The eighth annual Mancos Melt golf tournament will once again welcome the beginning of spring on March 18.

This year’s theme is “Circus Circus,” and the proceeds will benefit the Mancos School of the West, which organizes art classes for residents of the Mancos Valley and surrounding areas.

“Everybody will dress in a circus costume, and we will have judges that do the costume contest,” event organizer Rena Wilson said.

Tickets are $40 for a two-person team. People can pre-register for the event at Fahrenheit Coffee Roasters. On the day of the tournament, last-minute registration will take place at Columbine Bar until 12 p.m., and the tournament play will start at 1 p.m.

Prizes will be awarded at Columbine after the tournament at 4:30 p.m. The grand prize will be a round of golf at Conquistador Golf Course in Cortez, Wilson said.

Prizes also will be awarded for the best costume and best golf hole design, she said. There will be 18 golf holes placed at different business and locations around town. Teams will travel to the locations to make their way through the course, she said.

Last year, the Mancos Melt tournament raised $700 for the Painted Turtle Studio’s children’s scholarship fund.

“We try to help the local nonprofits,” Wilson said.

Wilson is looking for anyone else who is interested in helping organize the Mancos Melt events. The Melt used to be a four-day event, with a bed race, fashion show, food and wine tastings and a costume contest, she said. For the past two years it has been a one-day golf tournament event, she said.

“We have just narrowed it down to the most popular event for the last two years,” Wilson said.