Burro Racing is an Annual Festivity in One Colorado Town

In Colorado, you might often find yourself stumbling upon fun yet quirky traditions that still take place to this day. Estes Park has Frozen Dead Guy Days, Fruita has the Mike the Headless Chicken Festival, and the town of Leadville is home to a very unique "sport," if you want to call it that, involving donkeys.

Burro Racing in Leadville Colorado

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Each summer, the historic town of Leadville celebrates Boom Days, a multi-day town carnival that takes over much of the downtown area. Named for the mining boom that built the town, along with much of the entire state of Colorado, Boom Days has been going on for many years and is fun for the whole family.

Plus, if you happen to be a fan of donkeys, it's even more fun.

Leadville's International Pack Burro Race takes place each year during Boom Days around the first weekend of August. Burro is the Spanish name for donkey, and each year the main drag is filled with them.

Spectators and participants aren't just from the small town of Leadville, but people travel from all over Colorado and beyond to race their burro, or even just to come and watch.

The burros' owners typically participate in the race as well and can be seen wearing a number as if they were running in a regular 5k.

You'll find all shapes and sizes of the animal, from baby burros to full-grown donkeys that could easily be mistaken for a horse from a distance, and it may surprise you to see how much these burros get up and go.

Here's a little taste of what to expect at Leadville's Burro Race: