Several antique vehicles participated in the parade, decorated to the hilt in honor of Independence Day.

CREEDE— The Fourth of July in Creede was a huge success with more than 10,000 people flocking to the area to celebrate summer and the nation’s independence. People of all walks of life and from all over the world came to the small mountain town for two days of fun activities, dances and of course fireworks.
On Thursday morning, the town shut down Main Street in preparation for the annual parade. People gathered along the road or in the Days of 92 mining competition arena where contestants were already vying for the top spot in events such as mucking and Jack Leg Drilling. The competitions were a huge success, drawing crowds throughout the two-day celebration for a unique chance to see mining techniques first-hand.
The parade kicked off just after 10 a.m. with the Color Guard and a procession of floats from all different types of local and neighboring organizations and businesses. The Main Street in Creede was painted in honor of local resident Zack Jones, who went missing the previous week after a boating accident in the Rio Grande and several floats were decorated in honor of him and his family.
One float took it to the next level and threw snow into the crowd, playing on the fact that there was still snow on the high peaks above town, which was enjoyed by everyone in attendance. Some children danced out into the street in hopes of catching some of the snow gathered locally from one of the peaks, just to turn around and playfully share with the rest of their family sitting on the sidelines.
The rest of the day was spent wandering the many shops around Creede, the Creede Fire Department lunch fundraiser at the underground fire department and the annual Creede Elks Lodge dance featuring Fire Line.
There were several food and gift vendors set up in the parking lot behind K-Belle Market, featuring homemade gifts and delicious carnival-like food. The Creede Parks and Recreation had a bouncy house set up for the younger crowd with other fun activities giving parents a chance to shop while they played.
The Creede Underground Mining Museum was also open for business throughout the activities and welcomed curious guests wanting to learn more about Creede’s rocky past. The museum offers a splendid array of mining history with artifacts from the local mining districts that made Creede what it is today.
The night ended with a huge firework display by a local pyrotechnician that was trained by the infamous Paul Stone who handled the displays for several years. Stone passed away two years ago, leaving behind a legacy of firework displays that are hard to beat.
The night sky lit up with colorful blasts, the resonating booms echoing off the high caldera cliffs and closing out another successful Fourth of July that will go into the history books for the small mountain town of Creede.