View the - Frozen Dead Guy Days

Transcription

Festival Sponsors
Cryogenic
Sub-Zero
Frozen
Ice Cold
Pioneer Inn, First Street Pub, Sundance Cafe, Whistler’s Cafe,
Mod Cabin, Round House, J&L Distillery, KGNU, Sweet Wave Audio,
Rooster Magazine, Neder-Net, Play It Again Sports,
Mother Load. Mountain Man Outdoor Store, The Candy Man,
The Train Cars, I Support U, Nedfest, 8236 Gear, Mountain-Ear
Frosty
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New Moon Bakery, Dam Liquor, Peak to Peak Liquor
Frozen Dead Guy Days 2014
Contents
Page 5: Welcome Letter
Page 7: Festival Information
Pages 9-13: A Frozen History
Pages 15-17: Event Descriptions
Page 19: Blue Ball
Pages 20-21: Events Schedule
Pages 23-25: Music Showcase Schedule
Pages 27-30: Profile: FDGD Announcer Dave Felkey
Pages 31-32: Dry Ice: Keeping Grandpa Frozen
Pages 33-34: Denver Hearse Association
Page 35: Newly Dead Game/Grandpa’s in the TUFF Shed
Page 37: Monster RC Demonstration
Page 38: Support Nederland Non-Profits
Page 39: Festival Merchandise
Published by: Wideawake Media, Inc.
Layout and Design: Wideawake Media, Inc.
Photographers: Barbara Lawlor, Jeffrey V. Smith,
James Dewalt
Contributing Writers: Barbara Lawlor, Amber Gabbey,
Jeffrey V. Smith
Frozen Dead Guy Days is a production of Butterfly
Effect Promotions, LLC.
Butterfly Effect Promotions would like to acknowledge and thank the Town of Nederland employees, the Nederland Police and Fire personnel, and
its wonderfully unique community for their help
and support with this event.
A Special Thanks to those who have given so much of
their personal time: Bruce Lish, Deb DeAndrea, Mike
Collins, Andrew Lauer, Sarah Stillman, Mark Smith,
Katrina Harms, Sarah Martin, Jennifer Pund, Jeffrey
Smith, Rob Z, Johnny Hedgepatch, Mike Leland,
Amy Debenedictis, Nancy Stubbs, Brien Darby, Peter
Fiore, Amber Gabbey, Matt Johnson, Callum & Wyatt
Coulson, “Norm” and Hills and the countless volunteers from around the mountains, Front Range and
Denver area who come back year after year.
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Enjoy Nederland!
Our town is a place like no
other. Tucked in the Rocky
Mountains just west of Boulder, Nederland has a history
rich in mining and music
and a future as the hub of
the Peak to Peak Community. With our unique shops,
amazing outdoor beauty,
friendly locals, and vibrant
music scene, Nederland is
definitely not your average
small town. Whether you
live here, work here, or play
here, we’re sure that you’ll
discover that life’s better up
here. While in town,
visit some of our unique
restaurants and shops.
Welcome
W
elcome life enthusiasts to the 13th annual Frozen Dead Guy Days in
Nederland, one of the most unique and coolest towns in Colorado. I
hope you enjoy your time here, taking in raw beauty of the mountains, eclectic charm of Nederland and off-the-wall antics of Frozen Dead Guy Days.
Although not for the faint of heart, the event is a ton of frosty fun!
The creative, fun loving spirits who conceived FDGD, took on the harsh
winter of Nederland and turned it into a reason to celebrate. It was designed by the Nederland Area Chamber of Commerce to introduce people
to the town, give it an economic boost during one of its slowest months
and make light of the fact it has a frozen, dead resident.
What makes the festival unique are those who participate, not just watch.
It is the plungers, coffin racers, frozen T-shirters, brain freezers, icy turkey bowlers, salmon tossers, snowy volleyballers, dancers and cheerers. It
is the town’s residents who take on the
challenges of the crowds with a welcoming smile. I think it’s a pretty awesome festival and I think Nederland is a
pretty special place for hosting it.
Please respect the community while
you’re here, smile, put trash in proper
containers, park in designated areas and
tip your servers.
Amanda MacDonald, Festival Director, and her father at
— Amanda MacDonald Frozen Dead Guy Days
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F
Information
rozen Dead Guy Days is an off-the-wall festival, but it doesn’t mean you have
to be. Please be mindful of people around you and respectful of Nederland
residents who allow this unique event to take place in their community.
Festival Hours
Friday, March 7: 5-10pm
Saturday, March 8: 8am-8:30pm
Sunday, March 9: 8am-6:30pm
Directions
FROM BOULDER: Take Hwy. 119 (Canyon
Blvd.) 17 miles west to Nederland and
follow signs to parking and events.
FROM WESTBOUND I-70: Take I-25 north
to Hwy. 36 and follow it into Boulder. Turn
left on Hwy. 119 (Canyon Blvd.) and follow
signs to parking and events.
FROM EASTBOUND I-70: Take Exit 244
(U.S. 6) to Hwy. 119 and head north, or Exit
243 to use the Central City Parkway. Follow
either route to Black Hawk/Central City,
continue on Hwy. 119 north to Nederland.
Follow signs to parking and events.
Transportation
Nederland is a small town and parking is
limited. Carpool or take the “N” RTD Bus
from Boulder to Nederland.
Parking
Be mindful when parking on the street
and DO NOT park in front of driveways.
Nederland is a very small town, so plan on
parking for the day to keep traffic down.
Everything is within walking distance.
DO NOT park where there are “NO
PARKING” signs. You WILL be ticketed.
Weather
It may be sunny and 60 degrees or windy
and 30 degrees and it may be both in
the same day. Please come prepared
for the worst while hoping for the best.
Wear comfortable, weather proof shoes
and a genuine smile whenever possible.
Dogs
Dogs are NOT ALLOWED in the tents or
tent area. The festival is crowded, loud
and chaotic—please leave your dog at
home. All town laws also apply, including:
• Dogs must be on a leash AT ALL TIMES.
•D
ogs tied up outside event tents, shops
and restaurants without an owner
are considered “at large” and may be
ticketed.
• You must pick up after your dog!
Alcohol
Open alcohol containers are not allowed
in Nederland town limits. Outside alcohol
is NOT allowed in any event tent. You
must be 21+ with proof of age to receive
a wristband and purchase tickets for
alcohol. Servers will not take cash. You will
be told by Security or Police to dispose of
alcohol when consumed in public areas,
INCLUDING streets and neighborhoods.
Smoking
Please use common sense and
consideration when smoking at Frozen
Dead Guy Days. There is NO SMOKING
in any tent and where posted. All other
smoking laws and regulations apply.
Forget Something?
Local stores can help with your needs,
including Mountain Man Outdoor, Ace
Hardware, Dandelion and B&F Grocery.
ATMs are located around town and in
festival tents.
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Festival History
C
‘Frozen dead guy,’ festival
feature fascinating histories
elebrating its 13th year in 2014, for more than 30 years. He loved a house with no electricity or plumbing.
Nederland, Colorado’s Frozen painting, fishing, skiing, and hiking in This meant the family’s dream of a
cryonics facility would end. Before
Dead Guy Days is known as one the mountains of his homeland.
of the most unique and quirky It’s after he died from a heart Aud was to head back to Norway she
festivals in the country and continues condition in 1989 that things got spoke to a local reporter about her son’s
to be a world-renowned spectacle. The interesting. His daughter, Aud Morstoel, deportation and casually wondered aloud
homegrown frosty fest pays homage to and grandson, Trygve Bauge, were both “what would happen to the bodies.” This
comment
started
Bredo Morstol, who is frozen in a state strong
advocates
the snowball of
of suspended animation and housed in for cryonics and
discovery of the
a TUFF Shed on dry ice high above had hoped to start
makeshift cryonics
Nederland.
a facility of their
chamber,
and
Thousands of active, fun-loving, own. They packed
therefore, Grandpa
winter enthusiasts come annually to Grandpa in dry ice
and another man
participate in and view the events along and prepared him for
from Chicago that
with local, national and international international travel,
died of liver failure.
first shipping him
media.
With the media
For the past 25 years, Bredo Morstoel to the Trans Time
coverage, the other
–“Grandpa,” the “Frozen Dead Guy”– Cryonics Facility
man’s family had
soon to be 114, has taken up residence in a in Oakland, Calif. Bo Shaffer was known as the “Ice Man” when he
him shipped back to
TUFF Shed where he remains very, very Here, he was placed cared for Grandpa Bredo from 1995-2012
cold. Suspended in a state of animation in liquid nitrogen for almost four years. Chicago and was cremated.
above the quaint mountain town of In 1993 he was moved to Colorado to Nederland’s Board of Trustees
Nederland, Colorado, Grandpa is frozen stay with his daughter and grandson in soon passed Section 7-34 of the local
Nederland – and there Municipal Code, still in effect today
at a steady minus 60
he stayed, for years, thanks to Grandpa, stating that it is
degrees Fahrenheit and
under cold cover…in illegal to store a frozen human or animal
awaiting the big thaw
a shed. Due to some (or any body part thereof) in your
that will bring him
pesky international visa home. After being “grand-fathered” in,
back to life.
issues, he was about to Morstoel was allowed to stay.
The story that ends
be left on his own.
with Grandpa in a
TUFF Shed starts in
The Iceman Cometh and Go-eth
The Grandfather
Norway by way of
When an intriguing internet ad posted
California ending in
Clause
by Bauge caught Bo Shaffer’s eye
Colorado, involving
Bauge, the grandson, in 1995, he applied for the one-of-acryonics,
psychics,
was deported from kind job and got it. Shaffer came to be
deportation, dedicated Bredo Morstoel is kept on dry ice in this
Colorado in 1994 known in Nederland as the “Ice Man.”
ice delivery people and TUFF Shed in Nederland.
because of a 14 year Every month, Shaffer and a team of
celebrations. The tale
expired
visa.
He volunteers delivered 1,600 pounds of
captured international attention and has qualified for amnesty on a 1986 act but dry ice and packed it around Grandpa
sparked a well-attended annual event refused to file the paperwork on principal. in his TUFF Shed tomb, surrounded
called the Frozen Dead Guy Days.
After being forcibly carried on an by foam padding, a tarp, and blankets.
airplane, Bauge was sent back to Norway, For 18 years, Shaffer kept Grandpa at
where he lives to this day. Aud, Grandpa’s a steady -100 degrees Fahrenheit, kept
Life After Death
Morstoel
lived
his
whole daughter, moved in to the unfinished home records and gave tours to investigators,
life in Norway, where he enjoyed a and stepped in to care for the household, inquisitive filmmakers, and amateur
comfortable existence as Director of including keeping Grandpa cold.
Soon, Aud was evicted for living in
Parks and Recreation in Baerum County
Continued on page 11
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Festival History
Continued from page 9
New Era of Ice Delivery
sightseers. In some cases psychics In October 2012, news spread that
have wandered up and have purported Shaffer had differences with Bauge and
to communicate with Grandpa. One Jane Curtis Gazit of Keep Magnolia
older account claims Morstoel is Clean was hired to take over care for
amused by the fuss but doing fine, but Morstoel. Along with delivering dry ice
a more recent visit revealed that he is each month to the TUFF Shed, Gazit
quiet and perhaps
kept all the records.
has moved on.
In 2014, ice delivery
Shaffer
felt
is handled by Brad
the weight of this
Wickham,
who
r e s p o n s i b i l i t y,
recently
retreated
knowing how much
to Nederland to
has been invested
get away from the
in keeping Grandpa
stress of his 20+ year
in
his
cryonic
career in healthcare.
state.
Shaffer’s
Now semi-retired,
participation helped The Coffin Races are a highlight of Frozen Dead
he makes extra cash
keep
the
hope Guy Days.
by taking care of
alive for Grandpa’s
Bredo. He is also
family and their faith in cryonics. More paid by the family to be a local caretaker
locally, he helped bring the Frozen for the property, plowing the driveway
Dead Guy Days, an annual festival in and making sure the house and shed are
Nederland, into reality of a full-fledged left undisturbed. He also takes phone calls
winter celebration attracting thousands from reporters, answers questions from
worldwide.
the general public and leads tours.
It’s a Dead Man’s Party
Colorado’s “most frigidly fun
festival” features outrageous events
like the coffin races, costumed polar
plunge, ice turkey bowling, frozen
T-shirt contest, brain freeze contests,
snow beach volleyball, a parade of
hearses and the frozen salmon toss.
It all takes place amid a free music
festival featuring some of Colorado’s
most talented acts in an “eccentric
cross between morbid and hilarious that
permeates the weekend’s atmosphere.”
Nederland thrives on the colorful,
the offbeat, and the weird. Frozen Dead
Guy Days, coined “Cryonics’ first
Mardi Gras” by Bauge, is a fitting way
to end the short days of winter and head
into the melting snows of spring.
Frozen Dead Guy Days brings a new
burst of life with creative contests like
the Frozen T-shirt and Brain Freeze and
icy events including coffin racing, polar
plunging, and frozen salmon tossing.
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Festival History
Every March, people travel from around the state, country and
world to experience the legacy of Grandpa.
25 years on ice and counting
This year marks Grandpa’s 25th year on ice and the festival’s
13th year in celebration of this unique landmark.
Frozen Dead Guy Days has received media coverage locally
and worldwide. It was named by the Chicago Tribune as one
the country’s “Top 100 Festivals Not to be Missed.” Video
footage of Frozen Dead Guy
Days has graced the networks on
many broadcasts including Bill
Geist’s segment on the “CBS
Sunday Morning Show,” the
“Tonight Show with Jay Leno,”
CNN, ABC News, PBS features,
the Game Show Network and a
Belgian reality show.
The festival has also been
“immortalized” by two international award-winning documentaries, Grandpa’s In The TUFF
Shed and Grandpa’s Still In
The TUFF Shed by the Beeck
Sisters. A few years ago, Bo
Shaffer’s Book Colorado’s Ice- “The Dude” emerges from the Polar
man and the Story of the Frozen Plunge.
Dead Guy was published and the
whole saga of the last two decades was chronicled. The event
also won the Colorado Governor’s Award for “best promotional
event” in 2010 and was featured in the New York Times.
In addition to more than a decade of coverage around the
world (including television shows from Belgium, Canada and
Russia), Frozen Dead Guy Days was named one of the top five
winter festivals in the country by Readers Digest, has graced
the pages Southwest Airlines’ Spirit magazine and made the
“Top Ten” lists of Lonely Planet and Hotels.com “must-sees in
2012.” CNN has the event listed as one of the best costumed
festivals in the country and the story of Grandpa Bredo was recently featured on the Travel Channel’s Monumental Mysteries.
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Event Descriptions
Saturday 3/8
ALL event participants must sign a waiver and be wearing a proof-of-waiver wrist band.
Sign a waiver and pick up a wrist band at the Teen Center, 8am-11am Saturday or at the event.
Costume Polar Plunge
Coffin Racing
Entry fee - $20
Entry fee - $100 per team
Saturday, March 8 • 1pm
Chipeta Park
Saturday, March 8 • 2pm
Chipeta Park
PORTION OF PROCEEDS GO TO NEDERLAND FIRE BUCKET BRIGADE
Those craving the “full frozen experience” can jump into
the icy-cold pond waters of Chipeta Park. A changing
and warming tent, sponsored by RC Rental, and towels
are available once you’ve chilled your bones. A portion
of proceeds are donated to the Nederland Bucket
Brigade. No running, no diving and no nudity. Costumes
are encouraged, but stay away from materials that will
become heavy in water. One frozen body is enough!
Grandpa's Pub Crawl
Saturday, March 8 • 10pm-2am
Various (list below and more)
Bands perform in area restaurants and bars all
weekend, but Saturday night is a particularly fun
night to check out local nightlife.
• Tracorum: Pioneer Inn
• ONDA: First Street Pub
15 E. First Street, Nederland
35 E. First Street, Nederland
• Smooth Money Gesture: • Gipsy Moon (7pm), Juba
Whistler’s Café
Juba (10pm): Stage Stop
121 N. Jefferson St, Nederland
60 Main Street, Rollinsville
(free shuttle service offered)
Six “Pallbearers” (team members) slide, roll, drag, or carry
a coffin including a live 75-pound or heavier “corpse”
through a course of snow, mud and who knows what,
obstacles. Finish times are determined when the last
team member has “crossed-over” the finish line. The top
four teams then race against each other with the best
three times determining 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Cash
awards will be given to the top 3 costumed crafts.
•C
offins can be constructed of any materials. Tops are
not required and are discouraged
• ALL team members must be wearing a helmet at all
times during entire race or risk elimination
• No metal cleats or cramp-ons are allowed. Plastic
cleats are acceptable
• Race numbers must be displayed on your coffin rider
• Good sportsperson-like conduct is required. Any
acts deemed unsportsperson-like may disqualify the
entire team from the race
• Team members who are obviously intoxicated will
not be allowed to participate
• Costumes are highly encouraged
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Event Descriptions
Saturday-Sunday 3/8-9
ALL event participants must sign a waiver and be wearing a proof-of-waiver wrist band.
Sign a waiver and pick up a wrist band at the Teen Center, 8am-11am Saturday or at the event.
Xcel Brain Freeze Contest
Saturday, March 8 from 3-4pm & Sunday, March 9 from 2-3pm
BrainFreezer Tent on First Street
Entry fee - $5
Participants go head to head downing frozen Slushie drinks in a brain chilling race
for fun prizes. The first to finish wins.
• ALL participants must sign waiver and be wearing the proof of waiver bracelet
• All the frozen beverage must end up in the participant’s mouth to win
• Hands to yourself and you must remain seated during contest
Glass Werx Icy Turkey Bowling
Saturday, March 8 • 3-5pm & Sunday, March 9 • 1-3pm
In front of the BrainFreezer Tent on First Street
Entry fee - $5
Pins are the target, fowl the ball… more specifically a frozen turkey
• ALL participants must sign waiver and be wearing the proof of waiver bracelet
• Each bowler gets three rolls to knock down as many pins as possible - high score is 18
• Icy Turkey can be rolled, thrown, heaved, tossed or flung past the pins as long as
the bowler is behind the throw line when the bird leaves his/her hand
Pioneer Inn Frozen T-Shirt Contest
Saturday, March 8 at 1pm & 5pm and Sunday, March 9 at 1pm
Pioneer Inn
Entry fee - $5
Sunday 3/9
Sign up to slip into something frozen at the Pioneer Inn located on First Street in
Nederland. Contestants race to don frozen t-shirts, using only the ground and their
bodies. The solidly frozen and folded T-shirts can prove to be quite worthy opponents.
•C
ash prizes for male and female winners
Frozen Salmon Toss
Sunday, March 9 • 11am-2pm
Sundance Café
Entry fee - $5
Created by Sundance Café owner Hillary Stevensen and modeled after Seattle Fish
Market. Frozen salmon are provided and contestants throw them for distance. Spectators
can enjoy spectacular views of the Continental Divide while sipping on a Bloody Mary.
• Farthest flung fish wins the prize
•C
ome by anytime during event; participate early before the salmon “swims upstream”
Snowy Beach Volleyball sponsored by Play It Again Sports
Sunday, March 9 • 1pm
Chipeta Park
Entry fee - None
Snowy Beach Volley Ball consists of “speed rounds” where teams of three post up on
a chilly court of snow.
• Speed tournament
• First come, first serve
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18
Friday, MArch 7 - Blue
Blue Ball grows with new venue, time
By Bruce Lish
FDGD Music Coordinator
he annual Frozen Dead
Guy Days event where
the Ice Queen is crowned
and Grandpa Bredo’s look-alike is proclaimed is moving
to a new location and an
earlier time.
The Blue Ball is once again
the featured Friday
event that kicks
off the “frozen”
weekend. For the
first time, however,
it takes place in
the spacious and
welcoming confines
of the ReAnimate
Yourself Tent in Chipeta Park.
The event begins earlier, at 5
p.m., and runs until late-night
music begins in local bars at
10 p.m. Festival vendors will
be available to cater to your
food and beverage desires.
T
One advantage of the
change of venue is an expanded, stellar lineup with a
reasonable ticket price. For
2014, we are proud to feature
three bands that have won the
hearts of locals and are making
their indelible marks in Colorado and beyond: Caribou
Mountain Collective, Gipsy
Moon and, headliner,
DeadPhish Orchestra.
These bands epitomize
the wide-ranging, energetic, fun-loving nature of the Nederland
and Front Range music
scene popular with music lovers nationwide.
Adding to the fun: The
much-anticipated Ice Queen
and Grandpa Bredo LookAlike Contest is at 8 p.m. following Gipsy Moon’s set. The
winners will be announced
near the end of the show.
Ball
ReAnimate Yourself Tent (Chipeta Park)
Tickets: $10 (Purchase advance tickets to get a free beer)
5-6:15pm: Caribou Mountain Collective
www.cariboumountaincollective.com
Featuring their own unique brand of songwriting and
modern roots revival, the Nederland-based progressive
bluegrass outfit CMC is continuing a local tradition of
helping to redefine our mountain musical heritage.
6:45-8pm: Gipsy Moon
www.gipsymoon.net
With a recently released debut CD in their back pockets,
‘young’ local favorites Gispy Moon continue to define
and grow their unique, energetic sound that is rapidly
gaining fans around the region and beyond.
8pm Ice Queen/Grandpa Look-Alike Contest
(Winners crowned at end of the night)
8:30-10pm: DeadPhish Orchestra
www.deadphishorchestra.com
Returning for an encore appearance in the ‘wake’ of last
year’s boisterous and memorable Saturday Showcase set,
we are proud to present Nederland friends DeadPhish
Orchestra as the headliner for this year’s Blue Ball!
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ANY EVENTS CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER ON SATURDAY WILL BE RESCHEDULED AT THE SAME TIME ON SUNDAY
Saturday 3/8
Friday 3/7
Event Schedule
20
5-10pm
Blue Ball
ReAnimate Yourself Beer Tent (Chipeta Park)
Annual Blue Ball featuring DeadPhish Orchestra,
Gipsy Moon and Caribou Mountain Collective. Ice
Queen and Grandpa look-alike contest at 8 p.m.
Prizes feature Carhartt gear including pants, jackets
and hats provided by Mountain Man Outdoor Store.
• $10 at door/ buy in advance to get beer token
8-11am
FDGD Pancake Breakfast
Community Center (Half-mile North on Hwy. 72,
or take the path up Jefferson St.)
Pancakes and more! Eggs and sausage, coffee
and juice and all you can eat pancakes. Warm
your belly for your day outdoors!
• $7 Adult, $5 Senior, $4 Under 12
Sponsored by and supporting Nederland Area Seniors
9-11am
Event Day Registration, Waiver
Wristband Pickup and Parade
Lineup
Teen Center – East end of First Street
ALL event participants MUST sign a waiver and get
a waiver wristband. If participating in any event,
this is the best place to get everything in advance.
• Register for Polar Plunge, Coffin Races, Parade
Contest
• Waiver pickup for ALL FDGD events
• Lineup for the parade
11am-8:30pm
BrainFreezer Tent
First Street
• Microbrew beer from Avery Brewing
• Specialty Corpse Reviver & Grandpa’s Spirit drinks
• Free Live Music (see music schedule)
• Grandpa’s Gift Shop and food vendors.
Sponsored by Avery Brewing Co. & J& L Distillery
10:30am-5pm
Open house with Turkey Vultures
Wild Bear Mountain Ecology Center
Enjoy an open house featuring the Rocky Mountain
Raptor Program (formal presentation at 2pm) with
vultures, spiders, scorpions and cockroaches.
11am-8pm
Grandpa’s Mall Crawl
First Street
Nederland’s First Street, east of the Visitor Center,
is transformed into a pedestrian mall for revelers
to enjoy music in the BrainFreezer Tent, street
performers and participate in brain freezer, frozen
T-shirt and icy turkey bowling contests and more.
• Grandpa’s gift shop and food vendors
Sponsored by Avery Brewing Co. & 303 Vodka
6pm
Opening Ceremony and
Zombie Procession
Hwy. 119/72 Roundabout
Open Frozen Dead Guy Days at the Nederland
11am-8:30pm
ReAnimate Yourself Beer Tent
Chipeta Park
• Grandpa’s Gift Shop & food vendors
11am-4pm
“Grandpa’s in the TUFF Shed” film
Black Forest Restaurant
Watch the award-winning “Grandpa’s in the TUFF
Shed” short film. Screens about every 30 minutes.
Noon
Parade of Hearses
First Street
The parade of hearses begins at the Nederland
Teen Center and goes west up First Street. Line
the sides of the street for the best viewing.
Parade participants must check in and lineup at
the Teen Center.
Noon-5pm
Tiny Disco
Polar Plunge Warming Tent in Chipeta park
Put a little boogie in your butt at the Tiny Disco.
1pm & 5pm
Pioneer Inn Frozen T-shirt Contest
First Street in front of the Pioneer Inn
Try and slip into something frozen, faster than
everyone else.
• $10 entry fee
• Waiver must be signed to participate
1pm & 5pm
The Newly-Dead Game
and Funny Films Talk
Funny Films for Funeral Planning is a collection
of comedy movie and TV scenes about funerals,
cremation, and cryonics. Gail Rubin presents
must-know-NOW details and hosts The NewlyDead Game, quizzing couples on about their
last wishes.
roundabout with the lighting of the center piece
followed by a Frozen Zombie Procession through
town to the Blue Ball in Chipeta Park.
10pm
Live Music
Various Locations
Live bands perform in several area restaurants
and bars through out Nederland and
Rollinsville.
1pm-2pm
Costume Polar Plunge
Chipeta Park
Jump into the icy-cold pond waters of Chipeta
Park. A portion of the proceeds go to the
Nederland Fire Bucket Brigade.
• Each Plunge $20
Warming Hut and Changing Area sponsored by
RC Rentals
2-3:30pm
Coffin Races
Chipeta Park
Teams race with a coffin and ‘corpse’ through a
course full of obstacles, mud, snow, other racers.
• CASH PRIZE for best costumed team
• Trophies (and more) for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place
3-5pm
First Street across from BrainFreezer Tent
Test your poultry bowling skills. You can also
BYOFF (bring your own frozen fowl).
• $5 entry fee
3pm-4pm
In front of the BrainFreezer Tent on
First Street
Be a Brain Freezer in front of the BrainFreezer
Tent on First Street. Contestants race against each
other downing ice cold treats for fabulous prizes.
• $5 entry fee
5-6pm
Frozen Dead Poet Society
Open Readings
On soap box on First Street across from
BrainFreezer Tent
Bring poems, musings and Odes to Grandpa for
open readings.
6:30pm-2am
Grandpa’s Pub Crawl
Various Locations
Live bands perform in area restaurants and bars.
Sunday 3/9
Daylight Savings Time begins at 2am on Sunday, March 9.
Be sure to “Spring Forward” to not miss anything!
8-11am
FDGD Pancake Breakfast
Community Center (Half-mile North on Hwy. 72,
or take the path up Jefferson St.)
Pancakes and more! Eggs and sausage, coffee
and juice and all you can eat pancakes. Warm
your belly for your day outdoors!
• $7 Adult, $5 Senior, $4 Under 12
Sponsored by and supporting Nederland Area Seniors
9:30am-4pm
Open house with Turkey Vultures
Wild Bear Mountain Ecology Center
Enjoy an open house featuring the Rocky Mountain
Raptor Program (formal presentation at 2pm) with
vultures, spiders, scorpions and cockroaches.
11am-6pm
BrainFreezer Tent
First Street
• Grandpa’s Gift Shop and food vendors.
Sponsored by Avery Brewing Co. & J& L Distillery
11am-8pm
Grandpa’s Mall Crawl
First Street
Nederland’s First Street, east of the Visitor Center,
is transformed into a pedestrian mall for revelers
to enjoy music in the BrainFreezer Tent, street
performers and participate in brain freezer, frozen
T-shirt and icy turkey bowling contests and more.
11am-6:30pm
Chipeta Park
• Grandpa’s Gift Shop & food vendors
11am-2pm
Salmon Toss & Sunday Brunch
Sundance Café (1 mile south of Nederland )
• Farthest flung fish wins the prize
• $5 entry fee; Come by anytime!
Snowy Beach Volleyball
Chipeta Park
• Speed tournament, first come, first serve
• $20/team
Sponsored by Play It Again Sports
11am-2pm
Frozen Monster Remote
Control Truck Demo
Chipeta Park
• See an exciting demo of all-terrain, remote
controlled monster trucks
11am-4pm
“Grandpa’s in the TUFF Shed” film
Watch the award-winning “Grandpa’s in the TUFF
Shed” short film. Shows about every 30 minutes.
1pm
Pioneer Inn Frozen T-shirt
Contest
Pioneer Inn Restaurant & Bar (15 E. First St.)
How fast can you put on a frozen T-shirt? Find
out and compete for prizes at this annual
event.
• $10 entry fee
1pm
The Newly-Dead Game
and Funny Films Talk
Funny Films for Funeral Planning is a collection
of comedy movie and TV scenes about funerals,
cremation, and cryonics. Gail Rubin, presents
must-know-now details and hosts The NewlyDead Game.
1-3pm
Ice Carving with Bongo Love
Chipeta Park
• Chainsaw + Ice = something lovely to see
First Street across from BrainFreezer Tent
Test your poultry bowling skills.
• $5 entry fee
2pm-3pm
On First Street in front of BrainFreezer Tent
Contestants race against each other downing
ice cold treats for fabulous prizes.
• $5 entry fee
3-4pm
Frozen Dead Poet Society
Open Readings
On soap box on First Street across from
BrainFreezer Tent
Bring poems, musings and Odes to Grandpa for
open readings.
3pm
Rocky Mountain Oyster
Eating Contest
First Street Pub & Grill (35 E. First St.)
Race to eat as many “oysters” as you can.
• $5 entry fee
21
22
2014 Music Showcase Schedule
F
Welcome to the Frozen Dead Guy Days Music Showcase!
BrainFreezer
Tent
ReAnimate
Yourself Tent
BrainFreezer ReAnimate
Tent
Yourself Tent
rom humble high altitude beginnings, the Frozen Dead Guy Days Music Showcase has grown to encompass two stages
located in separate outdoor heated tents, presenting 20-plus acts over the course of three days in our wonderful winterland
of Nederland, Colo. With the exception of the (very reasonably priced) traditional, ‘infamous’ Blue Ball on Friday evening, all
music is presented free to the general public.
The 2014 Showcase lineup is eclectic as ever, featuring all manner of pleasure-inducing bluegrass and newgrass, psychedelic
rock, funk and soul, jazz fusion, and modern mountain folk—in some cases all wrapped together in unique new musical
packages! Whether you are wandering downtown Ned checking out the scenery, strolling along Boulder Creek in the park,
visiting local shops or rolling into town from one of the nearby restaurants just up the road, we welcome you to please pay a
visit to the ReAnimate Yourself Tent and the BrainFreezer Tent and check out our handpicked selection of musicians from the
Nederland area, around the Front Range, and in some cases, from as far away as California and the Midwest!
Thank you very much for supporting Frozen Dead Guy Days and the Music Showcase. If you have a good time, we ask that
you please patronize our valued festival vendors and event sponsors who help make this late winter frozen fun possible. Enjoy!
Bruce Lish, FDGD Music Showcase Coordinator
Saturday, March 8
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
1-2:30 p.m.
3-4:30 p.m.
5-6:30 p.m.
7-8:30 p.m.
New Family Dog
Kort McCumber &
the High Road
Tracorum
Smooth Money
Gesture
Dead Floyd
Louder Sisters &
Friends
Acoustic Mining
Company
ONDA’s Latin Grass The Zimmermans
Sunday, March 9
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
1-2:30 p.m.
3-4:30 p.m.
5-6:30 p.m.
Reina del Cid
& the Cidizens
Zen Mustache
Jeff Brinkman
Band
Rocktin’ Grove
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
1-2 p.m.
2:30-4 p.m.
4:30-6 p.m.
NoGo Gilbillies
Lesley Kernochan
Jelly Bread
Holden Young
& Friends
Dawg Nabbit!
All music is FREE and
open to the public,
with the exception
of the Blue Ball on
Friday, March 7 from
5-10 p.m. The event
features the Ice Queen
& Grandpa Bredo
Look-Alike Costume
Contest and music
from DeadPhish Orchestra, Gispy Moon
and Caribou Mountain
Collective.
23
2014 Music Showcase Schedule
Friday, March 7
The Blue Ball (see page 19)
ReAnimate Yourself Tent in Chipeta Park • Tickets: $10 (Purchase advance tickets to get a free beer)
5-6:15 p.m.: Caribou Mountain Collective; 6:45-8 p.m.: Gipsy Moon;
8 p.m.: Ice Queen/Grandpa Look-Alike Costume Contest; 8:30-10 p.m.: DeadPhish Orchestra
Saturday, March 8
BrainFreezer Tent (First Street in ‘downtown’ Nederland)
11am-12:30pm
1-2:30pm
3-4:30pm
5-6:30pm
7-8:30pm
11am-12:30pm
New Family Dog
www.reverbnation.com/newfamilydog
Guitarist Jon Ridnell is a master of funk and jazz, and
virtually any genre you’d like to hear. New Family Dog
is a wonderful collection of players featuring some
of the best the Nederland area has to offer, including
Miles “Blackdog Junior” Ridnell on bass and vocals.
Kort McCumber & High Road
www.kortmusic.com
Kort McCumber embodies the spirit of musical expression that have drawn so many talented and dedicated
artists to the Colorado region. Along with Strangebyrds’ace guitarist and Rollinsville local Ray Smith, High
Road is going to help kick this party into a higher gear.
Tracorum
www.tracorum.com
This act from the San Francisco Bay Area known for
“epic” live shows has a modern sound steeped in
the traditional roots of rock, soul and R&B. We look
forward to Tracorum adding Nederland to its lengthy
resume of soul-quenching, musical experiences.
Smooth Money Gesture
www.smoothmoneygesture.com
Bringing a vast array of experience and influences—ranging from bluegrass to electronica—to
their unique brand of Nederland high-energy,
psychedelic rock, Smooth Money Gesture is a rock
band like few others.
Dead Floyd
Featuring some of the finest folks who have
helped put the word “lady” back in the middle of
“local pickers,” the Louder Sisters’ sweet harmonies and melodies are a great way to start out the
day while the parade fills First Street.
1-2:30pm
3-4:30pm
Acoustic Mining Company
www.acousticminingcompany.com
Recipients of the not-so-official “Musicians Who
Best Braved The Elements 2013” award, we hope
our friends in Acoustic Mining Company have a
smoother ride up the canyon this year, and look
forward to their top-shelf Front Range bluegrass.
ONDA’s Latin Grass w/guests Silas
Herman (Gipsy Moon) & Alex Johnstone (Rapidgrass)
5-6:30pm
7-8:30pm
www.deadfloyd.com
A seamless synthesis of two legendary influences,
Dead Floyd has been steadily turning heads and ears
around the Front Range—and with good reason.
The band creates a vibe that is the perfect compliment and highlight to our funky, frozen festival.
24
Louder Sisters & Friends
www.ondalive.com
Local Latin dance legends ONDA make a special
bluegrass-tinted appearance in the BrainFreezer
tent this year. “Incendiary” was the word used by
some to describe 2013’s version of this special treat.
The Zimmermans
www.facebook.com/TheZimmermansBand
The Zimmermans’ tribute to the great Bob Dylan
is inspired and energetic, front to back. Unique,
excellent selections from one of the greatest songbooks of its time are a major highlight from this
group of talented, tight and fun-loving musicians.
Dawg Nabbit!
www.fatrabbitband.com; www.blackdogband.com
The Fat Rabbit gang and Blackdog clan join to jam
funky jazz-rock fusion and present a special set of
hand-picked selections. Featuring horns, pedal steel,
electric mando and guitar, this group presents an encore of a special Independence Day project.
Sunday, March 9
BrainFreezer Tent (E. 1st Street, ‘downtown’ Nederland)
11am-12:30pm
Reina del Cid & the Cidizens
11-12:30pm
www.reinadelcidmusic.com
This soulful ensemble hailing from Minneapolis,
Minn. has already won hearts and fans around the
Denver area, and we are certain of the same result
when the Cidizens visit the Indian Peaks.
1-2:30pm
www.facebook.com: NoGo Gilbillies
The Gilbillies represent all that is well and good
in the Nederland area bluegrass-picking scene:
authenticity, community, a downright fast and
friendly ‘pickin’ good time.’
1-2pm
Zen Mustache
www.zenmustache.com
With a funky, countrified classic rock sound reminiscent of decades past, Zen Mustache’s sound of
Denver rock is a welcome shot of foot-stomping joy
for wintertime Sunday afternoon.
3-4:30pm
5-6:30pm
Jeff Brinkman Band
www.jeffbrinkmanmusic.com
Jeff Brinkman’s work as a soulful, talented (and philanthropic) singer-songwriter is recognized far beyond the Front Range where his lifelong inspiration
has found a home. We are proud to welcome Jeff and
his band back to Frozen Dead Guy Days.
Rocktin’ Grove
NoGo Gilbillies
2:30-4pm
4:30-6pm
www.rocktingrove.com
Rocktin’ Grove’s rich vocal harmonies, unique and varied instrumentation will send you home from the festival with a smile. The band creates a seamless blend of
rock, funk and folk with infectious grooves and songs
inspired by the beauty and wonder of everyday life.
Lesley Kernochan
www.lesleykernochan.com
The multi-instrumentalist, multi-faceted singersongwriter-composer-operatic diva, Lesley Kernochan returns to Colorado for a visit from her new
digs outside N.Y.C., along the way gracing FDGD
with a solo set, new songs, ”and a sexy new guitar!”
Jelly Bread
www.jellybread.net
This act from the Reno/Lake Tahoe area, with their
very own home-cooked alt version of hard-rocking
funk and soul, are not to be missed. It features inthe-pocket grooves, swampy guitars, soaring gospel organ and four-part harmonies.
Holden Young & Friends
www.holdenyoung.com
Frozen festival veteran and Front Range groove
master extraordinaire, ace guitarist Holden Young
is brewing up an augmented group of friends to
help us close the 2014 frigid flaps on the BrainFreezer Tent in grand style.
25
26
PROFILE: Dave Felkey
N
By Barbara Lawlor
o one knew what to expect at the first
Frozen Dead Guy Days festival.
Although Bredo Moerstol’s frozen
corpse had been discovered at least
five years previous, the subject had died
down after the initial media frenzy and
courtroom procedures. The Norwegian
press returned to Bredo’s homeland,
the shed containing the cryogenically
preserved body was locked up and the
hubbub cooled down.
In 2001, seeking a way to boost the
town’s winter economy, Teresa Warren,
president of the Nederland Chamber of
Commerce, had an idea: How about a
festival celebrating our cryogenically
frozen Norwegian grandpa? Being of
a persuasive nature, Warren got the
snowball rolling and soon, after much
discussion of pros and cons, Frozen
Dead Guy Days was born to aid the
town economy and for something to do
in snowy March.
Nederland’s resident Dave Felkey,
“announcer-for-any-occasion,” eagerly
jumped on the sleigh. Known for decades
as the Bolder-Boulder and NederNederland race announcer—and many
other events—Felkey was happy to join
the fledgling festival. If it involved the
outdoors, happy people, or people who
wanted to be happy, he was all for it.
At the time, Felkey was involved with
the chamber and figured it was his civic
duty to be part of an event that would
bring people to Nederland in March, the
“dead month” of the town’s economic
year. “I’ll do it,” he shouted. “I thought
it was weird, but I was working at the
[local retial store] Bucking Brown Trout
at the time and business was not just
slow, it was just about at a standstill.”
It was 2002 and he signed on to
announce just about every FDGD event
including the parade, coffin races, polar
An announcer’s view
of a frozen festival
plunge, brain freeze and Grandpa Look- and explanations of how the nice, old
Norwegian grandfather ended up in a
a-Like Contest.
Although Felkey has given up some of TUFF Shed in Nederland.
At the Pioneer Inn, Felkey also
the events to other announcers, he has
never missed a FDGD Parade. Although announced the first Grandpa Look-ahe won’t be announcing the parade in Like Contest. He says that first day was
2014 since his stage-five cancer will not a huge success, with people coming
allow him to stand in the cold for long, he from all over the country to see for
plans on sitting on the Mountain People’s themselves what could have possessed
Co-op deck and enjoying the show for the an entire town to celebrate a frozen
import living in a shed.
first time in 12 years.
He will bring his note cards, including Fox News made sure the whole
his KRYO FDGD station “from -90 country knew about the event and
degrees on your radio dial,” and his foreign newspapers made sure the
well-seasoned advice for the person or whole world knew about it. Felkey went
persons taking over for him. Don’t cry home and had his one beer, thinking
for me, he says, “I
that it had gone well.
will be having a great
Preparations for
time, as always.”
2003 began almost
immediately, before
Felkey pulls out
the
March
ice
his supply of FDGD
melted. Nederland
T-shirts and holds
knew it had stumbled
up the first one
onto something big,
with the picture of
something
worth
long white bearded
repeating, something
Norwegian. He says
bigger and better.
he was surprised at
That year, big media
how many people
guys were prepared
showed up back
to give the festival
then, how the word
all the coverage
had spread about
it warranted. Bill
the zany, out of this
world,
somewhat Dave Felkey works the mic at the first Grandpa Geist of the “CBS
Sunday
Morning
macabre festival. It Look-A-Like Contest.
Show” came for the
was as if this event
gave license to the general public to weekend with his crew of cameramen
become skeletons, ice-covered corpses and his on-site announcers.
and frost covered queens; to participate Not only did they film the event,
in a race in which someone is stuffed they participated in the activities.
into a coffin while costumed madmen Felkey interviewed them in the street
carry the casket over frozen hills and as they frolicked through the parade,
into slushy mud holes.
as they leaped into the frozen kids’
Many locals participated in the fishing pond and as they danced at the
coffin race, which Felkey announced Blue Ball.
in detail, keeping the crowd entertained
with “cold stories,” “deep freeze jokes,”
27
28
An announcer’s view of a frozen festival
morphed from being a small town’s, small
event into a major Colorado attraction
A snow sculpture contest took place with thousands of people heading up
in the heart of downtown, a 5K race was the canyon to Nederland where the now
hosted at Eldora—from where most of weekend-long festival has constant
the snow was trucked for
bands, beer and banter
the coffin races—and the
from Nederland’s own
Blue Ball was held at the
“Mr. Big Foot,” as Felkey
Black Forest Restaurant.
is known to many locals.
Felkey announced the
In 2004, the Beeck
event which attracted a
Sisters presented their
bunch of women dressed
film, Grandpa’s in the
as the Ice Queen, most of
TUFF Shed at Nederland’s
them with ghastly makeup
Backdoor Theater. The
and glittery gowns.
film won awards and
“I loved it,” Felkey
has become one of the
said. “I loved to have fun
must-see entertainment
with people. It’s what I
offerings during the
do. It’s my deal. It is more Dave Felkey holds the annual
festival. Felkey stood in
fun announcing this kind Ripley’s Believe It Or Not book that
the roundabout on Friday
of thing rather than a race includes himself.
night and welcomed
because with the Frozen
visitors as Nederland’s
Dead Guy Festival you can make all the mayor cut the opening ceremony ribbon.
plans you want, but you better be ready He says it was always bitter cold,
for whatever might happen right in front windy, snowy and the microphone hardly
of you, and then turn it into a joke.”
ever worked, but if anyone could raise
The next five years, the FDGD his voice for the cause, it was Felkey.
That same year, local blind resident
Ray Rovey was the unanimous favorite
for the look-a-like contest and both he
and Felkey were featured in the annual
Ripley’s Believe It Or Not book.
Other events were added to the festival
to keep the action going between the coffin
race, parade and polar plunge, and to fill
Sunday. Rocky Mountain Oyster eating,
Brain Freeze and the Frozen T-Shirt
Contest were all added to Felkey’s to-do
list. He kept cue cards from each year,
able to hear a name and relate something
about that person from the preceding year.
He made everyone feel not just welcome,
but an essential part of the festival.
By 2005, Felkey was no longer
announcing the coffin races, KBCO
had become a sponsor and sent up disc
jockies and a sound system. Felkey said
he enjoyed co-hosting events, coming up
with hilarious repartees. Announcing the
Rocky Mountain Oyster Eating Contest
has stayed on his menu, however. The run
continues in 2014, leaving Felkey happy
to be indoors and not walking around.
29
An announcer’s view of a frozen festival
By 2007, celebrities such as Bob
Kendrick and Marty Coniglio, of
Denver’s Channel 9 News, found
Nederland FDGD festival to be an
appealing place to announce news and
weather. New Belgium and Redstone
Meadery brought up kegs and kegs of
beer, which has become a given in the
beer tents and FDGD merchandise was
for sale and being sold all over town.
In 2008, Felkey announced his usual
variety of events, including the volleyball
games, held at the Nederhaus, and asked
high school student Gus Forrest to be his
assistant, doing some of the legwork and
eventually some of the announcing.
In 2009, Felkey’s work was limited
to four events. It was the first of several
unwelcome wind events. As the weather
began to change, some of the outdoor
events had to be postponed because
of dangerous wind, blasting snow and
runaway tents. While holding onto his
hat, Felkey kept the crowd entertained
with ceaseless stories of wind.
30
In 2007, the Nederland High School professional, a new style, new blood. I
Skeleton Dancers warmed up the will be a consultant to that person, but I
opening ceremony in the roundabout can’t be on the ground. I will love sitting
while the mayor cut the ribbon and an on the porch and watching.”
ice sculpture provided the background. Felkey almost feels guilty that he
Local hearse and antique car clubs has always been there for the event,
brought
dozens
saying he didn’t
of vintage and
give anyone else
remarkable vehicles
a chance. This
that Felkey enjoyed
year, he asks that
introducing
and
MacDonald and
describing.
her staff, “give me
a show.”
Amanda MacIf at the coffin
Donald is now the
races, look-alike
event’s
director.
contest or opening
She’s made some
ceremony
the
changes in recent
years, but has left Dave Felkey displays a few of his many FDGD T-shirts. microphone dies,
and behind the
things much the
same. This year, while the Blue Ball is howling wind, mingling with the sound
taking place in Chipeta Park, Felkey will of bands, you hear a pleasant voice saying
be long in bed. He explained his cancer it is a beautiful day, you’ll know Felkey
and his meds are taking their toll and was unable to stay away.
he is happy to sit back and watch the All he asks is that you have a great
festival for the first time since it began.
time at Nederland’s wonderful, weird
“It is time to retire. I want to see winter event, and give him a thumbs up
someone else do it,” he said. “Maybe a if you see him among the spectators.
DRY ICE
A
Keeping Grandpa frozen
Today, dry ice is used mostly for dramatic effect, to simulate
By Amber Erickson Gabbey
big part of Frozen Dead Guy Days comes from the term fog in theatre productions or Halloween parties. But dry ice is
“frozen.” We’re not just referring to a chilly winter really much more than decoration and effect. Being very cold
day, we’re talking about the frozen body of Grandpa without mess or residue makes it ideal for preserving organs for
transplants, keeping frozen goods cold en
Bredo. To keep his body at -100
route to grocery stores and, as in Bredo’s
degrees Fahrenheit takes some work,
case, for human cryo-preservation.
and a simple—yet profound—material
Other uses include creating an ice plug
known as dry ice.
for plumbing repairs, cooling machinery,
Dry ice is the solid form of carbon
making ice cream, flash-freezing foods,
dioxide, which is often found and seen
removing warts, cleaning, removing
in its gas form. Carbon dioxide is what
asphalt floor tiles and baiting insects, like
we exhale and what makes carbonation in
bed bugs and mosquitoes, drawn to the
sodas and other drinks. As a solid, dry ice
carbon dioxide. Even though dry ice is
is extremely cold; -109.3 F to be exact.
non-toxic, it can be dangerous to handle.
Dry ice was first discovered in the
The extreme cold can cause frostbite and
1830s by a French chemist and was
pieces of dry ice are dense and heavy.
believed to be somewhat other-worldly.
To keep Bredo’s body at a constant,
All elements except carbon dioxide go
low temperature, Bredo’s family enlists
from frozen to liquid to gas. Dry ice is Brad Wickham delivers dry ice to Grandapa Bredo’s
the help of a local caretaker. Once
able to go straight from being a solid, or TUFF Shed every two weeks.
frozen, to a gas, or vapor state, without passing through the every two weeks, Brad Wickham drives his truck to Boulder
liquid stage. This means no moisture and no mess.
31
DRY ICE
Keeping Grandpa frozen
to pick up 900-1200
pounds of dry ice,
costing nearly $400.
He then travels back
up to Big Springs,
unlocks the TUFF Shed,
removes the lid from
the crypt and goes to
work. Some of the ice
dissipates in a process
called
sublimation,
over the two weeks, so
Wickham’s job is to put
on heavy-duty gloves, Inspecting the dry ice inside the TUFF Shed.
reposition the remaining
ice and load in the new stuff.
and repositioning and replacing all this ice
The dry ice comes in blocks, which are is hard work, says Brad, but somebody’s
stacked and placed side-by-side to fill the got to do it.
rectangular space in the crypt. The actual Wickham is the third ice delivery
coffin containing Bredo’s body is hidden person hired by Bredo’s grandson Trygve
underneath. Two weeks later, Wickham does Bauge. Grandpa Bredo’s first “Ice Man”
the whole process again.
was Bo Shaffer, who delivered the dry ice
Even though dry ice is non-toxic, it can from 1995-2012. After a “labor dispute,”
be dangerous to handle. The extreme cold delivery of the ice became the temporary
could cause frostbite and the pieces of dry job of Jane Curtis Gazit and her partner
ice are dense and heavy. Getting in there Michael Wooten.
32
Brad Wickham
Brad Wickham recently retreated to Nederland to get
away from the stress of his 20+
year career in healthcare. Now
semi-retired, he makes some
extra cash by taking care of the
frozen dead guy. He’s the reason Bredo’s body stays frozen,
but his job is more than just
dry ice. He is paid by the family to serve as a local caretaker
for the property, plowing the
driveway and making sure the
house and shed are left undisturbed. He also takes phone
calls from reporters, answers
questions from the general
public and leads tours.
DENVER HEARSE ASSOCIATION
O
Hearse club keeps parade offbeat
By Jeffrey V. Smith
ne of the characteristics people relish most about of Frozen
Dead Guy Days is its irreverent and eclectic nature. While
the idea of celebrating a dead Norwegian guy frozen by
his unconventional grandson is curious enough, the oddity
that has become the annual late-winter festival is enhanced by
its more spirited participants. A most peculiar contributor, but
one of the event’s more popular and
anticipated, is the Denver Hearse
Association and its collection of
funky funerary transport.
The Denver Hearse Association
was started in 1996 by Jeff Brown
and Zachary Byron Helm. Its
members
have participated in
numerous Frozen Dead Guy Days
parades over the years either as a
group or individuals. The members
and their hearses help create an
appropriately macabre atmosphere while providing a great deal
of color and curiosity. In the years where weather or other issues
prevented the group’s participation, they were missed by many.
“Frozen Dead Guy Days has always made a huge effort to
make us a part of their event and make us comfortable, Helm
said. “Our year wouldn’t be complete without it and I have
seen a huge push from the organizers recently to really bring it
to a new level, which is nice. We always have a good time and
the crowd here is one of the best.”
Appearing on the Discovery Channel, a Canadian national
television network and local news channels as well as in the
Denver Post, Rocky Mountain
News, the non-traditional car group
has always been a curiosity thanks to
its unique, dedicated members and
their one-of-a-kind vehicles. “In car
clubs there’s a very phallocentric
vibe most of the time, especially in
any club that values classic cars and
doesn’t allow modifications,” Helm
said. “We welcome everyone, we
don’t care how extreme or how
conservative you are.”
This inclusiveness is actually what sets the group apart. Unlike
many car clubs, they don’t care if a car is bone stock or radically
modified. According to its membership rules, “whatever you do
33
DENVER HEARSE Association
Continued
from page 33
with your car is your own damned business, and we are not here
to push our views on you one way or another.”
Over the years the group’s membership was built from the
ground up. They would track down other hearses based on
reported sightings, word of mouth and general harassment of
current hearse owners. “We’d have to leave notes on random
hearses we found around town, we’d wrap them in zipperlock bags so the weather wouldn’t ruin them, I’m quite sure
we came off as crazy people.,” Helm said.
Membership in the Denver Hearse Association includes all
different types of people. “People tend to think it’s only Goths
or Halloween fans,” Helms said, “the fact is that because those
people stand out more, it’s what you associate with hearse
owners. For every person with [colored] hair, there are a dozen
more who are just regular-looking Joes who enjoy it as well.
Our members in general are people who either saw a movie,
saw our group or a random hearse on the road and thought
‘Holy crap! I could drive one of those!’”
Helms explains, however, it’s not an easy hobby. “If you
only drive it once every few months it’s fine, but a good
number of our members drive every day. It forces you to
become a mechanic or pay someone else a lot of money to be
one for you,” he said. “They’re great cars, but I do think that
serious involvement becomes something of a lifestyle because
a lot revolves around them. It’s a cool car when you come to
an event like FDGD but it’s not as cool when it’s 1 a.m. and
you’re fixing an alternator on the side of the highway.”
34
Newly-Dead Game/Grandpa's in the Tuff Shed
D
Gail Rubin
Gail Rubin, CT, The Doyenne
of Death®, helps start funeral
planning conversations with a
light touch on a serious subject.
She’s a Certified Thanatologist
(death educator) and Celebrant
who creates funerals and
memorial services all about
the person who died. She hosts
the radio and TV shows “A Good
Goodbye: Funeral Planning for
Those Who Don’t Plan to Die,” and
wrote the award-winning book of
the same name. Find out more at
www.AGood Goodbye.com.
o you know the story of how Grandpa Bredo Morstoel became the Frozen Dead
Guy? More importantly, how well do you know your loved one’s last wishes?
Come out of the cold for ongoing “viewings” of the 30-minute documentary, Grandpa’s in the TUFF Shed. This award-winning 1998 film by the Beeck sisters tells the true story
behind how Nederland’s most famous resident came to “live” in a perpetual deep freeze.
Continuous showings of Grandpa’s in the TUFF Shed will take place from 11:00 a.m. to
4:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the bar at the Black Forest Restaurant, 24 Big Springs
Drive, just south of the Caribou Shopping Center. Funny film clips about cryogenics will be
scattered throughout the day. While there, register to win goodies in a door prize drawing.
Stick around for The Newly-Dead Game®, hosted by Gail Rubin, The Doyenne of Death®.
The game debuted at the 2011 Frozen Dead Guy Days festival and has returned every year.
Imagine “The Newlywed Game,” but the questions here focus on how well the individuals in a couple know each other’s last wishes. Three or four couples can play,
writing down the answers to questions as they think their partner would respond. The
couple with the highest-scoring number of right answers wins “valuable prizes” and all
participating couples get a “parting gift.” Games are scheduled at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on
Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. It’s free for couples to play! Sign up in advance by visiting
Rubin at the Black Forest Restaurant.
These events are sponsored by Compassion & Choices, the leading nonprofit organization committed to helping everyone have the best death possible, and CarrollLewellen Funeral and Cremation Services in Longmont. Compassion & Choices offers
free counseling, planning resources, referrals, guidance and national advocacy for
end-of-life choices. Find more information at www.CompassionAndChoices.org.
Carroll-Lewellen Funeral and Cremation Services is a family-owned business with a
friendly, down-to-earth team of funeral professionals. It’s Longmont’s only full-service
funeral home and cemetery, serving all of Boulder County since 1922. Learn more at
www.Carroll-Lewellen.com.
35
36
Monster Remote Control Demonstration
T
The Crawl Space
Named the Gold Star retailer of
Colorado and authorized service center by Axial Racing, The
Crawl Space provides top quality customer service and parts
support. Its service center is always open for all types of building and repair needs, including
full-blown custom builds. The
store is located at 6429 Miller St.
Unit C in Arvada. Call 303-3965532 or 303-898-8439 or visit
www.thecrawlspaceco.com for
more information.
he Crawl Space in Arvada comes to Frozen Dead Guy Days to present an exciting demonstration of radio-controlled monster trucks in Chipeta Park on Sunday,
March 9 from 11am-2pm. The store is Colorado’s only radio control crawler and
scaler hobby shop. The unique store carries the largest assortment of crawler and
scaler parts in the state.
Their goal is to provide the best customer service, knowledge base and products
to the RC Crawler and Scaler community
of Colorado “in a comfortable and family
friendly environment for everyone to enjoy
this great hobby.”
Dubbed the Gold Star retailer of Colorado and authorized service center by Axial
Racing, The Crawl Space provides top notch
customer service and a service center for all building and repair needs. The Crawl Space
is also home to Colorado’s only indoor rock course. Estimated at 32 tons of various rock geared towards competition trucks and well-equipped scale rigs. The terrain is
always changing and growing with the addition of new
rock each month to provide new and challenging lines.
Thinking about getting into the remote control hobby?
The Crawl Space offers RC crawler truck rentals for $15 per
driver for a one-hour session and choice of three different
trucks. The one-hour session includes detailed instruction
and one-on-one guidance from their team drivers. Participants learn how the trucks operate and the way to drive and negotiate the trucks around the course.
37
38
Merchandise
Shirts • Hats • Pint Glasses • More
Find Frozen Dead Guy Days Merchandise
during the festival at these locations:
BrainFreezer Tent (E. First St.)
SATURDAY & SUNDAY
in Chipeta Park
FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY
Grandpa’s Gift Shop at
Dandelion Gifts - 4 East First St.
FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY,
BEFORE & AFTER FESTIVAL
Grandpa’s Gift Shop at
Visitor Center - 2 West First St.
FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY
Order at the FDGD Kiosk at Dandelion
Gifts and have merchandise shipped!
Men’s, Women’s and
Children’s sizes and
styles are available
Frozen Dead Guy Days Merchandise is also available
online at www.frozendeadguydays.org/store
39

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