Going old-school on Tuesday and this weekend

Let me quickly say that Memorial Day more than most other formal holidays in Crested Butte preserves the deepest roots of Crested Butte’s past. It’s centered on old-school families, a traditional honorary march to the cemetery that includes a Catholic mass and 21-gun salute, a community lunch, an old-timer’s dinner at the Museum and of course, a chance to polka. 

It’s not the biggest holiday by any means and the 9:15 a.m. march of veterans with ties to CB on Monday morning will be witnessed by scores of people dotting Elk Avenue and not thousands jammed together like sardines on the Fourth of July. That’s okay. In fact, it’s pretty great.

This is a weekend to witness the comfortable embrace of the families that were here when the streets were dirt and not filled with parking regulation signs. Those that come back to their old family homes often comment they can’t believe the changes (or the prices). They reminisce about the potlucks, the slow village pace and the outdoor opportunities. The end of May in 2025 probably seems like a super busy weekend back in the day.

Memorial Day is a time to pay homage not to the spirit of what you think Crested Butte is, but to see what Crested Butte was. Filled with solid, hardworking families who supported one another, Memorial Day is a chance to feel the things Duane Vandenbusche extolls in his many historical talks. Take advantage of the quality over quantity holiday time in Crested Butte this weekend.

Speaking of quality over quantity (and old-school families), a few local builders got off their social media feeds and went to the public hearing Tuesday held by county commissioners over building permit fees. Three contractors all spoke convincingly about not just the details of a proposed hike in building permit fees but about the bigger picture and the seemingly endless costs falling on worker bees trying to make a life in the county. 

While commissioner Jonathan Houck was on vacation, commissioners Laura Puckett Daniels and Liz Smith along with county staff listened to the arguments and took a breath. They postponed any change to the fee structure while they digest the comments. They asked for more comments to be sent to them to consider before June 3. The two commissioners empathized with the struggles being felt by locals in the valley and want to find a way to adequately cover real costs to the county but not pound those who live here full-time and make the community what it is.

The amount of public comment at the hearing was not voluminous but it was impactful, and it sounds like the commissioners are aware of the spreading vibe of frustration emanating in the valley. 

So, kudos to Laura and Liz for taking that breath and trying to process our new reality that keeps making it harder to live a good life here. And kudos to those who reached out to the elected officials either at the meeting, via email or social media to share their thoughts and not just complain in the echo chamber of the ethernets. It doesn’t always work but it can, and this time it seems to have made at least a difference in the process. 

Neighbors speaking to neighbors and listening to one another…hmmm—that in itself is sort of old-school.

While it feels a tad early this year, enjoy this Memorial Day weekend everyone, and breathe in what is here now before the summer busyness begins.

—Mark Reaman