Dandelion Day
Dandelion Day lays art and music as paths to ‘Common Ground’
Dandelion Day is nearly upon us, and will be taking over Main Street and Sopris Park this Saturday, May 9. For its 28th year, the Carbondale celebration, held in partnership with the Aspen Indigenous Foundation (AIF), will be centered on the theme “Common Ground.” The 2026 festival also has a new fiscal sponsor: The Western […]
Historiography: ‘Touch Not Yon Dandelion!’
Historically, Carbondale was known for its fine and abundant potatoes. What is less known is that the dandelion was responsible for the transition from grain crops to potatoes, according to premier spud grower Eugene Grubb in “Carbondale Pioneers, 1879-1890” by Edna D. Sweet: We grew alfalfa and our land was worth only $50 per acre, […]
Potato Days unearths support for RFV farmers
The 116th annual Potato Days has arrived with a plethora of community activations in store over the weekend on par with the theme: “The Grate Spudsby” — an homage to the 100th anniversary of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, “The Great Gatsby.” This year’s Potato Days is particularly special in that it honors the life of […]
Permaculture pioneer Jerome Osentowski receives lifetime achievement award
Jerome Osentowski, known for his pioneer-level work in the permaculture world, recently accepted a lifetime achievement award at this past Dandelion Day celebration for his impacts in the Valley and beyond through his education efforts with students and community members from all over as founder of the Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute (CRMPI), located on […]
Dandy Day 2025
Dandelion Day was especially vibrant this year, with gorgeous weather and stellar attendance. Alas, the Parade of Species got a little too literal with four four-leggeds joining the festivities in Sopris Park. Dogs are not allowed in Sopris Park, but the memo was missed by many. Police Chief Kirk Wilson called it a “complete flub” […]
Dandelion Day beckons
Dandelion Day is very nearly upon us. This Carbondale festival, now in its 27th year, is a celebration of sustainability and responsible Earth stewardship. It began in 1998 in concert with efforts to ban the use of herbicides in public parks, safeguarding the health of people, pets, pollinators and entire ecosystems. The dandelion became Carbondale’s […]
Dandelion Day draws a crowd
On Saturday, May 11, Carbondale held the 25th annual Dandelion Day in Sopris Park celebrating the environment, sustainability and community. Following the ever-popular Parade of Species, there were a plethora of joyous activities inside the park, from perusing vendor booths with starter plants, cut flowers and natural products to a seed swap, slow bike race […]
Letters – May 9, 2024
Conducting researchThe Carbondale Nature Park (aka the Delaney dog park) is a 31-acre piece of bottom land located about a quarter-mile north of Town Hall, where the water treatment plant currently sits. I’m researching the dog park’s history and now we are getting somewhere. The Town bought the property from Mesa Verde Associates, LLC in […]
Dandy Day grows greener
“I want Dandelion Day to feel really interactive, like you come to cocreate the day,” pronounced event coordinator Kat Hardy. In line with the ethos of sustainability and collaboration, and thanks to a local screen printing company, this year’s commemorative t-shirts will be printed on-site in Sopris Park. The seed for this innovation was planted […]