CRESTED BUTTE, Colo. — If you’ve never been to Crested Butte in Gunnison County, the one thing you might hear from people who live there is: It’s pretty quirky!

The unofficial mayor of Crested Butte

So quirky, town-folk have a cat as their unofficial mayor. A cat, you say? Yes, a cat. His name is Mr. Jingles and he lives in the True Value hardware store on the east side of town.

Jingles moved into the store about seven years ago, after getting annoyed with the kids in the home he originally lived in.

The cat became popular after he continued to sit up on the counter, near the cash register at check out. Folks thought he was a stuffed animal, until he would start to move around.

Some people love Jingles so much, they even plan part of their trips around seeing him!

One woman told us she and her husband visit Crested Butte each summer from Texas in part to check in on Mr. Jingles.

The cat now has his own birthday party and festival each summer — which has grown so large, it has an official beer sponsor.

To learn more about Jingles, watch Kevin Torres’ ‘Colorful Colorado’ segment, which is posted in this story.

Wildflowers

If you’re looking to visit Crested Butte, this is the best time to come to town! The Crested Butte Wildflower festival is currently underway and it continues through July 23rd. The festival was created in the 80s and takes place each July as a way to educate people about the beautiful wildflowers that inhabit Crested Butte. You can learn more at the website here.