Next Few Weeks in Southwest Colorado Packed with Events

Prepared to be charmed by a donkey during the Mancos Burrofest. The Ride of the Ancient's Gravel Grinder returns to benefit local conservation nonprofits and get your jewelers loupe ready for the 60th annual Four Corners Gem and Mineral Show. You're watching the Local News Roundup brought to you by Serious Texas Bar-B-Q and Man Cave Barber. I'm Wendy Graham Settle. Burros are so darn cute, so why not celebrate their charm every year? The Mancos Creative District hosts the third annual Mancos Burrofest, replete with donkey parade, obstacle course races and an art show on Saturday, June 18th. The grand parade of burros, featuring both burromeisters and their animals dressed in costume, starts the day's series of events at 10:00 AM in Boyle Park. Next, burros and their human leaders will compete in an obstacle course race to determine how well each donkey can follow its human's lead. From 1:00 to 4:00 PM, artists will sit with their burro models and create works of art on the spot. Durango artist Elizabeth Kinahan is this year's Burrofest featured artist and she'll be located in the number one canopy along with her burro model, Arlo, during the art show. All pieces will be for sale. Two presentations during the afternoon will include a packing demonstration at 2:00 PM and a discussion on adopting wild burros at 2:30 PM. Burrofest is free and open to the public. To learn more, visit mancoscreativedistrict.com. The Ride of the Ancients Gravel Grinder returns on July 8th and 9th in Dolores to raise funds for the Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance, Friends of the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument and Trail of the Ancients Scenic Highway. Gravel Grinders are events that usually occur on back-country gravel roads. Riders can choose to ride a gravel bike, road bike, or mountain bike. This year's event starts off with a laugh when Navajo standup comedians, James and Ernie, perform at the Turquoise Raven Art Gallery in Cortez. Races start the next day from Flanders park in Dolores. Entrants may choose to ride the 104-mile circuit, a 30-mile circuit or a 19-mile family affair. The long route` follows gravel roads from Dolores to Dunton, then Groundhog Reservoir to the Dolores Norwood Road with 10 miles of single track in Boggy Draw. The shorter races will be on the road system in the Boggy Draw area and electric-assisted bikes are allowed. Vendors will be on hand from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM in Flanders Park with music featuring the 'Yoties beginning at 1:00 PM at the Dolores River Brewery. To learn more about the race or to enter, visit rideoftheancients.com. Get your jewelers loupe ready. The 60th Annual Four Corners Gem and Mineral Show is about to tumble into town on the weekend of July 8th through 10th. More than 60 gem and mineral dealers from across the United States will sell rocks, gems, minerals, crystals, fossils, meteorites, geodes, shells, and beads from around the world. Finished jewelry, jewelry-making equipment, tools and more will be available. In addition to the show, more than a dozen lapidary and jewelry-making classes have been scheduled throughout the weekend. Classes range from simple stone-cutting and polishing techniques to soldering silver jewelry. Enrollment is limited to six students for each class. Gold panning and treasure hunts will be on hand to keep kids entertained and food trucks will sell refreshments. The show will run from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM Friday and Saturday, and from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Sunday at the Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall. Classes will be in the Fairgrounds annex building and the Gem and Mineral Club across the street. Entry is $3 per day with children 12 and younger admitted free with an adult. To learn more, visit durangorocks.org. That's it for this week's Local News Roundup. Thanks for watching.

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