Is it the nail in the coffin of Frozen Dead Guy Days?
UPDATE: Estes Park and Stanley Hotel will pair up to continue Frozen Dead Guy Days
It may be Colorado's oddest and yet, most endearing festival. But it is going to be quite a trick to bring back Frozen Dead Guy Days, it just might be DOA.
"We needed to make very drastic changes in order to have it work for the town. And we did the best that we could and I understand why it was necessary," said Sarah Moseley Martin, one of two owners of the festival along with Amanda MacDonald. "Someone come in and reshape it, re-envision it. Fresh eyes. It's the unknown and I think there's magic in the unknown."
The festival was originated in the wake (yes a pun) of a 90s controversy over the keeping of a frozen body in a shed. Bredo Morstoel was a native of Norway. After his death of natural causes, his body was brought to Nederland in 1993 by his grandson Trygve Bauge. He hoped of creating a cryonics facility on the property he owned. Grandpa still remains (yes another pun) and through the years has become a part of the town's identity.
Frozen Dead Guy Days were created by town volunteers who felt it might be a good idea to have a festival after the ski season ends each year to help local businesses. That worked. The festival has a lot of frozen dead guy-based events like the hearse and coffin parade and coffin races.
"It's so unique and at the same time I think a lot of festivals and large events with talents are all dealing with these challenges," said Mosely Martin. That is rising costs like insurance and security. "It was never a huge money-making operation it was always a labor of love. But it made enough to come back each year."
But the town this year sent notice that it wanted a change from the owners.
"When 20,000 people come join us, we need to ensure that there are plans that are put together in a well-structured manner and then also executed in the way in which we approve," said town administrator Miranda Fisher. "We saw a huge gap between what we all approved and agreed to during the days of the event."
Twenty thousand people attended the event in March of 2022 after a two-year break due to COVID. "I don't think that there was an unreasonable expectation on anyone's part that it was going to be very challenging coming back," said Moseley Martin.
The town sent a series of observations after the festival that included a refusal to work again with the two owners, which Moseley Martin called the "nail in the coffin."
"We do feel like we want to work with an event organizer who has the qualifications to handle an event of this size," said Fisher. "I think that there are historic things that have happened in the past that haven't necessarily been the most cohesive. But I think that we all really tried to be fair with each other," said Moseley Martin.
So now, for the festival to continue, there will likely have to be, in effect new management.
"I think what that says is that there needs to be new organization and fresh eyes and a new vision," she added. There's still support in town for the festival noted Fisher and the town does not want it to pass on. "That's not our intention we definitely value the festival and we recognize the positivity that it brings to our community."
They hope for changes that might carry it forward. But margins are slim and costs rising. There are only four months until the annual event's usual date in March and the deadline to submit an application has passed. Moseley Martin is hoping for the right buyer.
"If anyone wanted to come in to purchase the event I would love for them to really understand that value and the perspective of Colorado and certainly of Nederland."
