Deb D’Andrea’s homemade cat sculptures around Fred the cat’s memorial tombstone beyond Nederland Town Hall. (Provided by Deb D’Andrea)
Nederland is called among Colorado’s quirkiest towns, in no little part due to the fact that of Frozen Dead Guy Days, a celebration that started in 2002 to commemorate “Grandpa Bredo,” a cryogenically frozen Norwegian man whose body rests close by. But when the celebration relocated to Estes Park this year in the middle of a disagreement in between its organizers and the town federal government, some residents chose to develop a brand-new occasion to continue the eccentricities that make Nederland seem like home to them.
The Bizarre Cat Bazaar, arranged by homeowner Deb D’Andrea, will strike downtown Nederland Saturday, Aug. 12. It’s a completely cat-themed event to honor the town’s very first and just feline mayor, Fred, a popular roaming who won an election on write-ins in the late 1970s as an action to aggravation with the city government. Fred is buried in front of Town Hall, his resting location represented by a plaque that checks out “Fred the Cat, Legend of First Street, 1972-1989.”
“It’s all in the name of good fun,” D’Andrea said. “Things have gotten a little bit serious, and I really want to bring the fun back.”
The complimentary celebration is almost completely moneyed by D’Andrea, who is offering handmade cat sculptures on eBay to fundraise. There will be all-day efficiencies by regional dance and music groups, consisting of regional funny band Los Cheesies, and a cat outfit contest with a leading reward of $500.
“My original (idea) was to have it be very immersive and engaging,” D’Andrea said. “Sort of like a science fair meets Meow Wolf.”
D’Andrea invested several years prior to her retirement operating in celebration and occasion preparation, so the Bizarre Cat Bazaar will have all the trademarks of a timeless celebration, consisting of 30 regional suppliers and food trucks (however no alcohol). Some cubicles, like the Hippie Cat Tie-Dye station, will have activities for kids, and there will be a massive, inflatable swimming pool, filled by the Nederland Fire Department and spent for by the occasion’s only sponsor, the Diner Bar.
“I didn’t want to go to town and ask for money, and I didn’t want to go to the businesses and ask for money,” D’Andrea said. “I wanted to see if I really could create something that’s sustainable that supports the town.”
Nederland, with a population of just 1,465 people, is a town of numerous celebrations, of which Frozen Dead Guy Days was just the most popular. But it brought in almost 20,000 curious individuals in 2022, and showed deadly for the relationship in between Nederland and organizers.
Frozen Dead Guy Days co-owner Sarah Mosely Martin explained why on Facebook, blaming “operational hurdles returning after a two-year COVID hiatus, a lack of partnership with the Town of Nederland, and the challenges of large event production on the safety and security fronts.”
Soon after, Nederland officials said that while the 2022 celebration had “received quite a bit of positive feedback” worrying sound decrease efforts and traffic circulation, that there were likewise “significant challenges that resulted from Frozen Dead Guy Days not adhering to the plans submitted, discussed, and finalized … ultimately creating confusion, disorganization, and safety concerns.”
Organizers then moved the 2023 occasion to Estes Park, where it occurred in March. But the modification removed away a few of Nederland’s distinct identity.
To D’Andrea, Fred the cat is simply another example of Nederland history worth commemorating, and an opportunity to benefit regional businesses and citizens with another distinctive, localized occasion.
