It will be hard to know when it ended. It might be day or night. It could be the morning after, sitting on a main street bench, watching cars leaving, a dusty wind chasing them from town, leaving you behind until it’s your time to go.

Because things that wrap around your entire being end slow. And this winter has been one of those things for a lot of us, working its cold fingers into a frigid grip on our minds and bodies.

There was the one day. There was the other one day. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said “that was one of the best runs I’ve ever had,” this winter.

And as it winds down, as the rivers on main street carry off baby strollers, it’s time to say goodbye.

And we will do that by dressing up in pink and sending winter into oblivion on the back of the 28th annual KOTO Street Dance and the wings of fake pink flamingos. (I love those things and lawn darts). Location: main street, you can’t miss it.

Here’s KOTO radio’s affable and unforgettable Jumpin’ Jan Zink on why you should be there: “Because it’s a raging good time. It’s the biggest, best street dance ever.” It is going to be big and best: this year, Telluride Ski and Golf offered up its sound stage for the event.

I’ll imagine myself as the dog running across the street on the cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Shakedown Street.” Wooooo!

The dance will start at 3:30 on Friday afternoon and go till 7 p.m. or later, so wear good shoes: you’ll need them to get down to the sound of Ralph Dinosaur and his Fabulous Volcanos (one band) and Toubab Krewe (the other band).

Ralph and the extinct fellows will make you remember that rock didn’t die with the brontosaurs or Rod Stewart (oh? What?) when they kick things off while Toubab Krewe (that’s a hard one to spell because I wanted to say 2 Live Crew) will take us deep into the early evening with what my co-worker has dubbed Afro-roots music. I don’t even know what that means.

My take: Judging from the Web site, no one looks African. But that’s cool, because the song that comes on is rich and funky and has inspired me to move about this office in a series of erratic dance moves that are further marred by my ankle injury.

They group is from the Asheville, N.C., location of the Congo. If they had stages and amps in the middle of the jungle.

I mean what the pluck! How have we not seen these boys before?

“Devil Woman” is a song supposedly about a woman who is a devil. I don’t know any of those women, but I’m guessing I wouldn’t like them and yet I’d find myself trapped by their torturing and beautiful mixture of pomp and grace and fury. Which is the reason this … song. is. killing. it.

General great stuff from the five person and six beat band. One dude may have Dashboard Confessional written all over him but there is nothing to be sad about, not with these cats coming to town. One reviewer said the band set a new standard for rock and African fusion. Party on, Wayne! Who knew such a standard existed!

Oh? Did I mention this show is free?  As in freer than a free bird! Freer than last-day-of-school, running-out-the-door free! Free!

Except the food vendors (gyros and Jodi’s cart) and the beers (New Belgium) and the wines (Yellow Tail). KOTO’s on the take from the bar money, so drink up in the name of free radio and [mostly] good music, except for that one guy.

“It’s our last big deal, then everyone goes away and comes back all tan and rested,” Zink said.

And let’s not forget — let’s not forget — the pink flamingo element here. In addition to sick like pneumonia tunes, the street dance is a costume party. (Ever notice how KOTO likes to get people all dressed up in hopes they’ll act out, unidentified?)

The idea is to wear pink and incorporate that into a costume somehow. Should not be too hard, especially with prizes on the line for mature birds (over 12) and those under.
Jumpin’ Jan said she’ll be there, man, as she’s been at every street dance there ever was.

“Pink,” she says to wear. “Just pink pink and more pink.” Then again, “God, leave it to me to tell anyone what to wear.”