About 30 dogs strutted the runway on Saturday afternoon during the Canine Fashion Show at McDonald’s as part of Snowdown 2018.
Snowdown Chili Cook-Off contestants, from left, Lori Michel, Michael Ginberg, Sue Bucher and Marylyn Rice, with their green and vegetarian chili on Saturday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Snowdown Chili Cook-Off contestant Jenni Gross entered her Peruvian salsa on Saturday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Snowdown Chili Cook-Off contestant Jenni Gross with her Durango Cowgal red chili and pork green chili on Saturday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Snowdown Chili Cook-Off contestant Charles Rigby stirs his chicken green chili on Saturday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Snowdown Chili Cook-Off contestants Pat and Nina Page with their Darth Verde green chili and Darth Verde chili on Saturday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Snowdown Chili Cook-Off contestants Betty and Tom Door with their vegetarian red chili on Saturday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Snowdown Chili Cook-Off contestant Megan McCoy stands with her daughter, Kaylee McCoy, 10, scooping up a red chili, and niece Anika Shideler, 15, showing a green chile Saturday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Snowdown Chili Cook-Off judges lift their glasses in celebration after finishing judging all the chili and salsa that was entered for this year’s best of on Saturday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
The Hill Stompers perform during the Snowdown Chili Cook-Off on Saturday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
The Snowdown Chili Cook-Off is a very popular event on Saturday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
About 30 dogs entered in the three categories of this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Emcee Cody Kopp presents the trophy to Brain Capsay and his children Ada, 6, and John, 5, with the family dog, Buddy, who won in the “Funniest” category for this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Emcee Cody Kopp presents the trophy for the “Best Theme” to Cammie Willis and her dogs Carl and Ottis during this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Emcee Cody Kopp presents the trophy for the “Look-alike” during this year’s Snowdown Canine Fashion Show on Saturday at McDonald’s. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
A curious cat investigates a participant in Snowdown’s new Cat Yoga event on Saturday at the Smiley Building. Photo by Claudia Laws/Durango Herald
Kim Duvall poses with her winning Spam sculpture of two people ballroom dancing at the Durango Welcome Center on Saturday morning during the Spam Carving Contest. Photo by Mia Rupani/Durango Herald
Mike Zepeda with Team Ocho Locals from Fire Station 8 in Phoenix plays a hole at Gazpachos on Saturday during Snowdown 2018 Outlaw Josie Pete’s Golf Tournament. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Lots of fun costumes on Saturday in downtown Durango for Snowdown 2018. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Lots of fun costumes on Saturday in downtown Durango for Snowdown 2018. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Lots of fun costumes on Saturday in downtown Durango for Snowdown 2018. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Navy lieutenants, from left, Dan Gallagher, Ty Otteson and Scott McLennan, play a hole at the Palace Restaurant on Saturday during Snowdown 2018 Outlaw Josie Pete’s Golf Tournament. The submarine officers are stationed in Norfolk Va., on the USS San Francisco. Otteson, who grew up in Durango, brought his buddies back for Snowndown. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Members of Team Dead Mother Putters stop and play a hole on Saturday at the Palace Restaurant during Snowdown 2018 Outlaw Josie Pete’s Golf Tournament. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Here are a few fun facts from the fourth day of Snowdown 2018: “A Black Tie Affair.”
Cat Yoga
Cat Yoga is the purrfect way to relax – just ask anyone who participated in the event on Saturday morning. Yoga with cute animals – goats, pigs, cats and more – is a trend sweeping the nation that not even Durango can resist. Four felines joined more than 20 people as they stretched, twisted and found their balance at the Smiley Building, with donations benefiting the La Plata County Humane Society.
Spam Carving Contest
Fifty-five contestants sculpted canned mystery meat into creative shapes during this messy competition, which started in the ’80s but was discontinued for a period of time before once again becoming an official Snowdown event six years ago. Fort Lewis College hosted the event and provided 70 cans of the gelatinous, cube-shaped blocks of meat for the fun.
Kim Duvall placed first in the adult category for her creative Spam sculpture of two people ballroom dancing.
Canine Fashion Show
Durango is known for being a dog-friendly community, and the only thing people in this town love more than dogs is dogs dressed in cute outfits. Twenty-eight pooches dressed in their finest attire strutted the runway outside of McDonald’s for the Canine Fashion Show, eliciting cheers from a crowd of more than 100 people.
Brian Capsay’s dog, Buddy, won the “Funniest Costume” category at the fashion show.
Cammie Willis’ two pomeranians, Carl and Ottis, won the “Best Theme” category at the fashion show.
Snowdown Fireworks
The unseasonably warm and dry weather did not deter Durango Fire Protection District from launching fireworks on Saturday night in celebration of Snowdown. The fireworks display has been a part of the celebration for more than ten years, and is partially funded by donations from local businesses.
The Wells Group, Agritek, Colorado Eagle/Budweiser, Serious Texas BBQ, C&J Gravel and Jaquez Rocket Ranch helped fund the fireworks show for Snowdown 2018.
