Mud Festival Coming to Ouray County Fairgrounds

Apr 26th @ 6:24 am in News by Scott Staley

The following is from a release from the organizers of the Mud Festival

The snow is melting in Ouray County, which leaves everything covered with sticky, gooey, glorious mud. The Ouray Chamber Resort Association (OCRA) and the Ridgway Area Chamber of Commerce (RACC) are pleased to announce the Inaugural Ouray County Mud Festival, a spring celebration of everything MUD! Held at the Ouray County Fairgrounds in Ridgway on April 28^th, 2012, 9 am to 5 pm, Mud Fest is an opportunity for participants and spectators, young and old, to get down and dirty all day long. Even the Ouray County Commissioners are excited about the event, issuing a proclamation establishing the last weekend in April as Ouray County Mud Fest Weekend.

The organizers of Mud Fest have planned a full day of fun. The main event invites 4×4 enthusiasts to bring their stock or modified 4×4 vehicles to compete in a timed obstacle course featuring mud pits, sand hills and tire, log and rock challenges. Or if drivers prefer old fashioned mud, they can drive the mud run, a 130-foot trench just deep enough to require a little horsepower, skill and dare-devil attitude. Competitors are encouraged to register early for the best line up placement; however registrations will also take place the day of the event. Visit the event website at ouraycolorado.com to get information on all of the classes and pre-registration.

Since our original plan for a Tractor Pull went out the window when we realized it was spring plowing season, Thunder Mountain Raceway stepped up to organize riding lawnmower races from 10:00 AM until noon. Have a riding mower and want to test its mettle? Then bring it and a helmet along the day of the event and sign up at 9:00 AM to go blade to blade with Southwest Colorado’s fastest John Deere’s and Toro’s.

All eyes will be focused on the bright blue Ouray County skies as Mobile FMX riders take the stage in a high-flying freestyle motocross exhibition. Freestyle Motocross offers a thrilling edge that will have spectators gasping in awe and excitement as riders and machines perform jumps and gravity defying tricks. Two exhibitions are planned, and the bikes and riders will be available for a meet and greet during the day.

In the fairground arena, plenty of fun will be found courtesy of the Ouray Parks and Recreation Committee, Thunder Mountain Raceway, and the Colorado National Guard. They event will feature stick horse races, a tug of war, mud volleyball and an inflatable bounce house for the little ones. Spectators also can meet the racers from Thunder Mountain Raceway and check out their cool cars.

Vendors will be on hand offering food, hot and cold beverages, souvenirs, and more. Raffle tickets will be available for the 48^th Annual Ouray Jeep Raffle and the Ouray County 4H Truck Raffle fundraisers.

Just because the event concludes at 5 pm, doesn’t mean the muddy fun stops. Mudders can head to Ouray for the Mud Ball hosted by the Ouray Volunteer Fire Department. Bring the whole family and enjoy lively music, games and activities for the kids. The Mud Ball will be held at the Ouray Community Center, 320 6^th Avenue, from 7-10 pm.

For those coming in to town on Friday evening, the local brew pubs in Ouray have organized a Mud Pub Crawl from 4 pm – 1 am. The Pub Crawl kicks off at the Ourayle House Brewery from 4-6 pm, then moves up the block to the Ouray Brewery from 6-8 pm and finishes at O’Brien’s Pub & Grill from 8 pm – 1 am with live music provided by local rock stars Already Been Chewed. Pick up your special mug at any of the locations along the crawl and get an entry for special prize drawings with our celebrity pub crawl sponsors.

Advance tickets are available for purchase in Montrose at Carquest-San Juan Motors and the Flower Motor Company, in Ouray at Buckskin Booksellers and the Ouray Visitor’s Center, and in Ridgway at the Ouray County 4-H Event Center and Cups. Tickets are $8 adults, $5 youth ages 5-17, and $25 for a family pass. To participate in the 4×4 Obstacle Course or Mud Run, the cost is $20 for one event, $30 for both. Visit www.ouraycolorado.com to register as a participant, and for more information about the event.

Ouray County Mud Fest is presented by the Ouray Chamber Resort Association and the Ridgway Area Chamber of Commerce. Mud Fest is sponsored by Family Dollar, Flower Motor Company, Mountain Fever Shirts & Gifts, Waste Management, the Colorado National Guard, Ouray Chalet Inn, Ouray Vacation Rentals, Inc., Ridgway-Ouray Lodge & Suites, CarQuest-San Juan Motors, Switzerland of America, Inc., Thunder Mountain Raceway, Timber Ridge Lodge and the following community supporters:

Alpine Bank of Ouray and Ridgway

The Christmas House Bed and Breakfast

Cups

Dennis Weaver Memorial Park

O’Brien’s Pub & Grill

Orvis Hot Springs

Ouray Liquors

Ouray County Plaindealer

Ouray Victorian Inn

Ridgway Subway

Salon Envy & Elite Welding

San Miguel Power Association