Mountain Village welcomes 5th annual Telluride Fire Festival

The fifth annual Telluride Fire Festival returns to Mountain Village and Telluride Dec. 6-8, 2019.

The Telluride Fire Festival, a 501c3 organization, is an interactive fire art experience offering fire-related workshops and outdoor displays of fire artistry to support artists and enable all to immerse themselves in the many forms of fire art.

Fire performances and fire art installations are slated in both Mountain Village and Telluride Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, and during the day, workshops will be available for people of all ages at the Wilkinson Public Library.

Festival Hospitality will be at the base of Lift 4 in the Mountain Village Center each day of the festival 11 a.m.-4 p.m. The signature events of this year's festival are as follows:

• Free Fire Dancing Performances in Mountain Village Center on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 5 to 8 p.m. With 21 performers.
  
• Hot Time in the Old Town, Friday, Dec. 6 & Sunday, Dec.8, 5-8 p.m., Transfer Warehouse. Experience and even interact with flaming sculptures and be entranced by fire dancers. This all takes place inside the historic Transfer Warehouse in Telluride. Kids will love being able to push a button or turn a crank to make powerful sculptures spew flames into the night sky. While taking in all this magnificence, you will also be able to enjoy music by DJ Kentendo and learn the nuances of each intricate sculpture by MC, Colin Sullivan of Telluride Theatre. Hot cider & other libations at the cash bar at this one-of-a-kind event. Snacks for sale as well.
  
• Fire Ball, Saturday, Dec. 7, 9 p.m., Great Room at San Sophia Gondola Station. This wildly outrageous event will feature music, fire performers, aerial silk spinners, jugglers, open bar and more. Plus, Fire Ball attendees will have access to the Fire Sculpture Garden atop the ski area.
  
• Fire on the Mountain, Saturday, Dec. 7, 9:30 p.m. “Fire On The Mountain” atop the ski area will showcase three spectacular wood sculptures on display during the day, which will then ceremoniously burn to the ground Saturday night during the Fire Ball. You can purchase a $10 ticket for this fiery event as a separate item here or for $15 at the door.z
• Pulse!, Friday, Dec. 6, 8 p.m., Palm Theatre. A modern dance and acrobatic performance in collaboration with Telluride Dance Collective and Homestead Circus Productions.

Fire Artists

Propane artists participating this year are Charles Vierhout of Avondale, AZ, Matt Brooks of Denver, CO; Jamie Vaida of Oakland, CA; Ryan Mathern of Atlanta, GA; Space Ninjas of Dillon and Aspen, CO. Artists creating wood installations are Keith D’Angelo and Niel Ringstad of Telluride, CO and Michael Wright and Meredith Miller of Phoenix, AZ.

Artist spotlight

Charlie Vierhout will be showcasing his 10-foot tall street clock, entitled “Our Time”, which juxtaposes a contemporary take on “time” with a more historical view of street clocks. The hands move both forward and backward in the clock face. A pendant allowing people to select multiple styles of flame blasts controls the tower flame effects. Inside the tower are four computers to control LEDs, the hands, and flame effects, as well as four custom-built gearboxes. 1,300 LEDs are also inside the installation, which run an ever-changing color display.

Artist, Charles Vierhout creates complex computing system for a living, and makes art for a release. After many years of living life from one extreme to the other, Charlie found the middle ground within the burner community and has been building fire, light, and sound art for several years.

For more about the Festival or to volunteer for the festival, visit telluridefirefestival.org.