The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Town fees make it hard on Mountain Theatre
One of the most popular Crested Butte winter events may not happen this season. The Fat Tuesday parade, an event that has spawned posters showing mayors jumping through fire, is in jeopardy this year.
The Mardi Gras event has traditionally been sponsored by the Crested Butte Mountain Theatre, but fees and clean-up costs have made the event a financial loser for the theatre. The theatre’s previous board of directors had decided not to take on the parade responsibility after last year’s event, but the existing board members will discuss the issue at their annual meeting on Thursday, December 10.
“We love the spirit of the event but it ended up costing us money last year,” explained Mountain Theatre Managing Director Elizabeth Bond. “The last board decided not to do it in 2010 but due to popular pressure, the current board will talk about it at the annual meeting on December 10.”
Crested Butte Deputy Town Clerk Carmen Bell said the town charged the theatre a standard $25 application fee for the event, a $200 permit fee since it was a major event and a $200 clean-up deposit. The town refunded $100 of the clean-up fee.
“The parks and recreation crew ended up spending a lot of time cleaning up beads and candy the next day,” explained Bell. “The theatre was supposed to have five people on the clean-up crew and only one ended up doing it.”
Bond said she thought Elk Avenue was sufficiently cleaned up after the parade. “But to no one’s surprise, the party went on until early the next morning and I’m sure some clean-up was needed after Mardi Gras night.”
So the theatre ended up paying the town $325.
The theatre board meeting will start at 4 p.m. on December 10 at the Mallardi Cabaret. It will be followed by a Chamber After Hours gathering, so there will be interesting discussion along with free food and drinks. Everyone is invited.
This year, Mardi Gras will be Tuesday, February 16.
“We all really enjoy the Mardi Gras parade so we hope that if the theatre doesn’t sponsor it, someone else will,” said Bell.
