Emma Crawford Coffin Races Highway Sequence 1

 

 

Manitou Springs h0sts Emma Crawford Festival and Coffin races every October around Halloween in honor of a beloved community member Emma Crawford.  Emma Pass from Tuberculosis, with her dying wish to be placed on top of Red Mountain.  After several years of rain Emma’s coffin washed away.
All that could be found was a name plate, coffin handles and a few bones.

Emma is known to haunt Red Mountain and the local area.  Her remains are interred in a unmarked grave in the Crystal Cemetery.

Manitou Springs honors Emma every year with the Emma Crawford Festival.  A large part of the festival is the coffin races with over 70 teams this year.  The Festival kicks off with a great parade. The sidewalk and streets are lined with most in costume and having fun.
Go if you can.  Thank you Manitou Springs for all the fun!

This year we only stayed for the parade, October 2015