The Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — In the dunk tank at Hayden Daze on Saturday afternoon, Alizabeth Middleton couldn’t get a break.

“It’s pretty much constant,” said a dripping-wet Middleton, 14, after taking a few dozen rapid-fire dips into the water.

Eager volunteers lined up for their turn in the dunk tank Sat­urday, after a slew of Hayden athletic coaches sat in the hot seat to kick off the afternoon. A long line of youngsters gave it their best shot, some opting for extremely intricate — and wildly miscalculated — windups, others opting for the tried-and-true method of simply running up to the dunk button and punching it.

A gaggle of girls hula-hooped the afternoon away to live music by Missed the Boat while eager teams of all ages lined up for the limbo contest and water balloon toss. Youngsters with faces painted like tigers and Spiderman attentively crowded around the prize wheel, anxiously waiting for the color to come up, while most of their parents opted to watch from the shade.

“I’m still waiting to get my face painted — all the kids keep pushing me out of line,” adult Hayden resident Ann Copeland said, chatting with friends under the tent.

Hayden Daze kicked off Friday with a golf tournament in Craig, a barbecue and a street dance. Saturday’s events started with the Hayden Daze parade and a barbecue lunch and was expected to cap off with a fireworks show at dusk.

The town had considered canceling the parade, in part because the Shriners were unable to come from Denver to participate, but the floats rolled on Saturday morning before the festivities moved to Dry Creek Park.

“We launched beach balls at people,” said Tess Neill, 13, who navigated the parade route on a Hawaiian-themed float.

The new Little League field at Dry Creek Park was due to be renamed after longtime Hayden resident Don Morgan on Saturday night, at a ceremony during the community potluck. Morgan, 90, played minor league baseball in Denver for three years and was later a teacher, coach, principal and superintendent in the Hayden School District.