Most towns celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks or a parade, but this Colorado mountain town celebrates with high-pressured water fights right on Main Street. Ouray’s Fourth of July tradition pits teams of two against each other in a brutal battle using high-powered fire hoses.
According to The Watch, the competition features multiple divisions including a women’s division, coed teams, junior division, and the senior men’s division. Competitors wear face and body protection to prevent injuries, though it hasn’t always been that way.
The competition spawned in the late 1800s, when Ouray was still a gold mining town. As the fights continued over the years, a lack of protective gear led to injuries due to flying rocks and high-pressured water. Bruising and damage to the eyes were all possible.
