Public hearing set for September’s special event

More street fair than frat party…

Here’s the deal on the Major Special Event on the Horizon (MSEOTH). Are you up for whatever? Whatever, meaning a giant party with all sorts of wacky events for three days in September.

Organizers of the popular Bud Light beer television and social media promotion have been scouting and planning in Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte for months. They want to use the towns as part of the scene for the latest Are You Up For Whatever, USA promotion.
Part of the appeal of the promotion is to keep it a secret. But their existence in town is no longer much of a secret to anyone living in the upper valley. Under the auspices of Western Colorado Events, LLC, event planners have been negotiating with Crested Butte town staff and the town attorney about pulling off a three-day event, September 5-7. The impact to Crested Butte will primarily take place from Friday afternoon into Saturday night.
They hope that while the secret may be out here in Crested Butte, it doesn’t go viral to the universe.
The Crested Butte Town Council will be holding a public hearing on Monday, August 25 to listen to comments about the special event application, along with the ordinance and resolution for the creation of a special entertainment district on Elk Avenue that would allow the open consumption of alcohol outside of bars and restaurants.
According to the promotional website, young adults around the country have been asked to submit 10-second audition videos. According to an article in Adweek, more than 100,000 have been submitted. About a thousand people will be chosen to fly into the area September 5 for two nights of Bud Light–oriented activity. Some of the partying will take place in local businesses, while other activities will occur in the Big Mine Ice Arena and on Elk Avenue.
“We have spent a lot of time on this and have held [event organizers] to a higher standard than most people looking to put on a special event in the town,” said Crested Butte town manager Todd Crossett. “We are still finishing up some details but we have plans for all the various elements of the events, including a fire and EMS plan, a transportation plan, a security plan, a recycling plan, and a community activities plan for kids, etc.
“Contrary to some rumors, this looks like it will come off as more of a street fair than a frat party,” Crossett continued. “Anyone here who’s over 21 years old will be able to be involved in most of the events. There will be some private parties as part of the Whatever, USA promotion but no one is taking over the town and locking the locals out of the main street.”
The party might include some celebrities perhaps normally seen in Aspen instead of Crested Butte. But they will be taking part in the activities as part of the commercial.
Elk Avenue will be closed off from Fourth Street to First and a stage will be constructed at the top of the street.
Concerts will be a part of the event but don’t look for Mick or Bono. “I don’t know the names of the musicians but they said they are more likely to be bands on the verge of breaking out. Probably C-list bands as opposed to an A-list U2–type band,” said Crossett.
Don’t expect to be able to buy a PBR in the Entertainment District during the event, but the Bud Light will be freely flowing. Big Mine Ice Arena will be the location of big private parties Friday and Saturday nights.
Crossett noted that the club-like atmosphere at Big Mine would go on until about 1 o’clock each morning. “The town has been asked to waive some of the noise restrictions for those two evenings,” he said. “The organizers plan on talking to the neighbors to make them aware of the situation and even offer alternatives if they don’t want to be around,” he said.
There will not be a fireworks show but Elk Avenue will be painted blue, along with the light posts. After the event leaves Sunday, they will be repainted to the original color and Elk Avenue sealed-coated. There will be a parade on Friday and various patio parties at the Elk Avenue bars. There will be public access for all ages to the post office.
“We were asked to keep it as quiet as we could,” admitted Crested Butte mayor Aaron Huckstep. “In fact, when [event organizers] first came last spring some of the businesspeople they approached and some elected officials signed a confidentiality agreement. But we made it clear they would have to eventually go through the town regulations and the word would get out and a public process would take place in August at the latest.
“Honestly, we haven’t gotten a ton of details on what they are planning,” Huckstep continued. “But the general rumors floating around the last couple weeks are probably based in some truth. They asked for some things that were nixed immediately because they were too over the top. I think a lot of the ideas are changing almost daily. But I believe that while they may need some variances from our codes, the proposal is pretty much within the parameters of what they first came to us with. They want to do some things with signage and branding for three days and then turn it back to the way it was before they got here. We are looking at it as them renting some of the town and then returning it to the way it was when they arrived.”
The rent would come in the form of at least $250,000 to the town. Huckstep said the proponents and the council want to use that money as a legacy project to benefit the citizens of the community. Initial thoughts are to use it to expand the warming house at Big Mine Ice Arena but no final decision has been made. Some improvements to the Mt. Crested Butte rec path could also be made. The participants, production crews and talent will be staying in Mt. Crested Butte and there will be some small events up there as well.
Aside from the Elk Avenue concerts and Big Mine Ice Arena parties, minor events such as a giant game of Twister or rug-rolling competitions with entertainment, or sports celebrities might be included as part of the overall promotion. All of the local bars and restaurants in the entertainment district have been contacted about renting their space. Film crews will be recording the event to use in television commercials and social media promotions.
While no one would confirm the idea of a blue elephant roaming Third and Elk, those at the planning meetings made it clear it wasn’t meant to be a wild, debauched party. The idea is to record fun, not a college rush party.
The citizens of the valley can learn more details by going to the town’s website after Thursday afternoon and looking at the council packets. They will then be able to weigh in with their thoughts on the event to the council on Monday evening starting at 6 p.m.