Best Annual Festival -- Mountains

Call her madam! Lou Bunch ran the most successful whorehouse in Central City back in the days when the mining town was known as the "Richest Square Mile on Earth." These days, it could be the saddest square mile on earth, since Central City's plan to mine the wallets of would-be gamblers was blocked by nearby Black Hawk, which literally moved mountains to make sure that its big casinos would snag all the suckers before they could head farther up the hill. As a result, though, Central City has managed to retain some of its classic character -- and you'll never see more classic characters than at Lou Bunch Days. Held every Father's Day weekend, the festival features includes bed races up and down Main Street (complete with appropriately attired female riders), costume contests and a dance; a recent, unofficial addition to the lineup is the return of many old Zekes, Central City residents who were frightened away or pushed away by gambling but return for this wild, wacky weekend. "It's a great time to be in Central City," says Lew Cady, publisher of the Little Kingdom Come newspaper ("published whenever we damn well feel like it"). "Especially for people who are longtime lovers of the town." And current lovers of good old-fashioned frolics. "If New Year's Eve is amateur night," Cady adds, "this is for the professionals." And no one was more of a pro than Madam Bunch.