Face it – we love our festivals. From Balloon Races to Pig Outs, and from Arts Explosions to the many annual events hosted by Historic Washington, we know how to show tourists and locals a good time. But over the weekend I watched coverage of a yearly get together that looked like fun and, as you would’ve guessed by now since I am mentioning it, I found totally bizarre and immensely fun.

Last week the fine citizens of Estes, Colorado enjoyed a four-day soiree called Frozen Dead Guy Days. And yes, the hoopla is exactly what you would expect. Here is what I learned from their web site how it all came about.

Norwegian man Grandpa Bredo Morstoel is over 120 years old. Only part of that was spent as a corporeal being, however, since he died in 1989 from a heart condition. But you might ask, how did he end up as festival fodder in Colorado? I am so glad you asked.

Grandpa Bredo was born and raised in Norway. His passions included skiing, painting, hiking and fishing. He worked as the Director of parks and recreation in Norway’s Baerum County for over three decades.

And then he died. His family packed Bredo in dry ice (as one does) and shipped him off to Oakland, California, where he spent four years at the Trans Time cryonics facility. Only instead of soaking up rays, he was soaking up liquid nitrogen.

Eventually it was time for Grandpa to visit the kids. His body was moved to Nederland, Colorado in 1993, where his daughter Aud Morstoel and his grandson Trygve Bauge lived. Both were proponents of cryonics and wanted to start a cryogenic facility of their own.

The old fellow chilled out for several years in a Tuff Shed near his grandson’s home under cold cover. But leave it to the Government to put a fly in the ointment. Or the freezing tube. Let’s put a pin in that for a second.

It seems the kids did not read the part of the laws of the land. Apparently, it was illegal to store frozen humans or animals in your home. Couple that with grandson Trygve being deported due to an expired visa, and it was up to Bredo’s daughter to care for the household – and her Grandpopsicle.

Now, back to the Government. Daughter Aud was evicted for living in a house with no electricity or plumbing. So, it looked like she would be joining Trygve back in Norway and their dreams for a cryonics facility of their own would be dashed. Which left Grandpa cooling his heels in the shed in the back yard.

This is where the Press came in. Aud told her tale of woe to a local reporter. They, in turn, spoke to the Nederland City Council. The Council then, in a turn of their own, passed Section 7-34 of the municipal code regarding the keeping of bodies.

Now we come to the part of the tale which proves age has its privileges. Bredo’s stiffened personage was grandfathered in, so he was allowed to stay. And stay he did, for decades.

Less than a year ago, Grandpa Bredo received an upgrade on his lodgings. He was moved from Alcor in Nederland to the Stanley Hotel. More about that in a moment. But for now, Bredo is submerged head-first in liquid nitrogen in the Hotel’s old ice house in

Estes Park. He is patiently waiting for a chance to thaw, and hopefully be brought back to life.

If the name Stanley Hotel sounds familiar, it might be because it was the inspiration for the Overlook Hotel in the classic Stephen King novel “The Shining.”

That narrative is what brought my attention (and a ton of visitors) to Frozen Dead Guy Days. Held last weekend in honor of Grandpa Bredo, the festival featured coffin races, costumed polar plunges, icy turkey bowling, and even a frozen T-shirt contest. Not to mention a souped-up hearse auto show.

Don’t believe me? I don’t blame you. But visit

frozendeadguydays.com and see for yourself. There is even a countdown clock so you can “freeze the date” for next year.