Courtesy photo The 35th Taste of Creede Festival will showcase local art and cuisine Memorial Day weekend on Main Street. The honored artist this year is Colleen Murphy DeSanto. She is adept in watercolor, acrylic and oil.

CREEDE — The 35th Taste of Creede Festival will showcase local art and cuisine Memorial Day weekend on Main Street. The honored artist this year is Colleen Murphy DeSanto. She and her family have been coming to Creede since 1990 and permanently moved from Michigan in 2012.

This annual event was envisioned by local artist Stephen Quiller and Richie Ormsby in 1989.

“The Taste of Creede Festival will delight visitors with inspired local art and great food,” organizers stated.

DeSanto is adept in watercolor, acrylic and oil and has received numerous awards from the prestigious Oil Painters of America.

In Michigan, she was also an elementary art educator and received the Michigan Elementary Art Teacher of the year and retired in 2011.

Recently, she has been selected to exhibit a painting in the Colorado Watercolor Society’s Spring Exhibition. You can find the paintings at the C Waters/ Above Snakes Gallery in Creede, Two Old Crows Gallery in Pagosa Springs as well as showing by appointment in her studio/home.

On Saturday, May 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. watch artists paint on Main Street or pick a bench in Basham Park and listen to live, local music while noshing delectable treats.

Then at 2 p.m., be sure to watch local citizens compete in a Mountain Cookoff, to create a winning dish. Each contestant is provided with surprise ingredients and has 45 minutes to prepare an offering meant to delight the judges. The winning entry earns bragging rights for the ensuing year until next year’s cook-off.

At 3:30 p.m., don’t miss the unveiling of a special new sculpture at the Creede Hotel.

At 7 p.m., the Creede Repertory Theatre will open a new play, “Mountain Octopus.” This is a beautiful play about transitions in a mountain town.

On Sunday, May 28, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, children 8 to 13 years, there will be a watercolor class with well-known painter Ana Sharma. This is limited to 10 students and all materials will be provided by the Quiller Gallery. The class will take place on the second floor of the Quiller Gallery.

Head north on Main Street after lunch for the annual Quick Draw event. Artists begin with a blank canvas and have one hour to complete their one-of-a-kind works. Afterward, these pieces are offered in the annual art auction that takes place under the tents of the Creede Hotel. Artists are readily available to offer their expertise to other interested art lovers.

FULL SCHEDULE

Memorial Day Weekend, May 27-29

Saturday, May 27

• 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Artists' on Main Street, live music, craft vendors, children's activities, museum tours, sidewalk sales, and more
• 10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Opening of the National Small Prints Show at the Creede Repertory Theatre 
• 2 p.m.: Silver Chef Competition
• 7:20 p.m.: “Mountain Octopus” production by CRT

Sunday, May 28

• 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.: Children’s Watercolor Class (age 8-13) Quiller Gallery
• 11 a.m.-2 p.m.: Live music
• 1 p.m.: Artists' Quick Draw on Main Street
• 2:30 p.m.: Live Art Auction

Monday, May 30

• 11 a.m.: Memorial Day Service in Basham Park honoring our veterans