About the Fair

The 54th Mountain Fair will be held July 25-27, 2025!

It’s hard to believe that just over 50 years ago, the Carbondale Mountain Fair came into being. Brought together by volunteers, lead by the Mother of the Fair, Laurie Loeb. The first few years hosted a traveling chautauqua, which quickly evolved into a locally-based, volunteer-run, non-sponsored festival that exemplifies the values of Carbondale; Collaboration, Creativity, Education, Volunteerism, Curiosity and Inclusion. View the full history of Mountain Fair here.

The heart+soul of the fair is all the love, history and humanity that have built community through art in Carbondale.

Backstage Security

The backstage security person/crew is responsible to making sure the right people have access to the backstage area. Be sure you are comfortable saying no to fair folk who look like a good time!! Are you up for the job?

Volunteer Booth

Volunteer Booth Volunteers help to greet volunteers and ensure them a positive and fun Mountain Fair volunteer experience. Help sign-up new volunteers, organize volunteers when they arrive for their shift and maintain volunteer database.

Green Team

The Green Team helps to reduce the Fair's footprint by reducing, composting and recycling fair waste to keep it out of local landfills. We work "upstream" with the vendors to assure they have all compostable materials to be properly sorted at waste stations. This is a really fun and rewarding volunteer position. You will have fun, educate the public about proper waste diversion and maybe get a little dirty. Gloves and water are provided. In exchange for four hours of volunteerism, you will receive a Green Team festival shirt. We ask that volunteers younger than 14 be accompanied by an adult. 

Band Merch Booth

This booth provides a unique opportunity to sell awesome band merchandise in a shaded tent. As different musicians take the stage, this booth will sell band specific merchandise.  

Park Perimeter Team

The Park Perimeter Team (PPT) is responsible for making sure all vendors, artists, and entertainment are parked in the proper locations. PPT is also in charge of patrolling the park perimeters to ensure only authorized and emergency vehicles are in these areas. This team will also periodically patrol the additional parking lot located at the middle school. Parking will communicate with the Parking Perimeter Supervisor to ensure that no vehicles are blocking key access points.

Raffle Booth & Raffle Rover

Help raise money for Carbondale Arts by selling raffle tickets donated by fantastically supportive businesses from all over the Roaring Fork Valley. The Raffle Booth Volunteers will entice Fair goers in to entering a raffle with prizes such as a brand new SUP board! The Raffle is extremely important to Carbondale Arts. Raffle Booth Volunteers should dress fun and be assertive in a friendly way. Raffle Booth includes selling tickets, announcing winners, keeping rover aprons organized, counting tickets.

Mountain Fair T-shirt Booth

Sell the infamous Mountain Fair t-shirt. The t-shirt is a “must have” for every Mountain Fair participant, so you’ll be popular! T-Shirt Booth volunteers organize merchandise, greet and assist customers. This is a great job for those who need to be in the shade, but you will be on your feet.

Booth Sitter

Give a Mountain Fair vendor a well deserved break! Mountain Fair vendors have long days and need a break every now and then to take care of personal business. By being a Booth Sitter, you’ll be able to give a vendor the reprieve they need to enjoy the fair! You will be directed to visit a certain zone of vendors, please stick to it and limit each booth sit to 20 minutes max.

Peace Patrol

The Peace Patrol sets a harmonious tone at Mountain Fair. The Peace Patrol is there to greet folks at they enter the park, promote peace, safety, and good times, and to help people where they can. Responsibilities include: Making sure no glass or alcohol is brought into the park, passing out sunscreen, misting people with spray bottles (only if wanted), patrolling the ditch and park parameters, and directing people where they need to go. It is also the responsibility of the Peace Patrol to help monitor the park for nuisances such as underage drinking, aggressive, offensive and rowdy behavior, or people acting in any sort of unsafe manner, and to report it to the proper authorities or Mountain Fair staff. *Volunteers must be 16 years or older.

Silent Auction

Assist artists and bidders in the silent auction tent in the quietest volunteer job at Mountain Fair. This job is also another fundraising activity for Carbondale Arts.

Info Booth

Be resourceful and assist lost or inquiring Fair goers. Info Booth volunteers are the experts on everything from the entertainment line up, locations of bathrooms, lay out of the fairgrounds, lost & found, and contest sign ups.

Fair Grounds Set Up & Take Down

Work with the Mountain Fair Production crew to transform Sopris Park into a fair ground. Set up tents, parameters, road blockages, tables and chairs, signage and MORE! Physical labor, using ladders and power tools, and painting are all part of this sunny volunteer job! After the fun is over we need help returning Sopris Park to its original, and beautiful state.

Poster & T-Shirt Contest

The 53rd Annual Carbondale Mountain Fair poster design contest is now open and our theme this year is…drumroll, please: “This Must Be The Place: feet on the ground, head in the sky”! Yes, it's a shameless nod to the song by the Talking Heads, but it's also a celebration of that ineffable feeling that has settled over so many of us who live here that we've found our home, our community, and nestled up against our mighty mother Mt. Sopris!

Interested artists should:
• Interpret this theme however you are called to, remembering that the spirit of The Carbondale Mountain Fair is ultimately a celebration of who we all are together in community.
• Submit a well-developed concept (vertical or square format preferred over landscape) along with at least 3 work samples that show a similar style as to how you would plan to finish the final design.
• Handmade and digital entries are welcome; any non-digital entries submitted should have the artist's name and contact info on the back.

Here are some helpful tips:
1) Be sure your entry uses well defined lines and shapes so that the jury can easily see the artwork and how it might transfer to a digital design

2) We recommend your entry be designed in color as it helps the jury to envision the poster and shirt

3) Consider avoiding very tiny details which may not read well on a screen printed shirt

Artists who have won in the past may enter the contest again after 5 years have passed (ie: if you won in 2020, you can enter again in 2025).

A jury selects the winning design and our team works with the finalist to create the poster and t-shirt. Winner will be announced in April and receives $750 and five Mountain Fair t-shirts!

Potters Throwdown

Join the Carbondale Clay Center for the third annual Pottery Throwdown Relay on Saturday 7/27 at 6pm under the judging tent. Eight teams of four will compete in pottery challenges, two at a time, for the fastest overall time. In addition to the fastest overall time.

Assemble your team, come up with your best team name, and register to compete. Registration is free and open to all levels, regardless of ceramic experience.

This year’s challenges include the return of Anything but Hands Throwing and Extrudy-Duty, along with two new challenges – Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Pinch Pot and The Ghost Runner.

2024 Winners: “Silk Rodeo” Emily Abbott, Brian Chen, Nori Pao, Adam Ting

Pie & Cake Baking

Better start practicing for this year’s pie and cake baking contest– the competition is stiff! This year’s theme for the Pie Contest is “Garden Party” and categories include fruit, cream, and exotic.

The theme for the Cake Contest is “Pajama Party” and categories include cake, exotic and cupcake. All pies and cake must arrive at the judging canopy by 10:45 am. 

The Pie Contest is on Saturday and the Cake Contest is on Sunday. Anyone is welcome to participate, no need to register ahead of time. Judging begins at 11am. Win First, Second or Third place for all categories or Best in Show! Prizes include money, aprons, fame and bragging rights!

2024 Cake Winners: Cake: Jessica Davidoff Meyer with Orange Buttercream | Alternative: Redstone General Store with GF Lemon Ricotta Olive Oil | Cupcake: Halsie Peck with “Cereal Milk”

2024 Pie Winners: Exotic: Nora Bilby with Garden Delight Key Lime | Fruit: Robin Shannon with Strawberry Apple | Cream: Jenna with Earl Grey

Mtn. Fair 4-Miler

On the Saturday morning of the fair, Independence Run & Hike hosts a four-mile downhill fun run from Prince Creek Road, down the Crystal River Bike Path, and back to the finish line at Mountain Fair in Sopris Park. Participants will meet at Sopris Park at 8:30am to catch a shuttle to the start line for a 9:00am start. Cost is $40 per participant and kids 12 and under are free. Families with strollers are welcome. Dress to win the costume contest with the theme of “This Must Be The Place.”

2024 Winners:
Overall/Men’s: Tyler Parker | Women’s: Caroline Cole

Singer Songwriter Contest

Calling all Singer Songwriters (18+). Limited to 20 participants.
ROUND 1: 20 registered performers at Steve’s Guitars on Wednesday 7/24 at 6pm. Each contestant can play 2 originals.

ROUND 2: 5 Finalists will perform at The Oasis Tent on Sunday 7/28 at 12:30pm. Each finalist will play 2 originals. Winner receives a gift certificate from Glenwood Music, recording time at Cool Brick Studios, and KDNK “ Express Yourself “ radio time.

2024 Winner: Jenny Henry

Porcupine Loop Bike Race

In its 20th year, this race is casual and sure to be a good time. Aloha Mountain Cyclery and Stomparillaz Creative Cycling Collective keep the fun factor high by requiring costumes and creating obstacles.

Race day is Sunday, with registration available from 7-7:45 a.m. at the Bike Parking area on Weant Blvd. (no pre-registration). The race will commence immediately following.

The course begins on Prince Creek Road, goes up the Porcupine Loop Trail and ends at the Bacon Station. Entry fee is $25 or $20 with a non-perishable food item for Lift Up. All proceeds go to Carbondale Arts.

2024 Winners:
Men’s: Kyle Crawley | Women’s: Chloe

Wood Splitting

Not to be missed! The women’s competition takes place at 4pm on Saturday and the men’s at 4pm on Sunday followed by a benefit wood auction. Sign ups begin on Friday, at 12pm. Both competitions are held in the Open Space. Costumes are encouraged! All entrants must wear safety shoes. Steel-toed protectors are available at the competition. Winners receive a new wood-splitting maul.

2024 Winners:
Men’s Time: Aaron Maisch at 17 seconds | Men’s Flair: Edgar Roja | Women’s Time: Alyssa Barker at 28 seconds | Women’s Flair: Elissa Rodman Gorman

Limbo

Get down with Dr. Limbo on Saturday at 1:00pm in the Open Space area. This contest is open to folks 18 years and older. Show up to sign up. Prizes are donated by Alpine Angling and Dr. Limbo.

2024 Winner: Cari Rohe at 2’2”

Singles & Doubles Horseshoes

Participate in either singles or doubles horseshoe tournaments at Glassier Park, two blocks south of Sopris Park on Weant Boulevard. The singles tournament takes place at high noon on Saturday and the doubles at noon on Sunday. Sign up at the Info Booth or just show up at the event.

2024 Winners: Singles: Frank Anderson Doubles: Frank Anderson + Craig “Baggs” Hoffman

Fly-Casting Competition

Run by the infamous Gill Finn, a Roaring Fork Valley fly fishing legend, the fly-casting competition takes place on Saturday at 10:30am in the Open Space area of the park. Prizes are donated by Alpine Angling.

2024 Winner: Maureen Taufer

Vendors

Art Vendors

To be selected as an Art Vendor at Mountain Fair, you must meet the following eligibility requirements. Applications closed March 8, 2024.

• Any artist or craft person exhibiting his or her own handmade works of art. (Not manufactured, not imported.)

• Any community service, civic, or social organization, or educational institution selling only its own works of art.

• Criteria for judging include quality and uniqueness of items. For more information, please e-mail mtnfairvendors@carbondalearts.com

• Application fee $60 (non-refundable). Acceptance notifications begin April 15.

Food Vendors

To be selected as a Food Vendor at Mountain Fair, you must meet the following eligibility requirements. Any individual or organization selling ONLY its own, hand-prepared food is eligible to apply. Criteria or acceptance include quality, sell-ability and uniqueness of items. All food vendors are required to comply with our Zero Waste Program policies and the Garfield County Health Regulations for Special Events. No genetically modified products, please. For more information, please e-mail mtnfairvendors@carbondalearts.com.

Applications closed April 5, 2024.

Valley Artists’ Booth

The Valley Artists' Booth allows local artists (residing in a ZIP code starting with 816) who are current Carbondale Arts members to exhibit and sell their artwork in a cooperative, inexpensive way. Booth space is limited, and artwork will be juried. Submissions must be your own handmade (not manufactured, not imported) work. Criteria for judging include quality and uniqueness of items. Email questions to brian@carbondalearts.com.

There is a $50 fee due upon acceptance.

Applications closed May 15, 2024.

Oasis Activity Vendors

Mountain Fair's Oasis is a special area of the fair designated specifically for family fun. Due to the new Carbondale Pool construction, this year's zone will take place on Main Street and Weant Blvd, allowing the Oasis to expand into a Family Block Party!

The Oasis includes a stage, kid-friendly vendors, a water and cooling station, and Creative Arts Canopy hosted by Carbondale Arts. In addition to these, Mountain Fair is seeking other partners such as schools, arts programs, and youth organizations to get involved and set up their own family-friendly activity tent or area. Application fee is $60 (non refundable. Acceptance notifications begin May 29.

Applications closed by May 15, 2024.