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Bredo, Nederland's beloved "Geezer in the Freezer"

Our "Geezer in the Freezer"

Frozen Dead Guy Days • March 8 - 10, 2019

Nederland, Colorado, USA is home to one of the strangest celebrations on the planet. “Frozen Dead Guy Days” is one of the most unique weekends you’ll ever experience. The festival is three days full of frosty fun featuring 30 live bands in luxurious heated tents so cozy you’ll forget it’s mid-winter. World-renowned events like Coffin Racing, Frozen T-Shirt Contests, Frozen Turkey Bowling, the Polar Plunge and much more! Don’t miss the Parade of Hearses & Coffin Racers through downtown Nederland’s First Street which transforms into a pedestrian mall with street performers and games. Delicious drinks, fabulous food, and amazing adventures await! Come experience the 18th anniversary of this famous festival in Nederland, Colorado March 8-10, 2019! 

Who is Grandpa Bredo?

Bredo Morstoel (pronounced “Bread-dough More-stul”) was a director of Parks and Recreation in Baerum County, Norway for over 30 years. He was born in Isfjorden, Romstel in western Norway on February 28, 1900. His marriage to Anna in the 1920’s created a family with two children. After his retirement in 1967, Bredo enjoyed his hobbies of painting, fishing, cross-country skiing and hiking in the mountains. His daughter, Aud, rescued him with CPR after a heart attack in 1974; however he eventually died of heart failure during a nap at the family’s mountain retreat in Norway on November 6, 1989.

Who froze him & why?

Bredo’s grandson, Trygve Bauge, had him frozen through a process called Cyronics. Cryonics is the preservation of legally dead humans at very low temperature (below -200°F, -130°C) in the hope that future science can restore them to life, youth and health. It is a speculative technology that presumes medicine will someday be able to cure the disease that caused the death of the person who was frozen. At this time medical technology has not advanced to the stage of determining how to re-animate and heal the frozen bodies.

How was he frozen?

Grandpa was originally packed in dry ice at an undertaker’s in Norway then shipped to the Trans Time facility in Oakland, California. Here he was removed from dry ice and placed into the superior medium, liquid nitrogen, for nearly four years. He’s now back in his original steel coffin, packed tightly in dry ice and stored in a Tuff Shed above Nederland, Colorado. Did Grandpa Bredo want this? No one knows. He died before his family could discuss plans. Bredo’s grandson Trygve and Trygve’s mother, Aud both plan to be placed in cryonic suspension after their deaths, just like Grandpa.

Why is Grandpa in Nederland?

Grandpa’s grandson, Trygve, had lived in Boulder, Colorado since 1980. His family, including Grandpa, visited Boulder in 1982. Trygve and his mother, Aud, bough property in Nederland in the early 1990’s with a vision of building a cryonics facility to serve numerous clients. Grandpa was moved to Nederland in December 1993 and placed in a metal shed (considered the first phase of the cryonics facility) on the property. Shorty after that Trygve was deported back to Norway due to an expired visa and his mother evicted from the house when it was found to have no plumbing or electricity. Her visa soon expired and she too returned to Norway, leaving Grandpa behind.

Who takes care of him?

Bo Shaffer, the “ICE MAN”, has been packing Bredo in dry ice since 1995. Every few weeks Bo drives to Denver, Colorado and hauls nearly a ton of dry ice up to the shed in Nederland.

Who pays for this?

Bredo’s daughter, Aud, and grandson Trygve have invested significant sums to maintain Grandpa. The ice and it’s delivery cost them over $700 a month. This is in addition to maintaining the property. 

Isn't that illegal?

When Nederland officials learned of the situation in 1994, they passed an emergency ordinance to make it illegal to keep dead human or animal bodies or parts on one’s property. Laws can’t be passed after the fact, so Bredo was “grandfathered” in.

Why is there a frozen dead guy days festival?

The town of Nederland, Colorado was swarmed with international attention when the news of Grandpa Bredo was first revealed in 1994. The flurry of activity subsided and eight years later the Nederland Area Chamber of Commerce decided it was time to re-animate the story of Grandpa and help downtown enjoy a lively weekend in the quiet months of winter. Grandson Trygve calls it “Cryonics’ first Mardi Gras”. The international attention has resumed as major media from around the globe cover this unique winter festival each year.

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