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Pueblo West Wet Parade canceled, residents talk alternative plans

Posted at 5:52 PM, Jun 30, 2020
and last updated 2020-06-30 20:17:50-04

PUEBLO WEST — An annual tradition in Pueblo West is changing this year.

The popular Wet-Dry Parade has been officially canceled due to COVID-19, but News 5 found that some folks are still planning to hold an event of their own.

Pueblo West resident Sara Hoff said, "It's been a tradition here you know?"

It's an event that brings thousands of people to Pueblo West every Fourth of July.

Nine-year-old Eddie Fairbanks said, "I like it because mostly everyday is burning hot for me so it's a time to like chill out in the hot day."

His mom, Danielle Kershaw, said, "It's one of his favorite things to do."

But like so many other things this year - the parade is a no-go.

Hoff said, "Everybody is really sad about them canceling it."

That's why Hoff shared that some people are planning to have their own event on Saturday.

She said, "There's been a group on Facebook that is going to do a water fight in the same type of location and I know that there are several residents out here that are going to be going...I feel like things have been closed too long and I'm for it. I'll be bringing my children if they do it."

The Pueblo West Metropolitan District made the call to cancel the annual event. To those who might be trying to plan their own: "When you end up going to events of that size or gathering you're putting yourself or others at risk so we ask people to consider that," said Public Information Officer Samantha Dosen.

While it's not exactly clear where people might be doing a water fight on Saturday Captain Steve Bryant of the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office said, "We will be having deputies out on Joe Martinez going up and down...Joe Martinez Boulevard is posted "NO PARKING ANYTIME" so if anybody pulls up and parks it is a public safety issue. We would have to contact them and say hey, you can't park here at this time."

Kershaw and her family won't be participating in any big event that might happen, but they're still planning to celebrate in their own way. She said, "We have a nice alley in the back that we share with several houses and we've all decided that we're just going to hook up all of our sprinklers, block off the alley from the public, and just have one big, old, neighborhood...wet parade of our own."