Durango's week-long party rocked and rolled into the weekend starting early on Saturday. With the Light Parade in the rear view, A Rockin' Snowdown continued with heavy lifting, a big bowl of chili, a show for the dogs and, of course, some alcohol to wash it all down.
Hot air balloons begin to fill and then start drifting through the Animas Valley on Saturday morning during the Snowdown Balloon Rally and Mass Ascension. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Hot air balloons begin to fill and then start drifting through the Animas Valley on Saturday morning during the Snowdown Balloon Rally and Mass Ascension. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Train pulls to a stop Saturday morning for the Snowdown Balloon Rally and Mass Ascension in the Animas Valley. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Hot air balloons begin to fill and then start drifting through the Animas Valley on Saturday morning during the Snowdown Balloon Rally and Mass Ascension. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
The Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Train pulls to a stop Saturday morning for the Snowdown Balloon Rally and Mass Ascension in the Animas Valley. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Hot air balloons begin to fill and then start drifting through the Animas Valley on Saturday morning during the Snowdown Balloon Rally and Mass Ascension. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Hot air balloons begin to fill and then start drifting through the Animas Valley on Saturday morning during the Snowdown Balloon Rally and Mass Ascension. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Hot air balloons begin to fill and then start drifting through the Animas Valley on Saturday morning during the Snowdown Balloon Rally and Mass Ascension. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Hot air balloons begin to fill and then start drifting through the Animas Valley on Saturday morning during the Snowdown Balloon Rally and Mass Ascension. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Hot air balloons begin to fill and then start drifting through the Animas Valley on Saturday morning during the Snowdown Balloon Rally and Mass Ascension. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Hot air balloons begin to fill and then start drifting through the Animas Valley on Saturday morning during the Snowdown Balloon Rally and Mass Ascension. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Daniel Wilkinson tries some of James Chavez’s chili as Melia Chavez fills her tasting cup on Saturday during the Snowdown Chili Cook-off in the exhibit hall at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
James Chavez cooked up some carne adovada along with red and green chili on Saturday for the Snowdown Chili Cook-off in the exhibit hall at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Pat Page stirs up his “Darth Verde Green Chile” on Saturday during the Snowdown Chili Cook-off in the exhibit hall at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. This is Page’s 15th year at the cook-off. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Gabe Vera, left, holding his daughter, Coryn, 1, Antonio Reel, holding Jozy Vera, 5, and Fred Vera get ready to serve their “Jozy and the Outlaws Famous Chili” on Saturday during the Snowdown Chili Cook-off in the exhibit hall at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Judges taste the different chili and salsas on Saturday during the Snowdown Chili Cook-off in the exhibit hall at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Hungry chili fans get their taster cups filled with Jimmer and Melody Moore’s chili with the help of their boys Robert and Westley Moore on Saturday during the Snowdown Chili Cook-off in the exhibit hall at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Teri Wyrum, left, and Deb Roster get ready to serve their pork green chili, “Chili Chili Bang Bang” on Saturday during the Snowdown Chili Cook-off in the exhibit hall at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Kelli Mattingly gets ready to serve her vegan peanut chili on Saturday during the Snowdown Chili Cook-off in the exhibit hall at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Dogs were judged in three different categories at the Canine Fashion Show of A Rockin’ Snowdown: funniest costume, best matching costume and best theme-based costume. Dogs of all sizes were entered into the competition and dozens cheered as they walked across a flat-bed trailer behind McDonald’s. Photo by Bret Hauff/Durango Herald
Dozens showed up behind McDonald’s on Saturday for the Canine Fashion Show. Dogs were dressed in rock n’ roll gear, from the tie-dye of the ‘60s rock scene to leather jackets. Photo by Bret Hauff/Durango Herald
Dozens showed up behind McDonald’s on Saturday for the Canine Fashion Show. Dogs were dressed in rock n’ roll gear, from the tie-dye of the ‘60s rock scene to leather jackets. Photo by Bret Hauff/Durango Herald
Teams compete on Saturday in the Snowdown Quaffing Competition at 11th Street Station. One person on one end of a table slides a glass of beer down the table. A teammate has to catch it with one hand – more points if caught by the handle – and then that person has to drink the beer before running to the other end to slide a beer to another teammate. The team of four repeats the process for 2 minutes each round. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Teams compete on Saturday in the Snowdown Quaffing Competition at 11th Street Station. One person on one end of a table slides a glass of beer down the table. A teammate has to catch it with one hand – more points if caught by the handle – and then that person has to drink the beer before running to the other end to slide a beer to another teammate. The team of four repeats the process for 2 minutes each round. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Teams compete on Saturday in the Snowdown Quaffing Competition at 11th Street Station. One person on one end of a table slides a glass of beer down the table. A teammate has to catch it with one hand – more points if caught by the handle – and then that person has to drink the beer before running to the other end to slide a beer to another teammate. The team of four repeats the process for 2 minutes each round. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Teams compete on Saturday in the Snowdown Quaffing Competition at 11th Street Station. One person on one end of a table slides a glass of beer down the table. A teammate has to catch it with one hand – more points if caught by the handle – and then that person has to drink the beer before running to the other end to slide a beer to another teammate. The team of four repeats the process for 2 minutes each round. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Teams compete on Saturday in the Snowdown Quaffing Competition at 11th Street Station. One person on one end of a table slides a glass of beer down the table. A teammate has to catch it with one hand – more points if caught by the handle – and then that person has to drink the beer before running to the other end to slide a beer to another teammate. The team of four repeats the process for 2 minutes each round. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Teams compete on Saturday in the Snowdown Quaffing Competition at 11th Street Station. One person on one end of a table slides a glass of beer down the table. A teammate has to catch it with one hand – more points if caught by the handle – and then that person has to drink the beer before running to the other end to slide a beer to another teammate. The team of four repeats the process for 2 minutes each round. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Teams compete on Saturday in the Snowdown Quaffing Competition at 11th Street Station. One person on one end of a table slides a glass of beer down the table. A teammate has to catch it with one hand – more points if caught by the handle – and then that person has to drink the beer before running to the other end to slide a beer to another teammate. The team of four repeats the process for 2 minutes each round. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Teams compete on Saturday in the Snowdown Quaffing Competition at 11th Street Station. One person on one end of a table slides a glass of beer down the table. A teammate has to catch it with one hand – more points if caught by the handle – and then that person has to drink the beer before running to the other end to slide a beer to another teammate. The team of four repeats the process for 2 minutes each round. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Teams compete on Saturday in the Snowdown Quaffing Competition at 11th Street Station. One person on one end of a table slides a glass of beer down the table. A teammate has to catch it with one hand – more points if caught by the handle – and then that person has to drink the beer before running to the other end to slide a beer to another teammate. The team of four repeats the process for 2 minutes each round. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Teams compete on Saturday in the Snowdown Quaffing Competition at 11th Street Station. One person on one end of a table slides a glass of beer down the table. A teammate has to catch it with one hand – more points if caught by the handle – and then that person has to drink the beer before running to the other end to slide a beer to another teammate. The team of four repeats the process for 2 minutes each round. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Teams compete on Saturday in the Snowdown Quaffing Competition at 11th Street Station. One person on one end of a table slides a glass of beer down the table. A teammate has to catch it with one hand – more points if caught by the handle – and then that person has to drink the beer before running to the other end to slide a beer to another teammate. The team of four repeats the process for 2 minutes each round. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Teams compete on Saturday in the Snowdown Quaffing Competition at 11th Street Station. One person on one end of a table slides a glass of beer down the table. A teammate has to catch it with one hand – more points if caught by the handle – and then that person has to drink the beer before running to the other end to slide a beer to another teammate. The team of four repeats the process for 2 minutes each round. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Teams compete on Saturday in the Snowdown Quaffing Competition at 11th Street Station. One person on one end of a table slides a glass of beer down the table. A teammate has to catch it with one hand – more points if caught by the handle – and then that person has to drink the beer before running to the other end to slide a beer to another teammate. The team of four repeats the process for 2 minutes each round. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Teams compete on Saturday in the Snowdown Quaffing Competition at 11th Street Station. One person on one end of a table slides a glass of beer down the table. A teammate has to catch it with one hand – more points if caught by the handle – and then that person has to drink the beer before running to the other end to slide a beer to another teammate. The team of four repeats the process for 2 minutes each round. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Teams compete on Saturday in the Snowdown Quaffing Competition at 11th Street Station. One person on one end of a table slides a glass of beer down the table. A teammate has to catch it with one hand – more points if caught by the handle – and then that person has to drink the beer before running to the other end to slide a beer to another teammate. The team of four repeats the process for 2 minutes each round. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Teams compete on Saturday in the Snowdown Quaffing Competition at 11th Street Station. One person on one end of a table slides a glass of beer down the table. A teammate has to catch it with one hand – more points if caught by the handle – and then that person has to drink the beer before running to the other end to slide a beer to another teammate. The team of four repeats the process for 2 minutes each round. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Teams compete on Saturday in the Snowdown Quaffing Competition at 11th Street Station. One person on one end of a table slides a glass of beer down the table. A teammate has to catch it with one hand – more points if caught by the handle – and then that person has to drink the beer before running to the other end to slide a beer to another teammate. The team of four repeats the process for 2 minutes each round. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
