This historic mining town offers contemporary boutiques for plenty of shopping but maintains its traditional character through remembrance of its roots. Our Underground Mining Museum and old mining tours hint at older times, yet you can still step back into the present by walking down Main Street, and into one of our unique and beautiful art galleries.
Creede will be as busy or as quiet as you make it. Take the chance to retreat from the city and into the mountain calm, or follow the lights of the Creede Repertory Theatre, and see a play by a company named “one of the top 10 places to see the lights way off Broadway” (USA Today)
Taste Of Creede Arts Festival
Memorial Weekend 2024
Artist Demonstrations • Live Music • Vendors
KBelle Community Cook-Off • Children’s Activities
Artist’s Quick Draw • ART Auction
Wander among the 25+ artists on Main Street Saturday, as they bring to life their latest works. Pick a bench in Basham Park and enjoy listening to live music while noshing delectable treats. Alcoholic beverages purchased from participating business are permitted outdoors within designated blocks of downtown. Sample the flavors of this unique boomtown with the first annual KBelle Community Cook-Off! Amateur contestants representing local businesses will face a panel of judges, while ladling out samples for everyone to try.
Creede Donkey Dash
Creede’s Burro Race: The Donkey Dash
The Creede Donkey Dash will abide by the basic rules of burro racing as established by the Western Pack Burro Association. Competitors will run the entire distance, leading their pack burro.
The Creede Donkey Dash starts and finishes on Main Street adjacent to Basham Park. Teams consist of a burro and runner. The course covers about 10 miles through Creede’s Historic Mining District. Competitors will pass by the Creede Underground Mining Museum, past the Commodore Mine UP the “Black Pitch”, run through the Weaver Town Site, follow the 4×4 Road by the Midwest Mine, up and over through the switchbacks, pass Phoenix Park and then down the East Willow Canyon, through North Creede, and then south back into town to finish off the final three miles of the race with a gradual downhill that ends on a cheering Main Street! Several mines can be seen along the racecourse, including the remnants of the Kentucky Belle, gripping the cliffs hundreds of feet above the road.
Creede’s Independence Day Celebration!
It’s only fitting that Creede’s largest festival of the year centers around preserving the history of mining. Like many Western mining towns, Creede has always had mining competitions. When the area’s mines were operational, the events were sponsored by the different mining companies as morale boosters for the miners. With the mines being mostly closed for more than 30 years, the need to preserve Creede’s mining past is as important as ever. Creede is and always has been a close community whose residents pride themselves on the town’s storied past.
For more than 46 years now, Creede has hosted a two-day competition that draws mining competitors from across the Southwest region. The competitors are actual miners who come to Creede on July 4th each year to battle for the highly-coveted prize of “Best Overall Miner of the Year”.