Description:

The Emma Crawford Coffin Race and Festival is a Manitou Springs, CO tradition since 1994, and is always celebrated the Saturday before Halloween. Emma was a young woman that traveled to Colorado in 1889 seeking a cure for tuberculosis.  Like so many at the time she hoped the area’s sacred and healing mineral springs would be her cure. She however did not survive, passing away at 19. Emma wanted to be buried on Red Mountain, which she climbed shortly before her death, so her fiancé made sure that it happened. To honor her dying wish, her fiancé and 11 other men illegally carried her body up the 7,200 – foot slope to the top of Red Mountain, taking two days to scale the peak.

However, in 1912, her remains were relocated for a railway that was to be built on Red Mountain’s southern slope.  Now more exposed to the elements, Emma’s remains washed down the mountain and into town August of 1929.  This has inspired the quirky celebration of Emma Crawford: The Emma Crawford Coffin Race and Festival in downtown Manitou Springs.  This is a free event.

The day starts at noon with a parade of hearses and all the entering coffins and teams.  Costumed teams have four runners and an “Emma” that rides in the coffin.  50 entries are allowed.  Trophies are awarded to the three fastest teams and the best looking Emma.  Ghost tours sponsored by the Manitou Springs Heritage Center run all Saturday evening.  Emma’s wake is the Friday night before the race at the Miramont Castle.