CANON CITY — An 83-year-old tradition lives on today at the annual Canon City Music and Blossom Festival. The festival kicked off with the annual 5K race that’s been around for 17 years.
“We had that year of vacation where everyone kind of took a pause but it feels good. It feels like we’re getting that sense of normalcy and everyone’s smiling and happy,” said Brian Vanlwarden, the Blossom Festival race director.
And having the vendors, parade and atmosphere back in 2021 is a special feeling for those in the community.
“It kind of brings back our historic roots and emphasizes that although the world is evolving, there are some traditions worth keeping,” said Vanlwarden.
Greg DiRito may be the vice president of the Blossum festival but for him the festival is more meaningful this year because he just survived a difficult year as a restaurant owner. He says the Blossom Festival is the heart and soul of the community.
“To be able to kick off the summer and show people in our community that there is light at the end of the tunnel and we’re starting to return back to normal. It’s amazing,” said DiRito.
The festival will continue on Saturday. For more details on the festival, visit here.
From knives to jewelry and everything in between, the vendors here are excited to be part of this vibrant festival.
