Meet Leslie Eidem, one of our 2021 Festival’s Scarlet Gilia Members! Leslie has been a member of the Wildflower Festival for several years now, but her roots in our Festival’s history date even further back.

Leslie’s mother and father first came to Crested Butte in 1954. Her mom, an avid wildflower observer, taught each of her seven children as much as she could about the beauty of nature and the special flora growing amongst the mountains. Today, Leslie and her daughter and her daughter continue to share that same passion together, “it is so exciting to see my daughter and granddaughter be the third and fourth generation to carry on a love of Crested Butte Wildflowers” says Leslie.

When asked what her favorite memory of the Wildflower Festival has been, Leslie replied, “I don’t think I can pick just one special trip or memory. But they are even more special now as I can feel my mom’s presence walking along the paths with us and hear her voice pointing out a brilliant color or a rare flora each time I go.”

Pictured here are the four generations of Wildflower lovers (thank you to Alison White Photography for capturing this special moment), including 9-year-old Josephine Heinze who is a talented photographer herself.

Thank you, Leslie, for sharing your beautiful family story with us and for your continued support of the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival!