pixel

Coffin Races

2009.10.27
Yes, you heard me right....and where else but Manitou Springs, Colorado?

The story behind the event:

This event is held each year in October to commemorate the sad demise and aftermath of a certain 19 year-old woman, Emma Crawford who lived in Manitou Springs in the late 1800’s. She’d moved to Manitou Springs looking for relief from tuberculosis symptoms but sadly died of those complications just a few days before she was to be married. Her dying wish was to be buried at the top of Red Mountain which she dearly loved, so her fiancé and 12 other stalwart pallbearers made sure that happened. The mountain’s granite eroded with each passing storm and one day after 30 years or so severe rains caused her coffin and remains to slide down the 7,200 foot mountain breaking apart in the ordeal.

Since 1994 this city has yearly honored Emma with a festival which includes a parade and the Emma Crawford Memorial Coffin Race. Teams with five members each (one “Emma” coffin-rider and four runners) compete in the race with wheeled coffins. This year close to ten thousand came to watch and many got in the spirit by dressing up in their most ghoulish finery.

This couple certainly created an interesting presence.
Better enlarged :)

"Emma" riding proudly through the streets in her coffin. The parade officials asked the Emmas to wear crash helmets during the race.

Guys from the Coquette Creperie team must have scored lollipops from the Oompa Loompa on the Willie Wonka team.

This "Emma" walked ahead of her coffin during the parade.

Black Forest Fire Rescue team....ready to roll.

A teamof rootin'-tootin' cowgirls tears up the street with their coffin.

Macabre couple signing a release for a local TV station.

Yes....I agree with this little guy.....verrrryyyy strange parade indeed.....but quite entertaining!!!

48 Comments
dontblink Hilarious! Is that an oompa loompa in #4? :)
Looks like a great time.
dontblink · 2009-10-27: 13:31
JaCkYe Very funny;) and amazing shots
JaCkYe · 2009-10-27: 13:50
soubhagya cool, something new I learned today!
soubhagya · 2009-10-27: 13:50
Kisia great set:-)
Kisia · 2009-10-27: 14:19
tedbarlow Wow...have you ever been an 'Emma'?
tedbarlow · 2009-10-27: 14:33
saso63 Fun and interesting tradition :)))) and spooky carnival!
Very cool story and great photos, very good!
saso63 · 2009-10-27: 14:43
onlyricky OMG, Marsha! I'm delighted about this set! I've never heard about such event! And for sure I'm delighted, and I'd love to see it! I love such events, expecially if it takes supernatural or death things on it!
this coffin race was amazing, and you showed very well how it is!
I'm adding 8# to my favorites, not just because I think it is perfect, but also to remember this whole set!
Thank you very much for show us this Celebration!

Did someone from your family participate?
onlyricky · 2009-10-27: 14:51
daisydavinci What a strange event! :-)) Very authentiv pictures, full of tension!
daisydavinci · 2009-10-27: 14:52
daisydavinci What a strange event! :-)) Very authentic pictures, full of tension!
daisydavinci · 2009-10-27: 14:52
agnes65 awesome set !!! Love them all, esp #2 :)
agnes65 · 2009-10-27: 15:07
girafferacing Fantastic set. What an amazing event - truly surreal!! :-)
girafferacing · 2009-10-27: 15:44
eternity65 haha, great set!!!!!! I never seen coffin races before, but used to have fun going downhill with "soap box" carts, a bit the same thing really, just that they didn't look like coffins. Great fun, as long as you didn't fly out of a curve or the damn thing fell apart at full speed LOL :-))
eternity65 · 2009-10-27: 16:03
miltonjacob very interesting. hearing for the first time about such a strange race! :)
miltonjacob · 2009-10-27: 16:06
jet28 Fantastic set! You've really captured the spirit (sorry!) of the event :-)
jet28 · 2009-10-27: 16:12
smbunation Wow. Lots of people are in the 'spirit' here. [Pun intended.] Interesting story. I really like shot two.
smbunation · 2009-10-27: 16:17
somogyvari Very interesting parade! Awesome shots!!
somogyvari · 2009-10-27: 16:54
photopoet Thanks for the visit—what great fun
photopoet · 2009-10-27: 16:54
catdad Great history lesson and awesome shots !! Thanks for sharing ! cd
catdad · 2009-10-27: 17:25
finbarr WOW!! Brilliant capture !!
finbarr · 2009-10-27: 18:03
dreadwear Lovely shots, particularly the last one.
dreadwear · 2009-10-27: 18:09
Jarvo This is fantastic Marsha. I'm dying to have a go in that race.
Super cool shots - so clear and interesting.
Jarvo · 2009-10-27: 20:02
bedazzled Looks like ghostly fun..great take on the event Marsha!! #2 is so so scary..wish I saw this when it was broad daylight outside..I find the kid in #9 as scared as me :)
bedazzled · 2009-10-27: 20:05
lynnsgallery2 Oh my Marsha...this is something that I have never heard of!!! It's scary to me and I'm not there...love the boy's face in #9 :))
lynnsgallery2 · 2009-10-27: 21:33
nssco50 What a wonderful fun day and post! Enjoyed them all....and the history. Awesome capture #2 and #4:))
nssco50 · 2009-10-27: 21:35
slowpete great set
slowpete · 2009-10-28: 00:34
pandka Very interesting!
pandka · 2009-10-28: 03:31
MUMMoira TFS very interesting history to this event , love your photos especially the B&W which do it more justice.
MUMMoira · 2009-10-28: 03:59
jennye Oh , it looks like so much fun!!
Great shots....love the second one!!
jennye · 2009-10-28: 06:42
snapshoot Thank you for sharing...
Interesting set of pictures and stories
snapshoot · 2009-10-28: 08:38
smithapnair Interesting set! never even heard of it, so thanks for sharing this event with us...
smithapnair · 2009-10-28: 09:57
Kamibizr such nice story and photos
Kamibizr · 2009-10-28: 11:43
Julias365 Brilliant. I love the strange race and your photos of it!
Julias365 · 2009-10-28: 12:11
vterezia Very interesting parade !!!! thanks for sharing !!!
vterezia · 2009-10-28: 12:21
nunuinpictures OMG!!
This is so terrifying and funny!
nunuinpictures · 2009-10-28: 13:32
Unchained This is a hilarious event, I would like to take part on it, being one of the Emma's and walking in front of the coffin, tough to the end. :)) Fantastic report and picture 2 is o u t s t a n d i n g !!
Unchained · 2009-10-28: 13:48
mystic1 hahaha I love this event and all the participents, Nice capture
mystic1 · 2009-10-28: 14:43
LysMandala Marsha, Impressive work.
It's a very strange and macabre festival
LysMandala · 2009-10-28: 15:01
JumiElla Amazing history! #2 & 8 - fantastic couples!
JumiElla · 2009-10-28: 16:22
awesomegreen Such a scary festival yar!!!
awesomegreen · 2009-10-28: 19:19
urmysunshine hmmm- Americana at its best~ I wonder what poor Emma would have thought of these festivities; I love this set, makes me feel quite patriotic (that's weird I know) and wish I could be there in person- I love the determined expressions in #6
urmysunshine · 2009-10-29: 21:37
DancingDolphin This looks like great fun! I will have to remember the all white costume idea!! Thanks for sharing a fun set!!
DancingDolphin · 2009-10-30: 07:26
darimrav Cool, funny. Reminds me of carnival, this is like some special sort of it. #8 is so funny, with the comment even more :)
darimrav · 2009-10-30: 13:01
chrisbuchan unusual event captured well
chrisbuchan · 2009-10-30: 22:40
tomie amazing event!
tomie · 2009-10-31: 09:18
Kamykcz :)
Kamykcz · 2009-10-31: 18:07
Widcat I'll bet that little boy has nightmares! What a great event and the costumes and makeup are fantastic. My daughter, Natalie, would love that.
Widcat · 2009-10-31: 22:41
chossid Hysterical post! 2 and 8 are my fav's!
chossid · 2009-11-04: 12:13
MarMeer Interesting set and info, tnxx.
MarMeer · 2009-11-08: 05:03
Bold Text
Italic Text
UnderLine Text
URL Link

Name
 URL
Enter the code to the right below
Captcha

Views: 195
Tagged: emma crawford coffinraces ghouls coffin manitousprings scary weird
 
pixel
« 2009.10.22
 
pixel
2009.10.30 »
pixel