By Nadia Werby
Special to The SUN
Step back in time at the Chimney Rock Interpretive Association’s (CRIA) annual Life at Chimney Rock Festival on Saturday and Sunday, July 20 and 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
Bring the whole family. The entry to the festival is free. Family activities and interactive demonstrations of the skills of the Ancients will include yucca pounding, making a clay pot, designing a pictograph, weaving, grinding corn and throwing a spear with the atlatl.
Come prepared to shop and talk with 12 Pueblo, Navajo and Jicarilla Apache artists at the Native American market. Enjoy a delicious Indian taco, fry bread, cota tea or oven bread from our Santo Domingo Pueblo chefs. They’ll also be serving free samples of Anasazi beans.
Visitors can watch CRIA volunteers demonstrate flint knapping, dendrochronology, the “Agents of Discovery” app and sand painting. Pat Jackson, from St. Francis Wildlife Rehabilitation and Sanctuary in Arboles, will have her rescued peregrine falcon on display and Charles Martinez will play live Native American flute music. Visitors will also have the opportunity to learn about how the ancients viewed the night sky.
Make sure to download the “Agents of Discovery” app before heading to Chimney Rock National Monument as there is no Internet at the monument. Once it’s downloaded, you can play without WiFi or a data connection. To get started, create an Agent Profile and make sure to save your login information. (A parent must approve the account before playing). The app can be downloaded from Google Play (Android users) and the App Store (Apple users). Get ready to move, play, learn and explore Chimney Rock National Monument during the Life at Chimney Rock Festival.
Chimney Rock National Monument is located 17 miles west of Pagosa Springs and 3 miles south on Colo. 151. Regularly scheduled daily tours will be available during festival hours. For more information about our monthly programs and tour times, please visit www.chimneyrockco.org.
CRIA is a nonprofit organization which operates the interpretive program at Chimney Rock National Monument under a participating agreement with the USDA Forest Service/San Juan National Forest. For more information, please visit our website at www.chimneyrockco.org.
