Durango - The Durango Herald

Demons basketball looks to win with unselfish play in 2023-24 season

Durango boys haven’t had a winning season since 2016-17

DATE: Nov 29, 2023 | CATEGORY: Sports

La Plata Food Equity Coalition work group elevates minority entrepreneurs

Group putting language justice, commissary kitchens, more resources in business owners’ fingertips

DATE: Nov 29, 2023 | CATEGORY: Local News

Photo: Ringing to raise money

Volunteers will be around area businesses to raise money for the community

DATE: Nov 28, 2023 | CATEGORY: Local News

Durango Events Calendar

If Singing with Santa kicked off the holiday season, this Friday’s Noel Night sets it in high gear. Durango’s annual Noel Night will take place all day Friday, and includes live music, art e...

DATE: Nov 28, 2023 | CATEGORY: Arts and Entertainment

Durango BID Holiday Rewards Program attempts to compete with last year’s record

Shopper incentives produced over $140,000 in local spending in 2022

DATE: Nov 28, 2023 | CATEGORY: Local News

PHOTOS: Fort Lewis women’s basketball cruises to 85-40 win over Lincoln University

Skyhawks score 41 points off turnovers Monday at Whalen Gymnasium

DATE: Nov 27, 2023 | CATEGORY: Gallery

From marketing to management

How Southwest Colorado tourist destinations are moving away from recruitment

DATE: Nov 27, 2023 | CATEGORY: Local News

Passengers delayed over seven hours at Durango-La Plata County Airport

DRO anticipates Thanksgiving weekend air traffic to break local record

DATE: Nov 26, 2023 | CATEGORY: Local News

Shop local on ‘Noel Night’

Dear Readers, Inserted in today’s Durango Herald is the Noel Night gift guide that features more than 40 local businesses that are welcoming shoppers this Friday evening. The publication, p...

DATE: Nov 26, 2023 | CATEGORY: Local News

Demons look to win with versatility in post-Mason Rowland era

Lauren Moran takes over as Durango’s head coach

DATE: Nov 26, 2023 | CATEGORY: Sports

Zia Fadil wins women’s Turkey Trot at age 12

Fadil finished 11th overall in Thursday’s Durango Turkey Trot

DATE: Nov 25, 2023 | CATEGORY: Sports

Crashes during snowstorm overwhelm Durango police

No serious injuries reported in town Friday through midday Saturday

DATE: Nov 25, 2023 | CATEGORY: Local News

Colorado history gets weird, wild, wacky at Fashion Do’s and Don’tsAnnual Snowdown event has become so popular, auditions are now required

Cowboys. Fancy ladies. Gold miners. Even-toed ungulates that some in Durango might consider more like rats.Where can you find a runway show that takes you on a whirlwind tour through the weird, wacky and wildly exaggerated 150 years of Colorado history? Only at Durango’s annual Fashion Do’s and Don’ts, held Wednesday, where models and audience members wore costumes celebrating Colorado’s sesquicentennial – the theme of this year’s two-week Snowdown celebration.Standout acts included the Ghosts of Durango, which featured four of Durango’s most famous ghosts: a Rochester hotel ghost in a Victorian get-up of a more “modern” variation; the Strater Hotel’s head of housekeeping, also head of more discreet services; a young girl haunting El Rancho’s bathroom; and Sheriff Bob Thompson, killed in a 1906 gunfight. according to emcee Suzan Lane. A Another act was the Secret Circus Society, featuring Rubi Starr, Jeni Gross, Tabatha Joy Bettin, Adrienne Young and Ethan Deffenbaugh dressed as a car and the roadside pests better known as deer. Group members said the inspiration for the costume came from lived experiences driving Durango roads. The two-person Cantine Couture act starred Leslie Ponce and Tyler Frakes in an homage to the plentiful variety of Mexican restaurants found in any Colorado town. Ponce, dressed in comically large Mexican pointy cowboy boots, ambled down the runway as if taking a stroll under the hot, dusty, high-altitude sun, while Frakes flitted about the stage in a bright yellow salsa dress. Ponce said this year’s costume had been tough to decide, but the final decision was inspired by TikTok videos of Mexican cowboys in pointy boots. This was the duo’s third year strutting down the runway. Why they keep coming back for more, Frakes said laughing, was, “for the fame, the glory and the attention.”

Fashion Do’s and Don’ts has been one of the most highly anticipated Snowdown events since its inception in the 1990s. It has more than doubled in size over the past several decades. Last year, there were a record number of models, and in order to keep the event at a manageable size, this year’s fashion show was the first one to require the acts to audition. But many of the models were unfazed by the change. “It was actually easy,” said Jodi Zuber, one part of the two-person duo that made up the 1950s Texas Invader Ski Couple. Her partner-in-costume, Danny Jaques, said they had been doing this for several years, and it’s good with everything going on in the world to “get some levity and let your hair down.” The performers were not the only ones in costume. Audience members also dressed in a wide variety of unique takes on what makes Colorado, Colorado. JonBenet Ramsey made a miraculous appearance, being played by an 82-year-old woman, as did Casa Bonita, an ensemble that included a taco, sopaipilla and gorilla in chains – to name some of the characters. By the end of the show, people were in high spirits, as usual. “It was just delightful,” said a first-time audience member. If blessed with the chance to get the much coveted tickets – he said he would jump on it. jbowman@durangoherald.com

Annual Snowdown event has become so popular, auditions are now required

Photos: Snowdown 2026 Fashion Do’s and Don’ts

Photos: Durango High School basketball teams lose to Montrose High School

Photos: Local girls high school wrestling at La Plata TriDurango girls wrestling went 2-0 to win Tri on Thursday night at Bayfield

Durango girls wrestling went 2-0 to win Tri on Thursday night at Bayfield

Photos: Fort Lewis College women’s and men’s basketball take on Westminster UniversityBoth Skyhawks teams were victorious on Saturday afternoon

Both Skyhawks teams were victorious on Saturday afternoon

Photos: An afternoon in 2004 with the late Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell as he works on Capitol HillDurango Herald Photo Editor Jerry McBride had the chance to spend an afternoon with the late Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell in 2004, photographing him during meetings and around the Capitol.

Durango Herald Photo Editor Jerry McBride had the chance to spend an afternoon with the late Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell in 2004, photographing him during meetings and around the Capitol.

Photos and video: ICE protests return to DurangoAbout a dozen protesters tried to block federal agents from leaving with a detainee on Thursday

About a dozen protesters tried to block federal agents from leaving with a detainee on Thursday

The Durango Herald’s year in photos 2025

Photos: Chapman Hill fires up the snow guns

Demons basketball looks to win with unselfish play in 2023-24 season

La Plata Food Equity Coalition work group elevates minority entrepreneurs

Photo: Ringing to raise money

Durango Events Calendar

Durango BID Holiday Rewards Program attempts to compete with last year’s record

PHOTOS: Fort Lewis women’s basketball cruises to 85-40 win over Lincoln University

From marketing to management

Passengers delayed over seven hours at Durango-La Plata County Airport

Shop local on ‘Noel Night’

Demons look to win with versatility in post-Mason Rowland era

Zia Fadil wins women’s Turkey Trot at age 12

Crashes during snowstorm overwhelm Durango police

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