DEL NORTE—The weekend started off Friday evening in Del Norte with the annual Oktoberfest. The night began with warm weather and a huge crowd gathered on Grande Avenue with a variety of booths of local beer and food provided by Gosar Sausage, The Mystic Biscuit and High Valley Community Center.
Event coordinator and Del Norte Chamber Director Will Kreutzer began the event a few years ago as a way to promote local breweries and Colorado grown malt. “We wanted to promote southwest Colorado breweries only and showcase Colorado grown malt. Now, with the High Valley Center located on Grand Avenue, we can make the event a family-friendly destination,” said Kreutzer. He continued to state that this year, many local families came out to the event and that the night was a huge success.
The street was lined with firepits, a beer garden featuring brews from San Luis Valley Brewery and The Square Peg, both out of Alamosa as well as from the local Three Barrel Brewery. “Blue Sky Music” also from Alamosa came out to provide live entertainment, playing rustic tunes that the crowd thoroughly enjoyed. “We really wanted to keep the old school feel to the event and it came off really well. Next year, we are just going to stick with what we know works and keep bringing the event to the area,” said Kreutzer.
The High Valley Community Center (HVCC) worked with Kreutzer to offer a more family-friendly addition to the event by hosting a secure area where children could come and play as well as having organized games for the children to participate in. “The center opened the playground to the public and that provided a safe place for the children to go play while their parents stayed on the street for the Oktoberfest. It really worked out well and lots of families came out this year,” continued Kreutzer.
HVCC had a series of games for children and their families to enjoy including, human-sized connect four, an obstacle course, races and much more. Everyone in attendance enjoyed the evening and are looking forward to next year.
The main street in Del Norte, Highway 160, is now lined with scarecrows designed by local businesses that added to the fun night. The town is quickly becoming a scarecrow community as the figures continue to pop up every day along the street. The scarecrows are part of the Scarecrow Bash which was sponsored by the Del Norte Chamber of Commerce, the Columbine, Boogies Restaurant, Kathy’s Fabric, and the Tucker-McDermott Foundation. Three scarecrows will be chosen to win first, second and third place prizes at the end of October.
On Saturday, Sept. 23 the Rio Grande County Museum opened their new fall exhibit featuring past and present agricultural stories from local farmers. The museum was thrilled to welcome visitors on Saturday and offered light refreshments, with staff on hand to answer questions and tell tales of the agricultural community throughout the Valley.