GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Fifth graders from Parachute to Loma earned respite from class, and the scorching heat, at the 16th annual Children’s Water Festival.

Held at Mesa State College, the two-day event is the largest water festival in Colorado, according Joe Burtard, spokesman for Ute Water, the company that organizes the event.

Several companies and organizations — 56 this year — from all over Colorado descend on Grand Junction to educate students on the many facets of water — from water conservation to water rights, water safety to water species.

The festival has come to be an annual rite of passage for all outgoing fifth graders in the valley.

“Each presentation is structured to the fifth grade learning level,” with the festival hoping to achieve three objectives, Burtard said:

• Teach kids about the different aspects of water;

• Give kids their first opportunity to be on a college campus and promote higher education;

• And, to introduce water-related career opportunities.

It’s a big production for Ute Water — “six months of planning” — and one they couldn’t do without the 260 volunteers and generous underwriters and sponsors such as Alpine Bank, Xcel Energy, Home Loan, to name a few.

Burtard expected 1,800 fifth graders to pass through the event Monday and Tuesday.

Reach Tracy Dvorak at tdvorak@gjfreepress.com.