Sporting House Girls will perform at this year’s Lou Bunch Day in Central City on June 18. File photos by Linda Jones
Sign up to race, enjoy the community event
Submitted by Central City Local Events
It all started almost 40 years ago with the filming of The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox with George Segal and Goldie Hawn released in 1976. With a lot of help from local dignitaries, city marketing and the Central City Local Events (a nonprofit organization), this event has remained alive and well with an increased following every year.
Central City lost to being the capital of Colorado by one (yes one) vote when Colorado became a state in 1876. During that time, Central City/Black Hawk was the hub of the economy for Colorado during the gold mining boom, including more saloons and gambling halls than you could shake a gold pan at.
Click on schedule to get an enlarged view
Madam Lou Bunch ran her house on Pine Street, just behind Main Street and right below the mines to settle all the racing hearts of the hard working miners with many amenities. When the epidemic broke out, Madam Lou and her (sporting house) girls, “closed” the houses and turned them into makeshift hospitals.
Getting the miners back to working health was there top priority to get the economy in the area back on track. With this in mind, many locals are very passionate about this event and the history that it tells.
Attention all participants
The Local Events Committee of Central City invites you to participate in the 37th Annual Madam Lou Bunch bed races. Each bed race team will consist of two men and one woman, with cash prizes awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners, as well as a cash prize for the best costume.
Each team will start on Main Street across from Doc Holidays and will run North (down hill) on Main Street to the barrel at the intersection of Main and Dostal Alley, around the barrel and back to the starting line (up hill and out of breath).
The Sporting House Girls perform during the 2010 Lou Bunch Day.
Each entrant fee is $300 and non-refundable to Central City Local Events Committee (a nonprofit organization).
Contact Sandra Hines at 303-601-1023 or at anhcrzy@aol.com complete for a bed race application and have your team members read and accept the rules with their signature (we don’t want to be liable for anything).
Return the application along with your non-refundable fee to Central City Local Events, P.O. Box 671, Central City, CO 80427 no later than June 16 (we can come and pick it up, it you are close). Should you have any questions feel free to contact (but don’t make the check out to) Sandy Schmalz at 303-582-5941 or Sandra Hines at 303-601-1023 or at anhcrzy@aol.com.
Prior to the starting signal, all members of the team must be standing beside the bed. At the signal, one of the men (first pusher) will put on the nightshirt and the other man (second pusher) will make sure it is tied. The man with the nightshirt on (first pusher) will get behind the bed as the other man and woman get in the bed and the man behind the bed with the night shirt on will push the bed down the street towards the barrel. When the bed passes the barrel at the other end of the street, the pusher will bring the bed to a stop. The female jumps out and makes sure that the bed does not move over the line while the two males exchange the night shirt, making sure it is tied again. The man (first pusher) without the night shirt and the woman again jump in the bed and then the man with the night shirt on (second pusher) will push the bed back up to the starting line.
• 1st Place – $500 and Famous Bed Race Trophy (with bragging rights)
• 2nd Place – $300 (pays for the fee)
• 3rd Place – $200 (still not bad)
• Best Costume – $150 (be creative, you should see the past winners)
There will be four judges, one positioned at the starting line, one on the side of the street midway to the barrel and two at the barrel. There will be two official timekeepers, both stationed at the starting line. Judges and timekeepers will determine the winner and the runner-ups. Their determination will be based on the fastest time and least penalties.
You are encouraged to have a sign identifying your team/business. The sign will be placed (tape or tied that’s your problem) on the foot of the bed and used in the parade (so we know who you are) prior to the race (don’t worry it’s not a long walk).
Come up and have some fun and may the best team win.
