This year’s Escalante Days will be a full weekend of food, competition and family fun under the sun, taking place from Saturday, Aug. 9 through Sunday, Aug. 11 at Joe Rowell Park in Dolores.
Some of the highlights will be the kids’ bike rodeos, live music, pancake breakfast, softball tournament, 5k run, parade, chain saw competition, arm wrestling, kids’ activities, local beers, games, food, vendors and more.
Registration is closed for retail vendors and food vendors, but those interested can still register to be in the Escalante Days’ parade and to run in the 5k.
Those interested in volunteering can also sign up online.
The softball tournament is set to take place Saturday and Sunday, and those who sign up have a three-game guarantee, according to organizers.
A registration fee for a 15-man roster team is $350. Unlimited home run bracelets will be available at $25 per bracelet, with a maximum of two per team.
Senior bats will not be permitted, only USSSA and ASA bats will be used. USSSA modification rules will be in use during the game. Classic M balls will be used for men and Classic W balls for women.
A Home Run Derby will be held on Saturday at 9 p.m. “under the lights.” 10 balls will be provided to each competitor, and the most hits over the fence will win.
The Home Run Derby entry is $25 per person, with a $10 buyback. The derby is open to the public.
Sign ups for the softball games can be directed to Jerry Whited at (970) 570-8315 or jwhitedjk@aol.com.
Those who wish to camp can do so at $35 per night.
On Friday, Aug. 9, a children’s bike parade will begin at Joe Rowell Park’s front parking lot at 5:30 p.m., and the kids’ bike rodeo will take place at the Joe Rowell back parking lot at 5:35 p.m.
From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., One Stan Band will perform and Snaggletooth Saloon and food and retail vendors will be open.
At 6:30 p.m., there will be a kids’ bike giveaway, and an ice cream eating contest will be held at 6:45 p.m.
On Saturday, the K-9 Search and Rescue Pancake Breakfast will be held at 47 Central Ave. at 6 a.m., and the first day of the softball tournament will start at 7 a.m.
Escalante Days’ 5k runners will race at 8 a.m., starting at the pavilion at Joe Rowell Park. Just in time for the racers to complete their run, the marketplace with vendors, food and fundraisers will open at 9 a.m.
While the Escalante Days’ parade takes place, with a start time of 10 a.m., the Four Corner’s Community Band will perform at the park.
Snaggletooth Saloon will open with its beer, wine and cocktails from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the Bill F. Ragland Chain Saw Competition will begin at 11 a.m.
At 12:30 p.m. there will be a watermelon eating contest, followed by an arm wrestling competition at 1 p.m. A penny hunt will be held at 2 p.m. and a water balloon toss at 2:30 p.m. An egg toss will take place at 3:30, as well as Kiwanis Club’s duck race at Riverside Park. At 4 p.m. there will be a hula hoop contest.
From 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., live music will be performed by Flashback, The Flyaways and Horizon, followed by the start of the Home Run Derby at 9 p.m.
On Sunday, the last day of the event, the softball tournament will be held from 7 a.m. with a tentative end time of 8 p.m. The marketplace with vendors and food will remain open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the Snaggletooth Saloon will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
More information can be found and sign ups can be completed at www.visitdolores.com/escalante-days.
