30 years ago – June 23, 1989
As the Madams, Sporting House Girls, and Dandy Dans paraded down Main Street in all the finery of their trades Saturday, cameras appeared from purses and were raised from around the necks they hung from. The annual rite of spring in the City of Central is known as Lou Bunch Day and commemorates the “working girls” of the old west. Arriving on the Black Hawk-Central City Narrow Gauge Railroad at 12:30 p.m., the girls flounced around town during the day of merriment. Fortunately, cold weather didn’t hit until later in the week, or a lot of lovely skin would have been marred by goosebumps since the traditional costumes on Lou Bunch Day tend to be on the skimpy side. This year saw more and more entries in the events that crowds the day’s activities. Twelve teams vied for top honors in the Original Bed Race, a zany zoom down the main drag in a brass bed. Carelli’s of Chicago, a Boulder restaurant, had the first place team, while the Central City Opera’s team garnered top honors for bed race costumes. The Bonanza Gift Shop team came in second in the race this year, after a first place win last year. The fabulously costumed Opera Association team placed third in the race. Honorary Madam of the Year Sandy Schmalz was taken completely by surprise with her newly acquired title. The honor was awarded for her devotion and work since 1975 on the annual event. She joins a select group of only three Honorary Madams. Past winners of the prestigious award are Gail Sheftel and Muriel Paul. As in the past, Madam Eileen Pfeifer’s stable of Madams, Sportin’ house girls and Dandy Dans entertained the assembled multitudes with specialty song and dance numbers before and after the bed race. A former vaudevillian, Madam Eileen choreographs original routines each and every Lou Bunch Day. By Monday, all the fancy regalia had had been tucked back into closets and trunks and everyone (except the saloon girls at the Glory Hole) had gone back to wearing much less interesting duds.
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