A little hanky panky, a lot of oysters, hot wings so hot they made our reporter cry, beer chugging and tricycle riding, Fashion Do’s and Don’ts, the Follies and Spellebration joined myriad other events to kick off the first two days of Snowdown 2019, Get Your ComicOn!
Thousands of participants mixed drinks, drank beer, danced, rode a mechanical bull, played cribbage and so much more, all while donning their masks, spandex, makeup and wigs to portray their favorite comic characters.
Congrats to Lara Alsum who took the cake at hanky panky, Mark Mitchell who crushed a 10-year-old record by eating 29 hot wings, Leanne Walker who snatched up the coveted butt darts award, Air Guitar hero Jordan Smith and all the other winners – and let’s be honest, everyone wins at Snowdown.
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8:59p.m.
Eleven men grew eleven beards over 83 days in heated competition to determine who, in Durango, had the best beard genes. About 35 people stood on the patio of Carver Brewing Company and watched as each contestant measured his beard in four ways: length, weight bearing, decoration and absorption. Absorption was measured with beer. Jeremy S. won with 3.75 inches, 19.9 in decoration, seven weights and 1047 grams in absorption.
5:23 p.m.
Laura Alsum took the cake in hanky panky at the Starlight Lounge.
About a dozen people competed to pull tissues out of a box – one-by-one – as fast as they could. The first round went so fast, and the victors finished so synchronously, that the organizers had to hold a final round. Three people competed, and cheating was encouraged.
Alsum took the victory after she knocked a competitor’s tissue box off the table, claiming the title of Durango’s most hanky panky.
5:12 p.m.
Some hanky panky is about to kick off at the Starlight Lounge.
Contestants have to pull tissue out of boxes one-by-one as fast as they can, but no more than one tissue can be pulled out a a time or the contestant is disqualified.
5:02 p.m.
Mark Mitchell made history Thursday at the Animas City Theatre when he ate 29 hot wings, upsetting a record that lasted nearly 10 years.
Second place finisher Kip Santos ate 23 wings and Mitchell refused to quit.
Fifteen contestants participated, and more than half fell before 10 wings were served. Many contestants drank milk, but Mitchell had cola – he said the sugar helps dull the heat.
The former record was 28 wings, held by Eric Felitto.
Across town on Highway 3, Snowdown participants were diving into the Capt’n Marvel oyster slurping contest at the Highway 3 Roadhouse.
3:44 p.m.
Tricyclists raced in and around 11th Street Station Thursday in a bracket-style competition for gift certificates and bragging rights.
About 50 people packed around picnic tables watched 32 racers go head-to-head in beer chugging and tricycle riding, most donning costumes. This year marked the inaugural year of the Snowdown Speed Racer adult tricycle race, one of more than 100 Snowdown events.
2:59 p.m.
The Balcony Bar & Grill was filled with characters Thursday as people in costumes raced around the Balcony on a child’s bicycle. Forty-two contestants chugged a beer and peddled their hearts out in an attempt to earn a day lift ticket to Monarch Mountain.
Times varied from 31 seconds to a minute and eight seconds.
2:15 p.m.
Thursday’s Snowdown celebration, Get Your ComicOn! got off to a lively start.
The Champagne Pong event, one of the first of the day, was canceled.
However, that didn’t put a damper on other events. The alcohol train just kept rolling at the Iron Mixologist event at El Moro Spirits & Tavern as 10 bartenders from around town – all sporting amazing outfits – battle it out for the Golden Bar Spoon title.
Down the street at the Balcony Bar & Grill, the Big Wheel Derby was kicking off. Participants completed a – sometimes alcohol soaked – lap around the balcony on a Big Wheel. More than 50 people were at the Balcony for the event.
