Leave it to Manitou Springs to turn a macabre mishap into one of its most popular annual events.

City officials expect the 31st Emma Crawford Coffin Races and Festival to draw as many as 10,000 revelers on Saturday, according to special events coordinator Hallie Gurba.

“Manitou is a special place, full of people who are willing to ‘embrace the weird,’” Gurba said. “Nothing embraces the weird better than the Emma Crawford festival.”

Most Pikes Peak-area residents are at least somewhat aware of the festival’s origins. In 1889, Emma Crawford, a woman suffering from tuberculosis, moved to Manitou hoping the natural mineral waters would provide relief, and perhaps even a cure. Although weakened, she was determined to climb to the summit of Red Mountain. Struck by the beauty of the surroundings, Crawford asked to be buried there.

When Crawford died in 1891 at age 28, her wishes were honored. But in 1929, harsh winters and spring rains dislodged her coffin from its burial place, sending it racing down the mountainside. When her remains were found, a few bones, the casket handles and a nameplate were all that were left.

But her legacy lives on in a city that prides itself on its eccentricity and uniqueness.

“Ours is the original coffin race,” Gurba said. “There are others around the country now, but we are the original.”

In recent years, coffin races have popped up in other states, including Texas, California and Nevada.

Event officials expect 60-70 participants on Saturday, all dressed in Halloween costumes, ready to show off their creative chops and compete for the gold. Last-minute entries are encouraged to check the city’s website, manitousprings.org, for coffin specifications.

A parade, food trucks, a variety of merchandise and an afterparty, featuring live music from the Denver-based band RADO, round out the festivities.

This year, the festival will be livestreamed on the “Pikes Peak Regions Attractions” YouTube page, which currently has nearly 7.8 million subscribers.

“That’s a huge audience,” Gurba said. “This livestream could change the future of coffin races for us. We’re excited about it.”

The festival is free to the public. Event goers can park for free at the Division of Motor Vehicles parking structure, 1675 Garden of the Gods Road, and take one of the shuttles that will run from 9 a.m.–6 p.m. for $5 (cash only). Parking is not allowed in the downtown area.

For bicycling enthusiasts, PikeRide is offering free bike valet service, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., on the west side of Memorial Park in Manitou Springs.

Pet owners are asked to leave their “four-legged family members” at home for the event, according to the website.