Welcome to the 24th Annual
Emma Crawford
Coffin Races and Festival
Visit us on October 27th for live video feed of the Coffin Races
Since 1995, Manitou Springs has had an annual tradition honoring the memory of a beloved member of our community.
Of all things, why coffin racing?Emma Crawford came to Manitou Springs in 1889 searching for a cure for her tuberculosis in the the area’s famed natural cold-water mineral springs. She fell in love with the charming mountain town and her dying wish was to be buried on top of Red Mountain. Unfortunately, Emma succumbed to her illness in 1891. Her fiancé, a civil engineer on the Pikes Peak Cog Railway named William Hildebrand, honored her wishes. With the help of eleven other townspeople, William carried Emma’s coffin up the 7,200 foot slope and buried her near the summit of Red Mountain.
In 1929, after years of harsh winters and spring rains, Emma and her coffin came racing down the mountainside. The young children who happened upon her remains found only the casket handles, a nameplate, and a few bones. Some say she still haunts Red Mountain today, but the only sure way to see Emma is to come to Manitou Springs and to the Coffin Races and Festival bearing her name. |
Meet the Racers!Scroll above to see the teams!
Real-time race info will be available on October 27th at coffinrace.com 
Find more about our other events
under our Festival Events tab! |
The 24th Annual Emma Crawford Coffin Races and Festival will take place on October 27th, 2018. The Parade starts at noon with Coffin Races to follow.
Stick around after the Races for Festival de los Muertos
in Memorial Park from 2:00 - 9:00 pm!
Stick around after the Races for Festival de los Muertos
in Memorial Park from 2:00 - 9:00 pm!
Contact Us
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The Manitou Springs Chamber of Commerce put on the first coffin race in the nation in 1995.
Over 24 years, the races have grown into an often copied but never equaled, one-of-a-kind Manitou Springs tradition. Manitou Springs Chamber of Commerce
354 Manitou Ave Manitou Springs, CO 80829 (719) 685-5089 coffinraces@manitouchamber.com ManitouSprings.org 
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EmmaCrawfordFestival.com was made possible through the efforts of the
Manitou Springs Heritage Center Bringing History to Life Manitou Springs Heritage Center
517 Manitou Ave Manitou Springs CO 80829 (719) 685-1454 ManitouHeritage@gmail.com ManitouSpringsHeritageCenter.org 
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