Photos by Lyndsie Ferrell Hundreds of people gathered in Del Norte on Saturday to not only celebrate the 50th anniversary of Covered Wagon Days but to also mark the 150th anniversary of the incorporation of Del Norte. Parade-goers lined Grande Avenue on Saturday for an hour-long parade in honor of the celebrations for Covered Wagon Days and Del Norte's 150th birthday.

DEL NORTE — There were so many things to celebrate this weekend and Del Norte showed up in style to blow out the town’s 150th birthday candles with a fantastic show. The weekend kicked off on Saturday with one of the largest parades the town has seen. Float after float traveled down Grande Avenue, featuring bits and pieces of the past for everyone to enjoy.

As guests gathered along Grande Avenue, the Del Norte Library opened its annual book sale and guests stopped by to grab some books while helping a wonderful cause. The library partnered with the Rio Grande County Museum to create a children’s book highlighting the town’s history which is on display at the new Adventure Walk located in Del Norte River Park. The book takes a trip down memory lane beginning with the start of Del Norte and how the town came to be.

As parade-goers dispersed, people went to the park to see the antique car show, watch a fun and competitive game of mud volleyball, and made their way to the annual Del Norte Fire Department barbecue. The event was a smash hit as it is every year, and the department raised funds for new equipment, training, and future projects.

There were two quilt shows happening throughout the weekend. Kathy’s Fabric Trunk hosted its annual show, and it was a grand sight to see. The Rio Grande County Museum along with the SLV Quilter’s Guild also hosted a show that featured some beautiful antique quilts, including the well-known Crazy Quilt that is dated to 1884. 

The museum also welcomed patrons for their annual Ice Cream Social which has been an area favorite and the perfect complement to the Del Norte Fire Department’s lunch for several years. Museum staff dished out over seven gallons of ice cream to patrons throughout Saturday afternoon and made double in donations than the previous year. According to museum staff, the donations will be going toward getting the old Barlow and Sanderson Stagecoach Office building relocated to the museum and restored to its original state.

The afternoon continued with historic hayrides through downtown Del Norte, a mountain man reenactment, and much more.

Sunday dawned bright and clear with the annual airport fly-in breakfast where pilots and the public met for a meal in one of the hangars at the Ken Rominger Airport. The breakfast was well attended and everyone who came out had a wonderful time.

Now the community of Del Norte will turn its attention to fall activities, including the annual Scarecrow Bash and more.