Photos by Patrick Shea An AirMedCare Network helicopter landed on the Mountain Valley School football field during the Saguache Arts Walk and Hollyhock Festival on July 30, a chance for people to learn about the AirMedCare membership program. Busy renovating the Saguache Hotel, Andy Hackbarth set up a sound system outside the building, performed songs throughout the day, and handed the microphone to Carita Ginn from the Saguache Chamber of Commerce for the awards ceremony at the end of the Saguache Arts Walk and Hollyhock Festival on July 30. Sarah Krantz won first place in the arts contest at the Saguache Arts Walk and Hollyhock Festival on July 30 ($100 in cash).

SAGUACHE — Vendors set up early on the Saguache Courthouse lawn to kick off the Saguache Arts Walk and Hollyhock Festival on July 30.

Across the street outside the Saguache Hotel, members of the Saguache Chamber of Commerce set up tables for distributing hollyhock seeds and pots with starter plants.

Saguache Hotel owner Andy Hackbarth set up his sound system for playing recorded music, making announcements, and singing and playing guitar himself for the day.

Printed on thick paper, this year’s festival map marked all the gardens (hollyhock and non-hollyhock), fairy houses, Saguache Crescent newspaper headquarters, the AirMedCare Network helicopter landing zone, and participating artist galleries.

Hackbarth started playing around 10 a.m., the AirMedCare helicopter touched down before noon, and the excellent weather held throughout the day. At the same time, the mobile COVID vaccination bus parked at Otto Mears Park where a flea market featured multiple booths.

The Saguache Volunteer Fire Department sold breakfast burritos at the “Fire Hut,” and Mountain Valley School students set up at the Cozy Castle Cinema to solicit more funds for their European trip next year.