Manitou Springs residents and visitors will once again be invited to let their fruitcakes fly at the 25th annual Great Fruitcake Toss on January 23 at downtown Memorial Park. The contest will take place from 1-3 p.m.

The event began in 1996 with a small group of locals who were brainstorming about creative ways to get rid of a holiday dessert that no one seems to eat. It has since grown into a winter festival featuring a costume competition and a fruitcake bake off.

Years ago, contestants were allowed to use launching devices, including slingshots and catapults, to propel the cakes. But some of them were being flung too far, placing nearby homes in jeopardy from flying desserts.

“Now we do it without the devices,” said Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman Leslie Lewis. “We don’t want to risk breaking a window in a house.”

The event was canceled in 2014 due to declining attendance and lack of sponsorship, Lewis said, but a local group brought it back the following year. The chamber of commerce took over two years later, and the event has been going strong ever since.

The contest will be divided into four events: a hand-toss for distance, a speed competition in which contestants’ throws are clocked with a radar gun, a balance contest featuring an obstacle course, and an accuracy match.

Cakes are required to weigh one pound and be rectangular in shape. No inedible ingredients are allowed. A “tech inspector” will examine each cake before it is allowed to enter the contest.

Contestants can purchase extra throws for $1 each. The event coordinators encourage entrants to bring nonperishable food for donation to the city’s community pantry.

Fruitcake throwers and event attendees will be required to follow the El Paso County Health Department’s COVID-19 safety protocols.

Emma Crawford coffin races lure 10,000 to Manitou, free shuttle rides offered