By Owen Woods | owen@alamosacitizen.com
ITstarted as two separate events: The Hollyhock Festival in July and the Arts Walk in August. Then in 2021, some of Saguache’s residents, artists, and florists decided why not combine the two events into one? Now in its third year as a combo package, the town and Valley have one more event to add to an already blooming summer.
Happening Saturday, July 29, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Fourth Street and in front of the Saguache County Courthouse, the town will swell with people and vendors, artists and onlookers. The event is free to attend.
Declared the town flower, the Hollyhock grows just about everywhere in the town of Saguache – as it does in most of North America. Some consider it a weed, but its flowers that come in just about every color are hard to ignore.
Sarah Krantz, an artist and resident of Saguache spoke with Alamosa Citizen during the latest episode of the Creative Citizen podcast. Krantz not only will have art on display during the Arts Walk, she is also one of the organizers of the whole event, as well as the creator of the 36 fairy houses found around town.
According to Krantz, combining the two events has been “incredibly successful. We were thrilled.”
Really, it’s a great way to promote “just one more thing to come to Saguache for.”
An easy flower to grow, drought tolerant, and 100% edible the Hollyhock grows in many folks’ backyards, front yards, gardens, even on the side of the road. This abundance of blossoms is inviting. As part of the Hollyhock festival, residents with some flowers to boot open their gates and their yards to invite visitors.
Many of them hang out in their front yards and end up having conversations all day. Some of them leave their gates open to let their neighbors and friends enjoy the bounty.
“Because of our climate being so unique and dry, we are just lucky to have something that blooms,” Krantz said.
