The story
Burro Days in Fairplay
Burro Days has competitors race with burros at their side rather than mounted on their backs, recalling prospectors who once led pack burros loaded with supplies through the mountains. The weekend has been part of Fairplay life since 1949, giving the town a long-running summer ritual. The race format keeps the mining-era history physically present rather than purely commemorative.
The first thing you notice is the rhythm: running shoes on the street, hooves knocking beside them, and one stubborn animal pausing just long enough to make the crowd laugh.