Frozen Dead Guy Days

A Frosty Farewell and the Rise of Unique Death Rituals

When it comes to commemorating the dearly departed, the little mountain town of Nederland, Colorado, has taken things to a whole new (and chilly) level. Meet the star of the show: Bredo Morstoel, affectionately known as “Grandpa Bredo,” who’s been cryogenically frozen in a Tuff Shed since the late 1980s. His icy posthumous adventure has inspired one of the quirkiest festivals in the U.S.: Frozen Dead Guy Days.

This offbeat annual celebration, held every March, combines frosty fun with a hearty dose of dark humor. Think coffin races, hearse parades, frozen salmon tosses, and a frozen t-shirt contest. Yes, it’s exactly as bizarre as it sounds, and yet, it’s also a touching (if unconventional) nod to the ways we honor those who have gone before us.

But how did Nederland end up with a cryogenically preserved grandpa in the first place?

A Brief History of Grandpa Bredo

Bredo Morstoel passed away in Norway in 1989, but his family had futuristic plans for him. His body was cryogenically frozen and eventually stored in a homemade cryonic chamber in Nederland by his grandson, Trygve Bauge. While cryonics might sound like the stuff of science fiction, it’s a serious movement advocating for preserving the body in liquid nitrogen in hopes of reviving it someday.

After some visa troubles sent Trygve back to Norway, Grandpa Bredo stayed behind. Thanks to dedicated locals (and a lot of dry ice), his frosty resting place was maintained, sparking curiosity, controversy, and eventually, a festival in his honor.

Death Rituals, Reinvented

Frozen Dead Guy Days isn’t just a zany spectacle—it’s part of a larger trend in how we as a society approach death and memorialization. Traditional funerals and cemeteries are not necessarily the default for everyone. In recent years, there’s been a rise in alternative practices, from green burials that return us to the earth, to space burials that launch ashes into orbit, to living urns that transform cremated remains into trees.

Why the shift? Perhaps it’s a reflection of modern individualism—an opportunity to personalize even our farewells. Festivals like Frozen Dead Guy Days exemplify how people are embracing unique, even joyful, ways of engaging with the inevitable. Mourning doesn’t have to be confined to black attire and somber ceremony; it can be a celebration of life, humor, and community.

Lessons from a Frozen Grandpa

While most of us won’t have cryonic preservation or a festival in our honor, the spirit of Frozen Dead Guy Days offers an important reminder: death rituals are as much for the living as they are for the dead. They bring people together, provide comfort, and allow us to honor loved ones in meaningful ways—even if that means racing coffins down the street.

So, whether you’re tossing frozen salmon at Grandpa Bredo’s festival or planting a tree in someone’s memory, one thing is clear: the ways we say goodbye are as diverse and colorful as life itself.

And for those considering their own legacy, remember: a little creativity goes a long way. Who knows? Maybe one day, someone will be racing a coffin in your name.

Here’s to Grandpa Bredo and the enduring human desire to make even the end a celebration worth remembering.