipment, noisy machinery, etc.);
• Traditional burro work (i.e., transporting, dragging, rendering aid, etc.); and
• Certain skills required to accomplish such work (backing through obstacles, loading, standing tied, etc.).

NEW! Trail Obstacle Course Clues

The MCD is publishing Obstacle Course clues every Friday, so don't forget to check here or the MCD Facebook page on a regular basis!

THE STORY
You just received word that a prospector friend high up on Troublesome Creek needs your assistance. Your friend has not called upon you for medical attention or rescue, but rather because he must stay to guard his claim from the likes of that FIEND … Nuggets McNichols!! You are the only person he trusts who can get the job done. Your task will be to take his gold off the mountain, deposit it, and file the claim with the recorder at the bank. You are happy to be of service and he has promised to reward you for your troubles, so grab your trusty burro and hit the treacherous trail!!

CLUE #1 (4/1/2022)
The fastest route to Troublesome Creek is over the Old Mancos Bridge. The harsh winter really took a toll on the bridge and it is in desperate need of repair! It's a good thing your burro crosses this bridge every day, because time is of the essence!

Protocols & Procedures. The following protocols & procedures will be followed:

• Contestants will learn the names of the obstacles at the CeleBRAYtion dinner on Friday evening.
• On Saturday, prior to the start of the event, there will be an on-course meeting where the Lead Judge will walk contestants (without animals) through the course and explain what is expected at each obstacle.
• Following the walk-thru, there will be 15 minutes allotted to entertain questions in the presence of the entire group pertaining specifically to the course and completing the specific obstacles.
• No private or side questions about the course or judging will be permitted.
• General questions and clarifications about this event are welcome anytime prior.
• All questions and answers will be posted publicly under FAQ on this platform for the benefit of all contestants.

Rules. The following rules apply to the Trail Obstacle Course:

• The course will consist of 8 obstacles
• Each team will be limited to 8 minutes to complete the entire course
• The handler may use their own discretion in determining how best to use their time on course (no per-obstacle time limit)
• No outside assistance is permitted
• Obstacles must be done in order

Scoring. Placings will be based on a calculated score that considers overall time to complete the entire course and judged points for each obstacle. 

• There will be a different judge doing the scoring at each obstacle and the total points will be tallied
• The overall time to complete the course will be measured
• Should the team run out of time before completing the course, the remaining obstacles will be scored as a "No Attempt," receiving a zero (0) score
• The total points will be deducted in 5-second per point increments OFF the total time to complete the course, giving the "Time Score"
• The team with the lowest Time Score will be the winner
• A separate timed activity will be used as a tie-breaker, if needed

Judges will rate the team's performance through each obstacle on a scale of 0-5, as follows:

• 0   No Attempt
• 1   Attempted - Complete refusal to enter
• 2   Attempted - Partial completion
• 3   Completed - Significant errors / refusals
• 4   Completed - Minimal errors
• 5   Completed - No errors

Awards

Five (5) possible awards are up for grabs: Grand Prize, Runner Up, Last Ass, Best Costume and Fan Favorite.

BurroFest CeleBRAYtion

The MCD encourages participants to arrive Friday and participate in the CeleBRAYtion Dinner. Details will be mailed to registered participants who RSVP that they plan to attend. Each contestant will receive a complimentary dinner ticket (included with the registration). Additional dinner tickets for guests may be purchased in advance.

Commonly Asked Questions & Answers

Questions may be asked via email at katie@mancoscreativedistrict.com Answers to emailed questions will be posted here. Check here before emailing MCD Executive Director, Katie McClure with questions.