Every five years, Dolores throws an especially large party, and it’s about to happen again Aug. 7-9.
The 2015 Dolores High School All School Reunion takes place every five years and coincides with the annual Dolores Escalante Days and Dolores River Brewery music festival.
Typically, the alumni bash attracts more than 1,000 alumni and their friends and family to Dolores for the weekend, said organizer Santiago Lopez. Pre-registration is on track for that amount this year.
“We have alumni returning from as far away as Australia, the Philippines, Alaska, and everywhere in between, including people still in town,” he said. “Our oldest are from the Class of 1938 and 1939.”
It’s not just for old-timers, said Angela Randall-Salazar, of the reunion committee.
“We’re seeing more and more alumni from the 1980s and 1990s,” she said. “It’s a really good time, and you’re missing out if you don’t attend.”
On Friday, Aug. 7, alumni registration and a barbecue will take place at the Dolores Fire House beginning at 4 p.m. Cost is $16 per person. Vanishing Breed with fellow alumnus Ellis Miller will provide music for entertainment.
On Saturday, Aug. 8, all classes are invited to decorate a car, build a float, make signs, and show school spirit for the Escalante Days parade. Beginning at 1 p.m., there will be a reunion program in the school gymnasium, followed by an open house at 3 p.m. at the Dolores Community Center. The open house will feature a slide show and memory table. Attendees are encouraged to tour the new buildings and find their senior picture still on the walls, beginning at 11 a.m.
On Saturday at 8 p.m., there will be dance and concert at the Dolores Community Center. Local favorite Ralph Dinosaur and his band will play. Cover is $5. Alcohol will be serve for ages 21 and over with ID.
“We want to emphasize that all alumni events are open to the community,” Lopez said.
The traditional alumni party was started by Ruby Gonzales and her late husband, Frank, in the 1970s.
“People really appreciate bringing the old local crowd back home,” she said. “It’s a good boost for the economy, filling up hotels and restaurants in Dolores and Cortez.”
For more information or to pre-register contact Santiago at (970) 882-0180.
Also on the Aug. 7 and 8 is the 39th Escalante Days, which now includes a Saturday music festival at the Dolores River Brewery from 2 p.m. to midnight.
“Ten bands, 10 hours, for $10,” said Aaron Lemay, of Inner Orbit Sound Systems, the event organizer. “The bands will alternate on two outdoor stages.”
The line-up will be announced soon. Contact Aaron to sponsor the event or for merchandise vending at (920) 539-9998, or email at lemayway1@yahoo.com
Alumni can get in for $8, and the top finishers of the Escalante Mountain Bike race will get free tickets to the show.
Events for Escalante Days will go from Aug. 7-8 and include a mountain bike race, parade, street dance, Galloping Goose rides, chain saw competition, kid bicycle rodeo, watermelon-eating contest, water balloon toss, arm wrestling, three legged race and more. Contact the Dolores Chamber of Commerce for more information and vending opportunities at (970) 882-4018.
jmimiaga@cortezjournal.com