Photo By Rick Emert | FORT CARSON, Colo. — A large crowd of locals sits on hay bales to enjoy a pancake...... read more read more
By Aleah M. Castrejon
Mountaineer editor
FORT CARSON, Colo. — This year’s annual Western Street Breakfast took place in the heart of Colorado Springs June 20, 2018.
Each year Soldiers from Fort Carson volunteer to cook the food for the annual event. They worked with the community to serve breakfast to those who attended the event that began at 5:30 a.m. This year 7,000 people attended the event.
While the Western Street Breakfast began in 1936, it was nearly 55 years ago that Fort Carson Soldiers started cooking and serving food for the event.
Greg Joell, Fort Carson Food Program manager, said the Soldiers arrived at approximately 1 a.m. to begin preparing for the event.
Last year, about 6,000 people ate at the breakfast, he said.
The Soldiers were prepared to beat last year’s numbers with more than 1,000 pounds of pancakes, 700 pounds of eggs, and more than 1,000 pounds of syrup, Joell said.
The streets downtown were closed off to let attendees sit on the many hay bales that lined the streets to enjoy their meal. As patrons ate their pancakes and eggs, they were entertained by live music by The Colorado Springs Conservatory, Exit West and the Flying W Wranglers.
“It’s a great feeling to be a part of the community,” Joell said. “To partner with all of these great community members … it’s an awesome feeling.”
Children had the chance to rope cattle “dummies” with a lasso, and patrons visited the many booths lining the streets. A mini petting zoo was available and the Girl of the West and the Aide to the Girl of the West as well as other rodeo representatives were introduced.
“It’s nice to be out and about and have the community see us and see what we do,” said Sgt. 1st Class Tony Martin, culinary specialist, 4th Engineer Battalion, who added that a lot of planning went into the event.
The Pikes Peak Range Riders, a group of about 160 city leaders and businessmen who are also supporters of the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo, and their guests, departed from the site of the breakfast for their annual five-day trek around the Pikes Peak area while promoting the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo.
The rodeo is held in the Norris-Penrose Event Center July 11-14, with a Patriot Night July 11 honoring Fort Carson. The Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo has a 78-year history in Colorado Springs and features bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing, bull riding and American free-style bullfighting. For more information visit http://www.PikesPeakorBust.org.
| Date Taken: | 06.20.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 12.21.2018 09:39 |
| Story ID: | 304769 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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