nevada silver trails by the dozen

Discover 12 south-central Nevada events you don’t want to miss in 2011 and 2012.

By CRISTIANA CORRAO & CHARLIE JOHNSTON | September/October 2011

Photo: PR (Beatty Days Bed Races)

SEPTEMBER

TASTE OF THE VALLEY ART & BLUES FESTIVAL
The Yerington Theatre for the Arts at the Jeanne Dini Cultural Center is a non-profit organization. Every year through donations and benefit events, this institution is able to stay afloat and continue to enrich the lives of Yerington locals and visitors. One of YTA’s most enticing events is the annual Taste of the Valley Art & Blues Festival. New in 2011, the event will take place over two days, September 9-10. The first Jeanne Dini Ravioli Night will be held Friday, with the music of rhythm and blues band Stompy Jones. Saturday features food and art vendors as well as Jamal Walker’s Loose Change Band and the Jason King Band. Tickets to the dinner are $25, and the Taste of the Valley Book and Tasting Card is $30.—Cristiana Corrao
yeringtonarts.com, 775-463-1783

OCTOBER

WILD WEST EXTRAVAGANZA
Cowboys and Indians abound as this annual event brings back the days of gun-slinging and tent cities. The Wild West Extravaganza, October 14-16 in Pahrump, resurrects the spirit of the Old West with a step back into the late 1800s. The festival is held in a replica boomtown, where activities and attractions include gunfights and a gun show, civil war encampment, Pony Express trail ride, livestock auction, Native American village, and more.—CC
wildwestextravaganza.org, 775-731-3734

OCTOBER

BEATTY DAYS
A trend among Nevada towns is to mark the day of their founding with jubilant annual celebrations, and it is no stretch to assume that many strive to be as boisterous as Beatty Days. During Beatty’s three-day festival, October 28-30, locals and visitors rejoice in the birth and history of the former mining town in grand fashion with an Old West shootout; 5K footrace; hotdog-eating, root beer-drinking and burping, hula-hoop, Halloween costume, and pumpkin-carving contests; parades; motorcycle events; and the festival-favorite, only-in-Beatty bed races. Food vendors, pancake breakfasts hosted by the Lions Club, and a Dutch oven cook-off ensure revelers won’t go hungry, and craft booths offer the chance to lighten wallets on locally made wares.
beattynevada.org, 775-553-2050

NOVEMBER

DEATH VALLEY ’49ERS ENCAMPMENT
These ’49ers have nothing to do with football. In 1849, hundreds of thousands of people headed west to the gold fields of California. The 62nd annual Death Valley ’49ers Encampment, November 9-13, commemorates those wagon trains that passed through Death Valley (today a national park). Encampment activities—held in Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells—include art shows, photography and craft shows, music, cowboy poetry, contests, and more. There are also activities during pre-Encampment, November 6-8, such as historic tours and a pet parade. Camping at Death Valley National Park’s collection of campgrounds is encouraged, but lodging is also available in Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells. Admission to the main event is free, but a membership to the Death Valley ’49ers gives access to all the events and can be purchased on the group’s website.—CC
deathvalley49ers.org

DECEMBER

LINCOLN COUNTY CHRISTMAS
Cathedral Gorge State Park near Panaca features a Holiday Decoration-Making Extravaganza on Saturday, December 3. Participants will find holiday cheer while making decorations from natural materials collected in the area.—CC
parks.nv.gov/cg.htm, 775-728-4460

Kershaw-Ryan State Park near Caliente will host its third annual Winter Wonderland and Toy Drive on Saturday, December 10. In addition to lights and decorations in the day-use area of the park, Santa will be handing out stockings filled with candy and toys. Hot chocolate, Dutch oven peach cobbler, cake, cookies, and other treats will be provided. The park asks attendees to bring a new unwrapped gift for families in need. The Saturday event is free, but park entrance to see the decorations anytime thereafter is $5 for Nevada residents and $7 for out-of-state visitors.—CC
parks.nv.gov/kr.htm, 775-726-3564

MAY 2012

ARMED FORCES DAY CELEBRATION
Armed Forces Day—unifying the previously separate Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps Days—was first celebrated in 1950 with the support of President Harry S. Truman. Hawthorne, having housed the nation’s most important ammunition depot since 1930, is a military town, and the town’s Armed Forces Day, May 2012, is taken to the max with a three-day event preceeded by more than a week of additional activities. Parades, food, music, crafts, military tributes, and other activities help honor those who serve our country. Admission to all events is free.—CC
mineralcountychamber.com, 775-945-2507

MAY 2012

RACHEL DAY
Rachel Day celebrates the founding of the only town on the famed Extraterrestrial Highway in 1977. This one-day May 2012 event kicks off with a parade and is followed by a craft fair, music, games, and food. Camping is free, and limited rooms and RV spaces are available at the Little A’Le’Inn.—CC
rachel-nevada.com, 775-729-2515

MAY 2012

JIM BUTLER DAYS
Another of Nevada’s stalwart town-founding celebrations is held in the former Queen of the Silver Camps, Tonopah. For more than 40 years, Tonopahans and tourists have honored the man responsible for the silver discovery that led to the town’s birth with the lively and energetic Jim Butler Days, May 25-28, 2012. Revelers at the annual four-day party enjoy a bonanza of events, such as a street dance with live music, parade, rock and art show, gold panning, the Nevada State Mining Championships, arm-wrestling competitions, food and craft vendors, and a Memorial Day remembrance ceremony. Photo: Bobby Jean Roberts
tonopahchamberofcommerce.com, 775-482-3558

JUNE 2012

LINCOLN COUNTY TRAILS DAY
National Trails Day was started by the American Hiking Society in 1993 in an effort to promote awareness and conservation of trails in North America. This year, National Trails Day events were held in all 50 states, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Lincoln County’s ninth annual Trails Day, June 2, 2012, is held in Caliente and includes hikes on trails throughout the scenic backcountry of Lincoln County. Activities include guided equestrian rides, jeep and four-wheel-drive outings, ATV rides, and hiking trails.—CC
lincolncountynevada.com, 877-870-3003

JULY 2012

PANACA’S PIONEER DAY
Pioneer Day is an official holiday celebrated in Utah in remembrance of July 24, 1847, the day Brigham Young and the first group of Mormon settlers entered Salt Lake Valley after leaving Nauvoo, Illinois. Panaca, founded as a Mormon colony, was originally part of Utah until 1866 when it was re-zoned in Nevada after the Congressional restructuring of boundaries. Because of its Mormon background, Panaca celebrates Pioneer Day on the closest Saturday to July 24 every year. On that Saturday, citizens are awakened at 6 a.m. with the setting off of dynamite around the borders of the town. Following is a flag raising and breakfast that benefits the local Boy Scout troop. The old-fashioned parade is another highlight of the celebrations.—CC
lincolncountynevada.com, 877-870-3003

AUGUST 2012

LINCOLN COUNTY FAIR AND RODEO
The Lincoln County Fair and Rodeo, held in Panaca on August 2-4, 2012, is a time to celebrate Lincoln County, its agriculture, and its residents. Rodeo events include saddle bronc, bareback, bull riding, team roping, and barrel racing. There is also the youth gymkhana including events such as barrels, poles, keyhole and flag races, and goat tying. Other festivities include a farmers’ market, tractor barrel racing, lawnmower races, and much more. Daily admission is $5 for guests 12 and older.—CC
lincolncountynevada.com, 877-870-3003

AUGUST 2012

GOLDFIELD DAYS
At one time, Goldfield was the largest city in Nevada. It nearly became a ghost town after a fire destroyed most of the city and the mining frenzy died. But its original glory is resurrected every August during Goldfield Days. The old spirit of this mining town is revived through gunfights, horseshoes, and old-fashioned children’s games. Crowds will also enjoy the parade, land auction, bus tours, crafts, and food.—CC
goldfieldnevada.org, 775-485-3560