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Saturday at Mountain Fair: Going low, getting close

Kelli Rollin and Brett Milam
Post Independent Staff Writers

TODAY’S EVENTS

8 a.m.: Porcupine Loop Bike Race

8:30 a.m.: Yoga with True Nature at the Gazebo

9:30 a.m.: All Valley Music Together with Annie Flynn at the Oasis

10 a.m.: Earthbeat Choir at the Gazebo

10 a.m.: The Oasis Children’s Carnival Opens

11 a.m.: Cake Baking Contest at the Judging Tent

11 a.m.: The Starlettes’ Sweet Gospel Set at the Gazebo

11 a.m.: Sue Schnitzer performs at the Oasis

Noon: Jazz Aspen/Snowmass Jazz Camp Showcase

12:30 p.m.: Saddle the Unicorn at the Gazebo

1 p.m.: Jeff and Paige at the Oasis

1:30 p.m.: Josh Rogan at the Gazebo

2 p.m.: Mysto the Magi at the Oasis

2:30 p.m.: SHEL at the Gazebo

3 p.m.: Mountain Fair Open Stage at the Oasis

4 p.m.: Men’s Woodsplitting Championship

5 p.m.: Poetry Brothel at the Gazebo

5:15 p.m.: Diego’s Umbrella at the Gazebo

6:30 p.m.: Rooted Rhythm presents: Cosmic Connection at the Gazebo

7 p.m.: Poetry Brothel at the Gazebo

7:05 p.m.: Brothers Keeper at the Gazebo

9 p.m.: 2014 Mountain Fair Slideshow at the Gazebo

A few scenes from Saturday’s activities at Carbondale’s Mountain Fair:

LIMBO

Hundreds of eyes followed Brandi Parsley as she strategically stayed below the limbo bar. The crowd howled when she conquered the lowest bar, winning the contest.



Parsley, of El Jebel, was just one of about 15 limbo contest participants at Mountain Fair.

The limbo contest was for adults, though many of them had similar flexibility to a child. Participants were given a few extra tries if they fell down while trying to clear the bar or if they touched it.



As the competition thinned, Parsley said she was more at ease. She said she doesn’t always do the limbo contest, but tries whenever she’s at Mountain Fair.

Before the contest started, Parsely spotted another participant doing Pilates-style moves, looking very flexible.

“I was like, ‘Oh, crap,’” Parsely said.

Her nerves kicked in when the contest started.

“I was hoping other people would fall,” Parsley said, citing her nervousness.

Though, she encouraged every one of her competitors along the way.

Parsely, a Zumba instructor, said when three people were left, she felt better because she would be in the top three. She prepared for the contest at her Zumba class by doing some middle-eastern style dances that practice flexibility.

“I was thinking ‘strong core,’” Parsely said about what helped her concentrate.

For placing first, she received a purple Mountain Fair T-shirt with ‘limbo champ’ printed on the cuff of the sleeve.

“I’m super excited,” Parsely said about having the title on the shirt. “I’m going to wear this with pride, no doubt.”

Stacy Evans and Alec Gaines tied for second in the contest.

FLY CASTING

About 20 people sliced the air with fishing line at this year’s fly casting competition.

Competitors of all skill types were given three tries to make the line in a hoola-hoop. Inside of the hoop was a small container with a plastic trout in it. The person who cast the line closest to the trout’s lips would win the competition.

“It’s all in fun,” Gil Finn, organizer of the competition, said.

The event, sponsored by Alpine Angling in Carbondale, contained many spectators who cheered on each participant. A group of ladies with kazoos played different tunes and encouraged others to cheer on the competitors.

“This is really for bragging rights for the whole year,” Finn said of the competition.

However, there were prizes for first, second and third place.

First place was awarded a handmade fishing net.

With a cast of 1.25 inches from the trout’s mouth, Nate Biro won for the second consecutive year.

Biro said he’s been participating in the competition for eight years, but this is only the second time he won.

“I can’t believe I got that close,” he said of this year’s cast. “It’s crazy.”

Hailing from Pittsburgh, Biro said he moved to Carbondale to fly fish, so he’s had some practice. He had a big grin after he won, noting that the competition is all in good fun.

He said it’s nice to get the net, but he won one last year. He said he’d probably send this one to his brother since there’s “no need to hog them all.”

Other placers were Mike Goldblatt in second and Charlie Noone in third.

Pie baking contest

Under the huge tent near the middle of the park, judges split into three pie-judging categories: cream, fruit and exotic.

Alta debeque-Otto, the contest coordinator, said this year’s theme was “wear your best hat.” Last year’s was a cowboys and Wild West theme.

“To be a judge takes years,” debeque-Otto said.

The winning pie baker receives an apron and Carbondale Mountain Fair fame, she added.

“It’s all old Carbondale people that used to babysit me,” debeque-Otto said. “People that have been here a long time.

Pies are judged on taste, texture, appearance and crust and then give a total score between 1 and 10, with 1 being best.

In year 30 of judging pies, John Ackerman, judging the cream pie section, said “no comment” to his favorite pie before the contest began.

“I’ve been coming to the fair forever,” Ackerman said. “Every Mountain Fair, the pies are different and that’s what keeps it interesting.”

While the judges waited to receive their cut of the pie, volunteers passed around champagne and sparkling water.

Melanie Cardiff, a judge of the fruit pies, said she’d been doing it for 25 years.

“I got handed the position by my mom,” Cardiff said.

What keeps her coming back every year? The “nostalgia of it,” she said, and seeing people she doesn’t normally get to see.

“We’ve tried to do our best,” Cardiff said.

Frank Norwood was another longtime judge, so long, in fact, he wasn’t sure the exact number of years. He said maybe 20 years, but was probably longer.

Before the start of the contest, Norwood said they make sure to toast to the “pie in the sky” for those who have passed away.

“It’s a tradition,” Norwood said. “A lot of people think we’re just here to eat pie, but it’s a difficult task.”

He said he’d like to see a pie cookbook to keep records of all the pies seen in the annual contest.

The winning pie in the Best of Show category was a blueberry white chocolate pie, which also won in at the exotic pie table. The best of the cream pies was the orange cream. Best in the fruit section was Grandma Richard’s peach pie.

Horseshoe tournament

A block away from the pie baking contest was the singles horseshoe tournament at Glassier Park.

By the start of the tournament at noon, 28 people had signed up. Each person selected a number from a hat, then was put in a corresponding bracket to square off against another entrant.

Entry was $5, from which a pot is collected. First and second place winners split the pot. The tournament was double elimination.

John Hall, in his second year of the tournament, said people from all over Carbondale, Glenwood and Grand Junction join the tournament.

“I kind of sucked last year, hoping I can redeem myself this year,” Hall said. “It’s gonna take awhile. Good thing we brought a cooler of beer.”

Josh Druen said there’s nothing much like a game of horseshoes.

“Most of the world’s problems could be solved over a game of horseshoes,” Druen said.


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