MANITOU SPRINGS Colo. — Fruitcakes were again Flying in Manitou Springs on Saturday during the Great Fruitcake Toss.

The annual event started in 1996 with locals throwing fruitcakes at the memorial park. Twenty-seven years later, the event is still going strong.

“We are just that kind of strange. We decided throwing around fruitcake, something people have lying around the house, might be an event,” said Jenna Gallas, one of the organizers of the event.

Saturday, participants enjoyed a bake-off, basket toss, fruitcake balance, and of course, the fruitcake toss. Due to the pandemic, many people purchased their own fruitcake to toss or take home.

All of the leftover fruit cakes get donated to Smokebrush farm for the chickens and pigs to snack on. In addition, some people brought non-perishable food instead of cash so they could toss a fruitcake. All items donated support the Manitou Springs Food Pantry.