The Emma Crawford Coffin Races, a 30-year tradition in Manitou Springs that draws thousands in October, might be a victim of its own popularity this year.

Some Manitou Springs City Council members suggested pausing the event at a meeting earlier this month due to concerns about its growing size and local law enforcement’s ability to provide adequate security.

The suggestion drew ire from a crowd of residents and business owners Tuesday night, many of whom spoke about the importance of the quirky event to Manitou Springs’ economy and culture.

“It’s one of the weird things that makes this place fantastical,” said Eric Wilks, owner of Manitou Winery.

The Manitou Springs Chamber of Commerce hosted the first coffin race in 1995. The event honors a legend about 19th-century Manitou Springs resident Emma Crawford, whose coffin slid from her burial place on Red Mountain in 1929. Costumed teams race each other down Manitou Avenue while rolling a “coffin” on wheels.

At a work session on May 12, Manitou Springs Police Chief Bill Otto told city councilmembers that his officers were not equipped to staff the event, which drew over 10,000 visitors last year. The mountain town west of Colorado Springs has a population of less than 5,000.

Though no major security incidents have happened before, Otto said he considered the coffin races a “high-risk event,” due to the ratio of attendees to officers and the presence of alcohol.

“It’s not a very good situation for anybody, including the officers that are doing it,” he said.

Otto suggested recruiting 10 deputies from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office to work the races, in addition to the 10 local officers who usually provide security during the event. He said a typical law enforcement recommendation for staffing large events was one officer per about 100 attendees, even though there was “no way” to meet that ratio in Manitou Springs.

“We’re just woefully understaffed,” he said.

Some councilmembers were worried that the staffing issue would not be solved by adding only 10 additional law enforcement officers.

“It’s unacceptable for us to be going into an event knowing darn well we are severely understaffed by more than fifty percent,” said Councilmember Julie Wolfe.

The council discussed the possibility of limiting attendance at the race or screening attendees.

“I think there’s a bigger discussion about how big our events should be,” said Councilmember Gloria Latimer.

Without a security solution, some councilmembers suggested pausing the event for 2026.

“There’s a possibility the whole thing might just get cancelled,” said Wolfe.

Tuesday night, community members who spoke were unanimous in criticism of the possible cancellation. Kathryn Hughes, a server, said that the late-season event was her “Christmas money” and helped pay her winter rent.

“The coffin races, just candidly, is one of our last big weekends,” she said.

Justin Snyder, owner of The Loft coffee shop, said that the races were important to residents.

“This event belongs to the community,” he said.

In 2022, Colorado’s other famous coffin race event outgrew the town where it originated. The small town of Nederland began hosting a coffin race in 2002 as part of its Frozen Dead Guy Days, a three-day festival also based on a dead body’s unusual circumstances.

After a two-year COVID-19 hiatus, Frozen Dead Guy Days only came back once in the small town west of Boulder before it was cancelled. The festival co-owner cited multiple issues, including friction with the town and security concerns, in shuttering the event, which had grown to draw over 20,000 attendees.

Frozen Dead Guy Days was subsequently revived in Estes Park by Stanley Hotel owner John Cullen. According to its website, general admission tickets to the 2026 festival were $55. Security included a list of prohibited items from weapons and illicit drugs to non-transparent backpacks, umbrellas and baby strollers.

The Manitou Springs City Council will continue its discussion about the races at a workshop on June 9. The issue will also likely be an item at the June 16 regular meeting.