Berthoud Weekly Surveyor April 30, 2015 Page A7

& MAKE IT A GREAT DAY

Celebrating Colorado, and girls named Heidi

Local travel writer hosts

her own festival in Ouray

Schlaefer. Im so amazed at how many different kinds of

landscapes we have in this state; you have mountains and
plains, small towns and big. Its just so dynamic.
HeidiTown.com is a blog focused on Colorado festivals
and travel, which Kerr-Schlaefer started in 2007; reviewBy John Gardner
ing books, movies and restaurants. It wasnt until
The Surveyor
about 2010 that she dedicated the blog to covering
If anyone knows about a great
Colorado festivals. If its ice climbing in Ouray or
small-town festival in Colorado,
drinking beer at the Winter Park Beer Festiits Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer, or
val, HeidiTown subscribers get all the details
as avid Surveyor readers may
of adventure and relaxation around Colorado.
know her, the Mayor of HeidiI always hear people say, I live vicariTown.
ously through you, Kerr-Schlaefer said.
As a travel writer and blogSo, after a several years of traveling to
ger of Colorado festivals, when
festivals, the mayor decided that she may
the Mayor of HeidiTown goes
as well have one of her own. HeidiTown Fest,
on a weekend trip, over 3,000
scheduled for Memorial Day weekend (May 23people accompany her on her ad24), is a festival celebrating Colorado, as well as
ventures through her social media
girls named Heidi, according to Kerr-Schlaefer.
posts and her blog; Heiditown.com.
Its really not a festival in that were going to have a
I probably love Colorado more than most people
band or anything like that, said Kerr-Schlaefer. Its a
because I lived in the Pacific orthwest, said Kerrchance to visit Ouray and live life like the mayor.
HeidiTown Fest offers two unique packages: Guests
can choose between two hotels, the Ouray Chalet Inn or
the Matterhorn Inn; and two excursions, including a fourwheel-drive excursion with Alpine Scenic Tours, or rafting with RIGS Adventure Company. Each package also
comes with passes to Ouray Hot Springs Pool and tickets
to the HeidiTown Fest VIP party on Saturday night.
Packages start at $280 and include two nights for two
people. A third night can be added for $80.
This is your chance to come do a weekend as I do a
weekend, she said.
On Friday and Saturday nights there will be social
events at locations around town.
Kerr-Schlaefer, who lives in Loveland, chose Ouray
specifically to get people to travel to some of Colorados
most remote and beautiful destinations.
Ouray is thrilled to be the location for the first anPhoto by Ryan Schlaefer
Ice climbing at Ouray Ice Park in March 2013.
nual HeidiTown Fest. icknamed The Switzerland of
America, we are the perfect Colorado
mountain location for unique gatherings and festivals, said Heidi Pankow, public relations manager at the
Ouray Chamber Resort Association.
Sudoku is a
Being the inaugural HeidiTown
number
Fest, the mayor is unsure as to how
placing puzzle
it will be received, but she hopes to
based on a 9x9
continue the festival, popping up in
grid with several
different towns across the state each
given numbers.
year.
The object is to
The thing that sets this event
place the numapart from anything else in the state
bers 1 to 9 in the
is the fact that it will be mobile, she
empty squares
said.
so that each row,
But the goal is what the mayors
each column
goal has been from her first blog post
and each 3x3
get people interested in the things
box contains the
that happen in their home state.
same number
Get around your state and see
only once.
whats out there, you know KerrSchlaefer said. If HeidiTown Fest
is the only way you do it every year,
then alright, cool. Every year well
find a new, cool place to bring you
to.

beatcalendar
Boulder Dinner Theatre
Forever Plaid
Through May 10
303-449-6000
BDTStage.com
5501 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder
Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Singin in the Rain
Through July 12
970-744-3747
coloradocandlelight.com
4747 Marketplace Dr., Johnstown
Jesters Dinner Theatre & School
for the Performing Arts
Le Miserables
Through May 10
303-682-9980
jesterstheatre.com
224 Main St., Longmont
Rialto Theater
Loveland Choral Society:
An Evening with Tony & Oscar
Through May 3, $17
970-962-2000
rialtotheatercenter.org
228 E. Fourth St., Loveland

SUDOKU SOLUTION