CREEDE — Like many festivals and events in Creede in 2020, the Taste of Creede was canceled out of an abundance of caution but now that vaccines have hit the scene and Mineral County has maintained its required COVID-19 metrics, the festival will be taking place at the end of May.

This long-time area favorite began when local artist Steven Quiller decided that what Creede needed was an event that highlighted local artists and delicious food. Thirty-three years later this festival continues to be a great way to set the table for summer. The festival may look slightly different than in previous years but according to sources, it is sure to be a great time for the entire family.

The event will start on Saturday, May 28 with live music provided by Rally Round and Caldera, children’s activities, craft vendors and some food tastings throughout the day.

The Silver Chef Competition is also scheduled to take place and is one of the main reason guests come to Creede. Local chefs gather on Main Street to show off their culinary skills and vie for the top spot in the competition. Each chef is given specific ingredients and asked to create delectable dishes for the judges. Food and ingredients are generously donated by Shamrock Foods and the Monte Vista Coop.

Guests can wander up and down Main Street to enjoy watching artists creating works of art in several mediums throughout the day while visiting local shops and restaurants. The annual Artist Quickdraw will also be taking place on Sunday, May 29. This year’s featured artist is David Montgomery.

According to his bio, “David Montgomery was born into the Great West unlike many who discover it in their travels. He spent his formative years growing up beneath the looming presence of Pike’s Peak and the Front Range of Colorado. Hunting and fishing forays into the wilds with his family spawned his love of the outdoors and nature. He continues to hunt to this day- now with easel and paint brush. The West has changed dramatically in his lifetime and Montgomery strives to commemorate the amazing vistas that are still with us- and strives through conservation activism to preserve those special places that are most worthy of protection.

“David Montgomery has been creating art since he was a small child and has continued with this passion throughout his life. After enjoying art in public schools, he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting from Colorado State University. He has been living and painting in the San Luis Valley of Southern Colorado for over fifty years. His artwork is shaped by the monumental vistas and pristine environs of this rural area at the headwaters of the Rio Grande.

“Montgomery shares his love of these western spaces with his plein air pieces as well as larger studio landscapes that fill walls. He has taken art trips to Europe and the sub-tropics, widening his imagery while pushing his artistic envelope. Montgomery also pursues studies in human figure rendition.

“One of Montgomery’s favorite adventures was an invitation to the Forbes Magazine Corporation estate in Balleroy, Normandy. During his week of painting there he was able to enjoy many day excursions into the Norman countryside with many other invited artists. Most notable was being able to paint in Claude Monet’s estate at Giverny, taking in his world-renowned grounds and his epic lily pond. In addition to painting, Montgomery also offers his services as a show juror and painting instructor.”

The weekend will end Monday with the annual Elks Lodge Memorial Day Service in Basham Park. For more information and a schedule of events, visit www.creede.com.