Wind Blows Away Frozen Dead Guys Days Plans

NEDERLAND, Colo. (CBS4) - The wind blew away plans for Nederland's Frozen Dead Guy Days. All outside events for the annual festival were postponed until Sunday.

Even the beer tents had to be closed. The tents are supported by heavy, metal beams and poles. One of the beams came loose during a series of wind gusts. That's when officials realized the wind was just too dangerous.

The event can draw a crowd of 15,000 people. It's a quirky, chaotic festival in the heart of Nederland that can last three days.

"This year I was going to be on top of it and make it up here to see the parade and all the craziness that goes on," visitor Kate Hayes said.

Wind is common in the canyon-like valleys in the area, but gusts of 60 to 80 miles per hour are not typical.

"I can't feel my face because it's so cold and windy," Hayes said.

"I'm really upset. I've been working on this party for a long time, but the winds were just not safe," organizer Amanda MacDonald said.

MacDonald is running the festival for the first time and is heartbroken over the decision to move the polar plunge and coffin race to Sunday.

"Polar plunge because they would have gotten hypothermia, and the coffin race because we don't want anybody to be killed by a coffin," MacDonald said. "We trying to do the best we can to give some entertainment, but it wasn't safe to do all the events."

The parade did make it down 1st Street and then the crowd dispersed to local businesses with indoor activities, shopping and dining.

"I was halfway up here and heard it was cancelled but decided to come by anyway to check out a couple of hearses," Hayes said.

Officials are posting updates on the Frozen Dead Guy Days website.