Photos by Lyndsie Ferrell The annual Headwaters Music Festival welcomed the 4th Infantry Division to the stage on Saturday to kick off the two-day festival. The weekend was packed with local and visiting talent. Audiences at the Headwaters Music Festival in Creede this past weekend showed up in style to enjoy local and visiting talent from across the US. Tents were set up throughout the baseball field south of town.

CREEDE — The weekend was just about perfect for the 6th Annual Headwaters Music Festival in Creede with bright blue skies on Saturday and a cool Sunday morning that greeted visitors along with musical talent that brought people to their feet to dance.

Hargraves Field just south of town was packed full of festivalgoers as early as 9 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27, and the first band to hit the stage was the 4th Infantry Division from Colorado Springs. It took organizers three years to bring this ensemble to the Headwaters stage.

The attending crowd danced and cheered as the musical talents kicked off the only music festival in Creede and set the stage for the coming two days full of talent.

“I will always say that we really are the music capital of Colorado. Between the low population and the high number of local musicians we have here in Creede, I would defend that title to anyone,” laughed Headwaters Music Festival Coordinator Bob Holt. “We have something special that happens only here in Creede.”

As the day wore on and the crowd grew, the musical talent kept on coming. The weather was in perfect form and though clouds threatened, the sun kept shining and the music kept playing.

“They say that music is the sound of emotions and I believe that. Our venue is always personal, everything from the enthusiasm that goes into planning it to picking the musical talent to how the bands interact with the crowds. I just don’t think you get that anywhere else,” continued Holt. “The ambiance of the festival Saturday and well into Sunday was full of excitement and everyone just expressed how happy they were to be out and enjoying the last days of summer. Security guards had an easy job all weekend with no stress or problems, and we just couldn’t have asked for better.”

Sunday ended with a show from Verlon Thompson and Shawn Camp who changed the stage to look like a comfortable sitting room and that is exactly what the two did. They sat down, the crowd moved closer to the stage, and they told stories, shared memories and played music.

Some people in the crowd let their emotions flow and cried as the day wore on into night and though an hour-long hail and snowstorm closed out the afternoon festival, those that stayed made the most of it by creating small snowmen.

“It wouldn’t be a music festival in the Colorado mountains without a little weather,” laughed Holt.

Holt gave huge thanks to all the volunteers and guests that made this year’s festival a success. Excitement was already building for the next year when the 4th Infantry Division may be back again with all the local and visiting talent.