On a snowy January weekend, the only thing better than curling up in front of a fire at home is warming up at the Telluride Fire Festival. The festival features free performances by professional fire twirlers and dancers, awe-inspiring fire art installations, workshops, and ticketed music events at night.
Inspired by the Burning Man festival in Nevada, Telluride Fire Festival is bringing some of the magic and art home to the mountains. At nightfall, from 5-8 p.m. on the Mountain Village Plazas, circus troupe Fractal Tribe, and members of Dance of the Sacred Fire and the Dream Team Spinners will perform. Also on display will be fire art installations, some of which are several stories high: Seattle artist James Reinhardt will be bringing The Pyred Eye, Charlie and Gail Holthausen of Steamboat Springs and Joe Bob Merritt of Gunnison will showcase their Phoenix Dragon of Fire, and Jamie Vaida and Alvin Sessions of Grand Junction will light up The Burning Pink Organ. Vaida and Sessions designed and built the the Shack To-Hell-U-Ride, last seen on Main Street last year, roof ablaze. Spectators are encouraged to board the 19th century, cozy minor’s shack.
The evenings close out with dance parties featuring some of the hottest DJ music on the techno circuit by Rob Garza (Thievery Corporation), JD Gluckstern, and DJ Phoenix. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit telluridefirefestival.org.