Grandpa Bredo isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and now, neither is his festival. Visit Estes Park locked in a five-year deal to serve as the long-term home for Frozen Dead Guy Days during its board meeting on Tuesday.
The multi-year partnership guarantees that coffin races, live music, costumes, games, art, and more events will continue to find a home in Estes Park throughout the decade.
While the festival originally took root in Nederland, it officially relocated to Estes Park in 2023 along with its famous guest of honor, Bredo Morstøl. “Grandpa Bredo” now resides in liquid nitrogen at The Stanley Hotel’s International Cryonics Museum. Since the move, the event has rapidly evolved from a quirky town novelty into a massive, multi-venue spectacle.
For local business owners and town leaders, the multi-year commitment brings welcome stability to Estes Park’s winter economy. Von Freeman, the Frozen Dead Guy Days primary coordinator, said that the 2025 celebration alone brought over 10,000 attendees to Estes Park, 57% of whom stayed overnight, adding $1.3 million in value to the town’s economy.
In March of 2026, the festival featured the Royal Blue Ball, costume contests, polar plunges, a community run, and a bar crawl, all expected to return or be expanded upon in 2027.
Freeman said that one of his favorite events, the bar crawl, allows every hotel, shop, pub, and restaurant to share the crowd, the tourism dollars, and economic profits brought to town.
Sarah Leonard, CEO of VEP, confirmed that the event brought a 24% lift in retail and restaurant sales throughout the festival and said that a partnership with Frozen Dead Guy Days was sustainable, important, and a strategic investment for the town.
While an official date has not been set for 2027, Freeman said the event will return to Estes Park in the last week of February or the first week of April. While the festival takes place on three days – Friday, Saturday, and Sunday – the main events featuring three stages and over 15 bands will take place on Saturday.
Freeman said the festival will continue to fund free shuttles around town, hopefully expanding routes; continue its sustainability mission through the use of aluminum and more recycling receptacles; and strengthen the arts and culture dimension by introducing live art.
The five-year Frozen Dead Guy Days funding uses a declining investment scale so that, as the festival grows its own revenue and economic impact, public support can be gradually reduced while still keeping the event anchored in Estes Park. In 2027, VEP will invest $325,000, declining by $25,000 each year through 2031.
Estes Valley Land Trust
Jeffrey Boring, executive director of the Estes Valley Land Trust, also presented on the EVLT’s efforts to preserve Old Man Mountain during VEP’s Thursday meeting.
The EVLT has been working with private landowners, the town, and Larimer County to conserve land in and around Estes Park since 1987. They have permanently protected nearly 11,000 acres of important wildlife habitat, scenic views, historic sites, and recreational areas like Hermit Park Open Space and the Knolls/Noels Willow Open Space downtown.
EVLT’s current priority, Old Man Mountain, is a highly visible landmark directly adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park. Old Man Mountain is rich in wildlife habitat and recreation opportunities, and it has been a sacred vision-quest site for Indigenous nations, including the Ute, Comanche, Northern Arapaho, and Cheyenne, for roughly 3,000 years.
To prevent future damaging development and to honor this cultural heritage, EVLT is working on an Indigenous-led conservation agreement that would secure permanent protection, improve trails and access, and ensure ceremonial use for tribal nations.
This Saturday, EVLT is hosting a breakfast at Hermit Park Open Space featuring tribal and conservation leaders speaking about Indigenous-led conservation and the Old Man Mountain project. Community members are encouraged to attend, learn more, and support efforts to keep Old Man Mountain protected for future generations.
Open seat for VEP board of directors
Come 2027, VEP will have a new member on their board of directors. Sean Jurgens, current Treasurer/Secretary, is term-limited and will continue to serve on the board throughout the year.
Mayor Gary Hall and Mayor Pro Tem Kirby Hazelton, both town board liaisons to VEP, will serve as the interview committee throughout the next month and recommend a candidate to the board at its Sept. 17 meeting, according to Hazelton.
The selection of Hall and Hazelton as the interview committee follows some debate at the town board’s Sept. 11 meeting, where Trustees agreed that the town should be the one to appoint members to boards using taxpayer funds.
Under current bylaws, VEP may form a nominating committee to help with outreach and recruitment, but the town retains final appointment authority. However, the town has confirmed that it intends to retain its option to appoint its own interview/selection committee, while still welcoming recommendations from VEP.
In practice, this means VEP can help identify and encourage strong candidates, but the town board will make the final decision on who is appointed. The vacancy has been posted on the town’s volunteer portal and is open for applications through Sept. 4.
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