Page 16 • tueSdAy, April 27, 2021 • CAñon City Shopper
CAñon CiTy shopper • TuesdAy, April 27, 2021 • Page 17
WHERE WE DO IT
FOR YOU! Owners:
Ronald T Lutz Rachael Lutz James Harvey
Body Shop Manager
Andrew Taylor Service Advisor
Introducing Our Newest Crew Members! Eric Hysell
Chris Crosby
Certified Collision Repair Technician
Collision Repair Technician
HOME OF THE AWESOME
MAINTENANCE SPECIAL!
Synthetic Blend $49.95
Full Synthetic Only $71.15
Plus Tax
Plus Tax
AN INCREDIBLE $125 VALUE 36 MONTH/OR 36,000 MILES WARRANTY Price good on most cars & light trucks Expiration May 31st, 2021
275-2523
Page 18 • tueSdAy, April 27, 2021 • CAñon City Shopper
From Fruit Days to Blossom Festivals It has long been a tradition in small towns all across America to acknowledge new growing seasons or harvests through community celebrations that are part festive and part commerce based.This tradition actually predates American history by thousands of years, with similar such celebrations by the ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Chinese and many other cultures long since disappeared. But in some small towns like us, that history is not altogether relevant, because the sun sets and rises on the accomplishments and achievements of the individuals in these towns, making each community unique and profoundly different. Canon City has never been shy about showing unbridled exuberance for its festivals and fairs. To this end, the town has always loved a parade and its parades have always been a microcosm of the town at large, from the fire fighting hose teams of the 1890s to the high school bands of the 1990s. From the beginning of the town’s history and always complete with an impressive array of delicacies from funnel cakes to candy apples, parades have always bared the towns’ soul. The first recorded mention of a festival in Cañon City occurred in the 1860s in the Cañon City Times. By the 1880s, residents were celebrating Fruit Day as both an acknowledgment of their remarkable harvests and a way to acquaint neighboring communities with their bountiful products.The 1890s found Fruit Day being organized by the Fremont County Horticultural Society, with as many as 10,000 annual visitors enjoying this one-day event.They came primarily by passenger train from such far-off places as Denver, Colorado Springs, LaJunta and Rocky Ford. Paper plates filled with apples, plums, pears, peaches and grapes were given away to all visitors.The fruit was displayed in grand fashion in a large 50 ft. pavilion on Main Street and in a delicate manner at the opera house.The Rocky Mountain News held that 16 tons of fruit were distributed in 1894 alone. For many years, tours of the Territorial Prison were conducted with as many as 5,000 gawkers passing through its gates. A like number also toured the orchards of Rockafellow, Harrison, Catlin,Trout and others in the areas of Fruitmere, Orchard Park, Park Center and Lincoln Park, and when the day was done, visitors did not immediately return to their home cities, but stayed with residents in makeshift boarding houses and campgrounds, for in the towns few available hotel rooms. Fruit Day in Cañon City continued until about 1900 when it was then called May Day, shifting the emphasis from harvest to Blossom.The orchard tours continued but were now at the beginning of the planting season. Local fruit farmers and the nurserymen had effectively gotten the word out about this garden city’s produce and were now disinclined to give away their products for nothing. It is believed that the first use of the word “blossom” in relation to the annual celebration was coined by wealthy Cañon City resident Dall DeWeese, who entertained several dozen friends at his home during a May Day even in 1908 that he termed “blossom fete’.” His home was decorated with thousands of fruit blossoms and lilacs. So popular was this gathering that the guest list the following year rose to over 100 guests. By the time 1910 arrived, DeWeeses’ private affair had turned into a public gathering and renamed the Flower Carnival, complete with a May pole dance, flower queen and music from both the Cañon City High School and Territorial Prison bands.Two years later in 1912, the blossom celebrations were under the direction of the Cañon City Improvement League and by 1913 it was being called the Blossom Day Celebration. In addition to managing the celebration, the League also coordinated an annual city clean up project in preparation for the welcoming of the towns annual visitors. The WWI years almost brought an end to the Blossom Day events with the war raging in Europe, and emphasis clearly focused on the war effort, the League decided not to promote the event outside of the city.These festivals were marked by low attendance, but enthusiastic local participation. After the war, the Cañon City Chamber of Commerce began sponsoring the even and attendance once again began to skyrocket, with 5,000 people traveling to the city each spring from 1926 to 1937. The Boy Scouts were information directors, baseball games at the Abbey were in vogue and an airplane ride over the orchards was the new popular attraction. The year of 1938 saw the first Jaycees-sponsored Blossom Festival with a well-coordinated publicity campaign, attendance ballooned to 8,000 people. The following year of 1939 also marked the first Band Festival Day, with bands from all across the state competing for the coveted trophies. And the 1940 event brought 10,000 visitors for a carnival, a dance at the Annex, boxing at the State Armory and, of course, the highly anticipated parade down Main Street. Once again the war years of the 1940’s compelled the Jaycees to sponsor what they referred to as “token” blossom festivals, with little publicity, the resulting turnouts were predictably well below normal. However, after the war, participation returned greater than ever and by 1948 more than 35,000 visitors made a rousing return to Cañon City, Since that time, the Jaycees-sponsored Blossom Festival has consistently been Cañon City’s longest and best-attended event in the city’s history. This exert was taken from the book EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY by Larry Thomas Wood
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Page 20 • tueSdAy, April 27, 2021 • CAñon City Shopper
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Music & Blossom Festival
17 th ANNUAL
BANK
of
SAN JUANS
the
Enjoy a beau�ful 5K (3.1 miles) run along the Arkansas Riverwalk Trail! Enjoy a rela�vely flat course that’s fun for runners and joggers of all ages and abili�es. NO day-of registra�on. Awards to 1st-3rd in each division age group. No award ceremony will take place.
A DIVISION OF GLACIER BANK
ONE BIG HAPPY LITTLE BANK
Please note that this event is subject to all COVID-19 restric�ons. Your coopera�on and support is much appreciated! Be safe. Be healthy.
P R O U D LY S P O N S O R E D BY :
2021 Music & Blossom Festival Queen Pageant Congratulations to this year’s queen, Adrianna Jackson
Page 22 • tueSdAy, April 27, 2021 • CAñon City Shopper
Music & Blossom Festival
Jim Crossey
Louise Young
Odessa Francis
Sandy Smith
Tyson Cool
Steve Cool
CAñon CiTy shopper • TuesdAy, April 27, 2021 • Page 23
REACH OUT TODAY
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110 N 7TH ST CANON CITY, CO 81212
CHRIS.LARSON@AMERICAN-NATIONAL.COM
719.276.0211 http://an.insure/larsoninsuranceagency Products and services may not be available in all states. Terms, conditions and eligibility requirements will apply. Life insurance and annuity products may be underwritten by American National Insurance Company, Galveston, Texas. 14-065.87655.V5.01.2021 | 14096789
Keeping Your Family Healthy & Happy As the season changes, don’t forget to schedule your families annual checkups!
Medical • Dental • Behavioral Health
We accept most private insurances, Medicaid, Medicare, CICP and CHP+ as well as providing a Sliding Fee Discount Program for uninsured patients.
Providing services to students and staff within the school district.
The Pulse - School Based Health Center 1215 Main Street, Suite B Cañon City, CO 81212
719-204-7410
Valley-Wide Cañon City 121 North 6th Street Cañon City, CO 81212
1-833-350-1113
VWHS.ORG
Page 24 • tueSdAy, April 27, 2021 • CAñon City Shopper
83rd Annual Cañon City Music & Blossom Festival Parade Saturday May 1, 2021, 1:00 p.m. Main Street Cañon City (Between 3rd & 10th Streets) 1. Cañon City Music & Blossom Festival Welcome Banner Carried by: Florence Law Enforcement Cadets and Canon City Police Department K-9 Duke! 2. Colorado Department of Corrections Honor Guard 3. Cañon City Music & Blossom Festival Grand Marshals • Colorado Department of Corrections Deputy Directors 4. Colorado’s Territorial Correctional Facility Float “150 years of Change” 5. Colorado Department of Corrections Special Teams • Special Operations Response Team (SORT) • Emergency Response Team (ERT) • Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) • Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) 6. Colorado’s Territorial Correctional Facility Float “The Legacy Continues” 7. Cañon City Police Department 8. Fremont County Sheriff’s Office 9. Florence Police Department 10. Colorado State Patrol 11. Fremont County Crime Stoppers 12. Cañon City Area Fire Protection District 13. Fremont County Sheriff’s Office Wildland Fire Team 14. American Medical Response 15. Fremont Search & Rescue 16. Fremont County Commissioners 17. AlKaly Shrine 18. Mystic 7! 19. 2020 Cañon City Music & Blossom Festival Queen & Royal Court Float: • 75th Annual Music & Blossom Festival Queen, Morgan Richardson • 1st Attendant, Lilliana Woodward • 2020 2nd Attendant and 2021 3rd runner-up Destiny Jordan • 2020 Miss Personality, Kayleigh Garrett • 2020 Little Mister, Kyson Oliver • 2020 Grand Marshal, Katie Martin 20. 2020’s 3rd Runner Up, Miss Alyssa Howard 21. 2020’s Interview Merit Award Winner, Miss Mackenzie Roberts 22. 2020’s Miss Photogenic, Hannah Worthen 23. 2020’s Modeling Award Winner, Miss Natalie Walker 24. Anita’s Americette’s 25. The ARK Childrcare & Pre-School 26. Canon City Schools Nutrition Department 27. Fremont County Transit/Golden Age Center 28. Chelsea Kovac – Home Smart Preferred Realty 29. Bernie’s Place 30. Cañon City High School JROTC Color Guard & Battalion 31. Cañon City High School Tiger Pride Marching Band 32. 2021 Cañon City Music & Blossom Festival Queen & Royal Court Float: • 76th Annual Music & Blossom Festival Queen, Adrianna Jackson • 1st Attendant, Hannah Patterson • 2nd Attendant, Brooke Watley • Miss Personality, Annamarie Drake
33. 2021 Cañon City Music & Blossom Festival Litte Miss & Mister, • 2021 Little Miss Nora Sartori • 2021 Little Mister Jason Dunderman 34. 2021 Cañon City Music & Blossom Festival Spirit of Blossom, Miss Madysen Payne 35. 2020 & 2021 Cañon City Music & Blossom Spirit of Blossom award winner AND the 2021 4th Runner up, Miss Taylor Smallwood 36. 2021 Cañon City Music & Blossom Festival Interview Merit Award, Miss Alexandria Holte 37. 2021 Cañon City Music & Blossom Festival Modeling Award, Miss Carley Seufer 38. 2021 Cañon City Music & Blossom Festival Miss Photogenic, Miss Ariah Ross 39. B FIT 4 U Dance 40. Harrison K-8 Computer Club/Team TRIForce 41. R.E.C. (Recreation Enhances Community) Royal Gorge Area 42. Penrose Auto Salvage 43. Florence High School Howling Huskey Marching Band 44. 4-H Royalty 45. Fremont County 4-H Council 46. Florence FFA 47. Cañon City Rodeo Association Royal Gorge Rodeo 48. Cañon City Rotary Club 49. Diana Wheat at Home Smart Preferred Realty 50. Canon City High Flyers Middle School Band 51. Fremont County Republican Party “We the People” Lincoln Day 52. Fremont County Republican Party “Republicans” 53. Fremont County Republican Party “Elected Officials” 54. Dennis Hisey 55. Canon Exploritory School Band 56. Home Smart Preferred Reality Public Relations Committee/Sam Banning 57. Goodwill of Cañon City 58. Sunwest Credit Union 59. Dela Vista Productions, LLC 60. Canon City Volkswagon Club 61. Fremont Community Foundation 62. The Bridge Youth Center 63. Penrose Auto Salvage 64. Six Buck and a Flight 65. Twin Enviro Services
Parade Line Up is Subject to Change.
CAñon CiTy shopper • TuesdAy, April 27, 2021 • Page 25
James Henry owner
Henry’s Custom Painting
Cabin Restoration and Painting Stucco Repair and Painting
Interior or Exterior Free Estimates CALL TODAY! Cell: 719-371-1848 Tel: 719-371-5613