For 36 years, Territory Days has provided thousands of visitors with a chance to enjoy live music, sink their teeth into turkey legs and graze the selections of hundreds of vendors.

But on Saturday, a group of about 50 people added something fresh to the historical three-day festival in Old Colorado City.

What began as a few dancers moving in slow motion in the center of Bancroft Park escalated into a flash mob: an organized routine performed suddenly in a public place.

Amid the clapping, hip-shaking and smiling were all walks of life, including a 4-year-old, a 60-year-old and even a storm trooper.

Group members paid to participate in the shimmying and shaking, which helped grant a Colorado Springs child with a life-threatening medical condition a wish through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. For flash mob organizer Jeanette Falu-Bishop, the cause hit close to home.

In 2008, Falu-Bishop and her husband, Michael, an Air Force master sergeant, adopted two siblings from Liberia, Jacob and Anthonnette. The couple and their two biological children, Ariana and Xavier, were overjoyed to expand their family. Then they received a call that shattered their spirits.

The adoption agency informed the couple that their soon-to-be son Jacob was dying from a swollen heart. He was later diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma ­­— a pain Falu-Bishop says no family should endure.

“The worst feeling in life is to have a child ill and not being able to do anything,” she said. “Our lives went in slow motion while everyone else’s were going fast-forward around us.”

After a speeded-up adoption process and help from the military, the Bishops were able to get Jacob, now 10 years old, the treatment he required. With his cancer in remission, Falu-Bishop wanted to give back to the foundation that provided her son with his personal wish: a media room fully loaded with a big screen TV, Xbox, movies and a PlayStation.

As a salsa instructor who loves to dance, a flash mob was the perfect way to fundraise.

“I have four kids and a business, so I don’t really have time to wash cars, and I don’t think anybody would eat anything I bake,” she laughed. “Anybody can do a flash mob. It’s something to make people smile.”

And indeed, the crowd was all smiles.

“It was so fun. The kids wanted to join in,” said onlooker Brooke Korsmo of Peyton.

Flash mob participants came together with the help of Craigslist advertisements, Facebook and word-of-mouth through Falu-Bishop’s business, Structure Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork. Though they only practiced for three weeks, Falu-Bishop said the mix of people, from military members to teachers, immediately opened their hearts to the cause.

“It was a great way to raise awareness,” said onlooker Bonnie Gardner of Colorado Springs. “They look like they had a lot of practice.”

The dancers raised and presented about $600 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Colorado. The foundation’s director of events Patti Forsythe said the flash mob was the most creative fundraiser yet.

“It was a nice surprise. People do golf and bowling tournaments, but this was by far the most creative,” Forsythe said. “We love and need people to step up and do outside fundraising like this.”

Thanks to the fundraiser, a Colorado Springs child will be chosen Tuesday to have his or her wish granted.

“My son got his wish. I just wanted to give that feeling to someone else,” Falu-Bishop said.

Blacksmith Butch Lee, who owns Northwinds Forge in Black Forest, laughs while demonstrating his craft Saturday during Territory Days in Old Colorado City. The festival runs through Memorial Day. Photo by CHRISTIAN MURDOCK/The Gazette

James Zednik, 3, of Colorado Springs takes a train ride Saturday during Territory Days in Old Colorado City. The festival runs through Memorial Day. Photo by CHRISTIAN MURDOCK/The Gazette

Cristina Crisan of Pierre, Texas, left, and Lexter Rodriguez of Grand Junction hang the last of their banners before opening their concession stand Saturday for Territory Days in Old Colorado City. Photo by CHRISTIAN MURDOCK/The Gazette