Just Add Flower

Why do people keep coming back year after year to the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival? “I don’t know what is so unique about Crested Butte,” admits Sue Wallace, director of the 23-year-old event. “It is just so lush, and we have such diversity here; you see such an abundance of flowers, and you see so many different kinds. I think when you see it, you get hooked immediately. People who go, ‘Eh, flowers, big deal,’ they come here and go, ‘Oh, my God!’ So that brings people back year after year. Every time you go into the mountains, you see beautiful flowers, but I just don’t think there’s any valley that has what’s going on here.”

And what’s going on at this year’s festival, which kicks off today and runs through July 12? There’s a much-expanded hiking program, including a day-long hike between Crested Butte and Aspen; there are also kid-friendly events and family activities. And David Inouye is returning to present his talk about climate change and its impact on wildflowers.

This year’s rain, for example, has been very good for the flowers. “It’s going to be exploding here; the flowers are going to be spectacular,” promises Wallace. For more information, visit www.crestedbuttewildflowerfestival.com or call 970-349-2571.
July 6-12, 2009