Steamboat Pilot & Today

Hayden — Some people in Hayden would like to give their town a chance to host its own arts and music festival this summer.

The Hayden Recreation Board will ask the Hayden Town Board Thursday evening for $2,000 to defer the costs of bringing musicians, artists and vendors to the town's park in July.

"It would be something to give to the community," said Trustee Richard "Festus" Hagins, who also chairs the recreation board.

Hagins will not be voting on the $2,000 request, but he does hope the board will consider funding the festival.

The recreation board considered the idea of a summer festival last year, but the idea never materialized, he said.

Board members began putting together plans for a community-wide festival in February.

Because $2,000 would not cover the entire cost of the festival, the recreation board plans to raise funds from other sources, including its own budget.

Recreation Director Lindsay Heer said she intended to seek donations from the community.

The festival would be a free event to encourage attendance, Heer said.

Although the event would not be a profit-making venture for the town, Heer said, it would raise awareness about Hayden by bringing in people from surrounding communities and visitors passing through on U.S. 40.

The expected July 6 date would place the summer festival a weekend before Steamboat Springs' Art in the Park.

"It's something to share with other people in the valley," Heer said.

The recreation board would like to bring in three local bands to play from 2 to 8:30 p.m.

Local and regional artists would be contacted about their interest in showing their wares during the festival.

The close proximity of Hayden's festival to Art in the Park might make it easier to bring in some of the same artists, Heer said.

The recreation board plans to bring in jugglers, face painting and games to appeal to the younger crowd.

Local service clubs and vendors will be asked if they would like to participate in the event, Heer said.

The summer festival would be the first of its kind in Hayden, Town Manager Rob Straebel said.

If the festival did happen, the recreation board would make it an annual event.

"It would be kind of nice to have something here in Hayden," Hagins said.

The Town Board meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Town Hall.