Donkey Derby Days, Cripple Creek, Colorado

June 27th-28th, 2009 is a time for jack asses, or Donkey Derby Days as the town fathers call it in this former gold rush town of Cripple Creek, Colorado.

The town celebrates its mining town history in a peculiar way. They have a donkey race, but the racers have to cajole the donkeys to finish the race. Participants in this race must lead their donkey through a one mile racecourse. It's not an ordinary, run of the mill course. The racers must bob for apples, run a slalom course and stop to kiss a cardboard prostitute. Of course, all this must be done while tugging a donkey along the one mile racecourse.

Wild donkeys can still be seen in town and in the hills that surround Cripple Creek. Entry fees from the race go to the care of the wild donkeys. If you are lucky, when you stop your car, one of the wild donkeys may visit with you awhile.

Some long time residents believe that the wild donkeys living in town, descended from the original donkeys used by miners during the gold rush more than 150 years ago.

The wild donkeys are a bit of a family affair in Cripple Creek. If a donkey gets hurt or finds itself in some type of trouble, a call will go out to members of the Two Mile Club, a group that looks out for the welfare of the herd.

If you would like to participate in the race, put your name in a hat and pay your entry fee. The donkeys used for the race are not the wild donkeys. The race donkeys are actually trained and shipped in special for the race. A trained donkey is much easier to deal with. Of course, if you have a couple apples in your pocket, that wouldn't hurt.

In the 1930s when the race originated, donkeys were raced on a special racetrack built specially for the day's events. The current version of the race takes place on Bennett Avenue.

Donkey Days has turned into much more than a race. A parade starts at noon on Saturday and the events keep coming. The town has licensed more than sixty vendors to line the parade route, selling plenty of food to everyone happy.

There are plenty of silly competitions to take part in or watch with the family. Tobacco spitting is always a favorite with the young boys, some of the big boys too.

If you sort a beard, you might find yourself rounded up to compete in the beard contest. Since the judges are women, there are usually plenty of volunteers.

If you don't chew tobacco or sport a beard, you can take part in a watermelon eating and seed spitting contest. (Spitting must have been popular with the miners.)

Don't miss the Mountain Mamas. Those ladies dress in a fireman's costume while holding a baby doll! Then they have to whip up desserts and not drop the baby while doing it.

This a good time in a mountain town, take the scenic drive to Cripple Creek and enjoy yourself at Donkey Derby Days. It's a good idea to park at the Heritage Center and use the shuttle into town.

Sources
coloradosummerinfo.com/cripplecreek
visitcripplecreek.com/Doc/DDDSponsorship.pdf
visitcripplecreek.com/DonkeyDerbyDays.aspx